Fans also got a meaty sneak peek at Season 2 of HBO’s post-apocalyptic drama via a minute-long teaser that’s sure to raise a few… alarms. (Don’t worry, you’ll get it when you watch it.)
Per the official synopsis, Season 2 will begin with a time jump: “Five years after the events of the first season, Joel and Ellie are drawn into conflict with each other and a world even more dangerous and unpredictable than the one they left behind.”
The previous Season 2 teaser was released back on Sept. 26, which is both the birthday of Joel (played by Pedro Pascal) and the day that the Cordyceps infection really started messing with/nearly wiping out humanity.
HBO also recently released three images created by artist Greg Ruth in celebration of the show’s seminal date. You can see them below.
In August, HBO released the first footage from the show’s sophomore run via a Max promo. In it, Joel made an expected confession — to an unexpected character: Season 2 newbie Catherine O’Hara (Schitt’s Creek). She presumably wondered about Ellie, asking Joel, “Did you hurt her?” His response: “I saved her.” Fans of the franchise will recognize this as a deviation from the original story. In the video game, Joel delivers his confession to his brother Tommy (and only Tommy).
The new teaser seems to indicate more changes from the Naughty Dog video game’s storyline, including our first good look at Kaitlyn Dever (Dopesick) as Abby. We’re also intrigued by what’s going on around the :45 mark; those who know The Last of Us Part II inside and out will recognize this scene as something that is shown at the very end of that game. Given that series creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann have indicated that the show will likely go at least three seasons, it’s interesting that the moment is included in Season 2.
Also of note: Isaac (Westworld’s Jeffrey Wright) and a captured Seraphite, some longing looks between Ellie and Dina (100 Things to Do Before High School’s Isabella Merced), and the music at the start of the clip, which is from a series of poignant moments in Part II.
Season 1 came to an end after Joel murdered a hospital full of Firefly resistance fighters who intended to kill Ellie in order to figure out a cure for Cordyceps infection. When Ellie — who’d been anesthetized and therefore unaware of both Joel’s actions and the danger to her — came to, Joel lied and said the experiment hadn’t worked. Later, when she made him swear that he was telling the truth, he did so readily… even though he was doubling down on the lie. (Read a recap.)
In addition to Dever, Wright, Merced and O’Hara, Season 2 cast newbies include: Young Mazino (BEEF), Danny Ramirez (The Falcon and the Winter Soldier), Ariela Barer (Runaways), Tati Gabrielle (Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) and Spencer Lord (Heartland).