"The Last of Us" season 2 is tough to watch at times. Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) brutally beats Joel (Pedro Pascal) to death in just the second episode. There are horrifying torture scenes in the war between the Washington Liberation Front (W.L.F.) and Seraphites. But perhaps no aspect of the season is darker than watching Ellie (Bella Ramsey) descend deeper and deeper into dissociated cruelty on her quest for vengeance.

The motivation is entirely understandable, but that doesn't make it any easier for us, or Dina (Isabela Merced), to watch. Ellie's drive to kill Abby is complicated -- it's pure anger mixed with guilt that she and Joel never had a chance to fully mend their broken relationship. Ellie takes him with her in spirit on her journey to Seattle, where she employs a few of the tricks he taught her -- including one seen multiple times in season 1.

Near...