Warning! This article contains spoilers for The Last of Us episode 8, The Last of Us Part I, and The Last of Us Part II.The Last of Us episode 8 culminates the winter section of the show, providing an abundance of hidden details, references, and game Easter eggs. The Last of Us episode 8 continues dealing with the aftermath of Joel's injury at the end of The Last of Us episode 6. However, rather than solely focusing on Ellie's attempts to save Joel, The Last of Us episode 8 also introduces David and his group from which the men from the University of Eastern Colorado originated.
This begins the harrowing story of Ellie and David, one of the more disturbingly memorable aspects of the original game. Through the introduction of David, his community, his relationship with Ellie, and the effects this has on Joel and Ellie as characters, The Last of Us episode 8 includes many callbacks to the game alongside other hidden details. That being said, here is every one of those references and Easter eggs that can be found in The Last of Us episode 8.
Last Of Us Episode 8’s Ending Is Foreshadowed By Iconic Game Location
The first Easter egg from the original The Last of Us game comes in the opening sequence. The opening establishing shots of The Last of Us episode 8 surround David's community and the cold, harsh winter ravaging the area. The final shot before focusing on David delivering his scripture is of the group's communal area: Todd's Steakhouse. This is the same name as the building from The Last of Us game and foreshadows the ending stand-off between Ellie and David in the steakhouse that occurs in The Last of Us episode 8.
David's Revelations 21 Scripture Typifies The Last Of Us' Themes
The scripture passage David delivers in The Last of Us episode 8 is from Revelations 21, "A New Heaven and a New Earth." This specific scripture was chosen for The Last of Us episode 8 because of a neatly hidden detail that co-writer Craig Mazin explained for HBO's official episode 8 podcast, which can be viewed below. Mazin stated that the passage is about rebirth, building a better world than the previous one, and overcoming grief and tragedy. This typifies the theme of The Last of Us, which is trying to build a better world than the one ravaged by Cordyceps through Ellie.
Joel’s Game Actor Troy Baker Plays James In Last Of Us Episode 8
Arguably the most direct Easter egg to the original The Last of Us game — outside the similar sets, story, and dialog — comes in the form of Troy Baker, the actor who plays James in The Last of Us episode 8. Troy Baker played Joel in the original Last of Us and its sequel, The Last of Us Part II. Baker provided both the voice performance and motion capture work for Joel in both games before the role was given to Pedro Pascal for HBO's adaptation.
Last Of Us Episode 8 Includes Iconic Ellie Game Dialog
Another overt reference to the original The Last of Us game comes in Ellie's first meeting with David and James. After James and David attempt to steal Ellie's deer, she holds them at gunpoint. Ellie shouts "Any sudden moves I put one right between your eyes. Ditto for buddy-boy." This line is taken directly, word-for-word, from the original Last of Us game, with the scene since becoming iconic for Ellie's character.
David’s Backstory In The Last Of Us References An Episode 4 Game Change
A very subtle reference to both the original Last of Us game and HBO's adaptation comes when David explains his backstory. As per his explanation in The Last of Us episode 8, David's group initially comes from Pittsburgh. He states that, after the Pittsburgh QZ fell, he and a group began traveling the country, picking up more followers before settling in Colorado. This is a subtle reference to a change from the game that was found in The Last of Us episode 4, that being that Sam and Henry were located in Kansas City as opposed to Pittsburgh like The Last of Us game.
Last Of Us Episode 8’s Grieving Girl Foreshadows Season 2’s Abby
Warning! The following section contains spoilers for The Last of Us Part I and The Last of Us Part II.A hidden detail can also be found after David returns to his community through a grieving girl named Hannah. Earlier in The Last of Us episode 8, Hannah is shown to be mourning her father, the man Joel killed at the end of The Last of Us episode 6. David reveals that they have found Joel, to which Hannah replies David should kill both Joel and Ellie out of revenge for Joel killing her father. This foreshadows Abby from The Last of Us season 2, who will eventually seek revenge on Joel for killing her own father in The Last of Us episode 9.
Ellie’s Cage Is Identical To The Last Of Us Game
One of the more commonly found Easter eggs referencing the original game throughout The Last of Us episode 8 is its set design, all the way down to Ellie's cage in which David imprisons her. The room is almost identical to the original Last of Us game, with the table just out of reach that David and James will eventually place Ellie onto. This only continues later, when Todd's Steakhouse is set on fire during Ellie and David's confrontation.
David's Comments Link To Last Of Us Episode 7's FEDRA Captain
David's words towards Ellie while caged in The Last of Us episode 8 neatly tie back into the flashbacks of The Last of Us episode 7. In those flashbacks, Ellie's conversation with FEDRA Captain Kwong is shown, in which he says she has all the qualities of a leader, from her clever nature to her loyalty. David says the same to Ellie in The Last of Us episode 8; he sees a leader when he looks at Ellie, as she is strong, smart, loyal, and violent.
The Last Of Us Episode 8 Adapts Joel’s Interrogation Scene
One of the scenes from The Last of Us episode 8 that game fans longed to be included in HBO's show was Joel's interrogation of David's men. Akin to Ellie's earlier introductions with David, Joel's scene with his henchmen is almost word-for-word, the same as the original game. From stabbing one captive in the knee and telling him to point to the map to killing the other accompanied by the words "it's okay, I believe him," one of Joel's most iconic game scenes was perfectly captured in HBO's TV video game adaptation.
Ellie Breaking David’s Hand Is A Last Of Us Game Scene
Another scene adapted from the original The Last of Us with astonishing fidelity in episode 8 was Ellie breaking David's hand. After trying to convince her to join him, Ellie feigns her enthusiasm for his word to grab his hand. After doing so, she breaks his finger and attempts to grab his keys. Ellie then shouts, "Tell them that Ellie is the little girl that broke your f****** finger." Again, this is taken directly from The Last of Us game, with little to no differences.
HBO's Last Of Us Ellie Kills Naughty Dog’s Joel
The scene in which David and James attempt to kill Ellie holds one of the more tongue-in-cheek references to the original game. After distracting David by saying she is infected, Ellie takes the cleaver and kills James, played by the aforementioned Troy Baker. This means that HBO's version of Ellie — played to perfection by Bella Ramsey — kills Naughty Dog's version of Joel, as Baker played the original character.
Last Of Us Episode 8’s Restaurant Ending Is Straight From The Original Game
The final sequence of The Last of Us episode 8 is another scene adapted directly from the original Last of Us game. From the fire that begins burning through the steakhouse to the cat-and-mouse nature of Ellie evading David, the ending of The Last of Us episode 8 emulates the game level perfectly. Alongside the sniper in the house that ended The Last of Us episode 5, this sequence from The Last of Us episode 8 is arguably the closest HBO's show has come to imitate the feel of a pure gameplay sequence from the original game.
Joel And Ellie’s Last Of Us 8 Ending
Finally, the final scene of The Last of Us episode 8 is the last overt reference to the original Last of Us game. While there are a few differences, such as Ellie stumbling outside before Joel finds her as opposed to Joel stopping her from chopping at David, like in the source material, much of the dialog and tone of the scene remains near-identical. With Joel finally embracing Ellie as his daughter, calling her "baby girl" like he used to call Sarah, the scene adapts essentially the most important element for the overall story of The Last of Us.
New episodes of The Last of Us release every Sunday on HBO.