The Last of Us continues to reign supreme in the world of streaming, with HBO Max's critically acclaimed adaptation of the legendary video game expected to be the crown jewel of next year's award season.
We'll be closer to the end of the first season tomorrow than the beginning, but showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann still have plenty of time to surprise us with a slew of creative twists that make us wonder why The Last of Us was never a television show at the start.
Melanie Lynskey has had one of the greatest surprises so far, portraying Kathleen, the leader of a group of rebels hiding out in Kansas City, who pulls the strings of a manhunt for a man named Henry; a manhunt that Joel and Ellie get dragged into after killing members of her organization in self-defense.
Kathleen, however cold-hearted she may be presented as, represents an important goal that humanity should strive for, according to Lynskey. Be open to good ideas.
Kathleen's group responds to the best ideas rather than the loudest voices, and how doing so empowers worlds of female leaders that are otherwise ignored for reasons outside of such ideas.
Every individual detail of Kathleen, from the position she occupies to the actions she takes to the manner in which she presents herself, was vital in bringing home this sort of ethos.
We've only had a glimpse of her so far as of episode four, but she was one of the most moving glances one could have asked for. As an original character, we're not sure what to expect from a person as passionate, calculative, and proactive as Kathleen, but we do know that episode five will be rescheduled in record time.