HBO's The Last of Us star (and the voice actor for Joel Miller in the games the series is based on) Troy Baker shared his thoughts on the controversial events set to come in Season 2.
After the first season of HBO's hit PlayStation adaptation comes to a close, development on the already-announced Season 2 is set to kick off.
With Season 1 following the first of Naughty Dog's post-apocalyptic epics beat-for-beat, the upcoming sophomore season will most definitely tackle the events of The Last of Us Part II, as the showrunners have "no plans to tell any stories beyond adapting the game[s]."
Aside from the fact that the series will adapt the PlayStation 4 sequel, not much is known about the upcoming second season, except that, according to star Pedro Pascal, "there is a chance" it could film by the end of the year.
The Last of Us' Controversial Season 2
Star of both The Last of Us TV series and video game franchise Troy Baker has teased the controversial plot set to hit the screen in Season 2 of the hit HBO series.
Speaking with Variety, Baker was asked about the second season adapting the divisive events of The Last of Us Part II and how fans may react. The actor responded by noting that he hopes they react "the same." He likened it to the "ending of Part I," lamenting that "love it or hate it — if you have an opinion on it, then we did our job:"
"Hopefully the same. Because it’ll show that we did the story justice. It’s very similar to the ending of 'Part I.' Love it or hate it — if you have an opinion on it, then we did our job. Going forward, there will be more moments like that for you to wrestle with."
Baker then addressed some of the changes that were made in Season 1 from game to TV show, remarking that "What this show has proven is that it’s a much bigger story than we originally conceived:"
"For someone who has spent as much time with this franchise as I have, there’s something in every episode where I learned something new. What this show has proven is that it’s a much bigger story than we originally conceived."
What to Expect in TLOU Season 2
After the events of Season 1, it would make a lot of sense for The Last of Us Season 2 to also be controversial.
This is ultimately a franchise that has never shied away from controversy. Just look at the first season of the HBO adaptation.
Over its nine-episode run, the series has not backed down from the spotlight, even getting review-bombed after its celebrated depiction of queer relationships on-screen.
And The Last of Us Part II was no stranger to this divisive nature. While the ending of the first The Last of Us video game (which is set to be depicted in the upcoming HBO finale) sparked conversation amongst fans, things got ugly with the release of the sequel.
Some love the narrative choices Part II made. Others do not. And if the series remains faithful to the games, then that will continue to be the case with the TV show, just amplified by the mass appeal the HBO show has.
The Last of Us airs its Season 1 finale on HBO this Sunday at 9 p.m. ET.
