‘The Last Of Us’ Recap: Bill and Frank’s Fascinating Backstory Revealed When Joel and Ellie Approach Them

at the beginning of The Last of Us episode 3, Ellie and Joel arrived 10 miles west of Boston. Ellie has never been in the woods before. Ellie takes a moment to address the elephant in the room: Tess’s death. “Don’t blame me for something that isn’t my fault,” Ellie says. Joel and Tess have chosen to undertake this mission.

Ellie and Joel have a 5-hour hike ahead of them. Ellie tries to make small talk and asks Joel about the scar on her face. Joel avoids answering. They come across an abandoned shop and look for new supplies. Ellie finds a hidden door in a basement. She sees a Tampax and hears an infected loner trapped under cinder blocks. Ellie walks up to him and takes his knife. She cuts his face and then she stabs him in the head.

After leaving the shop, Ellie wonders how the pandemic happened. Joel’s best guess is that the cordyceps has mutated and entered the food supply. He explains to her how it evolved so fast. They discover a pile of bones. Joel reveals that a week after the outbreak, soldiers swept across the country, evacuating small towns. People were told they would go to a QZ, if there was space. If not, they were killed. These people weren’t sick. “The dead can’t take it,” says Joel.

The episode dates back to 2003, when the evictions began. Bill, played by nickofferman, you are watching everything that happens on your security cameras. He manages to avoid having to be evacuated after hiding in his secret bunker. When he leaves, everyone is gone. He goes shopping at Home Deport and stocks up on gas and other supplies.

Four years later, Bill has created a fortress around his house. One day he overhears a man who has fallen into one of the holes he has dug around his house. His name is Frank, played by Murray Barlett. He’s from a headquarters in Baltimore and he’s trying to get to Boston. Bill tests him for the infection and Frank’s results are negative. Frank is in desperate need of food.

Bill lets Frank clean up and have dinner with him. When Frank sees the piano in the living room, he can’t help but play it. Bill tells him to get up and shows him how to do it properly. he sings and plays Linda Ronstadt “A long, long time.”

Frank asks, “Who’s the girl you’re singing about?” Bill replies, “There’s no girl.” Frank kisses Bill. They sleep together. Bill has never been with a man before.

Three years later, Frank and Bill are together. But it’s not always rosy with them. They struggle to commit. Frank wants to contribute his way. They meet Tess and Joel. Joel and Bill have one on one. Joel offers to help with the wire mesh, but Bill is stubborn. Joel warns Bill that the invaders will arrive sooner or later.

Three more years go by. Bill and Frank have created a life for themselves. “I was never scared before you came along,” Bill admits to Frank. As Joel warned, the invaders are coming. Bill has a backup ready, but ends up getting shot in a shootout. Bill thinks he’s going to die and asks Frank to call Joel.

Ten years later, Bill has survived his bout with death. However, Frank is now wheelchair bound and suffering from what appears to be cancer. He knows the end is near. One day he wakes up and tells Bill that this is his last day. Bill doesn’t want this to be the end, but Frank has already made up his mind. He wants to marry Bill. After they have dinner together, he wants Bill to crush the pills and put them in his wine. They go to bed and Frank falls asleep in Bill’s arms.

Bill doesn’t think he can help Frank like that. “You love me?” Frank asks Bill. He already knows the answer. “So love me the way I want you to,” says Frank. They get married, Bill cooks an amazing meal, and Bill does exactly what Frank asks. But there’s a problem. Bill also took the crushed pills. He doesn’t want to live in a world without Frank. They lay down and die together.

Joel and Ellie arrive at Bill and Frank’s house. Joel knows something is up. The house is strangely silent. Ellie finds a note and a key from Bill. The note is dated August 29, 2023. She tells Joel not to go to her room, but she tells him to get whatever she needs.

“I used to hate the world and be happy when everyone died,” writes Bill. “But I was wrong because there was one person worth saving. That’s what I did. I saved and protected it. That’s why men like you and me are here. We have work to do. And God help every motherfucker who gets in our way.”

Bill gives everything to Joel and says in his letter to keep Tess safe. Joel leaves and finds Bill’s car. He tells Ellie that he has a brother in Wyoming who might be in trouble. He was a firefly and could help her get to where he needs to be. After cleaning up, Joel has a few rules for Ellie if she goes with him to Wyoming: never mention Tess, don’t tell anyone about her condition, and do what she says when she says it. They go down to Bill’s bunker and find Bill’s hideout.

When Joel isn’t looking, Ellie pulls a gun out of one of Bill and Frank’s drawers and doesn’t tell Joel. They leave in the truck. This is Ellie’s first time in a car. You don’t even know what a seat belt is. She finds a tape on the dashboard. I’m Linda Ronstadt. They leave listening to a classic, ready for whatever comes next.

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