The Last of Us Episode 1 is inflicting trauma on fans old and new, with one flashback with Joel and Sarah near the end branded “sick” by emotional viewers.
They actually did it: The Last of Us Episode 1 is a triumph, and the greatest omen for the future of the series. In our review, we said it’s “already set to be one of the best shows of 2023.”
Episode 1 is a two-hander, split between Outbreak Day in 2003 and the present day, where Joel (Pedro Pascal) meets Ellie (Bella Ramsey), his fateful companion in the show as they trek across America.
Joel’s daughter Sarah (Nico Parker) is a major part of his pre-outbreak backstory, for reasons all too familiar to players of the original game – but one moment was too far for even the most hardened fans.
Spoilers for The Last of Us to follow…
The Last of Us fans react to Joel and Sarah flashback
Sarah is killed by a FEDRA guard while Joel is trying to get them to safety. Later in the episode, when another FEDRA soldier threatens to shoot Ellie, the flashlight in his face casts his mind back to his daughter’s death, and he beats the guard to a pulp.
The flashback to Sarah when Joel stood in front of Ellie THAT WAS SICK WHAT THE FUCK #TheLastOfUs pic.twitter.com/Ar5J5pOBUL
— Amy🩵 (@Tissaiadeyeet) January 16, 2023
It’s a gut-punch, deepening the dynamic between Joel and Ellie from the off, and fans can’t take it. “When Joel got that flashback to Sarah at the end… WHY WOULD THEY DO THAT TO ME,” one wrote.
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nunca vou perdoar o neil e o craig por esse flashback com a morte da sarah e esse ataque de raiva do joel#TheLastOfUs #TheLastOfUsHBO #TLOU pic.twitter.com/qoDmb4LE8n
— brina 🌿 (@tomsmillers) January 16, 2023
“When it flashbacks to Joel holding Sarah as the FEDRA agent pointed his gun to Ellie I’M SICK,” another wrote. “The flashback to Sarah when Joel stood in front of Ellie THAT WAS SICK WHAT THE F*CK,” a third tweeted.
THE FLASHBACK FROM JOEL IN FRONT OF ELLIE TO SARAH IN JOEL’S ARMS IM SICK TO MY STOMACH #TheLastOfUs pic.twitter.com/Go7uJlhuHi
— brithevirgo (@Brith3virgo) January 16, 2023
“F*ck whoever had the idea to put in the Sarah flashback with Ellie and Joel,” a fourth wrote.
“The changes and small additions they made were so good. Sarah having a relationship with the neighbors, the truck crashing because of a plane? Actually seeing Joel have a flashback to Sarah’s death? Like it adds so much to the story,” a fifth wrote.
The Last of Us Episode 2 will be available to watch on January 22 in the US and January 23 in the UK.
For more TLOU content, check out some of our below guides:
Joel & Tess explained | Sarah spoilers | Fungus threat is terrifying | The dog’s fate | Who is Marlene? | Why is Ellie so important? | Soundtrack choice | FEDRA & the Fireflies explained