Introduction to Grief
This story is all about that big spoiler from Season 2 Episode 2. If you’ve yet to see the episode, consider reading this review or interview instead.
(Taps mic.) Is this on? (Feedback screeches.) Yep, it’s on, can we turn it down actually? (Words are drowned out by general sobbing and strangled noises of outrage.) OK, maybe not. Right, let’s just get started. Welcome to “The Last of Us” grief recovery group. Tissues and various support animals are available in the back. Please remember that Kaitlyn Dever is an actor playing the murderously vengeful Abby and that anyone who has been following the coverage of the show at least suspected that our beloved Joel (Pedro Pascal) had to die. The second part of the video game from which this series has been adapted is based on events following his death, and series creator Craig Mazin has said, publicly and repeatedly, that the second season of the show, like the first, would remain true to the game.
The Inevitable Death
So as terrible as it was to witness Joel’s brutal death at the hands of Abby while Ellie (Bella Ramsey) watches in heartbreak and horror, it was not surprising. The question was never “if” but “when.” And, as audiences just discovered, the answer is in the episode on Sunday night.
Can someone help that young person over there? They appear to be hyperventilating. If it’s any consolation (and not too much of a spoiler), Pascal’s name remains on the credits for the remainder of the series, and there were loads of flashbacks in the game so … but perhaps it’s too soon to do anything but sit with our collective trauma.
Joel is dead and Ellie has vowed vengeance, setting the stage for the remainder of the season.
Other Key Events
Other things happened during Sunday night’s episode, some small — the discovery of Eugene’s abandoned pot farm, Ellie’s accidental revelation to Jesse (Young Mazino) that she and Dina (Isabella Merced) kissed — and some very big. Including and especially a “Game of Thrones”-like attack on Jackson by an army of the infected (woken by Abby — thanks for everything!), who now appear to be capable of tactical thinking. The brief lull of semi-normality presented in Episode 1 has been shattered. Thanks to Tommy (Gabriel Luna) and Maria (Rutina Wesley), Jackson was armed for the onslaught, but even for those aware of Joel’s fate, nothing could quite prepare fans for the reality of his death.
Ellie (Bella Ramsey) has grown distant from Joel in Season 2.
(Liane Hentscher / HBO)
Analysis and Reactions
To help move us through the five stages of grief, The Times’ “Last of Us” viewers and players Mary McNamara, Tracy Brown and Todd Martens take on the pivotal second episode.
McNamara: Having just attempted to write a second-season review while hemmed in with embargo rules, I confess I am relieved to have this not-very-secret development out in the open — if nothing else, I do not like lying to my daughters, even through omission, as they pelted me with questions about Pascal’s, I mean, Joel’s fate. Whether the youngest follows through on her vow to stop watching the show if he died in the second episode remains to be seen. Certainly Joel’s death divided the gaming community when “The Last of Us Part II” debuted five years ago, but as it became a best-seller anyway, I don’t think HBO has too much to worry about.
Character Development and Storyline
That said, it is hard to imagine the show without Pascal. Joel’s journey from the hardened warrior who agreed to transport Ellie across country in exchange for a car battery to a man who will do anything to protect the surrogate daughter he has come to love has been the emotional through-line of the story. Now, one supposes, it’s Ellie’s turn to prove her love, although I’m not sure following one act of revenge with another is the best way. Which may, of course, be the whole point.
Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) is on the hunt for revenge in Season 2.
(Liane Hentscher / HBO)
Themes and Symbolism
The attack on Jackson is unique to the series (i.e. not in the game, which I have never played) and while it feels like a necessary reminder of this world’s dangers (not to mention a nod to HBO’s last big action hit), it also occurs in parallel to Joel’s capture and murder by Abby and the now-defunct fireflies. Was that a way to heighten or distract from the answer to the question that was on everyone’s minds as they tuned in to Season 2?
Brown: Yes, we don’t ever see any infected breach Jackson’s walls in the game, but the possibility is why they have all those patrols. I don’t know that it was intentional, but for me the attack on Jackson was more than just distracting; it was a heavy-handed metaphor.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the second episode of Season 2 has left viewers reeling with the death of Joel and the attack on Jackson. The show has proven its ability to tackle tough themes and storylines, and the characters’ development is as compelling as ever. As the season progresses, it will be interesting to see how the story unfolds and how the characters navigate their grief and trauma.
FAQs
Q: What happened in Season 2 Episode 2 of The Last of Us?
A: Joel was killed by Abby, and the community of Jackson was attacked by a group of infected.
Q: Will Pedro Pascal continue to appear in the show?
A: Yes, his name remains on the credits for the remainder of the series, and there were loads of flashbacks in the game.
Q: How will Ellie’s character develop after Joel’s death?
A: Ellie has vowed vengeance and will likely continue to navigate her grief and trauma throughout the season.
Q: What themes does the show explore?
A: The show explores themes of grief, trauma, violence, and the human condition in a post-apocalyptic world.
Dina (Isabela Merced) and Joel (Pedro Pascal) in “The Last of Us.”
(Liane Hentscher / HBO)
