The original video game kicks off when a fungal infection starts taking over the world, creating terrifying zombies which Joel (played by Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) must avoid. While the virus in the PlayStation version of The Last of Us spreads through the air, fans think HBO’s adaptation will take a very different route and have already spotted a number of clues supporting their theory.
Viewers are convinced The Last of Us’ infection spreads through flour as opposed to the video game’s airborne spores.
In both PlayStation titles, the survivors must navigate a world plagued by zombies and avoid areas with toxic air.
However, this element won’t be present in the new series, and fans think this could be due to the infection spreading through food this time around.
A recent thread on Reddit has exposed a number of clues which have already been spotted in the opening episode, When You’re Lost in the Darkness.
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This viewer also highlighted a clue from showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann to support the theory.
“I just listened to the after-episode podcast and [they] said right after a mention of biscuits that there are a lot of breadcrumbs for people to pick up on, which I’m taking as all but confirmation of this,” they said.
Plus, as /u/RealSteamedHam pointed out: “It just so happens the world’s largest flour mill is in Jakarta.
“It’s where we first know the outbreak happens on the radio while Joel, Sarah, and Tommy are eating breakfast.”
“Others have pointed out that in the games it spread from contaminated crops from South America,” the post concluded.
As the series continues, Joel and his companions could be seen avoiding foods like bread and cake to ensure they remain uninfected.
Although die-hard fans of the game might be disappointed to see the spores axed from the live-action adaptation, the change is undoubtedly a great way to keep them guessing over the coming weeks.
The Last of Us continues Sundays on HBO in the USA and Sky Atlantic and NOW on Mondays in the UK.
