The next season of HBO’s smash-hitThe Last of UsTV show is on its way, and it will apparently add extra context for certain characters from the games. This would echo what Season 1 ofThe Last of Usdid with Bill and Frank, characters whose history was merely hinted at in the first game but got an entire episode to themselves in the adaptation.
Among the most significant advantages that a TV show or movie has over a video game is its ability to shift perspectives and tell a story more efficiently: because there’s no need to consider gameplay, a show can switch focus to another character with ease, commanding the viewer’s attention without the need for interactivity. This is a big reason why the Bill and Frank episode ofTLOUSeason 1 works so well, as the show could afford to take a one-hour detour to explore a more intimate, slow-paced relationship between two characters in a way that the video game simply couldn’t. It’s likely that audiences will see more of this sort of storytelling in the next season ofThe Last of Us.
Further Fleshing Out The Last of Us Universe in Season 2
What Characters Could Be Fleshed Out in The Last of Us Season 2
While they may not get afull episode like Bill and Frank did inTLOUSeason 1, Druckmann has stated that this upcoming season will provide additional backstory for certain characters.The Last of Us Part 2greatly expanded the series' cast, introducing a number of new faces whose pasts are merely gestured toward, rather than fully explained or shown objectively. Given the unique strengths of the TV show format, and the show’s plan to run for several more seasons, many of these characters could benefit from added context.
Minor characters like Jesse, who is affable and endearing in the second game, could perhaps get more fleshed-out in the TV show. But there are more essential figures, like theWashington Liberation Front leader Isaac Dixon, who could become far more multidimensional and complex through this method of storytelling, helping audiences understand their motivations and personality a bit more. The show may also be able to offer a more intimate look at factions like the Seraphites through the perspective of characters like Lev. There are a number of other minor characters who could become more substantial via extra backstory, including:
Season 2’s added backstory wouldn’t have to be limited to tertiary characters: more attention toJoel and Ellie’s development in Jacksoncould paint a more complete picture of their changing emotional states between games.
How Added Backstory Could Inform The Last of Us 3
If any of the above characters were to get the Bill and Frank treatment inTLOUSeason 2, it could dramaticallyalter player perception going intoThe Last of Us 3. For example, new details about Lev’s family history in the show could change his possible characterization in the next game, if only because audiences now know more about his past. Similarly, reshaping the WLF by humanizing characters like Isaac would open the door to more nuanced storytelling in the next game.
Video gamescan be powerful tools for evoking empathy—this is something thatTLOU 2strove for with its multi-protagonist structure—but its limited windows of perspective also limit their emotional scope, only showing certain characters from the point of view of the protagonists, which is a restriction TV shows don’t necessarily have. Thus,The Last of UsSeason 2 should synergize withTLOU 3by providing new backstories, expanding the narrative mosaic of the franchise and forming new context moving forward.
The Last of Us Part 2
WHERE TO PLAY
Play the winner of over 300 Game of the Year awards, remastered for the PlayStation®5 console. Relive or play for the first time Ellie and Abby’s story, now with graphical enhancements, new gameplay modes like the roguelike survival experience No Return, full DualSense® wireless controller integration, and more. Five years after their dangerous journey across the post-pandemic United States, Ellie and Joel have settled down in Jackson, Wyoming. Living amongst a thriving community of survivors has allowed them peace and stability, despite the constant threat of the infected and other, more desperate survivors. When a violent event disrupts that peace, Ellie embarks on a relentless journey to carry out justice and find closur
