At this exact moment, and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) are standing on a hill overlooking Jackson, Wyoming. After hiking through the woods, Ellie stops Joel to share the story of how she was first bitten alongside her best friend, Riley. The sequence at this timestamp is as follows:
: Joel, without hesitation, looks back at her and replies: "I swear" .
: Analyzing whether she actually believes him or is choosing to accept the lie to maintain their bond.
: Ellie pauses for a long, heavy moment, processing his words. She finally responds with a quiet, "Okay" .