How The Last Of Us Creators Responded To Backlash Over Abby Killing Joel

WARNING: This article contains massive SPOILERS for HBO’s The Last of Us.HBO’s hit series, The Last of Us, has finally adapted one of the most controversial moments from The Last of Us Part II, with the creators have responded to the backlash against Abby. In The Last of Us, season 2, episode 2, “Through the Valley,” Joel is brutally beaten to death by Abby in front of Ellie, making for the most heartbreaking ending of the series so far. Those who have played through the video game have been anticipating Joel’s death in The Last of Us season 2 for a while now. However, this didn’t prevent his demise from breaking people’s hearts.

The response to The Last of Us‘s shocking twist has been expected, given the massive controversy surrounding Abby’s character in the original game. This backlash has led to a different approach being taken in HBO’s adaptation of The Last of Us, altering Abby’s character and her interactions with Joel. Nevertheless, Joel’s death has still had a massive impact on audiences and the people behind The Last of Us, making it a landmark moment in the show’s history.

The Backlash Surrounding Abby In The Last Of Us Part 2 Game Explained

Abby Invoked Way Too Much Hate For Killing Joel In The Last Of Us Part 2

The Last of Us Part II created controversy upon its release in 2020, partially due to Joel’s shocking death at Abby’s hands early in the game. Since Joel was such a beloved character among fans of The Last of Us, Abby killing him made her the target of such hatred from people in the gaming community. However, as the game progressed, gamers had to go through much of the story playing as Abby, forcing them to see what she went through and why she wanted to kill Joel.

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While this was supposed to make players empathize with Abby, some couldn’t shake off the hatred they had towards her for killing Joel. This hate led to Abby’s voice actor, Laura Bailey, being harassed online. Bailey even received death threats targeting her and her newborn son, forcing her to contact the police. Unsurprisingly, the team behind HBO’s The Last of Us didn’t want a repeat of this incident with actor Kaitlyn Dever when they had her portray Abby.

How The Last Of Us Season 2 Changed Abby’s Character For The TV Show

HBO’s The Last Of Us Tried To Avoid Repeating The Past With Abby

In the game, audiences aren’t told right away that Abby is an ex-Firefly whose father was killed by Joel in the previous game. The most that is revealed by the time Abby kills Joel is that she knows him, implying she’s an enemy that he made in the past. Following the backlash caused by Joel’s death in the game, season 2 of The Last of Us made changes to the story by making it clear from the beginning that Abby wasn’t just some random villain.

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Since season 2 began, The Last of Us has followed Abby and her team on their journey to find Joel. Thus, a lot of the story’s tension was built around suspense rather than shock value. Abby also tells Joel to his face that he killed her father, revealing just how personal his actions were to her. An unknown character killing off one of the show’s main characters so early in the story would have understandably rubbed some audiences the wrong way, so the series was able to avoid repeating the game’s impact on audiences in 2020.

What The Last Of Us’ Creators Have Said About Abby Killing Joel In The Show

The Show’s Creators Knew How People Would React To Joel’s Death

Despite the changes to the story, Joel’s death in HBO’s The Last of Us still left several people reeling, including Joel’s actor, Pedro Pascal. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, Pascal claimed he was in “active denial” over Joel’s death and that his time on the show was over, having formed strong bonds with many people on the set during production. However, Pascal did know that Joel would be killed off from the show, saying, “It was just a matter of how and when.”

Following the premiere of “Through the Valley,” co-creator Craig Mazin, the co-creator of HBO’s The Last of Us, shared his feelings with USA Today about Abby killing Joel. During his interview, he knew that audiences would have strong reactions to such an emotional twist:

“People are going to be upset. That’s sometimes how good drama goes. This was something that was always meant to happen. So much of the first season was, in a weird way, leading to this moment. And it’s upsetting.”

Also, when talking with The Hollywood Reporter, Mazin revealed how much planning went into filming Joel’s death scene in The Last of Us. He explained that he wanted it to be just brutal enough to make a point of how Abby had lost control over herself as she let her rage over Joel consume her. Mazin also debunked rumors that death threats were sent to Dever by “fans” of Pascal, and that the former was able to perform the scene with such “professionalism and dedication,” despite having just experienced a family tragedy.

In the end, Joel’s death in The Last of Us was always going to upset people. However, following the franchise’s experience in The Last of Us Part II, the creators behind HBO’s show were able to adapt this controversial moment for television in a way that has avoided garnering the same level of backlash from audiences. Although it isn’t a faithful recreation of the game’s story, HBO’s The Last of Us has repeatedly altered and expanded upon the source material, making it a unique experience for TV viewers.

Source: Entertainment Weekly, USA Today, The Hollywood Reporter

The Last Of Us

8/10

Release Date

January 15, 2023

Network

HBO

Showrunner

Craig Mazin

Directors

Craig Mazin, Peter Hoar, Jeremy Webb, Ali Abbasi, Mark Mylod, Stephen Williams, Jasmila Žbanić, Liza Johnson, Nina Lopez-Corrado

Writers

Neil Druckmann, Craig Mazin