Gabriel Luna Breaks Down How Fatherhood Has Changed Tommy In The Last Of Us Season 2

As audiences prepare to return to Jackson in The Last of Us season 2, Gabriel Luna breaks down how Tommy has changed following his reunion with Pedro Pascal's Joel and the arrival of his son. The hit HBO series is an adaptation of the beloved Naughty Dog video game franchise that explores the plight of survivors following a cataclysmic fungal virus outbreak that devastated the globe. In The Last of Us, Luna portrays Tommy Miller, the formerly estranged brother of Joel Miller, who witnesses Joel's darkest moment at the start of the outbreak.

As ScreenRant attended a press conference focused on the new season of The Last of Us, Luna teased how Tommy changed going into the emotional events of season 2. As he and Maria (Rutina Wesley) raise their son, Benjamin, and his reunion with Joel and Ellie (Bella Ramsey), Tommy has primarily had to contend with taking on the duties of fatherhood while also reckoning with how he will help raise the new generation within Jackson and how to prepare them for the dangers outside. Check out Luna's full explanation below:

In these five years, his family is growing. He's been reunited with his brother. His family is Benjamin, Maria and I's [son]. The only real turbulence there is, I think, the way that you raise a son and how you raise a daughter. And I think you get to examine a lot of that because our family is now these five people. The core of the family, which is Maria and I, Benjamin, his uncle Joel, and his cousin Ellie.

It's just a really interesting thing about growing the community: who we let in, how we protect those that we love, [what] we allow those that we care for and the children that we're rearing, and trying to send them in the right direction. What elements of danger are we allowing them to encounter so that they can develop their skills? I think as Uncle Tommy to Ellie, I can I see her capabilities as a warrior. And while Joel would very much like to keep her as close to him, and as protected, as possible? As the uncle, I'm allowed to have more of a longer leash that can just absolutely be snapped at any moment because Ellie's a very convincing person.

So, you see this growth of their small nuclear family, and also [Tommy's] maturity as the leader of the Security Council, and the responsibilities he holds for the safety of the community.

What Luna's Tease Means For Tommy & The Jackson Community In The Last of Us Season 2

Tommy's Faith In Humanity's Endurance Will Be Tested

Tommy's current trajectory aligns with everything that The Last of Us season 1 had set up about the character, continuing his hopes of bringing in a better future. This is a contrast to the pragmatism and trauma that led Joel down a darker, more morally ambiguous path. Always described as a "joiner" who wanted to help, Tommy's selflessness drove him in the wake of Outbreak Day, from joining the Fireflies to help fight oppression to joining Maria in Jackson to build a safe haven without bloodshed. As such, The Last of Us season 2 seemingly continues to show his successes.

Despite this, it is clear from Luna's response that there are still many hurdles to overcome. The Last of Us season 2 trailers have shown hordes of infected bearing down on what seems to be an entry point to the community, something not seen in the original game that shows just how prevalent a threat the outbreak still is within the television universe. When paired with a group of fellow survivors driven by vengeance for what Joel did, season 2 seems set to potentially push Tommy's faith in humanity to the limit.

Our Thoughts On Tommy's The Last of Us Season 2 Role

Tommy Could Help Keep A Strained Family Together

Tommy is one of The Last of Us season 1's most optimistic characters, as his successes in helping gather fellow survivors into a prospering community are one of the sparks that reignite Joel's softer side. While season 2 will test the bonds between Ellie and Joel, it is clear that Tommy can act as a mediator between the pair, wanting what's best for each of them. However, in a world where everything can change with a single choice, Tommy's faith and selflessness may not be enough to keep Jackson and his family together.