Love it or hate it,The Last of Us Part 2took a big swing as a sequel to one of the most beloved narrative games of all time. Naughty Dog made it clear that this title was going to be a big departure from its predecessor, and with a whole new cast of characters and a giant shift in the status quo, Part 2 made a name for itself as one of the most divisive gaming sequels of all time.
HBO’s The Last of Us series is about to get its Season 2, which means fans who haven’t played the game are about to be in for a rude awakening. Aside from the obvious plot-shattering events, however, there are plenty of moments from The Last of Us Part 2 that absolutely need to be in the show if it wants to do the game justice.
The following contains spoilers for the entirety of The Last of Us Part II.
Abby And Owen On The Ferris Wheel
From the start, most players are going to hate Abby. However, Naughty Dog’s aim is for players to come to like her over the game’s runtime. One of the most endearing scenes in that regard is Abby and Owen’s outing to the Ferris Wheel at the aquarium in Seattle.
This scene may feel less important in relation to the rest of the story’s grand scope, but it serves a crucial role in laying out Abby and Owen’s individual characters, as well as their dynamic, before things get too complex for them. Their conversation also lays out key plot points that will be important later, like their use of the aquarium as a meeting place, and Abby’s fear of heights.
Baby JJ On The Tractor
The entire section where Ellie and Dina have settled down on the farm should be in the show, simply because of how important it is to both of their characters’ arcs, as well as the game’s overall narrative. However, there is one moment in particular that should make its way into an episode: Ellie holding baby JJ on the tractor.
If players walk out into the front yard of the farmhouse while Ellie is holding baby JJ, they can interact with the tractor to get a really nice moment where she climbs up to sit on the tractor with him. As they look out over the gorgeous landscape, fans can’t help but reflect on everything this quiet reflection means to Ellie. It’s a beat that would work well in the TV series, too.
Ellie Confronts Joel
After the explosive (and controversial) ending to the first game, Ellie confronting Joel about his lie was the single most anticipated scene of Part 2. In a flashback sequence, Ellie travels back to the hospital where Joel saved her life - and mowed down the Fireflies in the process - to learn the truth.
It’s a relatively short scene, but this conversation between Ellie and Joel is one of the most important moments for both of their characters, and for the implications of the rest of the game’s story. Leaving out this conversation entirely or simply leaving it off-screen would be a big fumble on the part of the show.
Ellie And Abby’s Theater Fight
After hours and hours of buildup in the gameplay, Abby and Ellie’s fight in the theater is one of the most climactic moments of The Last of Us Part 2. Not only does the theater itself serve as a fantastic set piece for a showdown between the game’s two protagonists, but it’s also the first time they meet face-to-face.
This fight will likely translate exceptionally well to screen with its cat-and-mouse dynamic, and is an excellent payoff after building up each character for so long. The theater fight is one of the most iconic scenes of the game, so if it isn’t included, it’ll be a big surprise for fans of the game.
One of thebest scenes from the original Last of Usgame is when Joel and Ellie encounter the giraffes near the hospital in Salt Lake City. The uncanny encounter with the escaped wildlife embodies the theme of nature, reclaiming what mankind has left behind, and provides one of the most subtle and beautiful character moments between Joel and Ellie.
It’s only fitting that in Part 2 that Abby’s dad Jerry saves a zebra from a barbed wire fence, mirroring this magical moment from the first game. This scene needs to be in the show because it demonstrates the similarities between both Abby and Ellie and their relationships with their father figures, and it’s a fantastic moment of character development for Abby individually.
Ellie And Dina’s Dance
One of the moments most prominently featured in the marketing for The Last of Us Part 2 was Dina and Ellie’s dance scene. Coming early in the game’s runtime, this sweet moment shows how close Ellie and Dina really are and how much Ellie has to lose as she decides to leave Jackson.The less-sweet second half of this scene shows Joel standing up a bigoted member of the community, Seth, on Ellie’s behalf, which she resents in the moment.
This exchange adds another layer of complexity to her and Joel’s relationship, and is one of the few moments between them players get to seebefore Joel’s death. The dance scene in its entirety is crucial to Part 2’s plot and characters, and in turn can’t afford to be left out of the show.
The Rat King Fight
When it comes to gameplay, one fight stands out asPart 2’s most memorable (and terrifying): the Rat King. As Abby tries to escape through the basement floors of the hospital in Salt Lake City, she encounters a monstrosity that has been brewing since the zombie outbreak started.
The beast is made up of multiple Infected that have merged together into one giant blob, and it’s truly a horrifying sight to behold as it chases Abby through the hospital’s abandoned halls. The Rat King is one of the best monster designs of recent memory, and excluding it from the show would be a crime.
Abby And Lev’s Skyscraper Ascent
One of the game’s best threads is Abby’s relationship with two kids, Lev and Yara, which serves as another mirror to Joel and Ellie’s relationship in the first game. The most memorable sequence Abby has with Lev is their ascent up a skyscraper as they make their way back to an injured Yara.
The climb through this towering structure is a truly breathtaking set piece, and players are treated to some fantastic dialogue between Abby and Lev. This sequence, and Abby and Lev’s quips as she faces her greatest fear, would be sorely missed from the series.
Joel And Ellie’s Final Conversation
Taking place at the very end of the game, Joel and Ellie have a final conversation on Joel’s back porch after the dance - they don’t know, of course, that this will be the last conversation they ever have. Not only does Joel get to enjoy a cup of coffee (one of the things he said he missed most about before the outbreak), but he and Ellie get to have one last, nice moment of reconciliation.
Like the conversation at the hospital, this scene is one of the most important moments for both of their characters, especially as Ellie looks back on it after Joel’s death. The showrunners might choose to switch up the order that this conversation is revealed to viewers in the sequence of events, but there’s no doubt it needs to be in the show in some capacity.
Ellie’s Space Flight Simulation
In what is argued as the single best sequence in the game, Joel takes Ellie to a museum for her birthday when she’s still a kid. The flashback has them make their way through dinosaur and space exhibits as the two crack jokes, just like the old days.
The final cutscene is one of the series’ standout moments, though, as Ellie climbs into a spaceship and Joel hands her a headset with a recording of a rocket launch so she can imagine launching into space. It’s one of the most magical moments Ellie ever gets, fully enjoying her childhood one last time. Aside from all the major plot points, the launch is the one scene the show cannot afford to miss; if it’s not there, HBO will have some very upset fans on their hands.
