The Last of Us Season 2: Joel’s Fate Sparks Massive Backlash Among Fans

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A buzz has been building up as HBO’s The Last of Us gears up for its second season, sparking discussions across the internet. The early episodes align with the significant storylines from The Last of Us Part II, leaving newcomers to the series experiencing a controversy that shook the gaming community in 2020. At the heart of this stir? Joel’s character.

WARNING: The following contains major spoilers for The Last of Us Season 2.

In The Last of Us Season 1, Pedro Pascal’s performance as Joel generated a variety of responses. Some viewers admired his portrayal, but others believed it fell short in capturing the original game character’s intensity and earthy qualities. Interestingly, these same viewers are now dealing with the possibility that Joel’s screen time could be limited—exactly as it was in the games. Although longtime gamers were expecting this development, it doesn’t lessen the emotional impact on those who have only watched the show.

Initially, the video game “The Last of Us Part II” stirred up a lot of debate due to its early scenes where a strong, muscular female character named Abby brutally kills Joel, who was the main character from the first game in the series.

The follow-up to the initial game sparked significant controversy due to its choice to exclude Joel from the storyline prematurely, leading to a passionate yet predictable rift between gamers and critics. Gamers were taken aback when one of their most cherished characters in contemporary storytelling was abruptly eliminated. Many felt it was a betrayal of narrative integrity. Critics, on the other hand, regarded it as daring storytelling. Despite varying viewpoints, it fundamentally altered how fans interacted with the franchise.

Currently, HBO is recreating similar plot points for live-action, leading to a renewed wave of emotional impact on a broader level. The internet has been inundated with perplexity and discontent from viewers who claim to have been taken aback by the unfolding events. One spectator penned, “This isn’t what I expected,” while another expressed, “It seems they’re repeating this story again?

Vara Dark, a YouTuber, remarked that gamers appear to be reliving “Joel’s PTSD” once more, while the general public is just now grasping why the second game stirred up such controversy. She foretold a substantial decrease in ratings and viewership, using the current Rotten Tomatoes audience score—which had fallen to approximately 54% post-episode—as an early indicator of this trend.

Some viewers are finding additional annoyance due to speculation that Rotten Tomatoes may have delayed or manipulated user reviews for the latest episode, despite a large number of new audience ratings being recorded. This situation echoes concerns raised during other recent media disputes involving popular franchises, where established fanbases criticized high-profile series.

The creators, Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, have confirmed they’ll stick to the structure of the second game, which involves a storyline that necessitates fans to transition their emotional attachment from Joel to Ellie, and later to Abby, who is connected to Joel’s demise.

As a passionate movie enthusiast, I can’t help but feel electrified by the almost certain casting of Kaitlyn Dever as Abby in this upcoming show. This move seems to suggest that the production team is wholeheartedly diving into the game’s trajectory, even tackling the complex and contentious relationships that have sparked quite a debate among fans.

Some of us are eagerly anticipating how the series will unfold Abby’s storyline, while others remain steadfast in their opposition to the choice of making her the focal point of the narrative.

Currently in The Last of Us fandom after episode 2:#TheLastOfUs

— cσσkíє 🎮 (@ArcanaLegacy) April 21, 2025

In contrast to the internet’s buzz with criticism, the series continues to receive acclaim from critics for its compelling narrative and acting. The second season still maintains a strong critical approval, though the general audience’s opinion seems to differ.

In 2020, we experienced an event that has returned, but on a significantly broader scope. This time, it’s not just gamers anticipating the impact—it’s millions of spectators, many of whom are newcomers to this series, and they’re finding out firsthand how contentious this part of The Last of Us actually is.

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2025-04-22 16:56