The Last of Us Season 1, based on the critically acclaimed 2013 video game of the same name by Naughty Dog, premiered in January 2023 on HBO. Created by Craig Mazin (known for Chernobyl) and Neil Druckmann (the original game’s co-creator), the series is a faithful adaptation of the game, delivering a gripping narrative that explores the human condition, love, survival, and loss in a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by a fungal infection.
The show stars Pedro Pascal as Joel Miller, a hardened survivor, and Bella Ramsey as Ellie, a teenage girl who may hold the key to humanity’s survival. The Last of Us is set in a world where civilization has collapsed after a Cordyceps fungal outbreak has turned much of the population into mindless, infected creatures. The series focuses on the emotional bond that forms between Joel and Ellie as they journey across the United States, facing dangers from both the infected and other human survivors.
Plot Summary
Season 1 of The Last of Us follows the overarching plot of the original game while adding more depth to certain characters and expanding on the world’s lore. The story begins with the outbreak of the Cordyceps infection, which spreads rapidly and brings society to its knees. Joel, who loses his daughter Sarah during the chaos of the early days of the pandemic, becomes a hardened, emotionally scarred man, doing whatever it takes to survive.
Twenty years after the outbreak, Joel is tasked with smuggling Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of a quarantine zone. It soon becomes clear that Ellie is immune to the infection, and she may be the key to developing a cure. What begins as a job for Joel quickly turns into a personal mission as the two form a father-daughter-like bond while journeying across a dangerous, desolate America.
Throughout their journey, they encounter various factions, including the oppressive military, violent raiders, and a rebel group known as the Fireflies. The infected are ever-present, with different stages of the Cordyceps infection leading to terrifying creatures like Clickers and Bloaters. However, the show also explores how humanity itself can be just as dangerous, as desperation and fear lead to violence, betrayal, and moral ambiguity.
