Season 2, Episode 4 of ‘The Last of Us’: The Meaning Behind Ellie’s rendition of ‘Take on Me’

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As a TV adaptation of Naughty Dog's games, The Last of Us includes more than a few hidden references and overt re-creations of the gameplay and cutscenes from The Last of Us Parts I and II. Music references, in particular, are threaded through both seasons, from the Hank Williams connection in Season 1, episode 4; Crooked Still playing at the dance in Season 2, episode 1; to Ashley Johnson's cover of "Through the Valley" that concludes the impactful second episode.

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    In the fourth episode of Season 2, Ellie (Bella Ramsey) plays a tune right out of the game, in what's sure to be a moving moment for fans familiar with the TV show's source material. But what song does she play, and how is it connected to the game? Which song does Ellie play in The Last of Us?
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    Suffice to say, Dina (Isabela Merced) loves the song.
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    Credit: Liane Hentscher / HBO
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In Season 2, episode 4, Ellie and Dina (Isabela Merced) are en route to Seattle when they need shelter. They find the one place they can fit their horse Shimmer through the door, Valiant Music Shop, an abandoned record store that's still fully stocked with Bob Marley and Tears for Fears vinyl and requisite Pearl Jam posters. Ellie heads upstairs and finds the guitar section, where many an instrument has been eroded by the elements. However, fortune smiles on an unopened case, and Ellie discovers a pristine acoustic guitar. She picks it up, takes a seat, and plays a truly beautiful, quietly romantic version of A-ha's 1985 track "Take On Me."

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    Why does Ellie play "Take On Me"? Music is a crucial link between Ellie and Joel (Pedro Pascal) in The Last of Us, in life and after his death. Joel gave Ellie the butterfly-necked guitar and was restringing it for her before he died.
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    The song Ellie chooses to play is the same one as in The Last of Us Part II, when you play the chords yourself (this feature of the second game is a polarizing one). Ramsey performs the song in the show much like Johnson does in the game, with both scenes showing Dina listening with shining eyes to Ellie's rendition. In the game scene, Ellie actually begins to play Pearl Jam's "Future Days," a song Joel plays to Ellie at the beginning of The Last of Us Part II when he gives her the guitar, and a song that has become synonymous with the franchise for fans. But then Ellie stops when Dina enters, transitioning into A-ha's "Take On Me."
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    The thing is, you could completely miss this cutscene in the game if you don't investigate the guitar room. It's not part of the main storyline, but rather a private side moment for Ellie, who is still grieving the loss of her guitar-teaching father Joel, and for Dina, who is becoming more aware of her feelings for Ellie—it’s hard not to fall head over heels watching someone you like play music live.
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But it's particularly poignant because of A-ha's lyrics, which resonate with The Last of Us' glimmer of hope for our protagonist, with Ellie singing, "Needless to say / I'm odds and ends / But I'll be stumblin' away / Slowly learnin' that life is OK." 

The Last of Us Season 2 is now streaming on Max, with new episodes airing weekly on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO. If you're interested in diving deeper into the world of The Last of Us through the games, there's a way to explore that connection as well.

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