THE LAST OF US Ep. 7, "LEFT BEHIND" Game Call Backs

Episode 7 of The Last of Us tells the backstory of Ellie and Riley, and it's filled with callbacks and other secrets from the game.

Features Opinion

After a brief breather, Season 1 of The Last of Us concludes with one more episode that stands on its own. The seventh episode of this season, Left Behind, focuses on Bella Ramsey's Ellie and provides a darker meditation on coming-of-age romance within the show's post-apocalyptic setting while also delving deeper into Ellie's traumatic past. Left Behind is the best opportunity for Ramsey to show off their acting chops before The Last of Us concludes, and it's a much more heartbreaking standalone story than the season's widely acclaimed third episode.

The Last of Us on HBO is faithful to the games they were based on because its creators, Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, played them extensively. The Last of Us on HBO has shown its faithfulness to the original game, despite some modifications made to add depth and improve certain aspects of the game. This has been made clear throughout The Last of Us, especially in episode 7, by the game's abundance of Easter eggs, references, and hidden details.

Tragedy For Riley

Riley's tragic final line in Episode 7 of The Last of Us is the game's final reference. After Riley and Ellie contract the virus, Riley tells the other girls they have a choice between two treatment methods. They can "be all poetic and just lose our minds together," as Riley puts it in the original game, which is echoed verbatim in HBO's adaptation. The tragic truth, however, is that Riley will turn in The Last of Us instead of Ellie, setting in motion the events of the pilot episode.

Just Mall Stuff

Episode 7 of The Last of Us makes several allusions to Mortal Kombat II, which connects back to Episode 2 and Ellie's obsession with the arcade machine. One of the posters of Mortal Kombat II that Ellie has on her wall. In the episode's latter half, Riley charges up the arcade so that Ellie can play Mortal Kombat II, and the two spend a long time together doing so. Ellie's description of Melina's killing blow in episode 2 of The Last of Us is mirrored on the machine in episode 7.

Photos taken in the photo booth by Ellie and Riley are another nod to the first The Last of Us. The "scary" poses the girls strike are instantly recognizable, but otherwise, most of the images are repetitive. Ellie and Riley's photo booth photo is featured on the DLC's promotional poster, so this is a nod to that moment in the game as well.

There Are Even Details In The Gameplay

The player must repeatedly bang the controller against their hand to reignite their flashlight, a mechanic present in both The Last of Us games. Ellie's flashlight malfunctions while she is walking through the mall in the seventh episode of The Last of Us. Then, in a neat and subtle reference that only fans of The Last of Us and Part II will pick up on, Ellie bangs the flashlight against her hand to make it work again.

Teasing Part II

Lastly, Episode 7 of The Last of Us contains two Easter eggs that hint at season 2 and feature the 1980s band A-ha. The band's Take On Me is featured prominently in The Last of Us Part II, and it serves as a link between Ellie, Joel, and her potential suitors. Ellie's room contains an A-ha cassette tape, which is a reference to this in the seventh episode of The Last of Us. When Ellie and Riley are having a good time at the mall, Take On Me plays in the background, subtly connecting the song to Ellie's potential romantic interest before season 2 does the same through Dina.

Did we miss any Easter Eggs? Let's Hear them down in the comments and be sure to tune in for next week's season finale!

THE LAST OF US Creator Neil Druckmann Shares First Official Season 2 Poster Art
Related:

THE LAST OF US Creator Neil Druckmann Shares First Official Season 2 Poster Art

THE LAST OF US Creator On Finale Cliffhanger; Confirms Part II Will Be More Than One Season - SPOILERS
Recommended For You:

THE LAST OF US Creator On Finale Cliffhanger; Confirms Part II Will Be "More Than One" Season - SPOILERS

DISCLAIMER: This post was submitted by a user who has agreed to our Terms of Service and Community Guidelines. As a user-generated content platform, GameFragger.com and Best Little Sites LLC is protected under the DMCA... [MORE]
THE LAST OF US Creator Neil Druckmann Shares First Official Season 2 Poster Art
No new episode of The Last of Us tonight, but the show's co-creator, Neil Druckmann, has taken to Twitter to tease season 2 with the first official promo poster...
THE LAST OF US Showrunners Reveals Alternate Season 1 Ending; Tease Ambitious Season 2 Plans
The Last of Us showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann have revealed an alternate ending for the recent finale, while also teasing their ambitious plans to adapt the events of The Last of Us Part II.
THE LAST OF US Creator On Finale Cliffhanger; Confirms Part II Will Be More Than One Season - SPOILERS
The season finale of The Last of Us aired last night, and the show's co-creator has now weighed in on what's proven to be a divisive conclusion to the episode, while teasing season 2 plans...
THE LAST OF US: New Featurette & Recap For The Season 1 Finale Look for the Light - SPOILERS
In a faithful season finale, The Last of Us season one came to a close as Joel and Ellie reached their final destination, where Joel made a divisive decision that could change everything for Ellie.
THE LAST OF US: Ashley Johnson Debuts As [SPOILER] In New Season Finale Stills
HBO has shared some new promo images for the upcoming season finale of The Last of Us, giving us a look at the video games' voice actress Ashley Johnson as... well, find out after the jump!

The Best Little Sites Network (BLS)

Action Movie and TV News - AnimeMojo.com
Anime News, Trailers & More - AnimeMojo.com
Superhero News, Videos, Rumors & More - ComicBookMovie.com
Horror News - FearHQ.com
Video Game News, Reviews, Trailers & More - GameFragger.com
Sci-Fi and Fantasy News, Videos, Rumors & More - SFFGazette.com
Cartoon and Animated Film News, Videos, Rumors & More - Toonado.com
Professional Wrestling News, Videos, Rumors & More - TheRingReport.com