The Last Of Us Episode 4 Review - 6 Ups & 2 Downs

2. Ellie's First Kill

In another deviation from the game, Joel doesn’t berate Ellie here for going against his wishes and not staying in cover.

In the TV show though, this makes sense. Joel’s fatherly instincts kick in again, and he’s all too aware of the weight of killing another person, especially for someone as young as Ellie. Show Joel empathises with his companion, and it works for where the pair are at during this point in the story: at 4 episodes out of 9, you need their relationship to start becoming parental and empathetic.

It also works because the episode itself does so much to remind you just how young Ellie is. The giggle when Joel is pulling the gun in her hands, the joke book, the porno mag - it all does a number on Joel to remind him that while she is hardened to an extent, she’s still being robbed of her youth.

Now, does this mean it’s better than the game version or that the game’s scene is bad? Absolutely not. The portrayal makes sense for the characters and structure of the story there, while this changed scene makes more sense for where the characters are at this point in the show, and also better reflects how violence is portrayed in this story.