“The Final of Us” is an action-horror sequence as a lot as it’s a drama, so this episode’s writer-director, Craig Mazin, doesn’t let all the connection issues run on too lengthy earlier than shifting to a couple good scares. Ellie and Dina be part of a patrol, checking into the elevated presence of the contaminated within the space. The mission leads them to a crumbling outdated grocery retailer, with a gutted bear and several other dismembered corpses out entrance.
We get a superb style of Ellie and Dina’s dynamic throughout their journey into the Wyoming wilds. They speak about their love lives, with Dina urging Ellie to take their patrol-leader Kat (Noah Lamanna) to the New Yr’s dance. (Dina says of Kat, “She’s the opposite one,” which means the one different out homosexual younger lady in Jackson.) Then they ignore Kat’s orders and barge into the grocery retailer to go monster-hunting; and whereas monitoring the contaminated’s hideous sounds, they make goofy little jokes and hand gestures, displaying completely no worry.
As a result of that is “The Final of Us,” their heedlessness has penalties. Whereas appearing all informal after killing a “clicker,” Ellie falls by means of the ground to a decrease degree, the place a brand new type of contaminated creature stalks her. This beast appears to be like like a younger lady (absolutely not a coincidence, symbolically talking), with antler-like protrusions. Relatively than attacking Ellie instantly, it holds again, as if creating a technique. Ellie in the end will get bit on the stomach; and since her immunity from an infection continues to be a secret, when she will get residence she cuts across the wound in order that it appears to be like much less like a bite-mark.
The grocery store sequence is the sensational heart of this episode, stuffed with suspense and pleasure — every little thing this present does nicely. These scenes matter to the bigger plot too, as a result of what the patrol finds outdoors the partitions — savage mutilations and a brand new type of mutated monster — is regarding.
However on this present, small particulars matter as a lot as pulse-pounding standoffs, so the ultimate scenes again in Jackson are additionally vital. On the New Yr’s dance, Dina and Ellie find yourself collectively, smooching passionately in the midst of the dance ground. The second is harking back to Season 1’s stunning flashback episode “Left Behind,” as we as soon as once more watch Ellie’s face mild up, realizing the individual she is crushing on likes her again.
Alas, the magic fades. Somebody complains that that is “a household occasion” the place two queer girls (not the phrases this yokel makes use of) shouldn’t publicly show affection. The ever-protective Joel rushes in to present this yahoo a tough shove. Ellie, fairly than thanking Joel for caring, yells, “What’s unsuitable with you?”
