The Last of Us Season 2 May Quietly Change the Game's Most Heartbreaking Moment (& Its Most Important Romance)

The Last of Us Season 2 is quickly approaching, only being a month awau from premiering on HBO after a two-year wait. Within those two years, fans have speculated how much creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann will change from the video game sequel, The Last of Us Part II, to both flesh out the storyline and spread it out across multiple seasons. One big change may have already been revealed in the trailers and promotional images.

Adjacent to the game, The Last of Us Season 2 takes place five years after the events of the first season. Joel and Ellie now live in Jackson, Wyoming, where Joel's brother Tommy lives, having established their lives in the post-apocalyptic community. Newer characters that'll be integral to the story include Abby Anderson, an outsider from a military organization in Seattle, Ellie's friend Jesse, and Ellie's love interest Dina. However, The Last of Us Season 2 suggests that Dina will play a much bigger role and change the emotional aftermath of a heartbreaking moment that is likely to happen.

The Last of Us Could Possibly Switch Tommy and Dina's Roles

Dina May Play a More Integral Role in Joel's Death

While The Last of Us Season 1 deviated from the first game in many areas, it hit all the main beats of the story from start to finish. There's good reason to believe that the second season will do the same, which means Joel will die at some point. His death is a massive turning point in the story, sucking Ellie into a cycle of violence to get revenge against Abby, his murderer. It was also a catalyst for his brother, Tommy, to engage in a mission to exact the same revenge, but turning his wife away in the process. 

Tommy was present with Joel during the torture-turned-murder, acting as a framework for the silent guilt he harbored. Tommy was by no means responsible for Joel's death, but that doesn't change the fact that his brother is dead, and he was the only one with him before things went too far. The promotional material for the HBO show, however, suggests Dina will be with Joel when he's murdered by Abby and her companions.

A few moments in The Last of Us Season 2 trailers and images show Dina and Joel often paired up on what appears to be a patrol, while Ellie and Tommy are paired up. There are other images that show Dina and Ellie together, meaning that The Last of Us could just be incorporating flashbacks or sticking pretty closely to the game. But it would also make sense for the show to make a big change by pairing Dina and Joel together.

This One Small Change Could Alter Ellie and Dina's Romance

A Case of Survivor's Guilt Will Test Ellie and Dina's Bond

Dina and Joel don't have any conversations in The Last of Us Part II, so having them together in the HBO show would allow a new dynamic to blossom, no matter how short of time. More specifically, Dina being present for Joel's death serves as a push for more extensive character development and exploration of her relationship with Ellie. As interesting as she is in the game, Dina is still quite one-dimensional. There's an opportunity for her to grow as more than just a companion for Ellie, and HBO is taking it.

"[Dina's] absolutely not just the love interest of the show -- she really plays such a pivotal part in the season."

- Bella Ramsey

If Dina accompanies Joel as they rescue Abby and accidentally reveals Joel's identity to her, this would trigger survivor's guilt that would, by extension, deteriorate her and Ellie's romantic relationship.

Compared to Joel and Tommy, Dina is still a young adult with little experience in the real world. Her helplessness in saving Joel would spiral into a feeling of carelessness and self-doubt. As Ellie indulges in more violent acts that strip away her humanity, Dina will pack on the feeling of responsibility that Ellie won't free her of. Eventually, the guilt will cause a rift between Ellie and Dina, but that's a necessary development to put their relationship to the test.

Bella Ramsey has teased that Dina will play "such a pivotal part in [Season 2]," aligning with the theory that Dina is involved in Joel's death scene. It would be a smart way of building a connection between Dina and the audience as a new character. She won't simply be "tagging along" for the ride as Ellie embarks on a mission to find Abby. Dina will be co-leading the pursuit because she can't let go of the memory either, having been an involuntary witness to it.

The Last of Us Season 2 premieres April 13 on HBO.