The Last of Us season 2 episode 2 (Image via HBO)

The Last of Us season 2 is bringing this character's story to a tragic end, and we are not emotionally ready

Modified Apr 21, 2025 05:44 GMT

The Last of Us season 2 episode 2 aired on Sunday, April 20, 2025, and it delivered the moment many fans were bracing themselves for. Titled Through the Valley, the episode showed the shocking and brutal death of Joel Miller, a core character since the very beginning of the franchise.

The episode opens with Abby being chased on the snowy outskirts of Jackson. Joel and Dina end up saving her. However, things turn quickly once Abby realizes Joel's identity.

After luring him to a lodge where her group is hiding, she shoots him in the leg and then tortures him with a golf club. Ellie arrives mid-attack, forced to watch as Abby kills Joel in front of her.

Joel's death sets the tone for the rest of the season. His presence defined the emotional weight of season 1 and carried over into the opening episodes of season 2.

With Joel gone, Ellie is pushed into a position of emotional collapse and rising anger. The storyline shifts completely, as revenge becomes Ellie’s new focus.

Joel’s death also disrupts the fragile peace in Jackson and brings the long-standing consequences of the Firefly massacre to the forefront.

The Last of Us season 2 episode 2 recap

Pedro Pascal stars in The Last of Us season 2 (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images)

The Last of Us season 2 episode 2, titled Through the Valley, aired on April 20, 2025. The episode opens with Abby alone in the snowy forest outside Jackson, Wyoming.

She’s pursued by a swarm of infected and narrowly survives. While fleeing, she’s saved by Joel and Dina, who are out on patrol. Neither of them recognizes her, and she pretends to be a stranded survivor in need of help.

Dina calls Joel by name, which triggers Abby’s reaction. She realizes who he is and immediately shifts her plan.

Abby leads Joel and Dina to a lodge where her group is staying. Once inside, she turns on Joel and shoots him in the leg. Her team quickly takes control of the situation and holds Dina hostage.

Joel tries to reach Tommy over radio but is stopped. Abby confronts him about the past.

She tells him that he killed her father, the Firefly surgeon from Salt Lake City. She wants him to know why he’s about to die. She then beats Joel with a golf club in front of Ellie, who arrives too late to stop it.

While that happens, Jackson is under attack. A bloater and other infected break through the outer walls. Tommy and Maria lead the defense effort, using firebombs and barricades.

Jesse joins Ellie and Dina after hearing no updates from Joel’s patrol group. The group follows the trail to the lodge, arriving as Abby's group escapes.

Ellie runs inside and finds Joel dying on the floor. The camera cuts to her as she screams and holds his body.

The final montage shows the aftermath. Ellie, Jesse, and Dina return to Jackson with Joel’s body in a bag. The town is quiet, with smoke still rising from fires used to fight the infected.

Pedro Pascal stars in The Last of Us season 2 (Photo by Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images)

Ellie sits beside Joel’s corpse in a darkened room. In the background, a cover of Shawn James’ Through the Valley plays, performed by Ashley Johnson, who voiced Ellie in the original game.

The lyrics mirror Ellie’s emotional state and set the stage for her path forward.

The Last of Us season 2 episode 2 ends without a confrontation. Abby’s group is gone, and Ellie is left with nothing but Joel’s death and the need to respond. Joel’s murder becomes the turning point that pushes the story into its next chapter.

Watch The Last of Us season 2 on HBO.

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Sayan is a journalist who specializes in Movies and TV Shows at Sportskeeda. Having been involved with movies since the tender age of nine, Sayan harbors a profound passion for cinema ranging from the pre-Code Hollywood era to contemporary releases. With a keen eye for details that often escape others, Sayan offers unique insights into the intricacies of film and television storytelling. Holding a degree in business, he skillfully blends his cinematic passion with an analytical approach to the financial aspects of the industry. His proficiency in creating compelling content, conducting meticulous research, and collaborating effectively with the editorial team makes him an invaluable asset to the Sportskeeda community.

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