Warning: The Following Contains Spoilers for The Last of Us Season 2, Episode 2, “Through the Valley”
Pedro Pascal is no stranger to dying. The characters he’s played have kicked the bucket numerous times on shows likeBuffy the Vampire Slayer,Game of Thrones, and now, sadly, HBO’sThe Last of Us. It was a deaththat most people knew was coming, but that still doesn’t lessen the blow any, as is evident by the reactions on social media toThe Last of UsSeason 2’s second episode, “Through the Valley.”
As someone who played the video games, user @UpToTASK on X noted that Joel’s heartbreaking death inThe Last of Uswas something they’d been keeping in for a while in order to not spoil things for those who had no what they were about to witness. “Dear people who’ve never played #TheLastOfUs: DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG WE HAVE HELD THIS SECRET?!?” The FN Nerds Podcast added: “Everyone experiencing THAT moment on #TheLastOfUs for the first time…welcome to the trauma." Then there was @dinmurdock, who said, “That was genuinely one of the best episodes of television ever,” continuing:
“The writing, the dialogue, the action, the tension building up, the sense of danger hanging over the entirety of the episode, the action, and of course the incredible acting performances.”
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@ShimBo84 echoed those sentiments in their own post on X, saying, “This episode of #TheLastOfUs is one of the best in TV history.” It was definitely one of the most emotional episodes we’ve seen ofThe Last of Us, and one that will probably be remembered for a long time to come. The look in Ellie’s eyes as she was held down and made to watch as Abby took the life of her surrogate father… It was powerful television that was made all the more upsetting as she cried, helpless, for him to get up. As user @kiescleo said:
“THE WAY YOU CAN ACTUALLY SEE JOEL attempt to LIFT HIS BODY UP OFF THE GROUND…..FOR HER. EVEN IN THE END.”
HBO Made Joel’s Death Even Worse Than It Was in the Game
While it was inevitable that Joel’s past actions would eventually catch up to him, it was the way in which it was done that had fans choked up. Video game violence is one thing, but seeing HBO bring it to life was something else entirely. As user @89sharry_ noted: “This is 10x worse than I thought it would be.” It really was, but at least Joel learned who Abby was before she killed him, unlike in the game where she just tells him to guess her identity.
“They made it even worse in the show,” added @98Ngin. “Ellie crawling to Joel’s body and cuddling up next to it… That was way worse than the game,” said @giannaispunk. We definitely agree. Finally, there’s @noradominick, who knew what was going to happen beforehand, but was still traumatized by it all: “I knew what was coming and yet it was still the most devastating thing I’ve ever experienced AGAIN.”
As fans continue to express their grief on social media,The Last of Uswill keep chugging along. We’ve only seen two episodes so far, and there’s stillfive more to go this season. Will Ellie get her revenge and make good on her promise to kill Abby? You’ll have to tune in to HBO and Max every Sunday night through May 25 to find out.
The Last Of Us
