Warning: There are spoilers ahead for The Last of Us season 2, episode 2.
The Last of Us showrunner Craig Mazin explains how one star’s performance made season 2, episode 2’s emotional ending one of the hardest sequences to film. The second season of the hit HBO drama returns to the ravaged world of the beloved PlayStation video game franchise by Naughty Dog and adapts the events of 2020’s The Last of Us Part II. Reuniting with Bella Ramsey’s Ellie and Pedro Pascal’s Joel five years after The Last of Us season 1’s ending, the survivors’ peaceful new life is shattered by the sins of Joel’s past.
As The Last of Us season 2’s second episode adapted the harrowing events of Joel’s death, Mazin opened up to Entertainment Weekly about the just as emotional moments that occurred during filming. According to the showrunner, Ramsey’s performance amplified the emotions behind the sequence due to their bond with Pascal and the hard journey they had embarked on to bring the story to the television screen. Check out Mazin’s full response below:
The hardest part was watching Bella watching it happen. Pedro and Bella are extraordinarily close. They worked hand in glove, they care deeply about each other. If you’re going to pretend to be in that moment, it’s probably a simple thing, but this isn’t pretend. I can tell you just from being in that room, it’s happening: The pain that [Ellie’s] feeling there and then that rage… That is not calculated or synthetic. It was hard to feel like we were breaking something that we had all spent so much time very carefully building and making work.
How The Last Of Us Season 2’s Major Death Will Be Felt Throughout The Season
Joel’s Death Is A Point Of No Return
Even with Mazin’s explanation, the showrunner somewhat understates the incredible impact that Joel’s death has on the world of The Last of Us. Having been the series’ lead since season 1, audiences have been placed in Joel’s shoes throughout most of the story, save for brief interludes, making him the character viewers relate to most, even in his most dubious moments. As such, his death is incredibly impactful as audiences lose his perspective, and are left just as lost as his loved ones within the show.
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Why It Happened In The Last Of Us Season 2 Episode 2
The Last of Us season 2, episode 2 features a shocking plot twist at the end of the episode, one that changes the fate of Bella Ramsey’s Ellie.
That isn’t to lessen the actual impact Joel’s death has on the rest of the cast, as his loss sends other characters spiraling down paths that ultimately lead to ruin. Left with little to lose, Ellie is set on a quest to avenge her father, continuing the cycle that Joel set Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) on and setting the pair on a collision course. However, even though she has committed a heinous act, Abby’s controversial story is not over, as later explorations will make her the most complicated character of the season.
Our Thoughts On Joel’s The Last of Use Season 2 Death
Despite Any Differences, The Ending Still Hits The Right Beats
Though the circumstances surrounding Joel’s death do vary some from The Last of Us‘ source material, the moment is nevertheless just as heartbreaking. The TV series has given audiences a more balanced perspective on the event that explains Abby’s motive, but it nevertheless stings to see the newcomer wreak vengeance on last season’s protagonist. When paired with Ramsey’s performance, the emotional climax is sure to stand out as one of 2025’s most harrowing television moments.
Source: Entertainment Weekly
The Last Of Us
8/10
- Release Date
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January 15, 2023
- Network
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HBO
- Showrunner
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Craig Mazin
- Directors
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Craig Mazin, Peter Hoar, Jeremy Webb, Ali Abbasi, Mark Mylod, Stephen Williams, Jasmila Žbanić, Liza Johnson, Nina Lopez-Corrado
- Writers
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Neil Druckmann, Craig Mazin