The Last of Us: Episode 3 departs from the narrative in the game for the first time in a significant way. By doing so, it skillfully conveys a tale of romance discovered in a location that seemed hopeless in a chapter that largely lacks action and instead concentrates on the love and misery that both companionship & loneliness can bring. It’s a magnificent hour of television that achieves every goal the adaptation sets out to achieve to the highest degree.
The Main Characters Of The Last Of Us
Although Joel and Ellie are the main characters of the series, this chapter belongs to Bill and Frank. We first encounter the former in a humorous scene where Nick Offerman’s Bill harnesses his inner Kevin McAllister while setting up a compound full of traps. He appears fulfilled by his solitude, if not quite content, and he doesn’t realize that he’s going to find love in the most unexpected of places at the bottom of a ditch. Offerman is excellent as Bill, revealing to us a much more vulnerable side of him than was ever seen in the game.
Throughout the episode, as he transitions from obstinate survivalist to adoring lover, he is asked to portray a wide range of diverse emotional states. His co-star Murray Bartlett’s subtle performance only serves to highlight his very outstanding performance. Bartlett, who lives far from the opulent amenities of a White Lotus hotel, is just as intelligent as the generous Frank.
The Story Of The Last Of Us: Episode 3
His charisma significantly contributes to lifting The Last of Us out of its often oppressive atmosphere by successfully disarming Bill with his peaceful aura. Frank stepping into one of Bill’s traps initially frightens Bill more than any infected who has accidentally stepped into one of his traps. They also awaken their love for one another at the very moment they realize they share a passion for piano music, which is a brilliantly planned realization.
A wonderful example of openness and sensitivity is the dread that can be seen in Offerman’s eyes because he and Frank share their first kiss. I was never terrified before you showed up, he famously says, “I now have something to guard, and realizing that this newfound love might someday be gone again is worse than anything.”
The rapid cuts from earlier, when he was establishing his perimeter and hiding from the outside world, have been replaced by slower cuts as we witness his desire to once again appreciate life’s minor pleasures. It is an incredibly powerful illustration of the idea that without love, life is nothing more than survival. With all the subtle unpleasant times that come with any relationship, that love only continues to grow over time. Their relationship holds up throughout the show, whether they are defending the home from intruders or gathering strawberries.
The entire final day of Frank and Bill is quite moving. Because it’s so uncommon for someone to be able to say a meaningful farewell in this world, it’s terrible but also mournful. As the gorgeous, rising strings provide the music for their last moments, echoes of Max Richter’s On the Nature of Daylight, which was used in similarly devastating situations from Arrival and Shutter Island, can be heard. In a little more than 30 minutes, we have witnessed the change of a guy who delighted in his solitude into one who fears going back to it.
From the minute Frank entered his life, it was essentially a self-written prophecy that would end in heartbreak. In our world, nothing is permanent in the first place, but during a pandemic, everything seems much more flimsy. A lovely reminder that everyone can find love, regardless of who or where they want to look for it. It’s tragic, wise, and painfully romantic.
The time spent with Ellie and Joel serves as the bookends to their journey. Their interaction is already beginning to get a little more enjoyable, and we can observe little changes in their connection. Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal smoothly deliver snappy conversations as they maintain their contrasting attitudes of curiosity and dismissal. Even time is set out for conducting classic The Last of Us-style supply searches.
There are many more amusing Easter eggs for game veterans, including Bill’s blue vehicle or Joel and Ellie transforming into recognizable outfits. Even when the plot diverges, as it does in this episode, it is cute tiny subtleties like this that keep the drama grounded in its roots.
However, this is still Bill and Frank’s episode, and they continue to completely control it on a physical and emotional level. It’s a wise decision to adapt their story to be happier, giving the pair their spotlight and bringing about a rare smile in contrast to the otherwise depressing events that follow. It transforms this chapter’s initially bitter-tasting ending into something much sweeter and eventually totally more successful, marking the first significant alteration to the tale from the original game.
Ellie reads a one-page message from the game aloud to Joel, which has a devastating impact and incorporates it into the mass, which finally turns into a flashback. This scene serves as another example of how useful a tool for showcasing Pascal’s eyes is.
The Verdict Of The Last Of Us: Episode 3
But this is still Bill and Frank’s episode, and they still have all emotional and physical control over it. Making their story happier is a great choice because it gives the couple their focus and produces a rare smile in contrast to the otherwise gloomy events that ensue. The first substantial change to the story from the original game turns this chapter’s originally bitter-tasting ending into something much sweeter and ultimately entirely more effective.
FAQs
1. Who is the writer of The Last Of Us?
Ans. Neil Druckmann
2. When did The Last Of Us first release?
Ans. June 14, 2013
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