‘We’re Tormenting The Audience’ The Last Of Us Show Runner Reveals Why Controversial Scene Was Cut

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This article includes spoilers for The Last of Us Part 2 and The Last of Us season two finale.

Summary

  • The Last of Us TV adaptation omitted a controversial scene from the video game, splitting fans.
  • The exclusion of Ellie killing the dog is justified due to the sensitive nature of the content.
  • Not showing this scene won’t impact the show’s success or overall storyline, appealing to a wider audience.

The television version of “The Last of Us” hasn’t shied away from portraying harrowing scenes, masterfully capturing the emotional essence of its original content. The series has depicted numerous chilling events resulting in the demise of significant characters and even children, a scarcity often observed in Hollywood productions.

In The Last of Us, it seemed like no topic was taboo; however, the second season demonstrated otherwise. A highly debatable scene from the video game franchise was purposefully omitted in the HBO adaptation.

In the game “The Last of Us Part 2,” character Ellie enters an aquarium in search of Abby, unknowingly. Instead, she meets Abby’s dog, Alice. Players don’t initially recognize that it belongs to Abby, but they must kill Alice as a means of survival. Later, when we see events from Abby’s point of view, this action serves as a hard moral lesson. However, the television series decided not to include this element, a choice justified by showrunner Craig Mazin during a discussion about the season finale.

In this scenario, a series of distressing events unfolded. Moreover, since it’s live-action, the depiction of violence is strikingly realistic. This realism intensifies because the violent acts are portrayed by people rather than animated characters, making it deeply unsettling. He acknowledged that what was about to happen to Mel, Owen, and also the recent incident involving Ellie, were all highly disturbing.

During our initial tour of Chernobyl, I recall discussing with my superior as we presented a radiation burn victim for the first time on camera. The shot seemed to linger excessively, capturing everything in detail. We found ourselves questioning, ‘Why don’t we just show a glimpse instead?’ It felt as if we were subjecting the audience to unnecessary distress, bordering on exploitation, and crossing an unspoken boundary. So, we made conscious decisions about what to reveal.

Some fans of “The Last of Us Part 2” might be disheartened by the omission of a significant scene due to its impact in the game. The series is known for eliciting strong reactions from audiences through intense emotional and difficult situations. This particular scene, where players are required to kill a dog, stands out as it carries great emotional weight among players. It’s a moment that could have added depth to the show, but there seems to be valid reasoning behind its exclusion.

In the game “The Last of Us,” the scene where Ellie appears to kill a dog (Alice) is intended to deliver a powerful moral message to players when viewed from Abby’s perspective. Initially, it seems that Ellie kills Alice out of self-defense, believing it to be a dangerous stray animal. However, Alice turns out to be loyal and protective instead. Some might find this violent and potentially distressing scene unexpected, but given the series’ penchant for testing viewers’ perspectives on Ellie, it is not surprising.

Ellie’s actions in the second season culminate in the murders of Owen and Mel, which are among the darkest moments in the show thus far. The act of killing a pregnant woman who pleads with Ellie to save her unborn child further cements the character as morally ambiguous. Adding another violent act, such as the murder of an animal (Alice), does not seem essential given the series’ existing dark themes.

In essence, eliminating the scene where Ellie kills Alice the dog from the television adaptation of “The Last of Us” is unlikely to harm the show in the grand scheme, since it doesn’t significantly influence the main storyline. This omission might go unnoticed by many viewers who are unfamiliar with the game, as they wouldn’t recognize the missing scene. Including this scene would undoubtedly spark intense discussions and draw significant attention to the HBO series. However, considering the emotional attachment people have towards dogs, such a scene could potentially generate negative attention. Therefore, it seems that choosing not to include this scene was probably the most prudent decision for “The Last of Us.

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2025-05-28 17:24