Warning: This article contains MAJOR SPOILERS for The Last of Us season 2, episode 2 “Through the Valley” and The Last of Us Part II.The Last of Usseason 2 finally delivered the death many fans were dreading, and after the mixed reaction to this big moment, there are questions if Joel’s departure could have a similar impact as Glenn’s death had onThe Walking Dead. Having been one of the most pivotal parts of season 1,Joel’sThe Last of Usdeathabsolutely crushed viewers and has caused plenty of noise online. Despite its controversial nature, the moment was inevitable considering it is the single event that sparks most ofThe Last of Us Part II’s story, meaning it had to happen eventually.
While it was a surprise to see HBO adapt the scene so early into season 2 rather than trying to drag out Pedro Pascal’s role in the series, it’s a clear sign that the project is faithful to its source material.TLOUseason 2 has made a few video game changes, but overall, it has been very similar toPart II, including the brutality of Joel’s final scene. Naturally,the traumatic incident has drawn parallels to Negan killing Glenn inThe Walking Dead, and with viewers clearly heartbroken,TLOUcould suffer a similar fate to its fellow zombie franchise.
Many Fans Were Upset By The Nature Of His Death Which Caused Discourse Online
Image via Max
Although the reaction to Joel’s death has been loud among TV audiences, it has still been relatively tame compared to the backlash the moment received when the game came out. Having waited seven years for the follow-up toThe Last of Us, fans were expecting big things, making them extremely frustrated to lose Joel within the first few hours of the game. Considering he was the protagonist of the original project, watching him get brutally murdered by a relative stranger was hard to take, but the hostilities went way too far.
Abby and Joel’s controversialThe Last of Usscene caused fans to review bomb the game, turn on Abby, and even harass Laura Bailey, who voiced the character, creating an ugly reception surroundingPart II. For some,The Last of Uswent from being one of the best video games of all time to a franchise they were done with, much of the reasoning coming back to this moment. Of course, not everyone was upset, as a large portion of the audience enjoyed the story that followed and became invested in this gripping tale of revenge.
Many people even found themselves taking Abby’s side by the end of the story and believed she was the most likable character comePart II’s conclusion.While killing off someone as beloved as Joel was always going to be a bold decision, no one could have predicted just how unpopular this choice proved to be, and the franchise continues to be influenced by this moment five years later.
Joel’s Death In The Last Of Us Show Risks Repeating What Happened With Glenn In The Walking Dead
Glenn’s Death Caused Plenty Of Viewers To Give Up On The Walking Dead
Now that Joel’s horrifying death has officially been adapted into HBO’s TV series,The Last of Uscould be repeatingThe Walking Dead’s history with Glenn.Like Joel was inTLOU, Glenn was one ofThe Walking Dead’s most popular characters, with Steven Yeun also getting a lot of love for his performance. He was a true fan favorite and someone viewers could relate to, making his final moments truly shocking. Upon Negan’s introduction, the villain lined the show’s main characters up and having already killed Abraham, he shockingly offed Glenn as well.
AlthoughTWDfans had experienced plenty of brutal deaths before this moment, none compare to Glenn’s. He was beaten viciously with a baseball bat in front of his pregnant wife and even murmured some final words as blood poured down his face, making it one of the most disturbing moments in recent TV history. While the shock value definitely got people talking,Glenn’sWalking Deaddeath at the hands of Neganbackfired on the show, with fans vowing to stop watching, and this wasn’t just a baseless threat.
Since this incident, the zombie show slowly declined in viewership, and while that can’t all be attributed to Glenn’s death, it certainly played a major role. From here, the show never recovered, as views continued to dwindle over the years, and while the TV universe remains alive through spinoffs, it’s a fateThe Last of Uswill want to avoid. However, not only do the two deaths have plenty of parallels, but Joel’s is even more divisive, meaning HBO’s adaptation is treading on thin ice after episode 2.
The Last Of Us Will Face Similar Challenges To TWD With The Loss Of Joel
Losing A Character As Big As Joel Will Leave An Even Bigger Hole Than Glenn’s Death Did In The Walking Dead
With Joel gone,The Last of Uslooks like it will face similar challenges toThe Walking Dead. DespiteThe Walking Deadhaving a plethora of great characters, Glenn was one of the most wholesome and felt like the heart and soul of the show. Losing him had a big impact on the series as it lost some of its comic relief and light-hearted tone with Negan’s arc making things a lot more somber. As a result, it was hard for fans to stay invested without the fan favorite, making it one ofThe Walking Dead’s most disappointing deaths.
Ellie and Joel’s relationship was the driving force behindThe Last of Us' story, and with that now gone, it might be easy for fans to leave the show behind and not look back.
Worryingly,The Last of Uscontinuing without Joel could be equally devastating. Although Joel has a lot more flaws than Glenn, he is also more important toTLOU’s overall story than Yeun’s character was toTWD. Therefore, having arguably the show’s main protagonist up until this point be ruthlessly killed could make some viewers lose interest. Ellie and Joel’s relationship was the driving force behindThe Last of Us' story, and with that now gone, it might be easy for fans to leave the show behind and not look back.
To make matters worse,Joel’s killer will get a bigger role in the series, just like Negan did inThe Walking Deadafter killing Glenn, and considering Abby will also eventually find redemption, it only makes these deaths hurt more. As a result, these parallels mean thatThe Last of Uscould face similar obstacles and backlash toThe Walking Dead, which would certainly be a shame considering how much the series still has to offer.
Why The Last Of Us Is Still Worth Watching (Even After Joel’s Death)
The Last Of Us Still Has Some Extremely Compelling Storylines To Come
Understandably, Joel’s death may be off-putting for many, butThe Last of Usstill has plenty of great moments that make it worth watching. Ellie and Tommy’s descent down vengeful paths are both compelling in their own ways and completely change their characters. We see just how terrifying Tommy is when acting without filter, proving why he and Joel have such a fearsome reputation. Likewise, Ellie definitely has scenes that rival Joel’s iconic hospital slaughter, which are every bit as entertaining as they are brutal. Abby’s character development is also thrilling, as there is still plenty to unpack.
New episodes ofThe Last of Usseason 2 air every Sunday on HBO and Max.
Her WLF story is interesting, and she has a great dynamic with Lev, who hasn’t yet been introduced to the show. The cast is also doing a great job and award-winning actor Jeffrey Wright is still to appear, who will reprise his game character. Perhaps most importantly, Joel’s death isn’t the end of the protagonist. He has plenty of flashback scenes to come, and sinceThe Last of Ushas teased numerous Joel moments in season 2 that haven’t happened yet, expect more Pedro Pascal, and potentially some video game changes as well that are worth sticking around for.
The Last Of Us
Cast
The Last of Us is a post-apocalyptic drama series set two decades after a global catastrophe. It follows Joel, a seasoned survivor, who is tasked with escorting Ellie, a teenage girl, across a desolated United States, transforming into a harrowing journey of survival and companionship.
The Walking Dead
The Walking Dead is a television series that premiered on June 15, 2025. It follows Sheriff’s deputy Rick Grimes, who awakens from a coma to find a post-apocalyptic world overrun by zombies. He embarks on a journey to locate his family, encountering various survivors amidst the chaos.
