The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 5 Just Teased the Terrifying Rat King

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If you haven’t watched The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 5 yet, there might have been a significant hint at the beginning that the Rat King will appear, and this encounter will differ from any gaming experience you’ve had so far.

Throughout The Last of Us series, we’ve encountered various types of infected creatures – from swift and cunning Runners, to blind but highly sensitive Clickers, to massive and dangerous Bloaters. In the premiere of Season 2, a new type of intelligent, faster, and more agile infected called Stalkers was introduced.

There are still two types we haven’t encountered yet. First, there’s the Shamblers, which is typically the final form of an infected individual in most cases. Essentially, it transforms into a version of the Bloater that has been altered due to excessive rain and humidity. When killed, these creatures explode, scattering spores far and wide, and causing burns to anyone unfortunate enough to be close by.

In The Last of Us Part 2, there’s just one more encounter left with an adversary, and this confrontation happens only once. If you wish to avoid spoilers, I advise against continuing to read…

The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 5 just set up the Rat King

To start off Episode 5, we find out that the underground area of Lakehill Seattle Hospital has been sealed off by the WLF.

Hanrahan communicates with an individual named Elise, a team member of the Wolves responsible for safeguarding the hospital. “We’ve managed to cleanse the ground level all the way up to the sixth floor,” Hanrahan says. “There are a few infected individuals scattered around, but nothing that we found too challenging.

Only the basement remained, labeled B1, B2, and B3. Anticipating the most dire circumstances… especially since the old-timer had mentioned that’s where they took the initial Cordyceps patients back in ’03.

I descended upon B1, as per Elise’s orders, only to find an eerie silence… not even the tiniest of scurrying rodents were around. The next day, I led another team into the depths, but they never returned. As the episodes unfolded, we discovered spores down below, but there was something else lurking in the shadows, unseen yet undeniably present.

In The Last of Us Part 2, you encounter a new type of infested creature in the hospital basement. This formidable foe is called the Rat King, which is essentially a collective organism made up of several Stalkers, Clickers, and a Bloater that are linked together by the Cordyceps fungus.

This colossal, swift, and extraordinarily powerful creature is charging towards the player with a chilling aggression, as hinted by Elise. It’s speculated that the Rat King, originating from the early victims of the Cordyceps infection, are bound together by invasive fungi growth.

Instead of merely aiming for its head and expecting victory, inflict sufficient damage. This will cause it to split into a Bloater and a Stalker, creatures that are relatively simpler to eliminate.

The name originates from a natural occurrence where rats have been discovered huddled closely, sometimes with their tails bound. This is because, as our historical records show, when they remain in close proximity for an extended period, they may become fused together. As reported by GamesRadar in Part 2’s co-director Kurt Margenau, this was one of the reasons we considered this phenomenon as a possibility.

As a gaming enthusiast, here’s my take on that: “Without giving away who clashes with the Rat King or when it occurs in the game, I can assure you, if this scene ever gets adapted for live-action, buckle up for some chilling moments!

Stay updated with the release timeline for The Last of Us Season 2, and until next week, delve deeper into Abby’s storyline from The Last of Us video games, learn essential details about the WLF, and find out why Eugene plays a crucial role in Season 2.

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2025-05-12 05:51