The Last of Us Season 2: New Infected Types Barely Seen in the Game Revealed!

The second season of The Last of Us hit the ground running by immediately introducing viewers to new characters from The Last of Us Part II, along with a new, more horrifying type of infected that had only been briefly featured in the video game.

Warning: The following contains spoilers for the first episode of The Last of Us Season 2.

In the premiere, Ellie, portrayed by Bella Ramsey, encounters a stalker—an evolved form of the infected that can stealthily approach its prey and exhibits greater intelligence than the typical variants. Craig Mazin, one of the show’s co-showrunners, discussed with IGN the debut of these stalkers and suggested they will have a more significant presence in the season.

“It seems appropriate they would [play a larger role],” Mazin remarked. “Consider encountering just one infected that is so cunning and smart. This idea stems from my own experiences playing the game where the stalkers truly terrified me. They introduced a new level of challenge which I believe was partly designed to enhance gameplay. More importantly, it left a profound emotional impression on me. So, when adapting from game to series, we decided to zoom in on that fear. If one can scare us, just imagine the potential when there are more.”

In a recent behind-the-scenes video, Ramsey explained how the stalker deeply unsettles Ellie because it’s unlike anything she has ever faced before. “Ellie is completely unprepared for this. Although her immunity is an advantage, the encounter really throws her off,” she noted.

Neil Druckmann, the other co-showrunner, recently shed light on why Joel, played by Pedro Pascal, is undergoing therapy this season. Upcoming episode previews suggest that Joel might not be the only character grappling with emotional and psychological issues.

The series will continue with new episodes premiering on Sunday, April 20 on HBO and Max.