Warning: This article contains major spoilers for The Last of Us season 2 episode 2.
The Last of Us season 2 episode 2 contains an extremely harrowing moment pulled straight from The Last of Us Part 2 game. In a sequence that will stick out in the memory of both players and viewers, Joel (Pedro Pascal) is brutally beaten to death with a golf club by Abby (Kaitlyn Dever).
The depiction of the horrific murder is pretty faithful to how it plays out in the game, even down to the brutal detail we see of Joel’s killing and how Ellie (Bella Ramsey) witnesses it. However, there is one major change to the heartbreaking moment that changes the stakes a fair amount.
In The Last of Us Part 2, Tommy is the one who joins Joel on patrol outside of Jackson, and is therefore the one who is present at his murder. However, in the show, Tommy is back inside the gated community dealing with the invasion of an onslaught of Infected.
Instead, it’s Dina who has joined Joel on the patrol and is the one who helps him save Abby before the pair are brought back to her hideout. The series shows Abby’s friends sedate Dina before Joel is killed, but Ellie makes it just in time to see his final moments.
It’s really not clear why the showrunners decided to switch up the narrative in this way in season 2. In the game, it’s particularly brutal that all of Joel’s family – Tommy and Ellie – are present at his death.
However, it’s probably down to the decision to enhance the Jackson storyline in this episode with the Infected invasion. Tommy being back there on the front lines makes a lot more sense with the addition of this storyline.
It’s also true that the series has really enhanced the relationship between Dina and Joel so far from how they are in the game, where they barely interact with each other. This means that Dina being there for Joel’s death is still pretty painful, and will also help her understand the pain that Ellie will be going through.
The Last of Us season 2 is airing weekly. For more, check out our guide to The Last of Us season 2 release schedule and read our The Last of Us season 2 review.
