The fifth episode of The Last of Us ‘Endure and Survive,’ was expected to be a heartbreaker but added storylines and character backgrounds only added to the gloom for the viewers. The episode brought in Henry and Sam’s arc and presented it in a way that made Joel rethink his relationship with Ellie. She’s certainly more than ‘cargo’ for him from this point on. In a new interview with Entertainment Weekly, actor Lamar Johnson who played Henry speaks about being a mirror of Joel and honoring the game’s legacy.'
In the new episode, we find that Henry gave up the location of Kathleen’s brother, who was a forgiving and revered figure among hunters, to FEDRA and that’s why she’s behind him. We also see Kathleen’s point of view in bits and pieces, her love for her brother, and her vengeance. Henry admits to Joel that he did so because he needed medicines for Sam, and now they are on a run. "Joel and Henry are both protectors. We have to make a lot of really tough decisions to protect the people that we love," Johnson explains.
While Joel initially thinks of Henry as someone who’ll sell information to FEDRA, as he gets to know the brothers better, he understands Henry is put in a cruel position. Lamar thinks fans “really get to see it in that scene between Henry and Joel when they are in the tunnels and he reveals to Joel the reason why Kathleen is after him. I think Joel resonates with all that. My brother is gonna die, so I had to make a tough decision. Would Joel make that same decision if it were to save Sarah? I'm sure he would." It further resonates because Joel too is on a journey to find his brother, as explained in the previous episode, he thinks Sam has run into a problem, and only he can save him.
Speaking of Henry and Sam’s arc, the actor references the games, "In the game, it's heartbreaking. I wasn't expecting it," Further adding, "It was one of those moments where you're in disbelief a little bit. You're like, 'Oh my goodness, that just happened!'” Having the experience of playing the games Johnson had a better understanding of the arc and the emotional stakes for fans, “when I read it in the script, understanding the gravitas of that moment, it was more so a thought process of wanting to do it justice and wanting to honor the actors who had played both Henry and Sam prior and to honor the fans."
The Last of Us Episode 6 drops on February 19.