Episode 5 of The Last of Us begins with a plunge into the past, where Kansas City is descending into a maddening chaos and riotous upheaval following the outbreak. The streets are a grim sight, with police officers hung by their necks, triggering a military response with overwhelming firepower. Amidst the wreckage, Henry and Sam, two survivors, lay low, striving to stay alive amidst the wreckage.
After FEDRA's eventual demise, Kathleen gathers the townspeople and mocks them, revealing her true intentions. She declares that, despite her denials, she will essentially become the unspoken dictator of their new reality. Her eyes are set on Henry, but the townsfolk remain silent about his whereabouts, until a man steps forward, revealing that Henry is outside, meeting with an informant in a supposed safe haven. Ironically, this safe haven is the attic where we witnessed Kathleen retreating to in the previous episode.
Henry and Sam find a moment of solace, rationing their dwindling supplies. Henry calculates they have eleven days left, but Sam's fear is palpable. Henry tries to soothe him, urging the young boy to draw on the walls to occupy his mind.
Perry, a military man, suggests caution, arguing that they should wait, regroup, and establish a perimeter. But Kathleen brushes him off, belittling his military expertise. She orders a swift attack, insisting that burning the bodies afterward is "faster" than putting them on trial.
Ten days later, Sam and Henry are down to their last can of food. Their informant has vanished, and their supplies are exhausted. Faced with no other option, the pair decide to strike out on their own, braving the unknown on foot. As they prepare to leave, gunshots suddenly ring out, echoing through the silence. It's the small shootout inside the department store, the one with three men that we witnessed in the previous chapter. The danger is closer than they thought, and their journey ahead is fraught with peril.Henry spots Joel inside, and the duo promptly adjusts their course of action. They steer towards the apartment complex, bringing us to the climactic conclusion of episode 4. Henry declares his intention to unite their forces, firmly believing that they must lend a helping hand to each other. He lowers his firearm, choosing to place his trust in them, as the quartet begins to collaborate.
A strong bond of friendship forms between Sam and Ellie, as the four devise a strategy to escape the ominously named "Killer City". Henry is eager to assist Joel and Ellie in their escape, as he stands to benefit from their success. Apparently, pointing an unloaded gun is the closest he's ever come to violence, hence his reliance on Joel's ruthless determination to secure an exit.
However, achieving this goal is easier said than done, especially when Kathleen holds sway over everything, including the four highways encircling the city. Moreover, there are no infected in sight, as they were all driven underground fifteen years ago. It's the same underground that Henry and Sam intend to navigate, sneaking past the soldiers undetected. The FEDRA operative whom Henry trusted had apparently cleared the area with his men three years prior, but their plan remains precarious, relying on shaky intelligence. Joel remains unconvinced.Descending into the dingy maintenance tunnels, the quartet encountered subtle nods to the captivating first game, painting a nostalgic picture. Within this maze-like underground, an ancient community had taken root, seemingly thriving in secrecy after the catastrophic Outbreak Day. Joel and Ellie stumbled upon a trove of vintage comic books, sparking a lively conversation between them.
Ellie and Henry, finding the exploration thrilling, suggested lingering to explore further. Joel, seeing their enthusiasm, acquiesced to their wish. As they meandered, Henry confessed his earlier reticence about his past killings. It transpired that Sam, stricken with leukemia, had been in dire need of a drug solely held by FEDRA. In a desperate bid to save his life, Henry had led a raid that ended in the tragic death of the Kansas City resistance leader - Kathleen's beloved brother.
Kathleen, her mind now shattered, had embarked on a destructive path. After terminating the city's doctor in the previous episode and berating her officers, she vanished, returning to her childhood room - the one her brother had occupied before his untimely death. Despite her brother's warnings against seeking vengeance, Kathleen was hellbent on revenge.
Joel's group emerged from the tunnels, only to encounter a new challenge. A sniper was perched in a nearby building, forcing Joel to act swiftly. He stealthily maneuvered through the darkness, sneaking into the sniper's hideout. There, he encountered an elderly man, unknowingly aligned with Kathleen.
Suddenly, Kathleen and her men appeared in a swarm, blocking their escape. Joel, seizing the opportunity, used the sniper's rifle to eliminate a truck driver while Kathleen's henchmen surrounded the house. Shockingly, Kathleen revealed her willingness to kill children, declaring it brazenly in front of her followers. Henry, realizing the folly of reasoning with her, resolved to confront her head-on, ordering Ellie to take the fatal shot.
Throughout this ordeal, Joel stood steadfast with his sniper rifle, ready to strike. But before he could pull the trigger, the ground beneath their feet suddenly collapsed, unleashing a cacophony of guttural snarls. Out of the chaos, hordes of infected creatures emerged, charging towards Kathleen's group with relentless fury.
Despite their valiant efforts, most of the infected were stopped, but then a monstrosity emerged from the flames - a bloater. It tore through Kathleen's group with ease, leaving Perry with a desperate choice. He valiantly tried to buy them some time, giving Kathleen a fleeting chance to escape, but he paid the ultimate price, ripped apart by the relentless horde. Kathleen's fate was not much better, as she too fell victim to the relentless attack.
In the midst of the chaos, Ellie managed to save two of the infected, and they fled for their lives. As the dust settled and the fighting came to an end, the four survivors found a safe haven, far from the carnage and destruction.
Joel tried to rally their spirits, urging Sam and Henry to join them on their journey to Wyoming. But their hopes were dashed when they discovered the truth - Sam was infected. He had been bitten, and his leg was a grisly sight. Ellie offered to stay with him, hoping to comfort him in his final moments.
But in the dead of night, Sam's transformation was complete. The infected Sam lunged at Ellie, tackling her to the ground. In a moment of horrific clarity, Henry was forced to make a choice. He took a deep breath and pulled the trigger, ending Sam's tortured existence.
Shocked and overwhelmed by the loss of his friend, Henry could no longer bear the pain. He turned the gun on himself and pulled the trigger, ending his own life.
As Joel sorrowfully buried Henry and Sam outside, Ellie left a heartfelt message on Sam's whiteboard: "I'm sorry." The words were simple, but they conveyed the depth of her sorrow and regret.
