“The Last of Us” Season 2 Premiere Raises More Questions Than Answers

HBO’s The Last of Us returned for its highly anticipated Season 2 premiere on Sunday, and while fans were excited to jump back into Joel and Ellie’s post-apocalyptic world, the episode left us with more mysteries than clarity.

Where We Left Off

Season 1 ended with Joel and Ellie making it to the survivor haven of Jackson after their intense journey across the country. The finale saw Joel rescue Ellie from the Fireflies, killing several people in the process to prevent her from sacrificing herself for a cure—and then lying to her about what really happened at the hospital.

Time Jump & New Normal

Season 2 picks up five years later. Joel and Ellie have settled in Jackson: Joel is a respected leader, working with his sister-in-law Maria (Rutina Wesley), and even attending therapy. Ellie, now 19, is a patrolwoman living in Joel’s garage and still keeping her immunity a secret. Despite their close history, there’s visible emotional distance between them.

New Characters & Emotional Tensions

We meet Gale (Catherine O’Hara), Joel’s therapist, who uses an unconventional approach to get him to open up—referencing a man named Eugene, whom Joel apparently killed. While Gale claims it was justified, the scene hints at deeper trauma. Eugene is a canon character from the video game’s sequel and will be portrayed this season by Joe Pantoliano, likely via flashbacks.

Is Ellie Onto Joel’s Lie?

One of the biggest questions from the premiere centers around Ellie’s strained relationship with Joel. She’s clearly upset with him—possibly suspecting he wasn’t honest about what happened at the hospital. Is this emotional wedge foreshadowing a confrontation about the truth?

Tensions in Jackson

During a New Year’s celebration, Ellie and her love interest Dina (Isabela Merced) share a kiss on the dance floor, only to be interrupted by local bar owner Seth (Robert John Burke), who uses a homophobic slur. Joel steps in and knocks Seth down, trying to defend Ellie, but the gesture seems to upset her even more. As Ellie and Dina’s relationship grows, the question lingers: will intolerance within Jackson become a recurring problem?

(Fun fact for Gossip Girl fans—yes, Seth is played by Bart Bass himself.)

Meet Abby and Her Revenge Mission

The episode also introduces Abby (Kaitlyn Dever), who is grieving someone Joel apparently killed. She wants revenge—slowly. Abby and her crew plan to travel to Seattle to find someone named Isaac (Jeffrey Wright), who may help them track Joel down. The premiere ends ominously with Abby nearing Jackson’s walls.

Cordyceps in the Pipes?

A chilling shot in the final moments reveals cordyceps fungus creeping out of a broken pipe in Jackson. This could be foreshadowing a larger threat, possibly the horde that co-creator Neil Druckmann teased in a previous interview—hinting at a future breach of Jackson’s defenses.

Ellie also warns the town council that the infected she encountered seemed smarter than before, suggesting new twists to come in the evolution of the outbreak.