The Last of Us HBO: 'Tendrils' Change Explained

With the premiere of The Last of Us HBO Series just under a week away on January 15, 2022, various details about the show have been made public. One significant alteration that has already been announced is the increased focus on the characters of Bill and Frank in the series. However, another change has been revealed, which may not be well received by fans.
Recently, Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann shared details about the handling of the Cordyceps infection in an interview with Collider. In the game, it is established that the zombies are infected with a mutated version of the Cordyceps virus, but the origin of the mutation had not been previously revealed.

#1. Tendrils instead of Spores

Source: HBO

The creators recognized that the pandemic has caused people to become more informed about viruses and their behavior. As a result, they decided to incorporate as much scientific content as possible into the show. To this end, they included a scene set in the 1960s to demonstrate that this particular virus has existed for a long period of time and did not suddenly appear out of nowhere.
According to Druckmann, the show has undergone changes that set it apart from traditional zombie shows. One example is the inclusion of interesting zombie abilities, like echolocation, which allows them to navigate their surroundings.
The most notable deviation from the source material is the decision by the show's creators to exclude spores from the series. This means that characters will no longer be seen wearing gas masks, as the show will instead feature tendrils. This change was made in order to allow for the creation of a more interconnected narrative. However, this decision has not been met with enthusiasm from fans, as the spores were a key element in the game and the absence of the iconic gas mask scenes may be a disappointment to some.

#2. Modders turn Ellie into Bella in The Last of Us Part II

Modder Alejandro Bielsa, also known as Vontadeh, has created a modification for the game, changing the appearance of Ellie's character model to resemble that of actor Bella Ramsey, as reported by Eurogamer. According to Vontadeh, the mod is not entirely accurate and there are instances where glimpses of the original Ellie character can still be seen, particularly when she is expressing emotion. The mod works best when the character's performance is more subtle and her pose is neutral. Check out the mod in action below.

#3. The Last of Us Series Creators Speaks about Hunters

Source: GAMINGbible

In an interview with IGN, Neil Druckmann revealed that the show will explore elements of the game that couldn't be fully realized in the original format. One of these elements is the Hunter faction, and viewers will now gain insights into their origins, the reason for their role in bringing down the quarantine, and who their leader is. This announcement has been met with excitement from fans who have been eager to learn more about this aspect of the game.
In an interview with VGC, Neil Druckmann revealed that announcing games too early can lead to problems with work-life balance. This was particularly true for Uncharted 4, which was announced in 2013 and released in 2016, and The Last of Us Part 2, which was announced in 2016 and released in 2020 after experiencing two delays.
As a result, the decision was made to delay the announcement in order to have more flexibility in scheduling and to be more strategic in the approach to production. Currently, the team is working on a multiplayer version of The Last of Us, as well as an undisclosed project.
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