Warning, this story contains frequent references to suicide. The Last of Us took a break from Joel and Ellie’s story and instead focused on Bill (Nick Offerman) and Frank (Murray Bartlett), two men living together in the wilds of the American wasteland.
The last of Us episode 3 tracks the pair’s first meeting, explores how they fell in love, and eventually, we see how they meet their end. Honestly, this is the best episode of The Last of Us TV series, and if you’ve not seen it, we heartily recommend you stop reading now and go watch it.
If you have watched the horror series’ most recent episode and you’re looking to clear up a few questions, hopefully, we can help you out. Warning, spoilers ahead. Here’s a full and frank (no pun intended) explanation of how Bill and Frank die.
How do Bill and Frank die?
Bill and Frank made the decision to take their own lives when it became clear that Frank could no longer live with the pain of his untreated illness.
Frank was the one who made the decision and asked Bill to give him a perfect day. The pair went to the boutique they had built and got married that afternoon. In the evening, Bill prepared Frank’s favourite meal and served a wine laced with various pills.
While Frank didn’t initially plan on Bill killing himself as well, the older man made clear to his husband that he didn’t want to live in a world without him, and he drank the wine as well. The pair then retired to bed, where they passed away peacefully in their sleep.
Why didn’t Bill want Joel to come into the bedroom?
There are two reasons why Bill didn’t want Joel to enter the bedroom. The first is obvious, Bill didn’t want Joel to see his and Frank’s remains, or as he put it, “they’ll be a real mess in there”.
The other reason, though, is because, in a strange way, Bill finally has what he always wanted. He’s alone with the man he loved forever, with no risk of being disturbed by the outside world.
Do Bill and Frank die differently in the videogame?
Yes, well, one of them does. Frank and Bill have split up by the time we meet them in the game. Frank actually takes his own life after being bitten by the infected. Not wanting to turn into a monster, he makes the decision to end it all.
Bill, meanwhile, doesn’t die in the game. According to The Last of Us co-creator Neil Druckmann, the videogame version of Bill is meant to be a warning to Joel about surviving just for the sake of surviving. He literally tells Joel that partners are good for one thing, “gettin’ you killed.”
Show Bill, meanwhile, is meant to be the opposite sort of character. He’s a reminder that having another person around is sometimes the only reason to live.
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If you love The Last of Us, check out our guide to The Last of Us cast so you can see who’s playing your favourite The Last of Us characters like Joel and Ellie. We’ve also written breakdowns of The Fireflies and FEDRA.
Finally, if you’re looking for news on more great shows, then you need to read all about the House of the Dragon season 2 release date and The Sandman season 2 release date.