Neil Druckmann Reveals 'Dramatic Reason' for Spores' Return in The Last of Us Season 2

The showrunners of The Last of Us Season 2, Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin, have exciting news for fans: "spores are back" after their notable absence in Season 1. This revelation comes with the release of the latest trailer for the eagerly awaited HBO series, which you can view below. In the trailer, we catch a glimpse of Ellie, portrayed by Bella Ramsey, encountering an infected character whose breath emits the iconic spores.

You can’t stop this.#TheLastOfUs returns April 13 on Max. pic.twitter.com/DH8UzAugIV

— Max (@StreamOnMax) March 8, 2025

Warning! Spoilers for The Last of Us Season 1 follow.

The reintroduction of spores into the narrative not only promises to bring a thrilling element back to the show but also aligns it more closely with the original game's atmosphere. Fans can look forward to this change when The Last of Us returns on April 13 on Max.