I Need To Talk About A Heartbreaking Moment In The Last Of Us Game That Comes Up In Season 2, And It's Not The Moment You Think

Bella Ramsey in The Last of Us
(Image credit: HBO)

It’s been two years. The Last of Us Season 2 trailer has finally dropped, and I am not prepared for anything that’s about to happen. However, there is one scene that I know is going to break my heart.

And it’s really not the scene you’d expect.

Those who know me, know how much I love The Last of Us. It’s quite possibly one of my favorite video game franchises of all time, and I am champing at the bit for the third game. So, of course, when it got a TV show, I was fully in and loved every second of it.

With Season 2, there are bound to be a lot of heartbreaking moments, but the one that everyone thinks is going to break hearts everywhere isn’t what I need to talk about—with that said, before we get into this, spoiler alert for those who haven’t played The Last of Us Part II.

Dina and Ellie siting in chairs in The Last of Us Season 2

(Image credit: HBO)

First Off, I’m A Huge Last Of Us Fan, So Yes, I Am So Excited For Season 2

As I said in the introduction, I am a massive fan of this series and have been for years. Honestly, it was the game that got me into gaming. I literally bought a PS3 just so I could play it, and from there, a dangerous addiction to zombie games was born.

...but anyway.

This game signaled a defining time in my life, and when the first television season came out, I was in. Even though there were changes from the video game to the show, I was so happy with it. The Last of Us cast all did a fantastic job; the story was done exceptionally well, and I felt all the emotions I knew I was supposed to feel.

I mean, I never thought I would be ugly crying over Bill and Frank’s relationship, but there I was, on my couch in 2023, looking like an ugly mess with a tissue box in one hand and an emotional support stuffed animal in the other. That Bill and Frank Last of Us change will forever stick with me.

And, despite some criticism that the show has faced from fans who love to hate on things (I don’t care what you say, Bella Ramsay is an excellent Ellie), I’m still looking forward to Season 2. The 2025 TV premiere schedule feels complete with it, even though I know that Season 2 is definitely going to end me.

Last chance: turn away now if you have not played the sequel game!

Joel outside in winter in The Last of Us Season 2

(Image credit: HBO)

Yes, Joel’s Death Is Going To Be Brutal, And It Will Break Hearts, But It’s Not The Moment That I Am Thinking Of

Yeah, so we all know it’s coming. There’s no way around it.

Even from watching the trailer, we only see Joel in a few scenes, which pretty much lines up with the game, so we know he will most likely die. There are no ifs, ands, or buts about it.

And yes, that scene where Joel is killed is an absolute heartbreaker, but it’s not like I didn’t want it. When the first season ended, I literally compiled a list of moments from The Last of Us Part II that I wanted in the second season. Joel’s death was very much on the list.

Will it be the end of Pedro Pascal as the incredible Joel? Maybe. His character’s death might be there, but his flashbacks will undoubtedly be a big part. It’s been hinted that Part II might be split into two seasons, so I would not be shocked if he showed up in a possible Season 3.

It’s still going to suck to see him get taken out, and I can already tell I’m probably going to sob like a baby because I have no chill.

Even so, that’s not the heartbreaking moment I need to talk about, which I know is going to be in Season 2, thanks to the trailer. The one moment we need to bring up that I know is going to shatter our souls into a million little pieces and crush them to dust on our living room floors is...the birthday flashback.

Joel and Ellie in the old museum in the trailer for The Last of Us Season 2.

(Image credit: HBO)

That Birthday Flashback Is Going To HIT Hard

If you’ve played The Last of Us – which I’m assuming you have because you’re here – you’d know that in the sequel game, there are a variety of flashbacks that show what happened between Joel and Ellie as time went on to create such a divide between them. One of those happened to take place on Ellie’s birthday.

In that flashback, Joel takes Ellie to an old museum because she had obviously never gotten to go to one, and it’s an entire sequence that is so sweet. There are a lot of moments that happen there that really only occur if the player interacts with a lot of things, but the one instance that you can’t avoid is when Joel takes Ellie into an old spacecraft.

He gives her a recorder with take-off sounds, and she puts on a space helmet. It’s one of the few moments in the sequel where we see Ellie and Joel truly happy.

Truthfully, this is a rare occurrence for these two.

It’s a moment that I know, after all the pain and misery that we have gone through over the last few episodes at that point, will shatter us.

in The Last of Us Season 2

(Image credit: HBO)

Honestly, I Think Season 2 Will Surpass Season 1 – In Terms Of Gut-Wrenching Scenes, So Get Prepared

When Season 1 came out, it was talked about constantly. It seemed like everyone brought this show up, and it surpassed even House of the Dragon on Max for becoming one of the biggest HBO shows ever. Now, the trailer has gotten lots of attention, and people are looking forward to the next season.

With that next season comes a lot of pain, and I don’t think people are ready for it.

I know that there were plenty of moments of Season 1 that legitimately broke the internet in more ways than one, but I think Season 2 is going to surpass that. Obviously, Joel’s death is going to be a doozy, and I am mentally prepared to hear from both my brother and father (both big Pedro Pascal fans) about how I set them up for failure with this show.

However, I don’t think my family's prepared for the small, gut-wrenching moments; the ones that we don’t see coming. But, I hope that the rest of the world will be prepared in time

What are you most excited about for The Last of Us Season 2? All I know is that April needs to arrive soon.

Alexandra Ramos
Content Producer

A self-proclaimed nerd and lover of Game of Thrones/A Song of Ice and Fire, Alexandra Ramos is a Content Producer at CinemaBlend. She first started off working in December 2020 as a Freelance Writer after graduating from the Pennsylvania State University with a degree in Journalism and a minor in English. She primarily works in features for movies, TV, and sometimes video games. (Please don't debate her on The Last of Us 2, it was amazing!) She is also the main person who runs both our daily newsletter, The CinemaBlend Daily, and our ReelBlend newsletter. 

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