Original air date: February 6, 2023
Traveling through Missouri on their way to Wyoming, Joel and Ellie take a shortcut through the ruins of Kansas City when they get ambushed by bandits. Joel kills two of them, but a third manages to overpower and nearly strangle him to death before Ellie saves him by shooting the man with her gun. More bandits, led by Kathleen, find the bodies; Kathleen, believing that Joel and Ellie are in contact with a man named Henry she is hunting, orders a manhunt. Kathleen’s second-in-command, Perry, finds evidence of infected burrowing their way into the city, but Kathleen orders him to conceal it until they find Henry. Joel finds a high-rise where he and Ellie decide to sleep for the night until they can scout a way out of Kansas City. They wake up to find Henry and his brother Sam holding them at gunpoint.
* * *
(pensive theme playing)
♪ ♪
(water dripping)
Pew, pew. Pew.
(grunts)
(bullet clinks)
(gun clicks)
(sniffs)
We have to do this every hour?
Gas breaks down over time. This stuff’s almost water. Back in the day, we’d drive 10, 12 hours on one tank. You could go anywhere.
So where’d you go?
Pretty much nowhere. (blows)
Nice! How does that work?
It’s a siphon. It’s when liquid… travels against gravity because pressure…
You don’t know.
I know it works.
(Ellie laughs)
No wandering.
Okay. This is your fault then.
(unzipping backpack)
“It doesn’t matter how much you push the envelope, it’ll still be stationery.” (laughs) “No Pun Intended, Volume Too” by Will Livingston. “Volume Too.” Look. You get it? “Too”? Like, T-o-o.
Jesus.
(laughs) “What did the mermaid wear to her math class?”
“An algae bra.” Like, (laughs) algae bra.
“I stayed up all night…
No.
“wondering where the sun went… and then it dawned on me.”
Feel free to wait in the truck.
Ugh, okay, but just know, you can’t escape Will Livingston. He’ll be back. There’s nothing you can do to stop him.
Ellie: Must’ve been some truck.
Yeah, they used to stick big-ass plows on them, and clear the roads for their tanks and such.
I wanna see a tank.
You will. Tanks, choppers, all that stuff.
(sighs)
But they’ll fight the wrong enemy. Just scattered around now.
I got somethin’. Here. This make you all nostalgic?
This is actually before my time.
Great.
It’s a winner, though.
(“Alone and Forsaken” by Hank Williams playing)
♪ We met in the springtime when blossoms unfold ♪
Oh, man.
Got somethin’ else. It’s, uh… light on the reading, but it has some interesting pictures.
Oh. No, no, no. Put that back. That’s not for kids. Ellie.
How would he even walk around with that thing?
Please get rid of it.
Hold your horses. I wanna see what all the fuss is about. Why are all these pages stuck together?
Uhh… the…
I’m just fuckin’ with ya.
Bye-bye, dude!
♪ Alone and forsaken by fate and by man ♪
♪ Oh Lord, if you hear me, please hold to my hand ♪
♪ Oh, please understand ♪
♪ Oh, where has she gone to ♪
♪ Oh, where can she be ♪
♪ She may have forsaken some other like me ♪
♪ She promised to honor, to love, and obey ♪
♪ Each vow was a plaything that she threw away ♪
♪ The darkness is fallin’, the sky has turned gray ♪
♪ A hound in the distance is starting to bay ♪
♪ I wonder, I wonder what she’s thinkin’ of ♪
♪ Forsaken, forgotten without any love ♪
(song ends)
All right. That’s enough for today.
(light music playing)
(birds chirping)
Slow down.
This is slow. What am I even eating?
That is 20-year-old Chef Boyardee ravioli.
(mouth full) That guy was good.
I actually agree.
How long we staying out here?
I figure I sleep tonight… and drive tomorrow all day, all night, get us to Wyoming by next mornin’.
So can we start a fire? I’m freezing.
Now, why am I gonna tell you no?
Because Infected will see the smoke.
No. Fungus isn’t that smart. This is too remote for Infected, anyway.
People? So what are they gonna do? Rob us?
Oh, they’ll have way more in mind than that.
Okay.
Actually smells kinda good.
Well, that would be Frank’s then.
(Ellie chuckles)
(Joel grunts)
Joel. (louder) Joel.
What?
Can I ask you a serious question?
Yeah.
(sighs)
“Why did the scarecrow get an award?”
Because he was outstanding in his field.
(laughs) You dick! Did you read this?
No. Now go to sleep.
Hm.
Those people you said… there’s no way anyone knows we’re here, right? No one’s gonna find us.
No one’s gonna find us.
(eerie music playing)
Okay.
(bubbling)
(clinking)
(birds chirping)
(sniffs) Ugh! The fuck is that?
You don’t like coffee?
(grunts)
(starting engine)
Is that seriously what those Starbucks in the QZ used to sell?
Well, theirs was a lot fresher than what Bill saved up, but, yeah, this is what they sold.
Smells like burnt shit.
(slurps loudly)
Eyes on the map.
76 west and then… 70 west for, like, ever. Where in Wyoming did you say your brother was?
Last contact came through a radio tower close to Cody.
Cody. Cody, Cody. Ah, man. That is deep up in there.
Yeah.
And if he’s not there?
Then odds are he’ll be near a settlement, probably close to another city out there. Ain’t too many of ’em in Wyoming.
Chee-Yen.
Cheyenne.
Che… really? Cheyenne… Laramie… Casper? What’s his name?
Whose name?
Your brother.
Tommy.
Younger or older?
Younger.
Why isn’t he with you?
A long story.
Is it longer than 25 hours? ‘Cause I think that’s what we got.
Tommy’s what we used to call a “joiner.” Dreams of becomin’ a hero. So he enlisted in the Army right outta high school. A few months later, they ship him off to Desert Storm. It’s what they called that war. It doesn’t matter. Point is, bein’ in the Army didn’t make him feel much like a hero. Cut to 12 years later, outbreak happens. He convinces me to join a group makin’ their way up to Boston, which I did… mostly to keep an eye on him, keep him alive. It’s where we met Tess. And that whole crew, we, uh… Well, for what it was, it worked. And then Tommy meets Marlene. She talks him into joinin’ the Fireflies. Same mistake he made when he was 18. Wants to save the world. Pipe dream. Him, Fireflies, all of ’em… delusional. ‘Course, last I heard, he quit the Fireflies, too. So now he’s on his own out there, and… I gotta go get him.
(solemn music playing)
If you don’t think there’s hope for the world, why bother going on? I mean, you gotta try, right?
You haven’t seen the world, so you don’t know. You keep goin’ for family. That’s about it.
I’m not family.
No… you’re cargo. And I made a promise to Tess. And she was like family.
What if you don’t find him?
I will.
How do you know?
I’m persistent. Ya got up pretty early. If you wanna grab more sleep…
Pfft. I’m not even tired.
(light snoring)
(uneasy music playing)
Stay put.
♪ ♪
(wind blowing)
♪ ♪
Where are we?
Kansas City.
How far back do we have to go to get around this?
(Joel sighs) Screw it.
What are you doing?
We can jog right around this tunnel… take the next ramp… and we’re back on the road. Minute tops.
♪ ♪
Where the fuck is the highway?
I can’t tell from this. I’m all turned around.
Don’t look at the state map. Look at the inset.
Well, I don’t know where we are in that either! This is my second day in a fucking car, man. I mean, I think we’re heading north?
♪ ♪
It’s gotta be the right.
(Ellie sighs)
What the fuck?
Stop!
(tires screeching)
Is that the QZ? Where the fuck is FEDRA?
Man: Hey! Please help!
Put your seatbelt on.
Aren’t we gonna help him?
No.
(accelerating)
Man: Fuck!
Go, go, go!
Joel!
(tires screeching)
Joel: Fuck.
(gunshot)
Are you okay?
Yeah.
You’re not hurt? Nothin’?
I don’t think so.
(gunfire)
(glass shatters)
(shouts) Belts off. Fast!
(gunfire)
(glass shatters)
Person: Let’s see you, motherfucker! Give us your shit, you make it through this! I promise!
Joel: Hey, you see that hole? Can you squeeze through?
(gunfire)
Person: Last chance!
When I say go, you crawl to that wall, and you squeeze through, and you don’t come out until I say, okay?
(gunshot)
(gunfire)
And they’re not gonna hit you. Look at me! They’re not gonna hit you.
(gunshot)
You stay down, you stay low, you stay quiet.
Mm-hmm.
Okay.
Okay.
(shouts) Go!
(gunfire)
♪ ♪
(breathing heavily)
Person: Fuck!
Person: You motherfucker!
(Joel grunts)
(footsteps approach)
(glass crunches)
(gunshot)
(loud thud)
(heavy breathing)
(panting)
(grunting)
(struggling)
Now you’re gonna fuckin’ pay! What you fuckin’ did, you fuckin’ killed yourself, motherfucker!
(grunting)
(Joel choking)
(tense music playing)
(gasping, choking)
(person yelps)
(Joel coughing)
(gasping, wheezing)
(heavy breathing)
No, no, no, no, no! It’s okay. It’s okay. It’s over. We’re not fighting anymore. I’m gonna go home. I’ll tell everyone you’re good. (cries) I don’t know what to do. My legs don’t work. (panting) My mom isn’t far, if you could get me to her.
(groaning)
We could trade with you guys. We could be friends. I didn’t know. I’m Bryan. I’m Bryan. What’s your name? (sniffles)
(heavy breathing)
(Bryan crying)
Wait, wait, wait.
(crying) You can have it… It’s a good knife.
Get back behind the wall.
No, no, no, no! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!
Please, please. We could just talk. I’m sorry! I’m sorry!
Please, please. No, no, no! Please! No, please! Please! I’m sorry!
I’m sorry! Please! You don’t have to! I’m sorry! I’m sorry!
Please! No, no, no! We can just talk! Mom! Mom! Mom!
(dull thump)
(Bryan gasping)
(heavy breathing)
Joel: Ellie, I gotta get in there. I can’t fit through.
There’s some stuff against the door.
Well, can you move it?
Let’s go. Fast.
Right.
(Ellie grunts)
(panting)
I’m okay… I’m good. I, uh, got some food in here still, and I got your light still. (exhales) What now?
We go up.
To get a better look?
Hopefully, we spot a clear route out.
Stay close.
Got it.
♪ ♪
(car passing)
Person: Bryan! Bryan!
Body, body! They got fuckin’ Bryan!
Edelstein: I told you. I was alone. I haven’t seen any of those people since that night. What else do you want me to say?
I don’t know. The truth?
Kathleen.
(sighs) The Bergquists, hm? No? Mark Anthony Halpin. Carrie Schreiber. You haven’t seen them? The Chans? Henry Burrell.
Okay. You know where Henry is. (sighs) Lawyer. Medical attention. Family visit. I wonder if this is the cell… where my brother was beaten to death.
Oh, you were wronged. And I’m sorry. But this has gone too far. It has to stop.
Oh, it has to stop now, you mean? Now that you’re in the cell. But before, people dying was okay. When you were safe and protected, and ratting on your neighbors to FEDRA.
They put a gun to my head.
There. Have I satisfied the necessary conditions for you to talk?
Kathleen, for God’s sake. I delivered you. I held you in my hands. I never told them anything about your brother.
But Henry did. And we know that he’s still in the city. And I think that you know that, too. (sniffles)
(sighs) Where is he? You think I won’t do it?
I’m your doctor.
(truck horn honking)
(distant chatter)
♪ ♪
Who did this?
We think it was outsiders. We found a truck, loaded. It’s not a FEDRA vehicle, but they were heavily supplied. Could be mercs.
Well, if Henry has a radio… maybe he found someone out there. He… M… Maybe he called these guys in.
Will he live?
What if I had a doctor?
Medic: There’s no chance. I’m sorry.
♪ ♪
Kathleen: Open it.
(thud)
(chain rattles)
This is Henry’s work. Understand? And he won’t stop until we stop him. Find who did this. Find every collaborator and kill them all.
♪ ♪
(shouting)
Ellie: They’re not FEDRA, and they’re not Fireflies, so who are they?
Joel: People.
Are we okay in here?
For a little bit, maybe. Looks like they’re checkin’ out apartment buildings first. But they’ll be coming through these places soon enough.
There’s a really tall building, like, four blocks away.
Yeah. Saw it.
So that’s the one?
As soon as we don’t hear a truck, we move. Fast as we can.
(trucks passing)
Are you okay?
I’m all right. Are you all right?
Yeah.
(sighs) Thing is, is I didn’t hear that guy comin’, and… you shouldn’t have had to… you know?
Well, you’re glad I did, right?
You’re just a kid. You shouldn’t know what it means to… It’s not like you killed him. But… shootin’ or… I know what it’s like… first time that you, uh, hurt… someone like that. If you, uh… w… uh… (sighs) I’m not good at this.
Yeah, you really aren’t.
I mean, it was my fault. You shouldn’t have had to. And I’m sorry.
(light music playing)
(sniffling)
It wasn’t my first time.
♪ ♪
(bullet clinks)
Show me your grip. Finger off the trigger. Now, who taught you that?
FEDRA school.
Figures.
Your thumb…
Mm-hmm.
…over your thumb. Left hand… squeezes down on the right. You got it? There ya go. Look it.
(laughs)
Okay?
(loads gun)
Uh-uh. You put it in your pack. You’ll shoot your damn ass off.
(Joel groans)
We’ll get through this.
I know.
(tense music playing)
Kathleen: No sign of them. You?
Yeah.
♪ ♪
(door shuts)
(floor creaking)
They’re out of food. Henry won’t let Sam starve. Double the guards around our provisions. He’s fucking close. I can feel it.
Yeah.
What?
(sighs)
♪ ♪
Fuck.
(rumbling)
(rumbles)
Fuck, fuck.
(sighs)
When do we tell the others?
Not yet. Let’s just handle what we have to handle. We can deal with this after.
Kathleen…
After. Seal off the building for now. Okay?
Yeah.
You’re just gonna put your foot here. One, two…
Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit.
Straighten up. I got you.
(clinking, clanking)
Ellie: Okay, I’m in.
Take a look around first. Ellie.
(clanking)
Goddamnit.
Where would you be without me, huh?
By now, Wyoming.
Oh, yeah. Walked into that one.
All right. We’ll make our way up, and come morning, I’ll take a look at the city, and find our way out.
We’re goin’ up 42 flights?
Forty-five. But no… not all the way.
How far?
As far as I can make it.
(Ellie laughs)
(light music playing)
(Ellie breathing heavily)
Hey, you know that guy who said he was hurt? How did you know it was an ambush?
I’ve been on both sides. It was a long time ago. We did what we needed to survive.
You and Tess?
And the people we were with. My brother, too.
Did you kill innocent people?
C’mon.
(both panting)
Holy shit.
Yeah.
Thirty-three floors. That’s good.
It’s gonna have to be.
Come on.
Gimme a minute.
Get up, you lazy ass.
(grunts) Lazy ass. Fifty-six years old, you little shit.
(laughs)
(glass clinking)
Joel? Joel. (louder) Joel.
What?
What are you doing?
I don’t want someone sneakin’ up on us while we’re sleepin’.
Ohh, I get it. Crunch, crunch, crunch. Are you sure you’re gonna hear it?
Of course, I’ll hear it. That’s the damn point.
Okay. Well, good night. (sighs)
(Joel grunts)
Yeah, good night.
Hey.
Yeah?
When we were talkin’ about hurtin’ people… what did you mean it wasn’t your first time?
I don’t wanna talk about it.
All right. … You don’t have to. I’m just sayin’… it isn’t fair, your age… havin’ to deal with all of this…
So it gets easier when you get older?
No, not really. But still.
The reason I asked whether you’d hear the glass or not is ’cause I’ve noticed you don’t hear too well from your right side. Is it ’cause you were shot there?
Probably more from shootin’. So if you wanna keep your hearin’, you stick to that knife.
Joel?
Hm?
Did you know diarrhea is hereditary?
What?
Yeah. It runs in your jeans.
(Ellie snickers)
(softly) Jesus.
(both laughing)
That is so goddamn stupid.
You laughed, motherfucker.
I didn’t laugh.
Yes, you did.
Jesus, I’m losin’ it.
You’re losin’ it big time.
(both laughing)
♪ ♪
Go to sleep.
Ellie: (laughing) You go to sleep…
Ellie (muffled) Joel? (louder) Joel!
(heavy breathing)
(tense music playing)
(“True Faith” sung by Lotte Kestner playing)
♪ I feel so extraordinary ♪
♪ Something’s got a hold on me ♪
♪ I got this feelin’ I’m in motion ♪
♪ A sudden sense of liberty ♪
♪ I don’t care ’cause I’m not there ♪
♪ And I don’t care if I’m here tomorrow ♪
♪ Again and again, I’ve taken too much ♪
♪ Of the things that cost you too much ♪
♪ I used to think that the day would never come… ♪
