‘The Last of Us’ episode 3: Bill’s letter, explained

Well I think we can all agree on that Last of Us Episode 3 ripped our collective hearts apart and stomped pretty hard, didn’t it?

The 76-minute episode, which tells the story of Bill (Nick Offerman) and Frank (Murray Bartlett), tells the story of a gay couple who have lived alone for 20 years in a small town outside of Boston after the pandemic, and is a moving story. At the same time as being a love story, the fine details scattered throughout made the fairly hard gut punch even more emotional.

One final element you may have missed near the end of the episode? The ending of Bill’s final letter to Joel (Pedro Pascal). He reluctantly became acquainted with Frank and Tess (Anna Torv) after they became secret friends over the radio.

Why did Bill leave the letter?

In 2023, the same year that Joel, Ellie (Bella Ramsey), and Tess left their apartment in Boston’s quarantine zone to begin their journey into the Massachusetts wilderness, Bill and Frank’s decades-long The relationship had reached a tragic point: Frank is terminal. Possibly ill with cancer, one morning he awakens Bill with his decision to make it his last day on Earth. He wants to wear a suit in a preserved boutique, marry Bill, and have a final meal of rabbit and Beaujolais red wine before Bill gives him a fatal overdose.

We watch their day unfold in a deeply moving montage, and everything goes according to Frank’s plan until the last minute when he realizes that Bill has overdosed as well.

“This is not a tragic suicide at the end of the play,” says Bill. “I’m old. I’m happy. And you were my purpose.” The last thing we see of Bill and Frank is retreating to their bedroom to die in each other’s arms .

Later, when Joel and Ellie arrive at an empty house, they find Bill has left a letter on the table marked “To Anyone, Possibly Joel.”

What was the end of Bill’s letter?

After explaining his and Frank’s fate and carefully warning people to stay out of their bedrooms, Bill’s letter addresses Joel directly. Ellie reads her letter aloud.

“I hated the world, so I was happy when they all died,” Bill wrote. I saved him, and I protected him, that’s why men like you and me are here, we have work to do, our disturbing person.

“I entrust all my weapons and gear to you. Use them and store—”

At this point, Ellie abruptly stops reading, anticipating the emotional impact of the end of the sentence, and Joel reads a letter from her to read himself. is clearly visible in Bill’s hand.

The letter lasts only a few more lines and Joel’s hand prevents us from reading it completely. I recommend pairing” continues. The last line has a word that looks like a type of wine, probably “Bordello.”

It’s a bit of a guesswork, but Bill seems to have completed the letter by recommending food and wine pairings if Joel and Tess decide to spend the night. Another poignant reminder of our last meal (“A man who knows how to pair rabbits with Beaujolais” was Franck’s words of praise at our first meeting). These are the types of finite details that make the show, especially Episode 3, so moving.

Last of Us is streaming on HBO Max(opens in new tab) New episodes air every Sunday night at 9pm ET on HBO.