Why Did They Kill Joel In The Last Of Us
Why Did They Kill Joel in? A Critical Investigation In 2013, redefined narrative storytelling in video games with its harrowing tale of Joel and Ellie, a smuggler and a teenage girl navigating a post-apocalyptic world ravaged by a fungal pandemic.
The game’s emotional core lay in their surrogate father-daughter bond, making Joel’s shocking death in (2020) one of the most divisive moments in gaming history.
The decision by Naughty Dog’s creative director, Neil Druckmann, to kill Joel early in the sequel sparked outrage, grief, and heated debate.
But why did the developers choose this narrative path? Was it a bold artistic statement, a necessary catalyst for Ellie’s revenge arc, or a miscalculated risk? Thesis Statement Joel’s death was a deliberate, thematically driven choice designed to subvert player expectations, explore cycles of violence, and challenge the moral ambiguity of his actions in the first game but its execution and reception reveal deeper tensions between storytelling ambition and player attachment.
Evidence and Analysis 1.
Narrative Necessity: The Cost of Joel’s Choice In, Joel’s decision to save Ellie by massacring the Fireflies dooming humanity’s chance for a cure was morally contentious.
Druckmann and co-writer Halley Gross have stated that Joel’s death was inevitable because actions have consequences (, 2020).
By having Abby, the daughter of the surgeon Joel killed, execute him, the game forces players to confront the fallout of Joel’s violence.
Scholars like Brendan Keogh (, 2018) argue that video games often shield players from lasting consequences, but refuses this comfort.
Joel’s death is not just a plot device; it’s a narrative reckoning.
2.
Player Psychology and Subverted Expectations Many players expected to continue Joel and Ellie’s journey, but Druckmann deliberately disrupted this.
A 2021 study in found that player attachment to protagonists can create resistance to narrative shifts.
Joel’s abrupt death triggered grief akin to losing a real person a testament to the game’s emotional depth, but also a source of backlash.
Critics argue the pacing exacerbated this.
Joel dies early, leaving players adrift in Ellie’s rage.
Some, like ’s Gene Park (2020), praised this as brave storytelling, while others, like ’ Paul Tassi (2020), called it narrative sabotage.
3.
Moral Ambiguity and Perspective-Shifting The game’s second half forces players to control Abby, Joel’s killer, humanizing her through parallel struggles.
This structural choice mirrors research on empathy in interactive media (Sicart,, 2009).
However, many players rejected this, reflecting what psychologist Nick Yee calls ludonarrative dissonance when gameplay and story clash.
Druckmann defended this in a interview (2020): If you’re only ever seeing one side, you’re missing the point.
Yet, some argue the execution failed to bridge the empathy gap.
A analysis (2021) noted that Abby’s redemption arc clashed with players’ visceral hatred, making Joel’s death feel unjust rather than thought-provoking.
4.
Commercial and Cultural Backlash The outrage wasn’t just artistic it was cultural.
Leaked plot details fueled a toxic backlash, including harassment of voice actor Laura Bailey (Abby).
A investigation (2021) linked this to gamer entitlement, where fans reject narratives that challenge their expectations.
Yet, the game sold 4 million copies in three days (, 2020), proving divisiveness doesn’t equal failure.
Film critic Roger Ebert once wrote, Art isn’t a democracy a sentiment Druckmann echoed when defending the story’s polarizing nature.
Conclusion: A Necessary Tragedy or a Misstep? Joel’s death was a high-stakes gamble.
Thematically, it succeeded in deconstructing revenge and moral duality, but its emotional toll on players sparked valid criticism.
Was it a masterstroke or a miscalculation? The answer lies in perspective.
For some, Joel’s death was a powerful narrative inevitability; for others, a betrayal of player trust.
What’s undeniable is that it ignited a rare cultural conversation about storytelling in games one that will shape the medium for years to come.
- Keogh, B.
(2018).
MIT Press.
- Sicart, M.
(2009).
MIT Press.
- Park, G.
(2020).
- Tassi, P.
(2020).
- (2021).
Player Attachment and Narrative Disruption.
- Druckmann, N.
(2020).
Interviews with and.