In The Last of Us Season 2, Episode 3, titled “The Path,” grief takes a quiet but powerful shape. After sneaking out of Jackson with Dina (played by Isabela Merced), Ellie (played by Bella Ramsey) makes an emotional stop. Ten miles south of town, at a small graveyard Tommy (Gabriel Luna) told her about, Ellie finds Joel’s resting place.
Joel (played by Pedro Pascal) is buried under a simple marker that reads, “Beloved brother and father.” Ellie crouches next to the grave, pulls out a small bag, and gently sprinkles coffee beans onto the fresh soil. She smiles through her tears, touches the earth, and then walks away with a heavy heart.
This small act carries a deep meaning. It’s not random — it’s a memory reaching all the way back to Season 1, Episode 4 titled “Please Hold to My Hand”. During their road trip to Kansas City, Joel had made coffee over a campfire. Ellie, curious but disgusted, had sniffed the bubbling pot and declared, “Urgh, what the fuck is that?” Joel chuckled, asking if she didn’t like coffee, and sipped the bitter brew proudly.
It was a small, ordinary moment, but one filled with warmth and connection. In a world full of violence and loss, those tiny moments of normalcy bonded Joel and Ellie more than anything else. Even though Ellie mocked the smell, she never forgot the man who loved coffee enough to drink the worst of it, just to feel human again.
By sprinkling coffee beans on Joel’s grave, Ellie isn’t just mourning him. She’s honoring a memory, a piece of their shared life that symbolizes love, care, and the safety she felt with him. It’s a private gesture that says: I remember you, I miss you, and I will carry our moments forever.
The Last Of Us: What Tommy Says To Joel’s Body
Episode 3 doesn’t just move the story forward — it deepens Ellie’s personal journey through grief. Her act with the coffee beans is a quiet promise to Joel: she’s still fighting, still remembering, even when the world feels like it’s falling apart.
As Ellie and Dina head out on their path of vengeance, Joel’s memory will ride with her. Not just the pain of his death, but the joy of the small things they shared — like the taste of terrible coffee in the middle of a broken world.
Visit tvacute.com again soon for more news, previews, and recaps about The Last of Us and your other favorite shows.
The Last Of Us Season 2: Who Are The Seraphites? Explained!
THE LAST OF US SEASON 2 EPISODE 3 RECAP: A WORLD WITHOUT JOEL
The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 2: Abby’s Revenge Explained!
THE LAST OF US SEASON 2 EPISODE 3 IMAGES: WHAT TO EXPECT
THE LAST OF US SEASON 2 EPISODE 2 “THROUGH THE VALLEY” – TITLE & NEW PHOTOS REVEALED
The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 2: Abby’s Revenge Explained!
The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 2 Recap: Abby’s Revenge and Joel’s Tragic Ending in Through the Valley
The Last of Us Season 2 Cast: Who Is Manny and Who Plays Him?
WHO IS EUGENE IN ‘THE LAST OF US’? THE TRUTH BEHIND JOEL’S KILLING
ELLIE AND DINA’S FIRST KISS IN THE LAST OF US SEASON 2 EXPLAINED
THE LAST OF US SEASON 2: WHO IS ABBY? AND WHO PLAYS HER?
THE LAST OF US (FUTURE DAYS) RECAP: SEASON 2 EPISODE 1 — EXPLAINED
THE LAST OF US SEASON 2: WHO IS ISAAC AND WHO PLAYS HIM?
THE LAST OF US SEASON 2: WHO IS NORA AND WHO PLAYS HER?
THE LAST OF US SEASON 2 EPISODE 1 – WHAT DOES ‘FUTURE DAYS’ MEAN?
