The Last Of Us Part 2: 10 Biggest WTF Moments
2. Joel Dies Very Early On
Hoo boy, Naughty Dog really hit you straight in the gut with a sucker punch and a half almost straight away in this one, didn’t they?
Everyone’s favourite gruff Texan chum, Joel, is unceremoniously killed pretty much within the first hour of The Last of Us 2. It’s a massive driving force behind the plot as a whole and Ellie’s desire for revenge and it is one of the most shocking moments in gaming history.
Joel’s death speaks volumes about the world of The Last of Us. This is a horrible place, a world where human characters are every bit as deadly and even more screwed up than the Infected that brought America to its knees. Joel dying shows that there’s no good endings in the world of the The Last of Us, not even for a character who is a former protagonist.
Joel’s decision at the end of the first game to save Ellie would ultimately be his undoing; despite having his own motivations, Joel caused suffering amongst another group of people and perhaps doomed the human race completely after taking away the only hope there is for a cure.
So, in a way, as much as we love him, perhaps Joel’s death was justifiable?