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The Last of Us Season 2 Shocks Fans with Joel’s Early Death and 3 Major Changes

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In Season 2, Episode 2 titled “Through the Valley,” the show The Last of Us fulfills everyone’s dread as Joel Miller meets his end at the hands of Abby Anderson. This occurs near the episode’s close following a prolonged, harsh, and merciless pursuit to locate him. The portrayal of this event is harrowing and distressing, with an emphasis on Abby’s inventive methods of exacting five years of sorrow upon Joel before Ellie discovers a nearly unrecognizable Joel writhing in agony.

Although the scene in HBO’s The Last of Us adaptation seems reminiscent of how Joel dies in The Last of Us Part II, it deviates significantly from that portrayal. Unlike the game, where most of “Through the Valley” is shown from Joel’s perspective before his death, the TV series primarily focuses on the Jackson community’s struggle against hordes of infected invading their settlement. This misdirection made viewers doubt that Abby would execute her mission in this episode, but The Last of Us was ready to move on swiftly from that storyline.

The Similarities Between Joel’s Death in the Game and the Show

In “The Last of Us Part II,” Joel’s death scene is more straightforward narratively compared to Season 2 of “The Last of Us.” The events leading up to his demise are presented from both Abby and Ellie’s viewpoints. Unaware that Joel is part of the patrol she’s tracking, Abby embarks on a journey in the mountains outside Jackson to gather information about him, encountering him unknowingly while he flees with Tommy from an infected horde.

Meanwhile, Ellie and Dina are relatively safe from the snowstorm, seeking refuge until Jesse arrives to disclose that Joel and Tommy have gone missing. Unbeknownst to them, Abby had enticed them to the lodge, where her companions subdued Tommy, allowing Abby to brutally murder Joel with a golf club. However, the fundamental narrative of the sequence remains consistent in the television series.

Joel saves Abby from a group of infected, then returns to her lodge for protection but ends up dying. Later on, Abby tries to fight Joel off with a golf club before ultimately stabbing him with the sharpened shaft. Ellie notices something’s amiss when Joel fails to contact Jackson at their checkpoint, leading her to discover the tragic event at the lodge where she is held down and forced to witness Joel’s death.

Dina Replaces Tommy as Joel’s Companion

The TV series handles Joel’s demise differently compared to the original narrative involving Tommy and Joel, which carries substantial implications for the aftermath and the way characters react in their quest for vengeance. Instead of Tommy and Joel, this alteration primarily impacts Dina’s response. Although it won’t significantly affect how Tommy grieves his brother’s death—he’ll still be devastated and possibly feel guilty for not being present and choosing Jackson over his brother—it does drastically modify Dina’s coping mechanisms.

In the game, Joel and Dina didn’t have a deep connection, mainly exchanging friendly greetings. However, as Ellie pulls away from Joel, a friendship blossoms between them in the series. Initially, this was intended to show Joel’s gentle side that emerged in Jackson, as well as his need for a surrogate daughter to uphold his virtues. Yet, with further understanding, their bond in Episode 2 provides Dina with a stronger reason to pursue Abby later in the season, rather than merely playing the supportive girlfriend role.

Abby Gives a Longer Speech to Joel Before Attacking Him

In the game, Abby swiftly executes her mission, despite brief scenes showcasing her persistent quest to uncover Joel’s demise. As a soldier, she is direct and to-the-point. The narrative moves at a slower pace when it comes to her pursuit of vengeance for her father, which she discloses to Joel during an extended conversation, unlike in the game where this revelation might not occur.

In a straightforward manner, Abby compellingly reveals crucial details about herself to Joel during their ordeal, by disclosing her actions such as shooting his kneecap, confessing her kill count in Salt Lake City, and explaining her reasons for defying the WLF’s leader’s code. This stark portrayal of Abby strips away any lingering enigma about her character, though it may be necessary if viewers do not see Abby again for a while. However, Joel urges her to finish quickly, to which Abby retorts, “You foolish, old man.” She continues, “You don’t get to hurry this up.” This line is taken directly from the game.

Ellie Is Kept Conscious After Joel’s Death

The real shock happens near the end of the episode. Ellie encounters a lodge where she unexpectedly finds Abby attacking someone. The man’s face is discolored, bleeding profusely, and severely swollen. Despite her attempts to defend him and plead with Abby to spare his life, as she did in the game, Ellie fails. It is then that Ellie becomes enraged and vows to kill Abby for her actions.

The key distinction in this scenario is that, unlike in the game, Ellie stays conscious throughout the entire scene in the show. In the game, Ellie gets knocked unconscious, and when she awakens, Abby and her group have already left, with the game offering a brief pause for players to grapple with Joel’s demise before progressing to the next part. The most impactful modification made so far in the series is keeping Ellie conscious. In the show, Manny renders Ellie nearly immobile but not incapacitated enough to prevent Abby and her team from departing. She remains weak and focused solely on Joel as they leave. Rather than seeking revenge, she grieves the loss she has just experienced.

New episodes of The Last of Us premiere every Sunday at 9 PM ET on HBO.

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2025-04-21 05:20

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