Why Ellie Sings ‘Future Days’ in The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 5 Revealed

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As a dedicated gamer immersed in “The Last of Us Part II”, I found myself drawn into Episode 5, where Ellie once again grabs a guitar. However, the moment was fleeting, and it wasn’t until later that I realized why she started strumming ‘Future Days’. There’s a hidden backstory behind her choice of song.

In the previous installment of The Last of Us, Ellie stumbled upon a guitar during her expedition in Seattle. Spontaneously, she took hold of it and began strumming ‘Take on Me’, even crooning the lyrics to Dina.

One of the most memorable scenes from the series is reminiscent of a moment straight out of the game, and if you recall the initial trailer for the show in 2022, it featured ‘Take on Me’. The music in this storyline is more significant than it might seem at first glance. In fact, Ellie’s original actress reprised her role to sing ‘Through the Valley’, a poignant choice following Joel’s demise in Episode 2.

The opening episode was titled ‘Future Days’, and although the song’s lyrics echo Ellie’s journey (“If I ever were to lose you, I’d surely lose myself”), there’s an additional reason why she sings it in Episode 5. [Game spoiler alert] This scene takes place as a significant event unfolds in the game…

The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 5 just teased an emotional scene with ‘Future Days’

In the game ‘Future Days’, Joel initially strums on the guitar for Ellie when they first meet, a moment we haven’t witnessed in the series so far. However, considering the storyline, it seems likely that this event will unfold in Episode 6.

As a gamer, I’d say: “Going back to rewatch the trailer for Season 2, you’ll catch a quick glimpse of Joel and Ellie sharing a moment together, with her holding a guitar. While it hasn’t been officially confirmed yet, it looks like this could be the scene where Joel serenades Ellie with ‘Future Days.’

To clarify: The song ‘Future Days’ by Pearl Jam came out in 2013, which is ten years after the Cordyceps outbreak started in the series (in 2003). Therefore, logically, the song shouldn’t have existed within the show’s timeline.

During his appearance on the Kinda Funny program, Neil Druckmann discussed why a particular song was incorporated into Season 2.

In the next season of #TheLastofUs, Druckmann hints that “Future Days” by Pearl Jam might not be the only song featured; there are other tunes we could potentially hear instead. The events in the show transpired in 2003, but “Future Days” was released nine years later in 2013.

— The Last of Us News (@TheLastofUsNews) March 27, 2023

It seems unusual for Joel to be familiar with that song, considering its origin is apparently earlier than his lifetime. However, suggesting an alternate dimension where it was released doesn’t quite feel like a satisfactory explanation.

Pearl Jam’s music is deeply embedded within the narrative and setting of ‘The Last of Us’. If we can’t use their particular song, we have other options for suitable tunes.

In a chat with Eurogamer, Druckmann shared the source of his idea to incorporate ‘Future Days’ into Part 2.

An interesting tale unfolded after completing our first game. Geoff Keighley contacted us, expressing his desire to organize The Last of Us: One Night Live event. During this special occasion, the actors would perform scenes from the game live on stage.

As an enthusiast, I pondered, indeed, that idea held some intrigue, but could it be leveraged to create something exceptional for the stage? With Troy [Baker] and Ashley [Johnson] in tow, I envisioned a scenario: let’s delve into a scene post-first game events.

In this part of the script, Joel arrives carrying a guitar that he presents to Ellie. There’s an undercurrent of tension between them, and during this moment, a song plays out – one that I was particularly fond of by Pearl Jam at that time, and it resonated deeply with my own feelings.

Additionally, you could discover the reasons behind Ellie placing coffee beans on Joel’s tombstone and unravel the events surrounding Shimmer in the game.

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2025-05-12 05:28