The Last of Us on HBO has emphasized the depths of misery rather than the brightness of faith. The first episode delves into how 20 years of disaster have shaped Joel (Pedro Pascal) into a ruthless and cruel man. Then, in Episode 2, we roam through the ruined streets of a collapsed city, experiencing the atrocities wreaked by both the cordyceps virus and the human bomb attempting to control the epidemic.

Episode 3 was a major break from Joel and Ellie’s journey, as they ultimately strike off on their own following Tess’ heroic death at the end of Episode 2. We see them as they head out to do what Tess instructed them to do: find Bill. The episode shifts into an iconic flashback fifteen minutes into their adventure, documenting Bill’s journey from the outbreak day until a few weeks before Joel and Ellie arrive.

Joel And Ellie Find A Mass Grave Of People

Ellie discovers an infected man barely alive—but trapped under heavy concrete—in an empty convenience shop. He makes the strange, lizard-like grunts that infected people create in this world, showcasing some absolutely outstanding work from the show’s prosthetics department.

Then, Joel and Ellie discover something even more alarming: a massive grave of deceased individuals whom the army forbade from entering a quarantine zone due to their potential for infection or the QZ’s overcrowding. It appears that the troops would simply execute these individuals in bulk to prevent them from escaping.

The Flashback

In a flashback sequence from 2003, we discover Nick Offerman, who plays a survivor named Bill. Bill emerges from a secret bunker he created beneath his residence, stocked with firearms, drums of sulfuric acid, and a heap of surveillance camera feeds. He steals oil from the petrol station, a tremendous amount of materials from the hardware store, and even his neighbor’s boat. Then he sets up a slew of explosive devices and watches them go to work on some unfortunate infected individuals while eating his dinner.

Bill has been living infection-free in this remote defensive town for almost four years, until another individual named Frank (Murray Bartlett) from the Baltimore QZ falls into one of his traps. Frank informs him that the quarantine zone has been totally removed, and Bill allows him to enter a breach after testing to see if he is infected. Bill reluctantly invites him in and offers him a shower, new clothing, and a home-cooked lunch. Frank is in a better place. He expresses his gratitude by playing a melody on the piano, but he’s not very talented. Bill confesses to Frank that he is gay. The good news is that Frank adds, “I know,” and the two end up kissing.

Frank’s Cancer And The Sad Ending

Bill and Frank live a seemingly regular life together, fighting with each other, fighting off the infected, and fighting for each other. They’re both old men in 2023. Frank is malnourished from what seems to be cancer, and Bill is still providing for him on a daily basis. Bill uses medicines to treat the condition, but when they run out, Frank thinks enough is enough.

He invites Bill to spend one more day with him. They’ll dress up nice, get married, have a wonderful dinner peacefully, and then Bill will slip pills into Frank’s wine.

After first objecting to Frank’s requests, Bill ultimately agrees to comply. They spend a great day together before Frank enjoys his wine at dinner while Bill only has one glass. He admits that he put enough drugs in his drink to kill him as well because, without Frank, he doesn’t have much to live for. Together, they crawl into bed and presumably pass away in each other’s arms.

A few days have passed by the time Joel and Ellie arrive in Lincoln. In a letter that Bill wrote, Joel and Ellie learn what transpired. He writes, “I used to hate the world and was happy when everyone died.” But I was mistaken. After all, there was only one person worth saving.

Tommy Miller And The Fireflies

Joel’s plan to leave Ellie with Bill and Frank is no longer feasible because they passed away in episode 3. Joel promises to take Ellie to Tommy’s in consideration of this. This will serve two purposes: first, it will allow Joel to confirm that Tommy is safe following the events of The Last of Us episode 1; second, it will give Ellie a route to reach the Fireflies. Joel says that since Tommy was Firefly, he might be able to direct Ellie to the right place. This sheds light on his life after 2003—the time leap in The Last of Us.

A Beautiful Message

The Last of Us lets us observe how Bill and Frank’s relationship develops and how they share interests with one another. Frank learns how to keep their shelter safe and survive in the post-apocalyptic world thanks to Bill’s practical intelligence. Bill ultimately picks up Frank’s love of beauty and social communication, and he begins to customize the community not just for their needs but also for their preferences. Later, Frank convinces Bill to meet Joel and Tess in the outside world.

Bill and Frank also become one another’s support systems as they go through many difficulties, including Frank’s ultimate illness. It’s a lovely moment when Bill and Frank understand that a life worth living is one shared with others we care about.