Is Joel Dead On 'The Last Of Us'?

“Kin” begins with one death. Does it end with another?

In the sixth episode of The Last of Us, Joel (played by Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) make it to Jackson, Wyoming, where the Miller brothers are back together after years apart. It’s a tense reunion, however, as Tommy (Gabriel Luna) has become a communist (literally, he lives in a commune) while Joel is bitter about the things they’ve done. He’s also still grief stricken over the death of his daughter, Sarah (Nico Parker). “Just because life stopped for you,” Tommy says, “doesn’t mean it has to stop for me.”

Meanwhile, Ellie learns about Sarah from Tommy’s wife, Maria (Rutina Wesley). She also gets a haircut and wonders why pre-breakdown-of-society girls were so obsessed with boys and clothes, but that’s neither here nor there.

During a heart to heart, Joel, who’s been suffering from panic attacks, tells Tommy about why Ellie is so important and asks him to finish the mission. Or as Ellie, who heard the whole conversation, recaps it, “I have to leave her. You have to take her.” The next morning, she’s given a choice between being transported by Joel or Tommy… Joel. Ellie picks Joel. They eventually make it to where the Fireflies are supposed to be at a university in Colorado, but they’ve moved on; all that’s left is medical equipment and monkeys. Lots and lots of monkeys. Also, raiders, one of whom stabs Joel with a knife.

Joel and Ellie escape, but when they’re free from immediate harm, Joel collapses from the horse. He’s bleeding out from the knife wound. “I can’t f*cking do this without you,” Ellie says with tears in her eyes. Is Joel dead? Those who played The Last of Us video game know the answer. Everyone else will have to wait and found out next week.