What EXACTLY made the ending to No Time Left so depressing?
I've noticed when people talk about this games ending, they always talk about how sad it is.
And they're right. Like, holy shit. I'd never shed a tear while watching any kind of media until this fuckin' masterpiece hit me right in the feels. But a lot of people say it's depressing mainly because of Lee's death, whether you had Clementine shoot him or not. I guess the idea of having a little girl shooting her father-figure out of mercy was more than enough to make you suffer from depression. Not for me, though.
Yes, Clementine killing Lee was a very emotional part of the game, but you can have any story involving a child character you care about killing an adult character you care about. That alone isn't enough because you need to find a way to make it really work. There was so much in this story that made the ending more powerful, to me at least. I know it sounds a bit confusing, but let me explain:
The entire setup alone for Episode 5 was depressing enough. Lee has to rescue Clementine before he bites the dust otherwise she might die too. I got to the gauntlet and Lee was just chopping his way through the horde like a badass. I can never get tired of that scene.
Now whenever I watch movies or shows, I never try to predict everything that I think will happen. So the second the Stranger mentioned station wagon, I just couldn't believe it. It was brilliant. His motivation for abducting Clementine made sense. Clementine's motivation for ditching Lee for the Stranger made sense.
I think the worst thing about this entire situation is Lee and Clementine are the only ones who know who took her. Even worse, it turned out to be someone who's life they unintentionally ruined and so he seeked revenge. But Clementine realized she made a mistake shortly after she gets kidnapped. So she repeatedly apologizes for what she did, but Lee is just relived to see her safe. Honestly if it was me, I would've been a bit pissed as well as relieved. The last time we see her smile is after Lee gives her her hat back and she thanks him for it. That smile...that fuckin' smile gets me every time. Then after seeing her dead parents, Clementine is frozen in fear while Lee faints.
After Lee wakes up (and holy shit, his colour is GONE), Clementine reveals she lock them in the jewelry store after she dragged him to safety. Jesus, where does she hide the muscle? Anyways, Lee reveals he has been bitten trying to get her back. This moment works perfectly for Clementine's character development for three reasons:
- Clementine knows she has to do something to keep her from being attacked by Lee after he turns.
- Clementine is left on her own.
- Clementine realizes her actions caused Lee to get bit in the process.
So after she beat the shit out that walker with the baseball bat Negan-style, it's time for the final goodbye. The dialogue in this whole scene is what had me choking up with lines like:
"Trust me, Clem. I don't want to. I'm trying....I'm trying."
"My parents. It's so horrible. And now...you? (I think it was at this point that I was starting up the waterworks). Please don't be one of them!"
I had Clem shoot Lee. As soon as she raised her gun up, tears were finally shed.
So to conclude, the circumstances of how everything built-up to Clem's goodbye to Lee was what made me cry. Screw Titanic, screw Bambi's mom, screw any Disney movie involving a death of a great character. THIS scene gets me every time.
Comments
It was how much the game gives you hope that really got me. Cutting off Lee's arm, hey, maybe that'll help. Damn, we lost the others? Hey, Lee is the only one who can look after her.
Oh... damn, she just saw her parents. Wait, why isn't Lee answering her?
... oh. Oh.