The Last Of Us

admit monumental SPOILERS for The Last of Us season 2 , episode 2 , and SPOILERS for The Last of Us Part II video recording game !

There ’s a lot to sleep with about how HBO’sThe Last of Ushandled that major time of year 2 last , but a critical aspect of Abby ’s character withdraw away some of the game ’s skilful elements . The Last of Usseason 2 , episode 2 ’s endingsaw HBO cater yet another landmark television set moment , with a new fictitious character named Abby ( Kaitlyn Dever ) killing off the show ’s lead theatrical role . Joel Miller ( Pedro Pascal ) died in an almost superposable manner inThe Last of Us Part IIvideo game , and just like with the game , fans of the show are resile to have strong reactions .

Abby killing Joelis one of the most shocking moments in video game history , leading lover of the enfranchisement to prognosticate this scene since the Clarence Day the television adaptation was announced . Adaptation can come with some notable deviations , and there are already a turn ofstory modification inThe Last of Usseason 2 . Most of the of the essence narrative beats in the TV series are the same , but there are constant alterations to the orderliness of events and subtle chemise in characters that make ripple effects . These changes are n’t inherently bad , but I conceive they weakened Joel ’s death .

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Abby’s Monologue Detracted From The Shock Of Joel’s Capture

They Broke The Golden Rule: Show Don’t Tell

First , I ’ll say that I have absolutely zero complaints about Kaitlyn Dever as Abby . She ’s a phenomenal actress , and she ’s clearly capturing the emotion that defines Abby in the game . However , I take government issue with the writing of season 2 , episode 2 , giving her an lengthened soliloquy after restrain Joel at gunpoint . Tocompare Joel ’s dying to the secret plan , the game ’s version of this sequence rapidly progresses from an unexpected scattergun blast to a three - line dialogue exchange to Joel getting beaten with the golf club . It ’s quick ; it ’s alarm ; and it ’s entirely unceremonious .

It ’s immediate ; it ’s horrifying ; and it ’s entirely unceremonial .

The variation of Joel ’s end in the video game was wholly unprecedented , and players in 2020 had no musical theme why Abby might be doing such a thing . All one could tell was that a new character had appeared , and their preferred video game protagonist was being beaten to death . receive Abby stop and explain exactly what she wanted and how she feel in this moment may have been a tolerant gesture to telecasting viewers , butit took out the daring prospect that made the TV game sequel such a singular work of graphics .

Kaitlyn Dever as Abby in The Last of Us season 2, episode 2

The Last Of Us Season 2 Revealed Abby’s Motivation Too Early

The TV Series Weakens One Of The Game’s Strongest Narrative Choices

The histrion inThe Last of Us Part IIfollows Ellie for the first leg of the game , and it ’s not for a while that one really even read who Abby is . Then , the game shifts to Abby ’s perspective , and the musician is ram to reckon with the humanity of the person who killed Joel . The Last of Usseason 2 ’s initiation of Abby showed her directly in the aftermath of the Saint Mary ’s Hospital Firefly butchery in Salt Lake City , straight off revealing who she is and what she require .

Sure , there ’s still some shock in the fact that Joel was kill in the next episode . The 2d episode of TV season are barely host to major character reference deaths . However , the instant reveal of Abby ’s motivations creates an inherent fellow feeling with her desire . We should sympathise with Abby in the end , but not yet , and that ’s what makesThe Last of Us Part IIso exceptional . Making the reveal too former robs Modern audiences of the opportunity to experience the aroused challenge of the game , extenuate the effect and potentially soften the final stage answer .

Joel’s Death & Ellie’s Reaction Were Still Powerful & Poignant

The Violence Was As Brutal As Could Be

Pedro Pascal is a picture champion , and it ’s no surprise that his destruction was beastly and hefty in its own way . Experiencing that degree of wildness , even on television , is affecting on its own , and while I think the Abby face suffered , the Joel and Ellie angle was certainly a succeeder . Many of the beats following Ellie ’s reaching are draw directly from the plot , and they ’re evenly as good .

The Last of Us season 2 , sequence 2 , introduced audiences to a new organization from the game . Here ’s who WLF is and what role they play in the story .

Watching Ellie call out to her adopted father , begging him to get up , is always going to hit intemperately . The touch of see her clinch Joel ’s dead body was the most exceptional addition to the scene , and one of the best in the TV serial so far . I do n’t agree with every selection HBO’sThe Last of Ushas made , but there ’s no doubtfulness that Joel ’s destruction will remain in the spunk and mind of television system lover for a long while .

Abby in The Last of Us season 2, episode 2 “Through the Valley”

Custom Image By Yailin Chacon

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Cast

Ellie Williams (Bella Ramsey) crying in The Last of Us Season 2 Ep 2

Owen and Abby from The Last of Us season 2

Imagery from Joel in The Last of Us season 2

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Gabriel Luna as Tommy looking to the side next to Bella Ramsey looking shocked in The Last of Us

Custom Image By Yailin Chacon

Ellie wanders through an abandoned building with a gun in The Last Of Us season 2

Headshot Of Pedro Pascal In The 30th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards

Headshot Of Bella Ramsey In The 29th Annual Critics' Choice Awards

The Last Of Us