The Last of Us Season 2 finale delivered what one recap deemed a “brutal, sadistic triumph of television,” bringing the hit HBO series to a dramatic end after a season of heartbreaking deaths and new threats. How about that? A perfect ending to a near-flawless series.
In an absolute gut-punch denouement, the finale paid off just about everything that has been set up on their epic journey, all while leaving viewers sad, touched, and a little scared by the end.
Season 2 Finale Review
HBO’s adaptation offers a strong finish to an epic season, though the road to the finale has been arguably rocky for some. The show shifted away from the games in a big way, taking bold narrative swings that left parts of the fandom divided. Whether or not you love or hate the show is hotly debated at this point, but most agree it remains a largely excellent show.
The season’s climax delivered on the story’s emotional stakes with brutal honesty. The creators even doubled down on a controversial cliffhanger, with showrunner Craig Mazin arguing “we have to take risks as a television show.” In the end, Joel and Ellie’s world reached its brutal climax in a way that many found powerful and thought-provoking, capping off what some are calling a triumph in video game adaptation.
Season 2 Ending Explained
“I let you live…and you wasted it.” These are the last words we hear before the Season 2 finale cuts to black, ushering in a new reality. In the final moments of the episode (“Convergence”), Kaitlyn Dever returns as Abby (for the first time since killing Joel earlier in the season) to confront Ellie. Just when it looks like Ellie (Bella Ramsey) is ready to abandon her revenge mission and return to Jackson, Abby storms in and fatally guns down Jesse, then holds Tommy at gunpoint.
She finally turns the gun on Ellie and… darkness. The screen cuts to black on this violent confrontation, ending the season on an ambiguous, heart-stopping note.
In a move that might surprise newcomers, the narrative then suddenly jumps back a few days earlier – this time following Abby’s perspective. The camera opens on Abby waking up at the W.L.F.’s base in Seattle, revealing the “other side” of the story behind those events.
This twist is pulled directly from The Last of Us Part II game, where the story shifts to let players experience what led up to the showdown from Abby’s side. “There is another side to this story that we have yet to really delve into,” Mazin teased, emphasizing that Abby is the hero of her own journey.
Season 3 is poised to explore Abby’s path and the fallout of Joel’s death, which is sure to have a lasting impact on Ellie and everyone left standing. As the dust settles on this finale, fans are left to ponder the cost of vengeance and what comes next – and it’s clear that nothing about this ending was for nothing.
