Major spoilers below for anyone who hasn’t yet watched The Last of Us’ second episode of Season 2 on HBO or with a Max subscription, so be warned!
Holy crapola. Just one week after we here at CinemaBlend championed The Last of Us’ Season 2 premiere for expanding the scope of Tommy and Maria’s Jackson, Wyoming settlement, and for delivering some awesome moments straight out of the video games, the show went and broke our hearts and our brains all in one fell swoop. Well, it was more like multiple swings of a golf club.
“Through the Valley” brought to live-action arguably the most devastating sequence from Naughty Dog’s video game sequel The Last of Us Part II, and Kaitlyn Dever’s vengeful Abby held nothing back as she manipulated Joel and Dina into joining the rest of her group, and subsequently beat Pedro Pascal’s character until he was a broken, bruised and bloodied pulp. And all while Bella Ramsey’s subdued Ellie watched through tear-filled eyes.
It’s shocking just how closely the sequence adheres to the source material, despite some alterations like Abby’s final blow. But easily the biggest change made was the decision to have Dina go out on patrol with Joel instead of Tommy, which will no doubt have major ramifications down the line that also play out differently from what gamers experienced. And after hearing the co-creators’ explanation, I’m convinced it was the right move. As Neil Druckmann put it:
This was part of conversations we had very, very early on of showing the relationship between Dina and Joel that you’ve seen in Episode 1, and this is the extension of that decision that we’ve made…which will have a big impact going forward as well. It’s something that in the game, we talk about Dina having a relationship with Joel. You never get to see it. Here, we felt like this was a good choice for this show to see that and to have her specifically be present at that moment of confrontation.
Neil Druckmann
One of my favorite details while watching (and writing about) The Last of Us' Season 2 premiere was how quickly the TV series addressed Joel and Dina's friendly relationship, something that was alluded to in the video game without a real way to explore those moments meaningfully. And even though they've technically only shared a couple of scenes in the series, it was enough to justify them heading out on patrol together.
As gamers are aware, it's Tommy who heads out into the snow with Joel, and it's Tommy who gets spared along with Ellie by Abby's group after their murderous goal has been accomplished. Within the context of that specific story, that was the wiser choice in a way that kept Tommy and Ellie connected through shared trauma.
Developing that kinship less of a necessity in the HBO series, where Maria is far more of an active character and can help anchor completely different storylines. In this case, it wouldn't have made sense narratively speaking for Tommy to have left Jackson right before a massive swarm of defrosted monsters attacked and breached the walls.
Having Dina There For Joel's Murder Will Make Her Bond With Ellie Even Stronger
While I can't imagine many people would readily call The Last of Us games romances, there's no denying the emotional resonance that Dina and Ellie evoke in the source material. The Season 2 premiere rather quickly proved Isabela Merced and Bella Ramsey capable of mirroring their digital selves without the need to alter any other scenes, but still.
Even if Dina was unconscious for the entirety of Joel's torture and eventual murder, her having ben kidnapped and drugged makes it just as much her trauma as Ellie's, and gives them another morally repugnant stepping stone in their burgeoning relationship. And that was part of why The Last of Us' co-creators made that character swap for the series. As Craig Mazin put it:
It certainly makes their voyage forward — should that occur, you understand Dina’s motivations, because there is a mechanical benefit to Dina in the game. We don’t have that mechanical benefit. So the question really was, how do we connect Dina to this tragedy in a way that is deeper than just ‘I’m Ellie’s friend.’
Craig Mazin
Obviously the game's take on Dina felt for Joel and for Ellie in the aftermath of Abby's atrocious act, but she often felt like a surrogate audience member getting the play-by-play from Ellie without always being an intrinsic part of the action. But here, Merced is given the chance to cement her character to Ellie's hyper-dark existence in a way that will no doubt make their shared future all the more tumultuous and hard to watch.
I’m not sure how the impending episode delving into Eugene and Gail’s backstory can be as depressing as Joel’s fatal bludgeoning, but I know I’ll be back in front of my TV whenever it airs. Be sure to tune in every Sunday night on HBO at 9:00 p.m. ET, with streaming available on Max as well, and keep a non-bashed-in eye open for other upcoming horror TV shows on the way.
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