Joel’s Brutal Death in The Last of Us Season 2: What Changed from the game and why?

Be careful who you meet out there. That’s the grim lesson HBO’s The Last of Us delivered in its gut-wrenching season two episode “Through the Valley,” where fans witnessed the brutal and heartbreaking death of Joel (Pedro Pascal) at the hands of Abby (Kaitlyn Dever). But fans have a question- how does joel die in the game?

While the scene seems to be ripped straight from The Last of Us Part II video game, the HBO adaptation made several changes, both major and subtle, that alter the impact and emotional flow of the moment. Here’s a breakdown of how Joel dies in the game versus the show—and what those differences mean.

What Happens in the HBO Series?

After Joel and Dina (Isabela Merced) save Abby from a swarm of infected, she leads them back to a seemingly abandoned house in the mountains to escape the storm. It’s there that things quickly go sideways. Abby’s group—Mel (Ariela Barer), Owen (Spencer Lord), Manny (Danny Ramirez), and Nora (Tati Gabrielle)—initially come off as helpful. But Dina soon spots a WLF patch and grows suspicious.

Joel tries to radio for help, unaware of the danger he’s in. Then, everything unravels: Abby reveals Joel’s identity to her friends, shocking them into silence. Manny draws a gun on Dina, and Mel reluctantly sedates her. Joel finally realizes who they are: ex-Fireflies, not robbers, out for revenge.

Abby coldly recounts Joel’s rampage at St. Mary’s Hospital—where he slaughtered 18 soldiers and one unarmed doctor: her father. “I saved your life,” Joel says. “What life?” Abby fires back, shooting him in the leg with a shotgun. She forces Mel to tourniquet the wound, but it’s not mercy—it’s so Joel can suffer longer.

What follows is raw and merciless. As Joel sits bleeding, Abby tells him, “You don’t get to rush this,” and drives a golf club into his leg. The scene cuts between Abby’s unrelenting blows and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) racing to find him. When she arrives, it’s too late. Joel is barely alive. Ellie begs for his life. Abby doesn’t care. She plunges a broken piece of the golf club into his neck.

Joel dies as Ellie sobs over him. His body is dragged back to Jackson in a bag.

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How does Joel die in the game?

The emotional beats are similar—but the setup, pacing, and character presence are different.

In The Last of Us Part II, Joel and Tommy are patrolling together when they rescue Abby. They take her to a house known as the Baldwins’ place, not realizing the danger. Joel casually introduces himself—his name immediately chilling the room. “Y’all act like you’ve heard of us or something?” he says. “Because they have,” Abby replies, and shoots him in the leg.

Tommy is knocked out and restrained. Abby has Mel tie a tourniquet on Joel, then utters the now-iconic line, “You stupid old man. You don’t get to rush this,” before smashing Joel’s face with a golf club.

Ellie, meanwhile, is with Dina in Eugene’s weed den, sharing a quiet moment. They don’t find out about Joel’s disappearance until Jesse tells them Joel and Tommy missed their rendezvous. By the time Ellie arrives, Joel is barely hanging on. She’s restrained by Jordan, Nora, and Nick—characters not yet seen in the show.

Owen tries to de-escalate things but ultimately tells Abby to finish it. She does—with one final, devastating swing to Joel’s skull. Manny spits on Joel’s body and calls him a “pendejo.” Ellie is left unconscious and wakes up to see Joel’s body from a distance.

Why did HBO Change Joel's Death from the game?

While the essence of Joel’s death remains intact, HBO’s changes serve a few purposes. First, they give Abby and her group more context and humanity upfront, something the game delays for dramatic impact. In the game, players control Abby early but don’t learn about her motives till later. On TV, we get to know right away: this isn’t random. This is revenge.

Also missing from the TV version is Tommy’s presence during Joel’s death—a change that caught many fans off guard. Actor Gabriel Luna, who plays Tommy, confirmed to Esquire that reworking the scene was discussed during development, hinting that, Tommy wouldn't be as trusting of strangers as in the game, given his military background. He said:

"As a seasoned veteran, somebody who had to protect this city and keep it safe, would he be so trusting of strangers? And then to walk into this ambush and be knocked out for that moment, unable to use any of his strength and skills to protect his brother, it always pinged in my mind—I wouldn't say false, but I don't know if Tommy would have been that trusting to walk into that trap."

Joel’s death may have been expected by those familiar with the game, but that didn’t make it any easier to watch. The showrunners have remained true to the emotional weight of the source material, while adapting it for a different medium—reshaping the story’s pacing and perspective without losing its impact.

Where can you Stream The Last of Us Season 2?

The Last of Us season two is now streaming on HBO and Max, with new episodes airing weekly on Sundays. The third episode will premiere on April 27, 2025. If you want to refresh your memory, a recap of Episode 1 is available.

Also Read: The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 1: All the Easter Eggs and Game Changes you Might have Missed