The Last of Us: The Series almost got an alternate ending that was even more tragic
The ninth installment of The Last of Us series almost got a different ending.
The first The Last of Us game ends with an emotional slap in the face and it’s not without reason that fans have been discussing it for years. The ninth and final episode of the first season of the HBO series The Last of Us is also very close to the original. It almost would have turned out differently, because another ending was planned, which was even sadder.
Warning, spoilers! This article picks up on the ending of The Last of Us and episode 9 of the series.
The end of The Last of Us series could have been so different
In memory of: The show’s season finale is emotionally charged from start to finish anyway – Joel learns that making a cure would take Ellie’s life, kills the Fireflys and escapes the hospital with an unconscious Ellie.
That alone should have divided many fans of the series, but Joel even goes one step further. He tells Ellie the lie that there are other immune people out there and that making a cure is impossible. When asked by Ellie, he swears it’s the truth. Ellie replies with a simple “Okay” and the episode ends.
Alternative ending would have gone further: This abrupt end is undoubtedly effective. But it almost didn’t stop there, as showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann did in an interview with GQ Magazine have betrayed. Accordingly, the director of the episode, Ali Abbasi, planned another scene:
He had the idea that a slightly longer, sadder version could play out, with Ellie saying “Okay.” says and then turns and walks away. And Joel goes after her. We see the two walking towards Jackson, not really together but separately. [Das Bild] lasts for a few seconds and then turns black. Something about it was beautiful.
Ultimately, however, the decision fell on the original ending, which already occurs in the game. As Mazin explains, it is this openness that makes the scene so special. That both players of the template and viewers don’t know what exactly happens next – how Ellie feels, whether she believes Joel and whether she turns away from him or not.
Fan reactions played a role
At the same time, Mazin suspected that viewers might get angry at the ending as it is in the episode now. After all, it feels a bit like a cliffhanger that won’t be resolved until season two and involves a lot of waiting time.
But the reactions of fans of the game were also important to the series makers. They had discussed for a long time in advance whether fans would be more bothered if the end was the same as in the game or if they didn’t get the end “as it should be.”
How did you like the end of the first season? Would you have liked to have seen the additional scene?
Reference-www.gamepro.de
