There is little doubt that the soundtrack of The Last of Us has always been on point, perfectly framing a scene with the right music. Not surprisingly, this was proven yet again in The Last of Us Episode 7 when a seemingly random 80s hit was played while Ellie discovered an escalator in an abandoned mall. However, the chosen song was actually more significant to Ellie's story than most viewers thought.
In The Last of Us Episode 7, Riley brought Ellie to an abandoned mall with the promise of showing her its five wonders. One of the first things that Ellie is delighted with is an escalator which she initially believes to be one of the wonders. As Ellie played around with the escalator, the 1985 hit Take on Me by A-ha plays in the background.
It's a lighthearted moment and the song makes it even more fun. However, the fun beat of the 80s track isn't the only reason why it was chosen for the scene. Take on Me is a song that is important to Ellie in the original Naughty Dog games.
In The Last of Us II, Ellie learns how to play the guitar and decides to serenade her girlfriend Dina. Her song of choice? Take on Me by A-ha.
The Last of Us Episode 7 focused mostly on Ellie's backstory and a day in her life with Riley before she was captured by the Fireflies. The episode concluded with Ellie and Riley getting bitten by an Infected and deciding to stay together as they wait for the infection to take over. We already know that Ellie survived but it is unclear how she managed to leave Riley behind after her friend succumbed to the infection.
The Last of Us Episode 7 was titled Left Behind and is now streaming on HBO Max. The eighth and penultimate episode is titled When We Are In Need and will premiere on Sunday, March 5, 2023.
Related: The Last of Us Co-Showrunner Discusses Why Left Behind's Mall Scene Was Changed
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