The following article contains spoilers for Episode 8 of The Last of Us.

The latest episode of The Last of Us is the perfect adaptation of the ninth chapter of the game, titled “Lakeside Resort.” Viewers meet the terrifying David in the HBO series, who seems even more horrific than his game counterpart. But, as Ellie tackles the situation and Joel goes on a stabbing spree, hardcore fans of the game will be able to spot several Easter eggs planted along the way.

When The Last of Us premiered on HBO, it was a way for fans to reconnect with their favorite franchise. The series so far hasn’t been about twists and turns for hardcore fans, as most of the material is directly adapted from the first game. Instead, the HBO series has given fans the option to see the story from a new perspective, all while finding references and minute details that directly point to the original content. This week’s episode is no different, and consists of a massive Easter egg in the form of one of the main voice actors joining the live adaptation in a completely new role.

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The Last of Us has done a great job so far at providing subtle hints towards the game and its plot, with some references being hidden away in the background, while others being incorporated into dialogues and the main plot. This week has several scenes playing out exactly like the game, with the adaptation from game to television being quite consistent. From Ellie running into David and James, the cannibalistic hunters, to her fight in the burning restaurant towards the end, many scenes from the game were brought to life beautifully for the live adaptation.

The banner in the diner

The Last of Us diner banner

The episode begins with an introduction to David, the leader of a cultist group. The individuals who follow him seem to reside in an abandoned diner, Todds Steakhouse, which is identical to the one featured in The Last of Us game. However, what’s more striking is the banner seen on the wall behind David, which reads, “When we are in need, He shall provide.” The same banner is visible in the diner in the game, and the HBO series has David claiming to have become a preacher and found god following the pandemic. The only difference is that the game never shows the rest of the community dining in this space.

Meet Joel from the games

The Last of Us Troy Baker

Some voice actors from The Last of Us games have already been featured in the HBO series. This week adds Troy Baker, the actor who voiced Joel in the games, to the fold. He plays the cult leader David’s right-hand man James, and his cameo is bound to get a positive reaction from fans of the franchise.

Ellie meets the cannibals

The Last of Us David and James

In The Last of Us game’s ninth chapter, Ellie is seen going out in the brutal winter to hunt a deer. She needs to find food for herself and the injured Joel, and manages to shoot down a deer. The HBO series plays out the scene in the exact same way, and introduces her to David and James who happen to find the deer she hunted, ask if they can share, and then trade her some medicines. While James goes off to get the medicines, Ellie and David have a conversation about her and Joel, with many of the dialogues being used verbatim from the game.

“Mark it on the map”

The Last of Us Joel-1

When Joel finally gains consciousness, he goes on a rampage and kills several members of David’s group in a bid to find Ellie. He is seen stabbing and torturing individuals, and tells one of them to mark the resort’s location on a map that he has been carrying since the series premiered. This is a callback to Episode 6 of The Last of Us when Joel uses the same trick on a couple living in the middle of nowhere. Additionally, it is also a reference to the game where the scene plays out in the exact same way, with Joel killing off both cult members after getting the information he needed.

The fake bite

The Last of Us David bite mark

As far as adaptation goes, this week’s episode of The Last of Us is fairly consistent. The scene where David and James try to kill Ellie plays out exactly like the game as well. Ellie bites David and tries to convince him that she is infected, similar to the game, and the sequence is even captured in the same way.

David’s ending

The Last of Us Episode 8 Ellie

David and Ellie fight in the burning diner similar to the game, but the ending that the cannibalistic leader meets is where the game references come flooding in. Ellie is seen stabbing David with a kitchen knife at first, and later grabs a machete and hacks away at his face and skull. Hitting him multiple times, Ellie is drenched in his blood by the time Joel shows up. The only difference between the game and series is that the game version has Joel reuniting with her inside the diner, whereas in the HBO series Ellie is seen walking out and meeting Joel in the open.

The emotional reunion

The Last of Us Episode 8 Ellie and Joel

Towards the end of the episode, after Ellie has killed David, she is reunited with Joel. The emotional reunion plays out almost exactly like the game, with Joel comforting Ellie and referring to her as “baby girl.” That’s the term he used when talking to his own daughter Sarah, and it seems like after two decades, Ellie has become equally important to him.

The Last of Us is now streaming on HBO Max.

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