The second season of HBO’s The Last of Us came to a thundering close with its seventh episode, “Convergence” — and to the surprise of many, it may just be the best the series has offered so far. That’s no small claim, especially with no return in sight until at least 2026.
It’s a finale that pulls no punches. And yet, for an episode filled with sorrow, betrayal, and death, it left fans grinning — not because of joy, but because it finally felt like the show found its soul again.
Why This Episode Hit Different
It wasn’t about massive infected hordes or warm bonding moments. “Convergence” didn’t try to shock you with spectacle. Instead, it chose something more difficult — emotional fidelity.
Unlike other fan-favorite episodes, this one wasn’t about what happened but how. Every camera angle, every pause, every breath — it all carried weight. This wasn’t just a good episode. It was a love letter to Part II of the game.
What really resonated was that for the first time in season two, the show stopped feeling like a show. It felt like the game. That harrowing, rain-soaked Seattle? The sudden, disjointed shifts between Ellie and the WLF? It created that suffocating, frantic pace fans know too well.
Bella Ramsey Brings Out the Darkness
There’s been debate online about how long it’s taken Ellie’s rage to come through. That debate ends here.
Episode seven finally drags Ellie into her darkest form — angry, confused, shattered — but not totally gone. Her eyes are colder now. Her hands bloodier. But the girl who saved Joel in winter still flickers behind the violence.
This is where Ramsey soared. Her acting hit like a punch to the gut when she realizes Mel is pregnant. The horror. The internal crumbling. It wasn’t loud. It was quiet. Visceral.
Her reaction wasn’t just fear; it was the first time she questioned if she’s the hero of her story anymore. And that’s so Ellie. She’s a killer, yes, but a reluctant one. That line between mercy and vengeance has always been her battlefield.
Relationships Fracture, Just as They Should
What’s a finale without some heartbreak?
In “Convergence,” Dina and Jesse finally start slipping away from Ellie. And honestly? It needed to happen. That fracture is what turns Ellie’s spiral into a nosedive.
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Jesse realizes Ellie’s mission isn’t righteous anymore.
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Dina looks at the woman she loves and sees someone she no longer recognizes.
That triangle had to bend to breaking. The show let it happen gently but firmly. Like peeling back a bandage you didn’t realize was stuck.
Here’s the thing: fans complained about too much levity earlier in the season. But those light moments? They gave this moment weight. You don’t feel betrayal without connection first.
And now, all three stand on different ledges, wondering who they’ll be tomorrow.
Seeds Planted for Abby’s Turn
Long-time fans knew what was coming, but HBO made sure new viewers wouldn’t be lost either.
The finale threads Abby’s perspective into the tapestry — subtly, but with purpose. WLF war councils. Seraphite assaults. Tense exchanges and unanswered radio calls. We’re seeing her shadow grow before she even steps into the light.
There’s a genius in how the writers structured this.
Casual watchers now have:
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Questions about Jesse and Tommy’s fate
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Teases of WLF and Seraphite conflict
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Echoes of missing Abby, Mel, and Owen
Which means when season three shifts gears completely, it won’t feel jarring. It’ll feel earned.
Here’s how the narrative overlap was cleverly layered:
| Element Shown in Episode | Ties Into Abby’s Story |
|---|---|
| WLF assault prep | Start of Abby’s Day One |
| Isaac’s orders | Abby’s moral conflict |
| Missing comrades | Trigger for confrontation |
| Sky bridges | Signature Seraphite terrain |
| Jesse’s side mission | Direct plot crossover |
Kaitlyn Dever Steps Into the Arena
Let’s talk about that final reveal — Abby’s first true appearance. It could’ve been cheesy. It could’ve felt like stunt casting.
It wasn’t.
Kaitlyn Dever showed up for five seconds and somehow made it feel like the ground shifted.
Her short scene at the theatre echoed the game’s fateful pivot. It didn’t copy Laura Bailey’s performance. It nodded to it. And that’s what makes it so clever — it felt fresh but familiar.
Also, the WLF stadium reveal? That wasn’t just fan service. It was reassurance. They’re not guessing anymore — they know what they’re doing.
This version of Abby is going to divide the fanbase. But if this teaser is anything to go by, it’ll do so for all the right reasons.
Final Thoughts, Unspoken but Felt
Look, “Convergence” doesn’t give you everything. It actually gives you less. Less comfort. Less clarity. But it gives you what matters: momentum.
Yes, it’s different from the game. But that’s good. The game already exists. The show is building something parallel — not identical, but equal in weight.
The violence. The sorrow. The decisions you can’t undo. It’s all still here.
And when Ellie finally hit her lowest point, the show rose to its highest.
