‘The Last of Us’ Season 2, Episode 3: What’s the significance of Ellie pouring coffee on Joel’s grave?

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If you thought the emotional pain would ease after the devastation of The Last of Us Season 2, episode 2, this week's episode clearly had other plans. While episode 3 may not have been as gut-wrenching, it still delivered plenty of moments that caught us off guard — from Tommy's (Gabriel Luna's) comment about Sarah (Nico Parker) to the subtle changes in the show's opening credits. Another standout moment featured Ellie (Bella Ramsey) visiting Joel's (Pedro Pascal) grave, marking the occasion with a gesture that ties back to Season 1. So what exactly does Ellie do, and why is it significant? Let's break it down.

What happens in The Last of Us Season 2, episode 3?  
After sneaking out of Jackson with Dina (Isabela Merced) to track down Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) and her crew, the pair stop at the graveyard 10 miles south of town that Tommy mentioned earlier in the episode. In the morning sunlight, Ellie finds Joel's grave, inscribed with "Beloved brother and father." She crouches, opens a small sack, and sprinkles some coffee beans onto the soil. Then she smiles, shakes her head, and places a hand on the earth. When she leaves, tears are in her eyes. The coffee beans clearly hold significant meaning for her, but given the time since Season 1 aired, you might have forgotten exactly why. The answer lies in Season 1, episode 4, highlighting one of the many pivotal bonding moments in Joel and Ellie's relationship.

Why does Ellie sprinkle coffee on Joel's grave?  
In Season 1, episode 4, Joel and Ellie are traveling cross-country to Kansas City. After camping in the woods, Ellie is stirred awake by the sound of liquid bubbling in a pot. She crawls closer, sniffs it, and grimaces. "Urgh, what the heck is that?" she asks. "You don't like coffee?" Joel replies. Later, in the truck, Ellie has more questions. "Is that seriously what those places used to sell?" "Well, theirs was a lot fresher than what Bill saved up, but yeah, this is what they sold," Joel responds. "Smells like...burned stuff," Ellie bluntly critiques. Joel then takes a long, purposeful sip before telling her to keep her eyes on the map. Despite the many tragedies they faced together, it’s these light-hearted moments that Ellie clearly cherishes the most. 

New episodes of The Last of Us Season 2 air on HBO and Max Sundays at 9 p.m. ET.