The Last Of Us Season 2 Episode 2’s Major Character Death Explained

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Hey there fellow fan! If you haven’t yet, I strongly urge you to halt your reading immediately before diving into the massive spoilers for “Through the Valley,” the gripping second episode of season two from the incredible series “The Last of Us.” Trust me, you don’t want these surprises ruined for you!!!

For those who experienced “The Last of Us Part II,” the highly acclaimed video game released by Naughty Dog in 2020 (a sequel to the 2013 game), this twist was inevitable, even if they didn’t anticipate it so promptly. The main character from the initial game, Joel Miller, portrayed by Pedro Pascal, and who also stars in the HBO adaptation “The Last of Us” that premiered in 2023, has met his end.

In the opening episode of Season 2, titled “Future Days,” we encounter Abby, who will later become Joel’s killer. She’s a fresh face in the series and serves as the catalyst for the events of “The Last of Us Part II.” From the start, it’s evident that she’s pursuing him, unlike her game counterpart where her motivation remains unclear. In an episode called “Through the Valley,” Joel saves Abby from a horde of cordyceps zombies, but it soon becomes obvious that kindness isn’t always rewarded. The question arises as to why Abby expresses a desire to kill Joel slowly in “Future Days” and why she torments him before eventually taking his life with a broken golf club shaft. What fuels this anger and destruction? All these answers can be traced back to the Season 1 finale, “Look for the Light.” In that episode, Joel ruthlessly stormed a hospital filled with rebels known as Fireflies, killing several doctors and nurses. Unbeknownst to him, one of those he killed was Abby’s father. This is the root cause of her rage and desire for revenge against Joel.

Abby wants revenge for the death of her father — and that’s why he kills Joel

At the beginning of “The Last of Us,” Joel reluctantly consents to escort a girl named Ellie, portrayed by Bella Ramsey, to the previously mentioned Firefly hospital. This is because she was bitten by an infected creature but didn’t transform, suggesting that she might be the only person immune to the virus in this post-apocalyptic world. As they travel together, Joel, who lost his daughter Sarah (Nico Parker) at the start of the outbreak, develops genuine affection for Ellie, and she reciprocates these feelings. When he saves her from danger in Season 1 and refers to her as “babygirl,” a term he used for Sarah, it’s evident that they have formed a close bond within a brief period.

When it comes to saving Ellie’s life during surgery to find the cure for the cordyceps virus, the doctors suggested dissecting her brain. Faced with this grim choice, Joel resorts to violence, fighting his way through the hospital, carrying an unconscious Ellie and escaping with her. Unfortunately, in this violent encounter, many unarmed individuals, including Abby’s father who was about to operate on Ellie, lose their lives.

Upon waking up, Ellie asks Joel about what transpired, but he tells her that the procedure didn’t work, hiding the truth that she would have willingly given up her life for the cause. This deception has been a subject of debate among gamers and now viewers alike, as they ponder whether or not Ellie trusts Joel’s explanation.

In keeping with her promise, Abby spends time explaining to Joel why she intends to kill him before wounding his leg, brutalizing him without remorse, and ultimately driving a golf club shaft into his neck, ending his life. Ellie doesn’t witness the entire ordeal but enters the house that Abby and her companions have overtaken near the end of Joel’s suffering. Shocked and powerless to stop it, she is quickly restrained by one of Abby’s allies as she watches in dismay as her mentor figure meets his demise – an event that lays the groundwork for the subsequent events in this narrative.

Violence begets violence, and it looks like Abby needs to look out for Ellie

Through “The Last of Us,” we’ve come to understand that Ellie is a relentless fighter – she doesn’t surrender easily, and when she witnesses a stranger killing Joel, her determination for vengeance becomes evident, even towards Abby. As players of the game might anticipate, “The Last of Us Part II” predominantly revolves around the climactic confrontation between Ellie and Abby. (This isn’t a spoiler, but rather an expectation, as Ellie is rarely one to shy away from a battle or challenge.)

The theme of Season 2 of “The Last of Us” is the perpetual cycle of violence, making for an intriguing narrative to follow. Interestingly, this series, though seemingly centered around zombies, delves deeper into human behavior amidst the apocalypse – exploring the conflicts, hostilities, and bonds that arise in such a scenario.

Joel, initially reserved and guarded, found solace and healing from his tragic loss (referring to Sarah) through his relationship with Ellie. On the other hand, Ellie, who never had a real parental figure before, found one in Joel. Although we see tension between them in “Future Days,” a rift that has grown over five years, their bond is so strong that it resembles blood relations. If Joel could speak to Ellie after his death, he’d likely warn her that seeking vengeance would only lead to more suffering and violence – a lesson she hasn’t yet grasped.

Now that Abby’s story has concluded, we will witness Ellie’s quest for revenge unfold.

“The Last of Us” airs new episodes on Sundays at 9 P.M. EST on Max and Hulu.

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2025-04-21 05:30