What Happened to Frank in HBO’s The Last of Us? Explained

What happened to Frank in HBO’s The Last of Us? It’s the question everyone asks after witnessing episode 3 of the legendary video game’s television adaptation, almost certainly because the series leaves the exact reason for Frank’s fate ambiguous at best. while this doesn’t dampen the impact of the scenes surrounding his passing, it does leave most anyone wondering what happened to cause it and whether or not there was another option.

We were definitely counted among those people, and after doing some research, we have some potential answers that will provide you with a bit of closure.

What Was Frank Sick With in HBO’s The Last of Us?

As you’ve probably already seen, Frank dies by suicide alongside Bill in the third episode of HBO’s The Last of Us. Frank wanted to die by his own hand rather than succumb to an unknown illness, and Bill joined him because he couldn’t bring himself to live without Frank.

The exact illness Frank had isn’t stated, and it’s likewise not shown when he got sick due to a 10 year time skip that occurs. Given his physical deterioration without any clear signs of mental decline though, a form of cancer or some other disease that has a wasting effect was likely the culprit. It also could have been a minor illness that compounded into something worse due to his advanced age, and his options for finding treatment or medicine would have been limited due to the state of the world.

That last point is an important one too: even if it were a minor illness, Frank wouldn’t have had much of a chance at survival due to him and Bill not being doctors or having advanced medical technology they knew how to use. Frank himself even comments on this, pointing out to Bill that nothing they do will make him better and that no one who happens to have medical knowledge is going to happen upon them.

As such, his choices were to either succumb to his illness or decide his own fate. It’s definitely not the most wholesome end in the world, but was pretty good considering how he and Bill went together.

What Happens to Frank in the Game?

it’s likewise a massive departure from what occurs in The Last of Us Part 1, which put a much more bitter spin on Bill and Frank’s relationship.

While they still lived together and engaged in a long-term relationship, things eventually took a turn and Frank began to resent Bill for his strict measures and paranoid behavior. This led to Frank running away in an attempt to get away from Bill, and he attempted to meet up with a smuggler to gain access into the Boston Quarantine Zone.

This never occurred however, as Frank was bitten by an infected on his way to meeting the smuggler. Terrified at becoming a monster, he hung himself, leaving behind a note for Bill confirming how much he hated him in the end. This left Bill to live out his days alone, forever aware of the fact that he pushed his true love away.

It’s a much darker end to the relationship, and while it still ended in a grim way, we can’t help but say that the television offered a more heartwarming spin on Frank and Bill’s fates.

That’s all there is to know about what happened to Frank in HBO’s The Last of Us. For more on the series, check out any of the related articles down below.