To help you make sense of the timeline in the show “The Last of Us,” I made this. I will be updating this as new episodes air. For now, this includes the events from episodes 1 and 2.
For more of
The Last of Us
If you’re viewing this from your desktop or laptop, events on the left are those that involve Joel, Ellie, and Tommy, while events on the right are those that do not.
Sept. 24, 2003, noon
Jakarta, Indonesia time
Sept. 23, 2003, 11 p.m.
Austin, Texas time
Ibu Ratna inspects specimen and cadaver
The professor of mycology was invited by the Indonesian military to inspect a specimen and a cadaver that was infected by a mutated cordyceps. She recommends bombing the entire city because “there is no vaccine.” (Episode 2)
Sept. 26, 2003, 8 a.m.
Austin, Texas time
The Millers
Sarah, Joel, and Tommy Miller leave their house, oblivious about the events to come. Although during breakfast, they heard about some event in Indonesia through the radio. (Episode 1)
Sept. 27, 2003, 2:16 a.m.
Austin, Texas time
Sarah Miller wakes and finds out about the outbreak.
Sarah was woken up by the sound of helicopters. She then found out about the outbreak. All three Millers tried to leave Austin, but accidents happened. Sarah was killed by a military guy. (Episode 1)
Sept. 30, 2003
The Evacuations
Everyone in the United States had to be evacuated. When the quarantine zones were full, the rest of the survivors were brought to the fields where they were killed even if they were healthy. There weren’t mass graves. The authorities didn’t even have the time or the decency to dig graves. (Episode 3)
2007
Bill’s Town
Bill Meets Frank
After some event in Baltimore Quarantine Zone, Frank reaches Bill’s town where he was initially not welcome. The two then became intimately linked. (Episode 3)
2010
Bill’s Town
Bill and Frank meet Tess and Joel Miller
After meeting her through radio communication, Frank invites the smugglers Joel and Tess into their town. Joel and Tess said that they can work together with Bill and Frank. Joel offered to Bill things that they do not have in their town such as books, machine parts, and medicine. Joel, a good negotiator, told Bill that in order to protect himself and Frank, they can bring supplies to help their fences strong enough to last longer than their lifetimes. Bill wasn’t convinced. (Episode 3)
No Date Mentioned
Ellie and Riley’s Last Night Together; Ellie Gets Bit
The show did not mention what month this happened, but I’m placing this after Bill and Frank’s suicide.
In the flashbacks in episode “Left Behind,” Ellie and Riley spend a night at the sealed mall together. This is Riley’s last night because she was supposed to be sent to the Fireflies’ mission in Atlanta. This is also the first time that the two were honest with each others’ feelings. Ellie kissed Riley for the first time.
An infected attacked the two while they’re having fun. Riley got bit on her right hand; Ellie on her right arm. The two then just waited to turn. The episode did not show Riley turning, but we know she died because Marlene referred to her in the past tense in episode 1. (Episode 7 – link to be added later)
Boston, 2023
Joel Miller and Tess meet Ellie
Joel and Tess were asked by the Fireflies to smuggle Ellie out of the Boston Quarantine Zone. Ellie did not turn into an infected after she was bit by an one, so the Fireflies believe she is the answer to finding a cure or a preventative. As they left the Boston Quarantine Zone, an ’80s song played on the radio, indicating that trouble is near. The problem was that the trio did not hear this warning. (Episode 1)
Outside Boston Quarantine Zone, 2023
Tess dies
Tess was bitten by an infected. Before turning, she convinced the reluctant Joel to take Ellie to Bill and Frank. (Episode 2)
Kansas City, 2023
Ellie and Joel encounter the Hunters.
On their way to Wyoming, Joel and Ellie encountered the Hunters, which now lord over Fedra-less Kansas City. Henry, while trying to escape the city because of lack of food, saw Joel win a shootout against the Hunters.
The Hunters are led by Kathleen. Perry is her second in command. The populist leader Kathleen is determined to look for Henry who she believes ratted out her brother to the Fedra, ultimately killing him. Perry showed Kathleen a potential problem underneath one of the buildings, but she ignored it and said they need to deal with Henry first.
While trying to evade detection by the Hunters, Joel and Ellie encounter Henry and his brother Sam. (Episode 4) (Episode 5)
Second Day, Kansas City, 2023
Joel and Ellie team up with Henry and Sam.
Henry convinces Joel and Ellie that they can all work together to escape Kansas City. While trying to escape, however, they were detected by the Hunters. Kathleen was about to shoot Henry when the infected escaped the tunnels thanks to an explosion caused by one of the Hunters’ vehicles. Not knowing how to deal with the infected effectively because they’ve been safe from all the infected for almost 15 years, all Hunters perished and the four escaped. (Episode 5)
Just Outside Kansas City, Next Day
Sam turns and Henry commits suicide.
That same night just outside Kansas City, the four find a house to stay in. Joel tells Henry that they can go with them to Wyoming. Meanwhile, Ellie learns from Sam that he got bitten. Not knowing better, she tries to cure him by wiping her blood all over his wound because she thinks it’s medicine. Sam asks Ellie to stay up with him and she promises that she will. She falls asleep anyway.
The next day, Sam attacks her and Henry shot his brother and before he commits suicide. Ellie and Joel bury the brothers’ bodies and then heads west again. (Episode 5)
Three months after, Wyoming and Colorado
Joel and Ellie reach Jackson, Wyoming
After three months of traveling, Joel and Ellie reach a settlement in Jackson, Wyoming where they meet Maria, one of the elected council members of the community and now Tommy’s wife. Joel learned that it was Maria who kept Tommy from using the radio.
Joel was supposed to let Tommy accompany Ellie to the Fireflies, fearing that he is too old to successfully bring her to scientists who may be able to study why she is immune. Tommy agreed, but Joel changed his mind.
Tommy and Ellie then travelled for five days before they could reach an abandoned Fireflies headquarters at the University of Eastern Colorado, where Joel was stabbed by a raider. Joel collapsed after the duo successfully flee from the place. (Episode 6)
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