Last week, HBO released the first trailer for the second season of The Last of Us, a series based on the popular video game of the same name.

As with the first season, the adaptation remains faithful to the source material, respecting the details and atmosphere of the game. This is even reflected in the choice of soundtrack for the new trailer, which directly references a pivotal scene from The Last of Us Part II and anticipates the central themes of the new narrative.

The song chosen for the trailer is Future Days, by the band Pearl Jam, released in 2013 as the final track on the album Lightning Bolt. Eddie Vedder composed the song after the loss of a friend in a tragic accident, and its lyrics talk about “missing parts” and the idea that, although something may die, it remains alive inside us. Vedder originally wrote the song to express sadness and reflect on a future that didn’t come to fruition. However, the lyrics can also be interpreted as the fear of losing a loved one and the uncertainty of how to move forward.

Although Lightning Bolt was released a few months after the release of the first The Last of Us by Naughty Dog, it was in the sequel, The Last of Us Part II, that Future Days established itself as an important part of the franchise.

The song has become an anthem among fans, even being performed by Eddie Vedder at the online edition of The Game Awards in 2020. In the context of the game, it represents the emotional bond between Joel and Ellie.

Before revealing the truth about the events at the Fireflies’ hospital, Joel found a way to express himself through music. At the end of the first game, Joel mentions that he likes to sing and play the guitar, and Ellie, with her usual curiosity, teases him, saying that he should teach her someday. At the beginning of Part II, we see that the relationship between the two is strained due to the secret Joel is carrying.

Ellie senses that something is wrong, but Joel, unable to tell her the truth, uses Future Days to express his feelings. He sings the song to Ellie, translating into melody what he cannot say with words. The song symbolizes Joel’s fear of losing Ellie and his desire for her to have a future. It is a powerful scene, which sets the tone for the rest of the narrative and reinforces the weight of Joel’s decisions.

However, the inclusion of Future Days in the HBO series presents a temporal challenge. In the game, the apocalypse began in 2013, the year Lightning Bolt was released, justifying why Joel knew the song. However, in the HBO adaptation, the apocalypse began in 2003, ten years before the song was released.

While the timeline of the series is different from the game, series and game creator Neil Druckmann has mentioned that the song will be incorporated, even if it involves tweaking the storyline. The song’s choice has fans excited for the new season. I can’t wait for the emotional moment when Pedro Pascal performs it in the series – I think it’s going to be hard to hold back the tears.

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