6 Crucial Things to Remember Before The Last of Us Season 2

The highly anticipated and long-awaited second season of The Last of Us debuts this weekend, so it’s time to get ready. Hopefully, in the two years since we last saw Joel and Ellie, you gave the first season a recent binge to get ready for the new episodes. But if not, don’t worry. We’ve got you covered.

Season one of The Last of Us was FILLED with characters and information, but the nature of the show is that not a ton of that will carry over into season two. People move on, the journey continues, etc. But some threads do connect the seasons—and with that in mind, here are six things you need to remember to prepare for The Last of Us season two.

Joel

Joel is a capable survivalist who was tasked with transporting a young woman named Ellie across the United States because she was somehow immune to a worldwide infection that killed most of the population and turned them into killers. Over the course of the trip, Joel and Ellie developed a strong bond, in large part because Joel lost his own daughter at the start of the outbreak.

However, once they got to the hospital where Ellie needed to be, he realized creating a cure will result in Ellie’s death. Instead, Joel killed everyone in the hospital to save Ellie, even if it means there won’t be a cure.

Ellie

Born just as her mother was about to die from the outbreak, Ellie grew up as an orphan unaware that she was immune. That changed when she was a teenager and, as a result, she agreed to go with Joel to figure out how her special immunity could be used to save everyone. She knew it might mean the end of her life but was okay with it. However, Joel made that decision for her. When she woke up, Joel told her that there were other immune people and the cure thing didn’t work, so they didn’t need her. Ellie sensed this could be a lie but was forced to trust him anyway.

Infected

Unlike a traditional zombie show, The Last of Us centers on the spread of a parasitic fungal infection. Basically, a kind of killer plant that infects your brain, kills you, and brings you back as one of them. Most people on the show simply call these beings “Infected.” It’s similar to a zombie, just with more life. There are various different levels, from basically normal human-looking creatures up to “Bloaters,” which are humans whose whole body has been overrun with the disease. Also, there have been hints that the infection is kind of a hive mind, which is why the infected work so well together.

Fireflies

When the world started to end, the government’s response was led by a group called FEDRA. Many people didn’t trust FEDRA though and so the Fireflies were formed. They were a rebel group that fought against FEDRA. The Fireflies were also the ones who were working toward the cure. However, after Joel killed so many of them in Salt Lake City, they’ve all but disappeared. Some have separated into other groups.

Tommy

Tommy is Joel’s brother who has also survived the outbreak. He is also a very capable survivalist who was fighting with the Fireflies but left that life and to start a family in Jackson, Wyoming. There, he and his wife Maria have helped create a bustling community. They also have a young son, Joel’s nephew.

Jackson

Jackson, Wyoming is a fully functioning city where Joel and Ellie settle at the end of season one. It’s one of several independent safe havens we’ve seen across the country but by far the most welcoming and maybe the best stocked.

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