Neil Druckmann

And I remember when I talked to Mark, I had a Zoom call with him before he was directing this episode, and I'm like, dude, man, you got this giant battle in front of you, and there's freaking bloaters and infected and explosions. Man, just the prep for that must be unnerving. He's like, yeah, yeah, that's all true. But I'll be honest with you, Neil, the thing I'm most nervous for is this death.

And I remember when I talked to Mark, I had a Zoom call with him before he was directing this episode, and I'm like, dude, man, you got this giant battle in front of you, and there's freaking bloaters and infected and explosions. Man, just the prep for that must be unnerving. He's like, yeah, yeah, that's all true. But I'll be honest with you, Neil, the thing I'm most nervous for is this death.

because I watched that part of the game, and it's like, I saw the weight of it, and I'm like, I have to do this justice. And he said, like, it was keeping him up at night. And I got to give everybody their credit. They did it justice.

because I watched that part of the game, and it's like, I saw the weight of it, and I'm like, I have to do this justice. And he said, like, it was keeping him up at night. And I got to give everybody their credit. They did it justice.

Um, yes, offense, because that's the one person you've been avoiding like the plague.

Um, yes, offense, because that's the one person you've been avoiding like the plague.

As of when? Because last night... Yeah, I know what happened last night.

As of when? Because last night... Yeah, I know what happened last night.

I remember we talked all about numbers, because season one, we have this opening, and then we jump, and everything's already destroyed. The army's gone. All these things have happened. So you know it could get really bad, but we've never seen it really, really bad. And here, there was an opportunity to say, OK, when you saw one clicker, how dangerous that was in season one.

I remember we talked all about numbers, because season one, we have this opening, and then we jump, and everything's already destroyed. The army's gone. All these things have happened. So you know it could get really bad, but we've never seen it really, really bad. And here, there was an opportunity to say, OK, when you saw one clicker, how dangerous that was in season one.

When you saw one bloater, how dangerous that was in season one. Now what happens when you multiply that by some crazy number? And that's what they have to try to defend. And to a large degree, they fail because many, many people die.

When you saw one bloater, how dangerous that was in season one. Now what happens when you multiply that by some crazy number? And that's what they have to try to defend. And to a large degree, they fail because many, many people die.

It's also worth noting that, you know, you have a lot of theories of how it should play out.

It's also worth noting that, you know, you have a lot of theories of how it should play out.

And often they prove out wrong or like you see first pass of something like, oh man, the bloater feels like the Incredible Hulk, like... That's incorrect. And we will start talking about, okay, what should actually, what would make it feel even more believable? Because the more believable it feels, the more you care about the stakes and the characters.

And often they prove out wrong or like you see first pass of something like, oh man, the bloater feels like the Incredible Hulk, like... That's incorrect. And we will start talking about, okay, what should actually, what would make it feel even more believable? Because the more believable it feels, the more you care about the stakes and the characters.

And then there's even stuff in the editorial where like, okay, how do we show the stakes of the kids in this town? And stuff was added later. And I even like just love the way just Tommy and Maria look at each other. And again, in the humanity of it all, every life here is important. But for Tommy, one life is more important than the other ones.

And then there's even stuff in the editorial where like, okay, how do we show the stakes of the kids in this town? And stuff was added later. And I even like just love the way just Tommy and Maria look at each other. And again, in the humanity of it all, every life here is important. But for Tommy, one life is more important than the other ones.

Yes. I mean, you're right, Troy, in that, right, all these people, right, Tommy is putting himself in harm's way for someone he loves. Ellie is putting herself in harm's way for someone she loves. And even Abby is putting herself in harm's way for someone she has loved and lost. Right? It's all a function of love. It just has different outcomes.

Yes. I mean, you're right, Troy, in that, right, all these people, right, Tommy is putting himself in harm's way for someone he loves. Ellie is putting herself in harm's way for someone she loves. And even Abby is putting herself in harm's way for someone she has loved and lost. Right? It's all a function of love. It just has different outcomes.