The showrunners of The Last of Us discuss the transformative second episode of season 2.

      Significant spoilers are ahead for The Last of Us season 2, episode 2. Avoid reading if you haven't watched this week’s episode!

      HBO’s adaptation of The Last of Us seemed to deliberately minimize Kaitlyn Dever’s Abby in the promotional material for the second season, likely due to her controversial role in The Last of Us Part II. In both the game and the series, Abby harbors animosity towards Joel (Pedro Pascal) for killing her father, vowing revenge. In the second episode of season 2, the show depicted Joel’s grim fate as Abby killed him in front of a shocked Ellie (Bella Ramsey).

      Those who played The Last of Us Part II knew this moment was anticipated, but perhaps not so early in the season. In a recent interview with Deadline, showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann discussed Joel’s death and what lies ahead.

      “It’s incredibly painful when it occurs,” Mazin remarked. “It hurts, certainly, because we care about Joel, and more importantly, because Ellie cares about Joel, and we feel her heartbreak, and we all will mourn the loss of someone we’ve grown to love. But narratively, it felt inevitable, because this isn’t a show that goes on indefinitely. This show has a conclusion. We are a show that confronts characters facing the most difficult emotions. Watching Bella in that scene was heart-wrenching. It truly was. There were many tears shed that day by all of us. It was challenging.”

      One notable alteration in this adaptation was the inclusion of Dina (Isabela Merced), Ellie’s new romantic interest. Joel was on patrol with Dina when Abby captured them, and the showrunners decided to provide Dina with stronger motivation to support Ellie’s intentions regarding Abby.

      “In the game, we mention Dina having a relationship with Joel,” Druckmann explained. “However, you never actually see it. Here, we felt it was a good decision for this series to showcase that and to have her specifically present during that moment of confrontation.”

      “It certainly enhances their subsequent journey — should that happen — you understand Dina’s motivations,” Mazin added. “In the game, there's a mechanical advantage for Dina. We don’t have that mechanical element here. So the question became how to link Dina to this tragedy in a way that goes beyond merely being ‘Ellie’s friend.’”

      Another notable difference in this interpretation of the story was the near devastation of Jackson, the town that has been Joel and Ellie’s home for nearly five years. Mazin indicated this choice was made to raise the stakes for the show and eliminate the notion of a safe haven.

      “All the elements that provided safety are gone,” Mazin said. “Joel made Ellie feel safe. He’s no longer here. That secure perimeter of Jackson has been breached. By creating danger from both internal and external sources simultaneously, we felt it was the right approach to communicate how perilous the world is, how fragile everything is, and how valuable everything is. Therefore, the relationships moving forward must be treated with utmost seriousness, and the choices we make must be considered carefully, because there is no safety.”

      The Last of Us season 2 will continue on Sunday, April 27. HBO has already renewed the series for a third season.