Warning! This article contains spoilers for The Last of Us episode 7 and the original game.As The Last of Us episode 7 tells a flashback-heavy story, many could be wondering whether the episode's events are taken from the original game or not. Thus far in HBO's The Last of Us, the show has majoritively followed the events of the game with great fidelity. While some changes have been made here and there, such as Frank and Bill's ending, the story has mostly been taken from the original The Last of Us game, with most of the changes found simply adding to or improving on the game's story, world, and characters.
That being said, The Last of Us episode 7 tells a similar story to that of The Last of Us episode 3 of HBO's TV video game adaptation through flashbacks. The Last of Us episode 7 tells the backstory of Ellie and Riley, something hinted at throughout The Last of Us episodes 1 and 2 especially. Due to the flashback-heavy nature of the story of The Last of Us episode 7, the question of whether the story is taken from the original game could be raised due to the gaming medium's tendency towards linear storytelling.
The Last Of Us Episode 7’s Story Was DLC For The Original Game
While not part of the base game upon its initial release in 2013, the story of Ellie and Riley featured in The Last of Us episode 7 was released as able content (DLC) in 2014. The DLC was titled The Last of Us: Left Behind. With The Last of Us episode 7 title being confirmed as "Left Behind" shortly before the series premiere aired, many familiar with the game expected this episode to show the story that shares its name.
The DLC was widely praised upon its release. Not only did the story provide added depth and context to the main story of The Last of Us, but it included a beautifully represented LGBTQ+ story through Ellie and Riley. This was a big deal in 2014 upon Left Behind's release, and is often considered a breakthrough moment for LGBTQ+ representation in the gaming medium.
Why Did HBO’s Last Of Us Include “Left Behind” In The Main Story?
Given how HBO's The Last of Us is co-created by Neil Druckmann, creator of the original two The Last of Us games, Druckmann is able to include things in the story with the benefit of hindsight. This was evident in The Last of Us episode 6, which included some hints at the events of The Last of Us Part II. This only continues with The Last of Us episode 7, as Left Behind's story was split between the core game's winter section and Ellie/Riley’s flashbacks. With this hindsight, it makes sense for Druckmann to include the story here, embedding it seamlessly into HBO's The Last of Us timeline.
Also, the nature of TV simply allows for the story to be included here in a way that gaming could not allow. While Naughty Dog has disproved this in recent years, especially through The Last of Us Part II, games in 2013 when The Last of Us was released often did not include flashback elements that included gameplay. Due to this, Left Behind was added as DLC. However, with TV's long-form storytelling and the aforementioned value of hindsight, The Last of Us on HBO can seamlessly include these flashbacks in a way that benefits the overall story.
New episodes of The Last of Us release every Sunday on HBO.