The song that plays during the mall sequence of “The Last of Us” Season 1, Episode 7, “Left Behind” is “Take On Me,” a long-enduring hit from the ’80s Norwegian pop group A-ha. First released as a single in 1984, the song was ultimately intended for their 1985 debut studio album “Hunting High and Low.”

Though the song’s opening chords likely evoke a number of niche online jokes and memes for internet-savvy viewers, the lyrics convey a very earnest love story about someone overcoming their own anxieties, expressing their most vulnerable emotions, and convincing their true love to “take” them “on.” As far as love songs go, “Take On Me” is just about as dramatic as they come — making it no surprise that the track has popped up in numerous films, TV shows, and video games since its release.

In the late ’90s, “Take On Me” appeared in George Armitage’s action-rom-com “Grosse Pointe Blank” — several years later, it was iconically featured in an episode of “Family Guy.” Even Avalanche Studios and Square Enix’s “Just Cause 4” referenced the song’s unique music video. For fans of “The Last of Us” video game, however, the song already carries a much deeper meaning. If you are experiencing Joel and Ellie’s story for the first time on HBO — or if you have yet to play “The Last of Us — Part II” — you may want to stop reading, as minor spoilers lie ahead.

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