The Last Of Us Season 2: Episode 3 (The Path) 4 Ups & 4 Downs
1. Up - The Show Will Be Just Fine
Having Pedro Pascal in the role of Joel Miller has been one of The Last of Us' biggest assets since the very beginning. Not only is the actor one of the biggest and most popular names in Hollywood, but he plays a damn fine Joel.
Killing off the character is, of course, a huge risk. Yes, the game saw the death of Joel early on, but the show could have easily tweaked things to hold out on the big moment until some sort of cliffhanger at the end of season two. However, Pascal is out, leaving Bella Ramsey at front and center on their own.
It's not news to anyone at this point, but Ramsey makes for a fantastic Ellie. They bring the anger, the vulnerability, and the feeling of invincibility that comes with being both young and immune to the Cordyceps virus, but they have always had Pedro Pascal to bounce off. Here, their performance in 'The Path' proved beyond any doubt that The Last of Us will be fine without its leading man.
Yes, the actor will still crop up in the odd flashback here and there, but this is Bella Ramsey's show now, and it is in safe hands.