The Final of Us – Convergence – Evaluate: An Underwhelming End

I’ve loved this season of The Final of Us rather a lot, greater than I loved the primary season, however it has been tormented by recurring flaws that come to a head on this episode and depart me feeling disenchanted. 

The primary drawback for me is that this episode doesn’t really feel like a finale. It feels extra like filler with pointless and albeit weird conflicts between Ellie and Jesse that bitter the episode whereas additionally organising Abby’s a part of the story with a few blindingly misplaced scenes that includes Isaac and Seraphites that make completely no sense in Ellie’s a part of the story – the scene the place she’s captured by Seraphites and promptly let go once they hear alarms sounding has no weight, influence or relevance. It was an odd little detour, and she or he’s again on the trail to the aquarium very quickly in any respect. 

It’s jarring to say the least, and whereas I perceive the need to arrange some connecting tissue for audiences to segue into Abby’s facet of the story, it has no bearing on Ellie’s facet of the story. The scenes in regards to the Wolf-Seraphite battle simply had me twiddling my thumbs ready to get again to Ellie. 

I additionally, to an extent, perceive why Ellie and Jesse had battle. Ellie and Jesse separating to pursue their differing goals make sense for his or her characters however the depths of their anger are virtually uncomfortable in consideration of the truth that the 2 are supposedly fairly good pals. It seems like Jesse was made to be angrier within the present to arrange this confrontation and make the separation extra plausible however my query is why did there should be an enormous argument within the first place? 

It’s indicative of a much bigger drawback I’ve observed all through the season by which the creators of the present appear extra involved with telling and never exhibiting. In addition they appear to have forgotten that much less is extra. It felt just like the episode’s whole stakes had been hinged on the discordant relationship between Ellie and Jesse when the actual climax ought to have been in her confrontation with Owen and Mel which was relegated within the present to a dingy wanting backroom of the aquarium like they had been shuffled into the episode as an afterthought. 

“Convergence” – THE LAST OF US. Pictured: Younger Mazino as Jesse. Photograph: Liane Hentscher/HBO ©2025 HBO

I didn’t significantly like how this encounter performed out both, which is a disgrace as a result of I favored the best way the present did the Nora encounter earlier within the season. For starters, they overlook that much less is extra once more and as an alternative of getting Ellie realise in horror after Mel’s demise that she’s pregnant, there’s a protracted drawn out scene of making an attempt to avoid wasting the infant that drags needlessly when the emotion would have had simply the identical weight with out all this additional effort. 

I additionally wasn’t a fan of how Owen was written in elements of this scene. His transfer to seize a gun felt prefer it got here out of nowhere, particularly along with his extra peaceable and pacifistic characterisation compared to the extra militant members of Abby’s crew. There’s a risk it was an try to guard Mel however this slight change in Owen’s demise nonetheless finally ends up ringing a little bit hole – a sense that I am optimistic will likely be rectified when Abby and her pals get an opportunity to shine within the subsequent season.

“Convergence” – THE LAST OF US. Pictured: Bella Ramsey as Ellie. Photograph: Liane Hentscher/HBO ©2025 HBO

Talking of Abby, the finale a minimum of ends on a robust notice together with her arrival on the theatre, Kaitlyn Dever performing her coronary heart out with the naked minimal she’s been given this season. We additionally get a pleasant hook into the subsequent season as we’re taken all the best way again to the start of Abby’s ‘Day One’. 

I actually do want I’d favored this episode as a lot as those that got here earlier than however it feels just like the ball was dropped on Ellie’s story within the last stretch. Right here’s hoping that season 3 is a robust return to type and Abby’s story is given the care it deserves. 

What did you consider the season finale? Pontificate within the feedback beneath!