The Last Of Us: 1г—7 May 2026

The flashback is set in the Boston Quarantine Zone (QZ) several months before Ellie meets Joel.

Recalling Riley's words about not giving up, Ellie chooses not to abandon the injured Joel. She searches the abandoned house for supplies and uses a needle and thread to stitch his abdominal wound. Thematic Significance and Critical Reception

It holds a 97% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with praise for the performances of Bella Ramsey (Ellie) and Storm Reid (Riley). The Last of Us: 1Г—7

They play Mortal Kombat II after Riley breaks into a coin machine.

Riley shows Ellie what she calls the "wonders of the mall": The Escalator: Ellie's first time seeing "electric stairs". The flashback is set in the Boston Quarantine

Rather than commit suicide, they choose to stay together until the end, deciding to "be all poetic and lose our minds together". The Present Timeline

Their moment is cut short by a single infected attacker. Though they kill it, both realize they have been bitten. Thematic Significance and Critical Reception It holds a

Interweaves two timelines—one where Ellie frantically tries to save a critically injured Joel in the present, and another detailing the night she was bitten while exploring an abandoned mall with her best friend, Riley. Key Story Beats (The Mall Flashback)