HBO’s adaptation of The Last of Us continues to dazzle viewers with each fresh episode, but not everyone is satisfied with the changes the series makes to the existing story.
For the most part, HBO’s release stays true to the source material, even perfectly replicating lines and key scenes across the first game. A few minor changes have been made here or there, however, typically to better flesh out side characters or avoid over-long video game moments that wouldn’t translate well to television. Fans of the games continue to provide notes regarding areas they believe could be improved, and we can’t help but agree with the latest suggestion.
It’s a minor change, but Reddit user enchantedcookiess leveled up an impactful scene from the latest episode, “When We Are in Need,” with nothing but a slight change to its soundtrack. Adding the video game’s original soundtrack over Ellie’s brutal triumph over David changes the scene a surprising amount, and rung tears from plenty of longtime fans.
The lilting, soulful tones of the video game’s theme pair perfectly with Ellie’s heartbreaking, but still empowering, victory over the sadistic David, and people were quickly taken with the edit. It somehow leeches a bit of the brutality from the moment and alters Ellie’s violent reaction in just the right ways. The original scene is all but flawless, but a simple change in background music serves to make it even better.
The clip is a quick fan edit, so there are, of course, flaws, not the least of which being the slightly overwhelming nature of the music. Its slow creep in, as Ellie hacks away at David, is perfect and muffles Ellie’s screams until they are lost to the music, but her later conversation with Joel is likewise largely lost to the music. It works perfectly when Ellie is alone, but the music could ease up a bit and give Joel’s “baby girl” its moment to shine.
Still, the edit is stellar and really showcases the power of music when paired with excellent acting. People were quick to praise the reimagined take on the scene, with several wondering why HBO didn’t use the music in the first place. Quite a few prefer the fan edit over the original and urged Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin to consider the video game soundtrack for future seasons of the show.