The Last of Us 2: Why Killing [SPOILER] Was The Right Choice

Just before The Last of Us 2 launched last summer, major story moments were leaked across the internet, including Joel’s death. This brought a lot of negativity toward a game that wasn’t yet released. The Last of Us as a series is not known for much mercy or kindness, so while it perhaps shouldn’t have been a surprise that one of the beloved characters from the first game would meet their end in the sequel, there was a general uproar over the revelation. Even though a portion of the franchise’s fans were unhappy with this choice, killing Joel was absolutely the right move for The Last of Us 2’s story.

The Last of Us, which released in 2013, is considered by many to be a video game classic. Its tense and stressful gameplay combined with its complex and heartbreaking story made for a massive success – so much so that it won Game of the Year. It is no surprise, then, that the game’s sequel was so highly anticipated. And though the The Last of Us 2 was initially met with some outrage and skepticism, it still went on to be the PlayStation’s bestselling exclusive launch and Game of the Year. It goes to show that even though Joel’s death was difficult for a lot of people, The Last of Us 2 didn’t suffer for it.

Something that makes The Last of Us rise above shock value, is how easy it is to get caught up in the story. The first game really made players feel for Joel and Ellie; it made a lasting connection. So it’s understandable that some would be upset over Joel’s death – especially given the way he dies and that it happens so early in the game. But that’s part of what sets the game apart from some of its peers, in that it aims to affect the player and make them think. With a story that can be as difficult as The Last of Us’ heartbreaking narrative, it’s unlikely that everyone would ever make it out unscathed.

Killing Joel Was Sad But Necessary For The Last Of Us 2

Joel’s actions ultimately set him up for the fate developer Naughty Dog had in store for him. It’s made pretty clear in the first game that Joel was a flawed hero. He made choices to serve his own ends, even if he tried to justify them, up to and including torture. And while it’s not entirely fair to place too much judgement on him given the state of the world in The Last of Us, the fact remains that he did questionable things and made plenty of enemies. Perhaps his worst act was choosing to save Ellie in The Last of Us’ ending, killing every doctor on the premises. Whether or not he made the “right” choice is up for debate, as Ellie had become a daughter to him, but in the process of her rescue, he effectively ruined humanity’s chance of overcoming the virus. This was clearly going to have severe consequences, born out in the sequel.

Killing Joel off so early in the game allowed for The Last of Us Part 2 to do something different with its story. In video games, the player doesn’t often have to think about who they’re killing or get philosophical about the consequences of their actions. Basic enemy NPCs don’t generally have lives, families, or even names. That was not the case in The Last of Us 2’s story. Enemy NPCs would call out to each other by name, or even get upset when one of them died, and these decisions were intentional. The game seemed as though it wanted to constantly remind players that the people Joel and Ellie killed were indeed actually people with lives, names, and perhaps even daughters. Perhaps even daughters that would desire vengeance for what had been done to their families. So while killing Joel was an unpleasant choice, it was a necessary part of getting that frequently difficult message across.

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