The Last Of Us Season 2, Episode 5 Recap: “Feel Her Love” Breakdown & Key Moments

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SPOILER ALERT! This post will contain detailed information about Season 2 of The Last of Us, and more specifically Episode 5.

If there’s one constant in The Last of Us universe, it’s this: no matter your allegiance — whether it’s to a militant faction, a religious cult or a quiet commune like Jackson — the Cordyceps infection remains the most relentless and deadly threat of all. In Episode 5 of Season 2, titled “Feel Her Love,” that truth becomes terrifyingly clear in the opening moments featuring the Washington Liberation Front (WLF).

This week’s episode pulls back the curtain on the mysterious, faith-driven Seraphites — or “Scars” — while Ellie and Dina’s revenge-fueled journey through Seattle descends into even darker, more personal territory. With chilling revelations, fractured loyalties and a growing sense of dread, “Feel Her Love” serves as a turning point — one that forces viewers to reckon with how far Ellie is willing to go, and how the evolving Cordyceps virus may reshape what’s left of this broken world.

In this recap, we’ll walk through the episode’s key moments, unpack some of the biggest fan questions, and look ahead to what may be lurking around the next corner in this emotionally devastating — and sharply maturing — sophomore season (check out our guide to The Last of Us Season 2 here).

The Last of Us: Season 2, Episode 5 Overview

Episode title: “Feel Her Love”
Air date: May 11, 2025
Writer: Craig Mazin
Director: Stephen Williams
Catch up on last week’s episode

Recap: “Feel Her Love” – The Last of Us Season 2, Ep 5

The episode opens with a chilling look at the inner workings of the Washington Liberation Front (WLF), highlighting the impossible decisions its officers must make in the face of ongoing threats. In a tense exchange between Officer Hanrahan — whose calm demeanor belies her ruthlessness — and fellow WLF soldier Elise, viewers begin to understand why the heavily armed troops seen at the very start of the episode seem visibly shaken despite their firepower.

After deploying a team to sweep the hospital basement, Elise receives a grim update from a soldier named Leon. Although the team encounters signs of infected, Leon warns that something far more dangerous is at play: the Cordyceps virus appears to be spreading through the air.

For fans of the original game, this airborne transmission may feel familiar — but for non-gamers, the idea of infection without physical contact is a terrifying escalation. It also represents a pivotal shift in the show’s world-building.

The emotional gut punch lands shortly after, when it’s revealed that Leon — the soldier who made the call to seal off the basement, knowingly sacrificing himself and those trapped below — is Elise’s son. In this moment, writer Craig Mazin and director Stephen Williams offer the first of many heartbreaks in an episode that explores the cost of duty, the weight of leadership and the expanding threat of a virus that continues to evolve.

Ellie and Dina’s Journey – Seattle Day 2 Recap

After the devastating opening, we shift to Ellie and Dina, who are now preparing for their second day in Seattle inside the Pinnacle Theater. With their feelings for each other now out in the open, there’s a newfound calm between them. As Dina tunes into the WLF’s radio chatter, she works to triangulate their location and chart a course to the hospital — the last known destination of Nora, one of the Fireflies who was with Abby the day Joel was murdered. If Nora’s there, Abby can’t be far behind.

While Dina handles logistics, Ellie wanders through the dilapidated theater and ends up alone on stage. The moment aims to mirror earlier emotional beats from Episode 4, but it doesn’t land with quite the same weight. Still, Ellie has a brief but poignant moment where she begins to sing, “If I were to lose you…” before stopping short — overwhelmed by the thought of losing Dina after everything she’s already endured. The scene is cut short when Dina re-enters with good news: she has a plan.

We also get some insight into Dina’s tactical mind. She notes how sloppy the WLF is when sharing sensitive information over open airwaves and concludes that their enemies — the Seraphites (a.k.a. Scars) — likely avoid technology altogether. In a moment of unexpected comic relief, Dina compares them to the Amish.

As they head out, Ellie and Dina stumble upon a brutal scene: the maimed bodies of Scars pinned against a brick wall, flanked by the words “Feel Her Love” and a mural of their Prophet. But another message lies beneath: “Feel this, bitches” — a sign that the WLF is retaliating in kind. The tension continues to build.

It’s here that we learn something new about Dina: despite her easygoing exterior, she carries deep trauma (we shouldn’t be surprised there, considering, you know, the apocalypse). She briefly opens up to Ellie about her first kill — a raider who murdered her family — giving new context to her bond with Joel and her quiet understanding of loss.

Ellie and Dina Enter Infected Territory on Their Way to the Hospital

Then, the action ramps up as the duo reaches their next destination: a long, narrow building crawling with infected and patrolled by WLF soldiers. Ellie jokes about her immunity — a rare moment of levity — before she scopes out a darkened hallway and declares it “haunted but empty,” to which Dina replies, “just like us.”

The two attempt to sneak through without using their weapons, knowing gunfire will draw WLF attention. But things quickly unravel when they’re attacked by stalkers — the intelligent, stealth-infected first introduced in the Season 2 premiere. Just when it looks like Ellie might be overwhelmed, Jesse arrives in dramatic fashion. He tracked them down after finding their map back at the theater (a critical oversight) and pulls them to safety.

Explore: Guide to the Infected in ‘The Last of Us’

They escape into a nearby park — territory the WLF avoids because it’s controlled by the Seraphites. What follows is one of the episode’s most harrowing sequences. From the shadows, Ellie, Dina and Jesse witness a twisted ritual: a WLF soldier is tortured and disemboweled by chanting Scars. “Let her guide us,” one says, referring to their mysterious Prophet, before turning their attention to the intruders.

Dina is struck by an arrow in the chaos, and she and Jesse flee — but Ellie, driven by vengeance, continues toward the hospital alone. She successfully sneaks inside, setting the stage for a violent confrontation that kicks her revenge tour into high gear.

Ellie Confronts Nora — Hospital Scene Breakdown

The final act of The Last of Us Season 2, Episode 5 circles back to where the episode began: the hospital. Thanks to Dina’s strategic planning, Ellie successfully locates Nora on the first floor. At long last, Ellie has the upper hand — gun in hand and face-to-face with one of the people responsible for Joel’s death.

But Nora won’t go down easily. She refuses to give up Abby’s location, then manages to break free, sprinting through the halls while screaming for backup. Ellie chases her down until she corners her near an elevator shaft — one that leads to the hospital’s basement, now sealed off due to the deadly airborne Cordyceps spores.

Nora unknowingly leads them both into the contaminated lower levels. While the spores begin to incapacitate Nora almost immediately, Ellie — immune to the Cordyceps virus — follows her in, unaffected. Nora is shocked to see Ellie still standing, breathing the spores without hesitation. What follows is a brutal confrontation that reveals a bombshell: Nora admits what really happened at the hospital five years ago, tying back to Ellie’s origin and Joel’s fateful choice.

But Ellie already knows.

In a moment charged with pain, fury, and eerie calm, Ellie whispers, “I know,” before picking up a crowbar. In a chilling act of vengeance, she brutally attacks Nora — mirroring the same kind of violence Abby enacted on Joel. This final act of brutality cements the episode’s tragic message: the cycle of violence continues, and Ellie is now fully caught in its grip.

Ending Explained: Ellie’s Flashback to Joel

The episode ends in stark contrast to its earlier brutality. Ellie awakens in a clean, sunlit room — a flashback to a simpler, safer time. A knock at the door reveals Joel, marking our first glimpse of him since his murder in the second episode of the second season.

This short but powerful scene reinforces Ellie’s emotional state. Even after exacting revenge on Nora, her mind drifts to the one person whose death still haunts her. The episode doesn’t reveal much more in this moment, but Joel’s reappearance suggests that Ellie’s trauma is far from resolved — and that her actions are being fueled by memory as much as by pain.

Final Thoughts on Episode 5 of ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2

Episode 5, “Feel Her Love,” pushes The Last of Us deeper into its central theme: the moral complexity of vengeance. With visceral action, disturbing cultish overtones and long-awaited confrontations, the show continues to raise the emotional stakes.

As Ellie spirals deeper into the same violent cycle she once feared, the question becomes: how far is too far?

We will have to wait until next week to find out.