The first episode of Season 2 already feels like a wild emotional ride. It jumps five years after the events of Season 1. The main characters have changed during that time, and things aren’t smooth right from the start. This episode highlights Joel’s past errors and Ellie’s strong wish to be independent. Expect tension to grow between them as they face new challenges ahead.
Lies and repercussions:
We are reminded of Joel’s past mistakes, such as lying to Ellie about the Fireflies and his destructive behavior during the first season. Instead of a friendly bond, their relationship has taken a rough turn. Ellie has grown more independent and no longer wants Joel’s protection. Yet, her impulsiveness sometimes makes her act out, and she could use some guidance. She shouted that she was immune and ignored her leaders. Joel faces his own issues too, struggling with anger and vulnerability. It’s surprising he decided to go to therapy, since he’s usually private about his feelings. Still, it’s clear he’s holding back, unable to fully open up. His difficulty in showing vulnerability suggests he might not change much. Joel and Ellie try to talk before New Year’s, but the conversation feels forced and tense. Watching that exchange is painful because, in season one, their banter was dry but funny, and they worked as a father and daughter duo. Now, it feels like they’ve gone back to the start. We don’t know what happened in those five years, but hints point to Joel’s lies weighing heavily on Ellie. At the celebration, Joel tries to act like her protector, especially from Seth. But instead of thanking him, Ellie embarrasses him in front of everyone. It’s hard to watch her shame him and say she doesn’t need his help. Joel looks like a sad puppy through the whole scene. His face shows how much he cares, even if he doesn’t say it.
A key conflict running through this episode is Joel’s actions in Season 1 and their consequences. We meet Abby, part of the Fireflies. The story circles back to the place where the giraffes roam freely. Nearby, several graves mark the spots where Joel’s victims lie. Abby’s father is among those Joel killed. Now, she seeks revenge with fierce determination. From her first appearance, it’s clear she’s ruthless and plans to kill Joel slowly. I won’t spoil what happens later, but we all know how it’s going to end. Still, I’m not ready to see Abby’s obsession turn crazy.
Another death we learn about is Gail’s husband. The show doesn’t show this, but Gail admits to Joel that her husband was killed by him. She doesn’t say if it was because he was infected or for some other reason. I was surprised she kept her cool while telling Joel this. It was strange to see her willing to meet with him in therapy. Joel didn’t even apologize, which added to the oddity of the moment.
Typical Teenager:
Ellie has changed a lot since last time. She has become moody and more like a teenager. She’s gotten better at fighting and now shows off her familiar tattoo from the game. She seems to have made friends in town and has grown closer to Tommy. Within the Miller family, Tommy is hiding his own secrets. He didn’t tell Joel that he helped Ellie improve her shooting skills, which she really enjoys. Through Ellie, we meet new characters like Dina. She’s a great addition because she gets along well with both Joel and Ellie. Joel sees her as another daughter, but a spark begins to grow between her and Ellie. They understand each other well but often disobey authority. Their curiosity about the market, where they found dead clickers, wasn’t smart. Still, Ellie learned that the clickers are becoming smarter. One acted more like a person—hiding when needed and luring enemies. If more clickers start acting this way, killing them will get harder. That’s a problem for the future. We saw signs of cortyceps growing inside pipes in town. This suggests many people might get infected soon. Who knows what will happen after that. Will everyone have to leave their homes?
At the end of the episode, Abby and her team find the town where Joel and Ellie are staying. Abby looks determined to get there as fast as she can. It’s unclear how long her journey will take, but she will likely face some clickers along the way. A clear sign of what’s to come is how Joel and Maria discussed letting new people join their community. Joel was against it, while Maria trusted them more. She reminded Joel that he was once an outsider who was accepted. With Abby and her crew now heading toward them, it’s likely they’ll regret opening their doors to newcomers.
