The Last of Us Episode 6: Easter Eggs & Hidden Details. The latest episode of The Last of Us is packed with memorable lines and brings to life one of the game’s most iconic moments. In this sixth episode, the action takes a backseat to a more reflective tone, evoking the series’ Western roots both in terms of its aesthetic and its themes.
Director Jasmila Žbanić expertly weaves together key character moments and introduces new ones that will be crucial to the series’ future. Joel and Ellie’s relationship is further explored, revealing their vulnerabilities as they grapple with fear and loss.
The Last of Us Episode 6: Easter Eggs & Hidden Details
Hunting with Joel
The episode opens with a flashback to the previous installment, revisiting the tragic death of Henry. Joel and Ellie cross paths with a couple who offer to guide them on their way. Before departing from the couple’s isolated cottage, Ellie snatches a rabbit, which she keeps as a pet for a while.
Later, she asks Joel to teach her how to hunt, but he bluntly tells her she lacks the courage to clean and gut a dead rabbit. It’s worth noting that this scene differs slightly from the corresponding moment in the Last of Us video game, in which Ellie is shown hunting a white rabbit with a bow and arrow after the time jump.
Ellie trying to Whiste
In addition, the sixth episode of The Last of Us features a scene in which Ellie attempts to whistle, with little success. This moment and its accompanying dialogue are lifted directly from the video game, although they occur at different points in the story.
Joel’s passion for singing
Joel finally reveals that he secretly dreams of becoming a famous singer. This nod to the Last of Us video game, in which Joel frequently plays the guitar, has fans eagerly speculating whether we’ll soon see Pedro Pascal belting out an 80s power ballad.
Ellie and Space
In The Last of Us Part II, we are treated to a heartwarming moment between the two protagonists when Joel takes Ellie to a museum for her birthday. During this museum visit, Ellie confides in Joel about her dream to visit the moon, inspired by Sally Ride, her favorite heroine and the first American woman to fly into space. The two spend a magical day exploring the wonders of the solar system, including spaceships and outer space, which greatly appeals to Ellie’s love for everything related to the universe.
In the episode, Ellie talks about her love for space and all her favorite astronauts, especially Sally Ride.
Sheep Ranch
In the sixth episode, Ellie asks Joel what his plans are if things work out fine. Joel responds by saying that he wants to own an old farmhouse, some land, and maybe some peaceful and obedient sheep.
Interestingly, this is exactly what Ellie does in The Last of Us Part II, where she gives up her quest for revenge and settles on a farm with her partner Dina and their child.
The settlement of Jackson
Let’s now shift our focus to a crucial part of the plot, the reunion of Joel with his brother Tommy. Tommy and his wife helped establish the Jackson settlement like the video game. The location looks almost the same visually, although it appears more rustic and less technologically advanced.
Moreover, the power that illuminates the city comes from the hydroelectric plant. In The Last of Us series, just like in the game, Joel faces a dilemma on whether to entrust Ellie’s fate to his brother and continue his own mission.
Have we seen Dina?
During a meal in Jackson’s community, Joel and Ellie are interrupted by a girl whose appearance resembles that of a popular video game character. Ellie’s colorful language and fearless demeanor stand out, while a figure spying on her quickly disappears.
Fans have speculated that the girl with the black hair in a long braid could be Dina, Ellie’s girlfriend from The Last of Us Part II, as she claims to have seen Ellie eating for the first time. However, nothing has been officially confirmed.
A familiar jacket
In the sixth episode, Maria, the wife of Tommy, provides Ellie with new clothes that are suitable for the cold season and are in better condition. Among the various clothing articles is the well-known pink and white jacket that the girl wears in The Last of Us video game.
Shimmer, Ellie’s horse
During the tour of Jackson, Maria introduces a new horse named Shimmer in the stables, which caught the attention of fans of The Last of Us Part II video game. This brown horse has the same name as Ellie’s horse in the game, and Maria may likely give it to Ellie in the future for their adventures together.
You’re Not My Daughter
The confrontation between Joel and Ellie in the episode is a memorable scene that closely follows the dialogue from the video game. Ellie, who is not like Joel’s daughter, who died at the beginning of the pandemic, engages in a dialogue that is a verbatim repetition from the game. After Joel asks Tommy to take Ellie to the Firefly factory, he confronts her.
The series creators’ decision to preserve this emotional moment exactly as it was in the game is commendable and a fitting homage to the original medium.
First time seeing a monkey?
Upon reaching the firefly facility, Joel and Ellie encounter monkeys escaping from a lab or park and roaming freely around the city. Ellie is thrilled and intrigued to see them for the first time. As in the video game, Joel asks her, “Is this your first time seeing a monkey?”
Joel’s knife wound
The sixth episode of The Last of Us concludes with Joel and Ellie being confronted by a group of men who attack them in an attempt to steal their weapons and supplies. Joel is impaled by a stake during the fight and passes out in the snow due to his injury.
It’s worth noting that this moment differs from the video game, as in the game, Joel is impaled while falling from a ledge during a different confrontation. Nonetheless, the injury inflicted by the protruding stake is the same in both the series and the game.