HBO’s The Last of Us Season 2, which premiered on April 13, 2025, has fans reeling with its bold adaptation of Naughty Dog’s The Last of Us Part II. Pedro Pascal’s portrayal of Joel Miller, the gruff yet tender survivor, remains a highlight, carrying forward the emotional weight that made Season 1 a cultural phenomenon. However, a pivotal moment—arguably Pascal’s most heartbreaking scene—has been marred by a controversial change to Abby Anderson’s (Kaitlyn Dever) storyline. This 1,500-word article dives into the scene, the mistake, and why it’s sparked such a divide, blending show details, game context, and fan reactions to unpack the impact on this devastating moment.

Pedro Pascal in The Last of Us / Credits: HBO

The Heartbreaking Moment: Joel’s Vulnerability

In The Last of Us Part II, Joel’s arc includes a shocking event early in the story that reshapes the narrative. To avoid spoilers for newcomers, I’ll describe it broadly: it’s a moment where Joel faces the consequences of his Season 1 choices, particularly his hospital rampage to save Ellie (Bella Ramsey). Pascal’s performance, previewed in trailers and praised by ScreenRant, amplifies Joel’s sensitivity compared to the game’s stoic version. This scene, expected in Season 2’s early episodes, is a gut-punch—Joel’s fate unfolds brutally, with Ellie forced to witness it, cementing it as Pascal’s most wrenching moment.

The power of this scene in the game lies in its surprise and raw emotion. Players, blindsided by the suddenness, share Ellie’s helplessness, making it a defining moment. IGN called it “one of gaming’s most polarizing twists,” and Pascal’s TV Joel—more remorseful and open—promised to elevate it. Variety noted Pascal’s “unhealthy mindset” during filming, reflecting how deeply he felt Joel’s pain. Fans on X anticipated devastation, with posts like, “Pedro’s Joel is gonna break me,” setting sky-high expectations for a scene meant to echo Season 1’s “baby girl” hug.

Kaitlyn Dever in The Last of Us / Credits: HBO

The Mistake: Revealing Abby’s Motives Too Soon

Abby, introduced in Season 2 as a WLF soldier seeking vengeance, is central to this moment. In the game, her reasons for targeting Joel—tied to his killing of her father, a Firefly surgeon—are withheld until much later, preserving the shock of her actions. This delay lets players grapple with confusion and anger alongside Ellie, mirroring her perspective. However, Season 2’s premiere, “Future Days,” takes a different tack. Showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann opted to reveal Abby’s motivations upfront, with Episode 1 flashbacks showing her grief over her father’s death, per FandomWire.

Mazin explained this choice on HBO’s podcast, saying it humanizes Abby early to avoid the game’s backlash, where her actions alienated players. The Wrap quotes Druckmann: “Viewers would wait too long for context otherwise, and spoilers could leak between seasons.” While intended to build empathy, this change undercuts the scene’s impact. By spelling out Abby’s vendetta, the show removes the mystery that made Joel’s moment so jarring. FandomWire argues it “takes away the emotional punch,” as fans know why it’s coming, diluting the visceral betrayal felt in the game.

Why It Ruins the Scene

The early reveal shifts the scene’s dynamic. In the game, the lack of context amplifies shock—players, like Ellie, are left questioning “Why?” This fuels the narrative’s momentum, driving Ellie’s arc. Season 2’s approach, while empathetic to Abby, makes Joel’s fate feel telegraphed. ScreenRant notes that Pascal’s “more vulnerable Joel” heightens the tragedy, but knowing Abby’s motive reduces the gut-wrenching surprise. Instead of a blindsiding blow, it becomes a slow march to an expected end, lessening the stakes.

Fan reactions on X highlight the divide. One user, @saintelain, tweeted: “I get humanizing Abby, but it stole the power of Joel’s death. We were clueless in the game, just like Ellie.” Another lamented, “Pedro’s scene deserved that blind shock, not a heads-up.” Critics echo this—The Hollywood Reporter found Season 2 “thrilling” but noted pacing issues, suggesting the reveal disrupts narrative flow. By front-loading Abby’s story, the show sacrifices the ambiguity that made Pascal’s moment iconic, turning a chaotic loss into a foregone conclusion.

The Game vs. Show Divide

The Last of Us Part II thrives on interactivity—players feel Joel’s death through Ellie’s eyes, their control stripped away. The delayed reveal of Abby’s motives, unveiled mid-game, recontextualizes her, forcing players to confront their bias. Collider explains that the show lacks this “empathic connection” since viewers don’t play as Abby, prompting the earlier backstory to bridge that gap. But this shortcut undermines Joel’s scene. In the game, it’s a raw wound; in the show, it’s a known tragedy, robbing Pascal’s performance of its full weight.

Pascal himself hinted at fidelity to the game, telling Esquire in 2023 that straying from Part II’s path “wouldn’t make sense.” Yet Season 2’s tweak—while minor compared to potential deviations like sparing Joel—alters the emotional calculus. Nerdist praises Dever’s “magnetic” Abby, but even her nuanced portrayal can’t offset the pacing hit. The game’s 2020 backlash, where Abby’s actions sparked fan fury, looms large—Mazin’s choice aims to soften that, but at the cost of Joel’s defining moment.

Pedro Pascal in The Last of Us / Credits: HBO

Fan and Critical Fallout

The change has polarized fans. Some appreciate the empathy for Abby, with X posts like, “Love seeing Abby’s side early, makes her real.” Others feel cheated—@TLOUfanatic wrote, “Joel’s end was supposed to hit like a truck, not a warning sign.” Critics are split: Rolling Stone found Season 2’s cast chemistry strong but mourned Joel and Ellie’s reduced time, indirectly tied to Abby’s focus. Total Film argued the season “fails to capture the game’s emotional weight,” pinning some blame on altered pacing.

This mirrors broader Season 2 critiques. IGN questioned whether the game’s playability outshines the show’s passive format, while USA Today called the arc “incomplete,” as it only adapts half of Part II. The Abby reveal exacerbates this, rushing a key twist that needed room to breathe. Pascal’s SXSW warning that Season 2 is “f—ing heartbreaking” (Tom’s Guide) still holds, but the diluted surprise tempers the devastation fans craved.

Could It Have Been Avoided?

Mazin and Druckmann faced a tough call. The game’s delayed reveal risked frustrating TV audiences less invested in Abby without gameplay to bond them. Spoiler leaks, rampant online, also pressured a proactive reveal—Vulture notes the team avoided Part II’s trailer tricks to control the narrative. Yet, a middle ground—like hinting at Abby’s pain without naming Joel—could’ve preserved the shock. Forbes suggests delaying her full motive to Episode 3, aligning with the game’s Seattle arc, might’ve balanced empathy and suspense.

Pascal’s performance remains a saving grace. Collider raves about his therapy scene with Catherine O’Hara, showing Joel’s guilt, which cushions the blow. But the Abby misstep lingers—knowing her target dulls the scene’s edge, making it less about Ellie’s loss and more about Abby’s closure. ScreenRant hopes Season 3, confirmed April 9, 2025 (Deadline), will course-correct, using flashbacks to restore Joel’s weight.

Conclusion: A Missed Mark in a Stellar Season

The Last of Us Season 2 is a triumph—92% on Rotten Tomatoes, per Hollywood Reporter, with Pascal and Ramsey shining. But Abby’s early reveal is a rare misfire, dimming Pascal’s heartbreaking moment. By prioritizing her humanity over narrative shock, the show sacrifices the blind agony that defined Joel’s fate. Fans still weep—Pascal’s raw delivery ensures that—but the scene’s potential as TV’s saddest moment, rivaling Season 1’s highs, falls short. As Season 2 unfolds, this choice may fade against the saga’s brilliance, but for now, it’s a poignant reminder: even great adaptations can stumble.