I Can't Get Over The Last Of Us Season 2's Ending, But Mainly Because Of How Unintentionally Funny It Was

Warning! The following contains spoilers for The Last Of Us Season 2 finale. Stream it with a Max subscription, and read at your own risk!

The Last Of Us Season 2 is over, and boy, did it end on a cliffhanger that gives us a lot to think about before we see what's happening in Season 3. It's a shame I wasn't more wrapped up in the moment, as I was, unfortunately, doubled over in stitches laughing at what might be the most unintentionally hilarious moments I've seen in a critically acclaimed show in quite a long time.

I'm not sure I've laughed at any show on the 2025 TV schedule the same way I laughed at the final moments of The Last Of Us, which is a bummer, because it wasn't supposed to happen like that. Here's what had me wiping happy tears from my eyes at the end, and needing to rewind the episode so that I could get the proper reminder of just how heavy the ending was.

Ellie's Big Cliffhanger Scene Didn't Land With Me The Way It Should've

I have not played The Last Of Us, so I was completely blindsided by the fact that Ellie would get a gun pulled on her by Abby and potentially die. I have no idea how things will shake out for the character, though I do hope she survives because of the baffling decision that went into how her possible final scene went down.

I don't want to link the actual moment, mainly because of copyright takedowns and because it's still so fresh, but when Ellie screamed "No, no, no" and the scene immediately cut to black, I couldn't help but bust out laughing. Honestly the first thing that came to mind was that reaction meme with Jon Bernthal's Frank Castle panicking while sitting in a chair:

I don't want to think of that, and it's the final memory I have of Bella Ramsey's Ellie, though I suspect the talk about The Last of Us potentially returning for Season 4 means she may stick around long past this moment. This means the character has a chance at redemption, though I can't say the same for HBO, which might now have a new contender for the most awkward scene on one of its shows since the infamous scene transition in The Sopranos.

I Feel Like The Internet Is To Blame For My Broken Sense Of Humor

I feel like The Last Of Us could've used a second pass on such a big moment, especially with the way meme culture works nowadays. While abrupt cuts in filming have been used for powerful cliffhangers in the past, it feels like they're used far more often these days to put an exclamation point on a particularly hilarious moment in a viral video. For example, the video cuts right as someone's head collides with a garage door, or when someone screams.

Believe me, I wish I could have connected with Ellie and Abby's big showdown in the same way I appreciated the return of Joel in the episode prior. Unfortunately, I feel like I'll never be able to appreciate the sheer tension of that scene because it'll forever be tainted by my broken brain and the humor of the internet. Hopefully, I can shake off this feeling before the next season rolls around, and they don't show it in the recap right before I watch the Season 3 premiere.

The Last Of Us Season 2 is available along with Season 1 on HBO Max. I am curious to see if I'm the only one who thought Ellie's big scene was a bit weird, or if others had the same reaction to what should've been a much more powerful moment.