If you’re entering the world of HBO’s The Last of Us completely unaware of anything but the series, then we suggest you read no further. Because recently, Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, and more discussed the most shocking part of The Last of Us Part II. Yes, we’re talking about Joel’s death.
Speaking to Esquire, Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, and Craig Mazin all chimed in on the matter of Joel’s death, whether it will happen, and how the series will likely approach it. And… yeah, it’s not looking so great for Joel. But… we probably won’t see Joel die in the first episode of The Last of Us season two either.
Pascal noted he hasn’t played The Last of Us games or watched the scene of Joel’s death to date. But “It wouldn’t make sense to follow the first game so faithfully only to stray severely from the path… So, yeah, that’s my honest answer.” It sounds like Pascal has squared with his character’s fate. But co-star Bella Ramsey, who plays Ellie, doesn’t seem so certain about losing Pascal’s Joel yet.
They offer, “If that does take place in the show… I don’t know that I’m emotionally ready for it.” But likely, Ellie won’t feel emotionally ready for it either. So, that’s probably another check in the Joel death category.
However, showrunner Craig Mazin does offer a sprinkle of something different. On the matter of Joel’s death in the HBO The Last of Us series, he has this to say:
This should be fairly obvious to anyone by now, but I don’t fear killing characters. But the important thing to note is that neither Neil [Druckmann, who co-created and exec-produces the series with Mazin] nor I feel constrained by the source material.
Fascinating. Could there be hope for Pedro Pascal’s Joel on The Last of Us, yet? Or will his death simply evolve to the point we don’t see it coming, and it hurts all the more? Probably the latter. But with confirmation that The Last of Us Part II will be told over more than one season, we probably still have some time left with Joel. This is great because we need to see more of Pascal and Ramsey and their Joel and Ellie before we have to let them go. Then again, if Joel did die in The Last of Us season two episode one, we surely will not have seen that one coming.