THE LAST OF US Star Pedro Pascal On Whether Joel's Story Will Play Out Differently In Season 2 - SPOILERS

THE LAST OF US Star Pedro Pascal On Whether Joel's Story Will Play Out Differently In Season 2 - SPOILERS

If you're familiar with The Last of Us Part II video game, then you'll know that season 2 of HBO's small screen adaptation will take Joel and Ellie to some dark places. Will the former's fate be changed?

By JoshWilding - Jan 20, 2024 06:01 AM EST
Filed Under: Last of Us
Source: Deadline (via GameFragger.com)

Before the premiere of HBO's adaptation of The Last of Us, many fans of the game were convinced it would be unable to do the Naughty Dog series justice. While changes were made, the series ended up improving certain parts of the story and it now ranks among the best video game adaptations. 

Here's where we get into spoiler territory; in The Last of Us Part II, Joel Miller is brutally murdered by the daughter of the surgeon he gunned down while rescuing Ellie. She then embarks on a mission of revenge, though being put in Abby's shoes means players can empathise with her mission of revenge. 

We've already heard rumblings about Part II's story being split across two seasons but does HBO dare kill Pedro Pascal's Joel? The actor, who is rumoured to star in Marvel Studios' Fantastic Four reboot, is immensely popular and we saw what the brutal death of a fan-favourite can do to ratings when interest in The Walking Dead plummeted after Negan murdered Glenn. 

Deadline (via GameFragger.com) recently asked Pascal whether he believes the show will follow the games and the actor chose his words very carefully. 

"I think that they're always going to find ways to build on the incredible source material that they have, and surprise us with how they can use that material in a different format, like a television show," the actor explained. "But I wouldn't want to spoil it for anybody, and the truth is, I don't actually have all of the information, as of yet."

Co-showrunner Craig Mazin has previously suggested The Last of Us might pivot away from the games but cautioned, "This should be fairly obvious to anyone by now, but I don't fear killing characters. But the important thing to note is that neither Neil [Druckmann, who co-created and exec-produces the series with Mazin] nor I feel constrained by the source material."

"I'm never gonna say there are things that are gonna happen in the show that happened in the game. You never know what we're gonna do," he continued. "But I will say that it is the adventure, the journey is the point. There are things that will shock people, things that were in the game, things that were not in the game, and that's okay. As long as they're purposeful, they're not there to just simply shock."

It's hard to predict how viewers will react to Joel's demise but, if the game is anything to go by, Pascal's Joel can still appear even after death in flashbacks. 

Recently, The Last of Us cast Kaitlyn Dever as Abby, Isabela Merced as Dina, and Young Mazino as Jesse. We don't have an air date yet, but the series is currently expected to return to our screens in 2025. 

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lazlodaytona
lazlodaytona - 1/20/2024, 6:26 AM
When does Joel die in the game? Is it at the beginning, middle, or the end of the game?
Twenty23Three
Twenty23Three - 1/20/2024, 6:28 AM
@lazlodaytona - almost immediately
lazlodaytona
lazlodaytona - 1/20/2024, 6:36 AM
@Twenty23Three - That's what I was kinda figuring. There's no way, if they decide to kill Joel, that they'd kill him off in the beginning.

thanks man
bkmeijer1
bkmeijer1 - 1/20/2024, 7:31 AM
@lazlodaytona - the game has 11 chapters (but it's all very unchronologically), and it happens right at the end of the first one. So about a tenth into the game.

If you look at it chronologically though, I'd say about the third into the story. So yeah, if they're not gonna kill him right away, doing the story chronologically is the way to go
lazlodaytona
lazlodaytona - 1/20/2024, 7:37 AM
@bkmeijer1 - that makes a TON of sense now. Thanks dude!
bkmeijer1
bkmeijer1 - 1/20/2024, 9:58 AM
@lazlodaytona - if you really want a rundown of the first quarter of the story, I actually once wrote an article on it (https://comicbookmovie.com/video-games/last-of-us/the-last-of-us---breaking-down-what-season-2-could-look-like-when-told-chronologically-spoilers-a201192#gs.3va8ko)
lazlodaytona
lazlodaytona - 1/20/2024, 10:11 AM
@bkmeijer1 - sweet dude! I'll check it out. I appreciate this.
mountainman
mountainman - 1/20/2024, 10:44 AM
@lazlodaytona - In the show, the most logical place for it to happen would be either the second to last or final episode of season 2. They are expanding on the story of the 2nd game, and likely telling the story in a different order.
Twenty23Three
Twenty23Three - 1/20/2024, 6:27 AM
With having such a big name I can imagine they wanting him in as much of the season as possible, presumably via flashbacks. He’s still got to get killed though. Personally I’d make season 2 about Abby leading to the end of the first game, then do a season 3 following Ellie again, but they’ll never do that
bkmeijer1
bkmeijer1 - 1/20/2024, 7:26 AM
@Twenty23Three - easiest way to keep him around for another season is just to tell the events of the second game chronologically. The Jackson chapters and flashbacks that can easily fill a season, and it would have a nice balance between Joel, Ellie and Abby
bkmeijer1
bkmeijer1 - 1/20/2024, 7:24 AM
Really hope they just tell the events of Jackson is S2 and the events of Seattle in S3 chronologically. That way we'll get another full season with Joel before, well...

We all know what's gonna happen. And it would be a strong cliffhanger

Gabimaru
Gabimaru - 1/20/2024, 9:00 AM
what's more great idea for the series is. what if Abby and Joel met and bond like Ellie did in the first game/series. in that way we can see abby will now conflicted about killing joel after she found out that joel was her father's killer. it will add more tension to the story. make abby met ellie too so they could bond like a sisters for the half of the series.
bkmeijer1
bkmeijer1 - 1/20/2024, 10:00 AM
@Gabimaru - I like that a lot. Could see that happen after Abby is saved by Joel near Jackson. Instead of fleeing to Abby's hideout, they instead flee to Jackson and have that bonding for a few episodes.
BlackIceJoe
BlackIceJoe - 1/20/2024, 12:55 PM
Do what The Walking Dead tv show and change up make this different than the game and Don't kill him off.

I hated that Joel was killed in the game and that Abby wasn't killed off.

So make it so Joel lives and Abby dies and it will be better than the game.
kirklazarus87
kirklazarus87 - 1/20/2024, 1:21 PM
Replace Joel with Tommy

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