SPOILER WARNING: This article contains major spoilers for The Last of Us season 2, episode 2, “Through the Valley.”

If you haven’t watched the latest episode of The Last of Us, turn back now—seriously…

The Last of Us Delivers Its Most Devastating Moment Yet

The second episode of The Last of Us season 2 has delivered the show’s most emotional gut punch to date: the death of Joel Miller. In a scene adapted from the divisive yet acclaimed video game sequel, Joel is brutally killed by Abby, the daughter of the Firefly doctor he executed in season 1’s finale.

The episode, titled Through the Valley, marks a major turning point for the HBO series, setting Ellie on a collision course driven by grief and revenge. Joel’s death was kept under tight wraps, but now that it’s aired, the cast and creators are finally speaking about the gravity of the moment — and what it means for the story going forward.

Pedro Pascal on Joel’s Fate

Pedro Pascal, who played Joel, said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly that he always knew this moment would come, even if the specifics weren’t laid out from the start.

“It was always an understanding that it would stay true to the source material… It was just a matter of how and when,” Pascal said.

The actor recalls stepping onto set in full makeup — bruised, bloodied, and dressed for what would be Joel’s final, harrowing moments. It wasn’t just another scene.

“I’ve never experienced anything like I did that day,” he said, reflecting on the visible shift in energy from the cast and crew as they laid eyes on him. “This kind of shock and heartbreak… it was weird to be on the receiving end of that. It’s like the extreme version of, ‘Is there something on my face?’ I really could see this sort of grief take over everyone’s look in their eyes.”

Bella Ramsey and Kaitlyn Dever Reflect

For Bella Ramsey, the day was marked with its own personal rituals and surreal energy. Ramsey admitted trying not to think too much about the weight of the scene between takes, even dancing to “Peanut Butter Jelly Time” to shake off the nerves. But the sadness ran deep.

“I’ve never cried reading a piece of writing before,” Ramsey said of the script. “It feels like father-daughter in some way… knowing that that would be the end of Pedro and us two working together in this capacity.”

Kaitlyn Dever, who portrays Abby, faced a unique challenge of her own. She had just lost her mother weeks before filming the emotionally charged scene.

“To be as honest as possible, I will just say that my days leading up to this scene were horrible,” Dever said. She described the experience as being in a fog, navigating grief while preparing to take on one of the show’s most brutal moments.

Despite the emotional weight, the cast and crew came together as a team. Director Mark Mylod approached the shoot with care, keeping the set closed and shifting schedules to support Dever. The result is a scene that’s restrained in violence but heavy in emotional fallout — a deliberate choice, according to co-showrunner Craig Mazin.

What Comes Next

With Joel gone, the show now pivots toward Ellie’s path of vengeance. Ramsey hints at how the loss will reshape relationships, especially with Dina (Isabela Merced), who was with Joel during the attack.

“They’ve become trauma bonded, in a way, but there’s also an element of resentment,” Ramsey said. “Dina got to spend that last day with him.”

As for Dever, she’s prepared herself for the reactions to come. “I hope that people appreciate what I did with the role, and that’s all I can really do,” she said. “I obviously wanted to do the game character justice, but also bring my own authenticity to the role and humanise her in the best way that I could.” She added: “I’m very, very proud of it.”

Pascal may be done in the present timeline, but Joel’s presence still lingers. While flashbacks teased in trailers suggest we haven’t seen the last of him physically, his impact will continue to run deeper than a few scattered memories. As Mazin put it, “If we’ve done our jobs right, you’ll feel Joel there a lot.”

The weight of who Joel was will echo through the series — and in every step Ellie takes from here on.