Released on May 25, 2025, episode 7 of season 2 of The Last of Us marks a new stage in the HBO series adapting Naughty Dog's cult video game franchise. In an interview, co-showrunner Craig Mazin spoke about the removal of a particularly shocking scene from The Last of Us Part II.
A Noticeable Absence
Launched on April 14, season 2 of The Last of Us ended a two-year wait, following the critical success of the first season, inspired by Naughty Dog's video game masterpiece. Seven episodes long (two fewer than the first), this second season had the delicate task of adapting The Last of Us Part II, a brutal revenge odyssey that won the GOTY award in 2020 and whose radical nature sparked heated debates on social media upon its release. Still directed by Neil Druckmann (director of The Last of Us games) and Craig Mazin (Chernobyl), the sequel to Joel and Ellie's adventures in a world ravaged by cordyceps was generally a great success in many ways, albeit with a few flaws. The two showrunners decided to repeatedly disrupt the video game's timeline, unfortunately lessening the emotional impact of some iconic scenes. Similarly, the radical nature of Ellie's character's violence was lessened by certain dialogues with Dina, notably when she suggests abandoning their escapade in Seattle to return to Jackson. The final episode of season 2 perfectly illustrates this desire to humanize Ellie's character, notably through the Aquarium scene. In the games, this fundamental scene appears as a turning point in the young girl's psychological development - and in her representation in the eyes of the player.
We could of course come back to the fact that by unintentionally killing Mel because she responded to Owen's shot, this in fact diminishes the young woman's responsibility; But what struck us most was the absence of the scene in which Ellie kills Abby's dog, Bear. A scene of great violence that finds its narrative justification when the player plays Abby and plays with the animal - whose tragic fate the player knows. In The Last of Us Part II, Bear's tragic death reinforces the message that Neil Druckmann wanted to convey, by revealing the consequences of blind violence that dehumanizes the enemy. During a press event, Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin answered journalists' questions. Regarding Bear's absence, Mazin justified himself: "There are two cardinal rules in Hollywood. One: don't spend your own money; two: don't kill a dog. Also, because it's live action, the nature of the violence becomes much more explicit... It's very disturbing... And in our conversation, we said that it was probably one death too many."
Mischievous fans have pointed out that in episode 4 of Craig Mazin's cult miniseries Chernobyl, Ukrainian reservists are forced to kill dogs living near the scene. of the nuclear drama... But as Mazin summed up: "I think we only get one dog-killing episode in our lives." And you, what do you think of Bear's absence and Craig Mazin's explanations? Did they convince you? Don't hesitate to tell us in the comments section. And to discover this modification concerning Joel which could have major consequences on the end of the series, click here.
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