Episode 5: Endure and Survive

Last week HBO broke their streak of episodes released on Sunday, by releasing episode five on Friday. Not only that, but this episode is the most action packed one yet. 

The episode begins with the story of how Henry and Sam found Joel and Ellie. 

Henry and Sam have to leave their hideout because they do not have any more food. As they reach the bottom of their building, they hear a car crash and gunshots. Henry looks out the window to see Joel shooting at his pursuers. 

This is the scene from episode four from the perspective of Henry and Sam instead of Joel and Ellie. Henry and Sam run away to hide while Joel and Ellie do the same in a different building. 

Henry knew they would probably go to the tallest building in order to scout out a way out of the city. Henry decided to go find them in the building and succeeded. Joel and Ellie woke up to Henry and Sam holding them at gunpoint. 

Henry convinced Joel and Ellie to team up after explaining his situation, which is about the exact same. Their interests aligned because they are both surrounded by their enemies and are trying to leave the city safely. Luckily, Henry knew a way out and Joel knew how to defend the group. 

The group discussed how to escape. Henry suggested they should use the tunnels underneath the city. Normally, this would be an extremely bad idea because the infected live in dark places, especially underground. 

Because Henry was an informant, he learned a lot of information from FEDRA guards. He was told that FEDRA had gone underground and cleared out the tunnels. It was a massive risk, but it was their only option, so they took it. 

The next day, they went over to the entrance of the tunnel and began their trek toward safety. The tunnels were relatively long, so they stopped midway through to rest. This is where we learn why Henry became an informant.

Henry became an informant in order to receive medicine for Sam. Sam had Leukemia and the only way to obtain the medicine to save him was through FEDRA, which they agreed to give him if he became an informant. Henry obliged, knowing the possible consequences, so he could save his son. 

In the morning the team headed farther down the tunnels to reach the exit. They were free, or so they thought. They walked carefree through the streets, except Joel. 

Joel had experience and knew that something could still happen, and in an effort to prevent that, he did not allow anyone to use flashlights. This was all for naught. When they were reaching the end of a street, they began to be shot at. 

The team ducked behind a car and slowly peaked above it to see where they were being shot from. Joel saw the sniper was in a window in a tall house, and decided he would personally end this. He sprinted to the house and crept up the stairs.

Joel shot the man and was on his way out when he heard a muffled voice. He walked back to the man to find he had a walkie talkie with the renegades on the other end of the line. That is when Joel realized the sniper had alerted them of their position before he was killed. 

The renegades pulled up in cars and trucks with plows. As the rest of the gang were running away, Joel was sniping at the driver of the main truck. After a few shots, he killed him and the truck drove into a house and exploded. 

The rest of the group and the leader of the renegades met in the middle of the street. Right as the leader was about to pull the trigger, they heard a groaning sound. They look behind them to see the truck that crashed in the house and on fire lurching forward into the ground. 

Seconds passed as everyone’s eyes were on the space the truck had been. At that moment, a massive horde of infected rushed out of the hole. Panic set in as everyone started shooting into the swarm.

Chaos ensued as everyone scattered attempting to escape brutal deaths. The group managed to meet up and escape to a motel a mile or so away. The gang decided to sleep but it is there that we learn Sam got bit during the scuffle and is infected.

After a short night, Sam fully turns and Henry has to shoot him so he does not kill Ellie. Henry has been risking his life for years to keep Sam alive and healthy so when Sam dies, Henry realizes he has nothing left to live for. Henry then shoots himself. 

The group buried the dead and went on their way to Wyoming. 

This episode has been the most gruesome yet. It is interesting to see how the directors add characters to the plot only to take them away in a heartbeat. 

This aspect really adds suspense to the show. Any character could die at any time.