Starring Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal, The Last of Us, is a post-apocalyptic drama series, based on the video game franchise of the same name. The show is set in a post-apocalyptic future where a fungal infection has destroyed society. Amidst this, a smuggler must escort an immune teenager to safety and the both need to survive against the monsters.
While The Last of Us has a lot of scary and gory moments, because of the monsters, there are also scenes in the movie that portray the scary nature of humans themselves. From the clickers’ first appearance to Ellie’s transformation into a warrior, here are the show’s scariest moments.
The airplane fall, the raiders, and other scary moments from The Last of Us
1) The Cordyceps Lecture
From the first episode itself, The Last of Us, begins to showcase viewers the threats that loom upon humanity. The episode begins with the year 1968 and features an evening talk show where there are three men. One of them, talks about how a fungal pandemic could destroy human society as we know it one day. The audiences begin to laugh as no one takes his words seriously.
However, when he talks about climate change and a potential virus outbreak, everyone gets quiet and is full of dread. The monologue by the mycologist is powerful as it is based on real fungus behavior and introduces the reason behind the show’s post-apocalyptic future. The scene therefore, sets up the show and what is about to happen next.
2) The Airplane Fall
The first episode of The Last of Us, also has one of the most terrifying crash landing and chase scenes. There is a scene where an airplane just falls out of the sky and crash lands behind Joel, Sarah, and Tommy’s car. The scene is full of chaos and masterfully directed as the viewers get to see the crash from the back seat.
While the scene is full of sensory overload, it is done in a stellar manner and highlights the apocalypse that has drowned the world. The fleeing segment with Joel and Sarah is powerful and depicts urgency and danger. Loud, scary, and chaotic, it also highlights the bond between the father and the daughter.
3) The Clicker and Tess
Anna is an integral part of The Last of Us during the beginning. Not only is she a skilled and strong survivor, but she is also caring towards Joel and Ellie. During the second episode however, Tess runs into trouble with the clickers, who are people infected with the cordyceps fungus. The episode is pulse-pounding as all three enter a museum in Boston and quickly realize that they are not safe.
As the clickers begin to appear, Tess decides to stay back and sacrifice herself so that Joel and Ellie can move on. It is heartbreaking to witness such a strong character die so early on in the show but what is even more scary is the fact that we see a clicker up close for the first time and it begins to kiss Anna with his tendrils. Gory and graphic, the scene is frightening and heart-breaking.
4) The Raiders
The sixth episode of The Last of Us, features a frightening scene. And this time, it is not the monsters, but the humans, who are the scary ones. While Joel and Ellie are on their way to reach the Fireflies’ headquarters in Colorado, they meet some people whom Joel knows and Ellie learns about Joel’s past and his daughter, Sarah. This results in an argument but the two continue to travel. However, this time, they encounter some raiders who begin to make the two feel uncomfortable.
Joel springs into action to keep Ellie safe and he tried to fend off the raiders. As Joel fights against them, he gets severely injured and Ellie has to decide whether she wants to go ahead without him or stay behind. The scene therefore ends on a cliffhanger and is scary because it shows that not all survivors are good.
5) The Scene with David
The Last of Us, is scary not just because it has disease-ridden monsters, but also because it shows how evil humans can be even in desperate times like these. In the eighth episode, Ellie is on her own after Joel gets stabbed and the episode is heart-wrenching as her naïve and innocent slowly loses out and she becomes a warrior and a brutal survivor.
In the episode, Ellie ends up at a youth pastor, David’s, community, and wants to trade for medicine. However, David begins to strike up a conversation and begins to touch her inappropriately, even wanting a relationship with her. But Ellie finally transforms into a lone warrior and even when she escaped him and is stuck in a burning diner, she overpowers over David and kills him with a knife. The moment is scary because it shows that Ellie has left her old self behind and is forced to grow up at a moment’s notice due to trauma.
Viewers are welcome to go through the list and check out some of the terrifying moments from The Last of Us.
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Edited by Deeya Aakriti Haque
