Some fans were furious. “He saved humanity!” they cried. “He was a hero!” And yeah, Joel did save Ellie from the Fireflies—but let’s be real. He also doomed the world’s chance at a vaccine. He made a selfish, loving, deeply human choice. And that choice had consequences.
In the first game, Joel kills dozens of people to protect Ellie. He lies to her face at the end. He’s not a squeaky-clean hero. He’s a traumatized smuggler who found a reason to live again. And in Part II, his past catches up. It’s the price of being a legendary badass in a world of killers.
Let’s not forget: Joel wasn’t stupid. He knew his actions would come back to bite him. He just hoped it wouldn’t happen in front of Ellie. The tragedy is that his last act—saving Tommy—was pure, instinctive love. He died trying to protect family, just like he always did.
Joel's Death Scene -The Last Of Us 2:Remstered PS5(4K 60FPS) - YouTube
The Memes and the Tears
I can’t mention Joel’s death without tipping my hat to the internet. We got “golf club” jokes, memes of Abby as a WWE wrestler, and entire YouTube essays dissecting the scene. It’s dark humor, sure, but it’s also how we cope. Laughter through the pain, baby.
Remember that scene later in the game? Ellie flashes back to Joel playing guitar on her porch. He talks about “if somehow” God gave him a second chance, he’d do it all over again. That line wrecked me. It confirms that Joel’s love for Ellie was his only compass—flawed, but real.
And let’s give a round of applause to Troy Baker, the voice actor who made Joel feel like a gruff uncle we’d trust with our lives. That man delivered a performance so good, you forget he’s a guy in a motion-capture suit. He made us feel every grunt and broken whisper.
