Last of Us Season 2... thoughts
Only one spoiler warning cause this is not my really my genre. I got the chance to watch it. So I did...
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So was it as good as last season. Hmm nah. But was it terrible as I've heard people complain. I can't say either and I think that for two reasons. One, I never played the actual game. So I'm not a 100% attached to the lore. Second, I'm just not into video games anymore.
But that being said no I wasn't completely in love with the season and I see why people complained.
The pluses? Uhh.. Ellie (even when she's grumpy she's fun). I did enjoy Joel what time we did get. I enjoyed seeing him and Tommy bond before his eventual demise. Hmm Ellie/Dina's story was cute, (I like Dina's actress so I might be bias lol).
Ellie/Joel father-daughter moments were cute. Uhh... I guess thats just it? I'll be blunt the story wasn't what I expected. Yeah some parts fill it to explain and go "Oohhh thats why they're like this" moment. But I'll be blunt...
When I heard they killed off Joel, I was surprised. Not because they did it/I read the wikis I knew it'd come. It just happened so fast. I thought "Noooo they'll wait till the middle or end of season".
So when it happened. I honestly expected like Rambo Ellie or her going all "Rick" on the group. The build up was honestly disappointing to me. I get we're suppose to feel sorry for this group/and like stated Abby is Neagan. Story would be flipped, she's the hero not Joel/or Ellie.... maybe its the writing... watching Joel die/or Ellie's grief... or maybe they're waiting for the third season for you to humanize Abby... I really didn't give a crap about Abby or the others.
If I had to say I wanted them dead. Nah Owen, seemed the more reasonable/forgiving and felt sorry Mel cause she had a conscious/plus her being preggers(explain later) made it feel bad. But I EXPECTED Manny and Nora to go first. I'm gonna be blunt I especially wanted it to be Manny. Because for the self-righteous attitude they had... Manny was probably on the bottom to me.
So for it to go in the order the way it did Nora, Owen and Mel... was disappointing. I wanted Ellie to take out Manny first. And Nora... the chase scene was exciting but... I'm gonna be blunt I actually wanted to see Ellie go Rambo on her. But we just got everything cut off scene. Especially since Nora was the one goading Ellie. Moment she called Joel a bitch I was "Okay empathy gone now you asked for it".
Maybe they thought showing it as bad on Ellie or bad PC wise. (And if you're wondering what I mean then here https://www.cbr.com/the-last-of-us-deaf-sam-henry-fail/ ).
Logically and story wise? I think everyone's in the right and wrong when you watch this whole series. Abby was right to want revenge/be pissed. Butttt (and it could be because no one was there save the nurses).... her dad did technically try to fight the crazy guy with the gun. Joel killed the rest of the fireflies because ... well he wasn't wrong they WOULD have killed him to experiment on Ellie and followed him to Tommy's. So to call it all murder is a stretch. And I'm gonna be blunt, no disrespect to her dad. But there was never a guarantee the idea of a vaccine would have happened/or worked. And no I'm not RFK, jr, not an anti-vaxxer. Just realistic in the story.
Because they WANTED this when the outbreak first started. In Indonesia the scientist herself said, they couldn't make one. And this was a time when they still had RESOURCES. So what makes us belief one doctor, in apocalypse world would have enough resources/or power to make that happen? And someone brought this up to me...what if the virus mutated? It mutated with Ellie... but what happens if it mutates to fight off vaccines? Considering the world is no where nearrrrrrr stable/or able to have enough to make vaccines... all that work to get it done would go up in smoke. And the idea is technically flawed. To me be best to make so they don't wanna hurt us, but Ellie's constantly bit/scratched. Soo is it worth it?
Was Joel right to do what he did.... killing hehhhhhh... considering the situation it wasn't his best light. But I GET why he did what he did. He couldn't watch another child die. He was wrong to kill, I'll give Abby that. Did he deserve the torture? I dunno... that was more Abby's desire.
All I can say through the story point of view, vengeance just starts more trouble than its worth. Because Ellie's dark path, aside. Abby also hurt many people. Now I don't know if its in the story/game... but in this series. Abby's desire to get vengeance put the entire town of Jackson at the mercy of Infected. She can say she only wanted Joel, but her actions caused the deaths of MANY people in that town. And I think if others actually knew what she did(even if she didn't mean to) that council might have changed their minds. I don't know what will happen season 3... but to say Ellie wasted Abby's gift... is a bit hypocritical maybe? Might be the point.
Why? Well Abby you gonna go on that. Joel SAVED your life. And you tortured and murdered him front of Ellie. Was that a gift? Yes he killed your father. But you took Ellie's... did she not think there would be ramifications for her actions? You did the same to Joel and didn't think Ellie would do what you did? Guess no one ever saw Kill Bill 8B.
Anywaysss were the council right to vote no? Yeah, I mean if this were a perfect world. I'd be right behind Ellie and be "Get those assholes". But its not, its not perfect or walking dead world. They don't have a Rick to get this done. So yes I see why they said no. Even more that Jesse didn't wanna get involved. They were outgunned and no allies to help.
Lets see any other negatives? I honestly couldn't get attached to Abby. Again I get her reasoning and I know how the story ends. But I was just pftt you're more like Ellie than you realize cause you didn't learn anything.
Her crew 50/50. I only really felt sorry for Mel, as she as pregnant (who the daddy? We don't know it don't matter 8B). I was hoping Tommy would have done the C-section to save the baby. But I guess this show can only do one baby at a time. We don't get enough of Owen to make me feel sorry for him. (But season 3 might change that) I do give him credit for actually wanting to STOP Abby.
Nora and Manny, no sorry but screw them. Just sorry Manny wasn't killed in this season.
Anything else... umm again if this is offending video gamers. Sorry if I'm missing lore or something. I thought the whole war with the Scar cult and the WLFs was... kinda pointless? It just took up too much time from the story. I'm gonna be blunt I honestly zoned out during some of it because it almost brought nothing to my attention except that the WLFs are kinda... scary.
And I don't think the show was trying to do that? I THINK they were trying to show the ugliness of war or something. But I'm sorry didn't execute well with me. Because at BEST, I did actually feel sorry for the cult members for a second.
I say a second, yeahhh the disembowel stuff makes it hard to pick a side. But again maybe the point was "war bad". Which is why I did empathize with the Park lady and the other lady(I already forgot her name.) But their dude... kinda felt like military Punisher or something 8B. But thats meeee.
If I had to say also the factor it ended on a cliff hanger also annoyed me. I thought we'd get 9 eps like last season. So for it to be only 7... I thought "I wanted to see moreeee". Felt like a tease to finally get it revenge style for it to end.
Anything I want from season 3... TOMMY LIVES. Abby if you kill him, thats where I want it to deviate from the game then. Cause then I hope Dina and Ellie rip you a new one. I guess thats about it? Almost none of these new characters make me care. I would have liked Jesse to live but ohhhh welll. Abby.
I'm not too worried about Dina. But considering what she does next season... Ellie might fall down that revenge whole again.
















