HBO’s The Last of Us has redefined video game adaptations with its emotional depth and gripping narrative. At TV Acute, we’re diving into one of the most pivotal moments of The Last of Us Season 2: the tragic death of Joel Miller (Pedro Pascal) in Episode 2, “Through the Valley,” which aired on April 20, 2025. This heart-wrenching event, adapted from the controversial death in The Last of Us Part II video game, has left fans reeling. While the show stays true to the game’s core, the showrunners introduced subtle yet impactful changes to Joel’s demise. In this article, we’ll compare how Joel’s death unfolds in the TV series versus the game, highlighting key differences, their significance, and what they mean for the story. Whether you’re a longtime fan or new to the series, this breakdown will help you understand the nuances of this unforgettable moment.
Joel’s Death in The Last of Us Part II Video Game
To understand the differences, let’s first examine how Joel’s death plays out in The Last of Us Part II. In the game, Abby, a former Firefly, seeks revenge against Joel for killing her father, a surgeon, during his rampage at the Firefly hospital to save Ellie in the first game. Abby ventures to Jackson, Wyoming, alone, as her friend Owen hesitates to risk their group without a clear plan. Jackson is a fortified community, making it challenging to locate Joel.
During a blizzard, Abby is chased by a horde of infected and nearly overwhelmed. Joel, on patrol with his brother Tommy, saves her life. To reassure Abby after the ordeal, Tommy introduces himself and Joel, unknowingly revealing their identities. Abby seizes the opportunity, realizing she’s found her target outside Jackson’s safety. She convinces Joel and Tommy to follow her to a lodge where her allies—Mel, Nora, Manny, and others—are hiding, claiming it’s a safe refuge.
At the lodge, Joel and Tommy introduce themselves to Abby’s group, unaware they’ve walked into a trap. As Joel senses something is off, Abby shoots his leg, and her allies knock Tommy unconscious. Abby, consumed by years of grief, tells Joel, “You don’t get to rush this,” refusing his plea to end it quickly. Mel tourniquets Joel’s leg to prolong his suffering, and Abby brutally beats him with a golf club. Ellie, tracking Joel’s patrol route, arrives at the lodge but is pinned down by Abby’s friends, forced to watch helplessly. When Owen urges Abby to hurry after Ellie’s arrival, Abby delivers the fatal blows, bludgeoning Joel to death. The group knocks Ellie out and flees Wyoming, their revenge complete.
This moment in the game is raw and polarizing, sparking debate among players for its brutality and early placement in the story. It sets Ellie on a path of vengeance, shaping the game’s narrative.
Joel’s Death in The Last of Us Season 2, Episode 2
In The Last of Us Season 2, Episode 2, the showrunners—Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann—adapt Joel’s death with fidelity to the game but introduce distinct changes to enhance the television format. Here’s how the TV series handles this pivotal scene:
Five years after Season 1, Joel and Ellie live in Jackson, but tension brews as Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) tracks Joel for killing her father. Unlike the game, where Abby hunts alone, the show has her accompanied by her allies from the start. A significant departure is the infected attack on Jackson, triggered by Abby’s actions. She sets off an “infected avalanche,” breaching the town’s defenses—a scenario absent from the game, where Jackson remains secure.
During a blizzard, Abby is chased by a horde of infected, mirroring the game. Joel, on patrol with Dina (Isabela Merced) instead of Tommy, saves Abby from a runner. In the game, Tommy reveals their identities, but in the show, Dina calls out Joel’s name while they regroup in a warehouse, alerting Abby to his identity. Abby persuades Joel and Dina to follow her to a ski lodge, claiming it’s a safe haven from the infected and the storm.
At the lodge, the tone shifts. Joel, noticing Jackson burning in the distance, attempts to radio his people, adding urgency not present in the game. Abby initially urges her allies—Owen (Spencer Lord), Nora (Tati Gabrielle), Mel (Ariela Barer), and Manny (Danny Ramirez)—to help Joel and Dina, maintaining her ruse. She then reveals Joel’s presence, and her group springs into action. They hold a gun to Dina’s head, sedate her with an injection (a change from the game, where Dina isn’t present), and disarm Joel.
Abby’s confrontation with Joel is more verbose in the show. She interrogates him about his actions against the Fireflies, explicitly stating he killed her father, a callback to the game’s subtext but drawn out for dramatic effect. Like in the game, Abby shoots Joel’s knee and tourniquets his leg to prolong his suffering. She beats him with a golf club, targeting his injured leg before striking his head. Ellie, tracking Joel and Dina’s horse, enters the lodge and finds Joel bloodied and helpless. Abby’s allies slam Ellie to the floor, forcing her to watch. When Owen presses Abby to finish, she stabs Joel in the neck with a broken golf club—a visceral deviation from the game’s bludgeoning, evoking the way one might kill an infected.
Ellie, left barely conscious, crawls to Joel’s body and cradles him, a gut-wrenching moment that echoes their bond from Season 1. The scene, filmed over two days in March 2024 in Kamloops, Canada, under harsh winter conditions, took over a month to complete due to its emotional and technical complexity. Director Mark Mylod focused on capturing the heartbreak, with Kaitlyn Dever calling the filming process “devastating” given Joel and Ellie’s relationship.
Key Differences and Their Impact
The changes in the TV series enhance the stakes and adapt the story for a broader audience. Here are the primary differences and their significance:
- Patrol Companion: In the game, Joel patrols with Tommy, emphasizing their brotherly bond. The show replaces Tommy with Dina, aligning with Ellie’s growing relationships in Season 2 and setting up Dina’s role in Ellie’s revenge arc. This shift adds emotional weight, as Dina witnesses Joel’s capture, impacting her dynamic with Ellie.
- Infected Attack on Jackson: The show’s infected avalanche and breach of Jackson create external chaos absent in the game. This amplifies the urgency, making Joel’s decision to follow Abby feel more desperate and less naive, addressing criticism that Joel and Tommy were too trusting in the game.
- Identity Revelation: Dina calling Joel’s name in the warehouse replaces Tommy’s introduction in the game. This organic reveal ties the moment to the patrol’s dynamics and avoids the game’s convenient dialogue, grounding the scene in the show’s realism.
- Dina’s Presence and Sedation: Dina’s sedation in the show, versus her absence in the game, adds a layer of vulnerability. By neutralizing Dina, the show focuses the conflict on Joel and Abby, ensuring Ellie’s later arrival carries maximum impact.
- Abby’s Confrontation: The show’s extended dialogue, with Abby interrogating Joel about her father, makes her motive explicit, catering to viewers unfamiliar with the game. This contrasts with the game’s terser exchange, where Abby’s rage speaks through action.
- Method of Death: The show’s neck stab with a broken golf club, compared to the game’s bludgeoning, is equally gruesome but visually distinct. The stab, resembling an infected kill, underscores Abby’s dehumanization of Joel, aligning with the show’s visceral tone.
- Ellie’s Arrival: Both versions have Ellie witnessing Joel’s death, but the show’s staging, with Ellie crawling to Joel’s body, intensifies the emotional payoff. It mirrors Season 1 moments, like Ellie nursing Joel, reinforcing their bond.
Why These Changes Matter
The show’s alterations balance fidelity to the game with television’s narrative demands. The infected attack and Jackson’s breach heighten the stakes, making the world feel more dangerous. Dina’s inclusion ties the scene to Ellie’s personal stakes, setting up her vengeance. The explicit dialogue ensures clarity for new viewers, while the altered killing method maintains the shock value. These changes address game criticisms, like Joel’s perceived recklessness, by framing his actions in a chaotic context.
The scene’s emotional weight is universal. Pedro Pascal, reflecting on HBO’s aftershow, said, “The heartbreak on set was real. It’s not just about shock—it’s about loss.” Kaitlyn Dever echoed this, noting the challenge of filming such a pivotal moment. The show’s tweaks ensure Joel’s death resonates with both game fans and newcomers, preserving its status as a narrative gut-punch.
For more insights on The Last of Us Season 2, including episode analyses and cast updates, follow trusted sources like TV Acute. Joel’s death, while devastating, is a testament to the story’s emotional power, and the show’s thoughtful changes ensure it remains a defining moment in television.
