9 Ways The Last Of Us 2 Was Almost Completely Different

2. Ellie And Joel's Final Reconciliation

One of the final scenes in the game is one of the most bittersweet, coming immediately after the dance hall segment and showing the final time Ellie and Joel interacted before his death. After two years of being on bad terms after admitting he killed the Fireflies and robbed the world of a cure, Ellie finally tells him that she's ready to start forgiving him.

Though the moment is tense and heated, the love between them is still there, and one thing is clear: this is going to a new beginning. They've wasted too much time, and they can finally start rebuilding.

Of course, this brief reconciliation is immediately robbed from them.

Partly why the scene works so well is because of how frosty their dynamic still is. This isn't closure for either of them, just a recognition that closure is in sight. Despite what it means for the future of their relationship, it's not the kind of conversation you'd want to be the final one with someone you love. There's no declaration of love spoken out loud in fact, and there are still some things left unsaid.

Again though, originally this was going to offer more closure for the pair. Initially the scene called for the two to hug, something which Ashley Johnson wasn't quite sure Ellie was emotionally ready for. She'd started to forgive Joel, but the two weren't quite there yet.

Druckmann agreed, as it's the kind of interpersonal missed opportunity that you would regret not taking if you knew you would never see this person again.