The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 2 picks up the emotional wreckage of the premiere and buries it in the snow, then sets it on fire. It’s brutal, beautiful, and bold enough to stare you down while it breaks your heart. If you thought HBO was playing it safe this season, this episode says, “Hold my flamethrower.”
The Good
Abby’s official arrival is haunting and powerful. Her dream sequence, wandering a sterile hallway with anxiety etched into her face, mirrors the game almost perfectly. Kaitlyn Dever plays her with a balance of rage and vulnerability that commands attention. She may not have the brute-force build from the game, but she makes up for it with deep emotional weight. This isn’t just a great adaptation. This is prestige storytelling fueled by character and consequence.
Joel, meanwhile, steals the emotional spotlight. Pedro Pascal plays Joel like a man trying to outrun his past and losing fast. The moment he saves Abby from the horde is loaded with irony. It’s the act of kindness that seals his fate. That entire sequence is a gut punch we saw coming, but the execution still stings. The episode is a masterclass in emotional storytelling and heart-wrenching moral complexity.
And let’s talk spectacle. The infected crawling out from under the snow? Terrifying. That flamethrower boss fight with Tommy? Electrifying. When Gabriel Luna torches the beast with just enough fuel left, it’s a satisfying payoff that feels earned and cinematic. The Last of Us continues to raise the bar for video game adaptations, not just by staying loyal to the source but by elevating it with tension and scale that feels cinematic.
The attention to detail is stunning. This wasn’t some green-screened snowstorm. They shot in an actual blizzard. Every flake of frost and every footstep through powder adds realism to the chase scenes and gives the infected a new layer of horror. You can practically feel the cold coming off the screen.
And buried within the action is some excellent world-building. The inclusion of Tati Gabrielle, possibly as Nora, is an Easter egg that game fans will immediately clock. It’s the kind of layered casting that rewards viewers who’ve played the game without alienating those who haven’t.
But the emotional peak? Abby’s revenge. The rage. The shotgun. The swing of the golf club. It’s horrifying, but you understand her. It’s the show’s most uncomfortable achievement, making us empathize with someone we just watched murder a beloved character.
The Bad
There’s no getting around it. Non-gamers might feel a little lost here. The show leans heavily on knowledge from the game, introducing new characters and factions without much explanation. If you haven’t played, you’re playing catch-up.
Abby’s physical transformation, or lack thereof, is noticeable. While Dever is excellent in the role, her smaller frame shifts the power dynamic remembered from the game. Abby in the game walked into every room like she could break a man in half. Show Abby is less intimidating, which takes some getting used to.
Joel’s death will also split the fandom. The fakeout with Ellie rushing in feels manipulative to some viewers, as if the show dangled hope just to yank it away. It’s narratively rich, but emotionally cruel. That final image of his body being dragged back to Jackson is haunting, but not everyone will be ready to let go.
Final Thoughts
The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 2 doesn’t just adapt the game. It weaponizes it. It drags us through grief, moral ambiguity, and snow-soaked terror with the confidence of a series that knows exactly what it’s doing. And it’s not here to make you comfortable. It’s here to make you feel.
Whether you knew Joel’s fate or not, the way it plays out hurts. Abby is no longer a mystery. She’s a mirror. Her pain, her choices, her violence all reflect everything this show wants us to sit with. If you came looking for a clear villain, you came to the wrong apocalypse.
This episode isn’t here to make fans happy. It’s here to make television history.
And guess what? It just might.
Review: The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 2
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Acting - 9/10
9/10
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Cinematography/Visual Effects - 9/10
9/10
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Plot/Screenplay - 9/10
9/10
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Setting/Theme - 10/10
10/10
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Watchability - 9/10
9/10
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Rewatchability - 8/10
8/10
Overall
User Review
( votes)Summary
In Episode 2, The Last of Us doubles down on emotional weight and brutal action as Abby steps into the spotlight, Joel meets his devastating fate, and the infected erupt through the snow in a tense, cinematic onslaught. Kaitlyn Dever brings raw vulnerability to Abby’s role, while Pedro Pascal delivers one of his most heartbreaking performances as Joel. With real blizzards, flamethrower boss fights, and moral gray zones galore, the episode pushes the boundaries of adaptation and emotional storytelling. It’s a bold, beautifully brutal chapter that rewrites the rules of who we root for—and who we fear.
Pros
- Visually faithful recreation of key game scenes
- Epic infected horde and flamethrower action
- Emotional depth in Abby’s nightmare and Joel’s final moments
- Stunning cold-weather cinematography
- Abby’s confrontation is emotionally and thematically rich
Cons
- Abby’s lack of physical presence alters the power dynamic
- Some Easter eggs and cameos may confuse non-gamers
- The brutality of Joel’s death could divide fans
- Teasing hope before the kill may feel emotionally manipulative
Summary: In Episode 2, The Last of Us doubles down on emotional weight and brutal action as Abby steps into the spotlight, Joel meets his devastating fate, and the infected erupt through the snow in a tense, cinematic onslaught. Kaitlyn Dever brings raw vulnerability to Abby’s role, while Pedro Pascal delivers one of his most heartbreaking performances as Joel. With real blizzards, flamethrower boss fights, and moral gray zones galore, the episode pushes the boundaries of adaptation and emotional storytelling. It’s a bold, beautifully brutal chapter that rewrites the rules of who we root for—and who we fear.
