This post contains spoilers for HBO’s The Last of Us
In the recently aired episode of HBO’s The Last of Us, we witnessed a heart-wrenching moment as Pedro Pascal’s character Joel was tragically killed by Abby, played by Kaitlyn Dever. This poignant scene concluded with a moving performance of “Through the Valley,” sung by Shawn James.
If the voice in the song seemed recognizable, it was indeed the vocal cords belonging to Ashley Johnson, renowned for her role as Ellie in the popular video game series.
While Ellie (Bella Ramsey), Jesse (Young Mazino), and Dina (Isabela Merced) pull Joel’s body towards Jackson, the tune of “Through the Valley” starts to play. In the year 2016, Johnson performed her rendition of this song for a promotional clip for The Last of Us: Part II.
Craig Mazin, both showrunner and writer, shared with Entertainment Weekly that the revamped version of “Through the Valley” combines elements from the 2016 teaser song along with a slightly modified rendition that Johnson recently recorded in a studio. Mazin expressed his longstanding affection for the song, describing its impact on him as something that resonated deeply within his mind and heart.
The relationships and underlying themes are even more profound, as Johnson portrayed Ellie’s mother in a flashback scene during Season 1. In addition to our bond with Ashley due to her being the creator of Ellie in the game, we also share a connection because she plays Ellie’s mom. This becomes particularly intriguing when a moment like this occurs, where you lose your only parent and the one you’ve never met, the one you were unaware of, is present watching.
The lyrics of this tune contain phrases such as “I have no dread of wrongdoing since I’m oblivious to it entirely,” and “my thoughts and my weapon offer me solace.” This piece of music also contains the line, “I am certain that I will slay my adversaries when they appear.
Do not read too far into the lyrics, however, Mazin warns.
Mazin predicted that your gun won’t shield you from the story’s outcome,” he explained. “You won’t be able to eliminate all your adversaries when they appear, and you’ll feel apprehensive about what lies ahead. It’s a desperate plea that has shattered into fragments.
On their own, Mazin expressed to Variety that the lyrics are enchanting, Ashley’s voice is captivating, and he couldn’t conceive a more fitting conclusion.
New episodes of The Last of Us air Sundays at 6 PM PT / 9 PM ET on HBO and Max.
Read More
- Unleash Your Heroes’ True Potential: Best Stadium Builds for Every Overwatch 2 Hero
- Lucky Offense Tier List & Reroll Guide
- Indonesian Horror Smash ‘Pabrik Gula’ Haunts Local Box Office With $7 Million Haul Ahead of U.S. Release
- Best Crosshair Codes for Fragpunk
- Elder Scrolls Oblivion: Best Mage Build
- SWORN Tier List – Best Weapons & Spells
- Unlock All Avinoleum Treasure Spots in Wuthering Waves!
- Why Yellowstone and Virgin River Fans Can’t Miss Netflix’s Ransom Canyon This Week!
- 50 Goal Sound ID Codes for Blue Lock Rivals
- WARNING: Thunderbolts Spoilers Are Loose – Proceed with Caution!
2025-04-21 21:09