Earth Abides episode 1 ending explained: Does Ish finds any survivors left?

Earth Abides is an apocalyptic survival drama series created by Todd Komarnicki, which is based on George R. Stewart's 1949 novel of the same name. The series depicts a dystopian world where most of the planet's population has been consumed by a lethal virus.

Isherwood Williams is a geologist who takes residence in a remote cabin in the woods to work on his research. However, when he comes back to the city, he discovers piles of rotten dead bodies, which were killed by the virus. Being immune to the epidemic, he embarks on a journey to search for the survivors left.

Earth Abides episode 1, titled Alone, made its release on December 1, 2024. In the episode, while Ish takes a trip to Las Vegas, he meets two survivors at a bar after he sneaks into a luxurious hotel. Ann and Milton were visiting guests in the hotel who happened to be at the place when the pandemic hit.

Ish realizes that the three have the immunity needed to sustain the lethal disease. At the end of Earth Abides episode 1, Ish sees smoke at a distance from his house, which could possibly indicate that there are more survivors left.

Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers on Earth Abides episode 1. Viewer discretion is advised.

Ish is bitten by a rattlesnake at the beginning of Earth Abides episode 1

Ish is bitten by a rattlesnake in the beginning of Earth Abides episode 1(Image via Amazon Prime Video)

Earth Abides episode 1 begins showing Ish living in a cabin in the woods, trying to isolate himself for his research and not even taking the call of his mother. He ventures into the mountains in search of rocks, especially pyrite, for his study. But right where he is looking for the stones in the crevices, he is bitten by a rattlesnake.

Ish immediately panics and tries calling 911 emergency, but drops his phone in one of the crevices. Realizing he couldn't pick it up back again, he brings out his pocket knife and slits an opening on the bitten area to suck out the poison. Realizing the poison has started its effect, he quickly drags himself to the cabin but falls unconscious on his bed.

Ish finds himself hallucinating, slipping in and out of his daze, while the viewers see visitors, most likely cops, visiting Ish's doorstep for a search. However, the officers, realizing he is sick, leave him at the place, indicating that there is a contagious virus roaming in the air.

After almost three weeks, Ish recovers from the poison, and by the time he leaves the cabin to buy supplies and medicines from the city, he is terrified after encountering piles of dead human bodies rotting on the streets. On a signboard, he reads about the deadly global pandemic and that the US government has been suspended after the apocalypse.

Ish, horror-stricken, rushes to his parent's home only to find their bodies, dead for days. Grief-stricken, Ish buries his parents in the backyard and tries to accept the truth that most people on the planet are dead. He takes a quick tour to the church, where he encounters a gruesome scene, of all the congregation dead on the benches.

Ish visits a retail store to get supplies, along with a gun and ammunition for his survival. He decides to drive across the Oakland Bay Bridge in San Francisco but only discovers that the military has blocked the entire road in order to prevent the virus from spreading. This breaks down Ish completely, realizing that he is completely trapped, with no way to take his car out.

Hence, Ish decides to take a U-turn and drive all the way to Las Vegas to look for any survivors. The city is completely lit still, with all the casinos open, indicating that none survived to turn the lights down, and the generators are still working. However, upon entering one of its luxurious hotels, and after taking a hot bath alone, Ish stumbles upon two survivors named Ann and Milton in the bar.

Ish meets Ann and Milton in the bar in Earth Abides episode 1 (Image via Amazon Prime Video)

Both of them were not married but just tenants in the hotel who survived the pandemic and started staying together. Milton shows Ish the video clip, which reported all the events that led to the pandemic. None of the vaccines created worked on the virus, which by then started killing people in thousands.

As per Ann, their immunity had made the three survive the pandemic, but she considers this to be a hellacious torture, as she had to see her girls and husband perish away from the disease. Milton informs Ish that they have lost all their hope and will kill each other after.

Milton reveals Ish details about the pandemic in Earth Abides episode 1 (Image via Amazon Prime Video)

Both of them invite Ish to stay with them; however, Ish still hopes to find more survivors. He decides to leave Las Vegas but by the time he is leaving the hotel premises, he hears two gunshots, indicating that Ann and Milton had killed each other.

What happens to Ish at the end of Earth Abides episode 1

Ish finds Lucky in the middle of the road in Earth Abides episode 1 (Image via Amazon Prime Video)

Ish gets severely distressed after the deaths of Ann and Milton and leaves Las Vegas. He drives the car at the top speed, trying to kill himself, but stops when a dog appears in the middle of the road. Meeting the dog, he reconsiders his entire plan, deciding not to kill himself but rather restart a life with his newfound friend.

Ish names the dog Lucky, whom he takes to his parent's house. The two visit the public library to gather all the books, to get enough information required to sustain himself. For the next year, he keeps himself busy by reading books, going off running, driving his vehicle in circles to keep it functioning, and trying his best not to break down and dive into insanity.

Earth Abides episode 1 stands close in connection to its title since the episode documents Ish's journey as he tries to make peace with his loneliness. But at the very end of the episode, on a random day, Ish notices smoke flowing at a distance from his house, which could possibly mean there are still survivors out there.

Edited by Somava