EDITOR’S NOTE: This article includes spoilers
A major sequence from the latest episode of HBO’s The Last of Us was filmed in Mission.
The second instalment of the hit show’s second season, “Through the Valley”, aired on Sunday night (April 20) and featured a location on Dewdney Trunk Road where filming occurred last year.
The Mission property stands in for a lodge halfway up a mountain. The series filmed in Mission for several days in March 2024 at a secretive set where a crane was visible from a distance.
“We had a crane for one shot because so much of it is just this intimate exchange between people,” director of photography Catherine Goldschmidt said in the Making of The Last of Us feature on YouTube.
The second season of The Last of Us debuted on HBO and Crave on April 13. The series, based on a PlayStation video game, tells the tale of civilization trying to survive after a fungal-borne virus decimates Earth's population and turns humans into zombies. The series stars Bella Ramsey as Ellie, Kaitlyn Dever as Abby and Pedro Pascal as Joel.
Season one of the show was filmed in various locations around Alberta, but season two features B.C. locations, including Mission, Nanaimo and Vancouver.
The Last of Us notched 24 nominations at the 75th Primetime Emmy Awards, including Outstanding Drama Series. Pascal and Ramsey were nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor and Actress, respectively.
WARNING: Major spoilers below for The Last of Us season two, episode two (Through the Valley)
The scene at the Mission property sees protagonist Joel (Pascal) killed by Abby (Dever) in an act of revenge.
“It was as hard for us to write and to shoot as I think, probably, for a lot of people to watch,” co-creator Mazin said. “But this story is about how we all deal with those moments which do confront us in life.”
In the behind-the-scenes YouTube feature, director Mark Mylod said he was “exponentially terrified of delivering that moment”.
Pascal, Dever and Ramsey also spoke about the impact of the scene.
“If it’s incredibly painful for people, that’s obviously a brilliant achievement,” Pascal said.
“Getting to do that opposite Pedro was just an actor’s dream. I felt really taken care of working with him because it is so heavy. It’s so loaded,” Dever said.
Ramsey added: "I knew that it was coming as I was reading the episode and I was dreading getting to that bit and I cried. Actually sobbed my little heart out."
