Editor’s Note: The following are spoilers for the first season of The Last of Us.World Last of us it is the one that is dark and gloomy. Humanity is barely making ends meet in the fight against the mutated cordyceps fungus and with each other. Since there are few of them, moments in Last of us that let us breathe from his pessimistic tones are the most cherished. In both the original video game and the critically acclaimed HBO adaptation Joel Miller (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie Williams (Bella Ramsey) stumbled upon a family of giraffes while making their way through an abandoned building on their way to St. Mary’s Hospital. The scene is short, but the relief it brings is greatly appreciated as it serves as a reminder that life finds a way to go on. It also revives the spirit of hope and innocence despite a world ravaged and devastated by the infected.
What do giraffes symbolize in The Last of Us?
Throughout history, giraffes have been used as a symbol of hope, innocence, and forward movement. In the game, Sarah keeps a stuffed giraffe in her room during the original’s prologue, which can be interpreted as a set to symbolize the world’s innocence before the infection takes over. In downloadable content Last of us: left behind, giraffes can be found in the scratching post at Raja’s Arcade when Ellie and Riley sneak into the Liberty Gardens mall in Boston. Here, the giraffes represent another moment of innocence as they flee from the state of peace and the warlike war between FEDRA and the Fireflies that they were raised and indoctrinated into. There is even a sense of urgency in escapism as we see them address their feelings for each other. This triggers an underlying desire for more than what they were born into and a possible future together, even at such a young age.
In contrast to this and their later meaning in the series, when we follow Ellie, Tess (Anna Torv) and Joel, while making their way through the city in episode 2 of the live-action series, they pass a plush giraffe lying on the ground. It is mutilated and filthy, and while it may just be an easter egg, it can be seen from two perspectives symbolically: it could be a reference to the impact the Infected had on the hope and innocence of the world, or it could be a manifestation of a hope that is still can be found in its current decrepit state.
As we travel across the country with Joel and Ellie, the same use of symbolism can be found throughout their world. In the video game, players stumble across promotional posters for movies like Giraffe Park and zoos, each of which continues to give viewers glimpses of a past world untouched by a mutated fungus. As we walk through Ish’s safe house in the Pittsburgh sewers, the kids in his group have painted giraffes along the walls as part of the decor to keep the feel of the world they missed and wanted to return to. Towards the conclusion of the game and the show’s first season, fans may spot them on the walls of St. Mary’s Pediatric Ward. This part has a deeper meaning that highlights Joel’s desperation to return to the life he had, as well as Ellie’s hope to save humanity from the terrible future of which she is a part.
Culturally, giraffes have a number of meanings that can be seen in the first season. Last of us. They are often considered balancers, a totem of aspiration, and a faithful guide through the most difficult of times due to their size and sharp eyesight. In the momentary bliss of desolation given to Joel, Ellie, and the audience, we see it all come into play. We are shown a contrasting burst of confidence that life goes on without regard to humanity, giving hope that somewhere in this gloomy world there is a glimmer of light. As we take this respite with the reverent characters, we also take comfort in the fact that beauty still exists in a seedy world.
What the giraffe scene in The Last of Us means to Joel and Ellie
After her heartbreaking encounter with David and the cannibals, Ellie was understandably distraught. She is no longer the brave and fun-loving kid that the fans knew. Instead, she has become reserved and aloof, much like Joel, until she is suddenly vomited out of it by something off-screen that she’s chasing after. When we finally catch up with her, we find Ellie standing in front of a family of giraffes, something she may be seeing for the first time. When Joel joins her, the scene serves several purposes: both Ellie and Joel receive a bright, colorful light in the dark after both have nearly everything, including their lives, torn from them. Watching this family of giraffes exist seemingly motionless in a nightmare serves as a reminder of the bigger picture and strengthens their resolve to move forward.
Their shared moment of interacting with the giraffes and feeding them not only strengthens the father-daughter bond between Ellie and Joel, but also affects them personally. Joel is reminded of how much he has lost and misses being a father, and how much Ellie has come to mean to him due to his injury. While it seems like a good thing, showing life moving forward no matter the circumstances gives him a false reason to accept the decision he made to reclaim the life he desperately misses by raising Ellie as his own. When it comes down to it, although Ellie is still trying to come to terms with her recent injury, she comes back to herself during this beautiful experience. She walked out of the meeting with David with a purpose, as she was reminded that there is more to life than the terrible bubble they exist in and that it is the key to humanity’s survival. This flash of hope gives her the determination she needs to see her sacrifice through and do whatever it takes to help fight the infected.
Will we see more giraffe references in The Last of Us Season 2?
IN The Last of Us: Part 2, after jumping back in time to Joel and Ellie living in Jackson, players can spot a plush giraffe in Ellie’s house on her bed. It can be seen both as a contextual bond between her and Sarah, as well as a totem of hope, a guide to her now uncertain future, and a memory of a deeply meaningful part of her life. Since this is more of an inference and not something that is directly communicated to the audience, there is no guarantee that this will be translated into the second season of the HBO series. However, this does not cancel the appearance of this or something like that. Craig Mazin And Neil Druckmann are already familiar with planting Easter eggs, so they could easily find a way to add more giraffe symbolism or something.
All episodes Last of us currently available on HBO Max.
Find out everything we know about Season 2 Last of usincluding how much it will connect to The Last of Us: Part 2.
Source: Collider
I have worked as a journalist for over 7 years and have written for many different publications. I currently work as an author at Daily News Hack, where I mostly cover entertainment news. I have a great deal of experience in the industry and am always looking to learn more. I am a highly motivated individual who is always looking to improve my skills. I am also a very friendly and personable person, which makes me easy to work with.
