Preamble

In writing this preamble, I’m almost reminded of the phrase of closing the stable door after the horse has bolted or run away. That’s how fast the tide of the internet turns whereby two days can make something new seem like old hat. Well, that’s enough old man esque shouting at a cloud. Have you seen the latest episode of The Last of Us? Let me know in the comments below.

Review

In contrast to the previous two episodes, The Path is a sombre and reflective episode that allows the audience to mourn the loss of Joel as much as the characters. Picking up three months after the tragic events of the last chapter, The Path sees Ellie recovering from her ordeal whilst the community of Jackson tries to heal and recoup after the Infected attack.

There’s a lot of silence and use of pauses in The Path, signifying how there are almost no words when it comes to loss and grief. These are juxtaposed with a lot of natural light that makes the pain feel resonate due to how nature and indeed life goes on. A death will not make the seasons cease or the world stop turning. Instead, it’s only our small orbits that will be changed by the event. Scenes such Tommy silently mourning Joel, along with Ellie going through his house beautifully illustrate this quality. At the same time, there’s also something almost Werner Herzog esque about the episode insofar as its depiction of nature is concerned. This aspect can be seen in a lot of scenic shots in the tail end, which make Ellie and Dina seem small in the grand scheme of things.

The episode also articulates what may be the central theme of the season. This comes from an extended section in the middle of the episode where the Jackson community express their views on the council vote about retributive justice for Joel (via sending a pack of sixteen people to kill Abby and her crew). The debate explores the notion of how revenge can be repurposed as community justice and the cost of one death weighed against community safety and longevity. It adds to the game’s singular depiction of revenge insofar as suggesting that it’s not just about how it can affect the soul but also our fellow man.

But in the episode’s most telling scene, Gail spells out Ellie’s character. She tells Tommy that the young woman is a liar whose nature may be ferocious as opposed to being fostered by the nurture of Joel. It’s an interesting addition to what made the second game so fascinating to me, namely the deconstruction of Joel and how both his good and bad traits are filtered and reflected in Ellie and Abby.

In a season so far where co and guest stars have stolen the show, it was really nice to be reminded why Bella Ramsey is an excellent Ellie. The hints at darkness in Season 1 are paid off here in stark ways such as her anger filled facial expressions when hearing people downplay Joel’s death during the meeting. But her best moment comes from a speech she makes whereby it goes from her sounding fake to authentic, which goes to show the lengths the characters is willing to go for her revenge. She’s willing to reframe it benevolent ways that feel foreign to her but good to everyone else. It’s arguably the moment of the season so far as it clearly surmises Ellie’s character and her resolve to write a personal wrong.