‘The Final of Us’: Does Ellie know Joel is mendacity on the finish?

By some means, after weeks of navigating monsters, cannibals, and the fixed risk of impending demise from just about each angle, Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) got here out of the entire thing alive. So a contented ending to The Final of Us, proper? Time to move on right down to that sheep farm and chill in Season 2?

Properly, not so quick. Our dynamic duo could also be alive and (principally) in a single piece on the shut of Season 1, however an emotional wedge has been pushed between them within the type of Joel’s lie.

So what precisely did Joel do and say, and — most significantly — does Ellie consider him? Let’s recap.

After lastly reaching the Firefly hospital that is been their purpose all alongside, Joel and Ellie are all of a sudden ambushed. Joel wakes to search out Marlene (Merle Dandridge) standing over him with information that Ellie has already gone into surgical procedure, as their physician believes cordyceps has been rising in her mind since delivery. To create a treatment for humanity, she’ll should die.

The second Joel realises the reality concerning the Fireflies’ plan.
Credit score: Liane Hentscher/HBO

Having lastly grown to like Ellie like a daughter, although, Joel is not about to let that occur. He shoots his means by means of the hospital to rescue her, killing everybody in his path after which mendacity to Ellie about what actually occurred by telling her that raiders attacked the hospital. There are others like her, Joel says, however the medical doctors had been unable to discover a treatment.

The issue? As we all know, Ellie is a pointy child. She clearly detects that one thing about Joel’s story is off. So within the remaining scene of the season, she confronts him immediately.

“Swear to me,” says Ellie. “Swear to me that all the pieces you stated concerning the Fireflies is true.”

“I swear,” responds Joel.

And Ellie’s reply, which follows a really lengthy stretch of silence and an extremely hard-to-read facial features?

“OK.”

Does Ellie know Joel is mendacity?

Ellie’s response to Joel’s story is tough to learn. When he first tells her his model of occasions she’s mendacity within the backseat of his automotive, having simply woken up. As he finishes the story she rolls over and turns her again on him, nevertheless it’s not clear if she’s doing that as a result of she’s so upset by the information, or as a result of she does not consider him.

From this level on although she appears withdrawn, and the ultimate scene makes it clear that she’s suspicious of what Joel’s informed her. Her facial features is inscrutable, nevertheless it’s definitely not one in all uncomplicated acceptance — clearly there’s some sort of warfare happening in her head when Joel swears to her he is telling the reality.

Ellie was unconscious for the entire thing.
Credit score: Liane Hentscher/HBO

Fortunately, Bella Ramsey herself has shed some mild on what Ellie’s considering in that remaining scene. Talking on HBO’s “Contained in the Episode” video, she confirms that her character is not in any respect bought on Joel’s story.

“She is aware of he isn’t telling the reality,” Ramsey says. “However she will’t let herself consider it as a result of it is too painful and it is too scary, the concept her solely function in life hasn’t been fulfilled — that that had been taken away from her by the individual that she loves and trusts probably the most. It is too overwhelming, so she forces herself to consider Joel.”

On this means, the reply to the query of whether or not Ellie is aware of he is mendacity is each sure and no. Deep down, she clearly does. However she chooses to consider him in an effort to defend herself from additional hurt. Perhaps we’ll discover out extra in Season 2.

The Final of Us is now streaming on HBO Max.(opens in a brand new tab)