Warning: The following article contains spoilers for The Last of UsEpisode 4: "Please Hold My Hand."
The Last of Us' fifth episode, 'Endure and Survive,' was dropped two days earlier than expected due to the absence of the Super Bowl viewership on Sunday night. During the commotion, Joel and Ellie learn about another minor character, Bryan, played by Mexican-American actor Juan Magana.
Bryan joined the ambush squad that attacked Joel and Ellie at some point, even though he was choking Joel with his rifle, Ellie shot Bryan with her pistol. After making up his mind, Joel demands that Ellie "go back behind the wall" and shield her eyes from what he was about to do.
Magana has reportedly gotten the interest of viewers everywhere despite her being a minor character in the show's grand scheme. Some are even claiming that Magana played a more significant role in Joel's character development than we could have imagined at the start.
Bryan's brutal killing paints Joel in a rather unflattering light, particularly in terms of his humanity and overall morality. It speaks to Joel's composure and the ways he will go to protect himself and a select few, but also establishes him as a very real, very deadly threat to ourselves and the rest of the audience.
A few Redditors weighed in on Magana's performance, even withdrawing remarks that showrunner Craig Mazin has made about the human condition and how Joel disregards human existence without remorse, ultimately viewing FEDRA, the Infected, and anyone else as obstacles to overcome. On the other hand, HBO's rendition underscores how difficult it is to survive this apocalyptic world.
The Last of Us would not be complete without some old feuding. Abby, the antagonist of Ellie's story, was re-assigned to death threats when Laura Bailey, Abby's voice and motion capture model, was discovered. This decision essentially sets Joel free of all liability and paints Abby as a deserving victim.
The whole thing is ridiculous, really, but get a fandom riled up and it'll rear its ugly head. So, Juan, please continue to do excellent work.