At their South by Southwest panel this year, HBO released the official trailer for the second season of acclaimed original drama series “The Last of Us.” The action-packed trailer promises even more emotion and fear in this seven-episode second season than the first.
The remainder of this article contains spoilers for season 1 of “The Last of Us“
What’s Inside?
A large portion of the trailer focuses on Jackson, the gated commune where Joel reunited with his brother Tommy in season 1. Jackson holds an important place in Joel and Ellie’s lives. It’s where they return at the end of the tumultuous events in Part I (and season 1), and it’s where they’re afforded a bit of peace after so long on the run. This is clearly shown throughout the trailer with warm, happy scenes between Joel and Ellie and various loved ones.
If season one prepared viewers for anything, though, it’s the certainty that peace like that doesn’t always last.
What’s Outside?
The remainder of the trailer shows life outside of Jackson: cold, dark, and frightening in its unfamiliarity. Abby (Kaityln Dever) and her group travel through the bitter cold. Dozens of infected charge Jackson’s gates. Ellie confronts a woman in a red-dark room. These are not the warm tones of happy memories but instead the cold realities of truth and consequences.
But what life outside of Jackson promises, perhaps most of all, is uncharted territory for characters and audiences alike. Because while game players are more prepared than most for this season’s events, it’s clear that not all will be exactly the same. Season 1 already offers quite a few deviations from the original storyline of the first game, most notably with Bill and Frank’s characters. Season two promises to offer even more. There are new characters such as Joel’s therapist Gayle (Catherine O’Hara) and Tommy and Maria’s son. We see unexplored events like the infected attack on Jackson and interactions with Jackson staple Eugene.
Just how far these changes and additions go — how much they stand to affect the story — is something we’ll just have to wait to see. If the trailer’s anything to go by, we’re still in for a heartbreaking ride.
“The Last of Us” season 2 premieres on Sunday, April 13 at 9pm ET on HBO and will be available to stream on Max. New episodes will debut on subsequent Sundays.
