Episode 1 of The Last Of Us kicks off with an intriguing speech about viral outbreaks and pandemics that rocked the world in the 1960s. However, the doctor's revelation that the most formidable threat isn't bacteria but a fungus named Ophiocordyceps camponoti-floridani, sends a chill down the spine. This fungus has the ability to turn its host into a puppet, with the fungus itself pulling the strings and controlling its every move. It's a chilling prospect that sets the tone for the entire narrative.
On September 26th, 2003, we catch up with Joel and his beloved daughter Sarah. Despite it being Joel's birthday, his work ethic compels him to pull a double shift. He promises Sarah that he'll be home by 9 pm. Before she leaves, Sarah sneaks a watch and a stack of cash from the upstairs drawer, intending to surprise her father with a special birthday gift.
After school, Sarah heads to a shop to get the watch repaired, explaining the source of the money with a nervous glance. Suddenly, police patrol cars fly past the shop, causing the shop owner's wife to panic and hurriedly shut down the store. She tells Sarah to leave, and the teenager complies, feeling a sense of foreboding.
Stopping by her neighbor's house to bake some cookies, Sarah witnesses a disturbing scene. Connie, the wheelchair-bound woman, starts to contort and twist awkwardly, her body seemingly under the control of some unseen force. Sarah manages to flee the scene before things escalate further, leaving her shaken and bewildered.
Back home, Joel is presented with his birthday present - the watch that Sarah had repaired earlier in the day. The entire scene is a beautiful homage to the game, capturing the intimate and tender moments between father and daughter. However, the evening is soon interrupted by the buzz of Joel's phone. It's his brother, Tommy, calling from Travis County Jail. He's been arrested after starting a fight with a man who was abusing a waitress. If Joel doesn't get him out now, he'll be stuck in jail for the entire weekend. With a heavy sigh, Joel reluctantly leaves Sarah in bed and heads out to rescue his brother.
As Sarah opened her eyes to find herself alone, a National Broadcast resounded, urging everyone to remain indoors. But Sarah, curious and determined, made the bold decision to venture out and inquire about her neighbors. Connie lay on the floor, feeding, and it was evident that she had been infected. Horrified, Sarah bolted out of the house as she noticed the tendrils creeping out of Connie's mouth. Just then, Joel appeared with Tommy, and they hurriedly scrambled out, jumped into their car, and drove away.
Passing by Jimmy's place, they saw it was completely ravaged by fire. Joel ignored a family pleading for help and pressed onward, deeper into the heart of the town. Their initial plan to escape quickly unraveled, especially when a jet plane crashed onto the road, blocking their path.
As Joel regained consciousness, he scooped up Sarah and made a run for it, narrowly escaping the clutches of an infected. But before the monster could reach her, a soldier intervened, shooting him dead. Tommy vanished into the chaos, and Sarah sustained a severe injury from the crash. The soldier, however, had strict orders to shoot anyone infected, and he aimed his gun at Joel. A hail of bullets followed, but Joel managed to escape just before the soldier could pull the trigger.
Sarah's injury was severe, and despite their efforts, she succumbed to her wounds. Joel and Tommy were left devastated, but they had to keep moving.
Twenty years later, we find ourselves in Boston, 2023. A young boy wanders into the town, only to be apprehended by the authorities. They discovered he was infected and, without hesitation, injected him with a lethal dose. His lifeless body was later collected by Joel, who now worked as a burner, disposing of the bodies of the infected.
Joel eked out a meager existence, taking whatever jobs were available and living in a tight-knit community that had grown accustomed to the constant threat of infection. One day, he met a soldier who owed him ration cards. In exchange, the soldier handed over a stash of pills that had somehow managed to survive all the way from Atlanta.
The conversation revealed the tense state of affairs in the city. The soldiers were on edge, constantly under attack from the Fireflies, a rebel group determined to overthrow the authoritarian rule of the government. Joel also encountered Tess, a woman who narrowly escaped a building that had been blown up by the Fireflies. As she scrambled to safety, she found herself in the middle of a firefight between the soldiers and the rebels.
Unfortunately, the police, mistaking Tess for a member of the Fireflies, arrested her and took her away. Joel watched helplessly as Tess was dragged off, knowing that the situation was only becoming more volatile and dangerous with each passing day.
Joel remains desperately determined to locate Tommy amidst the chaos, as we come to learn that the two were unexpectedly separated earlier in their journey. Joel finds himself drowning in alcohol and popping pills, until fatefully reuniting with Tess. She has spent the entire day confined in FEDRA's custody. Tess brings shocking news - they must retrieve the car battery that Robert, the man she encountered earlier, has sold. To obtain the necessary details, they must track down Robert, secure the truck, and ultimately find Tommy.
Introduced in this scene is Ellie, alias Veronica. Marlene and the remaining Fireflies in Boston have imprisoned her, yet they harbor a plan to flee westward with her, convinced that she holds the key to their salvation. Marlene ascends the stairs, returning Ellie's bag, unlocking her restraints, and revealing her true identity. Ellie scoffs, calling Marlene a terrorist, but Marlene brushes it off, revealing crucial information that could potentially alter everything.
Tensions reach a boiling point when Tess and Joel unexpectedly encounter Marlene and Ellie while searching for Robert. Robert has betrayed both groups and lies lifeless on the floor. Marlene, wounded in a skirmish with Robert over the faulty car battery, points out that Tess and Joel are well-suited to take over her original mission of escorting Ellie out of the city. Their destination is the Old State House, where other Fireflies are hiding. Marlene promises them a functional car battery, guns, and everything else they require.
Joel agrees, and they embark on their journey in the dead of night. Unfortunately, they are spotted by a soldier - the same one Joel had earlier attempted to negotiate with. The soldier proceeds to inspect each of them for signs of infection, but Ellie intervenes. When the soldier raises his gun at Joel, Joel is transported back to the horrid memories of Sarah and lashes out, killing him instantly.
As for Ellie, it turns out that she is indeed infected... but her wound is three weeks old, and she has miraculously developed immunity. As they scramble to escape the city, a skyscraper towers over them, standing like a giant tombstone against the eerie, rainy sky.
