HBO finally did it. They dropped the Last of Us Season 2 trailer, and honestly, it’s a lot to process. If you’ve played the games, you probably spent those two minutes screaming at your screen or squinting at every single frame to see how much of Part II they’re actually putting in here. If you haven’t played the games? Well, you’re in for a rough ride.
The trailer hits hard. It’s moody, it’s violent, and it feels significantly heavier than the first season. We see Joel looking older, Ellie looking exhausted, and a world that’s somehow getting even grimmer despite the beautiful cinematography. It isn’t just a "more of the same" situation. This feels like a shift in tone.
It’s personal.
The Sound of Future Days and That Big Time Jump
The music is the first thing that gets you. It’s haunting. Gustavo Santaolalla is back, obviously, but the trailer uses "Future Days" by Pearl Jam in a way that’s going to make fans of the Naughty Dog games absolutely lose their minds. In the game, that song is the emotional backbone of Joel and Ellie's relationship. Seeing Pedro Pascal’s Joel sitting there with a guitar, talking to Catherine O’Hara’s mystery character—who seems to be acting as a sort of therapist or confidant—sets a very specific, somber stage.
We’re jumping ahead.
The Last of Us Season 2 trailer makes it clear that several years have passed since the hospital massacre in Salt Lake City. Ellie is older now. Bella Ramsey looks more mature, her face hardened by the reality of living in the Jackson settlement. They’ve built a life. You see glimpses of the town—warm lights, people dancing, a sense of community that feels fragile. It’s the kind of peace that you just know isn't going to last because this show is, at its heart, a tragedy.
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Who is Abby and Why Is Everyone Freaking Out?
If you blinked, you missed her. But she’s there. The most controversial character in gaming history, Abby Anderson, played by Kaitlyn Dever, makes her brief debut in this footage. We see her crawling through snow, pinned under a fence, with Infected clawing at her. It’s a smart move by HBO. They aren't putting her front and center yet. They're letting the tension simmer.
There’s also a shot of a hand—just a hand—near a golf club. If you know, you know.
The casting for this season is actually pretty stacked. Beyond Dever, we get our first looks at Isabela Merced as Dina and Young Mazino as Jesse. The chemistry between Ellie and Dina is already palpable in the few seconds they share on screen. It’s sweet, which in the world of The Last of Us, is usually a sign that something terrible is about to happen.
Catherine O'Hara is the big wildcard here. Her character isn't in the games. She’s asking Joel the questions we’ve all been wondering since the Season 1 finale: "Did you hurt her?" and "What did you do?" Joel’s silence says everything. He’s carrying the weight of the lie he told Ellie at the end of the first season, and you can see it etching lines into his face.
Technical Details and the Jackson Vibe
Production-wise, this looks expensive. They moved filming to British Columbia to capture the snowy, rugged terrain of the Pacific Northwest, and it shows. The scale of Jackson is massive. It looks like a real town, not just a set.
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The Infected are still around, too. We see glimpses of Shamblers—a new type of mutation that fans of the second game will recognize. They're pockmarked, pussy, and they cloud the air with spores. The practical effects look even more disgusting than the first season's Clickers.
But the real threat in the Last of Us Season 2 trailer isn’t the monsters. It’s the Seraphites. We hear the whistling. That eerie, rhythmic whistling that signals the presence of the "Scars," a fanatical cult that dominates the ruins of Seattle. Seeing those torches in the woods at night is genuinely chilling. It suggests that the show is going to lean heavily into the tribal warfare aspects of the story.
Why This Season is Splitting the Story
Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann have been pretty open about the fact that The Last of Us Part II is too big for one season. This trailer only covers what looks like the first half of that narrative. They are stretching the story out, which is a relief. The second game is dense, messy, and non-linear. Trying to cram it into eight or nine episodes would have been a disaster.
By slowing down, they can explore the "years of silence" between Joel and Ellie. We need to see them being a family before we see it all get ripped apart.
There's a specific shot of Ellie looking at her tattoo—the moth and the ferns. It covers the bite mark. It’s a symbol of her trying to hide who she is, but also a symbol of her connection to Joel. The trailer dwells on these small details because the showrunners know that's where the emotional stakes live.
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What the Trailer Doesn’t Show (And Why That’s Good)
They’re hiding the violence. Mostly.
The Last of Us Part II is one of the most violent mainstream media properties ever made. It’s brutal. It’s about the cycle of revenge and how it hollows you out. The Last of Us Season 2 trailer focuses more on the "why" than the "how." It focuses on the grief.
We don't see the specific inciting incident that kicks off Ellie’s journey to Seattle. We don't see the full extent of Abby's group, the WLF (Washington Liberation Front). By keeping these things back, HBO is playing to the audience that hasn't played the games, while giving the fans enough "Easter eggs" to keep the hype levels at a boiling point.
Honestly, the restraint is impressive.
Actionable Steps for Fans Before the Premiere
The wait for the actual release date is still agonizing, but there are a few things you should probably do to prepare yourself for what’s coming. This isn't going to be a "feel-good" watch.
- Rewatch Season 1, Episode 9: Pay close attention to Joel’s face when he’s lying to Ellie in the car. That lie is the entire engine for Season 2.
- Listen to the Part II Soundtrack: Gustavo Santaolalla’s work for the second game is even more experimental and banjo-heavy. It sets the mood perfectly.
- Avoid Spoilers (If You Can): If you haven't played the games, stay off the subreddits. This is a story that works best when you don't see the punches coming.
- Look for the "Left Behind" References: There are brief shots in the trailer that hint at Ellie's past still haunting her. It’s worth revisiting the DLC episode from Season 1 to remember what she’s already lost.
The Last of Us Season 2 trailer proves that HBO isn't flinching. They’re leaning into the darkness of the source material. It’s going to be controversial, it’s going to be heartbreaking, and if the footage is any indication, it’s going to be the biggest television event of the year. Get your tissues ready. You're going to need them.