1 00:00:05,240 --> 00:00:07,080 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Sanny and welcome to stuff when never 2 00:00:07,080 --> 00:00:19,560 Speaker 1: told you production of ByHeart Radio, and yes I am 3 00:00:19,640 --> 00:00:23,720 Speaker 1: still by my lonesome. All of Spiny's doing some traveling 4 00:00:23,840 --> 00:00:28,000 Speaker 1: right now, and of course there was a lot of 5 00:00:28,080 --> 00:00:30,240 Speaker 1: moving pieces where we didn't quite manage to do it 6 00:00:30,280 --> 00:00:33,960 Speaker 1: all at the same time necessarily. But I will tell 7 00:00:34,040 --> 00:00:39,120 Speaker 1: you I have just gotten back from Seattle and I 8 00:00:39,159 --> 00:00:44,240 Speaker 1: had a great time. I was there in part for 9 00:00:44,800 --> 00:00:48,520 Speaker 1: Samantha's birthday, large part of it, of course, but also 10 00:00:48,720 --> 00:00:51,040 Speaker 1: for the Last of His Day happens to share the 11 00:00:51,120 --> 00:00:54,760 Speaker 1: same day, and the second Last of Us takes place 12 00:00:55,080 --> 00:00:57,600 Speaker 1: in Seattle, so I was living my best nerd life. 13 00:00:57,680 --> 00:01:00,600 Speaker 1: I will talk about it in an up coming Happy 14 00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:05,440 Speaker 1: Hour probably, but yeah, I wanted to bring this episode 15 00:01:05,640 --> 00:01:09,360 Speaker 1: back about one of the characters from the Last of Us, Marlene, 16 00:01:10,520 --> 00:01:15,880 Speaker 1: in part also because they just released a pretty sizable 17 00:01:15,959 --> 00:01:18,560 Speaker 1: trailer for the second season of The Last of Us 18 00:01:19,440 --> 00:01:24,919 Speaker 1: and I'm curious no spoilers, but I'm curious if she'll 19 00:01:24,959 --> 00:01:27,440 Speaker 1: be in it because in the game she's in it 20 00:01:28,840 --> 00:01:33,120 Speaker 1: in flashback form, so I don't know. I don't know. 21 00:01:33,280 --> 00:01:36,959 Speaker 1: We will have to see. But in the meantime, please 22 00:01:37,040 --> 00:01:45,200 Speaker 1: enjoy this classic episode. Hey, this is Annie and Samantha 23 00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:47,520 Speaker 1: and welcome to Stefon Never Told You, a production of iHeartRadio. 24 00:01:57,120 --> 00:02:01,480 Speaker 1: And welcome to another sub sub segment of fictional women 25 00:02:02,040 --> 00:02:05,840 Speaker 1: around the world. We are continuing with our Last of 26 00:02:05,920 --> 00:02:09,160 Speaker 1: Us content. This will have spoilers for the most recent 27 00:02:09,760 --> 00:02:13,680 Speaker 1: final finale episode of the HBO show, The Last of Us, 28 00:02:13,720 --> 00:02:18,560 Speaker 1: which yes it's not a sponsor, but just a heads 29 00:02:18,639 --> 00:02:21,680 Speaker 1: up on that there will be spoilers, some brief mention 30 00:02:21,880 --> 00:02:26,160 Speaker 1: of the second game, but not much. No spoilers, no spoilers. 31 00:02:27,639 --> 00:02:30,240 Speaker 1: I would also suggest listening to our Riley episode for 32 00:02:30,320 --> 00:02:34,720 Speaker 1: more on the interaction between Riley and Marlene. And Marlene 33 00:02:34,720 --> 00:02:36,959 Speaker 1: is who we're talking about? I realized I didn't say, yes, 34 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:41,240 Speaker 1: we were talking about Marlene, So let's get right into it. 35 00:02:41,960 --> 00:02:45,680 Speaker 1: Marlene is played by Merle Dandridge in both the twenty 36 00:02:45,720 --> 00:02:50,119 Speaker 1: thirteen game, the twenty twenty sequel game, and the HBO show. 37 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:52,600 Speaker 1: She was the only one who is a voice actor 38 00:02:52,840 --> 00:02:56,880 Speaker 1: and motion capture of her character in the game and 39 00:02:56,960 --> 00:02:59,239 Speaker 1: played her the same character in the show, so it's 40 00:02:59,320 --> 00:03:02,160 Speaker 1: very very cool. You can see her get emotional about 41 00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:05,720 Speaker 1: it in the behind the show bit after the most 42 00:03:05,760 --> 00:03:08,160 Speaker 1: recent episode, and also a little bit in the kind 43 00:03:08,200 --> 00:03:10,960 Speaker 1: of making up The Last of Us. The characters also 44 00:03:11,000 --> 00:03:14,040 Speaker 1: featured in the comic American Dreams, as discussed in Our 45 00:03:14,120 --> 00:03:18,040 Speaker 1: Riley episode. She is the leader of the Boston Quarantine 46 00:03:18,120 --> 00:03:22,600 Speaker 1: Zone Fireflies AREQS Fireflies. She was a good friend of 47 00:03:22,600 --> 00:03:26,799 Speaker 1: Ellie's mother Anna. She was Ellie's protector from Afar and 48 00:03:26,960 --> 00:03:30,320 Speaker 1: the final quote antagonist I saw her described of the 49 00:03:30,360 --> 00:03:32,800 Speaker 1: game Slash movie. I have my beef with that, but whatever. 50 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:37,920 Speaker 1: There are some key differences between her background and the 51 00:03:37,960 --> 00:03:40,160 Speaker 1: game and the show, and I'll go over them. But 52 00:03:40,240 --> 00:03:43,119 Speaker 1: let's start with the game Slash comic. Marlene is, yes, 53 00:03:43,160 --> 00:03:45,400 Speaker 1: the leader of the Fireflies in Boston, and the Fireflies 54 00:03:45,400 --> 00:03:48,440 Speaker 1: are this organization or some call them a terrorist group, 55 00:03:48,480 --> 00:03:51,400 Speaker 1: depending on who you ask, in the world of the 56 00:03:51,480 --> 00:03:54,560 Speaker 1: Last of Us that are fighting against what they view 57 00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:58,560 Speaker 1: as this totalitarian fascist rule and control of this government 58 00:03:58,640 --> 00:04:02,680 Speaker 1: organization called FEDRA and some places across the country, the 59 00:04:02,720 --> 00:04:07,320 Speaker 1: Fireflies have succeeded in taking over the CUZI, but they 60 00:04:07,320 --> 00:04:10,279 Speaker 1: are being cracked down on and killed in most places. 61 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:14,240 Speaker 1: Boston in particular, has suffered a lot of recent losses. 62 00:04:14,240 --> 00:04:19,080 Speaker 1: At the story's beginning and on top of leading this organization. Yes, 63 00:04:19,160 --> 00:04:22,120 Speaker 1: she watches over Ellie because of this promise that she 64 00:04:22,160 --> 00:04:25,640 Speaker 1: made to Ellie's mom Anna, who had been her friend 65 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:30,040 Speaker 1: since before the outbreak, since they have known each other, 66 00:04:30,080 --> 00:04:32,719 Speaker 1: like what did they say, We've known each other forever essentially. 67 00:04:34,320 --> 00:04:37,800 Speaker 1: At one point, Marlene was close with Joel's brother Tommy 68 00:04:38,560 --> 00:04:40,640 Speaker 1: when he was a member of the Fireflies, and when 69 00:04:40,640 --> 00:04:42,919 Speaker 1: Tommy left the organization, he told Marlene she could go 70 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:47,760 Speaker 1: to Joel if she was ever desperate. During the events 71 00:04:47,800 --> 00:04:50,600 Speaker 1: of American Dreams, Marlene saved Ellie and Riley from and 72 00:04:50,720 --> 00:04:55,640 Speaker 1: infected and denied Riley's request to join the Fireflies. After 73 00:04:55,680 --> 00:04:59,160 Speaker 1: a confrontation with smugglers and this like intense exchange between 74 00:04:59,200 --> 00:05:02,640 Speaker 1: the trio, mar gives Ellie her mother's switchblade and a 75 00:05:02,720 --> 00:05:06,160 Speaker 1: letter from her mom. Eventually, Marlene does allow Riley to 76 00:05:06,200 --> 00:05:08,680 Speaker 1: join the Fireflies, but only if she promises to never 77 00:05:08,680 --> 00:05:11,960 Speaker 1: see Ellie again, because Marlene wants Ellie to be safe 78 00:05:12,000 --> 00:05:15,080 Speaker 1: at this military school, and it even goes as far 79 00:05:15,160 --> 00:05:19,440 Speaker 1: to decide to send Riley to another QZ. But Riley 80 00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:21,360 Speaker 1: is desperate to see Ellie one last time, so the 81 00:05:21,400 --> 00:05:24,599 Speaker 1: pair sneak out to the mall and Ellie convinces Riley 82 00:05:24,600 --> 00:05:27,680 Speaker 1: to leave the Fireflies and stay with her, but unfortunately 83 00:05:28,320 --> 00:05:32,640 Speaker 1: they get bitten and Riley dies and somehow Ellie doesn't 84 00:05:32,640 --> 00:05:37,120 Speaker 1: turn and this is when Marlene realizes Ellie is immune. 85 00:05:37,400 --> 00:05:40,160 Speaker 1: So Marlene makes a deal with a smuggler named Robert 86 00:05:40,520 --> 00:05:43,360 Speaker 1: to get enough weapons to smuggle Ellie out of the QZ, 87 00:05:43,920 --> 00:05:46,880 Speaker 1: but the military attacks her and her squad, killing everyone 88 00:05:46,920 --> 00:05:50,360 Speaker 1: but Marlene, who sustains a shot to her side. And yes, 89 00:05:50,400 --> 00:05:52,159 Speaker 1: that's slightly different than what happens in the show, but 90 00:05:52,279 --> 00:05:57,320 Speaker 1: essentially the basics are there. Meanwhile, Marlene finds out that 91 00:05:57,440 --> 00:05:59,600 Speaker 1: it was Tess and Joel who have killed Robert. And 92 00:05:59,640 --> 00:06:02,119 Speaker 1: by the way, Marlene and Tests knew each other before 93 00:06:02,160 --> 00:06:04,559 Speaker 1: the outbreak as well, and they were like, were't friends, 94 00:06:04,640 --> 00:06:09,800 Speaker 1: but they weren't enemies. So Marlene's out of options and 95 00:06:09,880 --> 00:06:14,799 Speaker 1: she offers these weapons that she was supposed to get 96 00:06:14,880 --> 00:06:17,279 Speaker 1: to transport Ellie across the country to Tess and Joel 97 00:06:17,400 --> 00:06:20,360 Speaker 1: in exchange for them getting Ellie out of the city 98 00:06:20,400 --> 00:06:22,760 Speaker 1: and to a rendezvous point where they'll meet up with 99 00:06:22,960 --> 00:06:25,280 Speaker 1: other Fireflies who will take her the rest of the 100 00:06:25,320 --> 00:06:28,960 Speaker 1: way to their final location, which you don't know what 101 00:06:29,000 --> 00:06:32,280 Speaker 1: it is. At this point, Ellie doesn't like this plan 102 00:06:32,480 --> 00:06:35,160 Speaker 1: wants to stay with Marlene, but Marlene tells her this 103 00:06:35,200 --> 00:06:37,240 Speaker 1: is the only chance that they have, and so Ellie 104 00:06:37,240 --> 00:06:41,479 Speaker 1: does go with the smugglers. Marlene recovers and she and 105 00:06:41,520 --> 00:06:44,480 Speaker 1: the rest of the remaining Fireflies make the check across 106 00:06:44,480 --> 00:06:48,039 Speaker 1: the country to Salt Lake City, where the Fireflies have 107 00:06:48,360 --> 00:06:52,480 Speaker 1: successfully taken over the Quz, but they suffer a lot 108 00:06:52,520 --> 00:06:54,479 Speaker 1: of losses along the way, her and her group and 109 00:06:54,520 --> 00:06:58,920 Speaker 1: it really demoralizes them, and so their spirits kind a 110 00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:02,080 Speaker 1: rise when they join the Salt Lake City Fireflies, but 111 00:07:02,120 --> 00:07:04,480 Speaker 1: it doesn't last long when they learn that the group 112 00:07:04,480 --> 00:07:07,440 Speaker 1: that was supposed to transport Ellie died at the rendezvous 113 00:07:07,440 --> 00:07:08,920 Speaker 1: point and they have no idea where she is if 114 00:07:08,960 --> 00:07:13,080 Speaker 1: she survived, and Marlene in particular, goes really depressed and 115 00:07:13,200 --> 00:07:16,360 Speaker 1: starts questioning her leadership skills to the point she stops eating. 116 00:07:16,840 --> 00:07:21,400 Speaker 1: She thinks about running away from the Fireflies, and that's 117 00:07:21,400 --> 00:07:23,280 Speaker 1: where we see some big differences between the show and 118 00:07:23,320 --> 00:07:28,480 Speaker 1: the game. All Right, So her patrol reports spotting a 119 00:07:28,520 --> 00:07:30,120 Speaker 1: man and a little girl in the city and they 120 00:07:30,120 --> 00:07:33,480 Speaker 1: bring them in. At first, Marlene is thrilled that Ellie 121 00:07:33,520 --> 00:07:36,000 Speaker 1: has survived, but then she is informed that while they 122 00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:40,520 Speaker 1: can reverse engineer vaccine from Ellie's unique mutation, the procedure 123 00:07:40,600 --> 00:07:44,560 Speaker 1: will kill her. They asked for Marlene's permission, which she 124 00:07:44,920 --> 00:07:46,520 Speaker 1: thought was kind of a formality. They were going to 125 00:07:46,560 --> 00:07:48,840 Speaker 1: do it no matter what. So she does give them permission, 126 00:07:48,920 --> 00:07:51,680 Speaker 1: but it greatly pains her, and she records two messages 127 00:07:51,720 --> 00:07:55,200 Speaker 1: to Ellie's mother apologizing. And here's a quote I wanted 128 00:07:55,200 --> 00:07:58,200 Speaker 1: to include. Apparently there's no way to extricate the parasite 129 00:07:58,200 --> 00:08:00,800 Speaker 1: without eliminating the host. Fancy way of saying, we got 130 00:08:00,840 --> 00:08:03,440 Speaker 1: to kill the kid. And now they're asking for my 131 00:08:03,520 --> 00:08:06,000 Speaker 1: go ahead. The test just keep getting harder and harder, 132 00:08:06,040 --> 00:08:09,360 Speaker 1: don't they. I'm so tired, I'm exhausted, and I just 133 00:08:09,400 --> 00:08:12,960 Speaker 1: want this to end. So be it. Oh, I miss you, Anna, 134 00:08:13,160 --> 00:08:16,880 Speaker 1: Your daughter will be with you soon. Pretty intense. Marlene 135 00:08:16,920 --> 00:08:21,120 Speaker 1: insists that they tell Joel. That they tell him because 136 00:08:21,120 --> 00:08:23,120 Speaker 1: they owe him the truth because he got her here. 137 00:08:23,960 --> 00:08:26,880 Speaker 1: The others disagree. Some even tried to persuade her to 138 00:08:27,000 --> 00:08:28,880 Speaker 1: kill Joel, or that they should kill Joel. 139 00:08:29,680 --> 00:08:32,280 Speaker 2: But she I need to go back. Where did just 140 00:08:33,120 --> 00:08:35,200 Speaker 2: was this in the game where she's recording these messages 141 00:08:35,679 --> 00:08:36,240 Speaker 2: that I miss this. 142 00:08:36,800 --> 00:08:40,680 Speaker 1: Yeah, yeah, well you find them. You find them throughout 143 00:08:40,880 --> 00:08:44,080 Speaker 1: like the it's the way you pick up You pick 144 00:08:44,160 --> 00:08:46,320 Speaker 1: up like these like hand recorders and you listen to 145 00:08:46,400 --> 00:08:47,160 Speaker 1: these messages. 146 00:08:47,559 --> 00:08:51,400 Speaker 2: Wow, I definitely believe that during that gameplay, well. 147 00:08:51,120 --> 00:08:55,320 Speaker 1: It's kind of in the uh in PlayStation five. It 148 00:08:55,360 --> 00:08:57,960 Speaker 1: comes through your controller, so it sounds different, so it's 149 00:08:58,000 --> 00:09:00,000 Speaker 1: kind of hard to hear. In the first one, it's 150 00:09:00,160 --> 00:09:02,360 Speaker 1: kind of like one of the most annoying mechanics, which 151 00:09:02,400 --> 00:09:04,960 Speaker 1: they fixed in the second one. But when you're playing it, 152 00:09:05,000 --> 00:09:10,320 Speaker 1: you can't move and something could attack you, so you're 153 00:09:10,320 --> 00:09:12,520 Speaker 1: like listening to it like you don't attack on attack. 154 00:09:13,200 --> 00:09:16,560 Speaker 2: Oh oh yeah, I completely didn't know. Okay, that was new. 155 00:09:16,840 --> 00:09:19,000 Speaker 1: Yeah. So they're trying to convince her to kill Joel, 156 00:09:19,040 --> 00:09:21,839 Speaker 1: but she refused to kill the one person who might 157 00:09:21,920 --> 00:09:24,720 Speaker 1: understand how she felt. So in the show they have 158 00:09:24,840 --> 00:09:27,200 Speaker 1: this line. In the game, they have this line where 159 00:09:27,240 --> 00:09:29,520 Speaker 1: she's like, oh, you were you got her across the 160 00:09:29,520 --> 00:09:32,000 Speaker 1: country and it's sort of realizing like, oh, he actually 161 00:09:32,000 --> 00:09:35,360 Speaker 1: cares about her now because he did not at the beginning. 162 00:09:35,640 --> 00:09:38,320 Speaker 1: So she thanks Joel for transporting Ellie and tells him 163 00:09:38,320 --> 00:09:40,120 Speaker 1: about the vaccine and how it will kill her, and 164 00:09:40,200 --> 00:09:42,440 Speaker 1: Joel of course objects, but she tells him that this 165 00:09:42,480 --> 00:09:45,160 Speaker 1: is bigger than either of their feelings for Ellie. She 166 00:09:45,240 --> 00:09:47,319 Speaker 1: tells her squad to give Joel back his supplies and 167 00:09:47,400 --> 00:09:49,640 Speaker 1: lead him out, instructing them to shoot him if he 168 00:09:49,679 --> 00:09:54,079 Speaker 1: tries to intervene with the operation. Of course, Joel escapes, 169 00:09:54,200 --> 00:09:57,400 Speaker 1: kills everyone stops the operation. Marlene follows Joel to the 170 00:09:57,440 --> 00:10:00,160 Speaker 1: parking deck and tries to stop him from taking Ellie 171 00:10:00,160 --> 00:10:03,880 Speaker 1: at gunpoint, asking how long before Ellie faces something horrible 172 00:10:03,920 --> 00:10:06,960 Speaker 1: in the future, how long before she dies, and tells 173 00:10:07,000 --> 00:10:09,319 Speaker 1: them it's what Ellie would want and he knows it. 174 00:10:09,760 --> 00:10:12,000 Speaker 1: In a show of peace, she lowers her gun, but 175 00:10:12,200 --> 00:10:15,760 Speaker 1: Joel shoots her. Marlene survives at first shot and begs 176 00:10:15,840 --> 00:10:19,120 Speaker 1: him to let her go, and he says, you'll just 177 00:10:19,160 --> 00:10:22,160 Speaker 1: come after her and shoots her again, killing her, which, 178 00:10:23,000 --> 00:10:25,600 Speaker 1: interestingly enough, I've seen a lot of arguments about whether 179 00:10:25,679 --> 00:10:27,480 Speaker 1: or not Marlene is dead. Yeah, she is dead. Everyone 180 00:10:28,480 --> 00:10:32,680 Speaker 1: she could die. I mean, it's one of those things 181 00:10:32,679 --> 00:10:34,960 Speaker 1: that when people were fighting about Riley, I was like, no, 182 00:10:35,200 --> 00:10:36,560 Speaker 1: she did well. 183 00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:39,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, they do feel like if I hadn't watched you 184 00:10:40,000 --> 00:10:41,719 Speaker 2: play through and knew what was going on. 185 00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:43,000 Speaker 1: It would feel like today. 186 00:10:43,120 --> 00:10:46,839 Speaker 2: Just leave that up for maybe something to come about later. 187 00:10:47,200 --> 00:10:47,680 Speaker 2: Mm hmmm. 188 00:10:48,679 --> 00:10:57,880 Speaker 1: No, So Joel lies to Ellie about Marlene's death, about 189 00:10:57,880 --> 00:11:01,000 Speaker 1: the fireflies, about the vaccine, say that they have given 190 00:11:01,120 --> 00:11:06,360 Speaker 1: up on finding a cure, and you do that is 191 00:11:06,440 --> 00:11:22,840 Speaker 1: not the end of Marlene. Just because of flashbacks, I 192 00:11:22,920 --> 00:11:27,800 Speaker 1: wanted to include some quotes from Dandridge to close this 193 00:11:27,960 --> 00:11:33,040 Speaker 1: up about this character. She did say that Marlene has 194 00:11:33,040 --> 00:11:38,000 Speaker 1: a heavier stillness in the show because they wanted to 195 00:11:38,040 --> 00:11:40,760 Speaker 1: be more quote realistic about the weight of the apocalypse 196 00:11:40,840 --> 00:11:43,040 Speaker 1: or something. That's not a direct quote. And I don't 197 00:11:43,040 --> 00:11:45,400 Speaker 1: know why I did that, but that's basically what they 198 00:11:45,400 --> 00:11:49,760 Speaker 1: were saying. A paraphrasing quote. I guess there you go, okay, 199 00:11:49,760 --> 00:11:52,560 Speaker 1: But here is an actual quote from an interview with 200 00:11:52,720 --> 00:11:55,160 Speaker 1: her about the differences, because this is part of the 201 00:11:55,200 --> 00:11:57,840 Speaker 1: big the big fight. If you want to learn more 202 00:11:57,880 --> 00:12:01,520 Speaker 1: about this here most recent last of his episode about 203 00:12:01,520 --> 00:12:06,400 Speaker 1: the finale between Joel and Marlene. So danger said, well, 204 00:12:06,440 --> 00:12:08,440 Speaker 1: I would say there might be a question mark around that. 205 00:12:08,960 --> 00:12:12,160 Speaker 1: I know that Marlene didn't explicitly offer that information to 206 00:12:12,240 --> 00:12:14,640 Speaker 1: Ellie because she didn't want to alarm her, but I 207 00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:17,760 Speaker 1: do think that they have a more pragmatic relationship. She 208 00:12:17,840 --> 00:12:20,000 Speaker 1: might have even alluded to it, which gives Ellie even 209 00:12:20,000 --> 00:12:22,320 Speaker 1: more conflict in not having had the agency that Joel 210 00:12:22,360 --> 00:12:25,440 Speaker 1: has taken away from her. Ultimately, black and white, Yes, 211 00:12:25,600 --> 00:12:27,520 Speaker 1: they are both taking this choice from her, but I 212 00:12:27,559 --> 00:12:29,400 Speaker 1: do think that Marlene has given her a little bit 213 00:12:29,440 --> 00:12:32,520 Speaker 1: more information. I don't think she's explicitly lied to her. 214 00:12:32,880 --> 00:12:34,719 Speaker 1: She may be omitted some truth, but she would not 215 00:12:34,800 --> 00:12:37,440 Speaker 1: explicitly lie to her. Also, in the midst of this, 216 00:12:37,480 --> 00:12:40,560 Speaker 1: the relationship between Marlene and Joel is fraught with a 217 00:12:40,559 --> 00:12:43,560 Speaker 1: lot of history between them. As Marlene put it, they're 218 00:12:43,559 --> 00:12:46,360 Speaker 1: both capable of so much, and they have abided with 219 00:12:46,400 --> 00:12:48,880 Speaker 1: each other in parallel lines. But there's a chasm and 220 00:12:48,960 --> 00:12:52,079 Speaker 1: animosity between them because of Marlene's relationship with his brother 221 00:12:52,200 --> 00:12:55,559 Speaker 1: Tommy as a firefly caused a physical and emotional rift 222 00:12:55,679 --> 00:12:59,319 Speaker 1: between them. So there's another element of him not giving 223 00:12:59,360 --> 00:13:03,000 Speaker 1: any too about what Marlene wants in this situation, even 224 00:13:03,040 --> 00:13:05,480 Speaker 1: though she's throwing out every argument in the kitchen sink 225 00:13:05,520 --> 00:13:12,560 Speaker 1: at him, trying to negotiate with him. Oh my, I 226 00:13:12,600 --> 00:13:14,600 Speaker 1: love it. You can tell, she puts so much thought 227 00:13:14,600 --> 00:13:17,320 Speaker 1: into this character. Really, Yeah, this is her character. 228 00:13:17,760 --> 00:13:19,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, I think that's the thing is like when you 229 00:13:19,440 --> 00:13:22,000 Speaker 2: see the behind the scenes and when you have each 230 00:13:22,040 --> 00:13:25,640 Speaker 2: of the different actors who portray someone else obviously but 231 00:13:25,720 --> 00:13:30,920 Speaker 2: part of the show. They all love this entire story 232 00:13:31,280 --> 00:13:32,840 Speaker 2: and they feel like they are a part of it, 233 00:13:32,840 --> 00:13:34,560 Speaker 2: and I think because they are included, they love it 234 00:13:34,600 --> 00:13:36,360 Speaker 2: a little more. But they do get to have a 235 00:13:36,400 --> 00:13:39,880 Speaker 2: big say, and then the show and the writers acknowledged 236 00:13:39,920 --> 00:13:43,280 Speaker 2: them in the aftermath to able to like process not 237 00:13:43,320 --> 00:13:44,880 Speaker 2: only what they did in the game, but also what 238 00:13:44,920 --> 00:13:46,880 Speaker 2: they did in the show. So it was lovely. But yeah, 239 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:50,160 Speaker 2: having her play this character was so on point. She 240 00:13:50,200 --> 00:13:52,760 Speaker 2: did an amazing job because I don't know, I don't 241 00:13:52,760 --> 00:13:55,880 Speaker 2: think anyone else could have done that character the way 242 00:13:55,880 --> 00:13:58,280 Speaker 2: she did it, and she did She's already practiced it 243 00:13:58,320 --> 00:14:01,360 Speaker 2: through like she's a pro, So this probably only came 244 00:14:01,440 --> 00:14:04,800 Speaker 2: like other than the few changes that they made, this 245 00:14:05,000 --> 00:14:06,319 Speaker 2: was just like an old hat for her. 246 00:14:07,400 --> 00:14:13,200 Speaker 1: Yeah. Yeah, And she's such a great complex character because 247 00:14:13,200 --> 00:14:15,960 Speaker 1: she is the leader of this organization. She has this 248 00:14:16,000 --> 00:14:22,680 Speaker 1: connection to Ellie, she has this connection to Joel, and yeah, 249 00:14:22,840 --> 00:14:24,280 Speaker 1: I'll have a lot more to say about it in 250 00:14:24,320 --> 00:14:25,200 Speaker 1: the most recent. 251 00:14:25,280 --> 00:14:31,680 Speaker 2: Yeah, I do wish that they had played up their relationship, 252 00:14:32,400 --> 00:14:35,280 Speaker 2: Marlene and Ellie's relationship rather than just being like, oh, 253 00:14:35,320 --> 00:14:37,400 Speaker 2: I knew your mother. Like I really wish they were 254 00:14:37,440 --> 00:14:40,080 Speaker 2: like where she was kind of a caretaker, you know, 255 00:14:40,120 --> 00:14:42,960 Speaker 2: whether it's like in secret or whatnot, because she wasn't 256 00:14:42,960 --> 00:14:45,200 Speaker 2: a show in the game, right, So I kind of 257 00:14:45,240 --> 00:14:47,200 Speaker 2: wish they were able to play that up because that 258 00:14:47,360 --> 00:14:50,720 Speaker 2: distance makes it seem like she is an antagonist instead 259 00:14:50,760 --> 00:14:53,160 Speaker 2: of being a complex character. Yeah. 260 00:14:53,240 --> 00:14:56,560 Speaker 1: I mean, she's got a lot going on, which we 261 00:14:56,720 --> 00:14:59,080 Speaker 1: you know, we did talk about we'll talk about, but 262 00:14:59,160 --> 00:15:02,320 Speaker 1: they did. They started like as as the character said, 263 00:15:02,320 --> 00:15:04,440 Speaker 1: as the actor said, they made her. There's more of 264 00:15:04,480 --> 00:15:07,800 Speaker 1: a harsher kind of stillness with her in the in 265 00:15:07,840 --> 00:15:11,080 Speaker 1: the show. But I mean it's it's a painful thing 266 00:15:11,080 --> 00:15:14,520 Speaker 1: of like her promising Anna, I will take care of 267 00:15:14,600 --> 00:15:16,720 Speaker 1: Ellie and then being the one that's kind of like, 268 00:15:17,480 --> 00:15:19,680 Speaker 1: I gotta make this decision because she's got this like 269 00:15:19,760 --> 00:15:27,360 Speaker 1: leadership thing going on. It's tough. It's tough. Yes, yes, 270 00:15:27,440 --> 00:15:29,720 Speaker 1: well I do love this character. Yeah, we had a 271 00:15:29,760 --> 00:15:33,240 Speaker 1: plenty to say in our most recent Last of Us episodes, 272 00:15:33,280 --> 00:15:35,640 Speaker 1: So go check that out if you haven't already, this 273 00:15:35,680 --> 00:15:38,200 Speaker 1: will be the end of last of us content for now, 274 00:15:38,680 --> 00:15:41,840 Speaker 1: for now, for now, But in the meantime we are 275 00:15:41,880 --> 00:15:44,560 Speaker 1: moving into Star Wars territory. But if you have any suggestions, 276 00:15:45,400 --> 00:15:48,640 Speaker 1: please it's always let us know. You can email us 277 00:15:48,640 --> 00:15:50,960 Speaker 1: at Steffani your mom Stuff at iHeartMedia dot com. You 278 00:15:50,960 --> 00:15:53,000 Speaker 1: can find us on Twitter at mom Stuff podcast, or 279 00:15:53,040 --> 00:15:55,560 Speaker 1: on Instagram and TikTok at stuff I Never Told You, 280 00:15:55,920 --> 00:15:58,360 Speaker 1: and also check us out on YouTube. Thanks as always 281 00:15:58,400 --> 00:16:02,520 Speaker 1: to our super producer Christina, our executive producer Maya, and 282 00:16:02,640 --> 00:16:03,920 Speaker 1: our contributor Joey. 283 00:16:04,040 --> 00:16:06,640 Speaker 2: Thank you so much, yes, and. 284 00:16:06,760 --> 00:16:09,000 Speaker 1: Thanks to you for listening. Steffan Never Told You is 285 00:16:09,000 --> 00:16:11,120 Speaker 1: protection of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from my Heart Radio, 286 00:16:11,120 --> 00:16:12,840 Speaker 1: you can check out the Heart Radio ap Apple podcast 287 00:16:12,920 --> 00:16:14,560 Speaker 1: or red you listen to your favorite shows.