I never thought of the Stalker splitting off from the Rat King as a parallel to Joel and Ellie, shows that I still take a lot of things in the games too literally when there's more to see through analysis like this
seriously tho. i used to feel really indifferent to this sequence because it felt like it was just to keep people from complaining about the infected taking such a backseat in this game, but this analysis gave me such a new appreciation for it😭
Well, to be honest, they didn't get through to me until now. I'm quite resistant to metaphor and symbolism. 🤷 To be fair though, I don't think the doorsign ever registered in my mind in any of my playthroughs, maybe I was too focused on the horrors and on the little errand I had to run there.
I was 100% too frightened to make that relatively obvious connection - maybe I'll have an even greater appreciation for TLOU2 with all this newfound knowledge. Just haven't been able to bring myself to do a 2nd playthrough because TLOU2 is soooooo emotionally draining
Gamers have trouble with that despite their platform being an art just like film or books people just see it as entertainment and if they don’t get exactly what they want or someone dies they don’t want they just refuse to see the light
Videos like this make me REALLY curious about how the HBO series is going to adapt Part II. I loved the first season, and I can imagine how Ellie’s story will play out, but I think it’s far more imperative for them to get ABBY’S part of the story right for the story work at all. There’s so much nuance in even the smallest of details that makes her so compelling and important. I loved your interpretation of the stalker that gets segmented from the rat king representing Ellie too, what a cool detail!
im kinda worried ngl, tlou 2 feels like such a dense story to try and put into a probably like 8-9 episode season especially given they are probably gonna add new characters/storys like in the first season
@@msampson2286 from what I've Heard , the story for the Last of us part 2 is gonna be extender across 2 seasons . How true is that, not so sure , but I think this is the Best way to do it. Like You said , the story is very dense , with lost of nuance and meaning , but that couldn't capture all the stuff they put on the table , Like the war between WLF and Seraphites , Isaac , And Abbys friends not havig to much screen time. Thats why I think the show is going to do a good job at presenting the story in a new way , with the things that didn't got the Best execute , to be recreated in a new way .
Honestly there's no way they can do it in 8 episodes or whatever they said it's gonna be. I have to believe it's 2 seasons. I hope it's 3. Give us a whole Jackson to Santa Barbara season!
But I agree I also worry. It annoys me a little that they changed the scene where Ellie saves Joel so that he's not being suffocated underwater. That felt like a mirror image of Ellie drowning Abby at the end. I worry that they keep changing details and it will become a less cohesive whole.
Never even thought about the symbolism of the hospital, this is s tier content. I really love stuff like this that really show how well crafted some stories are
For me if they were going to go for a "is revenge really worth it" they did a terrible job because when Ellie gets back dina is gone and Abby is alive making the trip to kill Abby was completely pointless and what they should have done was give the players a choice If you kill Abby and Ellie return to dina and tell her Abby is dead dina would leave Ellie and the baby If Ellie didn't kill Abby and returned to dina and tell her she couldn't kill Abby dina stays with Ellie A game that does the whole "is revenge worth it" is dishonored
I REALLY love the little trailer you made for this video, it seems like it could’ve been an actual trailer for a horror game! I’m so happy to watch any of your videos about TLOU2
I honestly never hated Abby during my first playthrough, I was always just curious about her, I really wanted to know what her deal was. I still never really questioned Ellie's revenge quest though. After the encounter with the Rat King, when Abby came out of Ground Zero and quipped "no-one's ever gonna believe that shit", I started laughing hysterically and yelled "WE DID IT". That exact moment I realised "oh shit, I like Abby. I like Joel's killer. I don't want her to die" I've always just chalked that up to Naughty Dog's super cool and interesting use of the bond between the player and the avatar and how prolonged time playing as a certain character can really help in building strong connections to them (lmao can you tell I'm a game studies major), this is how the second game gets you to both really want to avenge Joel initially and then not want Abby to die by the end. Videos like this that explore the narrative of the game are so cool to me and help me realise exactly why the Rat King encounter is what endeared me to Abby so much; not only did we bond over taking down a massive monster together, there were also narrative beats indicating that she was becoming a better person throughout that encounter and deserved to continue her journey of redemption. Thank you for making videos like these! I really enjoy them, especially the one about Mel!
“Be curious, not judgemental”. So many people who hate part 2 were judgemental and not curious. It’s folks who are open minded who love the game and it’s terrific story. Good on ya
These videos finally cracked the code for me, The Last of Us is a story about human nature from lots of different perspectives. The Last of Us part 1 was about this, but as a kid I really just saw it as "The Joel and Ellie Show" which I carried with me into part 2, which is why me and lots of others I suspect hated it. How could we enjoy the Joel and Ellie Show part 2 without Joel?? But that's never what these games were about, we were kids then and you're helping us to grow up, so thank you
I have a friend who up until recently was a big Last ofnUs Part II hater. He was pretty much exactly what you expect. Hated Abby because she killed Joel, hated all of Abby's friends, including Lev and Yara. Thought of the game as just a "revenge bad" story. I got him to watch a bunch of your videos and he's now 5 hours into a replay of the game and he says he's enjoying it much more, pretty much just because you lay the story out and explain it in such a genuine and intelligent way that it helped him understand and get past his personal bias for the characters and think about the game almost more like a book or a TV series than a video game, as in he takes time to actually think about each scene and event as it happens. Very happy for him as its always been one of my favorite games since its release and I'm very thankful that I found your videos to show him.
I actually learned to love Abby while playing TLOU 2. I hated her at first after what she did to Joel, but I saw how she's as broken as Ellie who lost someone she loved. I also love her dynamic with Lev, reminds me of Joel and Ellie in the first game.
Ok but how is it not a revenge bad story? Even in this video she talks about how revenge will only bring you guilt, while I respect the game play and visuals of the game the story is just unsatisfying, which ironically is the exact way revenge makes you feel so I guess they succeeded in one aspect.
@@redhill3248 revenge part of the plot, but it's not the main story being told. it's far more about Ellie's and Abby's internal journeys, which revenge becomes or became an outlet for. Ellie's story was about her relationship with Joel and the guilt she feels for holding a grudge against him for so long. it wasn't actually about her getting revenge, which is why she never got it. Abby's story is about the consequences of revenge rather than the actual revenge itself. see what I mean?
wow, this video has really opened my eyes to the symbolism of the rat king fight. i didn't even think to connect it to joel and ellie. i also love your comparison of the descent to a literal descent into hell. this makes me want to replay the game all over again and look for connections to ellie's/abby's journeys through level design and boss fights. i can't wait to see what you create next.
Out of all the channels on youtube, this is the one I get most excited about seeing a notification for a new video upload. Your writing and analysis skills are insane
I love Ellie and Joel but it was Abby's journey that really made this game for me. The Ellie sequences are great from beginning to end, but Abby's growth across her days in Seattle were a perfect blend of storytelling and gameplay. Part II is such a good game.
Another cool detail about Abby’s dreams is the music in the background. When she first leaves the kids in the shipyard the song “longing” plays. It plays again when she wakes up from the dream of them hanging after sleeping with Owen, but after this it doesn’t play again for a while. Instead, during her dream where she sees her dad alive, the song “longing (redemptions)” plays, a pretty on the nose detail but still really powerful. P.S. loved this video and support from Australia ❤
The editing on this one is really spectacular, especially the opening which gave me immediate chills! Huge fan of your prior videos as well, but this I think is your best yet!! Can't wait for the next one :)
I really love that you noticed the symbolism that was intended by the encounter. I'd never noticed it, and it was clearly purposeful. Thanks for the awesome video!
have you guys ever looked into the scene where dina and ellie are laying across each other (dina in white light and ellie in red) after abby fights with them? i feel like there's sm to interpret but i've never seen people talk abt it
A lovely analysis! I hadn't thought about the rat king as a parallel to Joel and Ellie, but it makes all the sense. Also can I just say, you have a wonderfully calming voice. It's been a hard day, but I feel more at peace now. Thank you.
You ma'am, are a genius. I discovered you yesterday through some senseless doom scroll e you kept me awake while driving back from France to Italy. You're a sensible amazing human being that helped me shred some lights on aspects of the game that I didn't quite catch during my playthrough while confirming some of my assumptions. Thanks again for keeping me company.
I truly believe TLOU2 was released before its time. People are not open to that sort of nuanced, grey-shaded kind of storytelling (yet). It is a matter of convention, yes, but also of education. I think you are doing a good job at explaining the finer details that a casual player might miss. Still, I will admit that the discourse surrounding the game at the time of its release pre-colored the game for me and ruined my experience / enjoyment of it even though now that I _have_ actually seen a full playthrough my own opinion has changed massively. Most of the criticism directed at the game was misinformed or even in bad faith. I partly blame social media for this as well, we all know how these platforms thrive on outrage and controversy bc it increases engagement. It took me years to actually watch the game for myself (I don't own a console or strong pc so I cannot play it even tho I'd love to) and form my own opinion bc the well was so poisoned I couldn't bring myself to engage with it for emotional reasons even when the rationale ("It's probably not that bad") and willingness had long been there. All things aside, it's a pretty ballsy move by Naughty Dog to make the antagonist / later deuteragonist not only kill the protagonist of the first game, but also cheat (well _she_ technically didn't cheat, but you know what I mean) _and_ *gasp* be a GNC woman (strong, obstinate, assertive, aggressive and so on). Most people are not open to the perspective of someone with any of these characteristics let alone all of them. Even immense amounts of suffering inflicted upon her (and the story does punish her a lot for her actions) will rarely change their mind. Recently, I've seen some people slowly, quietly, bashfully come around but the majority made up their mind during the inital storm and are not open to reconsideration. They will always hate Abby and TLOU2, just as they will always hate Gabi and the last chapters of AOT (I have my own gripes with the story, but not for the usual reasons you see being brought up in discussions). I'm sure the developers anticipated some of the backlash but surely not the sheer amount, or they would've changed the story. Or maybe they did and just didn't care, in which case, respect. Also, just for the record: Abby is my favorite character in The Last of Us franchise, I really hope she will be central to the TLOU3 game and I pray for her actor in the TV series cause that storm is coming I can tell you that and I'm not even a meteorologist.
My personal opinion as someone who was truly blinded by hating this game at release (and now being able to look at the story neutrally) is the following: The story is great but the way the timeline is played out is horrible. The main reason it just sucks is that Joel gets killed off so early and to me it feels like they did this as shock value. You do not know anything about these kids and from now on you hate them, making the moment you are forced to play as Abby feel even worse. Imagine if they simply started the game at the moment of the flashback moments of Ellie and Joel (so you get some playing time as the characters the fans know and love) and then it jumps back to current time Ellie, and you see the divide that has been created by Joels lie and you have that argument this at the party about Joel defending Ellie from that homophobic dude etc etc. After that, the perspective changes and you are now playing as Abby in her own city, dealing with the trauma of the death of her father (but they do not let us know her father is the doctor) and her getting her friends together for her mission to avenge the death of her father. But once again they do not make it clear to us it is Joel they are looking for, this now simply feels as an introduction as another main character for this new game. Then this perspective ends at that snowy house. Then the perspective goes to how the game originally starts where Ellie has to go looking for Joel and finds him in that house etc etc. This way you feel way more conflicted once Joels death happens, as you now understand what Abby is doing there, why they kill Joel. You have already played as Abby so once you get to play as her again, sure alot of people would still feel very angry with her, but now it is not an awful experience anymore to be forced to play as Abby. Also the ending should be a choice, you should be given a choice to let Abby go or kill her. It does not make sense that Ellie travels the entire country killing so many people to kill Abby to then let her go, I get what they want to make the player feel but I think this feeling gets even better portrayed if the player HAS to make the choice themselves. It gives the player time to think about the morality of what you are doing to Abby at the end. The way the story goes currently is that you start off hating Abby and you get guilt tripped into actually sympathizing with her and it feels like you are forced to feel a certain way. With the version I lay out your starting position of feelings for Abby are more in the middle and you are more free to feel a certain way about her. This is just my opinion, I would love to hear what people think about this.
@@stefanverweij1684 I think TLOU Explained made an excellent video on exactly this topic. It's the most recent one called "why The Last of Us Part II's story can't be separated from its structure". Do give it a watch!
hell yeah one of my favorite notifications is when you drop one of these on us! great work as usual, i appreciate that you're finding really great details and connections i've missed even after being consumed with these characters for years now. if i could like the video twice i would. can't wait for the next one!!
This was such a good video cause I've seen plenty of rat kings video talking morphology and history but I really like this bud talking about a different meaning for the rat king especially since it was Abby that fought it not Ellie cuz this is exactly where Abby was in her process to recovery whereas Ellie is still filled with an urge for Vengeance
This game is so masterful with the storytelling and deeper meanings. I’m glad I ignored all the haters at the beginning and actually took the time to appreciate Abby’s story, I found myself enjoying Abby’s story WAY more than Ellie’s
Now I wish they'd have dwelled a little more on the rat king in the director's/writer's commentary on the remaster. Your analysis of the symbolism behind the rat prince separating from the rat king sounds so spot on. This one really blew me away.
I came into The Last of Us Part II as someone who had only heard how "lazy" the writing was and how it "didn't deserve any awards" and all that bs. But the more I watch video essays like yours and the more I actually play the game, the more I really see how meticulously these games have been crafted. This video also shows me that Abby's journey probably foreshadows Ellie's for TLOU III, where she'll finally understand what Joel meant when he told her to find something to live for in Part I. And if that's the case, then that's some of the most amazing writing I've seen in a game series like this maybe ever. So really, thank you for making these. As an aspiring writer, it's also very informative from a writing standpoint, but most importantly, it lets me see so much more than I would've if I had just played the game once.
I cried the first time I played through and got to the part where Abby’s father is at peace in her dream. I’ve had a dream exactly like that, seeing a passed loved one just smiling at you
A) you did NOT need to go that hard with the opening edit but also B) this is so insanely insightful I love it! It makes me so curious how much of this the developers were really thinking of/intended when they created it
The beauty of this game is that every word, every gesture, every moment, is complex and rich. That line about mentioning Liv before Manny… so easy to miss and brush over. But its quite telling.
This series is so cool! This morning I was wondering when a new episode of yours would come out and then I opened TH-cam and there it was!! Very grateful for this, thank you!
Love the parallel you made between the rat king and Ellie and Joel. Made me look at the part of the game I hated (because I suck at boss fights) in a whole new way. Thanks!
I have loved many of your analysis videos on this series- TLOU is looked at solely on the surface level a lot. While metaphors/symobolism are often just personal interpretation, I think its pretty clear from the comments of the people that worked on this that they wanted to have their story looked at on a deeper level and you do a great job pointing out little details that are easy to miss. Thanks for making these!
Great video! I never noticed Abby's catapult nightmares and then peaceful awakening until you pointed it out. Thanks for giving me something to look forward to on the next playthrough.
This is genuinely phenomenal. That intro immediately got me hooked and kept my attention till the very end. Keep up the great stuff! I’d love an analysis of Bill from Part 1 and how he reflects to Joel.
These videos have just taken this game to another level for me. I already loved this game so much but these analysis videos just unlock a whole nother layer of depth ♥️
Fantastic work! I have been too stressed playing through this boss the last two times i played it, once on grounded and once on grounded permadeath, to really think about the symbolism. I really appreciate the analysis. God Abby’s story is so good.
Such an amazing analysis! Your videos are such an eye opening treat for a Last of Us fan, breathing new life and insight into a story we already love! Thank you!!!
Dang, that comparison of the armored stalker to Ellie as "severed violently from its parent, it is the final creature Abbie must fight even after what she thought was the main monster was slain"... I had never once considered that and I think I need to replay the game to see where else that thread was woven into the story. Amazing video
what an absolutely brilliant video essay! I’m so glad that the release of this remaster has given us the opportunity to revisit this tragic yet beautiful story and analyze the brilliant writing elements as you do in this video. Thank you for giving me a deeper appreciation for the game. I liked and subscribe before I even heard your outro. 😆
Phenomenal analysis omg. I have played the game several times and connected so many subtle dots within the story but the Rat King/Stalker and Joel/Ellie parallel is something I am not sure I would have ever realized. Beautiful work
this was an incredible analysis, the parallels between the hospitals as the setting for Abby’s turning points is something I hadn’t thought of. and the idea about the armored stalker being a metaphor for Ellie is really great. looking forward to watching the rest of your videos
just wanted to say this is amazing, i’ve been a massive tlou fan (by fan i mean my life revolves around these games) for a long time now and after thinking i knew everything about the games this proved me wrong. great work im gonna go binge watch all your videos now lol
Don't even have anything to say except WOW, can't believe there was still this much left to dig into. Chills about the symbolism of Joel and Ellie in the rat king, didn't even realize.
I love TLOU and anticipate your new uploads eagerly. Your analysis makes for much more hashed out, rich and meaningful play throughs of the game. If you ever decided to make in-depth analysis and character breakdown videos of other forms of media it would be massively popular and I would be an instant subscriber.
What a fantastic video. This really brings a lot more depth and nuance to this segment of the game for me. I picked up on some of these things, but there's a lot here I had never considered before: such as the Rat King and its severed Stalker part being analogues for Joel and Ellie. That's a beautifully symbolic take that, in the context presented here, makes a lot of sense. Bravo 👏
This game is so damn good. This opened up new interpretations for me and just makes me wanna play the game again. Pretty insane how naughty dog can create an entire level with everything being symbolic to Abby’s psyche. Great video!
Holy shit, I’ve played this game multiple times and still didn’t recognize some of the symbolism. Your point about the rat king symbolizing, foreshadowing, and being parallel to the fight with Joel and Ellie was brilliant.
Crazy how many deep dives I have watched and I never even thought of the rat king representing Joel and the stalker being Ellie. What a great and deep analysis!
Amazing analysis and editing!! I got chills several times during your video. Thank you for opening my eyes. I’m so excited to play again with this new perspective 💞
Feels great seeing love for this game and story instead of the hate a lot of people show. These games and stories are a masterpiece and hold such an important place for me, thank you for the great video
nice video! had never thought about the Rat King as a Joel and Ellie manifestation, or as closely about Abby's nightmares and how Joel's murder hadn't brought an end to them. it's a good extension of the lesson Neil and company were trying to tell about the emptiness of revenge and the cycle of violence. i can only hope that the HBO audience takes in that message a lot better than many of the gaming / internet community did at the time.
What a fascinating way of looking at it. I at first thought the story was dumb because of the endless revenge of Ellie and the fact that Joel died. I have begun to take a softer stance on the game after a while and now seeing this video, I've realized that there is so much more to this story than what meets the eye. Will be watching more for sure!
I never thought of the Stalker splitting off from the Rat King as a parallel to Joel and Ellie, shows that I still take a lot of things in the games too literally when there's more to see through analysis like this
Same! Amazing observation
seriously tho. i used to feel really indifferent to this sequence because it felt like it was just to keep people from complaining about the infected taking such a backseat in this game, but this analysis gave me such a new appreciation for it😭
Or it's just mumbo jumbo
Yeah I'm with you on that , people tend to read too much into games instead of just playing @@peterw1534
@@peterw1534exactly
I really love that they put the center of her trauma in the trama center. Truly doing their best to get through to people who don't catch metaphor.
Well, to be honest, they didn't get through to me until now. I'm quite resistant to metaphor and symbolism. 🤷 To be fair though, I don't think the doorsign ever registered in my mind in any of my playthroughs, maybe I was too focused on the horrors and on the little errand I had to run there.
I was 100% too frightened to make that relatively obvious connection - maybe I'll have an even greater appreciation for TLOU2 with all this newfound knowledge.
Just haven't been able to bring myself to do a 2nd playthrough because TLOU2 is soooooo emotionally draining
@@stvn1405im with you on that, i really enjoyed the game and have been trying to play through it again but man its rough.
Gamers have trouble with that despite their platform being an art just like film or books people just see it as entertainment and if they don’t get exactly what they want or someone dies they don’t want they just refuse to see the light
@@stvn1405 Totally agree!!!
oh girl u ate that intro up
Videos like this make me REALLY curious about how the HBO series is going to adapt Part II. I loved the first season, and I can imagine how Ellie’s story will play out, but I think it’s far more imperative for them to get ABBY’S part of the story right for the story work at all. There’s so much nuance in even the smallest of details that makes her so compelling and important. I loved your interpretation of the stalker that gets segmented from the rat king representing Ellie too, what a cool detail!
im kinda worried ngl, tlou 2 feels like such a dense story to try and put into a probably like 8-9 episode season especially given they are probably gonna add new characters/storys like in the first season
@@msampson2286 from what I've Heard , the story for the Last of us part 2 is gonna be extender across 2 seasons . How true is that, not so sure , but I think this is the Best way to do it. Like You said , the story is very dense , with lost of nuance and meaning , but that couldn't capture all the stuff they put on the table , Like the war between WLF and Seraphites , Isaac , And Abbys friends not havig to much screen time. Thats why I think the show is going to do a good job at presenting the story in a new way , with the things that didn't got the Best execute , to be recreated in a new way .
@@msampson2286 first season was rushed I wonder what will happen with season 2
Honestly there's no way they can do it in 8 episodes or whatever they said it's gonna be. I have to believe it's 2 seasons. I hope it's 3. Give us a whole Jackson to Santa Barbara season!
But I agree I also worry. It annoys me a little that they changed the scene where Ellie saves Joel so that he's not being suffocated underwater. That felt like a mirror image of Ellie drowning Abby at the end. I worry that they keep changing details and it will become a less cohesive whole.
Never even thought about the symbolism of the hospital, this is s tier content. I really love stuff like this that really show how well crafted some stories are
When Ellie almost killed Abby, she finally understands that killing Abby wouldn't bring Joel back...and Abby realizes that after killing Joel.
This is a great point
For me if they were going to go for a "is revenge really worth it" they did a terrible job because when Ellie gets back dina is gone and Abby is alive making the trip to kill Abby was completely pointless and what they should have done was give the players a choice
If you kill Abby and Ellie return to dina and tell her Abby is dead dina would leave Ellie and the baby
If Ellie didn't kill Abby and returned to dina and tell her she couldn't kill Abby dina stays with Ellie
A game that does the whole "is revenge worth it" is dishonored
@@deathpanda1904yep. Dishonored is truly amazing and underrated. You take revenge, it all goes to shit
@@CarolinnaFreire I know right because in dishonored when you kill people the rat plague gets worse but if you don't then it's gets cured
Of course the anime pfp has a godawful take @deathpanda1904
Just finished the Tommy video and now this is out!
The Joel and Ellie comparison was eye opening
babe wake up, tlou explained posted
I REALLY love the little trailer you made for this video, it seems like it could’ve been an actual trailer for a horror game! I’m so happy to watch any of your videos about TLOU2
Same it was so good
Loads of great points, but wow that comparison between the two stages of the Rat King to Joel and Ellie. Such an interesting take
I honestly never hated Abby during my first playthrough, I was always just curious about her, I really wanted to know what her deal was. I still never really questioned Ellie's revenge quest though. After the encounter with the Rat King, when Abby came out of Ground Zero and quipped "no-one's ever gonna believe that shit", I started laughing hysterically and yelled "WE DID IT". That exact moment I realised "oh shit, I like Abby. I like Joel's killer. I don't want her to die"
I've always just chalked that up to Naughty Dog's super cool and interesting use of the bond between the player and the avatar and how prolonged time playing as a certain character can really help in building strong connections to them (lmao can you tell I'm a game studies major), this is how the second game gets you to both really want to avenge Joel initially and then not want Abby to die by the end. Videos like this that explore the narrative of the game are so cool to me and help me realise exactly why the Rat King encounter is what endeared me to Abby so much; not only did we bond over taking down a massive monster together, there were also narrative beats indicating that she was becoming a better person throughout that encounter and deserved to continue her journey of redemption. Thank you for making videos like these! I really enjoy them, especially the one about Mel!
“Be curious, not judgemental”. So many people who hate part 2 were judgemental and not curious. It’s folks who are open minded who love the game and it’s terrific story. Good on ya
These videos finally cracked the code for me, The Last of Us is a story about human nature from lots of different perspectives. The Last of Us part 1 was about this, but as a kid I really just saw it as "The Joel and Ellie Show" which I carried with me into part 2, which is why me and lots of others I suspect hated it. How could we enjoy the Joel and Ellie Show part 2 without Joel?? But that's never what these games were about, we were kids then and you're helping us to grow up, so thank you
Cope
@@bh5817Cope
@@bh5817I mean I don’t really think that was what the writers were focusing on in part 1. It really is the Joel and Ellie show.
I am declaring this *the* thinking person’s Last of Us channel. I wish you wine, caviar, and views.
I have a friend who up until recently was a big Last ofnUs Part II hater. He was pretty much exactly what you expect. Hated Abby because she killed Joel, hated all of Abby's friends, including Lev and Yara. Thought of the game as just a "revenge bad" story.
I got him to watch a bunch of your videos and he's now 5 hours into a replay of the game and he says he's enjoying it much more, pretty much just because you lay the story out and explain it in such a genuine and intelligent way that it helped him understand and get past his personal bias for the characters and think about the game almost more like a book or a TV series than a video game, as in he takes time to actually think about each scene and event as it happens.
Very happy for him as its always been one of my favorite games since its release and I'm very thankful that I found your videos to show him.
this is EXACTLY the reason why I make these videos! if I can help someone appreciate this game for what it is I'm so happy😊
That's so awesome !!! I'm glad he decided to give TLOU2 another chance! :D
I actually learned to love Abby while playing TLOU 2. I hated her at first after what she did to Joel, but I saw how she's as broken as Ellie who lost someone she loved. I also love her dynamic with Lev, reminds me of Joel and Ellie in the first game.
Ok but how is it not a revenge bad story? Even in this video she talks about how revenge will only bring you guilt, while I respect the game play and visuals of the game the story is just unsatisfying, which ironically is the exact way revenge makes you feel so I guess they succeeded in one aspect.
@@redhill3248 revenge part of the plot, but it's not the main story being told. it's far more about Ellie's and Abby's internal journeys, which revenge becomes or became an outlet for. Ellie's story was about her relationship with Joel and the guilt she feels for holding a grudge against him for so long. it wasn't actually about her getting revenge, which is why she never got it. Abby's story is about the consequences of revenge rather than the actual revenge itself. see what I mean?
I never noticed how deep the the super stalkers severing from the rat king was so symbolic of Joel and Ellie’s relationship. Man, that hit me good.
wow, this video has really opened my eyes to the symbolism of the rat king fight. i didn't even think to connect it to joel and ellie. i also love your comparison of the descent to a literal descent into hell. this makes me want to replay the game all over again and look for connections to ellie's/abby's journeys through level design and boss fights. i can't wait to see what you create next.
Out of all the channels on youtube, this is the one I get most excited about seeing a notification for a new video upload. Your writing and analysis skills are insane
I love Ellie and Joel but it was Abby's journey that really made this game for me. The Ellie sequences are great from beginning to end, but Abby's growth across her days in Seattle were a perfect blend of storytelling and gameplay. Part II is such a good game.
Wow, I really like the intro using Lev's monologue about fear with clips from the rat king encounter. It works so well in that context. Super cool!
Another cool detail about Abby’s dreams is the music in the background. When she first leaves the kids in the shipyard the song “longing” plays. It plays again when she wakes up from the dream of them hanging after sleeping with Owen, but after this it doesn’t play again for a while. Instead, during her dream where she sees her dad alive, the song “longing (redemptions)” plays, a pretty on the nose detail but still really powerful. P.S. loved this video and support from Australia ❤
Whoever edited that intro…that was soo great!! Love your insight. Keep up the great work!
I did! haha
@@tlou_explained writing and video editing?! Killer combo!
This is such a good analysis. I'd drawn none of these parallels before, and I've played and loved this game a lot!
“So much more than a boss fight”. I keep falling in love with this game and can only agree
11:02 this point genuinely blows my mind. it’s so subtle, yet sooo smart to point out/figure out
I’m so glad you do this game justice, you analyze it without any bias that many other reviewers and analysts have, nice video
The editing on this one is really spectacular, especially the opening which gave me immediate chills! Huge fan of your prior videos as well, but this I think is your best yet!! Can't wait for the next one :)
Where is the opening from?
I really love that you noticed the symbolism that was intended by the encounter. I'd never noticed it, and it was clearly purposeful. Thanks for the awesome video!
have you guys ever looked into the scene where dina and ellie are laying across each other (dina in white light and ellie in red) after abby fights with them? i feel like there's sm to interpret but i've never seen people talk abt it
Damn, that intro went HARD.
And the entire video was excellently written, narrated, and edited. Well done.
I've finally found a youtuber who loves this story as much as I do. Great video! Can't wait to watch them all.
A lovely analysis! I hadn't thought about the rat king as a parallel to Joel and Ellie, but it makes all the sense.
Also can I just say, you have a wonderfully calming voice. It's been a hard day, but I feel more at peace now. Thank you.
6:32 Holy shit, I never noticed the Stalker near the bottom right corner before. This game always surprises me with the details.
where
Near the upper left of the HUD, the small light in the doorway, you can see a Stalker crawling.
You ma'am, are a genius. I discovered you yesterday through some senseless doom scroll e you kept me awake while driving back from France to Italy.
You're a sensible amazing human being that helped me shred some lights on aspects of the game that I didn't quite catch during my playthrough while confirming some of my assumptions.
Thanks again for keeping me company.
I truly believe TLOU2 was released before its time. People are not open to that sort of nuanced, grey-shaded kind of storytelling (yet). It is a matter of convention, yes, but also of education. I think you are doing a good job at explaining the finer details that a casual player might miss.
Still, I will admit that the discourse surrounding the game at the time of its release pre-colored the game for me and ruined my experience / enjoyment of it even though now that I _have_ actually seen a full playthrough my own opinion has changed massively. Most of the criticism directed at the game was misinformed or even in bad faith. I partly blame social media for this as well, we all know how these platforms thrive on outrage and controversy bc it increases engagement.
It took me years to actually watch the game for myself (I don't own a console or strong pc so I cannot play it even tho I'd love to) and form my own opinion bc the well was so poisoned I couldn't bring myself to engage with it for emotional reasons even when the rationale ("It's probably not that bad") and willingness had long been there.
All things aside, it's a pretty ballsy move by Naughty Dog to make the antagonist / later deuteragonist not only kill the protagonist of the first game, but also cheat (well _she_ technically didn't cheat, but you know what I mean) _and_ *gasp* be a GNC woman (strong, obstinate, assertive, aggressive and so on). Most people are not open to the perspective of someone with any of these characteristics let alone all of them. Even immense amounts of suffering inflicted upon her (and the story does punish her a lot for her actions) will rarely change their mind. Recently, I've seen some people slowly, quietly, bashfully come around but the majority made up their mind during the inital storm and are not open to reconsideration.
They will always hate Abby and TLOU2, just as they will always hate Gabi and the last chapters of AOT (I have my own gripes with the story, but not for the usual reasons you see being brought up in discussions).
I'm sure the developers anticipated some of the backlash but surely not the sheer amount, or they would've changed the story. Or maybe they did and just didn't care, in which case, respect.
Also, just for the record: Abby is my favorite character in The Last of Us franchise, I really hope she will be central to the TLOU3 game and I pray for her actor in the TV series cause that storm is coming I can tell you that and I'm not even a meteorologist.
I think the developers over estimated the gamers/fans intelligence when it comes to complex stories hense the backlash. Just my take on it
My personal opinion as someone who was truly blinded by hating this game at release (and now being able to look at the story neutrally) is the following:
The story is great but the way the timeline is played out is horrible.
The main reason it just sucks is that Joel gets killed off so early and to me it feels like they did this as shock value. You do not know anything about these kids and from now on you hate them, making the moment you are forced to play as Abby feel even worse.
Imagine if they simply started the game at the moment of the flashback moments of Ellie and Joel (so you get some playing time as the characters the fans know and love) and then it jumps back to current time Ellie, and you see the divide that has been created by Joels lie and you have that argument this at the party about Joel defending Ellie from that homophobic dude etc etc.
After that, the perspective changes and you are now playing as Abby in her own city, dealing with the trauma of the death of her father (but they do not let us know her father is the doctor) and her getting her friends together for her mission to avenge the death of her father. But once again they do not make it clear to us it is Joel they are looking for, this now simply feels as an introduction as another main character for this new game. Then this perspective ends at that snowy house. Then the perspective goes to how the game originally starts where Ellie has to go looking for Joel and finds him in that house etc etc.
This way you feel way more conflicted once Joels death happens, as you now understand what Abby is doing there, why they kill Joel. You have already played as Abby so once you get to play as her again, sure alot of people would still feel very angry with her, but now it is not an awful experience anymore to be forced to play as Abby.
Also the ending should be a choice, you should be given a choice to let Abby go or kill her. It does not make sense that Ellie travels the entire country killing so many people to kill Abby to then let her go, I get what they want to make the player feel but I think this feeling gets even better portrayed if the player HAS to make the choice themselves. It gives the player time to think about the morality of what you are doing to Abby at the end.
The way the story goes currently is that you start off hating Abby and you get guilt tripped into actually sympathizing with her and it feels like you are forced to feel a certain way. With the version I lay out your starting position of feelings for Abby are more in the middle and you are more free to feel a certain way about her.
This is just my opinion, I would love to hear what people think about this.
@@stefanverweij1684 I think TLOU Explained made an excellent video on exactly this topic. It's the most recent one called "why The Last of Us Part II's story can't be separated from its structure". Do give it a watch!
That was an amazing analysis as always. I also never noticed Manny was in the OR. Good catch!
hell yeah one of my favorite notifications is when you drop one of these on us! great work as usual, i appreciate that you're finding really great details and connections i've missed even after being consumed with these characters for years now. if i could like the video twice i would. can't wait for the next one!!
This was such a good video cause I've seen plenty of rat kings video talking morphology and history but I really like this bud talking about a different meaning for the rat king especially since it was Abby that fought it not Ellie cuz this is exactly where Abby was in her process to recovery whereas Ellie is still filled with an urge for Vengeance
This game is so masterful with the storytelling and deeper meanings. I’m glad I ignored all the haters at the beginning and actually took the time to appreciate Abby’s story, I found myself enjoying Abby’s story WAY more than Ellie’s
Now I wish they'd have dwelled a little more on the rat king in the director's/writer's commentary on the remaster. Your analysis of the symbolism behind the rat prince separating from the rat king sounds so spot on. This one really blew me away.
I came into The Last of Us Part II as someone who had only heard how "lazy" the writing was and how it "didn't deserve any awards" and all that bs. But the more I watch video essays like yours and the more I actually play the game, the more I really see how meticulously these games have been crafted. This video also shows me that Abby's journey probably foreshadows Ellie's for TLOU III, where she'll finally understand what Joel meant when he told her to find something to live for in Part I. And if that's the case, then that's some of the most amazing writing I've seen in a game series like this maybe ever.
So really, thank you for making these. As an aspiring writer, it's also very informative from a writing standpoint, but most importantly, it lets me see so much more than I would've if I had just played the game once.
New video posted. don't even think about it, I watch!
I cried the first time I played through and got to the part where Abby’s father is at peace in her dream. I’ve had a dream exactly like that, seeing a passed loved one just smiling at you
A) you did NOT need to go that hard with the opening edit but also B) this is so insanely insightful I love it! It makes me so curious how much of this the developers were really thinking of/intended when they created it
Wonderful job with this. This had more unique points than most 1 long videos.
I find Abby and her story hugely fascinating- this is an awesome video, thank you!
WOW. i love watching your analyses, they REALLY show that there is much more going on than meets the eye!
11:10 That really made me go "whoooooaaa" out loud lol
Very cool observation
Literally a perfect video essay. Well done. Intro was 🔥
Subbed 👍🏻
I love learning new things about this amazing videogame series. Please continue to make videos like this. Love your analysis and your calming voice!
The beauty of this game is that every word, every gesture, every moment, is complex and rich. That line about mentioning Liv before Manny… so easy to miss and brush over. But its quite telling.
This series is so cool! This morning I was wondering when a new episode of yours would come out and then I opened TH-cam and there it was!! Very grateful for this, thank you!
Love the parallel you made between the rat king and Ellie and Joel. Made me look at the part of the game I hated (because I suck at boss fights) in a whole new way. Thanks!
I have loved many of your analysis videos on this series- TLOU is looked at solely on the surface level a lot. While metaphors/symobolism are often just personal interpretation, I think its pretty clear from the comments of the people that worked on this that they wanted to have their story looked at on a deeper level and you do a great job pointing out little details that are easy to miss. Thanks for making these!
i've been binge watching your analyses, they're literally so good they leave me speechless at the end every time /post
Nice narrative it completely makes sense
Great video! I never noticed Abby's catapult nightmares and then peaceful awakening until you pointed it out. Thanks for giving me something to look forward to on the next playthrough.
Wow! I’ve never thought about the rat king that deep before but everything you said makes perfect sense 👏🏻
This is genuinely phenomenal. That intro immediately got me hooked and kept my attention till the very end.
Keep up the great stuff! I’d love an analysis of Bill from Part 1 and how he reflects to Joel.
These videos have just taken this game to another level for me. I already loved this game so much but these analysis videos just unlock a whole nother layer of depth ♥️
Wow. 8:20 I don’t know how I missed this symbolism for almost 4 years
Fantastic work! I have been too stressed playing through this boss the last two times i played it, once on grounded and once on grounded permadeath, to really think about the symbolism. I really appreciate the analysis. God Abby’s story is so good.
Such an amazing analysis! Your videos are such an eye opening treat for a Last of Us fan, breathing new life and insight into a story we already love! Thank you!!!
I never put any of this together. What a phenomenal analysis
How have I never seen your channel before? This is great.
You were really cooking with this one. The trauma unit? Brilliant. I missed all of this.
Thank you so much for this analysis. There are so so many layers to this game. I'm really looking forward to watching more of your videos!
These are amazing, keep it up!!!
Dang, that comparison of the armored stalker to Ellie as "severed violently from its parent, it is the final creature Abbie must fight even after what she thought was the main monster was slain"...
I had never once considered that and I think I need to replay the game to see where else that thread was woven into the story.
Amazing video
Damn the rat king actually feels like a Boss. I love the way I can reflect on a truthful review
That intro is so goood🔥🔥🔥🔥
Edit: wow this video is absolutely mind blowing!!!! Amazingly done, seriously ❤
Mannn that fucking Intro was dope as hell i was expecting some No Return Grounded gameplay but man i was wrong video still great
what an absolutely brilliant video essay! I’m so glad that the release of this remaster has given us the opportunity to revisit this tragic yet beautiful story and analyze the brilliant writing elements as you do in this video. Thank you for giving me a deeper appreciation for the game. I liked and subscribe before I even heard your outro. 😆
Phenomenal analysis omg. I have played the game several times and connected so many subtle dots within the story but the Rat King/Stalker and Joel/Ellie parallel is something I am not sure I would have ever realized. Beautiful work
this was an incredible analysis, the parallels between the hospitals as the setting for Abby’s turning points is something I hadn’t thought of. and the idea about the armored stalker being a metaphor for Ellie is really great. looking forward to watching the rest of your videos
I absolutely ADORE your video essays. They are so insightful and engaging.
This series is stupidly underrated and honestly some of the best content on YT rn period!
Im addicted to your videos, keep them coming! Your insights give me so much more appreciation to an already much appreciated piece of art
just wanted to say this is amazing, i’ve been a massive tlou fan (by fan i mean my life revolves around these games) for a long time now and after thinking i knew everything about the games this proved me wrong. great work im gonna go binge watch all your videos now lol
Don't even have anything to say except WOW, can't believe there was still this much left to dig into. Chills about the symbolism of Joel and Ellie in the rat king, didn't even realize.
NEW VIDEO YES
You lowkey sounds like Lev. This was a great video as well. Thank you for making it.
great video! you really have a way of breaking down these moments in a clear way.
I love TLOU and anticipate your new uploads eagerly. Your analysis makes for much more hashed out, rich and meaningful play throughs of the game. If you ever decided to make in-depth analysis and character breakdown videos of other forms of media it would be massively popular and I would be an instant subscriber.
What a fantastic video. This really brings a lot more depth and nuance to this segment of the game for me. I picked up on some of these things, but there's a lot here I had never considered before: such as the Rat King and its severed Stalker part being analogues for Joel and Ellie. That's a beautifully symbolic take that, in the context presented here, makes a lot of sense. Bravo 👏
This was a fantastic breakdown and gave me a totally different perspective on a game I love dearly. Can’t wait to explore your other videos.
WOAH I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT THIS
I loved that opening quote.
This game is so damn good. This opened up new interpretations for me and just makes me wanna play the game again. Pretty insane how naughty dog can create an entire level with everything being symbolic to Abby’s psyche. Great video!
Been loving your content, it's been keeping me company while working and feeling very lonely, so thank you for all you do ❤
Holy shit, I’ve played this game multiple times and still didn’t recognize some of the symbolism. Your point about the rat king symbolizing, foreshadowing, and being parallel to the fight with Joel and Ellie was brilliant.
Crazy how many deep dives I have watched and I never even thought of the rat king representing Joel and the stalker being Ellie. What a great and deep analysis!
Amazing analysis and editing!! I got chills several times during your video. Thank you for opening my eyes. I’m so excited to play again with this new perspective 💞
Feels great seeing love for this game and story instead of the hate a lot of people show. These games and stories are a masterpiece and hold such an important place for me, thank you for the great video
this is a beautiful video. i absolutely love all the small details and metaphors hidden in this game. shaking in my boots waiting for part 3
Its amazing how this game keeps getting better for me the most i think of it
i already liked this game, but you made me love it. Best TLOU essays, i mean it
nice video! had never thought about the Rat King as a Joel and Ellie manifestation, or as closely about Abby's nightmares and how Joel's murder hadn't brought an end to them. it's a good extension of the lesson Neil and company were trying to tell about the emptiness of revenge and the cycle of violence.
i can only hope that the HBO audience takes in that message a lot better than many of the gaming / internet community did at the time.
That intro was top tier ✊🏼💣💣💣
I just found channel this morning and I am so excited to binge everything! Awesome content! Keep it up. You got yourself a subscriber!
What a fascinating way of looking at it. I at first thought the story was dumb because of the endless revenge of Ellie and the fact that Joel died. I have begun to take a softer stance on the game after a while and now seeing this video, I've realized that there is so much more to this story than what meets the eye. Will be watching more for sure!