Why did they kill Joel in The Last of Us? Here's the heartbreaking detail

If you’ve seen Season 2, Episode 2 of The Last of Us, then you already know, it hits hard. Joel, the man we’ve grown to love, meets a brutal and heartbreaking end. But why? What did he do to deserve this? And why did it have to be so graphic? Let's break it down, piece by piece.

Remember how Joel saved Ellie from the Fireflies at the end of Season 1? He didn’t just save her. He massacred the group, including the one doctor who could’ve created a cure for the infection. That doctor? Abby’s father.

Joel didn’t tell Ellie the full truth. He chose to save her because she had become like a daughter to him. But in doing so, he condemned many others who hoped for a cure. And that’s the choice that caught up with him in Season 2.

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Abby reveals the truth

Abby’s not just another survivor. She’s the daughter of the doctor Joel killed. She was only 19 when it happened, and the trauma stuck with her.

Abby didn’t just cry and move on. She trained. She toughened up. She joined the WLF, a powerful militia group in Seattle, determined to get revenge on Joel.

At the beginning of the episode, Abby is out patrolling, trying to find Joel in the snowy wilderness. She falls into a pit full of infected and nearly dies. But just as one of them is about to bite her, guess who shows up?

Joel saves her life. Not knowing who she really is, he helps her escape and brings her to shelter. She leads him and Dina to what she says is a safe house. Joel’s trust? It’s his biggest mistake.

Joel tries to radio Jackson, but it’s too late. Abby’s group moves in. They knock out Dina and lock the doors. Joel realizes something’s off, just a bit too late.

She looks him in the eye and tells him exactly who she is. Joel’s calm, almost like he knows this was coming. She tells him she’s the daughter of the doctor he killed. And now, it’s her turn.

Abby shoots Joel in the knee so he can’t escape. Then she talks, about her pain, her father, the moment she found his body. Joel listens. And waits.

There’s a set of golf clubs in the room. Abby picks one up. And she doesn’t hold back. Joel begs her to just end it quickly. But she refuses. She wants him to feel it.

Ellie and Jesse are already looking for them. Ellie follows snowy footprints to the house. She sneaks in, and what she sees will haunt her forever.

Ellie watches Abby murder Joel. She tries to fight back, but Abby’s group overpowers her. Joel can’t move. He’s dying. And Ellie? She’s helpless. Her scream says it all, rage, heartbreak, and a promise for revenge.

Joel’s story ends, but it sets off a new one. Revenge has no winners. Abby’s pain becomes Ellie’s. One life lost creates a ripple of suffering.

Was Joel a hero or a villain? Was Abby justified? The truth is, The Last of Us doesn’t offer clear answers. Just real, messy consequences.

In the game, players experience Joel’s death from Abby’s point of view. It’s shocking and jarring. You play as the person killing someone you’ve grown to love.

The show flips the script. We understand Abby a bit more before it all happens. We see her struggle, her mission, and her pain. It makes the moment heavier and harder to watch.

Killing Joel wasn’t done just for shock value. It’s the push Ellie needs to grow, to struggle, and to question everything. His death drives the story forward.

This world is unforgiving. Actions have consequences. And even a beloved character like Joel can’t outrun his past forever.

Fans were devastated. Many were angry. Some even refused to keep watching. Joel wasn’t just a character, he was the character.

But others saw the beauty in the pain. The bravery in the writing. Sometimes, the best stories are the ones that hurt the most.

Joel’s death in The Last of Us Season 2 is more than just a plot twist. It’s a turning point. It shows how the choices we make ripple through time, touching lives we never meant to hurt. It’s about pain, revenge, and the dangerous loop they create. As Ellie steps into the darkness, we follow, heartbroken, but hooked.

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