Warning: Major Spoilers Ahead.
Episode 2: “Through the Valley”
Season 2 of HBO’s “The Last of Us” is only seven episodes long, but it does not stop the show from completely getting into one of the saddest deaths of a character in recent video game history. Those who have played the games already know what is in store.
Episode 2, titled “Through the Valley,” opens with Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) and her group in a hillside mansion far from the Jackson sanctuary. Abby is still determined to kill Joel (Pedro Pascal) while her friends consider retreating in response to the sanctuary’s security.
While out on watch, Abby accidentally awakens a horde of infected people hiding under the snow. She manages to escape after being saved by Joel, who was on patrol with Dina (Isabela Merced). The horde of infected makes its way to Jackson, leading to an intense and prolonged battle with many people dying and the sanctuary suffering heavy damage.
Abby convinces Joel and Dina to take her to the mansion. Upon arriving, Dina is knocked unconscious, and Abby reveals to Joel she is the daughter of the Firefly doctor Joel killed in the hospital massacre.
She shoots Joel in the thigh and then repeatedly beats Joel to death with a golf club. Meanwhile, Ellie (Bella Ramsey) is also out on patrol, and she discovers Joel and Dina’s horses tied up outside the mansion. She investigates and soon finds Abby in the middle of killing Joel. Ellie tries to intervene but is held to the ground by Abby’s friends.
Ellie is forced to watch helplessly as Abby fatally stabs Joel in the neck. She cries out to Abby and the rest of her group that she promises to kill every one of them. Abby and her group then leave. As the Jackson sanctuary begins to recover, Ellie, Dina and Jesse (Young Mazino) ride back with Joel’s dead body.
Viewers who were not aware of what happens to Joel in “The Last of Us Part II” (2020) video game are going to be shocked and feel the same anguish Ellie has in the show.
In the little time there is, Ramsey does an incredible job at portraying Ellie in a state of hopelessness and wanting to save Joel. It is without a doubt one of the hardest and most unpleasant scenes to watch in the show. It wouldn’t work without Ramsey’s performance or Dever’s performance as Abby.
HBO is notable for putting as much faith and money into its original series and films. The episode has the same vibe with its non-stop action as the “Battle of the Bastards” episode in “Game of Thrones.”
The sheer level of time and effort put into the horde attacking Jackson and its residents having to fight back shows what filmmakers can do when given the proper resources to make a truly exceptional television show.
There is no sign of HBO being cheap, and it is part of the reason why “The Last of Us” is the best video game adaptation of all time. There are no limits to what the filmmakers and producers can do, unlike television in the past.
“Through the Valley” is a hard-hitting episode, and many people hesitate to watch knowing Joel does not continue his journey with Ellie in the present storyline. However, his screen time is not finished as he is shown in more unseen footage in Season 2’s trailer. More than likely, they are flashbacks.
Both in Season 1 and so far in Season 2, Pascal does a version of Joel that appeases fans of the games while feeling like he’s doing his own thing. He’s not limited to how Troy Baker portrays Joel in the games. Knowing Joel is gone is sad, but it provides a good foundation for character growth for Ellie as Season 2 progresses.
