THE LAST OF US Episode 9 REACTION!! 1x9 Finale Spoilers Review & Breakdown | TLOU HBO Ending Scene

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“Time heals all wounds, right?”
“Time didn’t do it”
😢😢.
Seriously, this show hit me right in the feels EVERY single time.

When Bella said the ending would divide fans I'm pretty sure she's referring to fans of the show that don't already know how it ends.

The part where Joel said he was ready to end himself was important. If they had asked Ellie, she might have said she was ready for it. But the truth is she is carrying a lot of survivor's guilt which could be influencing her decision. In his mind, he's just buying her time until she finds that something worth living for.

I love that Ashley is literally shown giving birth to Ellie, just as she "gave birth" to the character herself.

I think Bella’s comment was more for new viewers, sure we’re used to the ending but Joel’s choice to basically doom the world for his daughter is still a very bold choice even in the original story. This is the episode where Joel from almost every other characters point of view becomes the villain of this world basically. Think about it, Marlene and the fireflies he killed were actually trying to save the world and in their logic, spare Ellie the fear and pain of basically committing suicide.

10/10 ending, they did it so well. Plus they put Laura Bailey in as one of the nurses. God this episode & series was beautiful

The suicide bit made me extra sad because Pedro Pascals mom died that way. Thats why he uses the name Pascal, for her

Grandma here. Not a gamer. Absolutely LOVED this episode! (Really just loved every episode, but this one was so powerful as Joels love for Ellie is so clear now. She is not cargo to be delivered. And no matter how much of a killing machine he has had to be, he is deeply loving and caring.)

They made Joel’s rampage feel a lot more like the heinous act we think of it as then it did in the game and you can tell just how much it’s affecting him to make that bold choice. That and the implied Joel unaliving himself hit me out of nowhere. Pedro and Bella need academy awards ASAP.

My god this was such an emotional episode (I've never played the game). A few things if I may:
-I found Ellie's sorrow so sad to see-clearly the trauma from David affected her. I found Ellie laughing feeding the giraffe moving, as interacting with animals really is healing for people who've experienced trauma.
-Hearing Joel admit he attempted to take his own life made me super emotional, not only seeing Joel say he's happy he failed with tears in his eyes, but I imagine it was very emotional for Pedro, knowing that he lost his mom to suicide back when he was younger.
-The ominous music playing during Joel's rampage was so eerie....
-Consensus on Joel's decision: I totally understand where Joel was coming from...he didn't want to lose another daughter, but the ominous music playing during his shooting really gave the feeling that this will have severe consequences. I also don't think it's fair for Joel to lie to Ellie like he did, but again, I understand where he is coming from. I feel mixed feelings-nothing is simply right or wrong.
Sorry for the rant-I had so many thoughts, thanks for reading. Looking forward to seeing Bella and Pedro bonding together more for the upcoming awards circuit (assuming TLOU is nominated), and I can't wait for Season 2. Bravo!

That opening was crushing to watch. This show, the series was amazing. Joel’s loss of humanity was restored while all of humanity was at stake. He couldn’t let her die. Ellie it seems wasn’t given a choice at the same time Joel was going to be robbed of the last piece of humanity he has left. The story was just as deep as the game was and the totality of the show enriched the game even more.

For me, I don’t think it’s a question of whether Joel made the right decision or not, it’s that neither he NOR Marlene gave Ellie the choice to make her own, informed choice. They both took the decision away from her - in different ways, but still away from her - by lying to her.
EDIT: Whoops, wrote my comment before I got to the part where Greg says the same thing 😅 But yes, agree - they should have let her decide.

As a parent, this hits hard. How far you would go for your child. Such a hard decision and I'd go to unimaginable lengths to keep my kid safe.

As a parent seeing poor little newborn Ellie brought be to tears 3 minutes in. God this shows been a wild ride

Ellie's responses to Joel talking about Sarah is so real for people who have relationships with their fathers where you know how conflicted they are and when they finally open up, all you can do is just encourage them to keep going and say what they want to hear

I don’t want it to be over and I’m absolutely not ready for Season 2 😢

Joel killing fireflies scene giving me massacres vibe than the heroic moments. This ep really show how far you would go for saving your child

My god this was an emotional episode seeing the opening with Ashley Johnson's Anna opening the episode gave me chills. It's the passing of the torch from the OG Ellie to the actress who is playing Ellie in the show. Ashley in those 5 to maybe 10 minutes powerful performance and knocked it out of the park.

I love how Marlene outright tells the guy to cover her ears, and you see that he didn't even try.
It's amazing Ellie doesn't have a hearing problem.

The scene where Joel tells Elle he shot himself was filmed behind my building in Calgary. I watched that being filmed from my balcony!!! Little did I know how HUGE this was gunna be! And how much I would love it haha wish I played the game

I love how there’s that parallel of Joel holding Ellie with Joel holding Sarah. Only this time, he’s ready and refuses to let history repeat itself.

Also the final Joel and Ellie conversation at the end where Ellie expresses her survivor’s guilt and everyone she’s lost and Joel telling her to keep finding something to fight for and Joel lying to Ellie about what he said about the fireflies was true is still imo one of the best powerful endings in a video game. It’s powerful and when Ellie makes Joel swear to her on if he’s telling her the truth about the fireflies and Joel says I swear with a very serious tone and Ellie just has that unsure unconvinced look on her face because she knows deep down that Joel was lying but she just says ok because she’s painfully accepted Joel’s false truth. My god what an ending! Chef’s kiss! Pedro and Bella killed this scene just like how Troy and Ashley did it in the first game’s ending.

This show has been amazing, great finale. Ive never played the game, and i fully understand Joel’s decision to save Ellie, but it still felt almost like he kidnaps her at the end, like he keeps the truth from her for his own benefit, not hers

The “divisive” part is just whether or not Joel was justified. People already go at each other’s throats over this from the game😂

In the game with Anna’s letter it was kinda hinted that she was bitten when she had Ellie and that would’ve given Ellie her immunity but it was nice to see it and confirm that theory that a few of us had since 2013.

It’s heavily implied in the game that Joel contemplated suicide. I thought it made so much sense for him to verbalize it in the show in order to basically end it by telling Ellie how much he loved her.

The giraffe moment in the game and show was beautiful. That scene was so beautiful in the game and show because it’s a nice break from the violence and it forces you to take a deep breath and take in the nice scenery. It’s also a nice symbolization of there being a fraction of hope and humanity in the world. It’s also super rewarding.

I think what got me was hearing Joel talk about how he nearly took his own life, and then not long after we got the giraffe scene. I think the culmination of all that got me where he goes from talking bout his sorrow about not wanting to go on, gets attached to Ellie, and then see him happy that she's having her moment of happiness.
Give them Emmies now

For me here's what sets this show apart from similar shows: restraint.
It's eerie, intelligent, carefully paced and most importantly it only rarely shows you the infected. This means that when an infected DOES appear, it's impactful AF.

The whole hospital rampage felt more brutal than in the game

Perhaps having more infected in the next seasons and having them be more impactful will show the ramifications of Joel’s choice, maybe just an optimistic view towards how they can take the show to even greater heights. Thanks for all the reactions for this season guys, can’t wait for more! 😊

Also the call back to episode 6 when Joel tells Ellie that she deserves a choice. Here it wasn't just Marlene not giving her a choice, Joel doesn't either. I only played a few hours of the game because the infected just creeped me the hell out. I'm so so glad that I got to experience the story this way. What an amazing show. Forget being a great adaptation. It's one of the best shows I've seen. Ever! Bravo to Craig Maizin, Neil Druckmann, Pedro, Bellie, and all the cast and crew who worked on it!

I love how this episode informs us more about Joel’s decision by showing us that he could never make the sacrifice by not only giving us the story of his scar, but also showing us how Marlene was willing to make the sacrifice. While I am a little upset they didn’t put in the last infected sequence from the game and the scene where Joel is carrying Ellie through the hospital while all of the firefly soldiers are chasing them, everything they did do in the episode was perfect

Honestly, I don't care if there's changes to the way characters look from the game to this show, or even the certain changes to some of the plot. This show, Pedro and Belle deserve to AT LEAST be nominated for this!

Those flashback scenes from the opening of the first two episodes PERFECTLY complements the finale. The main point of those scenes was that a cure is literally impossible. It helps to sell Joel's position and makes it more complex.

This is one of the best episodes in TV history, the iconic hospital scene couldn't have been more emotional than it was here. Once Joel goes on the rampage, the score along with the echoes of gunshots in the background and the dead stare of Joel, shows so much into his psyche. He already lost one daughter and losing another, who healed his original loss, might push him into the state he was in before. Pedro killed it in this episode. This show deserves every Emmy award.

Huge parallel I really loved was the Fireflies and Fedra being compared again - in that they both were going to kill a child but do it kindly. With the Zombie from ep 1 and Ellie not knowing she was going to die here.

Andrew, the ending as written is the divisive part. This was a HUGE controversy back when the first game came out. It’s died down more over time as people have gotten older and more gamers became parents, but a LOT of people hated Joel’s choice at the end and that they were forced to play as him. I remember one of my friends arguing with me strongly why Joel was a monster who made the wrong choice 😂

I started sobbing and had my eyes red by the end of the episode. So accurate to how the game felt.

Whoever had the controller 🎮 this episode had no hesitation shooting abby's dad... also had it easy with not having to use nail bombs or molotovs

I also really loved how Joel did save the world at the end in a way. His world was Ellie. Joel realized if the world believed killing an innocent 14 year old girl is the key to saving humanity, then it’s not a world worth saving. He lost his baby girl Sarah once and he was given another chance to save another baby girl in this case Ellie and he was not gonna waste his chance to start his life over again with his baby girl the right way even if how he achieved that chance was brutal.

They did an amazing job both keeping things accurate and adding/removing things from the games. The way Pedro and Bella were able to basically be spot on with the games Joel and Ellie but slightly differ which made it their own was also incredible

10000/10 ending, love the additions ❤ there is one line I miss from the game. After Ellie says the “there is no half way with this” line, Joel says “well I’m not leaving without you so let’s go wrap this up” I would have LOVED to see Pedro say that

GOD that "Time didn't do it." line followed by his misty-eyed gaze at Ellie just breaks my heart. Also I LOVED seeing Ashley Johnson in this episode but I couldn't separate her voice from Ellies in the game 😭😭 It's so distinct.

"....okay." Gets me every time. Also, the opening of Ashley Johnson giving birth to Ellie is pretty poetic. I am very interested in how they will handle next season.

Im lost for words at how amazing this whole series has been.. it feels like ive gotten to experience the game all over again for the first time

I agree 10/10 adaptation. There’s slight nit-picks I have of things I preferred from the game, but similarly there’s things I preferred from the show. They did the story, and most importantly the characters justice. I was skeptical about Bella Ramsey playing Ellie when it was announced but wow did she prove me wrong. Amazing performance on her end. Same goes for Pedro Pascal. His Joel is a bit of a different take, slightly softer, not as hardened emotionally, but a masterful performance as well. Once again, 10/10 adaption. Craig Mazin is quickly becoming one of my favorite directors.

One little detail I truly adored is the fact that Anne begs Marlene to get Ellie to a loving home that would take care of her, and without trying Marlene did just that. She handed over Ellie to Joel who is the one person that could truly love Ellie the most and care for her the best. Anne's dying wish happened even if Marlene dropped Ellie off at Fedra.

I said it before that there were 2 things I wanted to see for this episode, the giraffe scene, and the satisfaction of dead fireflies. They did not disappoint.

Finally found the time to watch the finale reaction and follow up discussion, i was thinking and i genuinely can’t pick a favorite episode of the series it because it all felt like different levels and stages of a journey/game … This was a great finale. Ellie must have known Joel was lying he never explains and chats this much she knew guilt was involved. I feel like while it’s harsh to say he should have probably finished off the two nurses as well because they are now witnesses and know what he did and that will probably come back to bite him.. especially considering that one of those masked nurses while it was very difficult to tell is a known voice actress. Either way I can’t imagine how interesting season 2 aka part 2 of the game adaptation will be done but I know this cast will rightfully win a multitude of awards.

For gamers I think they will love this episode 10/10 because it's exactly like the game. But for new viewers it could be divisive because Joel's decision can seem selfish that he would want to save Ellie over providing a cure for the entire world and he lied about it. Now obviously it was out of love and trying to protect Ellie, but it still can seem selfish.

In one of the behind the scenes Pedro said he calls Bella, Bellie! I think that is where HBO got it from in their tweet.

The fist scene hit me in a different level.. I’m about to be a dad… it got me deep 😢

The finale episode was a MASTERPIECE from start to finish, Just WOW

The opening scene Joel and Ellie finding the giraffe and Joel shooting his way to the hospital are my top 3 favorite moments such an emotional finale

We really need more Shows like this..

So happy to see Laura Bailey reprise her role from the first game as a nurse!

There are scenes in each episode that have made me cry. I was crying throughout this entire episode, start to finish.

This season was amazing! Can’t wait for season 2!

The line, “I was never afraid until you showed up,” is an obvious through line for the series.

An exact recreation. Might be the most similar episode to the game. They added a couple things and cut the infected action as usual, but it is a perfect recreation otherwise. Love the inclusion of the suicide attempt and “it wasn’t time that did it”. That was as good of an adaptation as we could have hoped for. If they released an extended version with some added infected fights it would be absolutely perfect. But I’m so happy with it as it. Bring on season 2!

This was a very interesting and well made Finale, like the Season, I really wonder how Season 2 is going to be like? Guess we’ll see.
By the way, have any of you watched Heavy Spoiler’s Abby Video yet?

This season so incredible. It’s crazy that it’s already over. Cant wait for season 2.

Funny how Laura Bailey (Abby) played one the nurses here, and also one the nurses in the game (and also a lot of npcs in the first game) in the exact same scene
Side note: also as a critical role fan too, having Ashley and Laura in this episode makes me so happy

Ashley Johnson did amazing in that opening scene even though I kept saying she looks and sounds just like Ellie. I love how they shot that hospital scene it really gave the tv audience who didn’t play the game that same feeling of us who did which is did Joel really do the right thing even though we know why he did it.

I'm glad I watched the episode a second time, cuz there's a bunch of stuff y'all pointed out that I missed originally. Man this episode had me emotional.

bella wasn't talking about gamers or accuracy of the scenes, they were referring to the subject matter of this ending as a discussion amongst audiences. This happened with gamers when the game released, therefor it'll also happen with tv viewers.

Such an incredible episode! And I think Bella's remark about this episode being (going to be) divisive was aimed more at non-gamers and how people would react to Joel's decision. Great reaction as always guys! And thanks for pointing out that Laura Bailey made a masked cameo, I totally missed that

The poise, power, & presence displayed by the petite Bella Ramsey as Ellie & the Lady of Bear Island are top tier.
End of discussion.

I wonder if Elli is immune because she was initially infected at the same time her mother was- as she was still attached via umbilical cord when her mother was bitten. Maybe the stem cells in the cord fought off the infection making her immune...

Oh my goodness this finale is one of the best I’ve ever seen! Television wise

I think when Bella said it would be a divisive episode she was referring to the decision and moral dilemma people would go through when it comes to Joel saving Ellie instead of letting them complete the procedure. People would be divisive about his choice not that it would be different from the game.

29:42 THIS!!! I thought i was the only one a little freaked out at how quickly joel flipped to treating ellie like a daughter after episode 8. It's sweet but also fast and joel is so so damaged

Nice near-perfect 3:2 polyrhythm with your claps there at 23:07!! That really caught me off guard haha. Great reaction guys! Has been great tuning in each week after the episode.

They absolutely bodied it. Soup to nuts, beginning to end, they absolutely KILLED it with this show. Amazing.

I’ve never played the game and have 0 knowledge of the story, but this is one of my favorite shows I’ve ever seen. Week after week I was so invested in these characters and it hit me emotionally so many times. I’ve never been a zombie (I know they’re not zombies!) genre fan but I was hooked by this immediately. I feel like that’s a testament to the quality of this show. Can’t wait for season 2 and I may just buy a PlayStation and get this game!

such a good finale. Most accurate episode in the show

Perfect finale. HBO nailed it

After Ellie "okay" and the music hits. I legit fell to my bed and just soak it all in. Spectacular game adaptation. Superb acting from Pedro and Bella. Cannot wait for part 2. Absolutely radical.

It's definitely a morally questioning ending for the ones who didn't play the game, which by the way Bella Ramsey is one of them so I can see why she would have said it's decisive.

They fucking nailed it. I'm blown away by this finale and season 1 is officially a masterpiece of tv imo. Now begins the painfully long wait for season 2.

42:13 a lot of it brought me back to the nameless kid in the first episode, I’m sure on purpose. No one knew whether or not he had the same condition as Ellie. He could have, but Fedra did what they thought was best and killed him “without trauma”, like Marlene with Ellie. Marlene who hates Fedra, copying their language. And then Joel holding her at the end just like the kid, but he’s not dumping this kid. This is his kid, infected or not, savior or not. I really loved the callbacks.

the fact that the finale was this short and they get it tight and sweet cant wait for season 2! (ps the giraffe scene 😭)

i’m so happy they added ashley and troy to the show it’s so cool seeing them in it!

IMO Joel in the show is almost more tragic because he does go back to his old self when he's with Ellie. Ellie had said Joel has an asshole voice but once he comes to terms with how much he cares for Ellie his tone of voice when speaking to her is like the first episode pre-outbreak, even the way he stands and carries himself. Joel in the game opens up to Ellie the same way by talking about Sarah too but Pedro really played the two sides of Joel with more contrast. If you watch when he first met Ellie in that hallway then watch him talking to her about Sarah this episode he's two completely different people.

The finale did a great job of portraying the very complex moral dilemma of saving countless people at the cost of one life. The dread and ferocity of Joel fighting and killing his way through the hospital to save that one person....the one person after 20 years to give him hope. I honestly think that anyone in his situation would have done the same thing.

Man season two is gonna be so hard to watch. I’m sad but excited at the same time just because most of us that have played the game. We already know what to expect but man this is going to hit heavy once it happens. Hats off to HBO and the crew for the show

I love the foreshadowing of the events of this episode way back in what Henry said "I'm a bad guy cuz I did a bad guy thing. But you'd do the same, right? You aren't her dad, but you were someone's"

At the end, when Ellie makes Joel swear that he’s telling the truth, and then he lies to her, you sort of see the light dim in her eyes. I don’t wanna say she loses trust in him, but you see how she feels about him shift in that moment, and I feel like that’s a testament to how good of a performer Bella Ramsey is

This is what happens when show runners are fans and want to make a show that honors the source material. This is the best adaptation ever made. This is the benchmark for future shows. Get a good production staff that loves the story they are put in charge of telling and you will make masterpieces. A true masterclass in television.

The gall of Marlene trying to call Joel out for taking away Ellie's choice when she herself said they didn't tell her anything

The scene with the giraffe definitely hit harder in the video game. I absolutely love that scene in the video game and while I'm sure they did their best to recreate it on the show I wasn't moved like I was in the game.

The ending reminds me of a very valid point: Neither Joel nor the Fireflies gave Ellie a choice. The Fireflies were gonna operate on her without telling her she would die. And Joel lied to her after he saved her. Ellie was definitely determined to see the whole thing through. She was more than willing to help humanity find a cure. If the Fireflies had actually talked to her, she would have likely accepted it. Joel could have even been the one to explain it to her. Joel wasn't in the wrong for saving Ellie's life. The Fireflies weren't in the wrong for trying to find a cure. But if they had listened to her instead of choosing for her, the whole thing could have gone in a different direction.

I absolutely LOVE that haunting music playing during Joel’s rampage. It wasn’t played as a badass moment. It was a morally gray choice driven by his own trauma and motives and it’s not going to lead to a sunny happy ending. It’s as tragic as anything else in the story. He’s driven to SLAUGHTER a hospital full of human beings. And he’s not entirely wrong in doing it. That’s so much more complex than, “YEAH! Go, Joel! Eff em up! Wooo!”

I think it was so hard because Ellie says both "we finish what we started" AND "I'll follow you anywhere" It didn't occur to her that she wouldn't be able to do both so like in this moment where the adults are deciding her fate we know what kind of person Ellie is but we don't know what she would have wanted to do truly 😔

I love the title of this episode when I first saw the first episodes title and learnt the firefly catchphrase I had a feeling that episode 9 would be titled with the remaining end of the quote

It's rare for me to give a 10/10 but this show nailed it. I love how brutal Joel is written, this is a character that survived an apocalypse. And the moral dilemma in the final episode was great, no good guy or bad guy in that situation.

People will point to last episode as some of Bella's best work (and rightfully so), but it was that freaking final line which absolutely needed to land... and boy did she nail it. That lingering focus on her face as we can see pretty well everything running through Ellie's mind at that moment: the doubt, grief, betrayal. Beautifully captured by Bella.
And I didn't expect to get so emotional watching Ashley Johnson in the beginning. Her talking to Ellie in her iconic voice that was so clearly Ellie as well felt beautifully poetic.
Also that blink-and-you'll-miss-it cameo by Laura Bailey as one of the nurses! Which she also voiced in the game. I hope we get some VA easter egg cameos in the next few seasons!
Bravo to everyone involved in this show.
Now... I can't say I'm totally looking forward to Season 2... 💔

This episode was phenomenal, it's going to be tough waiting for season two but it will be worth it.