The shocking death of Joel Miller in the second episode of The Last of Us Season 2 left fans devastated, but many viewers are wondering if we’ve seen the last of Pedro Pascal in the hit HBO series. Good news: despite his character’s brutal demise, Pascal will definitely be returning to the show – just not in the way you might expect. Here’s what we know about Joel’s future appearances and what it means for the rest of the season.
Joel’s death changed everything
The second episode of The Last of Us Season 2 delivered one of television’s most shocking moments of the year when Joel Miller, portrayed by Pedro Pascal, was brutally murdered by Abby Anderson (played by Kaitlyn Dever). This devastating scene showed Abby taking revenge for her father’s death – the Firefly doctor whom Joel killed at the end of Season 1 while rescuing Ellie.
For many viewers who hadn’t played the video game, this sudden exit came as a complete surprise. How could the show continue without one of its two main protagonists? The answer lies in both the original source material and the show’s creative direction.
Since his death, the show has made significant changes to emphasize Joel’s absence. The opening credits were altered to show only one silhouette instead of two, and Pascal’s name was removed from the credits in the following episode, “The Path.” These changes visually reinforce the painful reality that Joel is gone from the main timeline.
How many more episodes will feature Joel?
Though Joel has died in the present timeline, fans can rest assured that Pedro Pascal isn’t completely done with The Last of Us. According to reports, Pascal will appear in a total of four episodes in Season 2, which consists of seven episodes total. Since Joel appeared in the first two episodes, this means we can expect to see him in two more episodes before the season concludes.
These appearances will take the form of flashbacks that help fill in the five-year gap between Season 1 and Season 2. The time jump left many questions about Joel and Ellie’s relationship, and these flashbacks will likely provide crucial context for how their bond evolved – and possibly strained – during those years.
For fans wondering when these flashbacks might occur, the trailer for Season 2 already revealed glimpses of scenes featuring Joel that haven’t yet appeared in the show, confirming his future presence in some capacity.
What showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann have said
The creative team behind The Last of Us has been open about Pascal’s continued importance to the series, despite Joel’s death. Co-creator Craig Mazin told Entertainment Weekly: “If we’ve done our jobs right, you’ll feel Joel there a lot.” This suggests that even beyond the flashbacks, Joel’s presence will be felt throughout the narrative.
Neil Druckmann, the other showrunner, was even more direct when speaking on The Last of Us podcast: “There are still stories to tell. This is not the last that we will see of Joel.”
What kinds of flashbacks can we expect?
Based on the source material of The Last of Us Part II game, we can make some educated guesses about what flashbacks might appear in the upcoming episodes:
- A visit to a science museum where Joel takes Ellie to learn about space travel (glimpses of this were shown in the season trailer)
- Conversations that explore the aftermath of Joel’s decision at the Firefly hospital
- Moments that reveal how Joel and Ellie’s relationship became strained before his death
- Potential exploration of Joel’s connection to other characters, including Eugene (mentioned in recent episodes)
These flashbacks won’t just be nostalgic moments – they’ll likely provide crucial context for Ellie’s emotional state and motivations as she pursues revenge against Abby.
Looking beyond Season 2
The good news for Pedro Pascal fans extends beyond the current season. HBO has already renewed The Last of Us for Season 3, and since the second season is only adapting the first part of The Last of Us Part II game, there’s strong reason to believe Pascal will return for the third season as well.
In the video game, Joel appears in flashbacks throughout the entire narrative of Part II, including some pivotal scenes that would work best in later parts of the story. One particularly significant flashback occurs in the game’s epilogue, showing a conversation between Joel and Ellie that provides emotional closure to her arc.
This suggests that even though Joel is dead in the present timeline, Pedro Pascal’s involvement with The Last of Us is far from over. His character remains the emotional anchor of the story, particularly for Ellie’s journey.
Pascal’s thoughts on leaving Joel behind
When asked about his departure from the main storyline, Pedro Pascal admitted he was in “active denial” about no longer being a regular part of the series. “I realize this more and more as I get older, I find myself slipping into denial that anything is over,” he told Entertainment Weekly.
However, Pascal was always aware of Joel’s fate. “It was always an understanding that it would stay true to the source material in a specific way and that the practical and exclusive obligation would be for Season 1,” he explained. For him, “It was just a matter of how and when.”
While filming his flashback scenes, Pascal expressed pride in seeing Bella Ramsey take charge as the show’s lead. “Bella was never my child, but there’s an obvious parental dynamic between the characters of Joel and Ellie,” he said. “I did feel this sort of pride that I had nothing to do with but was able to observe how effortlessly they stepped into a position of leadership.”
What this means for fans
For viewers devastated by Joel’s death, the promise of more Pedro Pascal appearances offers some comfort. While these flashbacks won’t change Joel’s ultimate fate, they will provide deeper insight into his character and his relationship with Ellie, helping to contextualize her quest for revenge.
Have you been watching The Last of Us Season 2? What moments with Joel do you hope to see in future flashbacks? The journey isn’t over yet – and neither, it seems, is Joel’s story.
