Photo: HBO/ The Last of Us
The Last of Us is a critically acclaimed video game that was released in 2013. Set in a post-apocalyptic world where a fungal infection has turned most of humanity into savage, infected monsters, the game follows the journey of Joel and Ellie, two survivors who must navigate this dangerous new world. The game has since spawned a sequel, The Last of Us Part II, which was released in 2020 to both critical acclaim and controversy.
In episode 5 of The Last of Us, titled "Endure and Survive" we see the stakes raised as Joel and Ellie team up with two new survivors, Henry and his younger brother Sam, in their quest to leave the city of Kansas City. The episode begins with a flashback sequence in which we see the collapse of the city's previous government, the Federal Disaster Response Agency (Fedra), and the rise of a new regime. The brutality of this takeover is highlighted, as we see the tortured bodies of Fedra soldiers being dragged through the streets.
This flashback is an interesting way to provide some context for the new regime, which we have seen very little of up to this point. It also serves to reinforce the idea that this world is not one of clear-cut morality. While Fedra may have been corrupt, the new regime is not necessarily any better. This is further reinforced when we see Kathleen, a member of the new regime, coldly execute prisoners and then instruct her companion to burn their bodies.
The episode then jumps to the present, where Joel and Ellie meet Henry and Sam, who have been holed up in the city for ten days. The four survivors band together and attempt to navigate the city's underground tunnels, which Henry believes are free of the infected.
However, as they make their way through the tunnels, they are ambushed by a sniper and forced to fend off an attack from Kathleen and her fellow revolutionaries.
The highlight of the episode is undoubtedly the appearance of a new infected enemy: the bloater. This enormous, hulking monster is impervious to bullets and can only be taken down with heavy explosives. The introduction of this new enemy raises the stakes significantly, as it demonstrates that even the most experienced survivors can still be caught off-guard.
However, the episode ends on a tragic note as it is revealed that Sam has been bitten by an infected and will turn into one himself. In a heartbreaking scene, Henry is forced to shoot his own brother before he can turn on the rest of the group. This emotional gut punch serves to remind us that, in this world, even the closest bonds can be shattered by the harsh realities of survival.
Episode 5 of The Last of Us is a tense and action-packed installment that ups the ante in a big way. The introduction of the bloater as a new enemy is particularly exciting, as it adds a new layer of challenge to the game's combat mechanics. However, the emotional weight of the episode's tragic ending is what truly sticks with the viewer, reminding us that in this world, nothing is certain and no one is truly safe.