Spoilers ahead for the rest of Season 2, be aware!

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The grisly mugging that accompanied the death of Joel came a hell of a lot sooner than I was expecting. My gut told me the second season would hold out until the third or fourth episode for “that scene” to take place, but the creatives behind this series opted to hit everyone right in the feels during the previous episode. After watching the fallout of Joel’s untimely demise and the massive “Infected” attack that almost brought the Jackson community to its knees, I’m happy to say that this season still has me locked in for what’s to come based on all the major happenings of the third episode.

For those who’ve played The Last of Us Part II to death just like I have, I have a feeling this thought came across your brain after this episode ended – “DAMN, THEY CHANGED A LOTTTA STUFF FROM THE GAME!” There were only two instances from this episode that I could pick out as occurrences from its playable counterpart, while the rest were filled with brand-new plot points and alterations made to moments seen in the first half of the game. The opening moments of this episode explored the sorrow of Joel’s brother Tommy as he looked over the body of his deceased sibling. We also got a good look at the chaos that erupted in the hospital as the injured citizens of Jackson were tended to after the Infected invasion. As Ellie woke up amongst all the madness going on around her, she screamed in agony as she revisited the moments that resulted in Joel’s passing. Three months later, Ellie finally took her leave from the hospital after having a brief therapy session with Gail (that’s Joel and the Jackson community’s resident psychotherapist, drunkard, weed consumer, and fan of Little League baseball).

Ellie eventually made her way towards Joel’s home, which was now adorned with heartwarming tributes and flowers provided by the still-mourning Jackson community. In the game, Dina accompanies Ellie to the now-abandoned house. But this episode deviates from how events play out there by having Ellie go by herself. The one familiar scene that plays out during this sad sequence is Ellie walking into Joel’s bedroom and finding his favorite watch and trusty revolver in a red shoebox. After shedding some tears at the sight of Joel’s signature jacket, Ellie heads downstairs to have a chat with Dina about the exact names of the people who killed Joel.

This scene played out much differently in video game form – Ellie and Dina are joined by a woman named Maria (Tommy’s wife), who proceeds to read a note written by Tommy that reveals he’s left Jackson and is on his way to get some revenge of his own. I prefer the way the show builds up to the moment where Ellie and Dina decide to head out of Jackson to make their way to Seattle, since it gives viewers some insight into how the people of Jackson felt about the proposed mission centered on getting revenge for their beloved Joel. While two Jackson residents spoke out against that mission during a town hall meeting, the cook who apologized to Ellie by gifting her a steak sandwich (Seth) and Ellie herself (who gave a rousing speech, I might add) spoke up in favor of doing right by Joel. Unfortunately, the town’s board members ultimately decided against helping Ellie seek out retribution with some extra soldiers in tow.

This upsetting development didn’t deter Ellie one bit, however – in the middle of the night, she invited Dina into her home as they made plans to head out of Jackson and head to Seattle with all the weapons and provisions needed for their harrowing journey. Moments before they snuck out on horseback, Ellie and Seth made a more concerted effort to put their differences aside. He handed her a sniper rifle and shook her hand to make amends before Ellie and Dina made their leave under the cover of darkness. Another major change I noticed afterward was the way Ellie made one final tribute to Joel at his gravesite. In the game, she visited his tombstone while still in Jackson. But during this episode, Ellie made a pitstop to visit Joel’s gravesite since it was located farther away from Jackson.

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This episode featured a major appearance as it marked our first look at the “Seraphites” as they made their way through the woods during a patrol run. As an older male member of the group spoke with the little girl walking alongside him, the threat of an unseen danger forced them to quickly go into hiding. Once Ellie and Dina came upon the same area where these Seraphites were first seen, a sea of dead bodies from that same group was strewn about, and it looked as if they all met their end at the hands of a well-armed militia. Now, the menacing presence of Abby and her allies in the “Washington Liberation Front” plus the mysterious cult-like Seraphites are present as this second season rolls on. The closing moments of this third episode built up higher levels of anticipation now that Ellie and Dina have made it to Seattle as the WLF mobilizes during their patrol through the streets. Based on the end-of-episode preview of what’s next and the events of the game, I’m expecting an action-filled fourth episode that will put Ellie and Dina in danger as they run into more Infected and members of the WLF. Plus, I’m sure we’ll find out more about the origins of the WLF and delve into some backstories for its assorted members.

I saw you in that fourth episode preview, Jeffrey Wright! That brother is a hell of an actor, and I can’t wait to see how his role plays out on this show.