MOVIE NEWS – The Last of Us showrunner Craig Mazin reveals how Joel’s experiences in Episode 5 will shape his perspective and his relationship with Ellie. (WARNING, spoiler alert if you haven’t seen Episode 5 or played the game!)

HBO Max’s popular television series The Last of Us has captivated viewers once again with its latest episode. We experienced intense, emotional moments that left a lasting impression on the series’s central characters. In episode 5, Joel and Ellie are on the run from Kathleen’s faction in Kansas City. To evade their pursuers, the pair team up with Sam and Henry, who are also surviving partners. Despite their best efforts, the episode ends in a tragedy that changes Joel’s life forever. It all serves as a stark reminder of the harsh realities of life in a post-apocalyptic world.

In the series’ latest behind-the-scenes Inside the Episode, showrunner Craig Mazin explores how Joel was emotionally affected by his interactions with fellow survivors Henry and Sam Burrell.

Mazin says Joel opened up to Ellie during their journey. But the traumatic events he experienced alongside Sam and Henry have made him fear that one day he and Ellie might meet the same fate. The death of the Burrell brothers forces Joel to face reality. He has developed an emotional attachment to Ellie and is haunted by the fear of losing her. Mazin explains this further by saying that Joel realises for the first time in 20 years that he is vulnerable. Losing someone close to him is traumatic, and it terrifies him.

“This is where Joel is beginning to understand what’s happening inside him. Because it’s been 20 years since there was anybody in his life, like Sam, that would ruin him if he were to lose them. And he doesn’t quite know how it happened, but it has begun to happen now with Ellie. When he sees what happens here, all he can think is, ‘That’s going to be her and me.’ And it terrifies him.”

In the next episode, “Kin,” Joel and Ellie travel to Wyoming. The episode focuses on the reunion of Joel and his estranged brother Tommy (played by Gabriel Luna). This reunion is highly anticipated by fans of the series, as Joel and Tommy have a troubled relationship with a history of tension and resentment.

Source: YouTube