One Of The Best Moments In The Last Of Us Season Finale Comes Straight From The Game

This post contains spoilers for HBO's "The Last of Us" and the video game series of the same name.

Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann's "The Last of Us" has concluded its first narrative arc and the season finale closes out with Joel (Pedro Pascal) making a choice that alters the future of humanity forever. This final episode features a string of heartwarming and harrowing moments from the video game, but one of the best in-game recreations comes in the form of the unforgettable, pivotal giraffe scene. Although slightly altered in the show, the implications of this scene in the HBO adaptation remain as hopeful as in the game, offering space for Joel and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) to take a much-needed breather after the trauma they both experience up until that point.

Episode 8 chronicled the most terrifying aspect of the game's winter chapter, with the appearance of David (Scott Shephard), a cannibal cult leader who preys on Ellie — an incident that forces her to look evil in the eye and confront the horrors of the world head-on. The post-traumatic stress induced by this incident haunts Ellie in the aftermath, so much so that her behavior is far removed from her usual quippy, cheerful demeanor. While Joel tries his utmost to cheer her up, Ellie seems emotionally removed from her immediate surroundings, unable to focus on the path ahead of her. This is when she catches a glimpse of something so beautifully moving that it jolts her out of her headspace and offers her a ray of hope. Ellie and Joel encounter a giraffe while inching closer to their destination —  it is an almost-magical moment that serves as a reminder that nature persists, no matter what state the world is in.

Up until the episode's lovely giraffe moment, Ellie seems subdued and absent-minded, visibly shaken by the terrifying wake-up call that humans are a more dangerous breed than the infected. While Ellie does her best to process such intense trauma, she is barely able to pay heed to Joel's instructions when they navigate an area that requires climbing upwards. While holding the ladder for Joel, she suddenly drops it, rushing towards something she catches a glimpse of.

Even in the game, this moment is a source of anxiety, as the player is unsure of what Ellie sees, leading most to preemptively prepare for a potential new threat around the corner. Although "The Last of Us" has its share of heartwarming moments, the in-game experience is mostly relentless and viscerally traumatizing, which makes this moment all the more special and endearing. The episode manages to establish similar feelings, as we see a worried Joel rushing frantically after Ellie, weapon at the ready, not knowing what to expect. Before you know it, the duo see a majestic giraffe, just chilling near a clearing. When Joel sighs in relief, so do we. While Ellie looks on in awe of the creature, Joel urges her to feed it some leaves, which Ellie does tentatively. Then, something magical happens: she giggles, lost in the purity of a moment that allows her to be the carefree, inquisitive child she could've been if the world had not been so treacherous.

Joel is affected by the sheer beauty of the moment too, as it serves as a positive emotional high since the two venture into the unknown together. They can linger as long as possible and cling to the newfound hope that beauty exists amid stark ugliness, and that healing is truly possible.

In the game, Ellie and Joel spot a herd of giraffes passing through the ruins of the city, and they seem to be migrating from one place to another. This is surely a pleasant surprise, both for the characters and the player, as there is seldom any space to safely loiter around or linger in this apocalyptic world, where a clicker might ambush you out of nowhere, or something altogether worse can happen at any given moment. The appearance of the lone giraffe in the show most definitely echoes the wonderful Brachiosaurus moment in "Jurassic Park," as it reaffirms our deep-seated belief that there's respite and wonder in the world after all, and that nature can be a soothing balm for wounds that cut deep.

Joel and Ellie are allowed to bask in this elusive sentiment, which prompts Joel to ask "Is this everything you hoped for?" after a while. Ellie's response proves how much she has grown up, as she acknowledges life's ups and downs, but affirms that she is touched by the view. She genuinely is, as this moment has a calming effect on her, allowing her to gradually revert to her usual self, where she can be seen chatting and joking with Joel moments later. The simple act of feeding leaves to a giraffe might not seem as magical within a mundane setting, but given the context of the show's world, this is a miraculous gift for both of them.

The giraffe is a sign for them to trudge on and lean on each other for warmth and comfort, while they slowly hurtle toward a future that might or might not be promising. But in the moment, they choose to believe that it could be.