One of the highlights of episode 6 of HBO’s The Last of Us adaptation was a brief cameo, potentially introducing Dina from The Last of Us Part II into the show a bit early. While nothing was confirmed, showrunner Craig Mazin did tease what the future holds.
In the episode, titled “Kin,” the duo of Joel and Ellie reach a thriving community in Jackson, Wyoming. While at a diner, Ellie spots a girl — played by Paolina van Kleef — hiding behind a beam and watching her eat. After Ellie snaps at the girl, she quickly runs off, and while nothing more was done, fans quickly theorized that the character could be Dina, a significant character in the second game and love interest to Ellie.
During the latest episode of The Last of Us Podcast, which releases after every episode of the series, Naughty Dog co-president Neil Druckmann and co-showrunner Craig Mazin spoke about the moment. In their discussion, Mazin teased that the character likely would be appearing again, essentially confirming that it was Dina without saying as much.
“It’s ambiguous. Someone’s staring at Ellie, I wonder who that could be, theoretically or not…we’ll find out one day,” Mazin teased.
The pair go on to discuss a brief moment that occurs in The Last of Us Part II. In a conversation between Ellie and Dina, the latter reveals that she first remembers seeing Ellie in Jackson, joking that she remembers Ellie stealing a bunch of beef jerky and wondering who she was. Whether or not Dina appears in any future episodes of The Last of Us‘ first season remains to be seen, but she is set to play a big role in the show moving forward.
The Last of Us is now available to stream on HBO Max.