Warning: The following article contains spoilers for The Last of Us episode five, “Endure and Survive”
We are still reeling from all the traumatic events in the first few Last of Us episodes. This week’s fifth episode proved beyond the shadow of a doubt that the grim post-apocalyptic wasteland of the United States will never give these characters — or the audience, for that matter — a moment of respite.
The episode started with a flashback sequence introducing viewers to Henry and his little brother, Sam. Henry is a FEDRA collaborator who betrayed Kathleen’s brother, which is why she’s hell-bent on catching him. Joel decides to trust Henry and go with his plan of passing the city’s maintenance tunnels.
Kathleen catches up to them with her mercenaries, but a swarm of the infected break through the underground and begin ripping the soldiers apart. Joel, Ellie, Henry, and Sam manage to get out by the skin of their teeth, but Sam reveals to Ellie that one of the infected bit him on the leg. The next day, Sam turns into one of the mindless zombies, whereupon Henry is forced to kill him. Dumbfounded by what he did, Henry commits suicide on the spot, and the episode ends with a grim note: There is no redemption this side of the apocalypse.
If you’re also having a difficult time processing all the emotions from “Endure and Survive,” perhaps these memes from across social media will help encapsulate those sentiments. This sums up our initial reaction to that gut-wrenching ending.
This episode will hit you like a truck, even if you already know what happens to Henry and Sam.
HBO and Naughty Dog are going for the throat with this adaptation.
I mean, it’s a good thing this episode aired on a Friday night.
On a side note, that infected swarm suddenly erupting out of the ground was one of the most terrifying moments in television.
Imagine if HBO released this chapter concurrently with Sunday’s Super Bowl celebrations. One minute you’re a sobbing mess over Sam and Henry, and the next you’re trying to vibe to Rihanna’s halftime show.
The terrible news? We aren’t even through the worst stuff yet, so brace yourself for the remaining five episodes of The Last of Us as they make their way to HBO over the next couple of weeks.