Even in a world as bleak as The Last of Us, there is still opportunity for swoon-inducing romance.
The first episode of Season 2 of the hit post-apocalyptic drama The Last of Us is making waves amongst fans because of one perfectly recreated dance scene between Dina (Isabela Merced) and Ellie (Bella Ramsay) from the video game the series is based on.
Titled “Future Days,” the episode jumps five years into the future, where the relationship between Joel (Pedro Pascal), the drug smuggler, and his surrogate daughter, Ellie, is on the fritz. Although it’s unclear why the two are on the outs, Ellie soon finds herself in a budding relationship with Dina, a warrior who patrols the infected.
In the episode, viewers watch the relationship between the two blossom from a flirtatious friendship to a full-blown romance at the Jackson Dance. Although hesitant to attend the festive occasion, Ellie shows up, choosing to remain at the bar while watching Dina dance with other people from the town. Eventually, a tipsy Dina pulls Ellie to the dance floor, where the two begin to slow dance, softly swaying to a quiet song. Self-conscious, Ellie remarks how all the men in the room seem to be staring at Dina.
“Maybe they’re staring at you. Maybe they’re jealous of you,” Dina retorts.
“No reason to be. I’m not a threat,” Ellie replies shyly.
“Oh, Ellie,” Dina says as she gazes into Ellie’s eyes and tucks a stray strand of her hair behind her ear. “I think they should be terrified of you.”
Then, they kiss, publicly solidifying their desire for each other.
The sweet dance-and-kiss scene between the two women is an iconic moment from the game, so fans’ expectations for the live-action version were sky-high. Luckily, it seems like the show not only met those expectations but far exceeded them.
the dance scene being a 1:1 from the game oh EXACTLYYY they’re so cute #TheLastOfUs pic.twitter.com/rS6XKb8dzk
— chris (@chrisdadeviant) April 14, 2025
#TheLastOfUs Bringing Ellie and Dina’s famous scene at the dance to life was pure perfection. @isabelamerced IS Dina🏳️🌈👩🏻❤️💋👩🏽🥹 pic.twitter.com/XDvzeCFR6p
— Brendon Smith🏳️🌈 (@bigdogXVI) April 14, 2025
if you need me, i’ll just be here. sobbing over how beautifully they recreated ellie at the dance. #thelastofus pic.twitter.com/rzK64ANJ29
— Nic 🍉 (@njnic23) April 14, 2025
my GAY little heart watching ellie and dina dance oh my goddddd. omg i was fanning my face #TheLastOfUs pic.twitter.com/DUDqneWHVB
— 🫧 morgan ✨ (@itsdrsweetheart) April 14, 2025
“This was one of my favorite scenes of the entire game and I cant believe I’m saying this, but the show did it even better,” one Redditor announced.
Other users agreed, writing: “Definitely the highlight of the episode for me” and “It’s so gooood 😍😍😍.”
In an interview with Mashable, Ramsay explained what the dance scene means to their character.
“The kiss between them just felt like a really tender moment and a complicated one for Ellie, because I think there’s an element of self-protection there. Obviously she feels a certain way about Dina, and she’s not sure how Dina feels about her, and whether it’s just for fun or whether she has deeper feelings like Ellie has,” Ramsay explained.
As a grim zombie apocalypse series, there is surely tragedy ahead for many of the show’s most beloved characters. But, for now, The Last of Us fans can savor this moment of sweet romance before the inevitable doom and gloom arrives to ruin their happiness.
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