The Last of Us Episode 5: What happens to Henry and Sam?

After our brief introduction, The Last of Us Episode 5 is the horrifying coda to Henry and Sam’s story – here’s what happens to the two brothers.

Episode 4 ended on a big cliffhanger: Joel and Ellie staring down the barrels of two guns, held by two boys. This is Henry and Sam, two brothers in hiding from Kathleen.

This week, we see the two duos teaming up to escape Kansas City via underground tunnels, before battling through one last face-off with the Hunters – not to mention a big ol’ Bloater.

For a moment, it seems like they’ve finally found peace with Joel and Ellie, even making plans to set off with them to Wyoming – but fate had a nastier plan.

Spoilers for The Last of Us Episode 5 to follow…

What happens to Henry and Sam in The Last of Us?

The Last of Us Episode 5 ends with Henry killing Sam after he turns infected, before turning the gun on himself. Joel and Ellie bury them together and continue their journey.

Love can be kind, but it can also be cruel. Henry did everything in his power to look after Sam, but it wasn’t enough.

During the fiery chaos of Kathleen’s army battling a horde of infected, we see Henry and Sam trying to kick away Clickers while they hide under a car. They escape, but not unscathed: Sam was bitten.

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After they all hunker down in another house for the night, Ellie wakes up to find Sam sitting on the edge of his bed, having already turned. He tries to attack her, and as they scream, they burst through the door through to Joel and Henry.

Joel immediately grabs his gun, but Henry shoots the floor beside his feet. Henry is clearly lost in the horror of the moment, but he eventually shoots Sam in the head. As he watches the blood spill from his brother’s skull, he mutters, “What did I do?”

Joel pleads with Henry to give him the gun, but Henry is too far gone – he turns the gun on himself, and Joel and Ellie bury them both. She remembers to put the little boy’s notepad in with him, with one last message: “I’m sorry.”

What happens to Henry and Sam in The Last of Us game?

In The Last of Us game, Henry and Sam both die. Henry is forced to kill Sam after he becomes infected, and in his grief, he shoots himself while blaming Joel for everything that happens.

Henry and Sam were among the few survivors from Hartford, but they’d hoped to find supplies and refuge in Pittsburgh. Unfortunately, they were quickly ambushed by Hunters, separating them from their small group.

While hiding out in an apartment building, they encounter Joel and Ellie. Henry immediately tries to attack Joel, believing him to be a Hunter. However, after nearly killing each other, they agree to help each other get out of the city.

Tensions never really settle between Joel and Henry, despite having common ground. Henry is fiercely protective of Sam and wants to find the Fireflies so they can have protection and somewhere to live, while Joel needs to find the rebels to help Ellie get wherever she needs to go.

It’s a dicey escape from the city, but they manage to make it to the suburbs. However, they’re attacked by Hunters and runners once more, but manage to defeat them and find a house to sleep in. There, Joel and Henry bond over their memories before the outbreak, and Henry realizes his friends from Hartford have probably been killed or left without him and Sam.

The next morning, his worst nightmare comes true: Sam was scratched by a runner, so he’s infected. Joel tries to shoot him, but Henry stops him… before shooting Sam himself. “It’s all your fault,” Henry shouts at Joel, before pointing the gun to his head and taking his own life.

Later, it’s implied that Joel and Ellie buried Henry and Sam before heading west, but Joel doesn’t allow Ellie to talk about the brothers for the rest of the game.

The Last of Us Episode 6 will be available to stream on February 19 in the US and February 20 in the UK. You can check out the rest of our coverage here and check out the trailer for the weeks ahead here.