Bill and Frank’s gay love story in The Last of Us game is completely different

30 January 2023, 17:59

The Last of Us cast open up about the gay love story in episode 3

By Sam Prance

Everyone has fallen in love with Bill (Nick Offermann) and Frank (Murray Bartlett) in The Last of Us.

The Last of Us fans are crying over the gay love story between Bill (Nick Offermann) and Frank (Murray Bartlett) in episode 3 but it's very different in the game.

Ever since The Last of Us debuted on HBO, viewers have been gripped by the show's emotionally rich storytelling. Based on the video game of the same name, The Last of Us is set in a reality in which a viral fungal infection has taken over the world and begun turning humans into zombies. It tells the story of the unlikely duo Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey).

Each episode introduces new characters from the game to the show and episode 3 is arguably the most heartbreaking yet.

READ MORE: The Last of Us creators explain why Tess' death was changed for the show

What happens to Bill and Frank in The Last of Us game?

In episode 3, Joel and Ellie follow Tess' dying wish for them to meet Bill and Frank. The episode then flashes back in time to 2007. Here, we learn that Bill is a survivalist who's transformed his dead mother's abandoned hometown into a safe haven where he lives alone and is protected from the fungal infection that's wreaking havoc on the rest of the world.

However, Bill's world changes when Frank stumbles onto his land. Initially suspicious, Bill feeds Frank and lets him shower. The two then bond over their love of Linda Ronstadt and realising that there is a romantic spark between the two of them, they kiss and sleep together. Here, Bill admits that he's never been with a man before.

The episode then flashes forward to 2010. We learn that Bill and Frank now live together and, even though Bill's wary of all outsiders, he and Frank have formed a friendship with Tess and Joel via radio. Fast forward to 2023 and we find out that Frank and Bill are still in love and have shared a life together.

However, Frank is suffering from a degenerative illness. He asks Bill to marry him and then euthanise him. Reluctantly, Bill agrees. We see them share one last beautiful day together in which they get married. Instead of poisoning Frank, Bill kills himself as well and they die together.

In the present day, Joel and Ellie arrive at Bill and Frank's and find a letter that Bill left for Joel. In it, he states that looking after Frank gave his life meaning and encourages Joel to protect Tess (!). He also tells Joel that his truck and weapons belong to him now.

READ MORE: The Last of Us' Bella Ramsey responds to cruel backlash over her Ellie casting

Naturally, people are bawling after watching the episode and sharing all of their emotional reactions to the storytelling online.

One person tweeted: "the last of us just randomly telling one of the most beautiful and devastating gay love stories i’ve ever seen on television…with nick offerman no less.." Another wrote: "imagine being smug thinking you know everything that’s going to happen on The Last of Us show already bc you played the game and then they show you a gay version of Up".

Meanwhile, someone tweeted: "the last of us writers were like “hey joel needs a car. what if we write the most touching and heartbreaking hour of television in the world". One fan added: "Okay. The Last of Us episode 3 will probably go down in history as one of the greatest episodes of TV ever made. Holy shit."

Perhaps most heartbreaking of all, a viewer wrote: "gay marriage was never legalized in the last of us universe so bill and Frank getting married meant the fuckin world and more." No. I'm not crying. You are.

How do Bill and Frank die in The Last of Us game?

Players of the game will already know that, while Bill and Frank are both part of the game, their storyline is very different. In the game, Bill is alive and he helps Joel and Ellie fix up a car because he owes Joel a debt. After falling out with Bill, Frank takes his own life and Joel, Ellie and Bill find Frank's body in the game. Bill survives.

You can watch a play-through of what happens in the game below.

BIll, Ellie, and Joel Find Frank - The Last Of Us Part I Remake [PS5 4K HDR]

Discussing the episode in HBO's Inside the Episode, The Last of Us co-creator Neil Druckmann said: "My philosophy with this show is when should we deviate, when should we come back. If it's better we deviate."

Based on the reactions to the episode, it looks like it was the right decision to deviate from the game.

What did you think of the episode?

Read more The Last of Us news here:

• The Last of Us fans are screaming and crying over Nico Parker's "perfect" performance
• Pedro Pascal's incredible Rotten Tomatoes streak continues with The Last of Us

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