Summary
- The Last of Us season 2 will revisit events from season 1.
- The show could have a lot of flashbacks based on what happens in Part II.
- Pedro Pascal's Joel may have a significant presence despite his inevitable death.
The Last of Us season 2’s story details are a huge relief for Pedro Pascal’s Joel, whose presence in the series might be bigger than many originally thought. Pedro Pascal’s performance as Joel Miller was one of the highlights of HBO’s The Last of Us season 1, combining all the aspects fans of the source material expected from a live-action Joel while adding something new to the character. Pascal is reprising his role as Joel in The Last of Us season 2, which will partially cover Part II of the game.
Although the bond between Joel and Bella Ramsey’s Ellie was the focus of season 1, season 2 will have a very different tone based on what happens in The Last of Us Part II. Joel’s death in the sequel is a massive turning point for the story, with Ellie becoming the main playable character for the rest of the game. Although Joel’s relatively short presence in The Last of Us Part II could mean Pascal will only have a handful of scenes in season 2, the latest update on the HBO adaptation suggests this might not be the case after all.
The Last Of Us Season 2 Will Revisit Events From Season 1
The Last of Us season 2 could have a lot of flashbacks
Part of the reason why The Last of Us might need four seasons to tell its entire story is that season 2 will revisit events from season 1. According to The Last of Us creator Neil Druckmann (via Deadline), the stories of seasons 1 and 2 “are so interconnected” that they will inevitably be “touching on things from the first season or the first game because there is a continuation of those characters.” This could mean The Last of Us season 2, which is set to include a five-year time jump according to Part II, will include flashbacks to season 1.
The Last of Us Part II ’s story is not told in chronological order, and some of its most important moments come from flashbacks.
The Last of Us season 1 ended exactly how the first game did – Joel lies to Ellie about what happened at the hospital. The consequences of Joel’s lie come into play in The Last of Us Part II, at the start of which Ellie already knows the truth. The moment in which Joel finally confessed his lie is one of many flashbacks Part II includes. Other important moments from season 1 that the show could revisit include Abby’s origin story, which ties into Joel’s rampage at the hospital in the finale
The Last Of Us Part II Used Flashbacks To Keep Joel Around After His Death
The Last of Us Part II told a non-linear story
Joel dies at the beginning of The Last of Us Part II, one of the biggest and most controversial twists in the history of video games. After playing as Joel for most of the first game, players now had to watch him die powerless at the hands of Abby, whose motives are only revealed later in the story. Although Joel dies a few minutes into Part II’s gameplay, the game keeps him around through flashbacks. The flashbacks explore, for example, Joel and Ellie’s father-daughter dynamic, as well as how it all fell apart when Ellie learned the truth.
Joel was played by Troy Baker in the Last of Us games.
The Last of Us Part II’s story is not told in chronological order, and some of its most important moments come from flashbacks. It is safe to say The Last of Us season 2 will also have a non-linear story, particularly regarding Abby’s journey. The moment in which players – and Ellie – learned why Abby did what she did is an important turning point in Part II and should not be revealed too soon on the show. Regardless, The Last of Us season 2 revisiting elements from the first season means it will have plenty of flashbacks as well.
The Last Of Us Season 2 Revisiting Season 1 Stories Means More Of Joel
Pedro Pascal’s Joel might stick around even after his death
It is unclear when Joel will die in The Last of Us season 2, or if he will die at all. Season 2 could take a different approach compared to the game and tell most of its story chronologically, starting a few weeks or even months before Joel’s death. This would allow HBO’s show to slowly set up the characters and factions that will be important in the rest of the show, making Part II’s story more digestible. One of the criticisms The Last of Us Part II faced was precisely how fast everything happened.
Even if Joel does die at the beginning of season 2, The Last of Us revisiting pre-time skip moments means Pedro Pascal’s character can continue to appear after his death. Saying goodbye to Pascal’s Joel will be bittersweet, but his death is essential for Ellie’s journey in Part II. Some of the most emotional moments from the second game came from flashbacks set shortly after Part I, including Joel’s birthday gift to Ellie. With The Last of Us potentially continuing for three more seasons, there should be plenty more of Joel regardless of his death.
