Joel Miller isn't your typical hero. He’s a survivor, a smuggler, and a father who lost everything before the world even finished falling apart. If you’ve played the games or watched the HBO series, you know that what happens to Joel in The Last of Us is less of a triumphant journey and more of a brutal, messy collision between love and consequence. People still argue about his choices today. It’s one of those stories that sticks in your ribs and stays there.
He started as a grieving dad in Austin, Texas. By the time we meet him twenty years later, he’s a hardened shell of a man living in the Boston Quarantine Zone. He’s done bad things. He admits it. But then he meets Ellie, and the whole trajectory of his life—and the fate of humanity—shifts.
The Choice That Changed Everything
To understand his end, you have to look at the hospital in Salt Lake City. This is the moment most fans point to when discussing what happens to Joel in The Last of Us. After a cross-country trek that bonded them as father and daughter, Joel discovers that the Fireflies intend to kill Ellie to extract a cure from her brain.
He didn't hesitate.
He tore through that hospital like a force of nature. He killed guards, doctors, and the leader of the Fireflies, Marlene. He chose one girl over the entire human race. Honestly, who can blame him? But he also lied to her about it. He told her there were dozens of immunes and that the doctors had "given up" on a cure. That lie is the foundation of everything that follows. It's the crack in the armor that eventually shatters.
The Brutal Reality of Part II
When The Last of Us Part II kicks off, we see a softer side of Joel. He’s living in Jackson, Wyoming. He plays guitar. He carves wooden figures. He’s trying to be a person again. But the world of The Last of Us doesn't allow for clean slates.
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Early in the second game, Joel and his brother Tommy save a girl named Abby from a horde of infected. In any other story, this would be the start of a beautiful friendship. Instead, it’s a death sentence. Abby is the daughter of Jerry Anderson, the lead surgeon Joel killed to save Ellie. She’s spent years hunting him down, fueled by a singular, burning need for revenge.
The scene is hard to watch. It’s supposed to be.
Abby and her group trap Joel in a basement. There are no grand monologues. There’s no last-minute rescue. Joel, realizing who they are and what’s happening, simply tells her to "get it over with." He doesn't beg. He doesn't apologize. He knows exactly how the world works. Abby beats him to death with a golf club while Ellie, who has just arrived, is pinned to the floor and forced to watch. It’s sudden. It’s ugly. It’s arguably the most controversial moment in modern gaming history.
Why Joel's Death Was Necessary for the Narrative
Many players felt betrayed. They felt Joel deserved a "warrior's death." But Naughty Dog, the developers behind the game, weren't interested in tropes. They wanted to explore the cycle of violence.
If Joel had died saving Ellie from a Bloater, his story would have been a cliché. By having him die because of his past actions, the story becomes a meditation on karma. You can't kill a hospital full of people and expect to live happily ever after in a cabin in the woods. Life just doesn't work that way, especially not in a cordyceps-infested wasteland.
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Director Neil Druckmann has often spoken about how Joel’s death was the only way to move Ellie’s story forward. It forced her—and the player—to confront the reality of Joel's "heroism." He was a hero to her, but a villain to Abby. Both things are true at the same time.
The Aftermath and Joel's Lingering Presence
Even though he dies early in the second game, Joel is the heart of the entire experience. Through flashbacks, we see the deterioration and eventual attempted mending of his relationship with Ellie. We see the moment she finds out the truth about the hospital. We see her anger.
But we also see their final conversation.
The night before he died, Ellie went to his porch. She told him she didn't think she could ever forgive him for what he did in Salt Lake City. Then she said, "But I'd like to try."
That’s the tragedy. He died just as they were starting to find their way back to each other. It makes his absence feel like a physical weight throughout the rest of the game. When Ellie is in Seattle, fueled by rage, she’s trying to justify her love for a man who she knew was deeply flawed.
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Key Takeaways from Joel's Journey:
- The Hospital Massacre: Joel killed the Fireflies to save Ellie, essentially "saving" his own soul while potentially dooming humanity.
- The Lie: His decision to lie to Ellie created a rift that defined their final years together.
- The Consequences: Abby’s quest for vengeance was a direct result of Joel’s actions, proving that "no good deed goes unpunished" in this universe.
- The Legacy: Joel’s influence lives on through the guitar he gave Ellie and the lessons he taught her about survival, even if those lessons eventually led her down a dark path of her own.
The HBO Series vs. The Game
For those watching the TV show, the question of what happens to Joel in The Last of Us carries a different weight. Pedro Pascal’s portrayal brings a certain vulnerability that's different from Troy Baker’s performance in the game. While the broad strokes remain the same, the show spends more time on Joel’s internal fears—his panic attacks and his admission that he's "losing it."
Season 2 of the HBO series is expected to cover the events of the second game. While there has been speculation about whether the show will deviate from the source material, the producers have stayed relatively faithful to the major plot points so far. If they follow the game, viewers should prepare themselves for a very emotional, very divisive season.
How to Process the Story
If you're struggling with the direction the story took, you aren't alone. The best way to engage with the narrative is to look at the subtle details. Watch the way Joel looks at Ellie in the flashbacks. Look at the items in his house in Jackson. The game tells you a lot about his state of mind through the environment.
Next Steps for Fans:
- Replay the Museum Chapter: If you want to see Joel at his best, replay the "Finding Strings" or "The Birthday Gift" chapters in Part II. They offer a beautiful look at his fatherly side.
- Listen to the Podcast: The Official Last of Us Podcast features deep dives with the creators and actors that explain the "why" behind Joel’s fate.
- Analyze the Lyrics: Listen closely to the songs Joel sings, particularly "Future Days" by Pearl Jam. The lyrics "If I ever were to lose you / I'd surely lose myself" are the blueprint for his entire character arc.
Joel Miller was a man who found something worth living for in a world that had given up on life. Whether you see him as a savior or a selfish old man, his impact on the medium of storytelling is undeniable. He didn't go out in a blaze of glory, but he did go out as a man who had finally learned how to love again. That, in itself, is a victory.
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