The Last of Us episode 9 trailer teases a dramatic, action-heavy finale

The Last of Us episode 9 has a trailer – and it teases an action-packed, emotionally heavy finale for the hit HBO show. Before we go any further, a warning that the following contains major spoilers for episode 8! Turn back now if you're not up to date! 

In the clip, which you can watch above, Bella Ramsey's Ellie tells Joel: "After all we've been through, it can't be for nothing." We then see flashes of action as the duo attempt to make it to the end of their journey – what looks like a grenade is thrown near them both, Joel runs through a facility of some kind with his gun drawn, and there's even a glimpse of Ashley Johnson's role in the show; the actor is the voice of Ellie in the games. 

The Last of Us episode 8 involved Ellie forced to face a terrifying threat on her own, when she came up against survivors who hid a dark secret. The group turned out to be cannibals, with a seriously creepy leader named David. Luckily, Ellie was able to escape with her life, though not before a horrifying showdown with David. Joel also recovered from his stab wound enough to venture outside and find her – complete with a brutal information-gathering session – meaning the duo were reunited properly at last. 

From the beginning, we've known that Ellie is immune to Cordyceps, and the goal all along has been to deliver her to the Fireflies' doctors to try and develop a cure for the gruesome illness. Ellie, then, is literally humanity's last hope, which means her and Joel completing their journey in the finale couldn't be more important. 

While this is the finale episode of the first season, season 2 has already been confirmed, so the story isn't over just yet. 

It remains to be seen if Joel and Ellie will complete their mission – but, in the meantime, you can read more on episode 8 with our guide to the biggest changes between the game and the show, and keep up to date with our The Last of Us release schedule.