Everyone’s Favorite ‘The Last Of Us’ Character (Piano Frog) Was Originally Going To Meet A Grisly End

A star is born on The Last of Us, even though they were supposed to die.

In episode two of the hit HBO series, “Infected,” Joel, Ellie, and Tess enter a hotel that’s seen better days. There’s knee-high water in the lobby (leading to a funny joke about Ellie not being able to swim), which is bad news for our heroes but good news for the animals that have taken residence in the building. The ducks are a nice touch (it is Boston…), but the scene’s MVP — and the MVP of the series so far — is piano frog.

Say hello to TV’s best frog since the Over the Garden Wall frog.

Piano frog makes the most of his four seconds on screen. He provides an ominous soundtrack to Joel, Ellie, and Tess’ entrance to the hotel, then hops off screen, never to be seen again. It’s a scene-stealing performance that has stolen America’s heart.

The thing is, piano frog originally wasn’t supposed to survive the episode. “Piano frog wouldn’t be a thing… if piano bird did its job! I guess everything happens for a reason,” The Last of Us game and TV show creator Neil Druckmann tweeted. “(And before anyone jumps to the wrong conclusion… that’s a fake frog for the bird to eat — which it never did!!!)” Piano bird is so unprofessional, unlike piano frog.

People will die (and already have died) on The Last of Us, but as long as piano frog survives, this story will have a happy ending.