Fans were left baffled when The Last of Us season 2 killed off one of its main characters early on.
Some are still in denial, while many turned from shock to anger. And sure, it's been a while since that happened, but some fans even quit the series afterward.
Caution: This post contains SPOILERS from The Last of Us season 2 episode 2
Joel's death was more than a plot twist. Viewers had only just settled into the emotional core that defined season 1, and suddenly, the heart of the show was ripped out. Pedro Pascal's exit changed the audience’s relationship with the story and left a lingering bitterness.
The fans' response to Pedro Pascal's Joel being killed off in The Last of Us season 2 episode 2
Co-creator Craig Mazin reacted to the disappointment, stating that he and Neil Druckmann were only following the storyline — that was Joel's demise in the video game that the series is based on, so that's what they did on screen. But fans who didn't play the game — and even some who did but wanted more of Joel — won't settle for that explanation.
The first season of The Last of Us saw the relationship between Joel and Ellie form and grow stronger with each episode. Fans soon began to love their complex dynamic, which sometimes felt like father and daughter, sometimes like best buddies, and more than once like patient and caretaker. With Joel gone, that dynamic is lost.
The real reason Pedro Pascal exited The Last of Us prematurely
Pascal himself claims he's always in denial when a project ends, and this one has been no different. But he knew his character's fate even before he signed the contract for The Last of Us season 1.
The creators made it no secret they were planning to adapt the main events of the video game, and Joel's death at the hands of Abby, right before Ellie's eyes, was one of these events. "It was just a matter of how and when," he said.
Joel still appeared in several flashback scenes in episodes 5 and 6. The good news is that the creators have essentially confirmed Pascal’s return in season 3, at least for more flashbacks exploring Ellie and Joel’s connection and Ellie’s ongoing grief. But while he hasn’t completely vanished from the show, it’s a far cry from being one of the leads.
Joel’s death was always inevitable for those who knew the source material, but inevitability doesn’t soften the blow. As season 3 approaches, Pascal’s return in flashbacks may offer some closure, but for fans, it'll never be as good as having him on full-time.