Warning: This article contains spoilers for The Last of Us Part II.The scene between Eli and Maria in Season 1 of HBO The last of us set up season 2 to explore their aunt-niece relationship in even more depth than the game. After season 1 tells the story of the first game from beginning to end, The last of us Season 2 will begin to tackle the huge non-linear narrative of The Last of Us Part II. Following the end of the original game, the sequel sees Joel and Ellie move to Jackson and settle into a somewhat normal civilian life after their treacherous journey across the country.
After a four-year time jump, it is established that during their time in Jackson, Ellie became closer to Joel’s younger brother Tommy and his wife Maria as a surrogate aunt and uncle. Eli’s relationship with Maria is conveyed in a couple of key scenes in the game, but since the TV show is not burdened with getting to the action as quickly as possible, it has a chance to flesh out the relationship much more – and a crucial Scene from Season 1 suggests that’s exactly what the showrunners plan to do.
The Last of Us Season 1’s Eli and Maria scene set up Season 2 to explore their relationship in more depth
Season 1 showed the Eli and Maria scene that the game skipped
The last of us Season 1, episode 6, “Kin,” shows the unseen interaction between Eli and Maria while Joel is talking to Tommy. In the game, when Joel and Eli find Tommy and his new bride trying to repair a hydroelectric dam just outside Jackson, Maria takes Eli to get some food while Joel takes Tommy to one side to ask him to take Eli off his hands. Eli and Maria are not seen again until Joel and Tommy have to race back across the factory to save them from gun-toting raiders.
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Eli later reveals that Maria told her about Joel’s late daughter Sarah, but the game never shows this conversation. The TV show, on the other hand, shows that conversation as Maria cuts Eli’s hair and warns her against putting her trust in Joel. in The Last of Us Part IIIt is established that Maria has become a sort of motherly figure in Eli’s life, but is only seen in a couple of scenes. Season 1’s Eli and Maria scene set up Season 2 to explore the relationship in more depth.
Why Maria is so important in Eli’s life
Maria is the only motherly figure in Eli’s life
Throughout the first game and the first season of the TV show, Joel became a father figure to Ellie and took her under his wing as if she were his own daughter. In the four-year period jump at the beginning of Part IIEli grows much closer to Tommy as well, as he takes on a similar fatherly role as the cool uncle who teaches her how to use a sniper rifle. But What makes Maria so important is that she is the only motherly figure in Ellie’s life after the deaths of Tess and Marlene (And her own mother’s death, of course).
The last of us Season 1 already expanded on Maria’s maternal role as she provided Eli with the kind of parental guidance that most people are not capable of. It is unlikely that Joel or Tommy could give Eli a haircut (a modern one, anyway) and They certainly wouldn’t have thought of giving her a monstrous cup As Maria does. Maria is also the most emotionally healthy influence in Eli’s life. Joel goes on his ineffective means of grief management and Tommy goes on his unstoppable desire for revenge – with Maria’s guidance, Eli actually has a chance at good mental health.
The Last of Us Season 2 had a perfect opportunity to expand Eli and Maria’s relationship
Maria can help Joel and Eli get settled in Jackson
in The Last of Us Part IIAli sees Maria when she is on her way out on patrol and again when Maria reluctantly allows her to go to Seattle and seek revenge. Maria also gets Seth away from Eli after he calls her a homophobic slur in the party flashback. But these are the game’s only opportunities to explore Eli and Maria’s relationship, because In its original medium, the story was under pressure to dive into the action as soon as possible. Season 2 of the show can spend a lot more exploring Joel and Ellie’s lives in Jackson.
This provides the perfect opportunity for the TV show to expand on Eli and Maria’s relationship. As Jackson’s leader, Maria would be heavily involved in getting Joel and Eli settled Once they move in. The last of us Season 2 can show Eli and Maria grow closer when Maria puts Eli up at Joel’s guest house and gets her a job in the farming rotation.