‘The Last of Us’ finds new life after ten years

Olivia Das Gupta News Editor

What happens to a story when it crosses from one form of media to another? One of the most dramatic examples of this can be found in HBO’s latest hit, “The Last of Us.” Originally released as an actionadventure game for the PlayStation in 2013, “The Last of Us” was reborn on the television screen this past January.

“The Last of Us” tells the story of a world that has been plagued by a fictionalized version of cordyceps, a real-life fungus known for hijacking the minds of ants. This human version is spread when a fungus-controlled host bites a victim. The character Joel is tasked with delivering 14-year-old Ellie across the country in hopes of finding a cure, as she is the only known person to have been bitten but not controlled.

This Sunday, March 12, the first season will conclude with its season finale. While the show has been widely considered a success, it has faced some unique challenges in changing mediums. The most impactful change when transferring to television is the loss of the interactive component of gameplay.

“In my opinion nothing compares to the feeling of walking Joel or Ellie through the zombie-ridden wasteland that the game provides,” junior Eden Mendez said. “Physically making Joel duck behind cover or take out clickers can get my hands shaking by the end of a confrontation. The interactivity is great for getting you to really think about the story, too. You are absolutely paying attention when the life of each character is in your hands.”

For some players, the game provides a way to tap into a very living and active story. It helps connect players to the characters.

“I think that when the game came out, it was very life-changing for a lot of people in the gaming space because there hadn’t really been that many stories that delved into that narrative type of play,” senior Raseel Khwaiss said. “I think it struck up a lot of empathy in a space where that hadn’t really been discussed, especially with the demographics as they were when ‘The Last of Us’ came out.”

However, the expansion of the story seen in the show is impossible to ignore. Several plot points have been fleshed out now that they have the proper space to grow, and it is these creative choices that set the show apart as a work of its own. The most well-known of these developed side plots includes the story of Bill and Frank in the third episode, which follows the couple as they build a life together and find peace in the apocalypse.

“Bill and Frank were such a sad side story that was never really talked about in the game, and it was so underdeveloped,” Khwaiss said. “I think it was the weakest point in the game if I’m being honest. But in the