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HBO’s The Last of Us has wrapped up its first season, and the finale played out very similarly to the game, which means it was controversial and heavily debated online. Series star Pedro Pascal, who plays Joel, has commented on the ending, as has writer Craig Mazin. Spoilers for The Last of Us follow below.
Just like in the game, Joel chooses to save Ellie (Bella Ramsey) instead of allowing the Fireflies to conduct a medical procedure on her that would kill her but potentially save humanity by creating a cure. Joel proceeds to viciously murder lots of foot soldiers in the hospital, the doctor who was going to conduct the procedure, and then Marlene (Merle Dandridge) before escaping with Ellie. Pascal said Joel was motivated to choose Ellie over choosing to save humanity because after losing his daughter Sarah (Nico Parker), he could not lose Ellie.
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Now Playing: The Last of Us Finale Breakdown: The Great Joel Debate, Merle Dandridge Interview
“What would make one choose one thing over the survival of humanity, essentially? He finds himself incapable of losing again,” Pascal said in the behind-the-scenes video below. “It’s this beautiful shadow and one can explore and question, find the horror and the humanity of.”
Mazin also addressed the controversial ending, saying Joel is so wrapped up in Ellie at this part of the story that it was an easy decision for him to prioritize saving Ellie over saving humanity.
“Time doesn’t really heal anything. It just makes it fade. But people heal things, and in that moment you understand the depth of what she means to him,” Mazin said. “The horror of it all is that is why the ending has to be the way that it is. The ending is something people have been arguing about for over a decade. Should Joel have done what he did? A lot of people will say no and a lot of people will say yes. In the end, the only thing we can be sure of is that we understand why he did it and we understand that Ellie would not have wanted him to do it.”
After the two escape, Joel lies to Ellie and tells her that she was actually one of many people who are immune to the virus. But he was lying when he told her that and he lied again when Ellie pressed him on it. The way the game and the show present things, it’s made clear that Ellie doesn’t totally believe Joel, but presses forward regardless.
The Last of Us Season 2 will enter production this year, according to Pascal, but there is no word yet on when the hit show will return. Season 2 will follow the events of The Last of Us Part II, but there will be deviations, just like the first season of the show. And whereas Season 1 covered the plot beginning to end of the first game, Season 2 won’t do the same for the game sequel, suggesting Season 3 is coming.
The doctor that Joel murders to save Ellie in the Season 1 finale is the father of Abby, a central character in The Last of Us Part II who is expected to appear in the sequel.
For more on The Last of Us Season 1 finale, check out GameSpot’s interview with Marlene actress Merle Dandridge shared below.
The Last Of Us’ Merle Dandridge Breaks Down Soul-Crushing Season 1 FinaleEverything That's Different In The Last Of Us Part 2 From The Original
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