A familiar storm is brewing online as HBO’s The Last of Us heads into its second season. With early episodes confirming that the show is following the major plot beats of The Last of Us Part II, fans new to the franchise are now encountering a moment that rocked the gaming world back in 2020. At the center of the storm? Joel.
WARNING: The following contains major spoilers for The Last of Us Season 2.
The Last of Us Part II Remastered (2024), Naughty Dog
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Pedro Pascal’s portrayal of Joel drew mixed reactions in The Last of Us Season 1. While some viewers appreciated his interpretation, others felt it lacked the intensity and grounded nature of the original character from the games. Now, those same fans are grappling with the realization that Joel’s time in the spotlight may be cut short—just as it was in the game. While longtime players knew this day was coming, it hasn’t made the reaction from show-only audiences any less intense.
The Last of Us Part II game was awash in controversy early on, as new character Abby, a jacked muscular female, mercilessly ends the life of Joel, the primary protagonist of the first game in the sequel’s opening hours.
Abby in The Last of Us Part II (2020), Naughty Dog
The original game sequel drew major backlash for its decision to remove Joel from the narrative early on, creating a fierce but not alltogether unfamiliar divide between gamers and games journalists. Gamers were stunned when one of the most beloved characters in modern storytelling was suddenly taken off the board. Many saw it as a narrative betrayal. Journalists viewed it as bold storytelling. Regardless of opinion, it reshaped how fans engaged with the series.
Now, as HBO adapts those same story beats for live-action, that emotional shockwave is being relived on a larger scale. Social media has been flooded with confusion and frustration from audiences who feel blindsided by the turn of events. One viewer wrote, “I didn’t sign up for this,” while another said, “They’re really doing this again?”
YouTuber Vara Dark commented that gamers are experiencing “Joel PTSD all over again,” while mainstream audiences are only now beginning to understand why the second game was so controversial. She predicted a significant drop in ratings and viewership, and pointed to the current Rotten Tomatoes audience score—which had dipped to around 54% following the episode—as an early warning sign.
Adding to the frustration for some viewers is a claim that Rotten Tomatoes has delayed or filtered user reviews for the new episode, despite thousands of new audience ratings being logged. This mirrors concerns voiced during other recent media controversies where high-profile franchises faced scrutiny from longtime fans.
Neil Druckmann speaking at the 2014 San Diego Comic Con International, for “The Last of Us”, at the San Diego Convention Center in San Diego, California. Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0>, via Wikimedia Commons
Showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann have stated their commitment to following the second game’s structure, which means confronting fans with a character arc that demands they shift emotional focus from Joel to Ellie—and eventually to Abby, the woman responsible for Joel’s end.
Kaitlyn Dever’s casting as Abby all but confirmed that the show is fully embracing the game’s direction, including the deeply divisive character dynamics. While some fans are curious to see how the series handles Abby’s arc, others remain firmly against the decision to reframe the narrative around her.
Currently in The Last of Us fandom after episode 2:#TheLastOfUs pic.twitter.com/1WY4cjQ9bX
— cσσkíє 🎮 (@ArcanaLegacy) April 21, 2025
Despite the online uproar, critics continue to praise the series for its storytelling and performances. Season 2’s critical rating remains high, even as the audience sentiment diverges.
What happened in 2020 is now happening all over again—but on a much larger scale. This time, it’s not just gamers bracing for impact—it’s millions of viewers, many of whom are discovering for the first time just how controversial this chapter of The Last of Us truly is.
How do you feel about The Last of Us Season 2 staying the course in regard to Joel and his fate? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
