The Last of Us show on HBO has a lot to live up to, what with being the first official live-action adaptation of one of the most acclaimed video games in history, but aside from a compelling story, a potent script, and lively, humane characters, the showrunners really want you to know that they’ve really hit the bull’s eye when it comes to depicting the lore surrounding the infamous Cordyceps fungus.
While it may seem like an unimportant plot device, Cordyceps is what brings the whole narrative together, as it not only underpins what destroyed the Last of Us alternate reality in the first place, but also why Ellie might be the key to saving humanity from its disastrous toll.