Neil Druckmann Explains Why ‘The Last of Us’ Changed Its Flashbacks and Ellie’s Rogue Journey

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WARNING: Beware, SPOILERS for The Last of Us Season Episode 6 “The Price” lie ahead.

In episode six of “The Last of Us” Season 2, Pedro Pascal reappeared unexpectedly as character Joel. Instead of focusing on Ellie’s quest for vengeance, the show delved into a flashback episode that revolved around Joel and Ellie’s time in Jackson. Spanning five years through Ellie’s birthdays, this emotional episode traced the gradual straining of their bond, ultimately leading to the night before Joel met his end. Unlike the game, which interspersed flashbacks throughout its narrative, this season opted for a single episode devoted entirely to these memories.

It’s interesting to note that the director of this episode, who is also known for creating and directing the two “The Last of Us” games, deliberately rearranged the sequence and positioning of flashbacks. Neil Druckmann, in an interview with Deadline, stated that this alteration was essential because of the new narrative medium. If the scenes had been transferred directly from the game, they would have lost a significant amount of emotional impact if they were scattered throughout the series. He elaborated:

The way flashbacks are presented in the game is different from this consolidated form here. If we were to distribute the scenes written for this episode across the entire season, certain things could occur that I believe would have a detrimental impact. For one, the shorter flashbacks might not be as impactful. Secondly, you might not feel the absence of Joel as much if we spread out his appearances throughout the episodes.

Neil Druckmann’s Changes to ‘The Last of Us’ Are Out of Necessity

The Last of Us Part II is an expansive video game, boasting a tale that’s twice as long as its predecessor, intertwined with numerous narratives. To enhance the storyline, flashback scenes are used effectively as framing devices. Druckmann, in conversation with Deadline, shed light on why the series has adopted a debatable transformation in Ellie (Bella Ramsey). This change sees her character becoming significantly less ruthless and hardened after Joel’s demise.

In the game and the series, Ellie’s journey takes slightly different paths due to some early decisions. In the game, I wanted Ellie to descend into a profoundly dark mental state that lasted for a considerable time because there’s more violence involved in the gameplay compared to the show. By the time Ellie encounters Nora in the game, she would have already taken many lives, including some connected to Joel’s death, whereas in the series, it’s Nora who is the first one Ellie confronts.

In essence, her voyage has reached a pivotal moment where she’s emulating Joel, determined to persevere and locate Abby at any cost. Until now, it’s unclear how well she grasps the implications of this journey. Previously, Ellie had been concealing a certain darkness beneath her facade, but this action has brought it to light. Despite some differences in their approaches, they both share the same ultimate goal. The question we’ll delve into is whether one can recover from an act so heinous.

Neil Druckmann’s deep grasp of various storytelling platforms is evident in one of the most impactful episodes yet in the series. Some viewers may argue that concentrating all of Joel’s remaining scenes in a single episode lessens the emotional intensity, but this penultimate episode of the second season acts as a poignant farewell to the relationship that has been central to the storyline throughout the entire series. The decisions Ellie makes in the Season 2 finale will likely be influenced by the moving scenes skillfully depicted in episode six.

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2025-05-20 12:04