Yes, He’s Really Dead

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Spoilers of The Last of Us season two episode two follow.

Over the last day, the world seemed to lose its sense of right and wrong, but we’re not referring to Pope Francis; we’re talking about the character Joel from The Last of Us. In the second episode of the series’ second season, Pedro Pascal’s portrayal of the reluctant foster father was brutally killed by a new character named Abby, played by Kaitlyn Dever. As viewers watched in shock, Abby shot Joel in the leg, attacked him with a golf club, and ultimately impaled him with a broken club while Ellie, his surrogate daughter, looked on helplessly. Anyone who may have forgotten that this show specializes in tearing at audience heartstrings was given a stark reminder by the final scene, where Ellie lay beside Joel’s lifeless body. Interestingly, Joel’s death takes place early in The Last of Us Part II, although Abby shares her motivation during an interrogation with Joel rather than later in the game.

As a film enthusiast, I’ve rarely witnessed such an outpouring of emotion online since the day Ned Stark met his end in 2011. One tweet read, “It’s all good, he’ll wake up soon, right?” followed by “He’ll recover and everything will be fine. Joel and Ellie forever, right?” However, it seems that Joel and Ellie’s journey doesn’t extend beyond the game anymore. Now, those who played this emotional saga can freely discuss it with others without the burden of a massive secret hanging over our conversations.

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2025-04-21 18:54