How Old Joel Is In The Last Of Us Season 2 (Is He Really In His 60s?)

Joel Miller is officially dead in The Last of Us season 2, but his age at the time of his tragic death might surprise some viewers. Though Pedro Pascal will appear in future episodes of The Last of Us, his primary story has come to an end, thanks to Abby Anderson, a newcomer who will remain a pivotal figure for the rest of the HBO series. The deadly encounter occurs in The Last of Us season 2, episode 2, when Abby kills Joel for murdering her own father a few years prior.

The death of Pascal's Joel is a huge loss for The Last of Us season 2's character list. That will be difficult to get used to, considering how Joel and Ellie Williams have served as the core figures up to this point. In fact, the beginning of The Last of Us started with Joel's early life before the infection ravaged the world. Despite dying so early in season 2, The Last of Us' timeline jumps have documented many major moments in Joel's life.

Joel Is 61-Years-Old In The Last Of Us Season 2

HBO's Version Of Joel Is A Few Years Older Compared To The Game Character

When Joel is first introduced in HBO's The Last of Us, he's getting ready to celebrate his 36th birthday with his young daughter, Sarah. The exact date was September 26, 2003. Sadly, all hell broke loose from the Cordyceps outbreak the very next day. After the events following Sarah's death in The Last of Us' first episode, the focus shifted 20 years later to 2023, meaning Joel was around 55-56 when he officially met Ellie. Considering season 2 is set five years after the events of season 1, Joel is 61 when Abby kills him in The Last of Us.

The timeline in the show has been a bit different in The Last of Us video games, with Joel celebrating his 32nd birthday when the story began in 2013. Fast-forward to 2033 when Joel took on the mission involving Ellie that spilled into 2034, making him 51-52. The sequel game, The Last of Us Part II, occurred four years later in 2038, meaning Joel was 56 when he died. What's more, the death in the game didn't happen on New Year's Day like it did in "Through the Valley."

How Old Pedro Pascal Is Compared To Joel

The Actor Is About A Decade Younger Than His Last Of Us Character

Pedro Pascal is currently 50 years old, hitting the milestone birthday in April 2025, just a few weeks before The Last of Us season 2 premiered. When the show first started filming season 1, Pascal was 46, so he was a decade older than the earliest timeline depicting Joel and around a decade younger than the character's age for the duration of the season. When filming for The Last of Us season 2 commenced, Pascal was 48, requiring the show to age up his character's appearance.

How Old Ellie & Abby Are When Joel Dies

19 Is A Key Age For Both Characters

Ellie was only 14 years old when she set off with Joel to Salt Lake City in 2023, and 19 when her father figure gets killed on January 1, 2029. In comparison, Ellie was also 19 for the majority of events depicted in The Last of Us Part II game. Bella Ramsey, on the other hand, is a few years older than Ellie, seeing as she was 17 when the show first went into production and is currently 21.

Abby, meanwhile, was 19 when Joel killed her dad in The Last of Us season 1's ending, making her 24 when she murders Joel in season 2. The game never directly confirmed Abby's age, but she was likely in her early twenties, like her TV counterpart. As for Kaitlyn Dever, the actress is also a few years older than her character in The Last of Us season 2, since she's currently 28 years old.