Summary
- Neil Druckmann believes Joel was right to save Ellie in The Last of Us, a decision he would make himself.
- Craig Mazin, co-creator of the HBO adaptation, admits he may have made the same choice as Joel but liked to think he wouldn’t, saying, “That’s the interesting push and pull of the morality of it.”
- The Last of Us season 2 is due to release on April 13, 2025, on HBO.
The Last of Us game director from developer Naughty Dog Neil Druckmann has revealed where he stands when it comes to Joel Miller’s monumental decision that became a pivotal moment for the game’s moral compass. The Last of Us fandom has debated Joel’s choice for over 10 years, questioning if the father figure was right to save Ellie from fatal surgery, even though she carried the cure for the cordyceps virus that annihilated humanity.
First released in 2013, the action-adventure game delivered a poignant and action-packed game presenting Joel’s harrowing mission to escort teenager Ellie across a post-apocalyptic United States. In 2017, The Last of Us Part 2 was released, presenting a five-year gap in the narrative and went on to win Game of the Year. Adding to the two-parter’s physical collection, a new special edition of The Last of Us games leaked for the PlayStation 5 recently, suggesting that the release will include both games for a hefty price.
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Speaking to IGN, Druckmann was asked if Joel had made the correct decision to save Ellie, and the creator was assured in his answer. “I believe Joel was right,” Druckmann revealed, adding that if he were in Joel’s position, he would hope to accomplish what Joel did to save his daughter. Naturally, half of TLOU’ fandom defended the creator’s response, and the other side attacked, which ties into Neil Druckmann’s recent statement about being pressured by fans’ influence while developing The Last of Us season 2 for HBO.
The Last of Us’ Neil Druckmann Believes Joel Was Right to Save Ellie
Co-creator of HBO’s adaptation Craig Mazin weighed in on the question with a differing opinion, explaining he would likely have done the same as Joel, but “I’d like to think that I wouldn’t.” Mazin added, “That’s the interesting push and pull of the morality of it.” While HBO’s series will make slight changes to the gameplay’s narrative in season 2, including Joel and Dina’s relationship from The Last of Us Part 2, Joel’s pivotal decision, occurring at the end of the first game, was adapted faithfully during season 1’s conclusion.
With a passionate fandom watching the HBO show’s every move, the creators of the adaptation certainly scoured the source material while in development. The Last of Us showrunner and Mazin recently revealed he played the games a lot while adapting the story for television, in a bid to understand the game’s world and connect to its themes and characters on a deeper level. This level of care, alongside Druckmann’s integral perspective on the show, delivered a stellar first season, and season 2 is expected to follow suit in April 2025.
- Released
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June 14, 2013
- ESRB
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M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Strong Language