The Last Of Us: Episode 1 Recap

After a time jump, we're reunited with Joel as a shell of the man he once was. Tragedy and time have beaten the life out of our hero in a world seemingly clinging to a forgotten one. Showing just how heartless he's become, we see him on body-burning duty. He adds another corpse to the fire of the infected, probably only a few years younger than Sarah was. At the moment, a child's guardian, he most certainly isn't. Not for long, though. 

In another part of town, "Veronica" (Bella Ramsey) is being asked to take a health check by a group called the Fireflies to see if she's infected. This lot is a large rebel faction whose call to action is to "look for the light," something that's worth a broken jaw if said in Joel's presence. They're led by Marlene (played here by the game's original Marlene, Merle Dandridge), whose relationship in the show is slightly different and laced with a little more tension.

Veronica is, in fact, Ellie, which Marlene already knows. While they might not be on the best terms here, that's not the case in the game. In the 2013 iteration, they're on speaking terms, bound by a loss teased briefly in the show (listen out for when "Riley" is mentioned). Ellie has a level of respect that Joel will also come to earn in time. However, there's a long way to go before then, and a battery is needed to get there.