HBO's The Last of Us fans are heartbroken by latest flashback episode

It’s Monday again which can only mean one thing. It’s time to unpack and delve into the latest installment of HBO’s The Last of Us. ‘Left Behind’ adapted the DLC of the same name, exploring Ellie’s backstory, including her relationship with Riley and life growing up inside the Boston QZ.

Warning, spoilers for ‘Left Behind’ lie ahead. It wouldn’t be an episode of The Last of Us if it didn’t include some kind of devastating tragedy and episode seven certainly delivered on that front. Fans are full of praise for Storm Reid who was described as ‘phenomenal’ for her portrayal of Riley. Unfortunately, ‘Left Behind’ is also being review-bombed for its ‘woke agenda,’ which is utter nonsense. Thankfully, most viewers adored the self-contained tale, even if it was heartbreaking.

Looking forward to episode eight? Take a look at the trailer below.

If you’ve played the Left Behind DLC, you’ll have known it was coming. The latest episode explores how Ellie was bitten but this coincides with Riley’s death. While wandering around an abandoned mall, the duo are ambushed by a Runner who lands a bite on both. Naturally, both Ellie and Riley assume that’s it for them but, of course, Ellie is immune and survives her bite yet loses her best friend. In fact, Riley was so much more than her best friend. She was her first love.

It’s an incredibly tragic tale and let me tell you, I was blubbering but I wasn’t alone. Twitter user odairkns wrote, “When they showed Ellie being desperate to save Joel’s life because she remembered how she lost Riley and she can’t lose another loved one again,” while ellievjoel added, “The acting. THE ACTING. I’m gonna get Storm and Bella all the awards JUST WATCH ME. There’s tears streaming down my face.” User pchelkaoksana said, “Gonna think about Ellie’s smile after kissing Riley for the rest of my life.” Take a look at a few more reactions below.

I hate to break it to you but this means we’ve got just two episodes to go and then it’s all over until season two eventually hits our screens. I don’t want the journey to end.