Joel's Death in The Last of Us Part II: A Controversial Choice That Missed the Mark

 

When The Last of Us Part II was announced, fans eagerly awaited the continuation of Joel and Ellie’s story—a bond that became iconic in gaming. However, the shocking decision to kill Joel early in the game sparked widespread debate. For me, Joel’s death was not only a narrative misstep but also a missed opportunity that weakened the franchise's emotional core.

Joel wasn’t just a character; he was a cornerstone of The Last of Us. Charismatic, deeply flawed yet profoundly human, Joel represented the complexities of survival and love in a broken world. Naughty Dog’s choice to remove such a pivotal character felt like a gift to competitors, leaving a void no other game company would dare to create. Killing Joel wasn’t just shocking; it undermined the rich potential of his character and the unique dynamic he shared with Ellie.

What frustrates me most is how the game seemingly tried to justify Joel’s death. Abby, alongside her WLF allies—former Fireflies—claims Joel "deserved" his fate for the many lives he took, particularly when he saved Ellie. But this rationale falls flat. Joel didn’t kill out of malice; he fought the Fireflies to protect Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, from being sacrificed for a "potential" cure. The Fireflies' willingness to kill a child without her consent was morally dubious at best. Joel’s actions weren’t those of a cold-blooded killer but a father figure desperate to protect his surrogate daughter in a world that had lost its humanity.

The game’s attempt to humanize Abby only deepened the divide. While The Last of Us excels in portraying morally complex characters, Abby’s pride in killing Joel makes her redemption arc hard to swallow. Her actions and attitude left many players, including me, unable to sympathize with her, despite the game’s efforts. Joel was a deeply loved character, and to have his death celebrated by another protagonist felt like a betrayal of everything the first game stood for.

No matter how much The Last of Us Part II tries to rewrite Joel’s legacy, fans will always remember him as the man who saved Ellie and gave her a chance to live. To portray him as the villain of the story is a disservice to his character and to the players who connected with him.

While The Last of Us Part II remains a technical and artistic achievement, its narrative choices left a bitter taste. Joel’s death wasn’t just the loss of a beloved character—it was a missed opportunity to explore the profound bond between him and Ellie further. And for many fans, myself included, Joel will forever remain the hero who did what he had to do to protect the one person who mattered most in his world.

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