The Big Twist In The Last Of Us Season 2 Episode 2 Ending Explained

WARNING: Contains SPOILERS for The Last of Us season 2, episode 2 and The Last of Us Part II.

The Last of Us season 2, episode 2 brought the game's most controversial story to the screen while bringing to life a major battle sequence unique to the HBO series. Season 2 is adapting the critically-acclaimed second chapter in Ellie (Bella Ramsay) and Joel's (Pedro Pascal) post-apocalyptic saga and, while many wondered whether Joel would actually die as early as he does in the game, episode 2 confirms that these new episodes really belong to Ellie after all.

Episode 2 picks up immediately after the events of episode 1, with the reaction to Dina and Ellie's kiss still fresh on the minds of some of Jackson's citizens. Such small matters become irrelevant, though, as a major storm barrels toward Jackson and Ellie, Jesse, Joel, and Dina find themselves caught outside the walls of this safe haven while Abby's group lurks somewhere in the mountains. When all is said and done, Joel is dead and Jackson is left in ruins after an attack by a horde of infected, changing the shape of the series entirely.

Why Abby Kills Joel In The Last Of Us Season 2

Anger Fuels Kaitlyn Dever's Character

Kaitlyn Dever’s Abby made her desire for revenge very clear in The Last of Us season 2’s first episodes. After Joel murdered her father and the rest of the Fireflies in Salt Lake City, Abby was dead-set on making sure Joel suffered, and she waited five long years to do it.

In that time, Abby and her friends have found new allies and joined the mysterious WLF organization. Though they have the opportunity to kill Dina and even Ellie, which would hurt Joel even more, it’s clear that Abby wants to kill Joel to avenge her father. Dina and Ellie are left alive by the end of the episode, reeling from the tragedy that took place in the mountains above Jackson.

How Different Joel's Death Scene In The Last Of Us Season 2 Is From The Game

Accuracy To The Game Is Key Here

The biggest question surrounding The Last of Us season 2 was how accurate Joel's death would be to the game. Talk of the timeline being spread out and rearranged made many assume that the demise of Pascal's character would come later in the second season, with some even thinking that it could be pushed to a third season.

With episode 2, though, that’s clearly not the case. Joel is dead, and the scene is extremely close to what happens in the game. One major difference is who Joel is with when he dies. In the game, Tommy and Joel are on patrol together when they rescue Abby, but in the series, Joel is with Dina.

Otherwise, Joel’s death scene is quite accurate, down to some of the dialogue Dever and Ramsay say and the weapon Abby uses to torture Joel. Despite the major addition of the Jackson attack, Joel dying in the same manner he does in the game hints that the rest of The Last of Us season 2 will remain fairly accurate to the story already told.

What Joel's Death Means For Ellie's Future

Ellie Will Be Forever Changed

Ellie’s life will be irrevocably changed by her witnessing Joel’s brutal death. Despite Ellie being angry with Joel when Abby kills him, her love for him is apparent when she screams at Joel to get up before crawling over and lying atop his lifeless body.

In a way, Ellie loses her primary connection to the community of Jackson - though she has forged her own connections, it’s certain to destabilize her in many ways. The family she has found - of Jesse, Dina, Tommy, and Maria - will still be there for her, but the emotional ramifications may cause her to push everyone away when she needs their support the most.

Where Abby & Her Group Are Going After Killing Joel

After the Firefly massacre in Salt Lake City, Abby and her friends' future seemed uncertain. Though Abby wished to go after Joel immediately, Owen implored her to see reason and give them time to regroup before they went after him. If the series continues to follow the game, then it will be revealed that Abby and her friends went to Seattle.

There, they joined the Washington Liberation Front, sharpened their skills, and prepared to travel to Jackson five years later and kill Joel. After Joel's death in the game, Abby and her friends return to Seattle, where the WLF is deep in a war with the Seraphites, a religious cult that has overtaken parts of the city.

Will Ellie Go After Abby?

Ellie Must Choose Revenge Or Forgiveness

The Last of Us Part II is largely about cycles of violence and revenge and, to see those themes through, Ellie follows Abby and her friends to enact her own. In season 2's second trailer, we see a brief clip of two people on horseback approaching the city of Seattle, so it seems that Ellie will indeed be heading west.

It's unclear, though, who will be heading there first. In the game, Tommy decides to follow Abby and her friends first, succumbing to his desire for revenge and leaving Jackson on his own. How and when Tommy will get to Seattle in the series, if he does at all, remains unclear.

Why The Infected Attack Jackson

The Answer Lies Underground

The attack on Jackson is The Last of Us season 2’s biggest diversion from the game so far. Hints that something like this could be coming were teased throughout episode 1, with the biggest clue about the attack given at the very end of The Last of Us season 2, episode 1.

The efforts to expand Jackson have continued over the five-year time gap between seasons 1 and 2 and that includes digging up the previously built infrastructure. One exposed pipeline, though, revealed that a cordyceps network had been growing underneath the city.

These networks allow the infected to communicate with each other and when that network is attacked as building continues, the infected are called to Jackson, prompting the horde to find the walled-off city, leaving devastation in their wake.

Creator Neil Druckmann previously spoke about these cordyceps networks with Polygon, revealing how they work: “[We wanted] to feel like these things are interconnected. They can come out against us as a mass.”

How Tommy Survives The Bloater Attack

Fire Is Your Friend

One of the most nail-biting moments from the attack on Jackson is Tommy’s fight with The Last of Us' infamous Bloater, a massive mutation of the infected. The Bloater is how the infected break into Jackson and, though the others wreak havoc, the Bloater has the potential to cause the most chaos thanks to its brute strength.

When the Bloater has its sights set on Maria, Tommy distracts it, drawing it away from his wife before finding himself cornered. Luckily, Tommy is armed with a flamethrower and is able to unleash everything he’s got at the Bloater. Though it looks like the Bloater may get the best of him, the fire eventually wears the infected mutation out, and it falls just before it gets its hands on Joel’s brother.

What's Next For Jackson After The Infected Attack?

The Community Will Need To Rebuild Without Joel

The community of Jackson didn't just lose Joel - they've lost countless civilians and key parts of their infrastructure, meaning their primary focus will be rebuilding after these devastating losses. As leaders of the community, Tommy and Maria will likely be torn between what's best for Jackson and their own desire for retribution.

Given the complex system they have set up, recovery seems possible for Jackson. The attack, while devastating, was not nearly as bad as it could've been. Jackson may be licking its wounds for quite some time, but considering the defenses they already had in place, they were able to withstand the attack and will only come out of this stronger in The Last of Us.