Editor’s Note: The following contains spoilers for The Last of Us Season 2, Episode 4.In its second season, we’ve seen many twists fromThe Last of Usalready, but the fourth episode has its own surprise for both viewers and characters alike. At the most dramatic possible moment, Ellie (Bella Ramsey) learns that Dina (Isabella Merced) is now three months pregnant. Not only does this raise the stakes in their hunt for Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) and her crew, but it also places our two main heroes in a precarious position. No matter how passionate their love feels, the fact that Jesse (Young Mazino) is the father could very easily spark tension for Dina and Ellie, andthe new prospect of a child might complicate Ellie’s thirst for vengeance. As she will find out, being a parent changes everything, and how she decides to ensure her future with Dina could make or break their loving but perilous relationship.
Dina’s Pregnancy Raises the Stakes in ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2
When Joel (Pedro Pascal) dies early inThe Last of UsSeason 2, the story of a revenge quest begins, and it’s clear what the perils will be for those pursuing it. Already, we’ve seen Jackson turn down the opportunity to go after Abby,and for good reason, so it falls to Ellie to enact her version of justice alone. Like any good revenge story, it poses a major threat to the soul of our protagonist, and Ellie will always be in danger of becoming just like the girl who murdered her surrogate father. On some level, she likely knows it too, andbringing Dina along might be what Ellie needs to keep her spirit intact.
Now, risking yourself is one thing, but it’s quite another to place an unborn child in peril. Dina herself also had no idea of her pregnancy when she joined Ellie, and, while it clearly wouldn’t have changed her mind, it’s something worth taking pause over. Already, she nearly got herself killed, and Ellie is deeply uncomfortable with the idea of having her new pregnant girlfriend tag along. Now,it’s no longer just her life and Dina’s that are on the line, and that should inform everything they do on their journey.
Plus, considering that it took five years for Abby to find Joel andget her revenge, who knows how long it could take for Ellie to do the same? Before Dina’s reveal, she had the rest of her life to figure it out, butnow she and Dina are running against the clock. The more pregnant Dina becomes, the less safe she will be, and we’ve seen before with Ellie’s own late mother Anna (Ashley Johnson) how dangerous it is to give birth in the apocalypse.
‘The Last of Us’ Has Just Placed Dina at the Center of a Love Triangle
Dina’s pregnancy reveal in Episode 4 comes at an emotional time. Both women now know each other’s big secret, and it allows them to truly cement their bond as lovers and not just best friends. Ellie has experienceda taste of lovebefore, but nothing this powerful, and Dina has now gained more confidence in her identity. As such,it’s only natural that they consummate their relationship together at that moment, and their love feels incredibly genuine. The personal struggles Dina has faced with her sexual orientation arerelatable to many viewers, but now she knows for certain that she loves Ellie.
As real as this love is, however, there is still an underlying source of tension with the baby’s father. He might not be aware of the baby, but Jesse is a close friend of both Ellie and Dina. Dina is loyal to Ellie, and the love they share feels unbreakable, but the death of Joelhas changed everything. Should Ellie go down a darker path in her desire to seek vengeance, it’s not certain Dina will follow her, especially if Ellie becomes more dogged like Abby. In all of this, Jesse will always be a factor. As the baby’s biological father,this creates a new dynamic and twist on a love triangle for Dina, Jesse, and Ellie.
‘The Last of Us’ Latest Episode Makes This Character Even More Terrifying Than the Game
The post-apocalypse just gained an entirely new threat.
The Prospect of Parenthood Gives Ellie Something to Fight For Beyond Revenge
There are several reasons to be wary of where Ellie and Dina’s romance might lead, but there are also reasons to be optimistic about their chances. After all, in a ruined worldas unfair as this one, everyone must find something to live for. That especially includes Ellie,who now has the prospect of being a parent for the first timeand clearly relishes such an opportunity. Perhaps that might serve as a deterrent, preventing her bloodlust from going too far.
If that sounds naive, consider what we have already seen from the series up to this point. Already, we’ve seenhow love can inspire our characterseven when the world has gone to hell, and Dina has already proven to be a kind of lynchpin for Ellie.A child could be a great way to preserve Ellie’s humanityin an environment that is always trying to rip it away from her.
One might counter that having a child could also push Ellie in the opposite direction, making her more determined to eliminate those she views as a threat to her future family. After all, that same impulse is what inspired Joel,for better or for worse, to do what he did. That danger is very real and a fair concern to have. Whichever decisions Ellie and Dina make, their relationship has already changed forever, and no matter how much they want to, there is nothing left to do but continue marching forward.
The Last of UsSeason 2 airs on HBO on Sundays and streams on Max in the U.S.
The Last Of Us
