The Last Of Us episode 5 tells one of the most heartbreaking stories from the video games. Players are likely anxious for this episode, knowing how difficult it will be to watch it all play out in front of them again.
The previous episode ended with Sam pointing a gun at Ellie, so we knew the story of Henry and Sam was coming. While it plays out exactly as it does in the video game, it is still an emotional roller coaster of an episode.
A Look At The Overthrowing Of The QZ
The Last Of Us episode 5 starts with the QZ riots. Here we see how Kathleen’s group overthrew the government of the Kansas City quarantine zone and took over. We also see Sam and Henry together, trying to escape the craziness. However, it becomes clear that they are in real danger. The two use sign language to communicate, indicating that Sam is deaf.
Kathleen is seen questioning a large group of prisoners about Henry and Sam. She threatens to kill them until they give up someone called Edelstein. She tells these people that things are going great; Kansas City is free now. As she leaves, she tells one of her people to kill them all.
We then see Henry and Sam meet up with Edelstein, who shows them an attic room they can hide in for the time being. Henry mentions that they have 11 days of food, and Edelstein says he will return with a plan. It then jumps forward to 10 days later, and their supplies are running out. Edelstein has yet to return to them, making it apparent that Kathleen likely got to him already.
Henry explains to Sam that it is time for them to go. They need food and have to get away from Kathleen. Sam is very clearly worried, and to make him feel brave, Henry paints Sam’s face with a superhero mask – which we see him with at the end of episode 4.
Just as they are about to leave the house, Henry hears shooting outside and stops. This is Joel and Ellie having the altercation that played out in the previous episode. Henry tells Sam they have a change of plans after he witnesses Joel and Ellie entering the building they are hiding in. They find them, and it picks up where The Last Of Us episode 4 left off — with Sam pointing a gun at Ellie and Henry pointing one at Joel.
Deciding to Work Together
As The Last Of Us episode 5 continues, Henry explains who they are to Joel and Ellie. He says he is the most wanted man in Kansas City after a betrayal, and now it seems Joel is a close second. He admits that he is a collaborator, to which Joel replies he does not work with rats. Joel quickly realizes that it would make sense to work together, however. Henry knows where to go but doesn’t want to kill to get out. Joel can take care of that department, so Henry suggests he will show the way, and Joel will clear the way.
When Joel sees Ellie and Sam having fun and laughing together with the pun book, he agrees to help. This could be good for her, after all. Henry draws a map and explains there are infected below the city but that the tunnel is empty. He is impressed to learn that Ellie and Joel survived two clickers and says clearly they are the right ones for the job. They are cautious about it, saying it could have been re-infected after being cleared three years ago, but they don’t seem to have much of a choice.
In the tunnels, which appear to be cleaned out, they discover a room filled with toys and games, including a soccer ball and a painted goal on the wall. This is a nod to the video games — especially where Sam and Ellie play soccer in the series. It is here that Ellie and Sam find a comic book, which is something that Ellie collects in the games. The two read it together.
Henry & Sam’s Backstory
This is where Henry explains their situation to Joe while they let the kids play. Sam had leukemia, and it turns out only one drug would help him. Considering there wasn’t much left of it, Henry had to trade something to get it from FEDRA. And they wanted him to give up Kathleen’s brother.
He admits he was a good man but was also the leader of the resistance in Kansas City. Henry says that Joel might not be Ellie’s father, but it is clear to him that he is someone’s. So he figures Joel understands why he did what he did. This is why Kathleen is so intent on killing Henry, and Sam happens to be collateral.
Once leaving the tunnels, they walk up a hill to a house but are fired on by someone inside. Ellie, Sam, and Henry hide behind a car while Joel goes around and takes him out. An old man whom he tries to make a deal with but is forced to kill.
Then a bunch of trucks and people, led by Kathleen, show up, and Joel has to shoot them from a window as Henry, Ellie, and Sam run from them. Something very similar happens in the TLOU game, with Joel shooting out a window and stopping the attackers from saving Ellie, Henry, and Sam.
Henry tells Ellie to take Sam before he stands up to face Kathleen, seemingly ready to die. She will kill Henry, but her plans are foiled when a truck falls into the ground and opens up a massive hole for the infected, who Henry said live under the city, to swarm them all.
This turns into an epic fight, with infected and people going toe to toe — although the infected are winning. That is when a massive bloater climbs out of the hole and joins the fight. Ellie sees Henry and Sam hiding under a car with clickers trying to get to them. She knows she must help them and trusts Joel to protect her from the window as she runs toward them.
So Long, Kathleen
As the three are about to make it to Joel, leaving Kathleen and her people with the infected, Kathleen appears. Just when she is going to kill them, a clicker jumps and kills her, allowing Sam, Ellie, and Henry to make it to safety.
Joel invites them to come with them to Wyoming, and Henry says yes. They agree it will be nice for Sam and Ellie to have each other, who are seen reading a comic book in the bedroom. They are told it is time for lights out and to get some rest, but Ellie almost immediately tells Sam to get up and continue to read the comic. Sam stops, however, and pulls out his pad that he uses for communication.
A Heartbreaking End
Sam asks Ellie if she is scared, to which she replies, “all the time.” He then asks questions about the infected, like if someone has been bitten, are they still the same person on the inside? Sam then reveals to her that he has been bit, which must have occurred during the big fight.
Ellie is immediately upset because she has grown to really like Sam. She shows him her bite scar and explains that her blood is medicine. She then cuts her hand and rubs the blood into his bite, hoping that will save his life. She then promises everything will be ok.
In the morning, Ellie wakes up and sees Sam sitting on the edge of the bed staring out the window. When she puts her hand on him, he attacks her – yup, he has turned. Henry and Joel burst in, and Henry shoots Sam in the head, killing him since he seems to have no choice. He points the gun at Joel, unsure what to do, and then starts crying. Henry then shoots himself right in front of Joel and Ellie, committing suicide.
The final moments of The Last Of Us episode 5 show Ellie and Joel burying Sam and Henry. Ellie takes Sam’s pad and writes “I’m Sorry” on it before placing it on his grave. They then leave, heading west.
Overall Thoughts
The Last Of Us episode 5 will send those who don’t know the story on an emotional roller coaster – and will have those who do dread the outcome. This episode focuses heavily on Henry and Sam, who are essential to Ellie and Joel’s journey. This series seems to give each key moment its time with an entire episode, which is working really well so far.
Seeing so much of the video game come to life in this episode, plus giving viewers a massive fight between humans and the infected, makes it the best episode yet.
Rating: 10/10
