The Last Of Us is off to a hot start over at HBO, and if it wasn’t evident by some of the early milestones the series has achieved, the series seems to be gathering an early fandom. No doubt this is also thanks to the fact the post-apocalyptic series is based on a highly successful video game that’s slightly different than the adapted series in various ways. For example, it seems like a possibility that the outbreak virus that transformed a chunk of the population might’ve spread a different way than in the games, and viewers might’ve already figured out how.
Theories are already circulating for The Last Of Us one episode in, and there are already some very interesting theories circulating online in regard to the spread of the big outbreak. It appears the outbreak could be the work of contaminated flour, which the premiere subtly hints at in a number of ways. Let’s dive in and run through some of the key moments that might encourage fans to use their HBO Max subscription for a rewatch.
Sarah And Joel Don’t Have Flour To Make Birthday Pancakes
Sarah attempted to surprise her father, Joel, by making him pancakes for his birthday breakfast, but they were fresh out of flour. She made eggs instead, and while she's disappointed she couldn't make pancakes, the story moved along without it being too big of a deal.
These things happen in the real world, so viewers might’ve seen it happen without even questioning it. Why, though, would The Last Of Us make that a moment the audience had to see? It's probably to point out that Sarah and Joel didn’t have anything with flour, and that’s not the only time that happened.
Jakarta Is Mentioned On The Radio During Breakfast
When Tommy, Sarah, and Joel were talking in the kitchen, there was a report on the radio about something happening in Jakarta. Sarah then went on to lecture Joel and Tommy about how Jakarta is the capital of Indonesia, but left out a key bit of information that would be helpful to viewers in figuring out the source of the outbreak.
In the real world, and apparently The Last Of Us, Jakarta is the home to the largest flour mill in the world. Assuming that contaminated flour is the source of the outbreak, then it tracks that Jakarta would serve as ground zero for all the wildness that’s going on in the premiere and the years that followed.
Joel Refuses Biscuits Because He Is On The Atkins Diet
Sarah and Joel were greeted by their neighbor Mr. Adler as they left the house, and he offered them some biscuits he was feeding to Nana, Mrs. Adler’s mother. Joel, after seeing the biscuits hanging off Nana’s face, stated that he is on the Atkins diet.
The Atkins diet was popular during that time and was notable because it emphasized a diet lacking in carbs, with bread as a primary thing to avoid. I’m going to go out on a limb and guess Joel lied about being on Atkins, though he did tell Sarah he didn’t really want pancakes anyway when she brought it up earlier. In either case, this feels like another hint that The Last Of Us is pointing to contaminated flour as the source of the outbreak.
Sarah Doesn’t Eat The Cookies With Raisins
Sarah made her way to Mrs. Adler's place, where they made cookies. Mrs. Adler insisted that Sarah take some cookies with her before she left, but we can tell from Sarah’s reaction that she isn’t a fan of the raisin cookies that they made. I suppose it’s a good thing then that Mrs. Adler didn’t make chocolate chip, which Sarah would’ve much preferred.
Another notable bit from this scene is that we see Nana start to convulse in a weird way when Sarah has her back turned to her. While Nana didn’t eat any of the cookies, I mentioned earlier that we saw Mr. Adler feeding her the biscuits that he had offered to Joel earlier that morning. Nana didn't completely fly off the handle and eat her daughter and son-in-law until later that night, but it seemed as though any contaminated flour she might’ve ingested had already taken hold of her by that point.
Joel Forgets To Get A Cake For His Birthday
Joel got home late after working the double shift he mentioned earlier, and much to Sarah’s disappointment, he forgot to bring home the birthday cake he promised that he would pick up. The night was not ruined, however, as Sarah was able to gift Joel his fixed watch and a copy of Curtis and Viper 2, which she borrowed from the Adlers. Fun fact, that’s actually an easter egg that gamers will recognize from The Last of Us Part 2, but not really relevant to the outbreak.
Flour is a primary ingredient in cake, so the fact that Joel forgot it might’ve just saved him and Sarah from suffering the effects of the outbreak. Had they eaten it, they might’ve been scrambling around and eating the faces of other people that night. To be honest, I’m not sure which fate Joel would’ve rather had by the night’s end considering what happened to Sarah, but at least he’s managed to survive well into the time jump into the future.
How Did The Outbreak Start In The Last Of Us Game?
The Last Of Us video game is also centered around the outbreak known as the Cordyceps infection. Provided the clues about the source of the outbreak from the HBO show’s premiere are true, than the origins of the outbreak are relatively similar. Both diseases supposedly started with an infected food supply, though there’s a slight variation between the two stories in how that happened.
In the game, The Last Of Us linked the beginning of the Cordyceps outbreak to tainted crops in South America. The show seems to be hinting at the virus starting in Indonesia, but that seems like a minuscule detail that shouldn’t alter the overall story too much. We’ll have to continue watching to see if the infection spreads the same way through exposure to airborne spores or bites from the infected, or if the series decided to adapt the infection in another different way.
The Last Of Us airs on HBO Sundays at 9:00 p.m. ET, or viewers can stream it on HBO Max, with new episodes arriving at the same time. Viewers should keep an eye out for more clues and easter eggs about the origins of the virus, and maybe even some more nods to the game and its content.
