Bella Ramsey Opened Up About Filming "The Last Of Us" Episode 8 And How It Changes Ellie Moving Forward

🚨 There are obviously MASSIVE spoilers ahead for The Last of Us Episode 8! 🚨

It's no secret that The Last of Us is one of the biggest TV shows of 2023 so far. Adapted from the beloved video games, the series has proven week after week why it's must-watch TV.

Liane Hentscher / HBO

Of course, alongside the incredible storytelling, cinematography, and general production design of the show are two award-worthy performances from Bella Ramsey and Pedro Pascal as Ellie and Joel.

While every episode has been a true masterclass in acting from both actors, Episode 8 — titled "When We Are in Need" — brings Bella's performance to a whole other level.

Written by Craig Mazin and directed by Ali Abbasi, Episode 8 follows Ellie as she's kidnapped by David (Scott Shepherd), a terrifying preacher who is leading a group of survivors.

Once Ellie is captured, it leads to the horrifying realization that David is feeding his followers human meat in order for them to survive. And if that isn't bad enough, he proposes that he and Ellie strike up a relationship. Grossed out and terrified doesn't even begin to cover all the feelings I went through while watching this.

Eventually, the episode ends with Ellie escaping and brutally killing David. It's the first time Joel doesn't swoop in to save her, and it's an important turning point for Ellie's character.

Speaking to GQ UK about The Last of Us Episode 8, Bella detailed the process of filming this episode, namely David's death, and what it all means for Ellie going forward.

"[Ellie] learns that she really has this capacity for violence, and that it's real, it's tangible, and that it's happening. I think she's always felt violence and rage in her, but she's never expressed it quite in the way she does in this moment. This is the climax of all of that rage. I think she scares herself with it," Bella said.

They continued, saying, "But it's also such an adrenaline rush — she scares herself because it felt good, because it's so violent, and yet it felt so good."

"I honestly just think she's terrified of herself then, and what she did. There's this moment that I'm glad that I did afterwards, in which she takes a second to stare at him, all mangled, and she's just like: Fuuuuck. I did that," Bella added.

In The Last of Us: Inside the Episode featurette, Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin also discussed Ellie's harrowing experience with David that ultimately leads to his death.

Speaking about David seeing Ellie's "violent heart," Craig said that he and Neil discussed including that line "for quite a bit," since it's not in the game.

"As much as we love her, we also have to be a little scared of her," Craig said. "We see Joel coming to help her and we're rooting for Joel to save her, but that's not gonna get it done. In the end, the only person who can save Ellie is Ellie, and how? Violence."

Troy Baker, who appears in The Last of Us Episode 8 as James and did the voice and motion capture for Joel in The Last of Us video games, discussed this scene on Naughty Dog's The Last of Us Podcast back in 2020.

"It goes into this cathartic, I'm taking this out on everybody. This is for Riley. This is for Tess. This is for Sam. This is for Henry. This is for my mom. This is for everybody. This is for this world. David's face becomes the punching bag for all of that," Troy said.

Speaking about the final moments between Joel and Ellie after she's killed David, Neil told HBO, "In a way, Joel saves her, but emotionally. She's just so broken, she doesn't know what to say, she's covered in blood, and she just looks right in his eyes and leans forward and hugs him."

"And all he could say is that thing he hasn't said in 20 years, which is 'baby girl,' which is what he called his daughter."

I don't think I'll stop thinking about this The Last of Us episode anytime soon, and I somehow have to emotionally recover before next week's season finale.

What did you think of The Last of Us Episode 8? Tell us everything in the comments below!