Last of Us EP Hints an Upcoming Joel Moment Will Hit the Audience ‘So Hard’
In addition to making us want to listen to Linda Ronstadt’s “Long, Long Time” on repeat, Sunday’s The Last of Us also made us wonder: Will we ever see scenes from Joel’s life circa 2003-2023, the way Episode 3 (read a full recap) gave us interludes from Bill and Frank’s?
So we took that query to series co-creator/executive producer Craig Mazin, who essentially said… probably not. But there’s something potentially much more powerful in the offing.
“I don’t think we’re going to go backwards at length like that, but Joel’s past is what informs his future,” the EP told TVLine. “There’s a particular moment I’m thinking of that also just [hits] me so hard.”
What might Mazin mean? In Episodes 1 and 2, both Pedro Pascal’s Joel and Anna Torv’s Tess referenced Joel’s less-than-savory history. And you’ve also got to consider the moment in the premiere that he flashed back to the night Sarah was killed, which caused him to punch a FEDRA officer’s face into a gooey paste. (Read a full recap.) Bottom line? The guy’s got baggage. And, per Mazin, that baggage will inform a highly emotional, yet-to-be-seen point in the HBO drama’s first season.
One reason behind the scene’s significance, the EP added, is that “Pedro Pascal’s portrayal of Joel has so much soul and humanity to it, and vulnerability, especially when Joel is alone. You know? He has to be a tough guy around everybody, but when he’s alone, that’s when you see all that soul.”
The Last of Us airs Sundays at 9/8c on HBO.
Hit hard… like a golf club?
Ya been sniffing coke again James?
a Joel in one
I see what you did there lol. But seriously, they really need to make some changes if they’re really going to adapt Part 2. When it comes to graphics and gameplay the game is amazing, but the story falls short when compared to the first game and drags and also fails to the mark. No matter how many zebras Abby saved, I just couldn’t sympathize with Abby and her dad. Nor with her friends, they were all scum. Her dad was willing to kill a little girl in front of her surrogate father for the sake of a very big if. Abby is just an awful person and one note and they also ruined Ellie for me. The first game was about love and the second one is just convoluted revenge/misery porn. They need to make some changes, at the very least set that one event at the end of the season or change it altogether and keep you know who safe. I have nothing against Dina or Ellie’s sexuality, that is fine, that’s not why I didn’t like the game. But man, the story just doesn’t work and hate playing as Abby was awful. I have no sympathy for her. She’s just a murderous hag.
That’s just your opinion. The second game was superior to the first in all ways. The story isn’t about revenge it’s about what revenge costs you.
I agree with Kara and a lot of people think so too. A good part of loathing the second game is justified. I understand what the writers attempted to do, but it felt contrived to many fans. It didn’t land with me. They said they tried to subvert expectations and that they accomplished because I expected the game to be amazing and it turns out it just left me upset. I was angry O had to play as Abby then Ellie also became a murderous ass as well. Plus we can all say that what you said is just your opinion as well. Check reviews and fan feedback online. Many people liked the game but to some it ruined the franchise, and they have valid points for thinking so.
That’s just your opinion too. Yes, the game was about the cost of revenge, but that doesn’t stop it from being such a letdown and a frustrating experience.
You could not be more wrong and I see you understood little of the message of the second game.
Honestly “the message” is open to interpretation. And you didn’t even care to elaborate why you think people didn’t get the message. I got what you think the message is and I still think the second game story was done poorly and left me with a bad taste in my mouth. We all know revenge is not worth it, but this particular story was a mess and the writers wanted to tell me what to think about Joel’s actions and also tell me to feel sorry for Abby and co. That’s not the way to tell a story, let the audience think for themselves, ffs. TLOU is a masterpiece, TLOU2 is at the very least a divisive title, miles away from the almost universal praise the first game got. Change my mind.
It’s either being confronted by Ellie about his dead daughter or the torture scene.
Probably. I doubt it’s about what happens in the second game.
Now I’m scared.
Probably that his fate will be like in Part 2 of the game.
I hope they will change this, because Pedro Pascal is just perfect for this role.
So, no flashbacks on one of the two main characters, but a two hour love story on two guys who are only in one episode and have no impact on the story at all.
Sure, that totally unnecessary and completely unrelated episode wasn’t just to show us all a gay love story and push some Hollyweird agenda, where gay wins awards. Its like I signed up to watch nightmare on elm street and they showed me the notebook. I’m not judging based on quality of content.. sure it was well made. It just went soo far off on a tangent it has nothing to do with Ellie – the main character who barely got any screen time – or Joel.
When this wonderful episode aired, I realized we would be getting idiotic comments like this. You all are nothing it not predictable.
You should know, that gay people exist.. It’s not just in hollyweird, as you said it.
We do exist. Don’t we deserve the same respect & love like heterosexuals? Is love & happiness only for heterosexuals?
I’d apologize, but there’s none of that in my post any where.
Grow up maybe.
Maybe explain how my points are wrong?
You can’t argue the facts, so you declare me a homophobe.
Im watchjng the show, or was, because I liked game where the main character is gay. Apparently, your homophobe arguments lose all credibility there though, so don’t bring that up.
Who are the idiots or whatever you ewant to say a phobe?
Get an actual argument.
You sure come off as homophobic. First, you felt the need to point out that the characters were gay, when you could have just stuck to the point of the characters being unrelated to the main story.
You referred to showing gay couples as a “Hollywood agenda”, when in reality gay people exist and deserve representation as much as anyone else.
You suggest that the only reason that gay people are represented in TV/Movies is to “win awards”.
I don’t know you, so maybe you’re not homophobic, but you come off that way when you use all the same talking points that homophobes constantly use. If you don’t want people to mistake you for a homophobe, maybe don’t talk like one?
The purpose of episode 3 was to show what this entire series is about
human relationships and love, thats what separates The Last of Us from other Zombie shows.
This season overall is about Ellie and Joels father daughter relationship, so familial love.
Bill and Frank are another side of that representing romantic love.
There is no Hollyweird Agenda , queer people exist and there are many gay couples in healthy long term relationships just like straight people.
So their story has everything to do with Ellie , from stuff in the second game you might even say Bill and Frank foreshadow Ellies own future love story when she grows up.
Take your incel homophobia elsewhere. The show isn’t just for you and it’s not just for the gamers.
Not as hard as season 2 hits Joel.
Keep Joel alive or you will ruin the series just like Part II ruined the game franchise.