The Last of Us season 2, episode 4, titled Day One, advances Ellie’s revenge-driven journey while weaving emotional depth and escalating threats. Aired on HBO and streaming on Max at 9:00 PM ET on May 4, 2025, the episode follows Ellie’s pursuit of Abby, who killed Joel, in a war-torn Seattle.
It introduces Isaac Dixon as a formidable WLF leader, balances tender moments between Ellie and Dina, and sets up critical stakes with new revelations. The episode blends brutal violence with intimate character development, highlighting the dangers of Ellie’s mission.
Episode 3 concluded with Ellie and Dina leaving Jackson, Wyoming, to track the Washington Liberation Front (WLF) in Seattle. Episode 4 picks up on their first day in the city, navigating a landscape ravaged by the WLF-Seraphite conflict. They encounter Infected, uncover clues about Abby’s whereabouts, and deepen their romantic bond amidst constant peril.
Isaac’s violent rise to power in the WLF in The Last of Us season 2
The episode opens with a flashback to 2018 in Seattle’s FEDRA-controlled Quarantine Zone. Isaac Dixon (Jeffrey Wright), a FEDRA sergeant, rides in a military vehicle with his squad. A soldier, played by Josh Peck, mocks “voters,” civilians stripped of voting rights under FEDRA’s oppressive regime.
Isaac, visibly disillusioned, explains the term’s origin, revealing his growing discontent with FEDRA’s fascist policies. In a sudden act of defiance, he tosses a grenade into the vehicle, killing everyone except Burton (Ben Ahlers), a young soldier. Isaac spares Burton and defects to the Washington Liberation Front, led by Hanrahan (Alanna Ubach), marking his transformation into a revolutionary.
In the present, Isaac commands the WLF as its leader. In a chilling scene, he tortures a Seraphite prisoner in a kitchen, burning the prisoner’s hand with a hot pan to extract information. The Seraphite, defiant, taunts Isaac, claiming the cult gains converts daily while the WLF loses members. Isaac, unfazed, delivers a calm speech about the WLF’s strength before shooting the prisoner dead.
Burton, now a hardened WLF soldier, stands guard during the interrogation, underscoring Isaac’s ruthless authority. This sequence establishes Isaac as a calculating and brutal antagonist, while highlighting the escalating war between the WLF and the Seraphites, a religious cult opposing the WLF’s control of Seattle.
Ellie and Dina’s deepening relationship
Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and Dina (Isabela Merced) begin their Seattle journey by scavenging a pharmacy in Capitol Hill. Dina grabs pregnancy tests, a subtle hint at her condition after vomiting in episode 3. As they explore, they notice rainbow flags decorating the area, unaware of their significance as symbols of pride.
They stumble upon a military tank containing burned corpses, which Ellie compares to the Apollo 1 disaster, where astronauts died in a fire. This grim discovery sets a tense tone for their mission.
In a quieter moment, the duo enters a music store. Ellie finds a guitar and plays an acoustic cover of a-ha’s “Take on Me,” a performance that moves Dina to tears.
This scene echoes Ellie’s musical bond with Joel, who taught her to play guitar, and serves as a poignant reminder of her loss. The moment strengthens Ellie and Dina’s connection, showcasing their vulnerability. Later, after surviving a life-threatening encounter, they take refuge in a theater lobby. In a heartfelt exchange, they confess their love for each other.
Dina opens up about her bisexuality, explaining how her mother’s disapproval forced her to suppress it. This revelation, paired with their mutual affection, solidifies their romantic relationship, adding emotional weight to their dangerous journey.
A perilous mission fraught with danger
Ellie and Dina target a WLF-marked TV station, hoping to find leads on Abby’s location. Inside, they discover a horrifying scene: WLF soldiers disemboweled by Seraphites, with the phrase “Feel her love” scrawled in blood on the wall, a chilling testament to the cult’s brutality. As more WLF members arrive, Ellie and Dina hide, overhearing a conversation mentioning Nora (Tati Gabrielle), a WLF associate possibly connected to Abby. This clue fuels Ellie’s determination to track Nora down.
Forced to flee, they enter Seattle’s subway system, where they encounter a horde of Infected. During the chaos, Ellie is bitten while protecting Dina. When she doesn’t turn, Ellie reveals her immunity to the Cordyceps infection, a secret she’s carried since season 1.
Dina, initially panicked, accepts Ellie’s truth, strengthening their trust. In the same moment, Dina confesses she’s pregnant, identifying Jesse (Young Mazino), her ex-boyfriend from Jackson, as the father. Despite the added risks of her condition, Dina commits to continuing the mission, determined to support Ellie.
After escaping to a theater, Ellie and Dina climb to the rooftop, where they spot explosions and gunfire at Lakehill, a WLF base under attack, possibly by Seraphites or Infected. Using a stolen WLF walkie-talkie, they intercept a transmission mentioning Nora’s name, suggesting she may be at Lakehill.
Convinced Abby could be there too, Ellie and Dina decide to head toward the war zone, despite the visible dangers. This choice underscores Ellie’s unrelenting drive for revenge, setting the stage for a volatile confrontation in future episodes.
Read more: The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 4 Ending Explained: Who Is Ellie Hunting and Why?
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Arvind is a Senior Writer and Editor at Hilvaro, specializing in anime, entertainment, and pop culture. With a BSc in Transportation Technology, his passion for storytelling led him to a career in journalism. He has previously contributed to Sportskeeda and GameRant, covering anime and entertainment with a keen eye for detail.
Outside writing, Arvind loves gaming and is fond of anime, binge-watching movies and television series. He spends some of his free time listening to rock music and writing poetry. What Arvind appreciates most about pop culture is the theme that makes it more alive and engaging for this generation; thus the possibility of such content reaching readers across the globe.
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