The Last of Us Episode 6: Joel reunites with his brother Tommy in Wyoming

Joel Miller (Pedro Pascal) finally reunited with his brother Tommy (Gabriel Luna) in the sixth episode of HBO‘s The Last of Us.

Joel and Tommy were last seen together in the final days before the cordyceps virus wreaked havoc on the world, when they were living in Boston.

Tommy has been out West for many years, with Joel achieving one of his goals of his journey with Ellie, when he finds his brother in Wyoming.

There seems to be some dissention among the brothers, with Tommy still angry with Joel over the people they killed to stay alive. 

The episode also introduces viewers to Maria Miller (True Blood star Rutina Wesley), Tommy’s wife, who seems to harbor some ill will towards Joel.

Reunited: Joel Miller (Pedro Pascal) finally reunited with his brother Tommy (Gabriel Luna) in the sixth episode of HBO’s The Last of Us

Tommy: Tommy has been out West for many years, with Joel achieving one of his goals of his journey with Ellie, when he finds his brother in Wyoming

Maria: The episode also introduces viewers to Maria Miller (True Blood star Rutina Wesley), Tommy’s wife, who seems to harbor some ill will towards Joel

The episode begins with a flashback to last week’s episode, where Joel is trying to coerce Henry (Lamar Johnson) into putting the gun down… to no avail as he kills himself.

The episode cuts to a cabin in the woods, as Mason (Graham Greene) returning from a hunt, finding Joel waiting with a gun with his wife Florence (Elaine Miles).

He tells Mason he’s looking for his brother, though Mason says he hasn’t seen him or anyone lijke him.

Joel asks what’s the best way to go West, and Mason tells him, ‘Yeah, go east,’ while Florence adds if his brother is West of the river, he’s gone.

Ellie says, ‘You’re not gonna scare us,’ but Florence adds, ‘It scare him,’ as Joel leaves, frustrated.

He starts having a bit of a panic attack outside of Mason’s cabin, though he insists he’s all right.

Ellie tries to reassure him that it will be all right, all they have to do is, ‘cross the river of death.’

They are seen walking through the desolate landscape before they find the ‘river of death’ as Joel says they’ll set up camp in one of the caves.

Ellie says she’s starving and they should have stole Mason’s rabbits but Joel says he can get their own rabbits. 

They’re relaxing by the fire when Ellie asks to have some of the booze in his flask, she insists, ‘just to warm up.’

She takes a sip and says it’s gross and passes it back, before she asks Joel what he would do if they accomplish their mission and they make a cure.

‘Maybe… An old farmhouse, some land… A ranch,’ adding, ‘I would raise sheep. They’re quiet… Do what they’re told.’

She added she read everything in the QZ library but her favorite was reading about astronaut Sally Ride, which she said is, ‘the best astronaut name ever.’

She asks if he thinks that the vaccine will really work, adding she tried to save Sam, because she knew he was infected.

‘I rubbed some of my blood into his bite. I know, I know, it was stupid. But I… I wanted to save him,’ she says, as he adds, ‘Well, I reckon it’s a lot more complicated than that.’

Joel wakes up in a panic, finding Ellie taking watch, as she reveals, ‘I woke up early. You were passed out, so I took second watch. 

He tells her, ‘You gotta wake me up if that happens,’ adding, ‘Cause I just did. I’m responsible for you, okay?’

‘Then don’t fall asleep. I was quiet, I checked my six, I looked for tracks, I found the high ground, and I kept watch. Like you taught me to. What can I say, man? I’m a natural,’ she says, as he tells her to wake him up next time.

They start out on their day as they see what Ellie keeps referring to as the “river of death’ before they’re surrounded by men on horseback with rifles.

‘We’re not looking for any trouble we’re just passing through,’ Joel says as one of the men tells him to drop the gun.

One of the men tells Ellie to take five steps back and she does what she’s told as they ask if they’ve been near any infected.

They bring out a dog who apparently can sniff and tell if someone is infected, and Joel passes the test.

But now they tell the dog to sniff Ellie, as the dog starts growling and getting close to her, but she starts playing with the dog.

The man says they bought themselves 10  more seconds as Joel says he’s looking for his brother, as a black woman asks what his name is and he says Joel.  

They all ride back to their settlement with Joel and Ellie as guards open the huge gates for them as we see a bustling settlement. 

Joel finds his brother and yells out to him as they run up to each other and embrace in the middle of the town.

‘What the f**k are you doing here?’ Tommy asks as Joel says, ‘I came here to save you,’ as they both laugh. 

They head into a mess hall as they start eating, as Joel thanks them for their first proper meal in quite some time.

Joel says he wants some time for family as Tommy says Maria is family, revealing they’re husband and wife, as Tommy takes them on a tour.

Maria says they have stopped most of the raiding parties, adding they stay off the radios as they continue the tour, revealing they get their power from the water.

‘This place actually f***ing works,’ Ellie says as they see some sheep, as Ellie tells Joel to take a look.

Tommy says that it’s all collective ownership and Joel says it’s like communism but Tommy says it’s not like that, though Maria says it is communism, adding it is a commune.

Tommy pours Joel a drink, as Tommy toasts to, ‘Thanks to still giving a s**t about me’ as they drink.

Tommy says they are looking at raising pigs, saying they will have bacon soon, as Joel lies and says Tess is doing fine.

Tommy asks who the girl is and he says she’s the daughter of a ‘Firefly mucky muck’ and Tommy says they have a base south but it’s ‘not an easy trip.’

Tommy says he can’t go with Joel, as Joel jokes, ‘Won’t your wife let you?”

‘They didn’t have to take you in but they did and all they ask is following their rules,’ Tommy says, to protect them from the ‘wrong people.’

‘Is that what I am? Wrong people?’ Joel asks, as Tommy reveals he’s going to be a father and he needs to be more careful.

‘To be honest, I’m scared to death, but I don’t know, I feel like I’d be a good dad,’ Tommy reveals, as Joel pours another drink.

‘I guess we’ll find out,’ Joel says, as Tommy adds, ‘Just because life stopped for you, doesn’t mean it has to stop for me.’

‘We’ll grab some supplies and be out of your hair in the morning,’ Joel says before storming out.

Joel heads outside and starts having another panic attack as he explores the community more.

Ellie is in her room, coming out of the shower in a robe when she sees a note that says, ‘I’m across the street.’

She gets dressed and heads across the street, going inside the home but no one seems to be home.

She sees a chalkboard above the fireplace that reveals two people’s names and dates of seemingly who died.

Maria returns with a coat and tells Ellie that she’ll cut her hair, just the ends, revealing she was an assistant district attorney.

She says the memorial chalkboard was her kid and Joel’s daughter, though Ellie didn’t know Joel had a daughter.

Maria says she’s worried about her being with Joel because he killed people and she says that Tommy did too.

Maria insists Tommy was following his brother’s lead but Ellie insists she’s safe but Maria just wanted her to know she was concerned.

She finishes cutting her hair and tells her to grab her eggplant coat as they are going to the movies.

They are seen in a huge hall where a movie is playing, as we see Tommy for a moment before he finds Joel, who tells him that Ellie is immune, which Tommy tries to process.

Tommy sits down and says to tell him everything from the beginning, and he tells her it was Tess’ dying wish to take the girl.

‘It was Marlene. She hired us to smuggle her to some Fireflies. It went bad. Tess got bit. She made me swear to take the kid. It was her dyin’ wish,’ he says.

‘What the hell was I supposed to do? We made it as far as K.C., and then– You know, she saved my life there… From another kid,’ Joel says. 

‘Five years ago, I would’ve destroyed him. But she had to shoot him to save me. 14 years old. Because I was too slow and too f***in’ deaf to hear him comin,’ Joel admits.

‘And I saw… I saw a man kill his own brother… To save her, while I just watched. And today, I thought that dog was gonna tear her apart because it smelled something’ on her. And all I did was stand there. I couldn’t… Move,’ Joel says.

‘I couldn’t think of anything to say. I just– I was so afraid. You think I can still handle things, but… I’m not who I was. I’m weak,’ Joel adds. 

‘Lately, there are these moments where the fear comes up outta nowhere, and… My heart… Feels like it’s stopped. And I have dreams. Every night,’ Joel says but he can’t remember them.

‘I just know that when I wake up… I’ve lost something’. (Cries) I’m failin’ in my sleep. That’s all I do. It’s all I’ve ever done is fail her again and again,’ Joel says, as Tommy realizes Joel wants him to take Ellie.

‘I’m just gonna get her killed. I know it. I know it. I have to leave her,’ Joel says, as Tommy agrees to take her out at dawn.

She’s seen talking to Ellie in the trailer, telling her, ‘Be careful of who you put your faith in. The only people who can betray us is the ones we trust.’

HBO announced when it renewed The Last of Us that the series premiere episode has surpassed 22 million viewers through on-demand formats, five times the audience for the linear broadcast.

Episode 2 of The Last of Us tallied 5.7 million viewers across HBO Max and linear telecasts in the U.S. Sunday night, based on Nielsen and first party data, adding more than 1 million new viewers vs. the series premiere.

This 22% jump marks the largest week two audience growth for any HBO Original Drama Series in the history of the network.

The Last of Us was also a hit on social media, with the series trending #1 both in the U.S. and worldwide on Twitter during its series debut.

To date, season one teasers and trailers have amassed more than 100 million views globally.

Additionally, the first episode of the series’ companion podcast hit #1 on the Apple Podcast US charts across all genres within 48 hours of its release.

The Last of Us Season 1 will span nine episodes, with the season finale slated to debut Sunday March 12, the same day as the 95th Oscars ceremony. 

Ellie: She’s seen talking to Ellie in the trailer, telling her, ‘Be careful of who you put your faith in. The only people who can betray us is the ones we trust’

Renewed: HBO announced when it renewed The Last of Us that the series premiere episode has surpassed 22 million viewers through on-demand formats, five times the audience for the linear broadcast

Social media: The Last of Us was also a hit on social media, with the series trending #1 both in the U.S. and worldwide on Twitter during its series debut