Spoiler Alert: Major spoilers to follow for The Last of Us Season 2, Episode 2Fans of the video game version ofThe Last of Usknew what Joel Miller’s (Pedro Pascal) fate would be, so his death in Season 2, Episode 2, titled “Through the Valley,” was inevitable according to canon. Season 2 of the critically acclaimed HBO show is based onThe Last of Us Part II, the second installment inThe Last of Usvideo game series, which is filled with as many unpredictable twists as the first part and Season 1 of the TV series.
In line with the video games,Joel dies after being brutally murdered with a golf club — and, in the show, impaled by it — by Abby Anderson(Kaitlyn Dever). His death at the hands of Abby was expected as she was seeking revenge against Joel after he killed her father and saved Ellie (Bella Ramsey) from the medical procedure in the Season 1 finale, “Look for the Light.”
Recall that the operation would’ve killed Ellie, but it could’ve resulted in a cure for the zombie virus, and the Fireflies would’ve been responsible for creating it. The danger to Ellie prompted Joel to massacre everyone. Since the video game came out in 2020, there has been debate within the fanbase about whether Joel was the monster in this situation, and it was hinted at in Episode 1 of the second season, titled “Future Days.“New fans will now partake in the debate and take sides as Ellie embarks on a path of grief and vengeance now that Joel is gone.
Joel Is Considered the Antagonist of ‘The Last of Us Part II’ From One Point of View
The Last Of Us
The second gameinThe Last of Usvideo gameseries explored the idea of Joel being the villain, at least from Abby’s point of view, and, given what’s been teased about Season 2 moving forward, the HBO series will also explore this theme. Someone is always the villain in another’s story, and given the circumstances of a zombie apocalypse surrounding the narrative, it’s easy for the mindset to become “kill or be killed.”
Like any other character, Joel — despite being the protagonist in the first game and season of the show — is corruptible, and yes, he murdered all the Fireflies involved in attempting to sacrifice Ellie’s life, including Abby’s father. The two have a surrogate father-daughter relationship, so in his mind, he was saving someone he cared about, meaning he had to do what was necessary to put her safety first. Also taking into consideration that he had lost his daughter, Sarah (Nico Parker), saving Ellie was his way of not allowing history to repeat itself.
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Abby’s perspective on Joel tells a different story. While Joel firmly believed he was doing the right thing, at least for himself,Abby sees his actions as selfishand monstrous. Abby’s storyline paints Joel in a different light for viewers, as she believes that his decision to massacre everyone at the hospital in the Season 1 finale was cruel and unjust.
The differing points of view are a refreshing reminder to see each character’s actions from a different lens, and it’s an excellent way for people to reflect on what they would do in this scenario. Season 2, Episode 1, titled “Future Days,” has already hinted at exploring Joel’s dark side and questioning his decision to save Ellie and the lengths he went to.
Joel’s Character Has Been the Cause of Discourse Among ‘The Last of Us’ Fans
Joel’s death in the TV series has reopened a can of worms that hadn’t been touched since the second installment of the game series hit consoles, and it’s bringing in a new audience. His death occurring this early in the season isn’t surprising for players of the original game, but for viewers who are only familiar with the show, this was a shock, as you may have thought Abby’s revenge-fueled mission would span the course of Season 2 and perhaps lead into Season 3, but this wasn’t the case as the showrunners committed to what came before, despite the narrative choice being overwhelmingly divisive.
Of course,given the ruthless nature of the franchise, it should come as no surprise that any character can be killed at any moment. LikeGame of Thrones,The Walking Dead, and other series, main characters can be killed off in brutal fashion. If you had forgotten this in the two-year hiatus betweenThe Last of UsSeason 1 and 2, fans have certainly been reminded.
Hints of Joel’s past are referenced in both the game and show, alluding to the fact that he did whatever was necessary to survive at the start of the apocalypse following Sarah’s death. It makes sense that someone would eventually come for their revenge, and it just so happened to be a former Firefly.Given his past, no one should be surprised by what would eventually happen to Joel. And Pascal, as many know, isn’t a stranger to being brutally murdered, as he portrayed Oberyn Martell inGame of Thrones,who also experienced a horrendous death.
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The divisive debate is centered on who was right and wrong, whose actions were justified and unjustifiable. It’s Ellie’s turn to seek revenge for Joel’s death, and she’ll go after Abby to balance the scales, adding another figure to the equation. Fans will consider each character’s actions and decide who they believe was right: Joel murdering innocent people to save Ellie and sacrificing a potential cure; Abby seeking revenge for her father’s death and killing Joel; and Ellie potentially killing others to try to get to Abby. Joel’s death raises many questions, and now fans will get toexplore Ellie’s journey of vengeance.The Last of UsSeason 2 is streaming onMax.
