The Last of Us has been a major hit with fans, but it would seem that the finale didn't sit well with some viewers and the showrunner has been forced to defend the episode.
Proving once again that HBO simply does not miss when it comes to TV shows, The Last of Us has been highly praised during its first season - as well as giving people a fear of mushrooms.
Based on the video game with the same name, the story follows Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) as they navigate their way through a world crawling with those infected by cordyceps and people attempting to kill them.
The show reached its season finale this weekend, and with the success of previous episodes, it was safe to say that there was a lot of pressure to end on a high.
The episode opens with a woman fighting off a runner while trying to give birth at the same time, which typically doesn't go too well.
This leaves the audience finding out how Ellie became immune to the infection plaguing humanity, and also how her mother met her end.
The episode also gave us the iconic scene with the giraffe which those who have played the video game will know is an important moment of peace amongst the carnage.
Check out the trailer for The Last of Us:The narrative of the season was to get Ellie to the Fireflies who would then figure out how she is immune and use her to create a cure... but it soon becomes clear that Ellie would have to die for this to happen.
Joel, who was indifferent toward Ellie during the earlier episodes before becoming somewhat of a father figure, didn't like the idea of his companion dying so humanity could live and took matters into his own hands.
Killing anybody in his path, even those who had surrendered, Joel headed to where Ellie was undergoing surgery before murdering the surgeon but leaving the nurses alive (those who played the video games will know why this is important).
It seems like Joel's decision to put his love for Ellie over the fate of humanity didn't sit too well with some viewers, and Craig Mazin, The Last of Us' showrunner, has defended his decision.
Speaking to the Hollywood Reporter he said: "When you love something unconditionally, logic goes out the window and you will do really horrible things to protect the ones you love.
"[There’s] greater and greater sacrifices Joel has to make for Ellie, and likewise what she’s going through to protect him. I’m confused about it morally. I think it’s a difficult choice. I go back and forth. I think a lot of people will go back and forth on it."
Fans also shared their shock that the season finale was the shortest episode yet with a run time of approximately 43 minutes.
One person tweeted: "Kinda disappointed bout the run time for the last of us finale. I think it’ll be a good episode tho but there’s a lot in the ending of the game that I don’t think will be shown in the episode [sic]."
Others echoed the sentiment, but that didn't stop the episode from receiving a 9.2 rating on IMDb at the time of writing.
Season two will hold many more shocks and questions of morality... If you know, you know.
