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jomiddlemarch · 5 months

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fairy lights

There were some customers you knew from a glance that you’d be talking smack about in the break room as soon as they left the building and there were ordinary ones that you forgot immediately. And there were the absolute unicorns like the impossibly hot guy standing in the middle of the aisle holding a box of fairy-lights in his hand like it was an alien artifact, a guy whose hands you noticed were well-made but sort of rough, like he worked in construction or landscaping and the way he squinted at the fairy-lights made it clear he was used to working in the blinding sun of a Texas afternoon.

“Can I help you, sir?” you said. You’d been raised by your grandma, a stickler for manners, and management loved how easily you used sir and ma’am with the customers, even if Neveah who worked the baby section made fun of you for it.

“I dunno, maybe?” he said. He had a nice voice, a little gravelly. “My brother said these are popular, for girls. Saw it online, TicTac or whatever—”

“TikTok,” you offered.

“Yeah, that,” he replied.

“For your niece?” you asked. He’d mentioned a brother and he wasn’t wearing a ring, just a beat-up watch.

“No, my own girls. I’ve got two, they have to share a room, bunkbeds. My brother said it looked like juvie, last time he came over.”

“That’s harsh,” you said, shrugging slightly, hating your store smock. He smiled and you saw you’d underestimated how much better he’d look with his lips curved, his dark eyes bright. You felt a little wild, decided to push. “They didn’t want to go shopping with their mama?”

“It’s just the three of us,” he said. “Their room could use a woman’s touch. I’m not good at that shit—‘scuse me, that stuff. I do new construction, renos, but not making the rooms look nice.”

“The thing with fairy-lights is you have to have enough of them,” you said. “Otherwise, they look kind of cheap and pathetic. Are you planning on putting the lights on the bunkbeds or the walls?”

“I figured I’d let them choose,” he said.

“Okay, well, it’s not like those are on final sale or anything, but if you buy three, you get the fourth free, so maybe get four and if they don’t want that many, you can return them. Just save the receipt,” you said.

He nodded, dropped the box in his hand into the basket by his feet and you grabbed three more to give him. There was no reason his fingers would’ve grazed yours unless he was the one who did it.

He did it.

“You’ve been real helpful,” he said. “Got kids of your own?”

“No,” you answered. “Just some nephews and I go on TikTok. I’m not a Luddite.”

“Hey, they got a bad rap. They were protesting for better working conditions. They didn’t hate the machines, just the management.”

“I hear that,” you said.

“That’s why I work for myself,” he replied. “Only way to have a good boss.”

“Yeah, this place isn’t the worst, but it’s not like they go overboard to be nice,” you said. “The break-room snacks are just the store-brand knockoffs they can’t sell.”

“There’s a decent coffee-shop up the street, lattes and they have a barista,” he said. “My brother’s with the girls until I get home. If you wanted, Christ, this sounds so cheesy, I never do this, you know—”

“I can tell,” you said. “But my next break is in ten minutes. I could go for a latte.”

#tlou fanfic #holiday prompts #joel miller #au no zombie apocalypse #joel/you #soft joel miller #joel and his girls #superstore vibes #does Joel have game?#fluffy #is it still a drabble if it breaks 500 words?#like a drabble multiplier

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thelaurenshippen · 1 year

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I think the thing that, like, has me fully frothing at the mouth about the way the last of us transformed bill's story is how it flipped on its head what bill does in the narrative. in the game (at least in my interpretation), he is the epitome of the living vs. surviving dichotomy, an example on how you can do everything you can to survive as long as you can and be absofuckinglutely miserable and alone if you continue to shove down parts of yourself and keep everyone at arm's length. he's what joel could become if he's not careful.

and in the show, he's the opposite - he's the example of how you can change your ways in the worst circumstances, how letting someone in is actually the most powerful thing you can do, how surviving isn't enough, isn't worthwhile, if you don't have love, if you don't have something to live for. and where in the game he was a portent of joel's future if he continued down the path he was on, in the show he's a contrast of what joel already is. joel, who couldn't tell tess he loved her, joel who can be detached enough to dispose of the corpse of a child, joel who doesn't allow himself to mourn the death of his friends for more than a few seconds. bill of the game was that way, except he still helped joel and ellie out. joel of the tv show is where bill was, but he still gives ellie his jacket when its cold, his food when she's hungry.

and in doing all of that, and with knowing what's coming, the last of us has said "love will save you. it doesn't matter if its romantic love or familial love, no matter the people involved, love is the most natural thing we do, and if you try to push it away, it will be that that kills you."

#the last of us #tlou #the last of us spoilers #tlou spoilers #idk if this makes ANY sense #I'm having a hard time articulating my thoughts exactly #but just like #joel has SO much further to go to love ellie in the show than he does in the game #which is WILD bc he has so far to go in the game #and I looveeeeeeee that #I love that he is going to have to work so hard because THAT'S THE POINT #letting yourself love isn't easy but it IS worthwhile #lauren feels things

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hollowwish · 7 months

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Thinking about how last season Joel was so desperate to break Jimmy’s curse vs Martyn this season, who runs around and gaslights and lies and planned to/has thrown his allies to the wolves before. Something about Joel's loyalty vs Martyn's illusion of loyalty that people can fall for

#ren posting #And by people can fall for I also mean the fans. The fans fell for it lmao #A very interesting contrast between two of Jimmy allies #limited life #secret life #joel smallishbeans #jimmy solidarity #inthelittlewood #martyn inthelittlewood #solidarity gaming #smallishbeans #The real question is like. Would Jimmy fall for fake loyalty #Because he DOES have his naive moments but he ALSO knows martyn

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cartooncrazyart · 1 year

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Man was far too quick to respond 🤔

[image description: two uncoloured digital comics of Joel and Jimmy from Empires SMP.

First comic - Jimmy sits in the foreground, looking up at the giant muscular statue of Joel in Tumble Town. In the next panel he is looking away, blushing while laughing to himself, saying “He’s so annoying ha ha ha”

Second comic - Joel gestures casually with a hand on his hip as he says “I was wondering if you’d make a child with me?” Jimmy begins taking of his vest looking determined, saying “I never thought you’d ask.” End ID]

#empires smp #empires x hermitcraft #empiresshipping #never thought I’d use a shipping tag but I really can’t explain this one away so #smallishbeans #jimmy solidarity #solidarity gaming #solidaritygaming #I’m sure they have a ship name but I can’t be bothered looking it up lol #does it still count as a crack ship if I spent over an hour on the first comic #smallidarity #i forgot joel was on his furry arc T_T forgive me

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williexmercer · 1 year

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It’s the way that found family trope just sneaks up on you, every single piece of media I like leads right to found family

and usually this found family is in the form of a dad with either his many kids or dad with single kid

#I can’t name a fandom that I like that doesn’t have some kind of found family #does this possibly say more about me than it should #we don’t talk about that #g thinks #julie and the phantoms #knives out #tlou #I love ray #ray and his many kids #joel and ellie #Blanc and andi #hunger games #haymitch and katniss #haymitch and peeta #puss in boots #Blanc and Marta #911 abc #Bobby and the firefam

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skoulsons · 11 months

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im suffering in joel emotions ok listen

I cant get over his nervousness in the birthday flashback. The last birthday he experienced, his own or someone’s else’s, was his. And, in under less than three hours after it technically ended, the apocalypse hit their town and Sarah died

There are no good memories associated with his birthday, but I also think birthdays in general. I believe the idea at all has left a sour taste in his mouth. And especially after twenty years in the apocalypse with no one and no reason to celebrate a birthday, why would he even care?

But then there’s Ellie. His second chance. She turned 15 either on the road depending on how long we think she was 14 for when they met, or she turned 15 not too long into Jackson, before they were comfortably settled.

So her 16th is the “big” one. And despite this man who, to me, had gained a hatred and general disinterest in birthdays or celebrations in general, puts one together for Ellie. He says “Maria. She, uh… she told me about it. Figured It’d be right up your alley” but I really think he outright asked her about the surrounding area and anything regarding dinosaurs and/or space that he could use for her birthday :’)

But he puts a little trip together. A few days—ride out, there, and then ride back. He clears out the whole building to make sure it’s safe. Ellie’s notebook says “Joel said he‘a taking me on a camping trip next week for my birthday. He found something he said I’ll love. He’s acting very proud of himself. Smug old fogey.”

Again, I think he’s become very disinterested in the whole idea of birthdays and celebrating. But then, lo and behold, he and Ellie are now together and they have a safe life in Jackson and he gets to spoil her.

And he does. Clears the building out. Finds an old space launch tape for her Walkman and writes “HAPPY BIRTHDAY. love, Joel” (im telling you right now when I found this out I sobbed for hours im not kidding I SOBBED). He makes it as perfect and special as he possibly can.

But then in the space shuttle. He’s nervous. Just… something about him screams that he’s nervous to me. The little hitched breath after telling her “it’ll be worth it” if she closes her eyes to listen (which?? did he steal her walkman briefly to listen to it to make sure it worked?? maybe that’s a dumb thought). the way he has tears in his eyes like the whole scene? “I do okay?” Because he doubts himself and is scared that, somehow, it wasn’t a good trip. And her “are you fucking kidding me?” Is enough for Joel for an answer because he knows what means in Ellie-speak

but for a man who had his last birthday ruined in unimaginable ways, it was repaired in the way he went all out to make Ellie’s 16th as good and memorable as he possibly could. for her birthday, maybe the first proper one she ever got, to be as special as he could manage. to make it something good for her

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mariatesstruther · 10 months

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more tlou hunger games au picking up after this post

(essentially we’re at catching fire, joel and ellie are going into the quarter quell together as district mates. ellie was the winner of the 74th games and joel was the only winner of district 12 before her. his daughter was killed in the games also. ellie won her games with sam, who is kind of a rue/peeta combo in that he’s from district 11 and him and ellie won together)

im mostly skipping straight to the reaping/games for now but some details for context:

ellie has spent the six months since her win recovering and healing up at joel’s, growing closer to him and becoming basically besties with his brother tommy

ellie is still the girl on fire, as her and sam’s innocence and dedication towards one another has captured the hearts of everyone in panem. before their victory tour, president (david) snow has issued threats that she keep in line, otherwise he’ll kill joel and sam. she does not tell joel this, but he knows suspects

there are riots going on in districts and the secret rebellion is actively underway

at the end of ellie and sam’s victory tour, during the president’s mansion party, ellie meets tess—who is apparently joel’s ex which BLOWS her mf mind. she was a gamemaker last year and is now the head gamemaker (after snow killed the one that failed to kill her last year). she is scary-level beautiful and commandingly intimidtaing, but she is also nice enough to compliment ellie’s aim. apparently, tess was in the room last year when ellie had thrown a dagger straight at the gamemakers during her private training

by the time ellie gets back home to 12 and sam gets back to 11, ellie is just tired and ready for her and joel to hang out and be victors at home

boom quarter quell

joel gets called as the only male victor of their district, but he tells ellie after that he would’ve volunteered regardless to protect her. he assures her that, even as confident and as good as she is, these games are about to be a bloodbath

ellie tries to play it off, but she’s extremely scared and worried for joel because she knows he won his games like, a million (20) years ago, but now he’s fucking old. he’s half-deaf and has a permanent limp, barely noticeable to most people but clear as fucking doomsday to her. she is young and fast and thinks she is more dangerous (“did you fucking forget that im the first and only tribute ever to score an 11, joel???? huh???? did you forget that in ur old man age?? what score did you get, a 6?” “ellie. i scored a 10.” “well. how was i supposed to know that. they don’t teach us about history that far back in school”)

ellie and joel are also assigned new stylist, maria, for the quarter quell. she is from the capital, so joel and ellie immediately have their guards up around her—but maria is confident and snarky in way that reminds joel of tess, and unyieldingly no-bullshit in a way that reminds ellie of joel—plus, she has a ton of cool piercings and multicolored locs that ellie is obsessed with, so. they tentatively warm up to her

maria also tells joel that she’s a friend of tess, referencing details about her (and himself) that she would only know if she were someone tess could trust—and he figures that if tess could trust her, so could he

ellie quickly grows grateful for joel being there (though it does take her a while to admit it), because when she and joel arrive at training they witness the other victor’s skills. the victors are deadly and cocky and look at her like she’s food—two different people have inhumanly sharpened teeth. she is the youngest there and, admittedly, very freaked out

(sam wouldve been the youngest there this year, but another tribute from his district, jesse, had vehemently volunteered in place of him. jesse was unable to volunteer and save sam from fighting the year prior because he was still recovering from his own game-inflicted chronic injuries. luckily, he’s healed enough by now to keep sam from having to go through the quarter quell)

so jesse comes into the games with another tribute from their district, dina. joel isnt at all interested in making allies or friends, but ellie can’t help but be a goddamn social butterfly, even among a bunch of assholes, kill-happy freaks, and showboaters.

she makes friends with dina and jesse quickly and vehemently. despite how grumpy it makes joel to be surrounded by no one but teenagers all three days of training, he can’t deny they’re good to have around

dina is stealthy and intelligent. joel already knows she’s a good kid because she had volunteered for her own games to save her little sister, who was called as a tribute at only 12 years old. her knowledge of different plants and wildlife is insane, like she’d spent all 15 years of her life surviving in the wilderness. she had won her games by simply hiding in shelters, defending them with traps, and resourcefully leading mutts straight to the locations of other tributes. she hadn’t needed to kill anyone at all, not directly. still she has great aim and, with ellie’s teaching, gets pretty good with a bow and arrow

jesse is less quick and less stealthy than dina and ellie, but he is incredibly strong. he had managed to win his own games with a gladius sword; it was a particularly brutal and bloody games his year, with an arena theme based on the roman colosseum. despite the brutality of his fighting style and weapon if choice, jesse is also one of the kindest kids joel has ever spoken to. they’d actually met a few times at mandatory capital events, and every single time, jesse shook his hand too quickly and called him “sir” far too much for casual conversation

anyway, the four of them basically team up alongside two older victors, bill and frank. joel and bill fucking hate each other, always have (definitely because they’re exactly alike but frank won’t say that with bill around). frank and joel have been friends for a long, long time—basically since he was with tess—and were good enough friends that he can’t deny there’s still some trust there

plus frank absolutely hits it off with ellie during training, teaching her how to use paint and natural materials for exceptional camouflage (which was how he won his games. he had been the first victor to win the games with no kills at all, direct or otherwise, before dina)

and even though bill was an asshole, he was an undeniable tactical genius of an asshole. he had taken out basically everyone in his games with stoic and refined skill. his were the quickest games that had ever occurred, and still to this day remain so. joel has no fucking idea how him and frank got together, but he really doesn’t care. he knows bill is genuine in his loyalty to frank, and frank seems genuine in his fondness of ellie, so joel tentatively accepts the both of them as allies

the private trainings proceed and all of them get pretty impresive scores, even for victors. thus is born “the goddamn motherfucking dream team” (ellie picked the name. dina and jesse love it)

at the interviews before the games, all of the victors do the tactical appeal-to-the-masses-and-try-to-stop-the-games thing. everyone expects joel to be an asshole or maybe mention sarah, but he actually gives a very sincere address to ellie about how she’s become a second daughter to him and given him a new reason to fight to survive: to make sure she lived. his clear love and dedication to protecting her (which is both an intentional warning to the rest of the victors, and an unintentionally-heartfealt appeal to the masses of panem) leaves everybody near tears

for her interview, ellie curses out president david goddamnmotherfucking snow live on camera

commence the games

lmfao. well, definitely more coming later because i LOVED thinking about all of this ides and it basically writes itself

for @clickergossip, @banchywanch (so glad i still got jesse & dina volunteering in there, even though it isn’t quite the same as your briliant idea <3), @bumblepony, @liveandletcry23, @hypnotisedfireflies, @mrsquill and @hinewai

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sweet-lil-subby · 1 year

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You know what I love about the last of us? Every sci-fi, fantasy, Zombie, apocalypse, whatever movie EVER has the military 110% ready to attack and ignoring the scientists. But the last of us?

A big tough military man who is begging for an answer, who wants science to save their ass, who asks for help. And a little old granny whose solution is "Bomb. Bomb everything."

It's fucking refreshing

#the last of us #the last of us tv #the last of us game #bella ramsey #ellie and joel #ellie williams #pedro pascal #joel miller #science does not have all the answers #sometimes reality sucks #did the military do something useful?

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lasarcasticpanda · 1 year

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mmmmm something about ellie having a violent heart....idk that i agree? ellie absolutely resorts to violence, but i see that as a product of the world she's in vs a natural part of her personality.

i guess i think in regards to her interactions with marlene and maria and tommy and """staring girl [D I N A]""". marlene was a direct threat to her, according to all precedence set, but all she does is pull out a knife? she doesn't even attempt to hurt her.

ellie is prickly and distrusting of maria and tommy but again, doesn't react with violence. same with dina- verbally, she lashes out, and some tough body language, but thats it.

ellie reacts violently wherein she's cornered, where she's threatened and there's no other option (or at least no other better option), where's alone and cornered and afraid.

she likes when joel killed the FEDRA dude, not cause of the violence, but because of the protection it offered her. she's easy to forgive and overlook violence because of the world they're in, the choices available aren't exactly aplenty.

but violence for violence sake, for the enjoyment of it, or for the relief and satisfaction of it at least (akin to joel and violence), that's not ellie.

it's why the second game is so hard - we watch her implement the behaviors she thinks is required of her and we see it chip away.

idk i think that's the biggest disagreement ive had with the writing team this whole show - ellie isn't activated or brought in by violence.

shes activated and brought in by protection.

#tlou spoilers #ellie williams #joel miller #tlou #the last of us #im not gonna say much more cause im not trying to spoil the second game for anyone #but thats one of the cornerstones of that story for me #ellie is good at violence and shes not afraid of it the way we might hope her to be #but i dont think thats the same as a violent heart #this was a really good episode though #and i do think its a testament to the writing that even tho i disagree #on this big point #it doesnt sway the writing enough for me to be turned off or think its being unfair to ellies character #as a side note i dont think its a bad thing to have a character with a violent heart #a v big player in tlou2 is someone who i think DOES have a violent heart #and its why shes such a good character and protector #....the same as joel #ANYWAY #BABY GIRLLLLLLL

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cave-systemm · 1 year

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happy holidays @karetyto !! i gift you an uno game among friends

thanks to @mcytblrholidayexchange for putting this together :D

#grian #goodtimeswithscar #smallishbeans #jimmy solidarity #the exact situation here is that scar ran off with grians mug to refil it #joel played a +4 and then jimmy stacked another +4 on too #grian is now mad. he does not win this game #oh also most of the books on the bookshelf are either one of my favorite books or have somewhat of a title based on a book scar might #have lying around #also yes scar is wearing swaggon themed pjs with a swaggon themed mug #❄️ tag #🌾 tag

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mattzerella-sticks · 1 year

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I never asked you to feel the way I felt.

A quote from Tess that I’m going to use to base a queer!Joel reading onto HBO’s The Last of Us despite there only being 2 episodes out so far.

#joel miller #the last of us #tlou hbo #i am not denying that he and tess had a relationship post-outbreak #what I am saying is that maybe they were friends with benefits #they were partners and a little something more #but joel couldn't love her the way she wanted him to love her #and maybe that has to do with more of how his heart hardened up after his daughter died in his arms #but maybe there can be more than one reason #in an apocalypse does anyone really have time to care about labels anyhow?#also gonna keep my fingers crossed that they changed the bill and frank character outcomes from the video game #since they already changed tess's #anything's possible

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thebiggestmenace · 10 months

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screenshots I took of Joel and Ellie during the first game in their second game attire :) this will only have positive affects on your mental health, I promise /sarc

The QZ and Capitol

Bill's Town

Pittsburgh

Jackson

Lakeside

Giraffes :)

The Hospital and Epilogue

#the last of us #tlou #tlou hbo #tlou2 #joel and ellie #ouchie revelation #the game hurts a lot more if they're in game 2 fits btw #like all the conversations?#ellie apologizing to joel because she can't imagine losing everything you know #and more speficially losing someone you love?#shit hurted #and then ellie telling sam that she's most afraid of ending up alone #and then she DOES #i am so distraught #the dlc will be another post cause you can only have 30 pics per post :)#joel miller #ellie williams #tess servopoulos #rambling menace

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pix-writes · 1 year

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tlou meta: the watch

SLIGHT SPOILERS AHEAD (look away now if you don’t want the game/tv show spoiled)

Here’s the thing that has insterested me since I finished the tlou game like 10 odd yrs ago & with the show making sure the watch is a recurring ‘theme’ on screen:

Throughout the game (and through the show so far), we are reminded frequently of how Joel has done some terrible shit to survive, has fucked over innocent people in the name of survival.

But the thing about his watch is, is that it is a symbol of his humanity. Not just of what grief he’s been put through, or of survivor’s guilt. Because his watch is what he looks to when he is in situations with Ellie, where he ultimately decides to keep going, to keep protecting her. It reminds him of Sarah, of course, but thematically it holds so much more weight than just a reminder of what he lost. It’s a reminder of what he used to be (a father).

I could go on about why this is (though honestly i’m too tired/wired to think it out coherently) but the main, interesting part of this train of thought is that if the watch is a symbol for Joel’s ties to being human, of making the ‘right’ decisions (to protect Ellie), is that Joel has NEVER taken the watch off!

#tlou spoilers #tlou meta #tlou hbo spoilers #sarah miller #joel and ellie #joel miller #joel's watch #i have adhd forgive me of the word vomit format #i just think thematically that that's what it is i have done since the game #but he literally never takes off that watch #like he can't take it off #sarah's death breaks him but yet he keeps something on him that constantly reminds him of her #of the worst most painful day in his life #why?#because he does hold onto some of his humanity he isn't lost #he likes to think he is but really deep down he cares for people #for his family #<3 #he keeps going because of sarah in some way idk how but he does he has hope but its just a flicker

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random-fandoms-stuff · 1 year

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I got crave and now catching up on tlou and

What

The

Ever

Loving

Heck!!

Is this??!?!?!

#if i was ellie i would have been so terrified i would have doed right then and there because i would have been frozen #tlou #hbo the last of us #hbo tlou #died i meant died not does lol #DID YALL SEE THE WAY THIS LITTLE CLICKER MOVED ABOUT!!!!!#nightmare fuel right there #clickers #they be so dang scary #the same episode there was the bloater #but yall i dont think the game ever showed a baby clicker #im use to big monsters not small tiny ones #lol #the last of us #joel miller #ellie williams #pedro pascal #bella ramsey

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jaegerbroshoe · 1 year

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Okay so I finally watched the first episode but I gotta say…I’m a little disappointed?

Like, the chemistry between the characters and the intrigue of the opening from the games just didn’t translate through for me. There were some great lines/shots/transitions they got rid of or changed that I don’t understand why they didn’t include (e.g. “you should start helping out with the mortgage then”, solider noting that Sarah is a little girl and showing more hesitance, the news report transition between past and present).

It was nice getting a bit more backstory on some stuff but yeah, I don’t know. So far I think the game’s opening was a lot stronger.

#the explanation of how fungi can fuck us up with warmer global temperatures driving their evolution was very scary #and I did like the added scene of ellie tricking joel #but yeah idk I feel like even though they spent longer introducing sarah in the show her bond with joel was translated better in the game #like I didn’t get emotional at all during her death scene but every time I rewatch the clip from the game I do #so I don’t think it’s just because I was expecting it #I wish they kept the opening the same honestly #and tess just felt irrelevant here?#and also joel doesn’t come across as hardened #he looked so shook at having killed someone at the end of the episode #plus here he’s looking for tommy #and it’s interesting what they did with the fireflies locking up ellie #and ellie not really knowing marlene until now #I don’t remember that being the case in the game but I could be wrong #still showing ellie being held against her will does make the fireflies more of assholes here #like to me it will actually support the argument of her being coerced more at the end #as in sacrificing herself wasn’t really her idea #and that marlene manipulated her #P.S. why the fuck are the infected in the show so fast? they weren’t like that in the game and it came off as tacky imo #tlou show #the last of us #misc #my opinion

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skoulsons · 1 year

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Joel and Ellie becoming a “we” and their own little unit together gives me butterflies. she’s not cargo anymore and he’s not just the smuggler anymore :’)

#father daughter things <3 #i love how they’re actually having joel refer to her as cargo in the show #since he never does in game #they really took Joel to a whole nother level in the show #and it’s so good #the last of us hbo #tlou spoilers #joel miller #ellie williams

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