Warning: Contains SPOILERS for The Last of Us season 2, episode 2!
The Last of Us season 2, episode 2’s Jackson fight sequence is a major change to the video game, and here is why the Infected attack the settlement in the HBO show. The Last of Us season 1 stuck fairly close to the original game, but due to the divisive nature of The Last of Us Part II, it was expected that some changes would be made. The Last of Us season 2, episode 2 features one of the biggest changes so far, with it adding a massive battle sequence focused on Tommy, the Infected, and the Jackson settlement.
Episode 2 picks up right where The Last of Us season 2, episode 1 ended, with Abby and her Firefly friends finally locating Joel. The episode sees Joel and Dina come across Abby and the gang while on a scout, with Ellie and Jesse doing a scout somewhere else. This means that the main cast of The Last of Us isn’t near Jackson when an Infected horde attacks, leaving Tommy to command the settlement’s defense.
The Last Of Us Season 2’s Vines Draw The Infected Horde To Jackson In Episode 2
Building Off An Episode 1 Cliffhanger
When the Infected raid Jackson in The Last of Us season 2, episode 2, it is a surprise to many of its citizens. The surprise attacks leaves tons dead, with nobody initially knowing how they appeared in such large numbers. However, a group of workers may have found the answer, with them discovering the Cordyceps that grew in Jackson’s pipelines near the end of episode 1.
Although it isn’t confirmed, it is likely that these Cordyceps vines are what drew the Infected to Jackson. They may have acted as a beacon to the Infected, bringing them to the settlement. Although this isn’t a mechanic in the game, it wouldn’t be the first time that HBO’s The Last of Us has changed how the Infected work.
The Last Of Us Season 2’s Infected Being Connected To The Vines Highlights A Cordyceps Power
Continuing Season 1’s Big Infected Change
If the Infected really are connected to the vines in the Jackson pipeline, it would highlight a major Cordyceps power. In the video game, spores are a major threat, with them being airborne materials that can kill humans and turn them into Infected. HBO’s The Last of Us changed this, with season 1 getting rid of spores and instead creating an interconnected network of underground Cordyceps.
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The Cordyceps vines in the pipes could be connected to this network. The workers that interacted with the pipes may have alerted the Infected to Jackson’s presence, causing them to attack. Similar alerts happen in The Last of Us season 1 when specific Cordyceps parts are stepped on, with season 2 potentially expanding on this idea.
This story originally appeared on Screenrant
