‘Day One’ propels the plot forward in ways both gentle and gruesome

One line neatly sums up “Day One,” the fourth episode of “The Last of Us” Season 2: “What the fuck is wrong with Seattle?” 

Honestly? Fair question. Throughout Episode 4, The Emerald City isn’t exactly a welcoming place: militia leaders committing torture, cult members ritually murdering said militia members, the usual terrifying horde of infected screaming and clawing (and biting) everyone. It’s not great.

But there’s another line, one said with surprisingly flippancy, that speaks to the truth of the season’s source material: “These guys were just assholes killed by other assholes” — and it’s evident right from the episode’s chill-inducing opening just how accurate that single line is.

‘The Last of Us’ Season 2, Episode 3 recap: Welcome to Seattle

Enter Isaac (portrayed with steely determination by Jeffrey Wright, who voiced and motion-captured the character in Part II). It’s 2018 Seattle, and Isaac has some thoughts on FEDRA’s heavy-handed rule over the city’s Quarantine Zone. You can’t blame him: The episode’s opening dialogue is a dystopian conversation between FEDRA soldiers about voting rights that will leave you clenching your jaw in fury. Turns out, Isaac doesn’t want to work for FEDRA anymore. A few grenade tosses and some murdering of his own subordinates later, he doesn’t. It’s only the first act of tit-for-tat violence in this episode, and it just gets so much worse.

But before that, we pivot back to present-day “Seattle,” with Ellie and Dina still on Abby’s trail. (I say “Seattle” because it’s very clearly not Seattle, what with nothing actually recognizable and odd references to places that don’t exist. But hey, there are Pride flags on Capitol Hill, so that’s something.) Before the pair continue on their manhunt — you can begin to see Dina’s apprehension of continuing this mission of revenge — we get a moment of calm (there’s that haunting guitar riff again!). Turns out, Joel not only taught Ellie how to play guitar, he taught her well. What follows is a stirring rendition of A-ha’s “Take on Me” by Ellie, a rapt Dina watching in awe just a few feet away. It’s a lovely scene — but the calm doesn’t last. 

Isaac’s now in charge of the WLF, and would you believe he’s now just as cruel, just as prone to dehumanization, as FEDRA? Well, maybe it’s more justified to torture a naked, chained man with a burning-hot pan because he’s part of the cult (the Seraphites, we learn) that murdered WLF members. Oh, wait, the Seraphites are claiming retaliation because the WLF killed their members. And so on and so forth; at least this scene ends somewhat mercifully.

As all that is happening, night falls, and Ellie and Dina take their chance to get closer to the WLF, only to find a truly horrifying scene of ritualistic murder by the Seraphites against the WLF. (Did I mention that revenge plays a major role in Part II?) It’s grotesque, what’s done to the WLF members. It’s also really bad timing for our duo, who end up being chased by the WLF members who discovered their slain comrades. 

The two run into a metro tunnel system, along with the WLF, and the scene transitions to one directly from Part II, as a horde of infected begin wailing in the distance. Flares blanket the area in a blood-red hue, and the action sequence that follows is the season’s best so far. 

Scrambling to escape, Ellie ends up getting bit, much to Dina’s horror. Finding refuge in the Pinnacle (based on Seattle’s Paramount), Dina levels her gun at Ellie, determined to end this quickly. But secrets are laid bare: Ellie reveals her immunity, Dina announces she’s pregnant (with Jesse’s baby) and the two finally enjoy a proper makeout session. (The timing isn’t great, but it’ll have to do.)

As the sun rises, the two find new purpose in each other — talks of the future involve raising a baby together — but never mind that, because revenge comes first. The whole world isn’t blind yet, but it’s getting really close.