Warning: Contains SPOILERS for The Last of Us season 2, episode 2 and The Last of Us Part II!
The Last of Usseason 2, episode 2 has been released, and with it comes a lot of changes to the original video game, from the Jackson invasion to Dina’s role in the story.The Last of Usseason 1 stuck fairly close to the story of the first video game, and while there were minor changes, these were mostly additions rather than alterations. However,The Last of Usseason 2 has already proven that it is willing to make some majorchanges to the story ofThe Last of Us Part II, with the second episode changing these seven things.
The Last of Usseason 2, episode 2 picks up right whereThe Last of Usseason 2, episode 1 ended, withAbby and the WLFmaking their arrival to Jackson. While on patrol, Joel and Dina save Abby from a group of Infected, with them retreating to a ski lodge that Abby’s friends are hiding out at. Meanwhile, the Infected make their way to Jackson, raiding the settlement. Back at the ski lodge, Joel learns that Abby is there to kill him.The WLF sedates Dina and begins beating Joel, with Ellie arriving right as he is killed.
7Abby’s Motivation Is Revealed Much Earlier
Making The HBO Show Less Risky
One of the biggest and most controversial changes inThe Last of Usseason 2, episode 2 has to do with Abby’s motivation.The Last of Us Part IItook a big risk with its handling of Abby. In the game,Abby arrives and kills Joel, with the player being unaware of why she did this. Thus, the player spends the first half of the game hating Abby. This only changes when a major switch happens. Around halfway throughThe Last of Us Part II, the player takes control of Abby, with them slowly learning her motivation and beginning to sympathize with her as they walk in her shoes.
Potentially due to howdivisiveThe Last of Us Part IIis, Abby’s motivation is revealed much earlier in the HBO show. Abby not only mentioned that Joel killed her father in the premiere, but she also explicitly states her backstory to Joel while killing him. This makes Abby a bit more sympathetic right off the bat, although it doesn’t take as big of a risk as the video game did.
6Dina Is Joel’s Patrol Partner
Although Joel’s death takes place in a similar manner inThe Last of UsTV show and game, there is a big change when it comes to Dina’s role. InThe Last of Us Part II, Joel is on patrol with Tommy when they find Abby. Tommy and Joel make their way back to the ski lodge, and Dina and Ellie arrive at the location later.
The Last of Usseason 2 switches things up a bit. Instead of Tommy,Joel is on patrol with Dina when he encounters Abby and the Infected. Dina then travels with Joel and Abby back to the ski lodge. Tommy isn’t involved in the ski lodge death at all, with him staying behind and defending Jackson from a horde of Infected.
5Ellie Is On Patrol With Jesse
Since Dina Is With Joel
Joel isn’t the only one who has a new patrol partner inThe Last of Usseason 2. In the game, Ellie is with Dina when they learn that Joel is in trouble, with the duo arriving at the ski lodge together. Since the HBO series put Dina with Joel, this means thatEllie had to be with someone else. Because of this,Ellie is on patrol with Jesse inThe Last of Usseason 2, episode 2, fleshing out their relationship. Ellie then leaves Jesse to make her way to the ski lodge, with her and Dina still being there during Joel’s death.
4Abby Learns Joel’s Name From Dina
Rather Than Telling Her Himself
Another one of the most controversial bits fromThe Last of Us Part IIhas to do with how Abby discovers Joel’s identity. Some players found it to be a bit too convenient that Joel just so happened to be the one who saved Abby, as she came all the way to Jackson to look for him. Then, he told Abby his name when introducing himself, letting Abby know that she has found her target. Since Joel is an experienced survivor, it is a bit out of character for him to give his real name to a stranger, as they could be a raider, Firefly, or any other type of dangerous individual.
The Last of Usseason 2 takes a different approach. After Joel saves Abby, he rejoins Dina in an abandoned building. Before seeing Abby,Dina calls out to Joel, saying his name. Abby instantly recognizes this, with her making the connection that her savior is also her father’s killer. Some may argue that this works better forThe Last of Us' story, as it is a bit more believable.
3Joel Attempts To Get Abby’s Help With The Infected’s Jackson Attack
Joel going to Abby’s ski lodge was the mistake that cost him his life. However, his motivation for making this mistake differs in the video game and the HBO show. InThe Last of Us Part II,Joel and Tommy save Abby from a horde of Infected. However, a brutal winter storm also occurred at this point. Abby invites the duo back to their ski lodge to wait out the storm and Infected, with her successfully luring them into her trap.
The Last of Usseason 2, episode 2changes this slightly. There is no storm, but there is still an Infected horde. In fact, the Infected are attacking Jackson, with Joel realizing that they need to help. However, he and Dina realize that they won’t survive the journey back. Abby tells the duo about her friends, with Joel going to the ski lodge in hopes of recruiting their help. However, he dies before he ever gets a chance.
2Joel’s Death Comes From Being Stabbed With A Golf Club
After He Is Beaten With It
Joel’s death is a big deal, butThe Last of Usseason 2, episode 2 makes one minor tweak to how he actually dies. Joel’s torture and death is equally brutal in both versions of the story. He is shot and beaten with a golf club, although HBO’s Abby takes things one step further. InThe Last of Us Part II, Abby merely beats Joel in the head with the golf club until he dies. InThe Last of Usseason 2,Abby beats him with the golf club so much that it breaks. She then takes the broken handle and stabs Joel in the neck, with this being the killing blow.
1The Infected Attack Jackson (& Tommy Stays Behind To Defend)
After They Leave Abby Alone
While there are plenty of minor changes inThe Last of Usseason 2, episode 2, the biggest comes in the form of a major addition. In the game, Tommy is part of the events surrounding Joel’s death. However, he is occupied with something else inThe Last of Usseason 2. After Abby wakes up the horde of Infected, some Jackson workers find the cordyceps vines that are growing in Jackson’s pipes. These vines alert the Infected, with the horde heading toward Jackson.
Within the walls of Jackson,Tommy is forced to lead its citizens in a battle against the Infected. Eventually, the monsters breach the city, killing tons of people. This entire action sequence is completely original to the HBO series. While it does flesh out Tommy’s character and add another major action sequence to the start of the story, it will be interesting to see how influential this sequence is on the rest ofThe Last of Usseason 2.
