After Joel’s sudden death, the story slows down for a moment. Ellie tries to seek revenge but struggles to find allies. She keeps her feelings hidden, not showing much on her face. The calm before the next storm gives her time to think. Still, her emotions stay locked inside, leaving her looking distant.
The W.L.F’s:
We learn more about the group Abby is with, and they don’t seem to be very kind. Dina keeps some secrets from Ellie but tells her they are part of the Washington Liberation Front. Their base is in Seattle, which will be the next main location. We also meet a new group called the Seraphites. They are a religious clan that follow a Prophet. We don’t know much about their past, but they look strange. They have scars on their faces, possibly from initiation rituals, and they hide from the W.L.F.s. Later, Ellie and Dina find the group in the woods, all dead. It looks like the W.L.F.s might have killed them. I wonder what caused their war with the W.L.F.s?
Choosing Sides:
The episode mostly centered on who would stand with Ellie, and the choices were mixed. Tommy hesitated because he wants justice for his brother, but he knows there are consequences. The town has been trying to rebuild for three months. Many people have died from the infected outbreak. Tommy probably would join once things settle down, but not right now. He and Ellie had a tense talk because she was so eager to get revenge that Tommy had to remind her he was Joel’s brother. Ellie’s anger is blinding her to everything else around her. Tommy also told Gail he feels Ellie might follow the same path as Joel. He doesn’t want her to make the mistakes his brother did. Still, Ellie and Joel shared a strong bond because they both share similar traits.
Gail kept revealing her darker side with a sharp comment about Ellie. She’s the town’s therapist, but she doesn’t seem fit to help others. She told Tommy she’s an alcoholic who smokes a lot of weed, so I’m not sure I trust her judgment. She visited Ellie in the hospital to check on her mental state before discharge. During the visit, she asked about Ellie and Joel’s relationship and wondered why Joel claimed he wronged her when he actually saved her. Ellie was clueless, and you could tell she was lying. From a preview, we saw Ellie knows Joel lied about when he saved her, but she’s hiding that fact. We haven’t seen that flashback yet, but it might be the porch conversation they had. What caught me off guard was Gail telling Tommy that Ellie couldn’t be saved. She knew Ellie was lying and pretending during their talk. Ellie had said she wanted justice at the meeting, but Gail suggested she only said that to hide her true feelings. Ellie’s words sounded like she was after revenge, yet she couldn’t admit it. Surprisingly, Seth came to her defense and seemed to have changed his tune about Ellie. Jesse, who’s part of the council, looked confident in his choice. He was there that day and saw Joel’s torn-up body but still decided against forming a search party for Abby. Then there’s Dina, who’s always on Ellie’s side. It was touching when she said she loved Joel just as much as Ellie does and wanted to help. Dina is like Ellie’s opposite but steady partner. She helped plan their escape before Ellie dashed off without a clear plan. Seth gathered the supplies they needed, and they headed for Seattle. They make a good team, but I worry about their chances of finding and catching Abby. The W.L.F.s are thousands strong and look deadly. They’re well-armed and full of rage.
Grief:
The aftermath of Joel’s death was truly heartbreaking. Tommy cleaned Joel’s body and noticed his watch. It was a painful moment when he told Joel to send his love to Sarah. Now, father and daughter are finally together once more.
Ellie went through some serious trauma. In the hospital, she wakes up screaming, showing real signs of PTSD. When she talks to Gail, she comes across as very indifferent and sarcastic. That’s how she and Joel hide their feelings—by acting like everything’s fine. She pretended things were okay with Joel before he died, but we know that wasn’t true. She likely feels terrible about how little they spoke before he was gone. That’s when she finally breaks down at the house. She walks into Joel’s room and finds his gun and his watch. It was a powerful moment—she saw his gun and knew she had to use it to kill Abby. It was Ellie taking justice into her own hands, using Joel’s own weapon to avenge him. When she cried into his jacket in his closet, it showed how much she missed him. She finally let down her guard and mourned the father figure she lost.
Dina and Ellie’s visit to Joel’s grave was a deeply moving moment. Dina stepped back so Ellie could have her time alone. Watching Ellie place coffee beans at his grave was touching, symbolizing that special bond. It reminded us of the funny moment between them. Later, on their way to Seattle, they talk about the New Year’s kiss. Dina says she’s back with Jesse and is not gay, but she’s curious about how her kiss with Ellie was. When Ellie calls her a six, Dina looks disappointed. It’s clear she’s hiding her true feelings for Ellie. If she didn’t care, she wouldn’t be so upset over the score. Their relationship will be interesting to watch as they face off against Abby. Will they get along, or will tensions come up?
