Spoilers for The Last of Us Season 2, Episode 2
Summary
The Last of Usfans are still checking in on their feelings from Season 2’s latest episode, and who could blame them? Not only was episode 2, titled ‘Through the Valley’, filled with heartbreak and fear, but also the sadness of the empty spaces between Joel and Ellie that will forever go unsaid. Even though it wasThe Last of UsSeason 2’s most anticipated episode, fans of the series (and the game) didn’t quite know what they were letting themselves in for, but as brutal asthatscene was for Joel, one scene from another HBO series gave Pedro Pascal “nightmares” due to how gory the character’s death was.
Aside from playing the hardened survivor Joel in HBO’s post-apocalyptic drama,The Last of Us, a bounty hunter inStar Wars' live-action TV series,The Mandalorian, and Agent Javier Peña in the Netflix series,Narcos,Pedro Pascal also played the cocky yet charmingPrince Oberyn Martell, also known as the Red Viper of Dorne, in HBO’sGame of Thrones, showing off his incredible acting chops to the world. However, Oberyn’s fate was one that many fans of the long-running series will remember as being one of the most gruesome deaths, and, to this day, Pedro apparently still can’t get that horrific combat scene with The Mountain out of his mind.
Talking withComicBookduring an interview at theStar WarsCelebration in Tokyo, Pedro Pascal discussed the impact of his previous role inGame of Thronesas Prince Oberyn Martell and how Martell’sgruesome ending with The Mountaingave him “nightmares.” For those who have seen season 4, episode 8 ofGame of Thrones, titled “The Mountain and the Viper”, the combat scene where Oberyn has his eyes gouged out, and his skull crushed in while he screamed in agony by Ser Gregor Clegane is something that many won’t forget. “It gave me nightmares, too,” Pascal said. He also recalls being a fan of the series and being familiar with its stories, so when it came to acting out that horrific scene, he knew that it was coming and felt more prepared for the emotions that would follow. “It won’t traumatize me in the way that it’s going to traumatize everyone else.’ I had a sort of selfish gratitude that I could be protected from something like that.”
“And it’s funny, I remember thinking when I read that, I was so familiar and a fan of the show that the pages of the script were so vivid to me, as if I was watching the episodes myself. So when I got to that [scene] and I knew that it was happening, I just was like, ‘Thank God I have a build-up to when.”
Pascal was also asked if there was any other scenario in his acting career that compared to the horror hischaracter fromGame of Throneshad gone through and if anything could compare to the Red Viper’s death. Remaining cloak and dagger as episode 2 ofThe Last of Us season 2hadn’t aired yet, Pascal said, “I’m not sure. There’s a chance something could top it.” Looking back on his wording, it seems as though the actor could have been hinting that Joel’s death might have been worse than that of Oberyn. Although both were horrific to watch, each death was done at the hands of another, in which the act came as a complete surprise to the character, either through blind arrogance or the illusion of safety.
The continuation ofThe Last of UsSeason 2 will now focus on Ellie’s revenge and how the cycle of violence will run like a river throughout its narrative. Although fans of the video game sequel won’t know exactly how the rest of the story will pan out in HBO’s adaptation and if it’ll come to a conclusion like it did at the end ofThe Last of Us Part 2,the journey is sure to be as brutal and as darkas the Naughty Dog game.
The Last of UsSeason 2 streams on Max, with new episodes dropping every Sunday.
