The Last of Us season 2 wasted no time in reminding audiences that no one is safe in its brutal, post-apocalyptic world. Over the past decade, few TV shows have successfully balanced emotional storytelling with brutal survival drama. Picking up after the shocking events of season 1, The Last of Us season 2 dove deeper into the harsh realities of a world ravaged by infection, vengeance, and moral ambiguity.
From beloved characters meeting brutal ends to morally complicated deaths, most of the season’s 7 episodes delivered a major death. Although the season had its fair share of changes, it generally stayed true to its video game source material. As audiences eagerly await updates for season 3, here’s a recap of the most memorable deaths in The Last of Us season 2.
Joel Miller
Episode 2 (“Through the Valley”) debuted the first major death in The Last of Us season 2. Joel Miller’s (Pedro Pascal) death came as a shock, even for video game fans who knew his death was inevitable. No one predicted the showrunners would opt to kill a major character so early in the season. Like the game, Joel’s death was the most brutal in the season. Having rescued Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) from the horde of the infected, she turned on them, knocking Dina (Isabela Merced) out and shooting Joel in the leg. Being driven by revenge, Abby proceeds to beat Joel with a golf club. In one of the season’s most emotionally wrenching scenes, Ellie (Bella Ramsey) is forced to watch helplessly as she pleads for Joel to stand up. Abby kills Joel by fatally stabbing him with the broken golf club’s handle.
The Captured & Tortured Seraphite
Episode 4 (“Day One”) begins with a flashback of Isaac Dixon’s (Jeffrey Wright) life as a member of the Federal Disaster Response Agency (FEDRA). It returns to the present day, with Dixon as the leader of the WLF. Although the season saw the death of several Seraphites, the Seraphite being tortured by Isaac Dixon stands out.
If anything, it gave audiences a better understanding of the cult’s resilience. His death stands out because of his defiance and willingness to endure the torture without divulging his cult’s attack plans. The most iconic moment in the torture scene was when the Seraphite put out his hand to be burned. It was at that moment Dixon realized torturing the Seraphite was a waste of time, eventually shooting him dead.
Nora
Nora’s (Tati Gabrielle) death was pivotal, especially because it brought back a vengeful Ellie. Since episode 3, the focus has been on Ellie and Dina’s flirtatious romance. However, in episode 5 (“Feel Her Love”), the Nora death scene puts things back on the right path. While Nora wasn’t exactly who Ellie was searching for, Nora was fair game, considering she held Ellie down to watch Abby kill Joel.
Also, Nora’s insulting comment about Joel’s final moment sealed her fate. Nora’s death scene mirrored that of the video game in several ways, including minute details such as the red background lighting. Interestingly, while audiences watched Ellie beat Nora with the pipe, she didn’t exactly kill Nora. Ellie later revealed in the finale that she left Nora down at B2 to become food for the Cordyceps spores. Although hardly alive, Nora’s fate was as brutal as a vengeful kill could be.
Eugene
Episode 6 (“The Price”) provided closure for audiences regarding the cause of Ellie and Joel’s strained relationship. In episode 1 (“Future Days”), audiences are introduced to Gail (Catherine O’Hara), Joel’s therapist, who resents him for killing her husband, Eugene (Joe Pantoliano). In episode 6, audiences watch how Joel killed Eugene in cold blood after Eugene got infected. Whether a fan of Joel or not, his actions in the scene further proved he was a flawed character. Eugene’s death was also a moment of awakening for Ellie, as she saw a side of Joel she had never known. It became the start of their strained relationship. Although Joel had Jackson’s safety in mind, as Ellie pointed out, there was still enough time for Eugene to say farewell to his wife, Gail.
Owen and Mel
The finale (“Convergence”) has the most deaths, with the first two being avoidable. Owen (Spencer Lord) joined Abby’s group solely because of his doctor girlfriend Mel (Ariela Barer). However, in their death scene, it was his reluctance that got them killed. Mel was ready to give up Abby’s location, particularly as it was later revealed that she was pregnant. Owen, like every other character in The Last of Us season 2, couldn’t shoot straight to save their lives.
A single shot from Ellie’s gun penetrated Owen and Mel. While Owen died immediately, Mel, realizing she had about 30 seconds left, pleaded with Ellie to help perform an emergency C-section to save her baby. Besides being an emotional moment, faced with killing a mother and her unborn child, Ellie realizes how far her quest for revenge has overtaken her. While it’s uncertain if Ellie would have let them go, Ellie would never have hurt Mel, knowing she’s pregnant like Dina.
Jesse
The last death in The Last of Us season 2 was undeserved and disrespectful to the character. Although a supporting character, audiences had come to love and respect Jesse (Young Mazino). While it was hard to decide whether to like or hate Ellie, Jesse remained true to his nature. He had begun to doubt Ellie and had understood she was naturally selfish. A single gunshot kill was the most unthoughtful way to kill Jesse’s character. What’s more annoying, if one is to get past Jesse’s sudden death, is the cliffhanger at the end. Which character got shot?!
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