Spoilers for the video The Last of Us Part II – and likely the second season of the TV show – lie ahead, so read at your own risk.
HBO’s The Last of Us took the TV-viewing world by storm when it premiered in early 2023, earning critical praise and raking in Emmy nods as well as other awards. Now, many – including myself – are eagerly awaiting the second season, which is currently in production. The series will welcome a number of new faces to its cast, including rising actress Isabela Merced. As you’d expect she can’t say too much about what’s to come, but she has teased a scene that she already believes is going to go viral on social media. And I don’t think she’s talking about THAT massive moment with Joel from the second game.
How Isabela Merced Teased A Major Scene From Season 2
What hardcore fans may know about The Last of Us Season 2 at this point is that it’s set to adapt (at least partially) the events of 2020’s TLoU Part II. As a result, Isabela Merced is set to take on the role of Dina, one of the new characters introduced in that game. Those who are familiar with the story are surely aware that Dina strikes up a relationship with Ellie, who’s played by Bella Ramsey. Keeping that knowledge in mind, BuzzFeed asked Merced what it was like working with Ramsey. From there, the Turtles All the Way Down star discussed the collaboration and even explained why there was a slight “risk” factor at the onset:
Bella and I never did a chemistry read. Bella and I never met before we went into The Last of Us, so it was a big risk. And we were aware of that. But ever since watching the first season, I knew I was in good hands with Bella. Bella's extremely charming, extremely personable, a natural actor. So believable. Like, even if I sucked as an actor, you're working with someone like that. It's hard to look bad. I'm really excited. Personally, in my opinion, and from what we've heard from like the studio and Craig and stuff, I feel like this could potentially be, like, an iconic sapphic television story.
I’d hope that people would agree with me when I say that both of these young stars are very talented. So I have a hard time believing that the Alien: Romulus star would’ve ever “sucked” in the role. I also can’t help but co-sign when it comes to Bella Ramsey’s skills as an actor. They totally owned the role of Ellie during the first season, and their efforts earned them a Primetime Emmy nod. Based on previous comments, Isabela Merced shared about building chemistry with Ramsey, it sounds like they really hit it off. But, now, Merced’s bold claim about one particular scene has truly piqued my interest:
It's really, really exciting. There's a scene in particular that I think is going to be on everyone's Twitter feed.
Could she be talking about a steamy moment between the two? Or could she discuss something far more tragic? It’s hard to say at this point but, at the very least, I’m confident that she’s not referring to anything involving Joel.
What Happens With Joel In The Last Of Us Part II?
Joel Miller, who’s played by Pedro Pascal on the show, plays a much smaller role in the Last of Us sequel, which focuses heavily on Ellie. And, ultimately, the man meets his fate at the hands of a new antagonist by the name of Abby Anderson. She murders Joel as retribution for her father, who Joel murdered during the events of the original game. That event is what sets Ellie on a path of revenge. While Isabela Merced may not have been referring to this event during her interview, I’d expect the inevitable death scene will spark a lot of reactions on the web.
And you should also know that Abby has been cast for Season 2, and she’s being played by none other than Kaitlyn Dever. The actress, who secretly exchanged numbers with Bella Ramsey before her role was confirmed, should bring a lot of force to the part. Yet I’d be lying if I said it’s not going to be tragic to see what she ends up doing to Pedro Pascal’s Joel on screen.
But let’s stick to something more positive, which is that Isabela Merced and Bella Rasmey have forged a solid working relationship. I’m ready to see Dina and Ellie’s relationship play out once more and, if Merced’s claim about virality is correct, then characters could deliver the show's best ship since Bill and Frank.
The Last of Us Season 2 is set to debut sometime in 2025. In the meantime, stream Season 1 using a Max subscription, and check out the 2024 TV schedule for other offerings, including video game adaptations.
