Full spoilers ahead for Episode 5 and The Last of Us Part II
The journey continues in Kansas City in Episode 5, which is both thrilling and heartbreaking. The action and emotional performances are all at their peak, making this the best episode of the season so far, along with episode 3. The performances of Sam (Kevoinn Woodward) and Henry (Lamar Johnson) stand out, especially since neither of them speaks a single word throughout their dynamic relationship.
The episode begins with Henry and Sam attempting to flee Kansas City; they are in desperate circumstances, even having to hide in an attic for more than a week due to a lack of food supplies. As hope fades, Henry uses chalk crayons to try to cheer Sam up; Sam is shown to aspire to superheroes who provide hope to humanity through drawings on the wall; Sam aspires to be his own superhero. Something Henry is aware of as he paints an orange mask on his brother’s face to instill courage and hope in him. Henry, too, is attempting to be a superhero, as evidenced later in the episode and paralleled and foreshadowed by Eben Colter’s stunning cinematography.
Keivonn Woodward’s performance as Sam is stunning, not because he is deaf, but because he is simply exceptional at what he does. His facial expressions and body language nuances convey emotion just as well as his counterparts, making you forget he hasn’t spoken a single word.
Kathleen returns, still after Henry. Kathleen’s motivations were unclear in episode 4, making her character feel slightly unnecessary, but it was entertaining to watch. Kathleen gets a backstory in this episode, which helps to ground her reactions to what’s going on around her. Kathleen’s search for Henry has become obsessive and terrifying to watch; she feels like a kindergarten teacher in charge of a revolution.
Following Henry’s murder of Kathleen’s brother in order to save Sam from leukemia. Her motivations are understandable, but she makes far too many sacrifices for her brother’s death, who would even be willing to kill an 8-year-old boy who has done nothing wrong. Despite her limited screen time on the show, Melanie Lynsky gives her character a lot of depth.
After Henry and Sam are forced to flee from the attic in fear of being discovered, the two encounter Joel and Ellie, with Henry having already spotted Joel in a firefight, he sees opportunity for a collaboration to get out of Kansas city. Henry appears to be more naive than he was in the game, completely convinced of his own views and ideas, which Joel, who is tasked with protecting the kids alongside Henry, frequently opposes due to the excessive risks.
Henry’s behavior is motivated by a primal desire to protect those he cares about. Joel appears to be more at ease in this position since Sarah’s death, opening up to having an important person back in his life after such a long time, and thus sympathises more with Henry’s situation, while still pointing out Henry’s lack of life experience.
The bond between Sam and Ellie is what truly distinguishes the episode. Ellie, who has always been fiercely independent, takes on a new role as Sam’s protector and friend. It’s a touching dynamic that allows Ellie to let down her guard and have childish fun for the first time in years. Their bonding over jokes and comic books is a welcome diversion from their harsh reality.
This episode also contains a spectacular action sequence in which hundreds of infected burst through a hole in the ground. The scene exemplifies why humanity was defeated during the outbreak, with infected soldiers relentlessly biting down soldiers and rendering anyone attempting to fight them defenceless. It adds another layer of gravity and danger to the infected, making potential future scenes more threatening and tense. It also concludes Kathleen’s storyline, demonstrating how quickly things can end in this terrifying world.
the episode’s closing moments, Ellie and Sam discuss their greatest fears, including the foreshadowing revelation “I’m afraid of ending up alone.” After revealing that he was bitten by an infected during the massive infected storm, Ellie tries to save Sam with her ostensibly healing blood. It appears for her not to inform Joel or Henry that he is infected, especially given that she is 14 and probably should understand not to make assumptions in situations like these, but rather ask for help. This was handled much better in the game and came much more unexpectedly, making it more grounded and realistic. This does not detract from the fact that the scene was beautifully portrayed, showing the glimmer of hope Ellie still wants to bring into the world; however, this hope would be shattered.
Bella Ramsey and Lamar Johnson’s powerful performances in the episode’s heartbreaking conclusion heighten the emotional impact; the harrowing screams of Ellie as events unfold are spine-chilling. This realization leads Joel to recognize that they too could fall victim to such a fate, intensifying his determination to protect Ellie.
Verdict:
Episode 5 is an emotional rollercoaster that demonstrates the series’ ability to deliver exceptional storytelling, gripping action, and breathtaking technical elements. Despite some questionable character choices, the episode’s strengths in terms of performances, cinematography, sound design, and depiction of infected sequences remain as strong as ever, cementing its place as the season’s best episode yet, which is quite a feat given the stiff competition it faced from previous episodes.
10/10