As a storm brews in the mountains, the people of Jackson Hole prepare for the worst amid increased sightings of infected. Meanwhile, Abby weighs her options.
Joel is dead. Everything that once defined the show is no more. Yes, this is a tale of the apocalypse filled with desperate people trying their best to survive. At its core though, the narrative has always been about the relationship between Joel and Ellie. They healed each other. Joel lost Sarah. He couldn't protect her. He didn't initially want Ellie to be anything more than cargo. But then, he came to care for her. She offered hope. She could save the world. Joel just had to be willing to let her die. He couldn't endure that tragic cycle all over again. He was barely surviving for twenty years after Sarah's death. Even after he killed the Fireflies in Salt Lake City, Joel was incapable of being honest with Ellie. Their relationship ends without reconciliation. Ellie told Jesse that their dynamic only looks strained on the outside. In reality, they are still the same. Nothing is ever going to change that. And then, Abby does precisely that. She's a victim of Joel's previous actions. Her need for revenge kicks off a new tragic cycle of abuse and violence. It's inescapable in this world. Everyone has plenty of struggles battling the infected as they grow smarter. They also have to be aware of the darkness within other humans. Joel was always skeptical of outsiders. In this moment, he decided to trust the wrong one in the heat of the moment. That decision sealed his fate. As a result, everything will change.
It's fascinating to explore the dichotomy between Abby and Ellie. Abby didn't just lose friends in Salt Lake City. Her father was the doctor prepared to synthesize a cure. She saw his body. That visual has always remained with her. She could never escape it. It was imprinted on her mind when she was 19 years old. That was her age during this traumatic event. She spent five years hunting Joel. She and her friends joined a militia in Seattle. She teases that that isn't a place anyone should go. Her quest for revenge consumed her. It was all that mattered. Her friends want ground rules. They support her ambition. They want to ensure Joel is the only one who gets hurt. He is solely responsible for ending the Fireflies. All that possibility for hope was snuffed out. Joel has to pay. It must be violent too. Ellie is powerless to stop it from happening as well. She has trained with Jesse. She's become a remarkable sharp shooter. She's still overpowered by a team that's more trained than she is. And so, she too is traumatized by a lasting image of loss. Sarah's death informed everything for Joel. He saw the comparisons between his daughter and Ellie. That's why it became easier for him to open up. The cycle continues with Ellie essentially losing her father through violence just like Abby did. It occurs at the same age too. She promises to hunt down and kill the group responsible. Everyone has reasons for their actions. They just turn out to be incredibly destructive for the world around them.
Moreover, Abby unleashes a horde of infected onto Jackson Hole. The community was prepared for this possibility after a pair of scouts reported infected hiding under the snow. The leaders didn't know what lurked beneath the surface. The community in Jackson appears to be prosperous. It's a growing and thriving place. That was all detailed in the premiere. However, the teases of pending doom were present as well. Ellie saw a smarter infected. The pipes were contaminated with cordyceps. It's almost too late for the town when they realize this. Abby and her group are intimidated by the size of Jackson. They don't have a plan to infiltrate and carry out their mission against Joel. Circumstances create a convenient opportunity for them. Countless lives are lost in the process. Abby doesn't take a moment to think about that either. At first, she is running for her life. She has to escape the infected charging at her. She is saved by Joel. In that moment, she only sees the person she has vowed to kill. He's honest when she demands a confession. He also expects gratitude for saving her life. She survived because of him. She was a total stranger. No one has any time to react. Abby offers shelter. Joel and Dina have to accept it. That provides time and resources to regroup. Joel looks at his home burning. He wants to help his family and friends. He's the only one on that mission. It's impressive to watch the town battle with these monsters. The spectacle is incredibly impressive. Tommy faces off with a bloater by himself. He's armed with a flamethrower. It's very intense and exciting. The tension rises with the expectation that death is coming.
No one of merit is killed in Jackson Hole though. Instead, the tragedy occurs elsewhere. That felt likely given the characters of substance were largely outside the walls of the community. Tommy and Maria were possibilities for those on the frontlines who perish at some point. In fact, it's rewarding to see the ways in which they rally support around each other. Tommy leads the assault from atop the wall. Everyone is prepared for a second offensive once the community is breached. That makes the stakes more personal and immediate. The two characters of note prevail. Meanwhile, Dina is drugged. She is knocked out for an hour. That provides Abby with the time to do what she wants with Joel. The others wonder if she is actually bluffing with any of her threats of violence. She professes a code that was crucial to serving in Seattle. The soldiers couldn't kill any unarmed person. Abby doesn't believe Joel deserves that dignity. She feels justified in her actions. This is all about what he took from her. He could never escape these consequences. He acknowledges that too. He wants her to do it instead of talking about what this all means to her. Ellie riding to the rescue offers momentary hope. She enters the situation skeptical about what she might find. She can't prepare for what's about to occur. She's powerless to stop it too. Jesse doesn't arrive until after the fact. These characters all have roles to fill. They don't believe they can escape them. They have to carry these secrets no matter how destructive they are. Joel continually professed that he saved Ellie. In reality, he destroyed their relationship and cemented his own fate. He didn't know the extent of his actions at the time. But this was always lurking.
Everything will not always be the same. Ellie led with that expectation. She felt free to be angry with Joel. She knew he would always be there for her. She didn't always want his protection. She doesn't even care about Seth apologizing for his behavior. She just wants to begin her next patrol shift. She was concerned about the storm coming in. Jesse thought it would remain far in the distance. People can't prepare for everything. Their lives are consumed by violence. At any moment, tragedy can strike. Lives are ruined based on who survives. Remnants of the lives once lived remain too. It's more than just the comfortable lodge that looks over Jackson Hole from the mountaintop. It's also the makeshift lab where Eugene grew marijuana. These serve as reminders of the people who once existed in this area. They are gone. Their influence remains. People still talk about what happened to Eugene. Joel did what had to be done. Gail still has resentment towards him. But now, Joel is dead too. The next generation is tasked with picking up the burdens of this world. The threats are even more severe. The stakes are even more intense. Ellie has invited more people into her world. They could just as easily leave it because of the level of violence out there. That is always a possibility. Joel's death serves as an indicator of such. Moreover, it suggests a new vision for the narrative moving forward. It can no longer be about this central relationship as it evolves over time. It has reached its conclusion. Yet the season is still just getting started. Plenty of action remains. Plenty that will continue to define Ellie and her place in this world. She will now have to make those choices. She does so with immunity from one threat. That's only one storm she will face.
