‘The Last of Us’ Easter Eggs: Every Reference You Might Have Missed

Photo Illustration by Elizabeth Brockway/The Daily Beast/HBO
Photo Illustration by Elizabeth Brockway/The Daily Beast/HBO

With any adaptation of a beloved property—whether it be a video game, comic book, or novel—there are going to be fans scouring every frame for each and every little nod back to the source material. There will also be many newcomers to the franchise that are interested in learning more about how the show is paying homage to the original text.

When it comes to HBO’s new TV series based on The Last of Us, the hugely popular PlayStation action-adventure games, there are plenty of Easter eggs viewers should look for. And as a self-described The Last of Us expert, I took the liberty of flagging them for you all. You are welcome!

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I am only human and may miss a few things, but I will do my best to catch all the biggest and most subtle shout-outs to the game throughout Season 1 of the show. Over the course of the next several weeks, I will note important lines of dialogue that are taken directly from the game, moments that allude to something from the games (I will try my best to stay spoiler-free), items in the background that are nods to the game and much more.

This list of Easter Eggs will be updated weekly following the East Coast premiere of each episode. So, if you found yourself wondering, “Was that part from the video game?” you know where to come. Also, don’t miss my weekly recaps for a more in-depth look at each episode of the show.

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EPISODE 1

LINES OF DIALOGUE OF NOTE

  • When Sarah (Nico Parker) tells Joel (Pedro Pascal) that she got the money to fix his watch from “selling hardcore drugs”: That is an exact piece of dialogue from the game and an important one to note because it really highlights the relationship between Joel and Sarah.

ITEMS OF NOTE

  • The “Halican Drops” shirt Sarah wears is the exact same shirt the video game version of Sarah wears on Outbreak Day.

  • Sarah brings home a DVD of the movie Curtis & Viper 2 to watch with Joel on his birthday night, which is a throwback to the mention in The Last of Us: Part 2 that Joel is a fan of those (fictional) films.

PEOPLE OF NOTE

  • Marlene is played by Merle Dandridge, who voiced the same character in the game.

MOMENTS OF NOTE

  • The jump-scare of the dog at the window in the beginning of the episode is a nod to the opening of the game. One of the saddest moments is when you hear a dog barking then all of a sudden start whimpering, and you don’t know why just yet. But as you soon find out, it’s Infected-related.

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