WARNING: Contains SPOILERS for The Last of Us episode 1!
The Last of Us episode 1 kicked the series off with a pretty shocking virus outbreak scene, but a new theory is proposing what caused the outbreak, and it's a big departure from the games. Although it's known that the zombie virus has something to do with fungi, which was confirmed in episode 1's opening scene, the show still hasn't confirmed what suddenly kicked off the virus' spread in 2003. However, The Last of Us episode 1 touches on several seemingly inconspicuous details that, when combined, paint a pretty clear picture of what caused the outbreak.
Based on the video game of the same name, The Last of Us follows Joel and Ellie as they attempt to travel across the United States in order to get Ellie to a group that can help cure the virus. In the TV series, the fungal virus outbreak occurred in September 2003, with it still going strong 20 years later. While an in-universe interview from the 1960s did reveal that the fungal virus had something to do with climate change, the method through which it spread so suddenly is still unknown. The Last of Us episode one has revealed all of the pieces required to figure out this puzzle, and the virus mystery may have finally been solved.
Evidence Flour Caused The Outbreak In The Last Of Us TV Show
According to a new The Last of Us theory from Reddit, the show's fungal virus actually spread through one of the most commonly used baking ingredients, flour. Although this is different from the outbreak's game origins, several moments in the HBO series actually hint that this theory could be true. The biggest of these hints is that the show's outbreak starts in Jakarta. Jakarta is a city in Indonesia, and it just so happens to be the home of one of PT Bogasari Flour Mills' plants, with the Jakarta location being the biggest flour mill in the world. Besides this, the episode also contains several other pieces of evidence.
The Last of Us episode 1 is full of moments in which people avoid flour. Sarah mentions that she can't make pancakes because they're out of flour. Joel is on the Atkins diet, which discourages flour-based products. Right before the outbreak in The Last of Us, Sarah and Joel refuse biscuits from their neighbors, with those same neighbors becoming infected later. On top of that, Sarah also decides to not eat her neighbor's raisin cookies, which contain flour. Joel also forgets to pick up a birthday cake after work, which is the last in a long line of flour-based moments. Joel and Sarah avoid flour way too many times for it to be a coincidence.
The Last of Us' outbreak being connected to flour is also hinted at outside the show. In the official episode 1 podcast, showrunner Craig Mazin talks about how rewatching the episode will benefit those who pay attention, specifically saying that there are plenty of "breadcrumbs" to follow. While this may seem inconspicuous, all the other references to flour make this choice of words seem like an intentional wink. The Last of Us' virus outbreak being caused by flour was a pretty difficult story thread to catch on to, but the mystery has already been cracked.
The Last Of Us Flour Theory Would Change The Games' Outbreak Origin
Having the fungal outbreak be connected to flour is an interesting choice for HBO's The Last of Us, as it is a huge change to the game's outbreak origin. Although it isn't made super obvious, in the universe of The Last of Us games, the fungal virus outbreak started with a strain of infected crops from South America. It seems very likely that there will be a reason for this change in the HBO series, as it wouldn't make sense to change it without cause. Setting the outbreak's epicenter in Jakarta is already a big change, and if the flour theory is true, the change will be even more significant.
The Last Of Us' Flour Theory Would Actually Make Sense For The Show
While some may not like the change, having HBO's The Last of Us virus be caused by flour actually works better for the series. For one, flour makes more sense. With the speed at which the pandemic starts, the game's explanation requires that a specific set of South American crops was spread and eaten worldwide. The flour theory makes this more believable, as the infection stemmed from the world's largest flour mill. Changing the virus' origin also allows the show to take its own story direction, making HBO's The Last of Us stand apart from the source material.
New episodes of The Last of Us air Sundays on HBO.