In The Last of Us episode 6, Joel and Ellie reunite with Tommy and meet Maria, with whom Tommy is living at a thriving place in the middle of nowhere. Rutina Wesley plays Maria.
Joel and Ellie make their way to the west despite being warned that going there is dangerous, especially once they cross the River of Death. Past that river, the place is filled with the dead bodies of the living and the infected.
The duo makes it to the river and, in a matter of moments, gets surrounded by armed people on horses. This group of people checks to see if Joel and Ellie are infected and what they are doing here.
When Joel claims that he is looking for his brother, a woman among the group comes forward and recognizes him. She then takes Joel and Ellie to their community in a place called Jackson, where Joel reunites with his brother, Tommy.
Maria introduces herself
After reuniting with Tommy, Joel and Ellie are given a proper meal after a very long time. Joel thanks the woman for her hospitality and asks for some family time with Tommy.
Tommy then insists on having her in on this conversation by revealing that he has married this woman, Maria. Things get a bit awkward. Tommy and Maria attempt to calm things down by introducing Joel and Ellie to Jackson.
Jackson is a place like no other. It’s a thriving community where humans are still living like they used to before the outbreak. There are schools, cattle, laundry, and a lot more.
No single person runs this place, but Maria is part of a council. Maria and the people of Jackson have managed to evade the raiders and the infected by keeping a low profile. The dead bodies Joel and Ellie heard of are the ones who tried to challenge the people of Jackson.
Why Tommy is reluctant to leave Maria?
Maria allows Tommy and Joel to have some family time while she takes Ellie to their house. Joel tells Tommy half of the truth about Ellie, claiming that this is just a job he is getting paid for.
From Tommy, Joel learns about a Fireflies camp at the University of Eastern Colorado. Joel attempts to recruit Tommy on this mission, but Tommy stays adamant about not coming.
Joel wonders if Maria is the reason he won’t come. He also questions whether she is the one who stopped him from talking on the radio. Joel confronts Tommy about his sudden change until the latter reveals that he is going to be a father.
Tommy intends to be more careful and feels that he is going to be a good father. Joel makes a snarky comment on Tommy’s claim, which forces Tommy to clarify that just because life has stopped for Joel doesn’t mean it has to stop for him.
Maria’s past
While Tommy and Joel catch up, Maria helps Ellie to get comfortable. She offers her new clothes and invites her into her house for a haircut.
Ellie notices a blackboard with the names Kevin and Sarah on it. The mantle also has the dates of birth and death written on it. It’s a memorial.
Ellie wonders if Maria was a hairdresser before the outbreak. She volunteered to cut her hair, though Ellie doesn’t want a haircut.
Maria reveals that she was, in fact, an assistant to the district attorney out of Omaha, Nebraska. She still loves doing hair. She likes to believe that this is her ‘mom thing’.
Maria asks Ellie if she saw the memorial up there. Ellie feels sorry for her kids. Maria then corrects her by disclosing that Kevin was her only kid and Sarah was Joel’s daughter.
Ellie then realizes that this is the reason Joel is the way he is. Maria expresses her concern toward Ellie, claiming that there are things Ellie doesn’t know about Joel. The two indulge in an argument, which leads Maria to conclude that Ellie would have made a great lawyer.
Maria also figures out that Ellie is hiding a lot of things. Maria just gives her a piece of advice. She tells her to be careful with the people she trusts, as they are the only ones who can betray her.
Also Read: How did the Cordyceps outbreak begin in The Last of Us?
