Did Owen Want To Stop Abby From Killing Joel In The Last Of Us?

The Last of Us season 2, episode 2 takes Joel and Abby to dark places, raising the question of what a character like Owen wanted. The ending of The Last of Us season 2, episode 2 included a major twist that video game fans have been expecting for a while. What happens to Joel in The Last of Us season 2 marks a massive turning point in the show's story, leading Ellie down a path of revenge against Abby and the other members of the W.L.F.

Although The Last of Us included a few game differences, Abby's murder of Joel remained mostly consistent with its depiction in The Last of Us Part II; Abby was consumed with rage, Joel remained stoic in the face of death, and Ellie vowed revenge against Abby. This sets up the remainder of The Last of Us season 2's story, but it is the reaction of Owen and his friends to Abby's ruthlessness that remains compelling. This reaction raises the question of whether Owen truly wanted Abby to kill Joel, or whether his motivations are a little deeper than revenge and justice.

Before Abby Found Joel, Owen Revealed That He Wanted To Abort The Jackson Mission

Owen Did Not Want To Go Through With Abby's Revenge Mission

Interestingly, The Last of Us season 2, episode 2 provided a straight answer to Owen's motivations. After Abby left the lodge to keep an eye on Jackson's scouts, Owen revealed the plan that he was formulating to his friends. Rather than be a complex plan to infiltrate Jackson and find Joel, Owen revealed that his plan was much more simple: convince Abby to let go of her mission and go back to Seattle. The events of the episode meant that Owen never got the chance to talk to Abby, though, with Joel being presented before the group through sheer luck.

Abby's Original Plan To Find Joel In The Last Of Us & Why Owen Was Concerned About It

Owen's Motivations Stem From Safety

This moment from Owen makes his morality one of the more interesting in The Last of Us season 2. When looking at a character like Abby, her rage had blinded her. Abby's original plan was to enter Jackson somehow, find Joel, kill him, and escape unharmed. After staking out Jackson and its strong defenses, it became clear to Owen and the others that this was almost impossible. Owen knew that if they attempted to enter Jackson, something would go wrong and all of them could be killed.

This explains why Owen was so concerned about Abby's original plan. Abby likely did not have one herself, instead wandering blindly through her rage to get to Joel. As alluded to, it was only luck that allowed her to get her hands on him. Owen wanted revenge too, but he was not willing to risk the safety of himself, Abby, or their friends to get it. This is the sole reason as to why Owen was so concerned about Abby's plans in The Last of Us season 2, episode 2, though they did not necessarily stem from righteous morality as he was still fine with Joel's death.