The Last of Us episode 8 spoilers follow.
The Last of Us has carved out a reputation for genre-bending and never quite going where we expect it to, and episode eight – chillingly entitled 'When We Are In Need' – wasn't about to let it down.
With Joel given two hefty shots of antibiotics to treat the infection (the non-Cordyceps kind) in his wound, he was once again up on his feet and wielding weapons like his life literally depended on it.
Ellie, having saved him, was nowhere to be seen – and he wasn't too happy about it. Joel tortured and killed two residents of the so-called "resort" where she'd been taken to find her whereabouts, and so his mission was set.
The group's leader, former teacher David, first framed himself as a religious figure, on a righteous mission to feed and protect his flock of fearful survivors. But there was an ominous feeling underpinning his every word, and his abduction of Ellie was about to unravel it all.
The Last of Us had set the cogs in motion for Joel, pumped with drugs and adrenaline, to come along and save the day. It's a plot device we've seen play out over and over, whereby the helpless young girl gets in way over her head and needs a big, strong man to swoop in and be the hero.
What to Read Next
The HBO show left plenty of openings for Joel, but he never came. And this gave Ellie space to not only subvert the trope, but pummel it into a pile of mush.
We soon had the misfortune of seeing the full extent of David's cult-like set up in Silver Lake, controlled by abuse, manipulation and fear. Our worst nightmares were further confirmed along with Ellie's when we discovered that it hadn't been venison that his unknowing followers had been chowing down on but human flesh. It was most likely one of their own, whose funeral had marked our first introduction to this particular group.
While held captive in a cage just off their kitchen (yep) Ellie was given a glimpse behind the curtain as David tried to convince her to join him. His predatory infatuation with Ellie continued to get steadily more intense as the conversation unfolded, but her survival instincts kicked into overdrive and she was able to lull him into a false sense of security by reciprocating his inappropriate hand-holding.
It was then that Ellie struck, breaking his finger and taking a chomp out of his hand. Unfortunately David was able to stop her from getting out of the cage, and before long he returned with a buddy and a meat cleaver in order to make her the group's next meal.
Related: Why The Last of Us episode 7 was right to cut Riley and Ellie's story short
But, again, Ellie thought on her feet, telling David that she was infected – and showing off her arm to prove it. In doing so she planted a seed in his mind that he was about to become fungus, giving her time to hack at his sidekick's neck with the cleaver and make a run for it.
What followed was a seriously stressful game of cat and mouse. Ellie discovered all of the doors were locked and David continued spouting his messed-up monologue about what could have been. Now, he said, he was going to chop her into little pieces.
Despite being stabbed David overpowered her and, for one truly horrifying moment, we feared that The Last of Us was about to cross a line into something much darker than we've yet seen. But then Ellie managed to get her hands on the butcher's cleaver, and the power dynamic shifted.
After Ellie had hacked away at David, unleashing the trauma that had been wrapped up in their interaction, she escaped the burning building.
Then, and only then, did Joel make an appearance.
"It's okay, baby girl. I got you," Joel told her, representing her safe place.
And in this moment, we knew that Ellie was his too; having once called his daughter Sarah "baby girl", Joel's fatherly bond with Ellie is becoming increasingly more tangible.
When Ellie was in the throes of deep despair, Joel was able to provide her with the comfort that she needed rather than reverting to the usual default of physical saviour.
This emotional reliance has proven itself to be a mutual one; it mirrors the moment when Joel wrapped his hands around hers as he lay on a blood-soaked mattress inches from death.
Not only does this narrative choice once again highlight the layered portrayal of masculinity through Joel's character arc, but it also affords Ellie equal agency and power in a story that would usually be viewed primarily through a male-focused lens.
What a show.
The Last of Us airs on HBO in the US, and on Sky Atlantic and streaming service NOW in the UK.
Flannel-lined Waxed Trucker Jacket (inspiration for Joel's jacket in The Last of Us)
TV Editor, Digital Spy Laura has been watching television for over 30 years and professionally writing about entertainment for almost 10 of those. Previously at LOOK and now heading up the TV desk at the UK's biggest TV and movies site Digital Spy, Laura has helped steer conversations around some of the most popular shows on the box. Laura has appeared on Channel 5 News and radio to talk viewing habits and TV recommendations. As well as putting her nerd-level Buffy knowledge to good use during an IRL meet with Sarah Michelle Gellar, Laura also once had afternoon tea with One Direction, has sat around the fire pit of the Love Island villa, spoken to Sir David Attenborough about the world's oceans and even interviewed Rylan from inside the Big Brother house (housemate status, forever pending).
