
Warning: spoilers ahead for The Last of Us episode 3.
Fans of the video game series The Last of Us would not have been prepared for the emotional gut punch that episode 3 of the TV show would deliver.
Fans are already proclaiming it one of the greatest episodes of television ever because of the emotional impact it had on them when they saw Bill (Nick Offerman) and Frank (James Franco) (Murray Bartlett).
Bill and Frank build a home in a world where there is no hope, where a fungal, parasitic infection has caused a seemingly unstoppable pandemic that turns humans into monsters; they promise to protect one another and keep that promise until they are old men who have lived a full life together and are ready to breathe their last breaths together.
Frank does not commit himself after being infected, nor does he grow distant from Bill; instead, he is left debilitated by an incurable sickness and remains committed to his partner until the end of the TV version.
Many players have noted that the moment when Bill and Frank say their vows is all the more touching because homosexual marriage was just became legal in the United States in 2015, whereas the outbreak takes place in 2003, making it illegal in the world of The Last of Us.
The rawness of Bill and Frank’s story, the beauty of Nick and Murray’s performances, the poignancy of the script, and the impeccable execution are sure to stick with us for quite some time, especially in light of comparisons to the montage in the Pixar film Up, which showed Ellie and Carl’s relationship from childhood to the former’s funeral in old age.
Frank initially encounters Bill shortly after the outbreak when he falls into a trap Bill has set for everyone who attempts to enter his settlement.
Instead of shooting Frank, Bill shows his appreciation for the finer things in life by inviting him into his home, where he is treated to a nice shower and a delicious lunch accompanied by a glass of wine.
Frank wants to play Bill’s piano after dinner but the homeowner takes over, playing a tender cover of Linda Ronstadt’s 1970 hit “Long Long Time.”
Frank is so moved by Bill’s performance that he kisses him; later, after Bill admits he’s never had a sexual connection with a guy, the two share their first night together.
Several years later, Frank and Bill are still married and living together when they get into an argument over Frank’s plans to improve the neighbourhood and Frank’s communications with a woman named Tess (Anna Torv), who is soon invited to dinner at their home with her partner, Joel (also played by Torv) (Pedro Pascal).
Years pass, and eventually Bill is shot by raiders who fail to penetrate the town’s strongly fortified perimeter, but he is saved by Frank.
Later on, when Frank’s illness has progressed to the point where he can no longer walk, Bill has him permanently confined to a wheelchair and spends his days attending to his every whim.
Bill tells Frank, “I was never terrified until you showed up,” summing up the strength of their bond after all that they’ve been through together.
Even though the world has been destroyed and is overrun with Cordyceps-infected individuals and humans eager to plunder and use violence to acquire what they want, Bill is fearless until he finds someone he loves and is afraid of losing.
The third episode of The Last of Us may focus on Joel and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) as they journey across the United States in search of a cure, with their tale continuing after the end of the previous episode.
However, viewers everywhere have been so moved by Bill and Frank’s story of undying love that the choice to devote a sufficient amount of time to it has been met with widespread approval.
After all, many people’s histories and the relationships they forged in life, both before and after the epidemic, would have been lost in the world of The Last of Us.
A moment spent honouring the beauty and innocence of love seems very precious.
The Last of Us is available to watch on Sky and NOW, with new episodes released on Mondays.