Warning: the following article contains spoilers for The Last of Us episode eight, “When We Are in Need.”
Despite the absence of cordyceps-afflicted walking dead, The Last of Us episode eight, “When We Are In Need,” was perhaps the most terrifying in the series so far, as a web surrounding the evil that is series newcomer David slowly unravels itself over the course of the episode.
While initially coming off as a reasonable and friendly fellow survivor, the audience slowly learns new things about David and his group as the episode trudges on. First it’s the fact that he has it out for Joel and Ellie, given that the man that Joel murdered at the university belonged to his group. Then there’s the revelation that the group, knowingly or not, are cannibals.
Although all of the above could be argued away as necessary evils for the sake of the resort group’s survival and “doing what they have to do,” the true evil hiding underneath David’s “friendly preacher” guise is eventually revealed by the end of the episode. First he hints towards a romantic interest in Ellie before outright forcing himself on her in the show’s closing moments.
In a fury-fueled display, Ellie manages to grab a knife and deal with David swiftly and mercilessly, reuniting with Joel at the end of the episode. The pair embrace, and leave this traumatic chapter of their journey behind them.
However, wasn’t there a whole community following David? How were the pair able to walk away with little-to-no fuss? Surely someone would have gone over to investigate the burning steakhouse-turned-town hall? They walked away, just like that? And towards some water of all places? We’re going to do our best to explain this puzzling moment.
How did Joel and Ellie get away from the resort?
Here’s our leading theory as to how Joel and Ellie were able to murder David and a bunch of his cronies between the two of them, burn down this community’s town hall, and walk away uncontested. Firstly, Ellie took down ringleader David and his right hand man, James, herself, so that’s the leadership dealt with.
Then there’s Joel, whose kill count during the events of “When We Are in Need” is among his highest in the series so far. Between his basement hideout and the steakhouse, Joel took down at least three of David’s men, perhaps more offscreen.
The expedition which was sent out to track Ellie may have been most, if not all, of the resort community’s able-bodied fighters who do the group’s dirty work. By the time she repeatedly drives a knife through David’s skull, all of his soldiers had been dealt with. While community members may well have seen the burning steakhouse, perhaps those that were left were too timid to go and check out the scene. Another simple explanation may well be that the community knew full well that David is a piece of work, didn’t support the way he operates, and didn’t want to throw more bodies at a problem that their morally corrupt leader had created.
With that addressed, there’s the matter of the episode’s closing shot. Ellie and Joel are walking towards a body of water. Where exactly are they going? For a freezing cold swim?
Where were Joel and Ellie going?
While it’s a little unclear as to why exactly the pair were walking directly towards a river in that final shot, we know that their next destination is another potential Firefly base camp in Salt Lake City. The camp which Tommy pointed them to at the University of Eastern Colorado had been deserted, but they had left behind a map that hinted towards where they had moved.
This was about to be the pair’s next destination, but they were ambushed by David’s group shortly afterwards, and Joel suffered a stab wound. Now that he is up and about again, they will be resuming their journey towards their journey’s end in The Last of Us season one.
