Warning: Contains SPOILERS for The Last of Us season 2, episode 2!
Joel’s death is one of the most tragic moments inThe Last of Usfranchise, and here is why it happened inThe Last of Usseason 2, episode 2. Joel was the main character in season 1 ofThe Last of Us, with Pedro Pascal’s characterbeing the focus of the first story alongside Bella Ramsey’s Ellie. Unfortunately, it seems that Pedro Pascal’s Joel won’t be nearly as big of a deal in season 2, as his death in the second episode has completely changed the rest ofThe Last of Us' story.
The Last of Usseason 2 has finally arrived,bringing back Joel and Ellie for what originally seemed to be another adventure. In the five years sinceThe Last of Usseason 1, Ellie and Joel have drifted apart, presumably thanks to Joel’s big lie from the season 1 finale. Unfortunately, Abby intervened before Joel and Ellie could make up, with her seeking revenge on Joel for the death of her father. The death of Joel takes place at the end ofThe Last of Usseason 2, episode 2, with many being surprised at how early in the season it happened.
Joel’s Death Needed To Happen Early To Set Up Ellie’s Main Journey In The Last Of Us Season 2
It Is Important For Abby & Ellie’s Stories
Joel’s death happened only two episodes intoThe Last of Usseason 2, and while this seems early, it had to happen at this point for the story to work.The Last of Usseason 2 is an adaptation ofThe Last of Us Part II, with the story of the HBO series sticking fairly close to the story of the video game. The story ofThe Last of Us Part IIkicks off with the death of Joel, causing Ellie to seek revenge. The game chronicles Ellie as her and Dina travel to Seattle, Washington in order to find Abby and kill her, avenging Joel’s death.
The rest ofThe Last of Usseason 2 will presumably follow Ellie on this journey, with her making a cross-country journey similar to the one that Joel and Ellie made in season 1. The themes ofThe Last of Us Part IItackle the dangers of revenge, with Ellie spending the entire story causing all kinds of destruction thanks to her hatred of Abby. Ellie and Abby’s respective vengeful spirits are juxtaposed with each other throughout the story, with this development taking a long time.The story ofThe Last of Us Part IIis much longer than that of the first game, explaining why the HBO show had to get started so quickly.
When Joel’s Death Happens In The Last Of Us Part 2 Game
It Is Just As Early
Joel’s death coming early isn’t unique to HBO’sThe Last of Us, as it occurs shockingly early inThe Last of Us Part IIas well.Joel’s death comes only a few hours intoThe Last of Us PartII,with it occurring shortly after the game’s first big action sequence. After his death, Ellie is playable for the majority of the game, pulling the rug out from under the players.
Joel’s death inThe Last of Usseason 2plays out fairly similarly to how it does inThe Last of Us Part II. Things like Abby being stuck under the fence, Joel saving her, and the gang going back to Abby’s ski lodge occur in both versions of the story. However, there are some changes, such as Joel being on patrol with Dina rather than Tommy. While some of the finer details may be changed, the actual timeline of Joel’s death inThe Last of Usseason 2 is pretty much the same.
What The Cast & Crew Have Said About Joel’s Death In The Last Of Us Season 2
Craig Mazin Has Already Discussed The Death
The Last of Usshowrunner Craig Mazin has already talked toDeadline, discussing the challenges that came with adapting the divisive story ofThe Last of Us Part II. According to Mazin,adapting this story was stressful, as it had to live up to the expectations of fans, address criticisms, and make changes. Here are his full comments:
I was terrified. Neil probably wasn’t. Mark Mylod and I were just panicking because we knew the bar was high. I mean, this moment from the game is extraordinary, and we’re doing it almost the same way, but with some interesting differences, and that’s always a little scary. I don’t know, trying to hit that bar, we were incredibly nervous.
ManyThe Last of Usfans were eager to see how the HBO series handled Joel’s death, as it was clearly going to be a difficult subject for the HBO show to cover. However, Mazin doesn’t want fans to forget how seriously the team is takingThe Last of Us, with him also saying “This episode is upsetting to me, too. I just want people to know that we are not here snickering. We are with them.”
The Last Of Us
Cast
The Last of Us is a post-apocalyptic drama series set two decades after a global catastrophe. It follows Joel, a seasoned survivor, who is tasked with escorting Ellie, a teenage girl, across a desolated United States, transforming into a harrowing journey of survival and companionship.
