HBO’s The Last of Us Season 2 was received well by critics, but the second chapter of the video game adaptation proved to be controversial among the fanbase. The creative choices that have been made, which stray further from the source material, have rubbed diehard fans of the franchise the wrong way. Now, the star of the popular HBO series has responded with a pretty reasonable take that may still ruffle some feathers.

While on the Awardist Podcast (via TheGamer), The Last of Us star Bella Ramsey addressed the harsh criticism that has been thrown at the second season. Although they want those who watch the show to enjoy it, Ramsey points out those who “hate it” could simply replay the original game instead. It’s a rather candid response from the Emmy-nominated actor, but it’s hard to deny there is some truth in their words. Those who loved The Last of Us Part II and wanted a one-for-one adaptation may be disappointed, but as Ramsey points out, the game will always be there for them.

“I would say, you don’t have to watch it. If you hate it so much, the game exists. You can just play the game again, you don’t have to watch it. But if you do want to watch it, then I hope you enjoy it.”

Still, Ramsey tries to “steer clear” of the negativity, especially since they can’t do anything to change what has already been released. “There’s nothing that can be changed or altered. So I’m like, there’s not really any point in reading or looking at anything,” Ramsey noted. While The Last of Us Season 2 faced some heat for how it portrayed certain elements, specifically Ellie’s characterization, Ramsey is ultimately correct. They have little reason to harp on the past, especially since showrunner Craig Mazin is in charge of most, if not all, creative aspects of the show moving forward.

‘The Last of Us’ Season 3 Will Be Closer to Season 1

Kaitlyn Dever as Abby in The Last of UsHBO

The Last of Us Season 3 got a big creative shake-up this year when it was announced that Neil Druckmann, who co-created the video game franchise, would not return as a co-showrunner alongside Craig Mazin. Instead, Mazin is now in charge of all the scripts, as well as setting the overall direction of Season 3 and beyond. This was a disappointing update for many fans who believed Druckmann’s directorial work on the series was among the best (he helmed the sixth episode of Season 2, the Joel and Ellie flashback). That said, Mazin has teased that The Last of Us will share a key attribute with the first season when the show returns on HBO.

During a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Mazin talked about the current development processes for The Last of Us Season 3. The scripts are now being written, but it seems the creative crew have already settled that it will have more episodes than Season 2. In fact, Mazin compared the next chapter to the first season, which had nine episodes.

“We’re kind of fiddling around with that — it’s a little bit of a trade secret at the moment. But I will say that season three will be longer than season two. Season three will be more on par with season one. More bang for the buck. “