The Season 2 premiere of “The Last of Us” catches up with Joel and Ellie five years after the events of Season 1. They have settled into life in the walled settlement of Jackson, Wyoming, overseen by Joel’s brother, Tommy, and his wife, Maria. Joel helps with the construction of new living quarters, while Ellie, now 19, learns combat and patrols the wilderness around Jackson with her friend Dina and Dina’s boyfriend, Jesse.
Ellie has become estranged from Joel, barely speaking to him.
My review of The Last of Us season premiere, as Joel and Ellie's time in the relative paradise of Jackson portends ominous things in their future: https://t.co/MDtb8fAeN4
— Alan Sepinwall (@sepinwall) April 14, 2025
Joel is so troubled that he starts seeing a therapist, Gail, to sort out how to win Ellie back. Co-creator Craig Mazin says most of the five years between seasons have been good, but now Joel and Ellie are “back in their corners.”
In the premiere, Joel’s therapy session opens with him complaining about Ellie freezing him out.
Gail, having no patience on her birthday without her late husband, Eugene, tells Joel she knows he’s holding something back.
The Season 2 premiere of #TheLastOfUs starts in just one hour on @StreamOnMax!
Are you ready to continue Ellie's journey? ❄️ pic.twitter.com/as4b6QbIZV
— Naughty Dog (@Naughty_Dog) April 14, 2025
Catching up with Joel and Ellie
She reveals her own truth: “You shot and killed my husband.
You killed Eugene. And I resent you for it. No, maybe a little more than that.
I hate you for it.” She pushes Joel to unburden himself, and he storms out, saying, “I saved her.”
Our own @Neil_Druckmann shares his appreciation for #TheLastOfUs fans ahead of the Season 2 premiere! pic.twitter.com/dND1RYbLyE
— Naughty Dog (@Naughty_Dog) April 13, 2025
During a patrol, Ellie encounters an infected in an abandoned supermarket that stalks her strategically rather than mindlessly. Mazin says this shows an evolution in the infected and hints at “a sense of almost emotion and sadness inside of them.”
The production built a significant portion of the Jackson set for real, more than typical budget constraints would allow. The episode sets a promising tone for the season, exploring the intricacies of Joel and Ellie’s relationship and the challenges they face in a world still full of danger.
The Last of Us continues to explore the horror of a fungus-ravaged world and the complex human emotions and moral dilemmas that arise in its wake.
