The Last of Us star Pedro Pascal hints at whether Joel's story arc in Season 2 will deviate from the character's grim fate in the video game.
Fans anticipating Season 2 of HBO's The Last of Us are better off not knowing what happens to the protagonists in the video games. Most are likely aware of this just the same, and news of Abby's character being cast and eventually confirmed only fueled their anxieties. This hasn't stopped fans from hoping the HBO adaptation would be different from the games, which curiously enough had deviating story arcs for characters like Bill, Frank, and Kathleen (who did not appear in the video game). In an interview with Deadline, Pedro Pascal offers hope his character Joel might also have a different fate.
While attending the Sundance Film Festival premiere of Freaky Tales, Deadline put Pascal on the spot by asking if Joel's Season 2 arc would deviate from the video game. Fans of the show who have also played The Last of Us Part II know exactly what this question implicates. "Does it deviate from the game? That's a good question," he answered. "I think that they're always going to find ways to build on the incredible source material that they have, and surprise us with how they can use that material in a different format like a television show."
Joel's Fate Still Uncertain
The actor's response is slightly different from what HBO and Max CEO Casey Bloys confirmed that Season 2 would be bigger and game-accurate. Pascal may have just sidestepped the question, but he does fuel hopes of fans that Joel's arc in the show would be significantly different. The actor confirms just as much saying, "I wouldn't want to spoil it for anybody, and the truth is, I don't actually have all of the information as of yet." But even with all of Pascal's hedging, recent news of Kaitlyn Dever's casting as Abby was still an ominous warning to The Last of Us fans.
HBO's The Last of Us is adapted from the action-adventure game of the same name. The game has so far been released in two installments, the first focusing on Joel and Ellie's journey across a post-apocalyptic United States. The Last of Us offered a unique twist to the staple fare of zombie games by using the mayhem as a mere backdrop to a human story of survival and personal sacrifice. The game's creative director Neil Druckmann teased a potential follow-up to The Last of Us Part II, which had a story arc that divided fans of the first game. Druckmann is directly involved in the story and character development of the HBO adaptation.
