The Last of Us series, an adaptation of the popular video game, follows the story of survivors Joel and Ellie as they navigate a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by a fungal outbreak. The show, which premiered on [remove brand name] in June 2021, has already received critical acclaim for its performances and cinematography. However, there is one aspect of the show that many fans believe was underutilized: the Infected.
The Infected are humans who have been infected by the Cordyceps fungus, a type of fungus that infects insects in the real world. The fungus takes over the host's brain, causing them to become aggressive and attack others. The Last of Us series takes this concept and applies it to humans, creating terrifying monsters that are both fast and deadly. However, the show makes a major departure from the source material by choosing a different type of Cordyceps fungus.
The creators of the show wanted to make the Infected more realistic and visually stunning, so they chose to base them on Cordyceps unilateralis, a fungus that infects ants. This type of Cordyceps fungus is known for turning ants into "zombies" that climb to the highest point they can find before dying and releasing spores that infect other ants. The resulting Infected in the show are incredibly creepy, with their faces and bodies covered in a white, web-like substance.
While the decision to use Cordyceps unilateralis was a bold one, it seems that the show never fully explored the implications of this change. The Infected in the show are certainly scary, but they do not have the same impact as the Infected in the game. In the game, the Infected are visually distinct from one another, with different stages of infection resulting in different types of monsters. The show, however, only has one type of Infected, which makes them feel less threatening overall.
Additionally, the use of Cordyceps unilateralis could have opened up new storytelling opportunities. In the game, the fungus that infects humans is called Cordyceps Brain Infection (CBI), and it is only hinted at in the story. However, the use of a real-life fungus like Cordyceps unilateralis could have allowed the show to explore the science behind the outbreak in more detail. Furthermore, it could have introduced new types of Infected that are based on other types of Cordyceps fungi.
Ultimately, it seems that The Last of Us series did not fully utilize its best change to the Infected. While the decision to use Cordyceps unilateralis was a visually striking one, it did not have the same impact as it could have had in terms of storytelling and world-building. Hopefully, if the show is renewed for a second season, it will take advantage of this change and explore the implications of using a different type of Cordyceps fungus. Only time will tell if this is the case.