The Last Of Us Episode 6:11 Easter Eggs & Hidden Details
Warning! This article contains spoilers for The Last of Us episode 6, The Last of Us Part I, and The Last of Us Part II.The Last of Us episode 6 features a plethora of hidden details and references, from Easter eggs to the original game and foreshadowing future events of season 1 to setting up the eventual season 2. One thing that The Last of Us on HBO has made clear since its premiere episode is the fidelity it has to the original game universe. While some aspects, such as Bill and Frank’s story as well as Henry and Sam’s, have had changes both minor and major, The Last of Us season 1 has always honored its game counterpart.
This has been most overtly shown with the wide variety of game Easter eggs that each episode includes. This translated to The Last of Us episode 6, from its ending to earlier elements, which included a similar amount of Easter eggs and hidden details. That being said, here is every reference The Last of Us episode 6 made to both the original game and other aspects of The Last of Us’ world.
11 The Last Of Us Episode 6 Foreshadows David’s Group
One of the earlier references to the wider world of The Last of Us game is in the episode’s opening sequence when Joel and Ellie find the old couple living in the wilderness of Wyoming. While the couple warns Ellie and Joel about the people west of the river which turns out to be Tommy’s community of Jackson, the warning still subliminally alerts the audience to expect danger on the horizon. This foreshadows David’s group, something the university at the end of the episode subtly introduces when a group attacks Joel and Ellie in Last of Us episode 6.
10 The Last Of Us Episode 6’s Dam Is A Game Level Reference
After Joel and Ellie leave the old couple, they come across a hydroelectric dam. This is a reference to a game level, in which Ellie and Joel have to cross the dam to progress the story. After crossing the dam, Joel and Ellie find Tommy who is working to restore power to the dam for his community of Jackson. This is slightly different in HBO’s show, with The Last of Us episode 6 showing Joel and Ellie being accosted by Jackson residents after seeing the dam in a neat Easter egg to the original Last of Us game.
9 Last Of Us Episode 6’s Campfire Scene Foreshadows Heartbreaking Part II Scene
Before Joel and Ellie are taken to Jackson, they spend the night in the wilderness of Wyoming at a campfire which sets up something shown in The Last of Us Part II. When talking about what they will do after their journey is over, Joel and Ellie mention their interests. Ellie talks about her love of astronomy which sets up a future scene that is likely to be showcased in The Last of Us season 2. This scene is taken from The Last of Us Part II, in which Joel takes Ellie to an astrology museum that is vital to the thematic elements of that story.
8 Episode 6’s Jackson Community Is Almost Identical To The Last Of Us Game
A less overt, more broad Easter egg to the original The Last of Us game comes through the community of Jackson. The town looks identical to how it is presented in the game, with its rustic, almost old-west exterior. From the fairy lights hanging above the streets to the stables and the snow-laden town square, Jackson’s portrayal in The Last of Us episode 6 will be extremely familiar to any players of The Last of Us Part I and Part II.
7 Episode 6 Sets Up A Major Last Of Us Season 2 Character
Another major setup to The Last of Us season 2 comes in the form of the unnamed girl Ellie shouts at in the canteen in Jackson. This girl is none other than Dina, a major character of The Last of Us Part II and Ellie’s future love interest. While the girl’s name is not revealed as Dina, the resemblance to the game’s version of Dina is uncanny and links to dialog lines from The Last of Us Part II which reveal Dina and Ellie’s first meeting came through Ellie eating Jackson’s food. This all points to the girl being a major player in The Last of Us season 2.
6 Last Of Us Episode 6 Sets Up Another Season 2 Character (Not How You Think)
The Last of Us episode 6 also sets up another game character that will feature in The Last of Us season 2, though in a way that might subvert expectations. At one point in The Last of Us episode 6, Ellie is shown around the Jackson stables when she takes a liking to a foal. Maria reveals that the foal is named Shimmer, the same name given to Ellie’s horse in The Last of Us Part II. This is a smart way of tying Ellie into her future companion for The Last of Us season 2 in a way game players might catch onto.
5 Ellie’s New Room Sets Up An Important Last Of Us Game Scene
A scene from later in The Last of Us episode 6 shows Ellie in her new bedroom. In the bedroom, a picture of a giraffe can be seen in the background hung on one of the walls. This picture subtly foreshadows a future scene that The Last of Us hopefully adapts, as it is important to the Last of Us game. The scene in question is the one in which Joel and Ellie encounter a herd of wild giraffes in Salt Lake City. The scene may seem inconsequential but is a beautiful reminder of the wonders that still exist in The Last of Us’ bleak world.
4 Ellie And Joel’s Argument In Episode 6 Is Almost Identical To The Last Of Us Game
The scene in Ellie’s bedroom in which the aforementioned giraffe picture can be seen is also one of the most overt references to the original The Last of Us game. The scene features a vital argument that is crucial to developing Joel and Ellie’s relationship. The argument as it is shown in The Last of Us episode 6 scene is almost identical to The Last of Us game, with word-for-word elements being included. The only real differences come from the ways Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey deliver their lines as Joel and Ellie, which is expected for TV video game adaptations like The Last of Us.
3 Joel & Ellie’s Travel Montage Song Has A Deeper Last Of Us Meaning
Shortly after Joel and Ellie’s argument, they set out once again to find the Fireflies in Colorado. The travel montage that follows is accompanied by a specific song from composer Gustavo Santaolalla which has a deeper meaning for The Last of Us. The track is from the original The Last of Us game and plays over the end credits, entitled « The Path (A New Beginning) ». This track’s title has a lot of meaning when concerning why it was played over this sequence. « The Path » references Joel and Ellie’s continued journey while « A New Beginning » references the fresh start of their relationship after their prior argument.
2 Last Of Us Episode 6’s University Has 4 Last Of Us Game References
The final sequence of The Last of Us episode 6 in the university has four specific Easter eggs to the original The Last of Us game. Before begging the question of where the Fireflies went in Last of Us episode 6, Joel and Ellie enter the campus of the University of Eastern Colorado as Ellie points out a sign reading « Home of the Big Horns ». This is an Easter egg to the title of one of the levels of The Last of Us’ university chapter in the original game titled « Go Big Horns! ».
The second Easter egg comes when Joel tells Ellie he wants to be a singer, in a conversation almost identical to one from the original The Last of Us. Shortly after this, Joel and Ellie encounter a group of monkeys who have escaped from the labs at the university. This is also an Easter egg to the original game, with Joel and Ellie also encountering the monkeys in that medium. Finally, the last Easter egg for The Last of Us game comes with the group of men that attacks Joel and Ellie. These men are from David’s group, something that will be vitally important to the story in future episodes.
1 The Last Of Us Episode 6’s Ending Song Calls Back To Episode 1
The final hidden detail of The Last of Us episode 6 is the ending song, which is a cover of Depeche Mode’s « Never Let Me Down Again ». This calls back to The Last of Us episode 1’s ending, in which the same song is shown playing over the radio to signal danger on the horizon. While the song as it was used in The Last of Us episode 1 was mainly used to foreshadow to heartbreaking events of Bill and Frank’s The Last of Us story, it has a different meaning in The Last of Us episode 6.
Here, the song is covered by a female singer, and the lyrics take on a different meaning because of both the cover artist and the development of Joel and Ellie’s relationship. The words sing « I’m taking a ride with my best friend. I hope he never lets me down again. » This reflects Ellie and Joel’s newfound bond, which is massively strengthened over the course of The Last of Us episode 6, and shows how much Ellie has come to rely on Joel throughout HBO’s The Last of Us.
New episodes of The Last of Us release every Sunday on HBO.
