Overview

• Ellie plays Pearl Jam's 'Future Days' in Episode 5, a song Joel taught her, reinforcing their emotional bond despite the timeline anachronism.
• The song, pivotal in the video game franchise, underscores themes of loss and love, connecting directly to Joel and Ellie’s shared history.
• Episode 5 ends with a flashback tease of Joel, signaling upcoming episodes will explore their relationship further through additional flashbacks.
• Showrunners Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin prioritized the song’s thematic importance over historical accuracy, embracing its emotional resonance.
• The series continues to integrate diegetic music to deepen character relationships, with 'Future Days' joining other significant musical moments like 'Take On Me.'