The Last of Us Episode 9: What song plays at the end?

The Last of Us finale cuts to black with a familiar track viewers may recognize from the original game – so, what song plays at the end of Episode 9?

In our review of the last episode, we called it a “flawless finale for one of the strongest – if not the strongest – debut seasons in television history; infuriating, horrifying, and poignant in equal measure.”

We see Joel and Ellie reach their endgame: the Fireflies hospital in Salt Lake City, where they reunite with Marlene with the hope of using Ellie’s immunity to produce a vaccine.

As we all know now, that doesn’t quite go to plan – so, as the credits roll, you may be wondering what music is playing.

What song plays at the end of The Last of Us Episode 9?

‘The Path’ by Gustavo Santaolalla plays at the end of The Last of Us Episode 9.

While it sounds slightly different, it’s pretty much the same track that plays at the end of The Last of Us game, when Ellie asks Joel to swear he’s not lying about what happened with the Fireflies.

You can listen to the show’s version here, and watch the game’s ending below to compare:

Santolalla is the franchise’s resident composer, having written and performed the scores for both Part 1 and Part 2, as well as Left Behind and HBO’s adaptation. The opening titles use the same theme from the game, which only serves as a testament to the lasting power of his work.

Episode 7 also ended with the same track heard in the closing moments of Left Behind, and it’s unsurprising to hear his music in the finale – the game’s ending is sacrosanct, and nothing needed to be changed.

You can check out the show’s whole soundtrack, including more from Santolalla’s score, here.

The Last of Us Season 1 is available to stream in its entirety now. You can check out the rest of our coverage here.