The Last Of Us Season 2 Episode 6 Marks Pedro Pascal's Return With A Subtle But Heartwarming Joel Detail

The Last of Us season 2, episode 6, “The Price,” brought Pedro Pascal’s Joel back into the ensemble for an hour of flashbacks, and the show marked his return in a clever, creative, and heartwarming way. Following on from last week’s closing teaser, The Last of Us season 2, episode 6 takes place almost entirely in the past. It covers the last few years of Joel and Ellie’s relationship and finally explains how the rift formed between them. It takes the flashbacks that were peppered throughout the video game and presents them all back-to-back-to-back.

This episode adapted a bunch of the game’s most iconic moments, from Ellie’s birthday trip to the aerospace museum to her heart-to-heart with Joel on his porch. It also answered a handful of pressing questions that the season had teased. We saw Joel give Ellie her guitar, we saw the early days of Ellie’s romance with Kat, we saw the circumstances surrounding Joel’s mysterious killing of Eugene, and, most crucially, we saw how Ellie finally found out the truth about Joel killing the Fireflies. The episode marked Joel’s return at the very beginning in a really touching way.

The Last Of Us Season 2, Episode 6 Adds Joel Back Into The Opening Credits

Joel's Tendril Reappears Next To Ellie's In The Opening Title Sequence

The opening title sequence of The Last of Us has a similar style to the opening titles of Game of Thrones. At the beginning of every episode of Game of Thrones, the camera swoops across a map of Westeros as all the various realms and kingdoms pop up. The Last of Us’ opening titles show the Cordyceps fungus growing at a rapid rate. The most heartwarming detail of this title sequence is at the very end, when two tendrils sprout up that slightly resemble a silhouetted Joel and Ellie standing side-by-side on their journey across the post-apocalyptic wasteland.

After Joel was killed by Abby in The Last of Us season 2, episode 2, “Through the Valley,” not only was Pascal’s name removed from the credits; the little Joel tendril was removed from the end of the title sequence, leaving the Ellie tendril all alone. For the next three episodes, this change to The Last of Us’ opening credits was a heartbreaking reminder of the loss. In episode 6, the show heralded Joel’s return by adding his tendril back into the title sequence. It’s subtle, but very sweet.

Joel's Last Of Us Season 2 Return Is A Perfect Reminder Of Why He's So Dearly Missed

His On-Screen Dynamic With Ellie Is The Heart Of The Show

Joel’s return in The Last of Us season 2, episode 6 arrived as a perfect reminder of why the character has been so dearly missed since his death. His on-screen dynamic with Ellie is the heart of the show. Bella Ramsey shares great chemistry with all their co-stars — from Isabela Merced as Dina to Gabriel Luna as Tommy — but nothing compares to their electric dynamic with Pascal. At its core, The Last of Us is a father-daughter story, and Pascal and Ramsey capture that relationship beautifully.

It’s heartwarming to see them getting along, like when Joel makes Ellie’s dream of going to space a reality, and it’s heartbreaking to see them fighting, like when Joel catches Ellie with a joint, a tattoo, and a sexual partner. And in both cases, it’s always compelling. When they’re sharing the screen, it’s impossible to look away — even if they’re having a bitter argument.

As much fun as it is to watch Ellie fall in love with Dina or bicker with Tommy, her scenes with Joel are something else. It’s the character pairing that hooked viewers in season 1, and it’s still the best part of season 2. “The Price” is arguably the greatest episode of The Last of Us since Joel died, and it’s not a coincidence that it’s the first one since then to give Joel a prominent role.