Warning! This article contains spoilers for both The Last of Us episode 3 and the original game.The Last of Us episode 3 marked the biggest divergence from the original source material thus far through the characters of Frank and Bill, changes that were made for the better. The Last of Us episode 3 tells the story of the two men, who come together through happenstance in post-apocalyptic America. Eventually, the two form a strong bond that takes them to the end of their lives, in one of the most beautifully tragic stories told on TV in recent memory.
One of the biggest elements of this same story that was changed from the original game is found in the ending of The Last of Us episode 3. At the end of Bill and Frank's story, both men take their own lives after the latter's illness causes him to wish for one last perfect day. This is a significant change from the original game, with Bill surviving after Joel and Ellie visit his town. While this is controversial, the changes to Bill's character specifically are perfect for various reasons.
Bill's Story In The Last Of Us Game Only Serves 1 Purpose
The main reason why Bill dying in The Last of Us episode 3 works is his limited purpose in the original game. In 2013's The Last of Us, Bill's sole usage in the story is to give Joel and Ellie a car. Joel needs to take Ellie to the Fireflies, meaning he has to travel to Wyoming to visit his brother Tommy who can point them in the right direction. To reach Tommy in The Last of Us, Joel visits Bill for a car. After some brief adventures, Bill gives Joel a truck and is never seen again in either The Last of Us Part I or Part II.
While some elements of Bill's character stick in the memory of players, it is largely due to his banter-filled interactions with Ellie and gameplay elements such as the Bloater fight which cause this. In of having an actual impact on the wider story or themes of The Last of Us, Bill's game inclusion holds little to no purpose. Both the start and end points of the sections involving Bill in HBO's show and the original game are the same: Joel and Ellie receive a truck. This only furthers why Bill's story in the amazing Last of Us episode 3 is a marked improvement.
Bill's Story In The Last Of Us Show Serves The Series' Theme
In HBO's The Last of Us on the other hand, the changes to Bill's story massively serve the overall themes of the story, specifically when concerning Joel. This comes from Bill's suicide letter at the end of The Last of Us episode 3, which exemplifies exactly why Bill's journey in the show is better than the game. In the letter, Bill explains that he was once the same as Joel, miserable and angry at the world before Frank showed him another path. Through Frank, Bill learned that his purpose was to protect him and that Joel is a man with a similar purpose.
While he initially meant that Joel has to protect Tess, as he died before Tess did, Bill's letter foreshadows Joel and Ellie's journey. In highlighting Joel's inability to save Tess, therefore reminding Joel of Sarah's death, Bill's words act as the catalyst to push Joel into seeing Ellie as the person he needs to protect. This begins Joel's emotional journey, which leads right up to him saving Ellie from the Fireflies at the end of the story, meaning Bill has a much bigger impact on the show's story and themes than the game version of Bill ever did.
Bill Is Also A Better Character In HBO's The Last Of Us
Finally, on a much more base-level note, Bill is simply more likable in HBO's The Last of Us. In the original game, Bill is a cranky, unlikeable, angry man for the entire time he is present. While this certainly works for the game and does make Bill a memorable character, The Last of Us episode 3 imbues him with much more likable aspects which easier allows audiences to connect with him also elevated by Nick Offerman's The Last of Us performance. Through his relationship with Frank, The Last of Us' Bill is an investable, heartbreaking character that is much more sympathetic than he ever was in the source material.
New episodes of The Last of Us release every Sunday on HBO.