“Day One” Plunges “The Last of Us” Into Seattle’s Brutal Heart, Balancing Intimacy With Unflinching War

NEW YORK – The fourth episode of HBO’s “The Last of Us” Season 2, titled “Day One,” takes viewers into Seattle, setting a harsh new scene for Ellie’s revenge. Directed by Kate Herron, the episode contrasts deep personal connections between Ellie and Dina with a growing, brutal war involving the Washington Liberation Front and the Seraphites. This key point deepens character relationships and adds to the story's background, while making intentional changes from the well-known video game, suggesting a complicated direction for the season.

“Day One” follows Ellie and Dina’s arrival in Seattle, a city marked by conflict. Their search for Abby, Joel’s killer, takes them through dangerous ruins, showing pieces of the old world and new dangers. A key emotional moment, closely adapted from the game, shows Ellie singing “Take On Me” by a-ha to Dina. This delicate moment comes before a series of major reveals: Ellie is forced to reveal her immunity after an infected attack, and Dina then confesses she is pregnant. These truths greatly change their journey together, solidifying how much they rely on each other in the growing chaos of their mission.

The episode greatly expands the story by introducing the backstory of Isaac Dixon, the WLF's strong leader, through an original prologue. Jeffrey Wright’s effective and unsettling performance shows Isaac’s brutal defection from FEDRA and his harsh methods, including torturing a Seraphite. These scenes establish the WLF’s control through violence and the deep-seated, vengeful nature of their conflict with the Seraphites. This early explanation of the power struggle in Seattle quickly gives background for the dangers Ellie and Dina face, shifting their mission from just personal revenge to dealing with a city destroying itself.

While "Day One" carefully recreates popular game scenes, its changes are important. Isaac's expanded role and original backstory provide a quicker understanding of WLF leadership and Seattle's violent history. The show also includes the WLF-Seraphite conflict more directly in Ellie's early Seattle experience. Additionally, Dina remaining active with Ellie, despite her pregnancy, is a change from the game where she steps back sooner. This, along with a slightly clearer eagerness from Dina to leave Jackson earlier in the season, shows a character who is a bit more restless than in the game.

Critical reviews for “Day One” have been mostly positive. Reviewers praised its complex emotions and successful mix of character drama with intense action. The performances by Bella Ramsey, Isabela Merced, and especially Jeffrey Wright, were praised for their depth. Kate Herron’s direction was commended for handling changes in tone, from Ellie and Dina’s private moments to intense horror and Isaac’s disturbing cruelty. Small criticisms mentioned that some romantic scenes were a bit too sentimental, but these didn't greatly hurt the episode's overall strong impression with critics.

“Day One” strongly establishes Ellie and Dina’s relationship as a source of hope in a dark world, while highlighting the harsh effects of ongoing violence shown by Isaac and the fighting groups. The episode’s story choices, whether true to the game or different, clearly aim to make character reasons clearer and increase the drama for television. By showing Seattle's harsh realities and the main characters' complex emotions, "Day One" sets an interesting, dangerous direction for the rest of the season, suggesting these connected conflicts will be explored more.