Fans of The Last of Us were left reeling after the heartbreaking turn of events in episode 2 of season 2, where Pedro Pascal’s character, Joel, was killed. While the moment was emotionally devastating, many viewers had braced themselves, knowing the show closely follows the storyline of the original video game—where Joel’s fate was already sealed.
Pedro Pascal, who brought Joel to life with gripping emotional depth, recently opened up to Entertainment Weekly about his character’s departure. Though the news of Joel’s death wasn’t laid out for him explicitly from the beginning, Pascal shared that he always had an idea of how things would unfold.
“There was always an understanding that the show would remain faithful to the source material,” he explained. “And that my main involvement would be with season 1. It was more about when and how it would happen.”
Now starring in Gladiator II, Pascal admitted the end of his journey with The Last of Us hasn’t been easy to process. “I’m in active denial,” he said, describing the emotional difficulty of accepting Joel’s story is over. Despite that, he expressed a deep bond with the cast and crew, saying those relationships will continue—though never again as Joel.
Pascal confessed that he avoids dwelling on the topic too much, simply because “it makes me sad.”
Joel was a cornerstone of the series, especially in his complex and heartfelt relationship with Ellie, played by Bella Ramsey. His death marks a major turning point, and fans are now anxiously awaiting to see how Ellie responds to this loss and where the story heads next.
In a gut-wrenching twist, Joel’s life was taken by Abby—portrayed by Kaitlyn Dever—who sought revenge after Joel killed her father during the events of season 1.
As the series moves forward without one of its central characters, it’s clear Joel’s legacy will continue to shape the world of The Last of Us and the path that Ellie chooses from here.
