
The series “The Last of Us” explores the struggle between individual and society, with the first season set in a post-apocalyptic America overrun by Cordyceps, to question the morality of survival. At its core is the heartwarming bond between Joel (Pedro Pascal), a ruthless smuggler mourning his lost daughter, and Ellie (Bella Ramsey), a 14-year-old immune girl he was tasked by a pro-democratic group called the Fireflies to transport. However, upon reaching their destination, Joel learns that the Fireflies would sacrifice Ellie for their research. To protect her, he fights off several Firefly soldiers and a doctor, thereby thwarting any potential cure that could have saved mankind. Far from love being salvific, it evolved into a self-serving act so harmful that it intensified the agony of a world in distress. The questionable nature of Joel’s decision, made without Ellie’s consent and with subsequent deception, was infuriating. Consequently, it is understandable that the second season, which pales in comparison to the show’s rich thematic content, focuses on the concept of justice in “The Last of Us.