In the premiere of The Last of Us Season 2, titled “Future Days,” we saw that Joel and Ellie, now nineteen, have settled in Jackson, Wyoming, but their relationship isn’t what it used to be. The episode also introduced Abby, a former Firefly, who has vowed revenge against Joel for killing her father. Episode 1 also brought in a new, more intelligent strain of infected known as “stalkers.”
​Abby & Friends Reach Jackson
Episode 2 of The Last of Us Season 2 opens with a flashback, a recurring nightmare that often haunts Abby. In it, she relives the scene at the Firefly hospital where Joel killed dozens of people, including her father. Now, Abby’s only goal is to find and kill Joel. Abby and her group have nearly reached the settlement where Joel is believed to be hiding. They’ve set up camp in a cottage overlooking the area.
They were expecting to find a small, vulnerable tent community, but instead they were met with a heavily fortified settlement surrounded by tall fences, guarded by multiple patrols, and protected by dogs trained to pick up scents from far distances. Abby proposes ambushing one of the patrols and forcing someone to reveal Joel’s location. Owen, however, plans to find a way to convince Abby to abandon her plan for revenge for now, knowing that if they go through with it, it could get them all killed.
The Settlement is on High Alert
In town, Jesse wakes Ellie to join him on patrol. On the way, he tells her that everyone is on high alert after thirty infected were spotted nearby the previous night. Things are also awkward between Jesse and Ellie following Ellie’s kiss with Dina at the New Year’s party, especially since it’s only been a week since Dina and Jesse broke up.
Wanting to avoid the tension, Ellie asks if she can join Joel on patrol instead, only to be told that he’s already left with Dina. At the same time, Tommy asks everyone to stay on high alert in case, God forbid, trouble comes their way. He also advises everyone to avoid using the main street if the gates are ever breached. At the settlement, the watch spots hundreds, possibly thousands, of infected racing toward the settlement.
As planned, women and children are rushed into shelters, while the men and anyone capable of fighting arm themselves to face the incoming horde. Tommy and the others do everything they can, from using firearms to setting barrels of gasoline on fire in an attempt to burn the infected, but the horde manages to breach the outer barriers.
Abby finds Joel & Lures him to the Lodge
An hour into the patrol, Jesse and Ellie are forced to take shelter in a run-down grocery store. While inside, they talk about Eugene, completely unaware that Abby has been tracking them for some time. Abby slips while following Ellie and Jesse and ends up between a pile of rotting corpses, under which several live infected are hiding. Within seconds, hundreds of infected burst out from under the snow and begin chasing her. Just as one of the infected is about to bite Abby, Joel shows up and saves her. On Abby’s suggestion, Joel and Dina agree to head to a nearby lodge, where Abby’s friends are supposedly staying.
What they don’t know is that this is all part of Abby’s plan, and she is actually luring Joel to the lodge so she can capture him and finally get her revenge. Back at the grocery store, Jesse and Ellie hear over the radio that Joel and Dina are missing. They immediately split up and head out in search of them.
Abby Gets Even with Joel at Last
Abby, Joel, and Dina arrive at the lodge, where Abby’s group holds Joel at gunpoint. Abby assures Dina that she has no intention of hurting her. Abby’s only target is Joel. She knocks Dina out with an injection and then shoots Joel in the leg with a shotgun. Immediately, Abby orders one of her companions to apply a tourniquet so she can take her time with him.
Abby also reveals that she is the daughter of the doctor Joel shot in the head back at the Firefly hospital in Salt Lake City. Abby picks up a golf club and begins to brutally beat the injured and helpless Joel. Ellie arrives to save Joel, but she is restrained and pinned to the ground. Powerless, she watches as Abby stabs Joel in the neck, killing him.
As Episode 2 of The Last of Us Season 2 draws to a close, we return to Jackson, where Tommy and the others have managed to drive back the infected horde, but this momentary relief will be short-lived as Ellie is seen riding back toward the town, cradling Joel’s lifeless body.
