Ellie vs. Nora: The ‘Last of Us’ Showdown and Joel’s Haunting Return

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ATTENTION: This narrative reveals key plot points from Season 2, Episode 5 of HBO’s “The Last of Us.” If you haven’t watched it yet and wish to avoid spoilers, I suggest you skip this text.

In the most recent installment of “The Last of Us,” Ellie (Bella Ramsey) intensifies her quest for retribution, following Joel’s (Pedro Pascal) heart-wrenching demise at Abby’s (Kaitlyn Dever) hands in Episode 2, elevating the storyline to unprecedented heights.

This happens because after Ellie locates Nora (Tati Gabrielle), a significant figure in the Washington Liberation Front who was present when Abby murdered Joel – and subjects Nora to torture for details about Abby’s location. When she has Nora pinned down with a gun and strikes her with a pipe in her abdomen, Ellie forcefully asks: “Where can I find her?

It’s a point of no return.

Yet, Joel’s impact subtly permeates various scenes throughout the episode. A notably poignant moment unfolds early when Ellie strums a guitar in an unoccupied theater, evidently reminiscing about her past with Joel. Director Stephen Williams, who is relatively new to “The Last of Us,” shares that this scene was shot at The Orpheum Theater in Vancouver. Upon Ramsey’s singing conclusion, the entire set was left with moist eyes.

In a deeply moving scene, Ellie’s recollection of Joel’s murder is heart-wrenching and filled with sorrow, desire, and grief. This emotional turmoil is beautifully conveyed through her music, as explained by Williams to EbMaster. Bella performed admirably, taking hold of the instrument and giving an exceptional performance that truly captured our attention. We simply recorded the extraordinary talent that was unfolding right before us.

In this captivating installment, I found myself reacquainted with cherished characters, notably Jesse (Young Mazino), who it turns out, had followed Ellie and Dina (Isabela Merced) on their journey to Seattle the day after they departed. Here, Williams discusses how Jesse’s timely resurfacing stirred memories of Joel in Ellie, his intentional creation of poignant moments between Ellie and Dina amidst high-tension action sequences, and his strategy of keeping a low profile while directing the intense climactic standoff.

The end scene where Ellie confronts Nora about Abby is so intense, with the revelation that Ellie actually knows that Joel killed everyone in the hospital in order to save her. Knowing how important this endnote would be, how did you approach filming it?

A significant portion of our work on “The Last of Us” is heavily influenced by the depth of Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann’s scripts, as well as the characters derived from the game. While Season 1 focused on themes of endurance and survival, Season 2 explores more complex questions about vengeance and mercy. The intense climax in Episode 5, where Ellie confronts Nora, revolves around Ellie’s choice to pursue vengeance for the harm inflicted by Abby, Nora, and their group upon Joel.

Bella Ramsey, in particular, is so stoic at that moment. How did you direct Bella and Tati Gabrielle, who have already developed trust with each other before you creatively became involved with ‘The Last of Us’?

Bella is as powerful as a natural element, immersing themselves so deeply into the character that there wasn’t much guidance needed from me. I essentially let them take the lead, and they did an exceptional job throughout the entire episode. Tati, portraying Nora, was equally impressive. Both actors were incredibly dedicated to their roles and how their characters interacted within the scene’s context. Essentially, our focus was on establishing a secure setting for them to perform at their best.

It was a great surprise to see Jesse (Young Mazino) back in action. Since this episode is so focused on Ellie and Dina, having Jesse back really changes the dynamic and energy, so how did you approach his return?

The relationship between Jesse, Ellie, and Dina is always changing and unpredictable. When Ellie and Dina venture to Seattle to avenge Abby and her group, Jesse unexpectedly joins them at a crucial point. This happens when they encounter some of the infected, and Jesse’s arrival just in time rescues Ellie, reminding her of similar instances with Joel from Season 1.

The sequence when Jesse returns is a huge set-piece in the basement. Were there any key visual references you had when creating that?

Initially, we strive to ensure the narrative isn’t merely a series of dramatic action scenes. Instead, we ground our characters within the broader context of these actions. The key is to keep the characters in the midst of the action always at the forefront. Here, the focus is on Ellie’s protective instincts towards Dina, who is under immense pressure, and Ellie’s sense of responsibility for Dina, as she works tirelessly to ensure their survival. As Jesse joins the scene, this becomes applicable to his character too.

This episode features the first time that viewers are really seeing the faction of Scars in action after their introduction back in Episode 3. How did you think about the way they move as a pack?

In this season, we delve into the ways various human groups respond to their extraordinary situations. For instance, the Washington Liberation Front is adopting a militaristic approach, while the Seraphites, or the Scars, are responding by embracing a fundamentalist belief system. Our latest episode illustrates some of the drastic outcomes that stem from these choices, particularly in relation to how faith is interpreted as a means of coping with extreme conditions. This exploration may include scenes of intense graphic nature, which our viewers should be prepared for when watching this episode.

And with that opening interrogation scene between two of the WLF leaders, you place a lot of trust in the viewer because it takes a while for us to figure out what’s even happening with the new infection. Was that a difficult choice?

The episode starts off enigmatically, introducing a fresh mode of transmission for the Cordyceps contagion. It takes viewers a while to grasp this new concept, but eventually they do so by the end of the episode with Nora. Initially, viewers are on equal footing with the characters as they’re all just discovering an airborne version of this mutated infection in an unusual manner. Therefore, it’s understandable that viewers might feel confused for a while until we learn more about the source of these airborne spores and the extent to which they have affected the Seattle facility.

With Ellie and Dina’s dynamic, there was a huge turning point in Episode 4 when Dina tells Ellie that she loves her for the first time. How did you weave in this incredibly intimate relationship while their lives are being threatened so heavily throughout? Their relationship feels like the key to the whole season.

One skill Craig and Neil excel at when crafting their series is creating tender moments between characters amidst grander action scenes. The blend of these elements creates a very realistic pace for the storyline, allowing us to share with our characters the emotions of navigating such dire situations. Life continues, love continues, affection persists, attachment remains, all while vengeance, revenge, wrath, and anger are also present. These feelings are just a few aspects of the intricate web that connects the characters.

And finally, that last flash before the credits shows a tender memory of Ellie and Joel. Why was that the right moment for this episode to end on?

Starting from Episode 2, this season’s storyline has been centered around payback and the complex mix of feelings that Ellie is going through. The sorrow, the pain, and the unspoken words between her and Joel serve as the driving rhythm behind each plot development. Ending the episode with a flashback of Ellie remembering Joel seemed fitting after the intense sequence that came before it. It was a suitable transition in terms of tone.

This interview has been edited and condensed.

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2025-05-12 06:27