The Last of Us season 2 finally premiered its first episode, “Future Days,” on Sunday, April 13, and with plenty of parent/child tension, a scary stalker attack and a vengeful new character, we could not be more excited about the return of HBO's series.
Similar to the first season, the show is based on the highly popular video game of the same name, and follows Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) as two survivors of a global apocalypse. Following season one, the pair are now living in a commune run by Joel's brother.
But life is not smooth sailing, the parasite cordyceps, which caused the apocalypse, appears to be spreading and someone has a score they want to settle against Joel.
And as the first episode kicked off yesterday, we couldn't help by notice a number of big changes made from the game in the series. Did you spot them all? Well consider this your guide on all the biggest changes in the series vs the game The Last of Us Part II.
The Biggest Changes The Last of Us Made from the Game in Season 2, Episode 1:
Abby's Motivation
In the series: The episode introduces us to the character of Abby (Katilyn Dever) very early on, with one of the opening scenes showing Abby and the rest of the surviving Fireflies burying their dead. Abby then says how intent she is on finding Joel and getting her revenge on him, including killing him slowly.
In the game: Abby is introduced early in the game but she's essentially an unknown figure, and her motivations aren't clear. We don't know she's a Firefly during the start of the game, nor that she is hunting Joel and her reason for doing so. All we know is she is looking for someone in Jackson.
The Time Jump
In the series: After we see Abby share her intentions to kill Joel outside the hospital, we watch the episode have a time jump of five years.
In the game: It's a small difference but in the game, the time jump is four years.
Joel and Dina's Friendship
In the series: The first episode in season two not only introduces us to Dina (Isabela Merced), but also her strong connection with Joel. The pair appear to work together on building sites and watch movies together. They also talk about the rift and tension between Ellie and Joel.
In the game: Dina is still a very important character in the game, but she has nowhere near the same connection with Joel in the game, in fact they barely interact.
Joel's Visits with the Therapist, Gail
In the series: Hands down one of the best scenes in the premiere episode of season two was Joel's candid conversation with therapist Gail, played by the iconic Catherine O'Hara. From what we gather from their conversation Joel is seeing Gail to get a better understanding of his relationship with Ellie, which is on the brink of ruin right now.
In the game: There's no therapist character or scenes anywhere in the game.
Uncle Joel
In the series: One very sweet moment we get to watch in the first episode is Joel interacting with his nephew Benji (Ezra Agbonkhese), who is the son of Joel's brother Tommy (Gabriel Luna) and his wife Maria (Rutina Wesley). We're just saying now—nothing better happen to that sweet boy.
In the game: Maria and Tommy don't have a son in the game.
Eugene's Death
In the series: During the therapist scene, Gail reveals she's having a drink as it's her first wedding anniversary without her husband Eugene. Things then get uncomfortable when Gail brings up her husband's death and how Joel killed him. Yep, awkward.
In the game: The game version of Eugene's death is actually a lot nicer than in the series. While we don't see his death or the character, when playing the game you come to understand Eugene is one of the few survivors who dies a natural death, following a stroke. Ellie talks about his death with Dina saying that's how she hopes to die.
The New Year's Eve Party Timeline
In the series: Most of the season 2 premiere is essentially leading up to a New Year's Eve party that is heavily mentioned throughout the episode. Joel and Ellie don't go together. Ellie attends with Dina, and it's the plot point that turns their friendship into something more. Dina drags Ellie onto the dance floor and they slow dance together, before Dina tells Ellie all the guys in that room have a reason to be jealous of Ellie, and the pair kiss.
In the game: The dance party and the kiss do happen in the game; however, the game begins the day after the dance and so we only ever hear about what happens at the dance through various characters. We then see the scene of the dance towards the end of the game. Thankfully the show's creators decided to show us the dance scene straight away.
Joel's Attack on Seth
In the series: After Ellie and Dina kiss, the bar owner Seth (Robert John Burke) starts to have a go at the pair, sharing homophobic language towards them. Joel hears this and roughly pushes Seth to the floor.
In the game: Seth is still just as homophobic but Joel only gives him a light shove rather than pushing him to the floor.
