"Give Yourself Time": The Last Of Us Creator Has A Message For Fans Rocked By Season 2's Big Shocker

The Last of Us TV show creator Craig Mazin has a message for fans rocked by season 2's big, shocking event that permanently alters the show. The Last of Us season 2 delivered a surprising blow to the series in its latest episode, which saw Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) kill Joel (Pedro Pascal) to avenge her father's death. Ellie (Bella Ramsey) watched as she delivered the final blow, sticking a broken golf club into his neck. This has triggered various responses from viewers since the main character's tragic demise.

Speaking with IndieWire, Mazin explained how The Last of Us season 2, episode 2 was supposed to "provoke some pretty intense feelings" from viewers surrounding Joel's sudden death. The series creator explained how he understood if viewers were mad about the major event, but also said it's okay for them to step away and process what happened. He also teased what direction the story is heading next, and it might not be what some are predicting. Check out what Mazin had to say below:

That’s OK. I think they might think they’re angry with me. That’s fine. I think they might just be angry, which is also OK. I mean, this show is designed to provoke some pretty intense feelings, and wherever those feelings go is fine. The most important thing is that they feel something. The worst thing would be if they went, ‘Eh!‘ Then, I would’ve really failed.

Give yourself time to see how you feel about it a week later, two weeks later. And I will say, give the show time. You may think it’s going this way, and it ends up going that way.

What Mazin's Statement Says About The Last Of Us Season 2's Shocking Decision

Joel's Death Isn't Going To Be Glossed Over

Based on Mazin's comments, Joel's death will remain a focal point for characters in The Last of Us for the remainder of season 2. His response to those who are mad about the decision also isn't new for the franchise. The Last of Us Part II, the game season 2 pulls from, received polarizing public responses because of how the main character died, alongside the story that played out after his death. However, season 2, episode 2 has managed to impress many viewers, keeping a steady 9.5 out of 10 on IMDb out of 26,000 reviews.

But it's also clear the show is going to be forever changed by what transpired, with a deeper focus on Ellie in the aftermath of her surrogate father's death. Even though it's not directly revealed what she's going to do, her promise to kill Abby offers a strong idea as to what her next move will be. Since The Last of Us season 3 has already been confirmed as well, there could be a lengthy storyline ahead that focuses on what happens now that Joel is gone.

Our Take On Joel's Death In The Last Of Us Season 2

Episode 2 Will Be Remembered For A Long Time To Come

With Joel's death, The Last of Us no longer has one of its central characters around, something that can understandably lead to anger surrounding the events that transpired. However, the serious presentation coupled with making what happened a central part of the story to come means an engaging plotline might be on the horizon. No matter how the series develops from here, it's clear this big loss will be remembered for quite some time, for good and bad reasons alike.