Warning! This article contains major spoilers for The Last of Us episode 3 and the original game.The Last of Us episode 3 tells the story of Bill and Frank, with the latter's fate depicted much more effectively in HBO's adaptation than in the original game. In the source material, Joel and Ellie visit Bill's town to find him living alone after his partner Frank left him. While there are a few mentions of Frank, most of the section of the game involving Bill revolves solely around Joel and Ellie trying to find a car with Bill's help to travel to Tommy's.

Towards the end of this section of the game, Joel, Ellie, and Bill enter a house where they find Frank's body. On the other hand, by the time The Last of Us episode 3's ending rolls around it is evident the creators of the adaptation have opted to give much more development for both characters. In doing so, Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann change Frank's fate to something much more affecting and tragic than the game ever allowed.

Related: The Last of Us Episode 3: 17 Easter Eggs & Hidden Details

Frank’s Fate Is Much More Emotional In HBO’s Last Of Us

Frank Painting in Last of Us Episode 3

The primary way this is done is purely through the means of Frank's death. In the game, it is revealed through a collectible letter that Frank ran away from Bill's house. He became sick of Bill's way of life and learned to resent him leading to his attempt to leave Lincoln. In doing so, Frank eventually was bitten by a Runner and infected with the Cordyceps virus. To avoid turning, Frank hung himself and remained hung in the abandoned house until Joel, Ellie, and Bill found him.

This fate is much darker and lonelier than Frank's in The Last of Us episode 3, despite the illness that Frank develops. In HBO's adaptation, Mazin and Druckmann opted to tell a much more beautiful story of two men finding love in a bleak world. This story ends with Frank opting to end his own life using his medication after spending one last, perfect day with Bill. This makes his fate much more emotionally heartwarming and simultaneously heartbreaking than the game, tugging at the heartstrings more than his death in solitude in the game offers.

Frank & Bill’s Backstory Makes His Fate More Tragic

Frank and Bill holding on to each other in The Last of Us episode 3

Another development in The Last of Us episode 3 that makes Frank's fate more upsetting is the backstory surrounding him and Bill. After meeting Bill for the first time, most of The Last of Us episode 3 explores their growing feelings for one another begins with a beautiful scene on a piano between Bill and Frank. This only goes to make Frank's eventual fate much more affecting, as The Last of Us episode 3 massively succeeds in making the audience care for both men and their connection.

Conversely, the game does not develop much about Frank's story, meaning his death isn't really as impactful. All that is known about Frank in the game is that he was Bill's partner and wanted to leave him. This, combined with the disdain Bill shows for Frank and the lack of empathy he shows upon finding Frank's body makes it so that the game is much bleaker in its presentation of Frank's demise. The Last of Us episode 3 greatly fixes this, with the impeccable writing and performances on display, making audiences sympathize enormously with the story and Frank's — and Bill's — death.

Related: The Meaning Behind Ellie Cutting That Infected's Head Open In Episode 3

Bill's Story Improves His Character From The Game

Nick Offerman as Bill Last of Us

One aspect of the amazing Last of Us episode 3 that goes hand in hand with Frank's death is Bill's story. Throughout most of the original game concerning him, Bill is a problematic, argumentative, unlikeable figure meaning it is difficult for players to connect with him. However, this is massively changed for The Last of Us episode 3, with HBO's adaptation making him one of the better characters in the show thus far. From Nick Offerman's fantastic performance to the aforementioned wonderful story surrounding Bill and Frank, the character is vastly improved from the game.

In making Bill more sympathetic, the episode makes investing in his and Frank's relationship much easier. While The Last of Us' Frank is equally well-written and performed by Murray Bartlett, he is almost an original character due to the lack of information about him in the game. Due to Bill's character in The Last of Us episode 3 being such a departure from his game counterpart, audiences can much easier see the differences. This makes HBO's version more likable by default, in that he is subliminally compared to the purposefully unlikeable character from the games, making his and Frank's fate much more tragic.

Frank's Fate Works Better With The Last Of Us' Overall Story

Joel Listening To Bill's Letter Last of Us Episode 3

Finally, one of the main reasons why the fate of Frank in The Last of Us episode 3 works much better than the game is its impact on Joel. In the original game, Frank and Bill's fate is included mainly to showcase the bleak nature of The Last of Us' world. Through including such a dark story, the cruel nature of the game's world is only instilled in players' minds more than it already was. While this successfully builds the game's world and tone, it has little to no impact on Joel's journey, failing to further the overall themes of Joel's central story.

The Last of Us episode 3 completely rectifies this by thematically tying together Frank and Bill's relationship with Joel and Ellie's. Bill's suicide note exemplifies this, with the letter explaining how men like Bill and Joel have a job to do: protect their loved ones. While Bill initially means Tess as her death takes place after his, this will eventually be applied to Ellie at the end of season 1 and going into The Last of Us season 2. Frank's fate will ultimately lead Joel to think about Ellie as his own daughter and someone he needs to protect.

Related: Explaining The Last Of Us' Infection Origin & Flour Connection

Frank's death caused Bill to leave Joel the letter and unwittingly highlight Joel's tragic failure to save Tess. In doing this, Joel will undoubtedly think about his failure to save Sarah. But, as is known from the events of the original game's story, Joel will take these words to heart and eventually do anything he can to protect Ellie who he sees as his newfound daughter. This all means that The Last of Us episode 3 will be intrinsically tied to emotional arc Joel will go through across the remainder of season 1, something that the game failed to make clear through Frank's fate.

New episodes of The Last of Us release every Sunday on HBO.

More: Is Nick Offerman Gay? His Last Of Us Role Explained