‘The Last of Us’ Recap: ‘When You’re Lost in the Darkness’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the series premiere of ‘The Last of Us’.
​
​Truly, the zombie is one of the most versatile monsters to ever grace the silver and small screen. For this strange creature has gone through some incredible evolutions throughout the years. For its humble beginnings were grounded in voodoo, where men were controlled through the power of such mysticism and relegated to a horrifying life of servitude, never to live a full life again. And years after that, the zombie transformed into an undead flesh-eating nightmare, courtesy of George Romero’s Night of the Living Dead. Wherein they would conquer the world and popular culture since they would serve as the perfect allegory for human ills, whilst terrifying us through and through since they thumbed their rotten noses at everything we held near and dear regarding death.
 
Yet, they continued to evolve. For the arrival of the 21st Century saw them reflect our conflicts with science and our inability to work together as a species through such stories as 28 Days Later and the wildly popular series, The Walking Dead, and yet… even that evolution was not the zombie’s final form. Because a shockingly popular and revolutionary video game and the good folks at HBO have given rise to the latest iteration of the zombie, courtesy of the brand-new series, The Last of Us. Which at first, seems to be more of the same. After all, this is a story that opens up in the past. For we venture to 1968 in ‘When You’re Lost in the Darkness’ as part of a nod to Romero and to inform us that one particular scientist had grave concerns about the future and how climate change could bring forth new threats.
 
Of course, it doesn’t take long for that threat to come to life, within the series. For a time jump to 2003… plunges us into a terrifying moment in global history. Where strange reports of violence and wanton chaos are pouring in from around the world, and when we meet Joel and his daughter Sarah in Austin, TX on this fateful day, they are oblivious to the threat that is growing behind the scenes. For a mutated version of the Cordyceps fungus has figured out how to infect human hosts and use us as a breeding ground, which in turn brings forth a night of total terror for Joel and his daughter and his brother… where those infected with this hideous abomination attack and wreak havoc and this is where this series truly feels like an old school zombie story. 
 
After all, we are treated to unseen doom and worry, and the always unsettling Emergency Alert System as the infection takes hold and begins to bring down America and the world. Which in turn treats us to moments that would make Romero quite proud. For Austin burns in this moment in a terrifying manner, and the infected are everywhere and eager to ‘feed’ so they can spread this fungus further and propagate the mutation and of course, this segment of the story ends in sorrow. With Sarah’s untimely end at the hands of a panicked military, putting Joel on a dark and broken path, one that propels us twenty years into the future. Wherein the world is devastated by this virus and where Joel is leading a meager existence in Boston as a smuggler, and he is of course, hoping to reunite with his brother and live some kind of a normal life.

---

​But that is simply not in the cards for Joel. Because at every turn his hopes to escape and get what he needs falls to pieces, not to mention Boston is consistently under fire from a liberation group known as the Fireflies, only adding to the stress of living in a collapsed world. But the arrival of an impromptu mission, one born out of revenge and a desire to set things right, is about to change his life in ways he never thought possible. For a teenager named Ellie has been designated as critical cargo for Joel to move to bring much needed supplies back home. But the revelation that she is seemingly immune to the Cordyceps infection, and that Joel had to commit the ultimate sin to get her out of the city, is what will take him and us upon an incredible journey. Which is still… a plot that seems grounded in traditional zombie concepts and commentary. Such as our inability to work together and of course, that the zombie always wins for that reason. 
 
But when one takes a moment to really ponder upon the details on this story and its stunning visuals and haunting moments and subject matter, it quickly becomes clear that this is a vastly different kind of zombie story. One that is indeed a reinvention of the monster. Because this is the first new zombie story that has come forth post-pandemic and seeing a nature related virus taking over all of humanity in a dastardly manner, makes this horror story resonate differently. Because it immediately reminds us of the past couple of years, and the horror that accompanied watching someone become ill or potentially become ill. Making the zombies in this story, less about allegory and more of a reflection of reality. Which adds a newfound terror to the story, one that echoes every single fear we experienced during the pandemic.
 
Including the sense of helplessness we felt during that time, since there are no curses or unknown phenomenon at play, this is nature, being nature, and nature cares not about economy and feelings, just its survival. Which is fresh and original to see in this genre and that in turn, brings forth some fascinating commentary about humanity instead. Such as what we can do to perhaps help nature so that it feels little desire to attack us as though we too are a virus, and of course… who we need to be as a species to better handle when these types of surprises arrive, since they have happened before, have happened recently, and will undoubtedly happen again. Making this a fascinating story for certain, one that truly digs into some refreshing concepts and takes the zombie story in a bold new direction, and there is still plenty more to celebrate about this show beyond its phenomenal writing.
 
Because we would be foolish to not point out that this is a stunning adaptation of the video game source material. Because it does the game and its carefully crafted story proud and it is just amazing to see so many iconic moments from the game’s iconic opening come to life, and of course, the acting is top notch. For Pedro Pascal is simply magnificent as Joel, and he brings a haunted edge to the character that makes you hope he can overcome his long-standing traumas, and Bella Ramsey is simply a revelation as Ellie. For she brings the spit and fire that the character is known for with her own unique spin that makes the character refreshing. If anything, this is just… a perfect series premiere. One that truly takes us a powerful journey and sets the stage for a greater one ahead. One that will undoubtedly move us and wow us as we travel through a world shattered not by voodoo, but the last real predator of mankind… Mother Nature. Until next time.

---

Powered by JustWatch