How would have thought Giraffes were so cool!!
After episode 9 decided to do some reading about the story on the game and found out that Season 1 is the first game so as I though a few weeks ago either they continue the game or the tv show, for a tv show having too long of a time without episodes loose impact on the viewers, for example House of Dragons, its a great show but now have been without episodes for probably more than a year with next season coming 2024, I know in this case there is already game two but at some point one will be behind, so lets see if the game of the tv show falls behind, its just that its a good show to see it ending on two or three seasons.
Episode 9 is full of flash backs and references to previous episodes for example the tittle of this episode makes reference to the Fireflies saying.
When you are lost in the darkness, look for the light.
At first it got me a bit confuse because I thought they had go forward in time, they did a great job as having Ellie's look very very similar and I thought CANT be they did this to me :@ but lucky it was just a flash back.
This has been probably the most informative and well balance episode between story line and action, probably the best way to end the season without leaving viewers hanging on what will happen, its not easy to manage this, I still prefer just to not know the story line of the game that way I enjoy more the episodes.
IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15747178
This is where they got me at first, with now days special effects its just easy for them to generate a similar face to make forward in time scenes but this was not the case, they actually went back explaining how Ellie was infected, yes she got bitten but originally his mom during labor was bitten, its crazy. On the first scene she is running in the woods, pregnant with Ellie inside, running from an infected who is far behind but still following her, she gets to a house sits on the floor because she is about to go into labor.
As Ellie mom Anna kills the infected while delivering Ellie the infected manage to bit her on her leg and then she cuts Ellie cord before its too late and she gets infected too so somehow we can say Ellie got infected half way??? I dont know about that, probably same theory as when you get use to snakes venom?? Its fiction so how knows or probably there is an exact explanation based on the game story but Im just giving my opinion as I watch the series. Right after that Marlene gets to where Ana is and takes Ellie from Ana after she ask her to kill her before she turn, Ellie was lucky her mom didnt turn before Marlene got there, when the series started Ellie didnt like that much Marlene, I guess if she knew she kill her mom probably that would be a no return point.
On this episode for some reason this episode Ellie is very mellow and down, not as active or aggressive like other episodes and we also see Joel trying to be extremely friendly, yes they were bonding in previous episodes but the fact that Ellie took care, feed him and even defend him while he was still recovering got their friendship to another level, it was clear that Joel now sees Ellie totally different even like it was his own daughter, not calling replacements but probably his second daughter and he wont let her go, she is just too important for him, so kept trying to sheer her up telling jokes and asking her if she would like to play guitar, the usual talk to a relative when you want to sheer them up, coming from Joel this was not usual.
They finally get to the city and found a group of wild giraffes that they both enjoy, this got them to get into a lot of topics they would have never talk about before, Joel seem very open to Ellie after previous episode, he talks about his daughter and that was forbidden for him plus he also mention after his daughter died tries to kill himself and Ellie answer back she is glad it didnt happen, this was crazy talk in past episodes.
On this episode I always felt the two were not in alert mode, there is a scene before they find the giraffes were Ellie left Joel behind and start running to the next floor to get to the Giraffes that I thought she was going to find some infected, probably just the classic Walking Dead zombie trauma, there were every where you look. My point is that they were not on their A game trying to avoid any infected or human contact so they get caught by the Fireflies, all of them knew who Ellie was but seem not Joel as he gets knocked out, both are brought to a hospital where they got everything lay out if Ellie appears.
Joel wakes up and have a talk to Marlene, he is not happy about what they did and on top she tells him Ellie is about to get surgery but then tells him that basically she wont survive they have to take samples of cordyceps that grew inside her and Joel knows this is on her brain plus Marlene told Ellie nothing about details so she will die without saying or knowing anything. This puts Joel in full attack mode, he already call Ellie his baby girl last episode, at that point I was like WTF a building full of arm guards and Joel was been escort out but then I realize this is based on a game there must be a mission like this so ITS ON!!! .
Just as I thought he disarms one of the guards and start taking them down one by one, it had to be that way and that scene really felt like a mission out of the game, from what I read online this was the closest it can be to the game.
Source
Joel was never going to give Ellie back, look at the mans face.
He finally get to Ellie and kill the Dr, I think this was unnecessary but that's just Joel been Joel, this intimidates the nurses and help him to unplug Ellie, once the got to the parking lot down stairs, Marlene was waiting for them, asks Joel to think about it since she could be the only answer to the infection but Joel is way pass that, he accepts the world he lives in and only wants Ellie to stay alive so he kills Marlene, it looks like she shoot her in the head but Im not too sure about that so it wouldn't be strange to see her on season 2, but again I don't know the game story line.
Joel takes Ellie into a car so they can get back to Tommy, I have a feeling Fryflies will go after them and Joel will be their number one enemy. Joel at the end tells Ellie that the hospital got attack by raiders and everyone died, he somehow manage to get her out but I guess she knows him to well to even know when he is lying and ask him to swear him its all true what he said, he answers yes.
I can only imagine the mix feelings when Ellie finds out the truth about it but then Joel will tell her Marlene kills her mom with reason but still did it, its a really mess up story for a anyone to go through.
Personalities felt backwards in this episode, Ellie quiet and more serious while Joel trying to get her to talk about anything and opining up to her, this two are way different than when the season started, I have high expectations for next season when Joel lye unfold jajajaa and if there are Fireflies left that will go after Joel and will make him a military target as he is now an enemy and has something they want, if Marlene is dead they will now see Ellie as an object, a source of the cure and it wont matter if they have to open up their brain to get it. Its hard to get this kind of episodes to close a season, its very well balance with action and story line, I really enjoy first episode I have to say its a 10/10
