Is Joel Dead in HBO’s The Last of Us? Answered

Joel and Ellie have had to overcome many obstacles on their journey together throughout HBO’s The Last of Us, and there has been more than one close call for them. However, during the show’s sixth episode, Joel is wounded in a fight defending Ellie and himself from a group of hostile individuals at what they thought was their final destination. The episode ends on a cliffhanger with Joel falling unconscious to his wound, so you may wonder if this is it for the hardened protagonist. Here’s everything you need to know about if Joel is dead in HBO’s The Last of Us.

Is Joel Dead in HBO’s The Last of Us? Explained

While Joel received a severe wound in episode six and wound up unconscious in the snow with Ellie crying over him, making things seem very grim, it can be assumed that Joel is not dead.

This is because HBO’s TV adaptation is set to very closely follow the storyline of the original The Last of Us video game. While Joel does sustain a similar injury in the game, he lives to see another day. However, Joel is forced to remain sheltered in the mountains during the winter, with Ellie looking after him and hunting to provide food for them both.

Does Joel Die in The Last of Us Video Game?

Joel does receive several minor injuries in the video game, as well as the same major wound that is referenced in episode six of HBO’s adaptation. However, thanks to Ellie’s determination and help, Joel fully recovers from his injury. He is even eventually able to set foot in search of Ellie when she suddenly disappears due to being taken by David’s community of cannibals.

Joel makes it throughout the rest of The Last of Us’s video game in one piece, despite putting his life on the line in some very tense final moments leading up to the story’s finale. Ultimately, he’s able to overcome everything that has been thrown in his face and keep both himself and Ellie safe at all costs.

Is Joel Still Alive in The Last of Us Part II Game?

Warning: This section contains major spoilers for The Last of Us Part II.

When the story of The Last of Us 2 kicks off, Joel is alive and healthy, living alongside a grown up Ellie, Tommy, and Maria in Jackson. Despite a strained relationship between the two much-adored TLOU 1 protagonists, things start with a much lighter mood than the first game, introducing players to Ellie’s love interest, and other important members of Jackson, who have built a family-like community with the duo.

However, things quickly take a grim turn once Joel’s whereabouts are discovered by Abby, the daughter of the surgeon Joel killed to save Ellie’s life back in The Last of Us 1. Traumatized by the events, Abby has grown into a woman fuelled with burning hatred and a need for revenge towards her father’s killer.

Unfortunately, while Ellie is restrained and forced to watch, Abby beats Joel to death in one of the franchise’s most brutal and heartbreaking scenes. This has the same effect on Ellie that the murder of Abby’s father had on her, and Ellie sets out to deliver Justice to Abby – thus creating another vicious cycle of hatred and revenge-seeking murder.

While Joel’s death is heartbreaking, it is essential to the entire plot of The Last of Us 2 and a powerful reminder that despite the good he’s done for Ellie, Joel had done devastating things to other people in the name of survival. It was all eventually bound to catch up with him, and his character development seemed to have been building towards this terrible fate since the end of the first game. to quote Tess, he was going to run out of luck eventually.

That’s everything you need to know about if Joel is dead in HBO’s The Last of Us. For more helpful guides, lists and news, check out the rest of our content. We have plenty of topics regarding The Last of Us that are sure to help you survive the cordyceps outbreak, so feel free to scroll down and check out the related links below.