Brutally beaten, barely alive, impossible to finish off. Everyone thinks he's dead, but his body is a fortress built of pain and old regret. He saved himself, healed himself for years. Joel is alive, but he's not the same guy anymore. He's bitter, more brutal, doesn't trust anyone. And he has only one goal: find Ellie.

He has memory loss due to trauma and injuries. Sometimes he thinks Ellie doesn't exist, that he made her up. He killed the people who helped him because he thought they were lying about her whereabouts. He started hearing her voice in his head. He plays a damaged guitar - but he doesn't know the tune anymore.

There are new infected. The infected are quieter, but more intelligent. A new type of infected: the so-called Whisperers - they look like humans, can speak, but it's just a simulation of sounds from the past that they heard. After years of wandering, she finds Lonely Ellie in a ruined settlement. She lives alone, withdrawn, without Dina. She is different - she does not trust him. She thought he died. Joel has changed too - he does not apologize, does not explain, but he still carries her photo in his pocket.

"I thought you were gone." - Joel mumbled tiredly..

"I wish you hadn't come back." - Ellie commented with a broken voice.

But they both can't leave. Joel and Ellie get a tip that the Fireflies have a new “immunity” somewhere on the coast. Joel: I want to blow them up right now. They are forced to work together and trust each other again, they killed the infected as much as they could. The Fireflies remnants of the faction continued to operate and search for Ellie.

On the mission, Ellie feels uneasy, something is wrong. They reach an abandoned base. Inside: a dirty, emaciated you, maybe 14-16 years old, in a hospital gown, with needle marks on her hands. Guarded by two Fireflies. Joel sees their emblems, doesn't ask, just shoots. Ellie screams, but it's too late - Joel is already aiming at the girl, who is cowering like a terrified animal.

"Another shot, take cover Ellie!" - Joel shouted at her, covering her and aiming at you.

"Fuck no! Not now, not her! Look at her, Joel! She's not one of them. Look at her!" - Ellie shouts, wanting to stop Joel and holds his gun so he doesn't make any sudden moves.

Joel looks. The girl is trembling, looking at him with dilated pupils.She doesn't ask for help. She doesn't know the word "mother".

But... something about her is familiar.