SPOILER ALERT! This put up incorporates particulars from Season 2, Episode 4 of HBO‘s The Final Of Us.
Ellie and Dina’s gradual burn lastly ignites in Sunday night time’s episode of The Final of Us.
The pair spend most of their first day in Seattle exploring town and attempting to determine the easiest way to seek out Abby whereas additionally piecing collectively clues in regards to the difficult battle between the WLF and the Seraphites. They discover a WLF name signal on the radio station satellite tv for pc and resolve to begin their seek for Abby there, nevertheless it’s not lengthy earlier than issues go awry.
Contained in the radio station, they discover the disemboweled our bodies of a number of WLF troopers hanging from the ceiling. They’re barely in a position to notice that this was executed by the Seraphites when one other wave of WLF troopers flood the room. They handle to flee the radio station (having killed two troopers within the course of) however nonetheless have the WLF on their tail, in order that they descend into the transit tunnels, which shortly turn into overrun with Contaminated.
Ellie is in the end compelled to disclose her immunity to Dina when, as they’re escaping, she should save Dina from an Contaminated. Dina isn’t simply satisfied, although, and holds Ellie at gunpoint for many of the night time to ensure she doesn’t flip. Woke up by Ellie swiping a bug away from her face, Dina begins to cry as she realizes that Ellie is telling the reality. Surprised, Dina then reveals that she’s pregnant with Jesse’s child.
She drops the gun and kisses Ellie, and the pair share a second of each bodily and emotional intimacy as they lastly reveal their true emotions for each other.
“I appreciated it a lot, since you simply don’t actually get that rather a lot in sapphic content material,” Isabela Merced, who performs Dina, advised Deadline of the gradual burn to get thus far of their relationship. “I believe lots of people over sexualize sapphic content material in movie — media, I assume, normally. So I’m actually glad that it was gradual burn.”
Within the interview under, Merced spoke with Deadline about this pivotal episode for Ellie and Dina, and what it means for the remainder of their mission in Seattle.
DEADLINE: Did you’re feeling from the start like Dina was a personality you would relate to, or was she troublesome to faucet into?
ISABELA MERCED: I undoubtedly associated to her, and I might say in good methods. Clearly, I referenced Shannon Woodward’s efficiency rather a lot, and Shannon is cool as hell. She actually introduced loads of her pure charisma and allure [to Dina]. Additionally, I used to be saying this earlier, it’s type of realization I made all through the filming of the season, nevertheless it was fascinating discovering a stability between her playfulness…blended together with her degree headedness and her resolution making expertise, and her boss angle. With the intention to discover that stability, I type of reference my very own mom rather a lot. She’s very level-headed, very good, very logical, but in addition actually, actually candy and tender. So it’s cool, like I’m referencing a mom to form of painting a mom in loads of methods.
DEADLINE: This model of Dina could be very humorous and, for all her loyalty to Ellie, she does actually push again on her when wanted. I do know loads of that comes from the writing, however did you additionally suppose in any respect about the way you wished your efficiency to be completely different from the sport?
MERCED: I imply, loads of that was within the writing. I can’t credit score myself an excessive amount of. A number of these, actually, I believe good choices to vary and deviate from the sport had been due to Craig [Mazin]. Truthfully, more often than not I used to be simply saying, ‘Oh, I don’t know if I need to say this a line, simply because it’s a bit of too revealing of the character.’ I wished to carry her playing cards nearer to her chest more often than not. He at all times listened to me. I believe there’s loads of adjustments, truly. I imply, on this episode alone, there’s so many adjustments. I might say the music store scene might be probably the most loyal to the sport, after which every little thing else is, the reveal of Ellie’s immunity and the reveal of Dina’s being pregnant, is totally completely different. There’s this actually candy aftercare scene the place they’re type of simply holding one another, and it’s actually simply so lovely. It was additionally lovely to movie. I believe the one different time that I felt that magic to it after we had been filming it, the place you type of understand it’s going to be nice — and that not often occurs ever — however the one different time I felt that was through the dance scene within the first episode, and it ended up being nice. So my fingers are crossed that it’s going to be actual tender and pull at individuals’s heartstrings.
DEADLINE: Do you suppose Dina’s motivations on this mission are evolving? She says within the final episode that she liked Joel, too, and it is smart that she would need to get justice for him…however how a lot of her dedication to it is usually giving Ellie what she wantsinherently altering it, however, , approaching it in another way.?
MERCED: She has that form of loving devotion to Ellie. I don’t suppose she would have the ability to eliminate it even when she tried. It’s type of like this pull to her, and I hope that comes throughout within the chemistry that we have now on display screen. However on the identical time, I believe Dina’s intentions finally get revealed in loads of methods, and there’s extra to return. She nonetheless has loads of playing cards that she’s holding near her chest, I believe, for a superb motive. And I believe Ellie does too. I believe they’re each type of mendacity to one another, in a manner, and that’s what makes it so fascinating, when you’re executed with the season, to return and watch, as a result of then you definately’ll see the moments the place we have now to actively resolve whether or not or to not lie to one another. So yeah, I believe it’s going to be actually rewarding for people who find themselves large followers of the sport but in addition need one thing new. I believe they deviated from the story in the proper methods, not essentially inherently altering it, however approaching it in another way.
DEADLINE: The scene the place Dina is holding Ellie at gunpoint is a extremely emotional one. How did you put together for that scene, and what’s your tackle Dina’s headspace in that second?
MERCED: That was new. That wasn’t a part of the sport, and I actually appreciated that. I imply, it’s instantly paralleling the scenes with Riley in Season 1. It’s manner too just like that situation. They’re a bit of bit older now. Ellie has extra of an understanding. Ellie has executed this earlier than, in probably the most f*cked up manner. So I believe Dina being so out of the loop is type of like, okay, A) you’re both mendacity to me which sucks and is horrible, or B) you’re telling me the reality, which sucks and is horrible. There’s no actually good choice. She didn’t actually know what to imagine. Why would Ellie deceive her? Seems Ellie’s a f*cking liar. Additionally, I believe what’s actually cool about being secondary to the protagonist is that loads of instances, I’m the viewers type of witnessing her. So I needed to undergo so many feelings all through that scene, and I simply needed to make it possible for they had been chronological, I assume. A number of that’s due to the path from Kate [Herron], but in addition from Bella. I used to be guided rather a lot by Bella. We had been guided by one another. So I believe I wished individuals to actually suppose that I might need shot her.
DEADLINE: Additionally in that scene, Ellie tells Dina ‘I might die for you.’ That’s a extremely massive admission for Ellie, even whether it is stated underneath duress. How do you suppose it makes Dina really feel?
MERCED: I might say she’s overwhelmed. I really feel like they’ve stated that type of stuff to one another in lots of different methods, in lots of different moments. So it’s like one thing that they each know, nevertheless it’s probably not been stated correctly, and undoubtedly not underneath the proper circumstance.
DEADLINE: At this level, what do you suppose that they imply to one another?
MERCED: I imply, I actually suppose, personally, that they’re in love. In my thoughts, that’s what’s taking place. I believe of their minds proper now, it’s type of like a primary massive love expertise. There’s a maturity to it now, as a result of I believe they’ve seen so many weak components of one another. That’s what I wish to suppose in my little fan thoughts.
DEADLINE: It’s been a little bit of a gradual construct to get thus far of their relationship, which I really feel differs from the sport a bit. Did you recognize that?
MERCED: I appreciated it a lot since you simply don’t actually get that rather a lot in sapphic content material. I believe lots of people over sexualize sapphic content material in movie — media, I assume, normally. So I’m actually glad that it was gradual burn. I’m glad that it was tasteful and doubtlessly, hopefully, perhaps, Emmy profitable sapphic content material. I actually suppose that we lack that…and I believe it’s vital for younger queer individuals to see that.
DEADLINE: How is that this second for them going to influence issues transferring ahead?
MERCED: I might say they’re on a distinct degree fully, and there’s a brand new type of loyalty there. So something transferring ahead, the stakes are a lot larger, as a result of it’ll harm that rather more to lose the opposite particular person. So I believe now sh*t has hit the fan. They’re coping with an entire military. They’re coping with a child. It’s gonna get actual. It’s gonna intense. They’re invested now.
