If you’re a long-time fan of something, one of the only ways to recapture playing, viewing, or reading it for the first time is to experience it vicariously through newcomers. That’s what The Last of Us fans got to do last night in season two’s second episode, as millions of viewers who never played the games saw one of the HBO live-action show’s most brutal moments. People are in mourning. Spoilers ahead.
Currently in The Last of Us fandom after episode 2:#TheLastOfUs pic.twitter.com/1WY4cjQ9bX
— cσσkíє 🎮 GOW Ragnarök ❄ (@ArcanaLegacy) April 21, 2025
So, Joel is dead. Thank you for your service, Pedro Pascal, but Kaitlyn Dever did what Abby does best and killed him with a golf club. Anyone who played The Last of Us Part II knew he’d reach this end, but for those whose only experience is the HBO show, this moment came as quite a shock. There’s a bit to unpack in the delivery of the scene, as fans are divided on the way the show adapts Joel’s final moments, but any fan who liked the old man is grieving him again or for the first time.
— 🍎 (@pedrobrinas) April 20, 2025
— tyler (@tylerrispunk) April 21, 2025
i don’t know if there’s anything i’ll ever be able to do to emotionally recover from this moment. #TheLastOfUsSeason2 pic.twitter.com/bisjISeNnj
— teddy (@B3ARZATTO) April 21, 2025
ELLIE LAYING ON TOP OF JOELS BODY WAS THE MOST FOUL THING I’VE EVER SEEN WITH THE OG ELLIE ASHLEY JOHNSON SINGING IM CRASHING OUT #TheLastOfUs pic.twitter.com/FDDmkk9RM3
— kimberlyn 🫧 (@xkimberlynx) April 21, 2025
#TheLastOfUs game players knew this WHOLE TIME that Joel was gonna die and you didn’t warn me?!? pic.twitter.com/fKXD4IwWSA
— Jarett Wieselman (@JarettSays) April 21, 2025
HOW DID THEY MANAGE TO MAKE THIS FEEL EVEN WORSE????????????? IM SO SICK TO MY STOMACH RIGHT NOW??????? #TheLastOfUs
pic.twitter.com/vKwqOCFIY3— gee 🍂 ceo of angst (@btasticfandoms) April 21, 2025
JOEL PLEASE GET UP JOOEEEEL PLEASEEEE DONT FUCK WITH ME RN JOOEEEEELLLLLLLLLLLLL #tlou #TheLastOfUs pic.twitter.com/xo3Y7AAg6F
— girl so confused (@latenightlinds) April 21, 2025
me dragging joel’s body away to resuscitate him because he can’t die #TheLastOfUs #TheLastOfUsSeason2
— gianna ⓸ (@giannaispunk) April 21, 2025
joel miller dead in both the game and now the show, he's officially dead in every universe. pic.twitter.com/E2sa5TC8h3
— mila (@dayasrussell) April 20, 2025
Joel’s death isn’t just sad, it’s meant to enrage the audience as much as it angers Ellie. It seems to have had the intended effect, because Abby is now (once again) public enemy number one in the eyes of fans. What remains to be seen is if show fans can be normal about it in ways those who played the game weren’t. Despite the disdain for the daddy killer, so far everyone is praising Dever’s performance as Abby in this decisive moment.
abby when I catch your bitch ass #TheLastOfUs pic.twitter.com/3ORJmOioPL
— hannah (@eicskiszka) April 21, 2025
Adding her to my list of Top 10 MOST HATED TV CHARACTERS. And it’s only been two episodes. IDGAF what her reason was. I hate this mf’er with a passion and hope she eats pavement (the actress great tho, like kudos to her). #TheLastOfUs #TLOU pic.twitter.com/VqvgRkYStV
— Chris Del Rey (@ChrisMDelRey) April 21, 2025
here we go again https://t.co/5vZcyAPFCn
— madie (@boatsthisway) April 21, 2025
hated every single second of her performance (incredibly complimentary) https://t.co/NiaQmZexcE
— zoë rose bryant (@zoerosebryant) April 21, 2025
me trying to kill abby through my tv screen to save joel #TheLastOfUs
pic.twitter.com/tD9cCB8ETq— emma⟢🐈⬛ (@cosmicoraline) April 21, 2025
y'all talk about joel miller killing people like i'm supposed to fucking care
— mel ☆ (@ninersispunk) April 20, 2025
#TheLastOfUsSeason2 pic.twitter.com/wuwcM8jF7Q
— teddy (@B3ARZATTO) April 21, 2025
abby anderson WHEN I CATCH YOU #TheLastOfUs pic.twitter.com/UXr74vVTgv
— chelsea ⋆.˚⟡ (@pascaldarling) April 21, 2025
#TheLastOfUs SPOILERS!
.
.
.
.
.
Kaitlyn Dever may not match Abby’s physicality but when Abby started beating Joel, you could see this crazed rage take over her face, this primal desire for revenge… What a performance, honestly. pic.twitter.com/YEY0sxBM30— megs saw djo! | ceo of fred hechinger (@fredhechinger) April 21, 2025
Sadness for Joel and anger at Abby are the intended effects of this scene, but now that we’re two episodes into season two, game fans can’t help but compare the show’s approach to the source material. As I said in my review, The Last of Us’ second season loves to overtly explain pretty much every mystery and motivation without an ounce of restraint, and Abby’s villain monologue before she kills Joel is one of the most egregious examples of it. Compared to the quiet, vicious brutality of The Last of Us Part II’s scene, the rambling, banter-filled recreation doesn’t hit the same.
game abby would've slapped his forehead like that one zendaya gif pic.twitter.com/n17q671Y3H
— tony (@joeIsmillers) April 21, 2025
i guess this isn't bad performance-wise. i do not like her outright explaining her motivations to him after she explained to the audience in the first episode. it's such a far cry from game abby, there's less anger and more of a sick pleasure to dever's abby that i don't get https://t.co/Pj4GKW2ULp
— nuz 🍁 (@punishednuz) April 21, 2025
Why are they just telling us her motivation https://t.co/IKemZ4EKX6
— Alex (@alexisamenace) April 21, 2025
why does no one in the show ever shut up
— madie (@boatsthisway) April 21, 2025
LMFAOOOO, they learned their lesson from all the hate.
Different rendition — I understand it, but The Last of Us Part 2 handled this better, I can't lie. Too much context. 😅#TheLastOfUs pic.twitter.com/X4dFmUf33c
— TheStarkz (@TheStarkz) April 21, 2025
why’d they have abby tell joel to his face that he was handsome before he popped his kneecap off… that shit was sooo 😭
— hannah (@elliestricep) April 21, 2025
i think joel’s death was well executed but i personally don’t think it tops or competes with the game cutscene and people who have never played the game will never feel what players felt pic.twitter.com/ZN4WSFvanp
— joel 🦒 (@elliesbagpin) April 21, 2025
the game still clears 1000000% less dialogue & better lighting pic.twitter.com/yf2jiX0LRC
— 🚬 (@hawkeyetuah) April 21, 2025
seriously why was Abby monologuing so much 😭 #TheLastOfUs pic.twitter.com/bh8Tx4vwe4
— Katarina ✨ Abby Stan Account (@AbbyStanAccount) April 21, 2025
There are still five episodes left in season two, but we know that HBO is stretching the game’s story across multiple seasons. So it’s unlikely that new viewers will get the catharsis they’re looking for by the time season two is over. But for now, welcome to the painful reality in which Joel Miller is dead, TV fans. We’ve been waiting for you for two years.
