Nick Offerman claps back at 'ignorant' trolls as he defends 'The Last of Us' Episode 3's LGBTQ plot
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Didn't we all love watching the sweet-wholesome romance between Bill and Frank? Seems like not everyone was kind enough. In a recent tweet, Nick Offerman defends 'The Last of Us' Episode 3 against homophobic rants in regard to the episode's negative response. While the majority of 'The Last of Us' focuses on Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) as they journey across the United States, Episode 3's 'Long, Long Time' switches gears to highlight the romance between Offerman's Bill and Frank (Murray Bartlett). The two have been in a long-lasting relationship for about 20 years, and as they get older, they decide to go out together.
Reviews are critical because of their love story, which almost takes up the entire episode and serves as the show's emotional undertone for a significant plot point. A significant portion of the comments on the show are blatantly homophobic and criticize the episode's "agenda," "pandering," and "alternative motives." Well, seems like Offerman didn't hold back!
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Nick Offerman claps back at haters
Offerman clarified that he particularly wrote Episode 3 in opposition to homophobia in his response to one of the Twitter users who had targeted him. He wrote, "Buddy, your brand of ignorance and hate is exactly why we make stories like this."
Buddy, your brand of ignorance and hate is exactly why we make stories like this. ❤️🕺🏻 https://t.co/KkyZoDh1g2
— Nick Offerman (@Nick_Offerman) February 3, 2023
Despite its tremendous praise, 'The Last of Us' Episode 3 has been the victim of a review-bombing effort because of some homophobic slurs, which prompted Offerman's intelligent defense. The original Twitter user deactivated their account after Offerman's response.
Importance of 'The Last of Us' Episode 3
'The Last of Us' has always placed more of an emphasis on the human side of the zombie apocalypse than the infected. The third episode of 'The Last of Us' has received a tonne of praise for its representation of a beautiful LGBTQ+ romance in the midst of a post-apocalyptic wasteland, but there was more to the story than just gay love in the post-apocalyptic wasteland. The letter Bill left for Joel is also significant because it gives Joel the motivation to try to forge a connection with Ellie and move on. Similar to Bill who protected Frank, Joel is now responsible for safeguarding the one person he still has. Even though 'The Last of Us' Episode 3 significantly deviates from the game, Bill's changes are ideal since they fit the tone that the program is attempting to establish.