What Happened in The Last of Us Season 1? A Recap Ahead of Season 2

The Last of Us season 2 premieres on HBO on April 13, 2025, and it’s been over two years since fans have been on the edge of their seats as Ellie and Joel made their way across the United States amid the zombie apocalypse. To make sure viewers are caught up, In Touch has a recap of The Last of Us season 1 ahead of the season 2 premiere.

How Did ‘The Last of Us’ Season 1 Start?

The Last of Us season 1 began in 2003, right before the world went to hell in a zombie-shaped basket. A mutated cordyceps fungus triggered a global pandemic and turned people into mindless, hyper-aggressive husks of their former selves. Joel (Pedro Pascal) lost his daughter, Sarah, during the chaos, and it ultimately became a devastating moment that caused him to turn into the emotionally guarded survivor fans get to know 20 years later.

Joel’s life took a turn when he was tasked with smuggling Ellie (Bella Ramsey) across the country. The 14-year-old is somehow immune to the infection from the cordyceps fungus, but a group of people called the Fireflies believe that she may hold the secret to curing the rest of the world.

As Joel and Ellie traveled to get her to the Fireflies, they ran into more than a few dangerous obstacles, including a detour through Kansas City where they were hunted by a resistance group led by a woman named Kathleen (Melanie Lynskey).

‘The Last of Us’ Season 1 Gave Fans the Heartbreaking Story of Bill and Frank

In episode 3 of The Last of Us season 1, fans were introduced to the story of Bill (Nick Offerman) and Frank (Murray Bartlett). When Joel and Ellie arrived, they hoped to find allies to join them on their trek, but instead, they discovered that the couple had died. Frank suffered from a degenerative neuromuscular disease that was intentionally left ambiguous, according to The Last of Us cocreator Craig Mazin.

Without access to modern-day medicine in the post-apocalyptic world and his deteriorating condition, Frank decided to end his life on his own terms and he asked Bill to plan one last day for them together. They had a marriage ceremony and a final dinner, and Bill revealed that he had also taken a lethal dose of medication because he didn’t want to live in a world without Frank.

In a letter left to Joel, Bill explained how caring for Frank had changed his outlook on life, and he urged Joel to protect the people in his life that he loves. This moment caused a shift in Joel as he realized that he’d grown to love Ellie like a daughter.

How Did ‘The Last of Us’ Season 1 End?

When Joel and Ellie finally made it to the Fireflies, Joel learned that in order to create the cure, Ellie had to die. He couldn’t bear to lose her and instead killed the entire hospital staff, and he lied to her about what happened. In the final scene, Ellie asked Joel to swear to her that he was telling the truth, and he replied, “I swear.”

The Last of Us season 2 premieres on HBO on April 13, 2025, at 9:00 p.m. ET.