The Last Of Us Episode 9's Giraffe Scene Is Taken Straight From The Game

In the game, the memorable giraffe encounter is so effective because it initially plays out like a setup for one of the many dangerous situations the player's been forced to face at this point of the story. Lost in her thoughts and trauma, an unusually quiet Ellie (voiced by Ashley Johnson) suddenly perks up during one of the many ladder puzzles, and starts rushing further into the building while calling out for Joel (voiced by Troy Baker). The worried Joel chases after Ellie, bracing for the worst — when suddenly, he finds her standing in a wall-less room, facing a massive and friendly giraffe. 

Save for the addition of some pallets (gotta have those) and some minor changes in the building's architecture and with how the duo approaches the animal, the HBO version plays out in almost the exact same way as the game, right down to the way the giraffe encounter serves as a tonic that cheers Ellie up and helps her regain composure. 

The giraffe scene is a pivotal moment in the game, as well as one of the rare truly happy surprises "The Last of Us" has in store for its protagonists. As such, it's easy to appreciate how faithfully the experience translates to live action.