Ellie is all grown up. Joel lied. And HBO is bringing back its most brutal series yet in a more personal, darker, and even more explosive second season - The Last of Us Season 2.
When it's The Last of Us arrived in January 2023 HBO, we knew it wouldn't be just another zombie apocalypse. It was an elegy about loss, relationships, and the ethical cracks in humanity, wrapped in a post-apocalyptic spectacle. The series, based on the cult video game (2013), won eight Emmys, was nominated for Best Drama Series, and – not insignificantly – redefined expectations for adaptations. Now comes The Last of Us Season 2.
Now, a good two years later, it comes The Last of Us – Season 2. It will premiere on Sunday, April 14, 2025, on HBO (in Slovenia via the Max platform), with new episodes every week until the finale on May 25. The second season has seven episodes – and none of them will be easy.
What happened in Season 1? (Recap for the forgetful)
Cordyceps. Death. The collapse of the system. And in the middle of it all: Joel (Pedro Pascal), a smuggler with a past, and Ellie (Bella Ramsey), a girl who is the only one immune to the infection. They travel across a devastated America, searching for scientists and hope.
But when Joel discovers that Ellie would have to die for a possible cure, he saves her – with a murderous rage – and then lies to her face.
End of season one? Ellie looks at Joel. He knows. He knows she knows. Pure HBO suspense.
Season 2: More Than Just Revenge – The Last of Us Season 2
The story continues five years later. Ellie is now 19 years old, living in the Jackson community. Joel is still by her side. But there is no longer complete trust between them, but a silent, dense fog of secrecy.
The second season, partially based on the video game The Last of Us Part II, will be darker and more branched. Ellie meets Dine (Isabela Merced), a girl who becomes more than just a friend. But as the story moves into its second half, new enemies – and new dilemmas – emerge.
The focus will be on Abby (Kaitlyn Dever), who will be the subject of the most discussion among viewers. Actress Young Mazino (Beef) joins as Jesse. The story delves into moral grayness, questions of revenge, and the breakdown of empathy.
Bella Ramsey: more than Ellie
Bella Ramsey began playing the role of Ellie at 17. Now, at 21, she is open about her non-binary identity (they/them) and autism diagnosis.
“Ellie and I grow together,” Bella says. “She’s a character who’s both distant and familiar. Almost like me.”
Her interpretation is not a caricature of power – it is a subtle, heartbreaking portrait of someone who didn't have the chance to be a child.
HBO, Max and Great Expectations
Season 2 will be available to watch on HBO and via Max streaming platforms, which is now the official service for all HBO content in Europe. In the UK, the series will be available on Sky and NOW, and in Australia on Max (formerly Binge).
Episodes will be released weekly on Sundays, with the finale on May 25. There will be seven episodes in total – a shorter season, but according to producer Craig Mazin: “Every episode has the weight of three.”
Why isn't this just a zombie series?
Because The Last of Us It was never about zombies. It was – and remains – about humanity, which decays more slowly than flesh. About love, which is both redemptive and destructive. About choices that are never forgotten. And about what it means to grow up in a world where adults no longer know the truth.
Ellie is not a superhero. She is a person. And that makes her more dangerous than all the zombies combined.
Season 3? It's coming.
HBO has already confirmed a third season, as creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann are splitting the second game's story into multiple chapters. This means that it will The Last of Us with us for a few more years – and that we still have a lot of ethical arguments to face after the end of each episode.
Conclusion: get your tissues ready. And a tough stomach lining.
Season 2 will go deeper, hit harder, and leave you with more questions than answers. And that's exactly why The Last of Us one of the few series that plays not just for shock, but for lasting emotional resonance.
If you are ready, press play.
If you haven't? We recommend rewatching the first season. And a little therapy.
