Man's Tasked With Transporting A Young Girl Thru Zombie Infested World But Discovers She's Infected

"Infected" is the second episode of the first season of the American post-apocalyptic drama television series The Last of Us.[1] It premiered on HBO on January 22, 2023, and was written by Craig Mazin and directed by Neil Druckmann, who also co-created the video game the series is based on.[1] [2] [3] The episode garnered significant viewership, with 5.7 million viewers on its first night in the United States, marking the largest second-week audience growth for an original HBO drama series in the network's history.[1] [4]

The episode opens with a flashback to September 24, 2003, in Jakarta, Indonesia.[2] [5] Ibu Ratna (Christine Hakim), a professor of mycology at the University of Indonesia, is called upon by government officials to examine a mysterious sample of Ophiocordyceps found in a human subject.[2] [5] Initially dismissing the possibility of Cordyceps thriving in humans, she is horrified to discover fungal growths in the mouth and a bite wound of an infected dead woman.[2] [5] Realizing the unprecedented nature of the outbreak and the lack of a cure or vaccine, she fearfully advises the officials to "bomb the city and everyone in it" to contain the spread.[2] [5] [6] This opening sequence was praised for its ability to establish the global reach and terrifying origins of the pandemic.[1] [2]

The narrative then shifts to the present timeline of 2023, where Joel (Pedro Pascal), Tess (Anna Torv), and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) continue their journey towards the Massachusetts State House.[1] [2] Ellie reveals Marlene's plan: a medical base camp out west is attempting to create a vaccine, and Ellie's immunity is believed to be crucial to their efforts.[2] [5] Joel remains skeptical, but Tess persuades him to continue the mission, as delivering Ellie to the Fireflies at the State House is their only way to get the supplies they need to find Joel's brother, Tommy.[2] [5]

As they navigate the decayed city, Tess explains to Ellie the interconnected nature of the Cordyceps fungus, noting that stepping on a patch in one place can alert hordes of infected elsewhere.[2] [5] The trio decides to take a shortcut through a museum, which proves to be a mistake as they encounter "Clickers"—a specialized type of infected that are blind but use echolocation to hunt.[2] [5] [7] The museum sequence, particularly the fight with the Clickers, was lauded for its intensity and effective horror elements.[2] [5] [7]

Upon reaching the State House, they discover all the Fireflies are dead, having succumbed to infection.[2] [5] Tess then reveals she was bitten during the struggle at the museum and is infected.[2] [5] [6] Recognizing Ellie's unique immunity, Tess implores Joel to take Ellie west to Bill and Frank, sacrificing herself by igniting the building with gasoline and grenades to destroy the approaching horde of infected, allowing Joel and Ellie to escape.[2] [5] [6] This emotional climax, and Anna Torv's performance as Tess, received significant critical acclaim.[2] [5] [7] The kiss between Tess and an infected, a creative decision to replace spores with tendrils, sparked mixed reactions among viewers.[1] [7]

The episode explores themes of sacrifice, the cyclical nature of violence, and the burgeoning relationship between Joel and Ellie.[2] [5] [7] It also introduces the concept of the Cordyceps' "hivemind" connectivity, a departure from the game's original spore-based infection.

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