The Last of Us S2 features Ellie singing Take On Me, echoing a hidden side quest from the game. Here’s how the scene revives Joel’s memory and deepens her bond with Dina.

Every once in a while, a TV show allows a moment to breathe. That’s precisely how The Last of Us succeeded as Ellie picked up a six-string and delivered to us an acoustic rendition of A-ha’s Take On Me. The moment captures Ellie (portrayed by Bella Ramsey) in a fleeting instance of calm beside Dina (Isabela Merced). Though their reality is unraveling, this quiet duet expresses all the truths they’re too afraid to voice aloud. It’s intimate, and yes, Ramsey actually sang it. There was no digital tweaking but just her voice and a guitar, carrying the weight of grief, love, and hope in one haunting melody.

The Hidden Easter Egg In The Last Of Us Pulled From the Game’s Side Quest

There’s something deeper playing beneath the chords. Joel (Pedro Pascal), the man who taught her how to survive (and once promised to teach her guitar), is gone. But this small act keeps him close. It feels as though Ellie is stretching through the ages, striving to grasp a fragment of her soul untouched by grief’s cruelty.

Meanwhile, Dina’s watching. She’s seeing the side of Ellie that rarely comes out. Sure, they’ve shared a kiss before, but things have been tense and uncertain since. However, this moment cracks the door open. It’s soft and unarmored. The look on Dina’s face when the last note lands says everything.

The twist is that this scene might feel familiar to fans of the video game The Last of Us Part II. That’s because it’s pulled directly from a hidden side quest. In the game, Ellie finds a guitar inside a music store during her Seattle exploration and sings the exact same song. There, it’s Ashley Johnson (who originally voiced Ellie ) delivering a dreamy version of ‘Take On Me’ to a fully smitten Dina.

But in the game, Ellie and Dina are already a couple. They’re deep in it, navigating the apocalypse as partners. In the show, though, their connection is just beginning, which means the meaning of the song shifts. It’s no longer just a love note but a plea.