The Last Of Us episode 4 just 'perfectly set up' Part 2

HBO’s The Last of Us continues to delight. This week’s episode may have spent more time setting up episode five than it did in providing any real standout set pieces, with the exception of that car crash shootout, but it did include some heartfelt moments between Ellie and Joel.

Fans continue to be impressed by Bella Ramsey, saying that her portrayal of Ellie is getting stronger by the week. Episode four also introduced a brand new character, Kathleen. In Naughty Dog’s game, we’re used to facing the individually-nameless Hunters. Here, we meet Kathleen who appears to be hunting down Sam and Henry to avenge the death of her brother. As one viewer pointed out, this perfectly sets up the show’s second season.

The Last of Us Part I releases on PC on 28 March. Check out the remake compared to the original game.

As pointed out by Reddit user ToysWereUsPodcast, Kathleen’s desire for revenge very much mirrors what both Abby and Ellie feel in The Last of Us Part II which will, of course, be adapted during the HBO show’s upcoming second season. The user wrote, “There are some STRONG parallels between the cycles of revenge that Abby and Ellie fall prey to, with Kathleen and her clear rage over what happened with her brother. You can see it in Perry's eyes that he thinks she is going WAY too far with her quest for vengeance, and I think it's a brilliant way of foreshadowing the next few seasons telling the story of The Last of Us Part II.”

It’s true. Abby is initially seeking revenge for her father then later, her friends. Ellie is seeking revenge for Joel’s death. It’s certainly interesting to explore this idea of the cycle of violence this early on. One thing that’s fascinating about The Last of Us’ first season is that every ‘villain’ we’ve encountered is the hero of their own story. They believe they’re doing the right thing - Kathleen thinks avenging her brother is just.

That’s going to be pivotal in the second season when it comes to understanding both Ellie and Abby’s actions which are, most of the time, questionable. The HBO show is once again proving why its writing is top notch.