The fourth episode of HBO’s The Last of Us makes the reluctant companions better friends than they had previously been.
For the past few weeks, the cast of HBO’s The Last of Us has remained largely apart from one another, but in the fourth episode of the show, “Please Hold My Hand,” it appears as though they’ve made some progress.
Joel (Pedro Pascal) informs Ellie (Bella Ramsey) early on in “Please Hold My Hand” that he has no ancestral ties to her. She’s not like Joel’s late lover Tess (Anna Torv). She is a load. Joel was hired to transport her when they first met, and even though that specific task didn’t go as planned, he made it clear that he still wanted to keep a strict distance from his young charge. Even Nevertheless, it appears like the barriers between them are dissolving. Joel has started providing Ellie with practical suggestions for surviving the apocalypse. Ellie has begun telling jokes. Both of their lives are obviously altering.
The Turning Point for Joel and Ellie
When Joel is ambushed by a Raider, a member of the gang that serves as the episode’s antagonist, their relationship truly takes a turn for the worse. In the third episode, “Long, Long Time,” Ellie uses the rifle she acquired from Bill (Nick Offerman) to help free Joel from the Raider’s grasp. Joel’s life is saved by Ellie’s attack on the Raider, so it’s only natural that he develops a warm spot for the person he once viewed as “freight.” Joel naturally gives in to his protective instincts and takes Ellie’s gun.
The Last of Us video game aficionados will recognize Joel as the aggressive man from “Please Hold My Hand” as well as other episodes. Ellie shoots the Raider, and off-screen, Joel completes the job. Joel, however, is adamant that Ellie deserves more, and he later admits to her that he has experienced being ambushed from the opposite side as well. As a result, he instructs Ellie on how to carry a gun in a way that is far kinder and gentler than how they had previously interacted.
Ellie makes another of her signature jokes at the conclusion of “Please Hold My Hand,” and this one is exceptionally childish. Did you know that diarrhea runs in families? she asks. “It’s inherited from you.” Finally laughing out loud, Joel remarks on how ridiculous the punchline is. Both characters have been yearning for this moment of humor and affection.
The first three episodes of The Last of Us are available to stream on HBO Max. New episodes will be released every Sunday. Source: HBO Max
