Summary
Spoilers for The Last of Us season 2, episode 2
The Last of UsSeason 2’s ‘Through the Valley’ was the one episode that fans of the game had their eyes peeled for to see how the TV adaptation handled Joel’s fate, and it’s fair to say it was just as devastating as it was in Naughty Dog’s sequel. Joel’s cries of pain and Abby’s anger combined a truly emotional scene that left those who hadn’t playedThe Last of UsPart 2gripping their seats out of sheer shock, and for those who had, they found themselves traumatized all over again.
However, as great a performance asKaitlyn Dever put into her role as Abby Anderson, an ex-firefly who had been hunting Joel down for the murder of her father, there was some realism attached to it for Dever that hit a bit too close to home. Starring Pedro Pascal as Joel and Bella Ramsey as Ellie, episode 2 ofThe Last of Us' returning season didn’t hold any punches. Not only did fans see the downfall of Jackson due to amassive infected horde storming the gate like something out ofGame of Thrones, but they also got to witness Joel letting his guard down to help the very person who would end his life and bring needless suffering to Tommy, Dina, and most of all, Ellie. Just like many actors have to do, Dever didn’t allow her personal life to affect her excitement to play a role that was important to her, but Dever had heartbreak of her own, and, now knowing what she went through, episode 2 hits all that bit harder.
Kaitlyn Dever Filmed Tragic Last of Us Season 2 Joel Scene Days After Her Mother’s Passing
In a recent interview withEntertainment Weekly, Kaitlyn Dever opened up about the impact episode 2 ofThe Last of UsSeason 2 had on her when they had to act out the scene in whichAbby beats Joel to a bloody pulp with a golf cluband then her own bare hands. Dever recalls that specific period as very difficult due to her mother having passed away from breast cancer and attending her funeral only three days before she had to jump into the mind of a vengeful and angry Abby. “To be as honest as possible… I will just say that my days leading up to this scene were horrible,” Dever explained. “I lost my mom two or three weeks before I actually shot this scene, and my mom’s funeral was three days before I did my first day. So I was sort of in a fog. I was in a daze.”
“It was just a massive scene emotionally, and with blocking, too. There were so many moving parts and so many things to navigate…
Showrunner and writer Craig Mazinrecalls being moved by Dever’s dedication to her role as Abby and how they handled filming that devastating scene with Joel, which was packed with such raw emotion. Mazin said, “Take your time. Take all the time you need,” stating to Dever how important it was to allow self-care through her grief. “While I care extraordinarily about the show, it’s a TV show,” Mazin said. “I’m not going to disrupt someone’s grieving process for their own parent, especially [with] a show that’s partly about the grieving process.”
“I had a different approach, and I think that it really served the character in a lot of ways. I was able to sort of… I don’t know, just really let it go and not think about it too much because the words on the page are so powerful anyway.”
Neil Druckmann and Craig Mazin never had any doubt in their minds that they wouldn’t implement Joel’s death in Season 2. Even though Pascal has a huge fanbase, the duo was willing to take on the blind rage of some to stay true to the sequel. As tragic as it was, I think many viewers and fans ofThe Last of Usappreciate that dedication, and, who knows, maybe like some players did in the video game, some might even have a change of heart about Joel’s demise and Abby’s true motivation.
The Last of UsSeason 2 streams on Max, with new episodes dropping every Sunday.
