In The Last of Us, Pedro Pascal’s Joel and Bella Ramsey’s Ellie navigate a Cordyceps-infected America in search of the Fireflies and their possible cure. The series finale sees Joel faced with the decision to sacrifice Ellie to create a cure or save her life. He chooses to save Ellie and kills all the Fireflies in the hospital, including their leader, Marlene.
While players of the video game may have expected this ending, it still changes our expectations of the heroes and the sacrifices they’re willing to make for those unfamiliar with the source material. Going into season two, Joel’s decision will be a major source of conflict with the Fireflies likely seeking revenge. Pitting Joel and Ellie against the group would make a lot of sense and Joel would have the added stress of having to keep the truth from Ellie while he protects her.
Additionally, the series confirms a widely held theory that Ellie’s immunity to Cordyceps comes from her mother, who was bitten while pregnant with Ellie. Joel’s decision to lie to Ellie and save her without her consent could also come back to haunt their relationship in the upcoming season.
Ultimately, Joel’s decision to save Ellie instead of sacrificing her for the potential cure is a well-grounded and understandable decision given the lack of proven science and Ellie’s lack of consent. While the Fireflies may seek revenge, it remains to be seen how Ellie will react when she discovers the truth about her mother’s death and Joel’s decision.
