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The Last of Us – S01E08 – When We Are in Need | Transcript

Ellie crosses paths with a vengeful group of survivors and draws the attention of its leader. A weakened Joel faces a new threat.
The Last of Us (TV series)

Original air date: March 6, 2023

While hunting to get food for Joel, who is still recovering, Ellie encounters a preacher, David, and his fellow hunter James. She trades her deer for penicillin. David explains he found God after the apocalypse and is now the leader of a group of survivors. He reveals the man who stabbed Joel was a member of his group. Ellie leaves and injects Joel. The next day, she spots David with a group of men, seeking vengeance against Joel. She flees to draw them away from Joel but is captured. At David’s camp, he reveals he has been feeding his group human meat. Meanwhile, Joel awakens and tortures some of David’s men into telling him Ellie’s whereabouts. David and James attempt to kill Ellie but she murders James and escapes. David hunts Ellie down, but she overpowers him and kills him with a butcher knife. Joel finds Ellie and they embrace, then walk away.

* * *

(pensive theme music plays)

♪ ♪

(wind howling)

(eerie music playing)

David: Revelation 21. “And I saw a new heaven and a new Earth. For the first heaven and the first Earth were passed away. And I heard a great voice out of heaven say, ‘Behold… the tabernacle of God is with men. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.’ “

(Hannah crying)

Joyce: (quietly) It’s okay. It’s okay, it’s okay. It’s okay, it’s okay. Shh-shh.

David: (sighs) I’ve read this passage too many times.

(Hannah crying)

David: Do you remember what comes next?

Hannah: Mm-mm.

David: “‘And God will wipe away all tears from their eyes… ‘that there will be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither will there be any more pain… for the former things are passed away.’ “

(Hannah inhales)

David: Do you know what that means?

Good.

(solemn music playing)

Hannah: When can we bury him?

David: The ground is too cold to dig. We’ll bury your father in the spring.

David: Bless you… God bless you. We’ll get through this, Joyce.

David: How much do we have left? Venison… elk, rabbit.

James: Keep the whole town on rations… maybe a week. Two at best. Josiah and Martin think they spotted some deer the other night, couple miles east. It was dark. See what you wanna see sometimes. Anyway.

David: James.

James: Yeah?

David: I sensed doubt in there.

James: They haven’t lost faith in ya, David. They’re just scared.

David: Not from them.

James: I still believe. It’s been a–(sniffles) The last six months have been hard.

David: For all of us. But I need to know you’re with me.

James: Yeah.

David: Good. Now go get our guns. We’re goin’ huntin’.

James: All right.

♪ ♪

Ellie: You thirsty?

(Joel coughs)

(heavy breathing)

♪ ♪

(Ellie whispering): I’m gonna be right back, okay?

(ambient nature sounds)

(Ellie grunts)

(heavy breathing)

(distant clicking)

(clicking continues)

(tense music playing)

♪ ♪

(deer wails)

(birds cawing)

Ellie: No fucking way.

♪ ♪

(birds cawing)

David: Well, what do you think?

James: I don’t see anybody. You think we can just take it?

David: Yeah. Quickly. Whoever shot it’s probably nearby.

Ellie: Don’t! Drop your rifles! (yells) Now! … Turn and face me… Slow. Any sudden moves, I put one right between your eyes. Ditto for buddy boy.

David: You’re quite a hunter. We didn’t even hear you coming.

Ellie: Turn around and walk away.

David: Okay.

Just go!

David: Okay, all I ask is 10 seconds of your time. I just wanna talk.

I won’t say it twice.

David: Please. Just 10 seconds. My name is David. This is my friend, James. We’re from a larger group: women, children, and we’re all… very, very hungry.

(Ellie sniffles) I’m from a large group, too. Also hungry.

David: Well, even so… ya can’t drag this back on your own. We’re not asking for charity. We-we can trade you for some of the deer. We have– What do you need? We have… boots.

Ellie: Medicine? Like, for infections.

David: We do. Back in our village. You’re welcome to follow us.

Ellie: I’m not following you anywhere. Buddy boy can go get it. He comes back, you get half the deer. Anyone else shows up, I put one right betw–

David: Put one right between my eyes.

Ellie: That’s right.

David: All right, go talk to Howard. He’s got a case with some penicillin. Bring back two bottles and a syringe. It’s not code, James. Do as I said.

Ellie: Ten steps back. Keep going.

David: That’s your dad’s gun? He the one that’s sick? That’s why you’re out here on your own? Well, look, uh… it’s a four-mile round trip back to our settlement. It’s gonna be… a while before James gets back. I have some oil and matches in my pack. We could… take shelter, start a fire.

Ellie: Bring him with us. Go.

(David grunts)

(fire crackling)

David: You know, you really shouldn’t be out here all on your own.

Ellie: From where I’m sitting, you shouldn’t be out here on your own.

David: Fair enough. So what’s your name? It’s hard to trust strangers. I know. But I honestly mean you no harm. And for what it’s worth, there’s room for you in our group, if you want.

Ellie: You’re inviting me to your Hunger Club? Thanks.

David: (chuckles) It’s true. We’re hungry, but… we’re still here. I’m a decent man just tryna take care of the people who rely on me.

Ellie: You’re their leader?

David: Wasn’t my choice. It was theirs. But… yes.

Ellie: They “chose to follow you.” Is this some weird cult thing?

David: Uhh, well, you sorta kinda got me there. I am a preacher, but just pretty standard Bible stuff. What?

Ellie: The whole world ended and you still believe that shit.

David: I actually started believing after the world ended. Before that, I was a teacher. Math. Taught kids about your age.

Ellie: So you went from teacher to preacher because, what? It fuckin’ rhymes?

David: Yeah, exactly.

Ellie: But seriously.

David: Well, I found God… after the Apocalypse, which is either the best time or the worst time to find Him, hard to say. But when the Pittsburgh QZ fell in ’17, Fireflies and FEDRA… I left with a few others and th-that’s how I ended up with our flock.

Ellie: Long way from Pittsburgh.

David: (chuckles) Yeah, we’d settle somewhere, and then raiders would come, so we’d move again. And as we wandered, we picked up new people along the way until… we ended up here.

Ellie: Well, your luck had to run out sooner or later.

David: Hm? Luck? There’s no such thing as luck. No, I-I-I-I believe everything happens for a reason. It does. I can prove it to you.

Ellie: Okay.

David:  We didn’t expect this winter to be so cruel. Nothing’ll grow. Game’s been hard to find. So I sent four of our people to a nearby town to-to scavenge what they could. And only three of ’em came back. And the one that didn’t was a father. He had a daughter just like you. And her dad was taken from her. Turns out, he was murdered… by this crazy man. And get this. That crazy man… was traveling with a little girl. You see? Everything happens for a reason. James, lower the gun.

James: She is the one that killed Alec, isn’t she?

David: She didn’t kill anybody. Lower the gun.

(heavy breathing)

♪ ♪

David: Did you bring the medicine?

James: Yeah, but–

David: Throw it to her.

James: David.

Ellie: Back away.

David: I know you’re not with a group. You won’t survive for long out there. I can protect you.

(James scoffs) So you’re just gonna let her get away?

♪ ♪

(Ellie panting)

(door closes)

(light guitar music playing)

Ellie: Ah, okay, the fuck do I put this, Joel? Joel? Joel, where the fuck do I put this? (sighs) Fuck it.

(Joel groaning)

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

(Ellie breathing heavily)

(door closes)

Only five more left.

What is it?

Venison.

(indistinct chatter)

(door closes)

David: Big one.

(chatter stops)

David: If you’ve heard a rumor… yes, we found a girl who was with the man who took Alec from us. When the sun rises, I’ll lead a group out to pick up her trail. Won’t be hard to find in the snow. We’ll follow it to wherever they’re hiding… and we’ll bring that man to justice.

Hannah: You should kill him. You should kill both of them.

(people murmuring)

(Hannah whimpering)

(tense music playing)

David: I know you think you don’t have a father anymore. But the truth is, Hannah, you will always have a father. And you will show him respect when he’s speaking.

♪ ♪

(David unzips jacket)

David: Thank you.

David: Lord, bless this food and grant that we–

All (reciting): May thankful for thy mercies be. To teach us to know by whom we’re fed, bless us with Christ, the living bread.

David: Amen.

All: Amen.

(spoons clinking)

(wind blowing)

(birds cawing)

(light guitar music playing)

♪ ♪

(horse snorting)

(birds cawing)

(louder cawing)

(tense music playing)

(heavy breathing)

♪ ♪

David: Stay alert. If this man’s not already dead, he’s dangerous.

James: What about the girl?

David: We bring her back with us.

James: I don’t mean to question your sense of mercy, David. We can let her go. But we bring that girl back with us, she’s just another mouth to feed.

David: If we leave her out here, she’ll die.

James: Yeah, but maybe that’s God’s will.

♪ ♪

(Ellie panting)

(Joel gasps)

Ellie: Joel! Joel, wake up. Joel, wake the fuck up, Joel.

♪ ♪

Ellie: Okay… okay, look at me. There are men coming, okay? I’m gonna lead them away from you, but if anybody makes it down here, you fucking kill them. You got it? (snaps fingers) Joel. Joel, do not fall asleep.

(footsteps running)

(door closes)

Ellie: Come on.

(horse snorts)

♪ ♪

(Ellie shouts): Hey, motherfuckers!

(gunshot)

Josiah (yells): Shit!

(gunshot)

Ellie: Go! Let’s go.

(David shouts): Alive!

♪ ♪

(grunts)

Ellie: Keep comin’, fuckers!

(James grunts, exhales)

♪ ♪

(horse whinnies)

(James shouts): I got her!

♪ ♪

(Ellie gasping)

Josiah: Do it.

(gunshot)

(birds cawing)

(ejects cartridge)

♪ ♪

David: Two of you with me. Drag the horse. The rest of you, stay here. Go door to door. You so hungry for vengeance? Deliver it.

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

(squeaking)

(footsteps approach)

(Josiah kicks object)

(footsteps)

♪ ♪

(Josiah grunts)

(door squeaking)

(heavy breathing)

♪ ♪

(yelps)

(grunting)

(choking)

(choking, gurgling)

(exhales)

(stops breathing)

(Joel wheezing)

(Ellie heavy breathing)

David: I started worrying you wouldn’t wake up.

(Ellie weakly): Let me out.

David: Well, that’s certainly the goal. Hungry?

Ellie: Why am I in a cage?

David: Because I’m afraid of you. You’re a dangerous person. You’ve certainly proven that. The others, they want me to kill you for all that’s happened. Did you hear me say the others wanna kill you?

Ellie: Yeah.

David: But I stopped them.

Ellie: Fuck you.

David: Why don’t we just start with your name?

Ellie: Eat shit.

David: Hey, listen to me! You can’t survive on your own. No one can. But I can help you. Let me protect you.

Ellie: I’m not on my own.

David: Right. Your friend. And how is he? I can see how much you care about him so I know it hurts. But even so… you gotta face reality. That part of your life, it’s ending. And what I’m offering you is a beginning. But if you can’t find a way to trust me… then, yes, you are alone.

♪ ♪

(door opens)

(door closes)

(birds chirping)

(soft thud)

Marco: Timothy?

(Timothy grunts)

Marco: Oh, shit.

♪ ♪

(thud)

(thud)

(Timothy groaning)

(Marco groans)

(thud)

Timothy: Stop… stop. Please.

(groans)

Marco: Leave him alone.

Joel: You’re next.

Timothy: Please… I don’t know any girl. … Oh, fuck!

Marco: Jesus!

Timothy: Marco. (groans)

Joel: No-no, no-no-no. He can’t help you. You focus right here. Or I’ll pop your fuckin’ kneecap off.

Timothy: She’s alive.

Joel: Where?

Timothy: Ah, fuck! Fuck! Ah, the town!

(Joel screams): What town?!

Timothy: Silver Lake. Ah! It’s not a real town name. It’s a resort.

Joel: A resort?

(Timothy yells)

Joel: You’re gonna point to where we are… and where your “resort” is. And it better be the exact same spot your buddy points to.

Timothy: Okay. … That’s where we are. I swear. Go ask him. He’ll tell you. I’m not lying.

(Timothy grunts)

Timothy: Ah!

Marco: No… no! Shit! Jesus! No! Why the fuck did you do that?! He told you what you wanted! You motherfucker. Fuck you. I ain’t tellin’ you shit.

Joel: It’s okay… I believe him.

Marco: No, no. No!

(pipe clanks)

(Ellie grunts)

(heavy breathing)

♪ ♪

David: For what it’s worth, this is just deer meat. I swear.

Ellie: You’re gonna chop me up into little pieces.

David: I’d rather not. Please, just tell me your name. If you wanna judge me–

(Ellie shouts): Judge you? You’re eating people, you sick fuck!

David: Yes. There are only a few of us that know. But I would’ve told you. Sooner or later. I guess sooner.

Ellie: You’re an animal.

David: Well, yes, we all are. That’s sorta the point.

(sighs)

David: It was a last resort. You think it doesn’t shame me? But what was I supposed to do? Let them starve? These people who put their lives in my hands, who e-expect me to keep them safe, who love me?

Ellie: Yeah, maybe.

David: You don’t believe that. I don’t think your friend would either. Didn’t he take another man’s life to save yours?

Ellie: He was defending himself.

David: He was defending you. But you knew that. You see a lot. So do I. And you know what I see when I look at you? Me. You remind me of me. You’re a natural leader, you’re smart… loyal. Violent.

Ellie: You don’t know anything about me.

David: But I do. If I let you out of that cage right now, put that knife of yours in your hand, you’d stick me in a second. You have a violent heart. And I should know. I’ve always had a violent heart. And I struggled with it for a long time. But then the world ended and I was shown the truth.

Ellie: Right… by God.

David: No. By Cordyceps. What does Cordyceps do? Is it evil? No. It’s fruitful. It multiplies. It feeds and protects its children, and it secures its future with violence, if it must. It loves.

Ellie: Why are you telling me all of this?

David: Because you can handle it. The way the others can’t. They need God. They need heaven. They need… they need a father. You don’t. You’re beyond that. I’m a shepherd surrounded by sheep, and all I want… is an equal. A friend.

Ellie: What about my friend?

David: Like I said, loyal. I can tell the others to stop looking for him. They’ll spare him.

Ellie: Really? They’ll just let him go?

David: Yes. If he leaves us in peace, they will just let him go. They do what I tell them to do. They follow me. And they would follow us. Lord knows I could use the help. I– Look what’s happened. Think of what we could do together, as strong as we are. We’d make this place perfect. We’d grow, spread out. And we’d do whatever we needed for our people. Imagine the life we could give them. Imagine the life we could build.

Ellie: Oh.

(bone cracks)

David: Ah, ah!

(both grunting)

(Ellie groaning)

David: You little cunt. Let’s see what I go tell the others now.

Ellie: Ellie.

David: What?

Ellie: Tell them that Ellie is the little girl who broke your fucking finger!

David: How did you put it? Hmm? “Tiny little pieces”?

(door closes)

♪ ♪

(Joel heavy breathing)

♪ ♪

(Joel grunts)

♪ ♪

♪ ♪

Ellie: No! No! No! (screams) Get off of me! Get off!

Agh!

(grunting)

Ellie: Wait, wait!

James: Shut up!

(Ellie grunts) Wait, wait, wait, wait! Don’t! Don’t do it! Please, don’t do it! Please, don’t! Don’t!

David: You had your chance.

Ellie: I’m infected! I’m infected.

(Jason scoffs)

Ellie: And now so are you. Roll up my sleeve. Look at it. Look at it!

(Ellie winces)

♪ ♪

Ellie: What did you say? Everything happens for a reason, right?

Jason: David.

David: No. No, she would’ve turned by now. This isn’t real.

James: It looks pretty fuckin’ real to me.

(Ellie yells)

♪ ♪

(Ellie panting)

(door opens)

(Ellie grunts)

(crackling)

♪ ♪

David: There’s no way out, Ellie. The doors are locked. And I have the keys. Ellie? (tauntingly): Ellie!

(Joel heavy breathing)

♪ ♪

David: Ellie… I know you’re not infected. No one infected fights this hard to stay alive. So… how did you do it? What’s the secret? Or are you just that fucking special? No one likes being humiliated, Ellie. You don’t know how good I am! You don’t know what I could’ve given you! If you had just let me! Well, I have news for you. Neither one of us is dying today. You see, I’ve changed my mind. I’ve decided you do need a father. So I’m gonna keep you… and I’m gonna teach you. Ellie. Ellie…

(Ellie yells)

(grunting)

(David groans)

David: Ah, fuck.

♪ ♪

(grunting)

(groaning)

(Ellie screams)

(Ellie spits)

David: Oh. I thought you already knew. The fighting is the part I like the most.

(Ellie screaming)

David: Don’t be afraid.

(screaming)

David: “There’s no fear in love.”

(screaming)

(David grunts)

(Ellie screaming)

(David groaning)

(David gurgling)

(Ellie screaming)

(heavy breathing)

(Ellie screaming): No! Get off of me! Get off!

Ellie: It’s me.

Ellie: Get–

Ellie: It’s me.

(Ellie hyperventilating)

Hey… look. It’s me… It’s me. It’s okay.

He-(mumbles)

It’s okay. It’s okay, baby girl. I got you.

(softly): Okay.

(solemn music playing)

♪ ♪

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