Since the announcement of The Last of Us season 2 renewal, fans have been eagerly awaiting one major plot point: the inevitable fate of a key character. The question on everyone’s mind has been, when will it happen? And by “it,” we’re referring to…

The death of Joel. As the catalyst for The Last of Us Part II, fans of the game series speculated that this event might be postponed until the middle or end of the season, allowing Joel (and Pedro Pascal) to remain part of the story. However, “Through the Valley” unfolds similarly to the source material: Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) is rescued by Joel and Dina (Isabela Merced) from the Infected. Later, she confronts him about killing her parents during his hospital rampage and ultimately beats him to death with a golf club. Unlike the game, Ellie (Bella Ramsay) doesn’t witness the entire confrontation, only seeing Joel’s bloodied face and Abby delivering the final blow with the broken club.

Joel’s fate is sealed, and Ellie’s pursuit of vengeance begins. Fans familiar with The Last of Us Part II know what lies ahead for Ellie and Abby (and it’s not pleasant), while new viewers are in for a intense ride. We’d love to hear your thoughts on this plot twist in the comments below. A full episode recap will be available in the morning.

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