Contains spoilers for “The Last of Us” season 2, episode 2.
The episode “The Last of Us” fans feared for has finally arrived and it’s even more harrowing than the original version that turned gamers into sobbing wrecks back in 2020. With a few golf swings and a merciless stab at the throat, the perfectly cast Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) finally put an end to Joel (Pedro Pascal), while Ellie (Bella Ramsey) watched, helpless to do anything about it. As her surrogate father was dragged back to Jacksonville, a song rang out until the episode’s final moments. Just like every other creative choice in this essential episode directed by “Game of Thrones” and “Succession” familiar, Mark Mylod, nothing is left to chance, including the song choice for episode 2’s final moments, which is a crucial part of “The Last of Us” lore.
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When Naughty Dog revealed that they were working on a follow-up to their groundbreaking 2013 survival game, they did so with a haunting announcement trailer showing Ellie singing Shawn James’ “Through the Valley.” Playing guitar with cut and bruised fingers and the double bluff of Joel greeting her at the end, the trailer saw the original Ellie, Ashley Johnson, performing her own cover of the song. Now, almost 10 years later, she’s back to do it again after her profound cameo in season 1 as the mother of Ellie. It’s another beautiful link in a moment that brings the legacy of “The Last of Us” full circle, and we predict it won’t be the last song we hear from an Ellie, either.
The Last of Us must include Ellie’s beautiful rendition of Take on Me
In “The Last of Us,” gory deaths and somber guitar solos go together like peanut butter and jelly, and you can guarantee a few more left on the playlist for season 2, specifically one involving Ellie. In “The Last of Us Part II,” a standout moment involves the stubborn survivor playing a beautiful version of A-Ha’s “Take on Me.” Ashley Johnson performed the song in the game and was, in fact, so good creator Neil Druckmann asked his star to intentionally perform worse than she was.
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According to The Washington Post, an effort was made to make Ellie’s version less refined, which in turn fortified Johnson’s take on the character. Having only learned how to play guitar from Joel (Troy Baker in the game), there are a few bumps and slip-ups through the song that make it the charming moment that it is. It’s a task that Bella Ramsey, as Ellie in the show, will hopefully have to meet when their time comes to pluck some strings. There might even be a sing-a-long from Joel, who might be dead, but we highly anticipate him returning via flashbacks that’ll have us weeping in future episodes. Let’s be honest: after this week’s installment, the only way they can make us cry so much we can’t see our TV screens anymore is by showing emotional memories of the hero we’ve just lost. We’ll see how we manage when “The Last of Us” returns next week.
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