The following review contains major spoilers for Episode 5 of The Last of Us.
Another thrilling episode of The Last of Us has arrived, which is filled with equal parts emotions, adventure, and action. While fans met a few new characters in the previous episode, this week the plot dives deeper into their backstories and offers viewers a chance to get to know them better. But, don’t be fooled by the slow pace at the beginning of the episode, as it does pick up again, and things go really wrong.
This week’s episode of The Last of Us is the perfect example of how this is an entirely character-driven series. While Joel and Ellie are at the center of the plot, the other characters that they meet along the way touch their lives in unique ways and help them develop as they go forward. Last week, viewers met Kathleen, Perry, Henry, and Sam, and each one of those characters has had an impact on the lives of the protagonists, even though their journey ends by the time the credits roll.
When the episode begins, it almost seems like the plot will focus entirely on the new characters, similar to when Bill and Frank’s backstory was explored in Episode 3 of The Last of Us. With Sam and Henry, the showrunners have once again smartly displayed how important relationships are in this series. With limited spoken dialogues, the scenes between the two will tug at the viewers’ heartstrings. The fact that Henry will go to any extent to save his eight-year-old brother is almost a reflection on Joel and Ellie’s possible relationship in the future.
Even though the characters communicate via American Sign Language, the tension in the silence is palpable. The danger feels real, as the two actors Lamar Johnson and Keivonn Woodard, who play Henry and Sam respectively, put on a great performance as the fugitive brothers who are trying to escape the wrath of the rebel leader Kathleen. As they sneak through streets flooded with rebels, viewers will probably be at the edge of their seats, silently cheering for them to make it through safely. If it has done one thing right so far, The Last of Us has lived up to its word of being a thrilling ride as every moment evokes a different emotion.
When the two brothers join forces with Joel and Ellie, at first it seems like the partnership will fail immediately. However, they somehow manage to escape together, only leading to the most action that viewers have seen on the series so far. Joel’s sniper standoff is a stressful sequence, with the cinematography beautifully capturing the tension as he scurries around to reach the shooter. But, the pace kicks up a few notches when the rebels roll up in their trucks and accidentally unleash an entire army of infected. If fans thought Clickers were bad, the episode introduces the monstrous Bloaters.
That entire sequence puts the series’ high level of cinematography and the attention to detail on full display. The way the camera shots zoom in and then immediately cut to a wide angle captures the grand scale of horror and fright that the humans are experiencing. When the Bloater makes its entrance, viewers can almost feel the panic in Perry’s eyes. With the amazing performances and direction, The Last of Us has so far succeeded in allowing viewers to be in the moment and potentially experience what each character is going through.
One major takeaway from this week’s episode of The Last of Us is how the show refuses to divide humanity into good and evil. It is revealed that Henry was responsible for the death of Kathleen’s brother, but his motives were to save his own brother, who is fighting for his life after being diagnosed with Leukemia. “Am I the bad guy?” he questions Joel, who doesn’t seem to have a response. The same goes for Kathleen, who shows a softer side when visiting the room that she grew up in with her brother. Melanie Lynskey’s performance in that scene is commendable, as she goes from the grieving sister to the cold-blooded murderer in a split second. She wants to find Henry to seek revenge for her brother’s murder. So, does that make her evil?
This week’s episode is probably the best one so far, keeping in mind the fantastic third episode that left many viewers in tears. Henry and Sam’s story is a more powerful one simply because Joel and Ellie experience the tail end of it. In the end, it is their journey that is the crux of the series, but it is directly impacted by the way Henry and Sam’s ends. Bill and Frank got to live their lives together, and while their end was tragic, Henry and Sam’s lives were ripped away in such a cruel fashion, which is heartbreaking.
It is easy for fans to get attached to characters, but The Last of Us has made it clear that nothing is permanent. While fans begin rooting for the new characters, so far, none of them have made it past two episodes. It’s the halfway point for the season, and fans have already felt disappointed after watching Tess, Bill, Frank, Kathleen, Perry, Henry, and Sam’s stories. Many may complain that they didn’t get enough time with all these characters, but they need to remember that it is clearly Joel and Ellie’s story.
With this week’s episode, the bond that the main characters share is evidently stronger. When Ellie is trying to make her way through the horde, Joel’s expressions say a lot. He wants to help her, even though he was ready to hand her off in Episode 2 of The Last of Us after finding out that she had been bitten by an infected. The character development in just three episodes is massive, and all of that has been possible due to the stories that have touched their lives. Having tidbits of somebody else’s lives mingled into the plot makes the experience that much more enjoyable for viewers.
The Last of Us is streaming on HBO Max.