Love and loss are timeless themes many writers have attempted to capture fully; communicating the
complexity of relationships is not easy. Many times the author leaves us with a tragic ending wrought with pain or an overwhelmingly hopeful happily ever after. Few stories succeed in showcasing the wide range of emotions in a meaningful way that doesn’t follow the typical Hollywood love story trope: The Last of Us’ 3rd episode "Long, Long Time" falls into that exceptional category. It stands out as an unique representation of raw human emotion that diverts from the heteronormative love trope while still sticking to some formulaic storytelling.
It's my nomination for the best bittersweet ending, perfectly encapsulating the phrase “it’s better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all.” For starters, the characters are believable; they interact authentically and consistently with their respective characterizations. To be fair, it’s sort of cheating to cast Nick Offerman to play Bill; no one personifies a rugged survivalist quite like him. Offerman's character demonstrates what it means to be the strong, silent type without falling into the overly macho-asshole trap. Bill distrusts the government and has a wide array of knowledge and survival skills. He's logical and practical but deeply flawed. While Bill is a “man’s man,” he differs from the stereotype by verbalizing his emotions rather than bottling everything up; he also shows he can compromise. Frank (Bill's love interest), played by Murray Bartlett, contrasts Bill’s personality.
He’s more social and outwardly emotional, able to function and coexist better in groups, and can disarm people with his charm; Frank survives utilizing a different skill set. I think he’s more perceptive than Bill, which is why they make the perfect pair. Frank sees the big picture, and Bill executes the plan. Neither can survive the long haul without the other.
Their initial interaction strays from the typical rom-com meet-cute; the viewer doesn't know potential lovers are meeting unless they're familiar with the game. Frank falls into one of Bill’s trap holes, which is probably how a survivalist would end up meeting someone. After Bill decides to trust Frank, the subtle flirtation begins. Their attraction is confirmed after Bill romances Frank with a tune on his piano. Franks asks:
“Who’s the girl you’re singing about?”
“There is no girl.” Bill responds.
“I know.”
Chefs kiss
Throughout their relationship, Bill shows his love through acts of service, and Frank gives words of affirmation as well as physical touch, the latter being shown in a sex scene that gives the audience a perfect example of real-life written correctly in fiction: it’s awkward, sweet, delicate, humorous, and affectionate. We’re whisked through moments in their relationship where we experience their
giggles over strawberries, their fights about the possibility of making friends, their vulnerability to
one another when they finally meet Joel and Tess, and how much they care for one another, especially when Frank’s condition worsens and he tells Bill he wants to go out on his own terms: pills and wine. When he lays out how he wants to spend his last day, Bill verbalizes his displeasure, his eyes welled with tears:
“I can’t. I can’t.”
“Do you love me?" Asks Frank.
"Yes.”
“Then love me the way I want you to.”
The montage of their final day crushes me. I tried not to cry, but the tears pushed through with the power of a thousand oceans. In the end, the bittersweetness hits when you realize they’ll still be together in death. At the end of Frank's final day, Bill reveals he drugged both their wine glasses; they would die together:
“This isn’t the tragic suicide at the end of the play. I’m old. I’m satisfied. And you were my purpose.” Bill says.
“I do not support this. I should be furious. But from an objective point of view, it’s incredibly romantic.”
The tears follow. In a letter, Bill tells Joel how he used to hate the world, and that he was happy to see everyone die, but ultimately, he confesses he was wrong because there was one person worth saving. And that’s what he did. When Frank dies, Bill's job is done, and he can rest. In the letter, Bill also reminds Joel why men like them exist, to protect the ones worth saving. The episode ends with an iconic shot from the game: the camera looks out of the window of Bill and Frank's room where they lay together, giving us hope for a bright future despite death constantly looming. Bittersweet.
In the end, whether you disagree with one or all the points I made, I hope we can agree that this is still a better love story than the toxic mess that is Twilight.
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