The Last Of Us Fans Are Tearing Up Over One Tiny Detail On Sarah's Outfit

Nearly a decade after Naughty Dog's release of the groundbreaking and brutal "The Last of Us" video game, HBO has brought the harrowing series to life on television screens. Starring "Game of Thrones" veterans Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, the unflinching adaptation was met with rave reviews from both critics and diehard fans (via Rotten Tomatoes).

The unforgiving reality of "The Last of Us" is the distinctive element that sets it apart from other narrative-driven games. In a post-apocalyptic state, the world we knew is long gone and left ravaged by bloodthirsty hunters and ravenous, fungal-infected monsters. After Joel (Pascal) suffers an unimaginable loss, he falls deep into the harsh darkness of apathy and lone survival left in this fungus-plagued world. This only begins to change when he meets a smart-mouthed youngster named Ellie (Ramsey), whose optimism sheds light on the dark, and may even save the world.  

Fans of the original, gripping source material have a bit of an advantage in anticipating the story's many jaw-dropping moments. Although, that doesn't necessarily make the events any easier to witness, especially when it involves an innocent loss of life. In the early minutes of the series premiere, Joel's daughter, Sarah (Nico Parker), is murdered by a soldier on orders, which sets the devastating tone of "The Last of Us." Before her on-screen death, Clever fans noticed the small, but significant images drawn on Sarah's jeans, which may actually have a much deeper meaning.

Fans have already pointed out several Easter eggs in "The Last of Us" in the comments section on Reddit. However, fans were buzzing after they noticed the doodles decorating Sarah's jeans, providing a callback to the original game. In the game, butterflies and moths are repeatedly utilized to symbolize Sarah and Ellie, and their relationships with Joel. Sarah takes the butterfly as a delicate and innocent form while Ellie, who follows the light (like a moth), takes this shape as a fitting symbol. This small detail has fans emotional and sharing their thoughts.

U/BrennanSpeaks wrote, "I think the butterfly is supposed to specifically represent Sarah. She also had butterflies on her pillowcase and in several places around her room. Interestingly, the butterfly decal seems to be an intentional decoration." They also noted the additional butterfly in Tess' (Anna Torv) apartment, which differs from the gameplay. The sentimentality in Sarah's imagery is felt by numerous fans, including u/TheShoutout, who said, "Wow, I'm feeling even worse now." u/MostlyBlindGamer responded, adding, "I know, right? I can only cry so much."

This reflects the overwhelming sadness when innocent Sarah is unnecessarily killed in front of Joel. Fellow user u/-CommanderShepardN7 echoed this, writing, "That's pretty damn cute. It's such a subtle detail that I missed it. Man, there is so much stuff coming our way. I cannot wait."