Try GOLD - Free
BLOODY NORA!
The Independent
|May 13, 2025
Fans of The Last of Us’ may have been shocked by Ellie spending so long torturing a minor’ character in the latest episode, and the show’s puzzle-like structure means they could have to wait years for clarity
"Wasn't last night's The Last of Us just devastating?" That's the sort of question HBO's hit post-apocalyptic series seems intent on courting, week in and week out. The latest episode - the fifth of its misery-packed second season - continued its headlong plummet into grimness and depravity, as Ellie (Bella Ramsey) hunts for Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) in a mission of bloody vengeance. This week, that mission takes her to a Seattle hospital, where she finds and tortures Abby’s acquaintance Nora (Tati Gabrielle). Devastating? Perhaps. But I suspect many viewers will finish the episode with a different question: “Who?”
To be clear, this is no discredit to Gabrielle, who has done nothing wrong in the small snatches of screen time she’s had thus far. But episode five places a whole lot of narrative significance on her, all of a sudden. As Ellie takes a rusty pipe to her foe-of-the-moment, it is Nora we are invited to sympathise with, whose raw, scared humanity fills the screen. Looked at in isolation, it seems like a strange decision to pull focus from Ellie at this point. It’s hard to really give a damn about this new character, so little have we seen of her.
This story is from the May 13, 2025 edition of The Independent.
Subscribe to Magzter GOLD to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 10,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
MORE STORIES FROM The Independent
The Independent
Asda boss accuses Labour of 'constraining' companies
Labour is not doing enough to support business and has become “more and more difficult” to deal with, Asda’s chief has warned.
2 mins
March 05, 2026
The Independent
After 20 years, this could be Hamilton's last shot at glory
For Lewis Hamilton, bouncing vigorously into this weekend's season-opener in Melbourne once again, there is another record to add to the collection.
4 mins
March 05, 2026
The Independent
Should I wait to book my autumn flights to the US?
Q I am planning to visit the US in September. Should I book flights now or nearer the time?
1 mins
March 05, 2026
The Independent
THE DEVIL YOU KNOW
Landlords aren't normally our favourite people, so it's easy to grasp the appeal of renting from a friend. But this setup can come with its own tribulations, as Katie Rosseinsky finds out
6 mins
March 05, 2026
The Independent
Favourites India wary of the game's most awkward team
England have bundled their way to today's T20 World Cup semi-final, writes Lawrence Ostlere, but their unpredictable form might prove their greatest weapon against the hosts
4 mins
March 05, 2026
The Independent
Help! The person I'm dating hasn't called me in six hours
The Indy’s agony aunt Victoria Richards is here to help
6 mins
March 05, 2026
The Independent
Subculture vulture in focus
American photographer Catherine Opie's portraits of 'invisible' communities, from surfers to LA's 'leather dyke' scene, exude emotional generosity, writes Mark Hudson
4 mins
March 05, 2026
The Independent
What Trump fails to grasp about Churchill's leadership
The wartime prime minister is often invoked as a symbol of defiance. But, says Guy Walters, the president would be wise to consider his strategic approach to the Second World War
5 mins
March 05, 2026
The Independent
The war in Iran could be the making of the prime minister
Pay no attention to him, Keir Starmer told the Commons when a Conservative MP asked about the health of the UK-US alliance.
3 mins
March 05, 2026
The Independent
Try as it might, this revival cannot help but feel dated
'Broken Glass', Arthur Miller's unsparing examination of the Jewish experience, is brought to the Young Vic in a worthy production that's not always convincing, writes Alice Saville
2 mins
March 05, 2026
Listen
Translate
Change font size
