| “ | I hated the world and was glad when everyone died. But I was wrong because there was one person worth saving. That's what I did: I saved him then I protected him.
―Bill's belief.
|
” |
Bill is a supporting character in the first season of HBO's The Last of Us. He was a survivalist who lived alone with Frank in their own isolated town.[2]
Biography[]
Background[]
Bill was raised in Lincoln, Massachusetts, by his mother. As a closeted gay man, he was only ever with one girl when he was young and never pursued any other kind of romantic relationship. Bill grew up to be an isolationist and believed most people to be either untrustworthy or a liability. His mother died at some point and left him her house and all of her belongings, which included a piano with a large supply of classical music and Linda Ronstadt's songs. Of these songs, Bill knew how to play "Long Long Time".
After 9/11, Bill became a paranoid survivalist that prepared for the eventual end of the world. He also believed in conspiracy theories such as 9/11 being an inside job and that the United States government was comprised of Nazis. Bill constructed a bunker beneath the basement of his house and fortified his home with defenses and cameras.[3]
Events of HBO's The Last of Us[]
Living alone[]
On September 26th, 2003, an outbreak of Cordyceps brain infection caused the collapse of civilization, just as Bill had predicted. On September 30th, 2003, FEDRA established a quarantine zone in Boston, ten miles away from Lincoln. The residents of Lincoln were promised evacuation to Boston by the Army, but Bill hid inside his bunker until the military left, believing they were "New World Order jackboots". Bill's paranoia was to his benefit as the residents of Lincoln were executed because the quarantine zone lacked space for them.
With the entire town to himself, over the next four years, Bill raided local stores and facilities to fortify Lincoln and his home. After FEDRA cut off the electrical supply to the city, he siphoned gas from the local gas stations and made his own generator, ensuring he still had electricity and hot water. Bill would pass the time in the town working on various machinery, building more traps, setting up a CCTV system so he could monitor his traps and also eat and drink as he pleased from the resources left over from the abandoned stores and houses. In the surrounding area, Bill placed traps to kill raiders and wandering infected and built an electrified fence all around the town. One of his favorite activities was to eat food while watching wandering infected or survivors fall into or die by one of his traps. He also obtained a FEDRA infection scanner at some point.
When a non-hostile survivor fell into his traps, Bill would rescue them, scan them to ensure they were not infected, then send them on their way, typically to the Boston QZ. Because of his paranoia, he went four years without allowing anyone into the town for fear the more people knew about his comfortable, if isolationist, lifestyle, the greater chance a group would come and try and take it from him.[3]
Meeting Frank[]
Bill with his shotgun outside his fence.
In 2007, Bill was working on machinery when his alarm blared to alert him that a trap was triggered. Going out to investigate, he brought a shotgun and M1911 pistol. He deactivated the electrified fence and approached the hole. Upon reaching it, the man within named Frank called out to him. On alert, Bill scanned the nearby trees for other survivors and aimed his shotgun as he circled the hole. Frank revealed to Bill that he was from Baltimore, Maryland and that the quarantine zone there fell. With a group of ten people, Frank was headed for the Boston QZ, but he lost everyone. Relenting, Bill tossed a ladder down into the hole so Frank could climb out, scanning the man with his FEDRA scanner as he did to ensure he had not contracted CBI.
Once out, Bill kept his pistol trained on him and at a distance. He pointed him in the direction of Boston but Frank pleaded with Bill for food before going, stating he had not eaten in two days. Despite initially being reluctant, Bill changed his mind and let Frank in, letting him shower and have fresh clothes. While eating lunch, Frank commented on Bill's knowledge of wine pairing and admired the level of pre-outbreak luxuries Bill had in his town.
Frank comforts Bill.
After lunch, Frank noticed Bill's piano and tried to play "Long Long Time", correctly guessing it was one of Bill's favorite songs. Bill was distressed by Frank's playing, leading the man to concede and request Bill play it for him, promising he would go once he had finished it. Bill did so, the song making both him and Frank emotional. Frank lent down and kissed him, which Bill reciprocated. Frank then suggested the pair go to bed together, which they did. Though Bill admitted it was his first time with a man, Frank accepted his inexperience and asked if Bill would let him stay for a few days longer. Bill accepted and the pair made love.
Over the next three years, Bill formed a relationship with Frank, the two becoming lovers and living in Lincoln together. However, Frank would grow constrained with Bill's paranoia preventing them from living an even more idyllic life resembling life before the apocalypse.[3]
Forming an alliance[]
In 2010, Bill and Frank got into a heated argument as Frank wanted to clean up the town, painting the house and restoring the boutique. Bill resisted this idea, citing it as a waste of supplies. Frank eventually got Bill to agree but then revealed he had begun speaking with a woman over the radio named Tess in the Boston QZ. Wanting him and Bill to have friends, he invited Tess and her partner, Joel Miller, over for lunch against Bill's wishes.
Bill eats dinner with Joel, Tess and Frank.
When they arrived, Frank treated them to a garden party meal at their house. Bill, ever paranoid, kept his gun on the table during their meal. Frank was elated at having Joel and Tess there and offered to give Tess a tour of their house, which Bill was angered by. Joel calmed the man though, stating he was not fond of coming to their town either. Bill talked with Joel, revealing his heavy distrust of him and Tess. Joel agreed, but insisted they could form a partnership if Bill put his gun away. Bill did so and Joel gradually convinced him that living in the town was unsustainable for Bill if he would not let Joel smuggle him supplies from FEDRA's factories in Boston. Bill was skeptical but Joel, with his pre-pandemic knowledge of construction, revealed Bill's electrified fence was rusting and would be worthless in twelve months. He also revealed he could provide Bill with medicine that FEDRA still made as well. Seeing the benefits of the partnership, Bill changed his mind and agreed to the arrangement.
Bill and Joel discuss the presence of raiders around Lincoln.
After the meal, Joel talked more with Bill, warning him that raiders were moving towards the town from Boston and would attack at night. Despite Joel's offer for help, Bill insisted he would be fine. These attacks did soon come and Bill fortified the town even more, creating motion-sensored flamethrowers to keep them back and ensure both raiders and wandering infected were killed if they tried to breach the town's walls.
Over the next few years, the group began a smuggling operation for the Boston QZ that benefited both couples. In 2013, Tess also provided Frank with seeds. Frank kept this a secret, planning a surprise for Bill one day in 2013 while they were jogging together. He brought an aging Bill, who now struggled to run, to the patch and showed him it, the pair able to eat strawberries for the first time in years. Bill then grew emotional and apologized to Frank because he could feel himself aging faster than his lover.
One rainy night, they were attacked by raiders. Seeing how close they got to their house, Bill went out and confronted them, shooting at them with a hunting rifle. Though he killed most of them, one raider shot Bill in the abdomen. An awoken Frank rushed out to help, carrying Bill into their house. Bill assured Frank the traps would kill the rest of the raiders. Fearing his wound was severe enough he would die, Bill revealed the rest of the town's codes for their traps were in his basement and the code was their gate fence one in reverse. He also ordered Frank call Joel to come take care of him, the man trusting Joel as Frank's protector. However, Frank's efforts to save Bill worked, saving his life.[3]
Bill then repaired their defenses and the pair carried on living together and trading with Joel and Tess. At some point, Bill arranged a code with Joel that, whenever 1980s music played on their radio in his apartment, to make his way to the town because that meant he and Frank needed help.[4] To ensure this worked, Bill set it up so that if he did not reset his alarms every twenty-four hours, then it would send the signal to Joel automatically. He also gave Joel the access codes to turn off his electrified fence so Joel and Tess could visit safely.[3]
Later years and death[]
Bill and Frank eat together in 2023.
By 2023, Frank had developed an unknown condition that rendered him weak and wheelchair-bound. Bill continued to care for Frank despite their advanced ages. On August 29, 2023, Frank woke up and, tired of not being able to do what he used to, decided that it was going to be his last day. Though Bill was emotionally overwhelmed by Frank's decision, he understood it and let Frank convince him to make it a good day, resulting in the two going to the boutique together, Frank picking out clothes and rings for them to wear and also getting married.
That night, Bill wrote a suicide note that he addressed to Joel, expecting the man to find it when their alarm system triggered 1980s music on their radio in Boston. He left Joel all of his possessions and implored the man to care for Tess in the way he cared for Frank. He also left the car battery disassembled in his garage to preserve it for Joel whenever the man reached the town.
Bill and Frank profess their love to each other.
Bill then cooked a final meal for Frank, the same meal and wine when they first met. After the meal, Bill brought out a second bottle, poured glasses for them both, then added a large amount of the crushed medications in Frank's glass. After Frank empties his glass, Bill does the same. Bill then reveals that the bottle of wine already had enough of the drugs be fatal; while Frank only intended for himself to die that night, Bill explained that with his aging and the loss of purpose once Frank died, he felt his life was complete and did not want to live without him. In their final moments before the drugs took effect, they retired to their bedroom to die together in their sleep.[3]
Legacy[]
As arranged, Bill's distress signal was sent to Joel and Tess' apartment the day after his and Frank's death within the next few weeks.[4] However, Joel was already heading towards Bill's town with Ellie the night the signal was sent, having planned to ask the man for help. When reaching Lincoln, Joel and Ellie found Bill's house. Joel moved to enter Bill and Frank's room but Bill left the window open, causing the front door to close and draw Joel to the dining room, where he found Bill's letter. Ellie read it to him, revealing Bill's wishes and promise to leave his belongings to Joel. Joel then claimed Bill's car for himself and Ellie to use, collected supplies from the house, and the pair left Bill's and Frank's corpses undisturbed as requested.[3]
Appearance[]
Even before the apocalypse, Bill had a long thick beard with shoulder-length brown hair. Until meeting Frank, he tended to always wear a bandolier of shotgun shells and always had a sidearm holstered on his hip. As the years passed, he gained weight and his fitness declined. However, after Frank restored the boutique in the town, Bill's hair became styled and well-kept and his beard trimmed and shaped.[3]
Personality[]
Between 2003 and 2010, Bill was a paranoid and distrusting man always keeping several weapons close at hand and never letting his guard down in the town. However, after meeting Frank, he gradually grew more emotionally open, allowing himself to trust and love the man, and develop a sense of care and protection towards him. This ability to form relationships also expanded towards Joel and Tess, the man allowing himself to have friendships again by 2010.
However, he could still exhibit violent tendencies when necessary, having no remorse for raiders attempting to break into his town. This ruthlessness extended when, risking his life to keep Frank safe, the man confronted the raiders without remorse or hesitation. He also had a dark sense of humor, taking joy in watching traps kill wandering infected.[3] Joel was also confident Bill was hyper-paranoid about infected, asserting the man would not believe that Ellie was immune to Cordyceps.[5]
Relationships[]
Frank[]
Frank and Bill were lovers in the post-apocalyptic America. When first meeting him, Bill was paranoid, cautiously approaching Frank in his trap and scanning him to ensure he was not infected. Despite usually insisting people who were friendly that fell into his traps go once he set them free, Bill took a liking to Frank and allowed him inside to shower and have a meal. However, after the meal, Bill grew attracted to Frank, who returned the sentiment, leading the pair to form a relationship in the town.
Bill expresses his desire to die with Frank.
Over the years, Bill and Frank became lovers, sharing their lives in the town. Despite their happiness, the pair did have tough times, with Bill's overprotective nature and paranoid tendencies leading to tension with Frank, who wanted to make the town a home for them both. Despite this, Bill learned to be more open, accepting Frank's ideas to restore parts of the town like the boutique and gardens and even form a trading partnership with smugglers Tess and Joel.
What drove Bill's relationship with Frank was his fear of losing him. Bill demonstrated this in his heightened efforts to keep Frank safe, setting up numerous traps over the years to prevent raiders reaching them and even risking his life fighting them directly to ensure they did not reach Frank. Bill also felt a sense of guilt in their relationship, notably his perceived faster aging than Frank and feared leaving him to die alone.
However, in their later years, Bill turned into Frank's caretaker, treating him in his terminal illness. Despite Frank's inevitable death paining him, Bill committed to follow Frank's final wishes to give him his perfect day—even marrying him—displaying immense loyalty to him. This loyalty climaxed in Bill's admission that he could no longer imagine life without Frank, leading to his decision to take his own life with him on August 29, 2023.[3]
Joel Miller[]
Bill was initially hostile towards Joel, paranoid the man and his partner Tess desired to steal and harm him and Frank. Joel recognized this, revealing he felt a similar way and respected Bill for his care over Frank because it mirrored his care towards Tess. Despite reluctantly accepting the partnership with Joel as a pragmatic one—Joel able to provide machine parts and tools for the town in return for food—Bill grew to respect Joel and saw the man as similar to himself. He respected Joel enough that he privately arranged with him that, should he die, he wanted Joel to come and help look after Frank, believing the man capable and trustworthy enough to protect him.
When planning his suicide with Frank, Bill wrote a note to Joel, correctly guessing Joel would be the one to find it. In it, he thanked Joel for his help over the years, revealing his care and respect openly to him. He also left all of his belongings to the man, wanting Joel to use them to protect someone he cared for in the way he had used them to protect Frank.[3]
Tess[]
Bill was initially distrustful towards Tess, believing she and her partner Joel were manipulating Frank's trust to steal their supplies. However, he grew to trust Tess through how genuinely she connected with Frank and even saw her as similar to Frank in how Joel's protection towards her mirrored his own with Frank. Because of this, he entrusted his belongings to Joel in the hope he could use them to keep Tess safe.[3]
Behind the scenes[]
- Bill is portrayed by American actor and comedian Nick Offerman.[6] Con O'Neill was initially cast in the role, but was forced to drop out due to scheduling conflicts.[7]
Quotes[]
| “ | ” |
- Bill: "This isn't the tragic suicide at the end of the play. I'm old. I'm satisfied and you were my purpose."
- Bill: "I hated the world and was glad when everyone died. But I was wrong because there was one person worth saving. That's what I did: I saved him then I protected him. That's why men like you and me are here: we have a job to do and God help any motherfucker who stands in our way."
Gallery[]
Promotional images[]
![Promotional poster featuring Nick Offerman as Bill.[6]](https://sonicgame.netlify.app/host-https-thelastofus.fandom.com/wiki/File:Bill_HBO_promo_poster.jpeg "Bill HBO promo poster.jpeg (1.3 MB)")
Official stills[]
Behind the scenes[]
References[]
- ↑ Del Rosario, Alexandra (December 7, 2021). "'The Last Of Us': Nick Offerman To Replace Con O'Neill As Bill In HBO Series Adaptation Of Playstation Game". Deadline. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
- ↑ Petski, Denise (July 15, 2021). "'The Last Of Us': Jeffrey Pierce, Murray Bartlett, Con O'Neill Join HBO Series Based On Video Game". Deadline. Retrieved July 15, 2021.
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 HBO's The Last of Us episode 3: "Long, Long Time"
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 HBO's The Last of Us episode 1: "When You're Lost in the Darkness"
- ↑ HBO's The Last of Us episode 2: "Infected"
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 Poster released by The Last of Us (@TheLastofUsHBO) on Twitter. Tweet. Retrieved November 30, 2022.
- ↑ Otterson, Joe (December 7, 2021). "'Last of Us' HBO Series Casts Nick Offerman as Bill". Variety. Retrieved January 15, 2021.
- ↑ Bill on HBO's official website.
