The Last of Us (HBO)

I haven't seen the episode yet. But I'm 98% positive I know all of the scenes already (previews looked like they came straight from the game).

In the first episode, my wife was getting mad at Ellie and how she was talking to Joel. She asked me "What's her problem? She's such a jerk!" I told her to be patient. All will be revealed later this season (knowing the game also did flashbacks).

I'm just curious what story point they're going to end this season on. Based on one of the preview scenes (Jessie and Ellie running through the theater), I worry they're going to end at THAT point. (It's THE pivot point in the game) It feels a little too soon to get there. Way too soon. There's a lot that has to happen first. And ending seasons on cliff hangers isn't anything new. But that would be one hell of a cliff hanger to hand people who haven't played the game and then make them wait almost 2 years??? Even worse if the story then becomes... well, not Ellie centric for a while when the show comes back. Game players know the deal. Non-players might become alienated or even quit the show out of frustration. (But the story after the pivot point is the best part. Hang in there).

 

Yeah. They didn't hit you over the head with it. Frank is gone when Joel and Ellie reach Bill. Bill is surly and only willing to help Joel because he owes him. Bill mentions that his "partner" was angry with him because Bill refused to leave his (for lack of an better word) compound and his partner, Frank, left because he wanted to find more people, etc etc.

Bill has the whole town rigged with traps and mines. So he helps guide Joel and Ellie through the maze to get through it and find parts Joel needs for a car or an actual car (can't remember which). When they get to the outskirts, they go to cut through a house to avoid some infected. In there, they find a body hanging. Bill sees that it's Frank and his demeanor immediately changes from being surly to sadness and grief... until he realizes that he's showing vulnerability. He sucks it up and says something like, "Well he left, so eff him." But you know he's devastated. There's a suicide letter on a table that explains Frank was trying to come back but he got bit so he was ending it before he turned.

There's various clues throughout Bill's home that indicate Bill is gay and Frank was his PARTNER - in that meaning. Including gay porn magazines (Ellie steals one and the driving scene with her looking at it and Joel getting very uncomfortable until Ellie says she's just messing with him and throws it out - just like the show). But the clues and letter are only there if you look for them. Context would also explain Bill and Frank's relationship, but can be missed if one doesn't connect the dots or isn't paying attention.

The show made Bill far less surly. His compound way better. Let us see Frank alive. And didn't pull any punches to show their relationship.

 

Oh yeah. Not the romance the show had.

 

There's another video game - with a character also named Bill - that has the character, Bill, as gay, but only if you find the clues and connect some dots. Red Dead Redemption 2. Years later and there's still people surprised when they realize what they missed. The information is there to find in game. But it doesn't factor into the story at all, and knowing it only gives a little depth into some of his interactions with gang members or inside jokes they say when he's not around... and you'll never look at pomade the same again.

The funny thing is that if you were told one of the gang was gay, he'd be one of your last guesses. The conversation would go like this:

"Hey, one of the gang members is gay. Guess which one."

Oh, it's probably Trelawny. He's kinda effete. "No."

Then it has to be Kieren. He's soft. "No"

Javier? I didn't think so, but I can see it. "No"

Lenny? "No"

Uncle?? "No"

Hosea? "No"

Sean? Maybe he goes both ways? "No."

Oh! Maybe you meant one of the girls. Susan seems the type. "No"

Sadie? "no"

Mary Beth??? "Nope"

It seems a little harsh to make the most evil character in the gang gay, but Micah? "Uh uh"

Well I know it can't be Arthur or John Marston. Charles??? "Nope"

DUTCH?!?!?!?! "No. It's Bill"

WTF?

 

I've seen clips but I don't really remember him in that. I didn't really notice him until he played Oberyn Martell.