The first season of HBO’s The Final of Us wasn’t simply one of the crucial spectacular online game diversifications so far, it was additionally one of the crucial devoted. The present did a outstanding job of replicating the characters, areas, and moments of the sport, to the purpose that it felt prefer it was simply skipping straight to the cutscenes at instances. Nonetheless, season 1 displayed flashes of its personal storytelling, with episodes like “Lengthy Lengthy Time,” which expanded the post-apocalyptic world’s scope past the principle story of Ellie and Joel. This helped the collection really feel each genuine to and distinct from its supply materials. Season 2 takes issues a step additional — it neatly follows a extra difficult story, whereas additionally spending extra time fleshing out the setting past its lead characters.
This piece accommodates gentle spoilers for The Final of Us present and video games.
Whereas season 1 spanned everything of the primary sport, the second season solely covers a portion of The Final of Us Half II. It’s seven episodes lengthy, which covers roughly half of the sport’s plot; co-creator Craig Maizin beforehand stated the break up was made as a result of “the story materials that we bought from Half II of the sport is far more than the story materials that was within the first sport.” (It additionally means the brand new season is shorter than season 1’s 9 episodes.) After watching your entire second season, it undoubtedly feels shorter, nevertheless it additionally ends at a spot that properly units up season three.
For those who haven’t performed the sport, the second chapter picks up after Joel’s (Pedro Pascal) pivotal determination, by which he “saves” Ellie (Bella Ramsey) from a bunch of scientists trying to make a vaccine for the zombie-like an infection that has ravaged this world. However they don’t get the possibility as a result of Joel kills everybody to get Ellie out of there, for the reason that process would kill her. It’s a selfishly private alternative — rescue one particular person on the potential expense of humanity as a complete — to the purpose that Joel lies to Ellie about what actually went down.
Quick-forward to season 2, and the pair live in a comparatively secure group within the stays of Jackson, Wyoming, whereas coping with the realities of Ellie rising up. She needs extra accountability and possibly even has a girlfriend named Dina (Isabela Merced), and Joel isn’t dealing all that effectively with it. He even sees a therapist (Catherine O’Hara) in hopes of working via it.
Early on, although, these issues change into a faint reminiscence. The Final of Us’ second chapter is finally a revenge story, and after a key second — I gained’t spoil what it’s for the uninitiated, however I’ll say it stays unchanged from the sport — Ellie turns into consumed with the concept of revenge and travels to a harmful, war-torn Seattle with Dina to get what she needs. That brings us to Abby (Kaitlyn Dever), the supply of Ellie’s ire. Within the sport, she remained a largely mysterious power up till about midway via, when issues shifted and gamers noticed — and performed — issues from her perspective. Within the present, whereas there’s nonetheless some thriller to the place she comes from, her motivations are made a lot clearer early on.
This doesn’t change the dynamic between Abby and Ellie; they nonetheless hate one another, and so they nonetheless have their causes to take action (whether or not these causes are justified, after all, is fairly hazy). However it does assist issues transfer alongside just a little faster, and it suits higher with a weekly TV present, the place you possibly can’t rush via the story to see what Abby’s deal is. The thrust stays the identical as ever, with the 2 steadily inching towards an inevitable battle, which implies that this season can also be more likely to be as divisive as the sport. For those who thought Joel’s determination within the season 1 finale was difficult, oh boy, simply you wait. I personally felt that The Final of Us’ second chapter was a troublesome however efficient approach to discover the lasting influence of violence and anger, nevertheless it additionally turns its important characters into unlikable sociopaths, so your mileage will certainly differ.
What’s spectacular in regards to the present’s second season is the way it maintains that very same revenge-fueled storyline (or, at the very least, the primary half of it) whereas additionally constructing on it. Because it’s a present, you’re not simply taking part in from Ellie’s perspective like within the sport, and so the remainder of Jackson and Seattle get extra consideration. Along with some new characters, like Joel’s therapist, there are pivotal storylines that don’t even have something to do with Ellie’s quest, however do put into focus simply how harmful this world is. You get to see much more of Jackson’s internal workings, whereas Seattle has change into a battleground for 2 opposing forces: a militant group and a bunch of non secular zealots. Very similar to Abby, the teams’ motivations and backgrounds are made clear early on. Right here, you not solely see the gory, brutal battle firsthand, however you additionally see the reasoning behind it.
What this implies is that, even when you’ve already performed the second sport, there are nonetheless loads of causes to observe The Final of Us’ new season. It does a wonderful job of rendering among the sport’s most touching moments — sure, there’s loads of guitar taking part in — whereas additionally placing Joel and Ellie’s story into the bigger context of this world. And when you’re coming in contemporary, effectively, season 2 is simply the beginning of a brutal story — one that may change the way in which you see these characters.
Season 2 of The Final of Us premieres on HBO and Max on April thirteenth.