-SPOILER WARNING-
Last summer, I raved to anyone who looked my way about The Last of Us and The Last of Us 2, a video game saga. After playing them both, I was desperate to vent to someone other than my brother, who didn’t have any context to understand my comments. Now, all my frustrations—and love for this game — can be understood.
HBO decided to turn the video game into a show. Not only did they give us one season, but a confirmation of a second—thank god. I won’t go into season two….for now.
Let’s break down a little bit about the main characters: Ellie and Joel.
Character breakdown:
Bella Ramsey plays Ellie, and Joel is played by Daddy Pascal, aka Pedro Pascal. Joel has lived a hard life in this new world, where the “infected” are everywhere—suffering from paralysis when infected. An infection that has no cure… A bite or scratch from a sick person can turn you into one too. In this new world, Joel has lost his daughter and all sense of purpose. His role as a father diminishes, and now he is left to survive, caring only for himself.
Eventually, Ellie comes barreling into the picture. She is “cargo” for Joel, paid to escort her to a revolutionary militia group safely called “The Fireflies.” Joel hopes that Ellie might have what they need for a cure. With Ellie’s volatile language, never-ending sarcasm, and Joel’s closed-off demeanor (with a touch of dry humor), you can imagine how their dynamic works. Instead of giving you more details, I highly recommend watching the show. I’m hoping this playlist may inspire you to watch.
I created this playlist with the idea that Ellie took over Joel’s aux cord and played whatever suited her. Keep in mind this playlist deviates from the setting. In this world, aux cords exist, some of these songs do too, and most importantly—there are no “infected.” I hope you do give this show a chance. I have never played a game with such an elaborate storyline that you become fully invested in. It’s rare for video games to be turned into television shows, let alone exceed expectations as this series did. Watch it.
daybreak 