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    Storm Reid Calls The Backlash To "The Last Of Us" Queer Representation "Nonsense" — "I Need You To Get Your Priorities Straight"

    "There's so many other things to worry about in life. Why are you concerned that these young people — or anybody — love each other? Love is beautiful, and the fact that people have things to say about it, it's just nonsense."

    The newest episode of The Last of Us was beautiful/sweet/charming/tragic/the most stressful hour of television to date, and fans have had a lot to say about it.

    Ellie and Riley standing next to each other

    The episode's story follows Ellie (Bella Ramsey) in a flashback to her time training to be a FEDRA soldier, and when her BFF Riley (Storm Reid) joins the Fireflies, the two of them go on a wild one-night-only adventure as a way to say goodbye.

    They tromp around an ALLEGEDLY abandoned mall, and if you can get past the feeling of impending doom, then it's a really sweet episode.

    Ellie riding a carousel as she talks to Riley

    After a few hours riding carousels, playing arcade games, and dancing precariously on glass display cases, the two recognize their feelings for each other and share a sweet, sapphic kiss.

    Ellie and Riley kissing

    Wellllll, if you're thinking the homophobes got their hackles raised like they did when Episode 3 dropped, then *ding ding ding* you're a winner, baby! It's 2023 and we can't have anything nice.

    Riley crying as Ellie holds her

    But Storm Reid was not having it. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly addressing the backlash, she said, "There's so many other things to worry about in life. Why are you concerned that these young people — or anybody — love each other? Love is beautiful, and the fact that people have things to say about it, it's just nonsense."

    But she's not letting the haters get her down. "I don't care because I'm proud of what we did and I'm proud of the story that we told and I'm proud of the people that we're representing."

    Storm smiling at the premiere of The Last of Us

    And representation is something that is at the front of Storm's mind. "I'm not only representing women. I'm representing young Black women and I'm representing young queer women that are experiencing new feelings and new relationships."

    Fans were in agreement that even though the episode ends with both young women getting bit by an infected in the mall (OF COURSE), the episode is beautiful:

    ellie being the only person riley wanted to share this with and knowing exactly the things ellie would enjoy like this was the cutest post apocalyptic date

    @lezbisch / HBO / Via Twitter: @lezbisch

    bella ramsey as ellie looking at storm reid as riley in this the last of us scene is what really sent me over the edge

    @noradominick / HBO / Via Twitter: @noradominick

    objectively it’s incredibly romantic // we can just be poetic and shit and lose our minds together #TheLastOfUs

    @filmsbyzoe / HBO / Via Twitter: @filmsbyzoe

    the chemistry between bella ramsey and storm reid is SO GOOD #TheLastOfUsHBO

    @caitlyns_vi / HBO / Via Twitter: @caitlyns_vi

    "You mattered to me first." #TheLastofUs

    @IconicNephilim / HBO / Via Twitter: @IconicNephilim

    she held her so tight i bet it was like that unil the end wtf :( #tlou

    @elIiesfae / HBO / Via Twitter: @elIiesfae

    What did you think of this week's new episode? Let me know in the comments!