Dora the Explorer” Easter Egg in “The Last of Us

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The second season of HBO’s “The Last of Us” has captivated viewers with its unexpected plot developments and exceptional narrative. New characters like Jesse (Young Mazino), Abby (Kaitlyn Dever), and Gail (Catherine O’Hara) have joined the cast, but it’s Isabella Merced who’s been turning heads among fans of “The Last of Us.” Her portrayal of Dina in the highly-regarded TV series has garnered much praise for her heartfelt and powerful performance, mirroring her role in “The Last of Us Part II.” Despite the tension during the “The Path” episode due to Ellie and Dina’s escape from the Jackson settlement, some viewers picked up on a subtle easter egg related to one of Merced’s past performances.

Recently, Merced has left a significant impact on Hollywood, with her appearances in films like “Transformers: The Last Knight”, “Madame Web”, and “Alien: Romulus”. This summer, she will be seen as Hawkgirl in James Gunn’s “Superman”. In January 2024, it was announced that she would play Dina in “The Last of Us” Season 2, a role that has intrigued viewers since the season debut. Interestingly, one role from her past seems to have resurfaced in a recent episode – Dora the Explorer, which she played in the 2019 film “Dora and the Lost City of Gold”.

The Last of Us Season 2’s Latest Episode Made a Sly Reference to Merced’s Dora the Explorer Role

In “The Path,” Ellie is planning her departure from Jackson towards Seattle, seeking vengeance against Abby for Joel’s death. Knowing this, Dina has been strategizing their journey and gathering essential supplies for their northwest travel. After a brief argument with Ellie, she takes out a map of the route to Seattle and explains the way and what they’ll require to reach there. Towards the end of her discussion, she advises Ellie to get “proper footwear” or boots, as the camera focuses on Ellie’s Converse shoes.

Instead of it being just a coincidence, fans of the series The Last of Us shared their amusement on social media about an incident and why it’s secretly funny. On a Reddit discussion post in the r/thelastofus subreddit, one user humorously commented, “Dina the Explorer couldn’t help but laugh when she pulled out the map and soon after said ‘boots.'” Another user responded, “She mentioned a backpack just seconds later. You can remove Isabella Merced from Dora, but you can’t remove Dora from Isabella Merced.

It’s amusing to observe the recurring themes in these instances, as Dora the Explorer never ventures out without her reliable backpack, map, and sidekick Boots, the monkey. Interestingly enough, Merced pointed out during an interview with ComicBook that the fanbase for Dora has been quite enthusiastic, almost to the point of being overly devoted.

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2025-04-29 20:09