Look to the Light

A pregnant Anna flees the infected and gives birth to Ellie, even as danger closes in. Anna is bitten before she can cut Ellie's umbilical cord, sealing Ellie's immunity to Cordyceps in the process. Marlene and a group of Fireflies find them; Anna begs Marlene to kill her and take Ellie to Boston, lying that she was bitten after the cord was cut. Marlene hesitates briefly, then takes Ellie and executes Anna.

Joel and Ellie reach Salt Lake City in search of the Fireflies' secret lab. Ellie remains traumatized by her encounter with David and is unusually quiet until a herd of giraffes lifts her mood. The scene establishes the fragile balance between hope and danger that defines their journey.

Joel wants to turn back to Tommy's community in Jackson, Wyoming, seeking safety and a slower pace. Ellie, however, insists they press on toward the Fireflies' lab and finish what they started. Their disagreement foreshadows the moral and physical toll of their journey.

On the road, Joel reveals his suicide attempt following Sarah's death and opens up about his fears and regrets. He asks Ellie to share jokes from her book to lighten the mood and ease the tension. The moment deepens their complicated bond as they continue ahead.

Firefly soldiers ambush their group, capturing Ellie and leaving Joel unconscious. The sudden attack shifts the story from a hopeful pursuit to a life-threatening struggle for Ellie. Joel awakens amid the chaos, realizing they are in grave danger.

In a hospital, Marlene explains that doctors believe Cordyceps has been growing in Ellie's brain since birth, granting her immunity. She reveals the Fireflies' plan to surgically remove Ellie’s brain to test a possible cure. Joel understands what this means and steels himself for what comes next.

Joel fights his way through the hospital to reach Ellie and the operating room. He kills the resisting Fireflies and, when the lead surgeon refuses to surrender, shoots him and takes Ellie with him. The act marks a decisive turn from rescue to personal survival.

In the parking garage, Marlene tells Joel that he still has a chance to do the right thing and save Ellie. Joel shoots Marlene, killing her as she pleads for mercy, arguing she would hunt Ellie down if spared. The confrontation seals Joel's resolve to keep Ellie with him at all costs.

Ellie wakes from anesthesia to find Joel driving her away from the ruined hospital. He lies about the Fireflies finding others but being unable to cure them, claiming he escaped after the hospital was attacked by raiders. The lie sets the tone for their fragile trust moving forward.

The pair's car breaks down, forcing them to continue the journey on foot toward Jackson, Wyoming. They press on through fatigue and uncertainty, clinging to what remains of their hope. The trek solidifies their precarious bond as survivors.

Ellie wrestles with survivor guilt and questions Joel's version of events. She asks him to be honest, and after a moment of silence, she accepts his explanation with a measured 'Okay.' The ending hints at a fragile trust between them, shadowed by the choices they've made.