‘The Last of Us’ Season 2, episode 3: Ellie hides a dark secret from Dina, and who could blame her?

Last week on The Last of Us, the hit HBO series presented one of the most stressful and tragic episodes TV has ever seen. By contrast, episode three offered some truly heartwarming moments, chiefly in the blossoming relationship between Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and Dina (Isabela Merced). 

On a mission of vengeance (or justice depending on how you look at it), the two Jackson teens set forth to Seattle to track down the WLF squad that killed Joel (Pedro Pascal).

Their quest is dark, and the path is full of terrors, including Infected and slain cult members. Yet, there’s some sweetness in Dina and Ellie’s navigating whether their friendship is going to become something more and what that kiss in the first episode meant. 

But as they bond through conversation, Ellie ducks one question from Dina, declaring its answer “too fucked-up.” That question: 

Who was the first person Ellie killed? 

Both Ellie and Dina grew up in a world already ravaged by Infected, so killing became a crucial tool — even for kids. Sharing a horse on their way to Seattle, Dina asks Ellie the super casual post-apocalyptic getting-to-know-you question. The former FEDRA trainee brushes off the question, but Season 1, episode 7 revealed the answer: Riley (Storm Reid), Ellie’s first love, was the first person she ever had to kill. 

In this flashback episode from Season 1, Ellie is elated to reunite with her best friend, who’d ditched FEDRA for the Fireflies. They spend time together in an abandoned mall, clutching at whatever scraps of carefree girlhood are left in this Cordyceps-ridden world. And it was beautiful day. Then, an Infected attacked, leaving both girls bitten, but only Ellie is immune to the zombifying effects.

The episode cuts away before Riley turns. But what’s implied is that Ellie watches her love become Infected, and then has to kill her. It’s a terribly tragic story of doomed love, and also not a great tale to tell your new could-be girlfriend as you face untold armies of the undead. Plus, with the grief so fresh from Joel’s death, Ellie’s probably not willing to reopen the door to her first lost love.

The Last of Us Season 2 is now streaming on Max. New episodes air weekly on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET.