Not Joel, but this character’s death in The Last of Us Season 2 affected me the most

When The Last of Us Season 2 debuted on April 13, 2025, on HBO and Max, viewers prepared for heartbreak. And the show didn't disappoint — brutally. Joel's death in Episode 2, 'Through the Valley,' was like a freight train: Instant, unvarnished, and true to the game.

But as intense as that scene redrew the emotional landscape of the show, it was Jesse's death in the season finale, 'Convergence,' that inflicted the deepest, most senseless wound.

Jesse's role in The Last of Us: The silent anchor in a falling world

Portrayed with humor and soft charm by Young Mazino, Jesse was a sidekick of more. Introduced to Jackson in the early part of the season, Jesse soon became a moral compass in Ellie and Dina's lives. He was considerate, handy, and selfless — the kind of individual whose peaceful nature made the apocalypse feel slightly bearable for a while.

Jesse wasn't a showy character, and that was what made him so necessary. He stuck by Dina with no wavering. Going to Seattle to find Tommy after Ellie was a brave thing to do — it was a testament to the kind of person he was: A protector, a friend, a leader. He was one of the only people left who still believed in the importance of doing what was right, even when it was painful.

The death of Jesse in episode 7 of The Last of Us

The horror of Jesse's fate reached its climax in Episode 7, 'Convergence.' Jesse dies within the frenetic Seattle theater sequence. As Jesse and Ellie infiltrate the lobby after learning that Tommy is in peril, Abby attacks them and fatally shoots Jesse point-blank in the head.

There is no dramatic foreshadowing. No slow-motion hero shot. Just a sudden, terrifying moment that allows no goodbyes. His death occurs instantly, just like in the game — and that's the idea. It is a grim reminder that this world does not suspend its movement for sorrow. Not even for someone as righteous as Jesse.

Why does Jesse's death in The Last of Us hurt differently?

Joel's death is planet-busting — a shaken blow to Ellie and the story. But Jesse's death is subtly crushing. It reinforces the show's denial of idealizing loss. Jesse was a man without any personal agenda or ulterior motives — just a man attempting to assist his friends. And because of that, he was shot down in mid-sentence.

The worst of it? There is hardly time to grieve. Amid the confusion that ensues — Tommy's rescue, Ellie's disintegration, the revenge circle escalating — Jesse's death fades into the distance. And that's what makes it so grim. There is no funeral, no obit, no moment of beauty. Just nothing.

The narrative purpose: Senselessness as a theme

The Last of Us never coddled its message: In this universe, death is quick, capricious, and sometimes meaningless. Jesse's sudden demise reaffirms that ethos. Death isn't always accompanied by closure. And sometimes the nicest people are the ones who crash hardest — not because it's right, but because it's true.

This realism doesn't take away from the pain — if anything, it heightens it. Jesse wasn't killed for shock value — he was killed because in this world, no one is safe. And that reality looms over the rest of the finale like smoke.

Season 2 of The Last of Us was characterized by two emotional gut-punches: Joel's vicious departure and Jesse's shocking, pointless death. One was anticipated. The other caught us off guard — in doing so, it exposed the show's greatest truth: Survival isn't equitable, and sorrow doesn't always receive a spotlight.

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Jesse was not the season's star, but he was its heart. In a world where humanity keeps slipping through everybody's hands, his death is what finally drove me out of hope — and that's precisely why it counted.

Also read: The Last of Us Season 3: Renewal status and everything we know about the future of the HBO Show

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