There are a number of Easter eggs and references in The Last of Us Season 1, episode 6. These include Shimmer the horse, a discussion of Ellie and Joel’s dreams and the Jackson Settlement.
Here is every Easter egg spotted in The Last of Us episode 6:
Shimmer The Horse in The Last of Us TV Show
While touring the Jackson settlement, Maria and Tommy show Ellie and Joel the stables. Ellie takes a particular liking to a young horse named Shimmer.
Shimmer is the name of Ellie’s horse in The Last of Us Part 2, which is set five years after The Last of Us Part 1.
Considering a second season is planned for The Last of Us that could cover the events of The Last of Us Part 2, it looks like this Easter egg is setting up Shimmer to be Ellie’s horse in the future.
Credit – HBO
Dina Makes an Appearance
After finally arriving at Jackson, Ellie shouts at a young girl who is watching them from afar. That girl then runs away and is not seen again in the episode.
Many fans believe this young girl to be Dina, Ellie’s girlfriend in The Last of Us Part 2. They do meet in a similiar fashion in the games, and the actress looks similiar to Dina.
Craig Mazin, one of the showrunners on The Last of Us, has ambigiously implied that it is her. We may have to wait until season 2 to find out.
Ellie’s Sheep Farm
While camping for the night, Ellie asks Joel what he will do once Ellie is delivered to the Fireflies. Joel replies by saying he would go and run a sheep ranch.
In The Last of Us Part 2, Ellie and her partner Dina end up living on a sheep farm after their relationship is almost ruined.
While Joel never ends up running his own a sheep farm, this little Easter egg is a nice nod to the games and the bond he shares with Ellie.
The Jackson Settlement
In The Last of Us video game, Joel and Ellie find Tommy and Maria in a hydroelectric dam outside Jackson. Unlike the TV show, they never actually go inside the settlement in the first game.
So, not only is the inclusion of the hydroelectric dam towards the beginning of episode 6 a nod to the location from the first game, but the settlement itself from The Last of Us Part 2.
Read More: When & Where Is The Last of Us TV Show Set?
Credit – HBO
Joel’s Age
During a confrontation between Joel and Tommy, Joel confides that he felt weak and helpless when Ellie saved him from near death in Kansas City.
He tells Tommy, “Five years ago, I would have destroyed him.” Considering that Joel is 56 in the show but 51 in the games, this is likely a nod to the age gap.
However, fans may appreciate the more grounded and older portrayal of Joel, who suffers greatly in episode 6 due to the trauma he’s experienced.
Ellie Can’t Whistle
While exploring the snow-covered mountainside in search of Tommy, Ellie attempts to learn how to whistle. Suffice to say, she doesn’t succeed despite her best efforts.
For fans, this was likely the most entertaining Easter egg in the episode. In the video game, Ellie also attempts to learn how to whistle in the same way.
You can see the scene for yourself where Ellie tries to whistle but does little more than spit at Joel:
The Argument Scene
Towards the end of the episode, when Joel realizes that he’s perhaps no longer cut out to protect Ellie and fears he’ll lose her too, he gets into an sad and haunting argument with Ellie.
This scene is almost verbatium the same as in The Last of Us Part 1. Everything from the room decor, the diary Ellie reads from as Joel enters, the clothes she wears and most of the dialogue spoken is exactly the same.
Of course, Joel ends up mustering the courage to continue taking Ellie to the Fireflies. However, it doesn’t necessarily end up well for him, leaving many to wonder if he has died.
You can see the side by side comparison of the argument scene below:
Ellie’s Dream of Space
During the conversation in which Joel states he wants to raise sheep after delivering Ellie to the Fireflies, Ellie reveals that her dream is to travel to space.
While not discussed much in the first game, Ellie’s dreams of space and space travel are explored more in The Last of Us Part 2.
With Ellie being the cure to the Cordyceps virus, she’s hoping that one day that dream may become a reality.
Joel’s Dream of Singing
After finally reaching the University of Eastern Colorado, Joel divulges that his real dream is to become a singer.
In the video games, Joel teaches Ellie to play guitar. He even promises to sing to Ellie once their journey has finished.
Rabbit Hunting
At the very beginning of episode 6, Ellie and Joel get directions from two new characters. These are Marlon, played by Graham Greene and his wife Florence played by Elaine Miles.
After getting the directions, Ellie steals a rabbit from them. She later asks Joel to teach her how to hunt more.
This is a nod to The Last of Us Part 1, as, after Joel is brutally wounded at the University, Ellie is forced to hunt on her own. During that time, which is set in the Winter like the show, Ellie does hunt rabbits.
