Recap of HBO’s The Last of Us Episode 1

The Last of Us Premiere episode dives right into the heartbreaking, the saddest, and the horrific for the new HBO series. It is based upon the popular PlayStation videogame.

The first episode stars Bella Ramsey (Pascal), Merle Dandridge, Anna Torv and Pedro Pascal. It gives us a glimpse of the world before the apocalypse caused by Cordyceps fungal infection. This sets the stage for Joel’s journey to rescue Ellie Ramsey (Ramsey), a 14-year-old orphan.

Here’s all you need from Episode 1 of HBO’s The Last of Us (spoilers ahead).

The season starts off in 1968, with two epidemiologists discussing concerns around a possible “global pandemic,” with one referencing air travel as a way a virus, similar to influenza, could spread across the world (a very close-to-home discussion in 2023).

One doctor said that a new virus from Madagascar could be found in Chicago in a matter of weeks, and it would cause a pandemic.

Dr. Neuman, an epidemiologist, is not as concerned about a virus pandemic.

He says, “Mankind has been at war against a virus since the beginning.” “Sometimes, millions of people are killed, like in a real war, but we always win in the end.”

Neuman is concerned more about fungus. Specifically, one that can infect human brains.

“Billions of puppets with poisoned minds,” he describes. “Permanently fixed on one unifying goal, to spread the infection to every last human alive, by any means necessary.”

“And there are no treatments for this,…it’s not even possible to make them… We lose.”

Fast forward to 2003, where we meet Joel (Pedro Pascal), his daughter Sarah (Nico Parker) and Joel’s brother Tommy (Gabriel Luna).

It’s Joel’s birthday, so his daughter decides to get an old watch fixed for him as a gift. As she sets out to accomplish this, there are many police officers around. The watch repair shop, for some reason, tries to rush her away quickly. You can tell if something is wrong by the first sign.

Joel is called by his brother to bail him out of jail. Sarah wakes up alone in the middle night to helicopter sounds, cars screeching, a bright green light from her window, and then she is awakened by these sounds. She flips on the TV and sees an announcement for everyone to stay indoors.

Sarah doesn’t exactly follow that advice. She goes outside and sees Mercy, a neighbour’s dog, looking out the window. Sarah tries to take Mercy home, but Mercy escapes. Entering her neighbour’s house, Sarah hears what sounds like pots banging and sees a trail of blood, which leads to her elderly neighbour Mrs. Adler. The zombie-like old lady has murdered her family members and turned into a zombie.

Sarah is followed out by her now-monster-like neighbour as Tommy and Joel pull up. Joel kills the elderly lady and the trio drive off. Joel and Tommy say it’s not just the Adler family this has happened to, there is some kind of parasite that’s infected mostly people in the city, or people who went to the city more frequently.

We are now in a complete disaster zone. The uninfected are being attacked by monster-like humans who are multiplying and attacking others. Whole streets are on fire, and everything from cars to stores is being destroyed.

Sarah suffers as officials try to eliminate infected persons.

Joel pleads to the officer that he and Sarah are not infected. Tommy shoots the man who pointed his gun at Joel. Sarah is then shot by Tommy, and she dies in her father’s arms. This is just one of many heartbreaking moments to expect in. The Last of Us series.

Introduction of the post-apocalyptic universe

The timeline moves then 20 years later, now at the post-apocalyptic Boston.

Everything is worn out, broken down and signs are posted warning of Cordyceps disease. A human can become a monster within five to 24 hours depending on the symptoms.

Bodies are being burnt, there is an enforced curfew at 6:00 p.m. until 6:00 a.m. “To fight infection and insurrection,” ration cards are used to purchase things like shoes laces, and other necessities.

Anybody found in the quarantine area unauthorised or with an unauthorized entry to the zone is executed.

Joel is back, this time a smuggler, who makes deals and trades drugs with an officer from the Federal Disaster Response Agency (FEDRA). They are trying to obtain a vehicle to escape from the quarantine zone. Joel and Tess (Anna Torv), his partner, want to travel to Wyoming to find Tommy. They lost communication for several weeks.

Alongside Joel’s quest, Marlene (Merle Dandridge) is the leader of the resistance, called the Fireflies. She is hiding Veronica, a 14 year-old orphan. She is Ellie (Bella Ramsey).

Ellie is funny and sarcastic. Her wit is far better than what you would expect for a 14-year old. She’s been infected with Cordyceps since childhood.

Ellie, a student at FEDRA military school from her youth, discovers that Marlene was the one who sent her there to keep her safe.

Marlene says to Ellie, “You have a greater purpose that any of us could imagine.”

Marlene has a plan that will get Ellie out the quarantine area that night.

Joel and Tess end up in the building holding Marlene’s operation while tracing a car battery that they paid for, but it was given to Marlene instead. Joel claims that Marlene turned her brother against Joel. Marlene has a proposal for Joel and Tess when they meet face-to-face.

Marlene will provide a truck and all supplies for Joel, Tess and Ellie in return for Joel getting Ellie to the Fireflies.

Joel reluctantly agreed to the terms. The episode ended with a nail-biting scene in which Joel, Tess, Ellie and Tess try to escape. Joel almost was shot by the FEDRA agent Joel had been trying to make deals with. Joel is triggered by the officer’s gunshot and has an emotional flashback about the murder of his daughter.

Joel and Tess notice Ellie’s mark on her arm. This is a sign that Ellie was bitten by an infected beast. They don’t have the time to ask any questions so they run.

Joel plays the 1987 Depeche Mode track, “Never let me down again”, through Joel’s radio. This is the apartment Joel, Tess and Ellie stayed in before making their escape. If 1980s music is being played through this device, it means that Bill and Frank, two other smugglers have run into trouble. This means that danger is ahead.

That’s where The Last of Us As we wait for the answer to Ellie’s question and to determine if Joel and Tess just walked into even more danger due to an infected teen, our journey truly begins.