<em>The Last of Us</em>: The Internet Is Having a Meltdown Over Episode 2's Twist
This story contains spoilers for The Last of Us season 2, episode 2.
Pedro Pascal sure has bad luck on HBO Sunday nights, doesn't he? First, his head was crushed into paste on Game of Thrones. Now he's caught way off guard on The Last of Us. Maybe that's why he wears Beskar steel on The Mandalorian.
In the latest season 2, episode 2 of The Last of Us, "Through the Valley," a huge moment from the video games is finally reimagined for live-action TV. Aside from a few major changes to the story, including who is present to witness the harrowing ordeal, the scene still hits square in the gut, as the Internet's collective meltdown can attest.
Experienced gamers who've played the original The Last of Us and The Last of Us Part II have seen it coming ever since the show premiered on HBO: The vicious murder of Joel, carried out by vengeful ex-Firefly Abby. Occurring approximately an hour into The Last of Us Part II, Joel (played in the games by Troy Baker) is lured to his doom by Abby, who seeks payback for her father's death at the hands of Joel five years earlier. For more about the scene's differences between the video games and the HBO show, check out our breakdown here.
Maybe it's because Pascal is a wholesome, handsome guy, or because fans are really attached to Joel and Ellie's bond—or both!—but The Last of Us has left its fans an emotional wreck. For some, the sight of Joel's bloodied corpse and a distraught Ellie snuggling up to him for the last time is too much to bear. Honestly, it makes The Viper's death match from over a decade ago look like child's play.
Because misery loves company, here are some of the best reactions to The Last of Us on X (formerly Twitter) and Instagram that we could find—including some who aren't too fond of the show's creative choices. Try not to lose your head.
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