How does Joel’s death in The Last of Us Season 2 differ from the video game? Explained

**Disclaimer: This article contains spoilers for The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 2. Reader discretion is advised.**

HBO's The Last of Us Season 2 witnessed the most brutal and shocking character death in its recent episode that will forever change the trajectory of Ellie's story. While fans of the video game of the same name were bracing themselves for the death of Joel, viewers of the TV series were shocked to witness the protagonist, played by Pedro Pascal, die.

In the video game, too, Joel dies early on in Part II, so fans were anticipating that the show might delay this key event. However, last night's episode proved otherwise.

With Abby's introduction in the Season 2 premiere, the show was gearing up for Joel's eventual death, which was primarily tackled similarly to the video game, except for two major changes. Firstly, Joel was with Tommy (not Dina) when he died in the game and secondly, Abby cracked Joel's skull with a golf club in the game, unlike the show where she stabbed him in the neck.

More on Joel's death in The Last of Us Season 2 and the video game in our story.

How was Joel killed in The Last of Us Season 2 and the video game?

While video game players might have anticipated it for a long time, The Last of Us Season 2 audiences might have been shocked by the brutal death of Pascal's character. Since Joel had been a main character and Ellie's protector since Season 1, it was heartbreaking to see him die as he did, in front of her.

Joel's torture and killing by Abby was primarily similar in The Last of Us Season 2 and the video game. She attacked and killed him using a golf club.

First, she shoots Joel in the leg with her shotgun in both versions and asks her friends to bandage his leg so he doesn't die of blood loss. Next, she takes a golf club and beats Joel's face repeatedly till his face is a bloodied pulp. In both versions, Ellie reaches Abby's home and witnesses the brutal killing of Joel.

When she tries to reach him, Abby's friends hold her back, and she is forced to watch as Abby makes her final strike. In the video game, she smashes Joel's skull with the golf club, while in The Last of Us Season 2, she fatally stabs his neck with it.

As Abby and her group leave, Ellie makes her way to Joel, who is barely breathing. She takes out the shiv from his neck and covers his dead body with hers and cries in agony, vowing revenge on Abby.

Gabriel Luna suggested this change in Joel's death scene in The Last of Us Season 2

While most of the dialogue and scenes that follow Joel's death in The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 2 are similar to the video game, there was another key change.

In the video game, Joel is on patrol with his brother Tommy when they come across Abby and save her. After realising Joel's identity, she lures the two into her group's house, known as the Baldwin Mansion. In the TV show, while Tommy fights against the infected in Jackson, Joel is on patrol with Dina when they rescue Abby.

The change, it turns out, was pitched by actor Gabriel Luna (who plays Tommy in the show) to showrunner Craig Mazin and game creator Neil Druckmann. Luna felt Tommy would not be trusting of strangers and let the duo follow Abby, as he discussed in an interview with Esquire:

"Would Tommy be that careless to reveal Joel's identity? As a seasoned veteran, somebody who had to protect this city and keep it safe, would he be so trusting of strangers? And then to walk into this ambush and be knocked out for that moment, unable to use any of his strength and skills to protect his brother, it always pinged in my mind''

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Also Read: The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 2 recap

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