The following contains spoilers for The Last of Us Part 2
Summary
- Including the Rat King in The Last of Us Season 2 could elevate the show’s horror elements and deepen its storytelling.
- The Rat King symbolizes decay and resilience, providing a test of survival for characters like Abby, adding depth to their arcs.
- The Rat King’s inclusion is a narrative necessity, showcasing the show’s ambition in adapting challenging aspects of the source material.
The Last of Us, HBO Max’’s critically acclaimed adaptation of Naughty Dog’s hit video game series, brought to life the gripping story of Joel and Ellie in a post-apocalyptic world teeming with danger and emotional depth. As fans eagerly anticipate Season 2, the question arises: how much of The Last of Us Part 2 game will make it into the show?
One sequence, in particular, stands out as essential for the adaptation—the terrifying and mortifying Rat King. This grotesque and nightmarish infected creature isn’t just a showcase of the series’ horror elements; it’s a symbolic, narrative, and emotional cornerstone that could elevate the show’s storytelling. It could also grab the audience and really push home that the world of The Last of Us has changed in ways that haven’t even been touched on yet and those changes are only going to get worse, if left unchecked.
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Pushing Boundaries In The Last of Us
For those who have not played The Last of Us Part 2 The Rat King is a horrifying amalgamation of infected individuals fused together, the result of decades-long infection in the dark, decaying depths of a Seattle hospital. It earns its name by looking like the human/cordyceps version of what is mostly considered an urban legend about several, perhaps even dozens of rats being fused or tangled together by their tails and moving as one creature through the sewers of modern US cities.
For The Last of Us Part 2’s Rat King, its size, relentless aggression and ability to shake off attack after attack represents the pinnacle of the Cordyceps infection’s evolution. By including this creatur in Season 2 of The Last of Us, the show has an opportunity to push the boundaries of on-screen horror in a way that sets it apart from other post-apocalyptic dramas.
Moreover, the Rat King’s inclusion would underline the show’s commitment to exploring the darker corners of its world.
Moreover, the Rat King’s inclusion would underline the show’s commitment to exploring the darker corners of its world.
The infection’s evolution is a constant source of dread in the games, and the Rat King is its most extreme manifestation. By showing what decades of infection can produce, the series can further immerse audiences in the terrifying reality of the Cordyceps outbreak.
The Rat King As A Way To Prove Abby’s Worth
In The Last of Us Part 2, the Rat King isn’t just a one of the toughest boss fights in the series, it’s a powerful metaphor for the themes of decay, inevitability, and resilience. Ellie and Abby’s journeys are steeped in loss, vengeance, and the consequences of their actions. The Rat King, a creature that’s been festering and growing beneath the surface for decades, symbolizes the lingering consequences of a world gone wrong.
For Abby, confronting the Rat King serves as a test of her will to survive. It’s a moment that encapsulates her arc of redemption and resilience. She ventures into the hospital to retrieve medical supplies, a mission rooted in her desire to protect Lev, a person she grows to care for deeply.
Translating this to the screen, the Rat King could provide a cinematic parallel to the show’s broader themes. And it could tell another story that will explain to viewers that while Abby is likely hated for what she did to Joel, she’s a better person than she looks at first glance. Going in to fight this monstrous behemoth means that she’s putting her life on the line for Lev and this can go a long way towards doing more to lay out her ethical compass and convince viewers she’s not just an evil murderess.
The Rat King Needs To Be In The Last Of Us Season 2
The Rat King’s inclusion in The Last of Us Season 2 isn’t just a wish-list item for fans of the game—it’s a narrative and thematic necessity. This creature has the potential to elevate the series by pushing its horror elements, deepening its storytelling, and delivering a visual spectacle that lingers in viewers’ minds.
By including the Rat King, the show can solidify its identity as a bold and ambitious adaptation that isn’t afraid to tackle the most challenging aspects of its source material. There’s also something to be said for having this kind of seemingly unkillable monster in each season much like the massive Cordyceps Bloater that emerged from under the houses in Season 1.
As fans eagerly await The Last of Us Season 2, they can only hope that this monstrous manifestation of the Cordyceps infection finds its way to the screen. It both embodies the horror of the world that Ellie, Abby and everyone surrounding them have to move through. It’s also just going to be really cool to see the Rat King charge and then fight someone who has never had to see anything of its like before it appears on screen.
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