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===[[Sarah]]=== |
===[[Sarah]]=== |
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| − | [[File:J&S Photo Crop.png|thumb|left]]Sarah was Joel's 12 year old daughter who died early in the morning, the day after his birthday at the start of the initial Cordyceps outbreak, having been shot by a soldier following orders. The two had a very close father-daughter relationship, being that Joel was a single parent. They were so close that Sarah gave him a watch for his birthday that he still wears 20 years later, though it is cracked, to remind him of his losses. The loss of Sarah hurt Joel |
+ | [[File:J&S Photo Crop.png|thumb|left]]Sarah was Joel's 12 year old daughter who died early in the morning, the day after his birthday at the start of the initial Cordyceps outbreak, having been shot by a soldier following orders. The two had a very close father-daughter relationship, being that Joel was a single parent. They were so close that Sarah gave him a watch for his birthday that he still wears 20 years later, though it is cracked, to remind him of his losses. The loss of Sarah hurt Joel greatly, turning him cynical enough that he became a Hunter, murdering many innocent people and even lost touch with his brother Tommy because of this. He even at one point considered suicide, but managed to find something to fight for. |
Joel is very sensitive about her, angered when Ellie brings her up and attempts to compare her loss to Joel's; some thing that further enrages him. He even denied the picture of the two at Sarah's soccer game from Tommy. However, He accepts the picture from Ellie after she steals it from Maria, showing that he has finally come to terms with her death, saying himself that "[he] can't escape [his] past". |
Joel is very sensitive about her, angered when Ellie brings her up and attempts to compare her loss to Joel's; some thing that further enrages him. He even denied the picture of the two at Sarah's soccer game from Tommy. However, He accepts the picture from Ellie after she steals it from Maria, showing that he has finally come to terms with her death, saying himself that "[he] can't escape [his] past". |
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Revision as of 17:23, 5 February 2017
| “ | I struggled for a long time with survivin', and no matter what, you keep finding something to fight for.
―Joel
|
” |
Joel is a major character and the playable protagonist of The Last of Us, the deuteragonist of The Last of Us Part II, and a supporting character in The Last of Us: Left Behind. Joel is a survivor of the cordyceps brain infection, which has wiped out 60% of mankind globally. After losing his daughter Sarah in the outbreak, Joel becomes a ruthless and cynical smuggler eventually tasked with smuggling and protecting Ellie, a young girl who is the key to mankind's survival. Joel eventually comes to form a strong bond with her. He is voiced and motion captured by Troy Baker.[1][2]
Biography
| “ | A brutal survivor with few moral lines left to cross. Joel, now in his late 40s, has been hardened by the ravages of the fungal pandemic that has devastated civilization as we know it. He’s lost friends, family, and everything he valued in life. Living in one of few remaining military-controlled quarantine zones, he operates as a black market smuggler, dealing in contraband, taking numerous de-humanizing jobs over the years to survive in this new post-pandemic world. Joel’s conscience slowly dwindles away as he shuts down his emotions to cope to his new life.
―Official description[3]
|
” |
Background & Early Life
Joel was born on September 26, most likely between 1984 and 1985, and grew up in Texas alongside his younger brother Tommy. Joel raised Tommy through their childhood, to which the pair heavily struggled with.[4]
Not much is known regarding Joel's early childhood other than he noted that, during his youth, he initially aspired to become a singer. Later however, Joel had a daughter named Sarah and was married to her mother for a short period of time. Saddled early in life with the responsibilities that come with being a father, he never had the opportunity to attend college.[5]
No mention is given as to the fate or whereabouts of Joel's wife. However it is later revealed, through a conversation between him and Ellie, that the subject of whatever happened is very painful for Joel to talk about. As a result, he raised their daughter as a single parent for the majority of his life.[6] The two lived together in a typical two story single-family home somewhere in or around Austin, Texas located in Travis County through Texas State Highway 71. [7]
In his adult years, Joel worked in construction as a carpenter. During a phone conversation with Tommy, he mentioned desperately needing to keep his job with a contractor. Building plans laid on his bedside table and several copies of a book called "Construction Regionalism" was be seen on top of his bookshelf.[8] He appeared to possess ambitions of starting his own business, with a copy of "Everything You Need to Know About Creating a Startup" also on a table next to his bed. His job kept him fit, and he also owned a treadmill (seen in his bedroom).[9]
Despite his long working hours he still spent quality time with Sarah, as seen in photographs displayed throughout their home showing the two on a cruise, at a carnival with Tommy, and at one of Sarah's soccer matches. Additionally the two often went on several hikes together[10] (reinforced by pictures of hiking scenery in his house).
In the hours leading up to the outbreak, Sarah gives him a new watch as a birthday gift to replace the one he had broken months before. This becomes a cherished memento he manages to keep in the turbulent years ahead.
Events of The Last of Us
2013
Joel with his daughter Sarah, facing military soldier.
In the beginning of The Last of Us, Joel arrives home late from work, putting Sarah to bed after watching television together. During the early hours of September 27th, 2013, Joel's struggle to raise a child on his own is interrupted when the infection breaks out and Joel is forced to take his daughter out of town, just hours after his birthday. He is forced to shoot his neighbor dead in self defense. After calming Sarah, he is joined by his brother Tommy in the evacuation.
After driving towards the highway and trying to make sense of the situation, the group finds the road blocked and are forced to take another route, only for their car to collide with an oncoming vehicle. Once he comes to, Joel kicks the windshield out so he and Sarah can continue on foot. After running through the city, Tommy stays to hold off the infected so Joel and Sarah can flee.
The pair make it to the highway, but encounter a soldier. The soldier is ordered by his commanding officer over the radio to kill the two, reluctantly opening fire. Joel tries to shield Sarah from the shots, but she still takes a fatal hit. Just before the soldier can execute Joel, Tommy arrives, gunning down the soldier, but he and Joel cannot do anything to stop Sarah's bleeding. The opening ends with Joel sobbing over his daughter's body, his world torn from under him.
2013-2033
Shortly after Sarah's death, Joel found himself in a triage clinic after making it to the highway. He witnessed how families had been torn apart and how much chaos had erupted in the world. While there, he considered committing suicide but was unable to, finding something to fight for. However, what he found was worth fighting for was something his brother, Tommy, greatly disliked.
Over the years, the pair survived by descending in to a sinister way of life, hurting innocent people; going so far as killing them; all to survive. It's heavily implied that Joel tortured, deceived and killed several people, becoming a hunter. He adopted tactics such as tricking passerbys in to thinking he was hurt so he, Tommy, and likely others could ambush them when they let their guard down.
The pair eventually reached the city of Boston, smuggling themselves in to the city. Tommy finally had enough of Joel's philosophy on how to survive, abandoning his brother to join a growing militia group known as the Fireflies after being persuaded by the leader, Marlene. The two argued furiously over this, Tommy finishing with "I don't ever wanna see your goddamned face again!" Tommy eventually left the Fireflies as well but did not return to Joel, leaving Boston to go to Wyoming.
Joel spent a considerable period of time alone, eventually meeting a woman named Tess. The pair grew close, teaming up to act as smugglers in the quarantine zone. They worked with several people, namely Robert (whom they grew to heavily distrust), Bill (who owed Joel some favors) and Donovan. It is unknown if the pair ever had a romantic relationship, though dialogue heavily implies they both care deeply for one another.
2033-2034
Summer
Joel interrogates Robert with Tess.
Twenty years after the outbreak, 2033, which claims the lives of millions across the United States, Joel and Tess are betrayed by Robert, when he hires two men to attack Tess causing the pair to confront him, the man having earned their wrath.
While crossing to his hideout, they are forced outside the wall when a group of Fireflies attack the checkpoint, causing the soldiers to lock it down. While traversing to their hideout, the pair learn that Marlene, the "queen" Firefly, is also looking for Robert. The pair reach the slums, bribing their way in with ration cards. Joel almost attacks one smuggler that tries to block his path but the man complies upon seeing Tess.
The two finally reach Robert, proceeding to torture him; Joel kicking his face and breaking his arm. Robert reveals he sold their guns to the Fireflies, so they kill him, deciding they need to reason with the Fireflies to get their weapons back. Marlene, the Fireflies' "queen" unexpectedly shows up, albeit wounded, and strikes a deal: they will transport something to a group of Fireflies waiting at the Capitol Building. In exchange, they can regain their weapons and receive even more. Joel and Tess are reluctant, but go with Marlene anyway.
On the way, the three are confronted by a small group of soldiers, successfully killing them but not before the soldiers kill the Fireflies they captured. Marlene is greatly saddened by the loss of her men, but Joel convinces her that they need to move on.
Joel and Tess meet Ellie for the first time.
Marlene takes them to a kitchen, Joel picking her up when she falls due to her wound. To his surprise, a girl (revealed to be called Ellie) tries to attack him with a switchblade, though is stopped by Tess. Marlene reveals the "cargo" is Ellie, surprising Joel, who avoids looking at the girl. After a discussion, Joel reluctantly agrees to take the girl to an apartment near the outside wall and wait for Tess to return from verifying the weapons with Marlene. While escorting the girl, Joel asks her where her parents are and why the Fireflies are so interested in her. Ellie reveals that her parents died "a long time ago" but refuses to reveal why Marlene wants her to be smuggled. Joel remarks that that's the best thing about his job; "I don't gotta know".
Once at the apartment, Joel quickly lays down on a couch and goes to sleep, telling Ellie to "figure out...what to do". The girl remarks how his watch is broken, but Joel doesn't reply. While sleeping, he mumbles, likely having a nightmare due to waking up with a gasp. Ellie, staring outside the window, subtly bonds with Joel since they both have "bad dreams". Joel lights a lantern as Ellie asks if it's "any worse out there". Dodging the question, he asks "what do the Fireflies want with you?" Before he recovers an answer, Tess enters the room, apologizing for being late. She tells Joel that Marlene has offered them "a lot" for smuggling Ellie. Although reluctantly, Joel agrees to the offer. As they are leaving, he asks Tess why Marlene is having them do the smuggling, learning that they weren't Marlene's "first choice, or the second".
Captured.
On the way to the checkpoint, the trio is captured by a military patrol. While they are being checked for infection, Ellie panics and attacks one of the soldiers. The soldier tries to shoot her, but Joel defends her, killing the soldier while Tess shoots the other. The pair are, however, surprised when Ellie is revealed to be infected. Joel quickly concludes Marlene set them up, shouting at Ellie with Tess to explain. Fearing for her life, Ellie claims that she has been infected for three weeks, revealing her bite, but shows no sign of transformation. Joel is angered in disbelief, staring he "doesn't care how [Ellie] got infected". Before they act, another patrol soon shows up and the three are forced to flee.
They manage to avoid the soldiers, making it to the outskirts. There, Joel tries to convince Tess that they should abandon the mission, but his partner actually believes Ellie. With Tess and Ellie marching off, Joel stands in sadness before following.
Deciding that their path is blocked, they take a detour through a derelict skyscraper and a subway, both filled with Infected. The trio then go through an old museum, where Joel briefly gets separated from Ellie and Tess. After making his way through a room full of Clickers, Joel finds Tess and Ellie fighting off a horde of Runners.
Eventually, the three manage to reach make it through the outskirts, despite encountering several Infected and learning a small group of soldiers had died in one of the buildings. During the journey, Ellie remarks how skilled the pair are at dealing with Infected but Joel puts it down to "luck, and it will run out". After crossing a building via a plank, Joel asks Ellie if "[the view] is everything [she] hoped for". After Ellie responds, Joel briefly glances at his watch, reminded by his daughter Sarah. However, Tess snaps him out of his daydreaming.
"It is over Tess!"
They finally reach the rendezvous point in the Capitol Building, only to find the Firefly extraction team (something Joel had begun to expect after finding several notes left by them) and the military closes in. When Joel tries to convince Tess they should "just go home" and that such a thing is "not us", she reveals that she too had been infected (most likely from the struggle with a Runner in the museum). She compares her bite to Ellie, proving Ellie's immunity by how Tess's bite is swollen and throbbing while Ellie's is clear and healed. Tess insists Ellie and Joel continue on their own and find Tommy, who will guide them to another Firefly group. The military are then outside the Capitol building. She says that she can buy them some time by fighting the military, fully knowing that she will die in the conflict. Reluctantly, Ellie and Joel flee the area while Tess is killed. Ellie feels guilty about Tess' sacrifice, but Joel firmly says to never bring it up.
The pair make it to a subway, avoiding soldiers and a Humvee. They cross through a dark, flooded, subway; seeing that Ellie can breathe in the spores without any sign of her infection worsening solidifies Joel's belief that she is immune.
Joel in Bill's safehouse.
Joel plans to go to a town where he believes they can meet Bill, the mechanic who owes him a favor. They spend the morning heading there, soon coming to a woods which separates the road from the town. Determining it to be quicker than the road, Joel leads Ellie through the woods. Joel is astounded that Ellie has never walked in the woods or seen real fireflies before.
They manage to get inside, finding the place full of Infected and booby-traps. Joel reveals he has never visited Bill personally at the town, preferring to rendezvous at various checkpoints nearer Boston; he claims Bill is the only person living there, "as far as [he] knows." They manage to make it past Bill's barricades, but one trap results snags Joel's foot, causing him to hang from the ceiling upside down. The trap having attracted Infected, he is forced to fight off infected with just his revolver while Ellie attempts to get him down. Once down, a Runner attempts to bite, but he is saved by a masked man (revealed to be Bill) who decapitates the Infected with his machete.
Once safe, the meeting does not go well. Bill is annoyed that Joel and Ellie destroyed many of his traps to find him and violently subdues Joel, whom he checks for bites after handcuffing Ellie to a pipe. Ellie breaks the pipe off the wall and hits Bill with it, almost breaking his arm before Joel makes her stop. Despite Ellie making things difficult, Joel convinces Bill that the favors are worth as much as he claims. Giving in, Bill devises a plan to retrieve a battery from a crashed military truck, stating that if he does this, he owes Joel nothing from then on.
Joel and Ellie are taken by Bill to a church, Bill's personal armory. While Bill loads two shotguns, he tries to convince him to give up on the mission, citing that Tess can't be happy with his "worse job on record... a suicide mission." Joel quickly receives a lecture from Bill about "caring for someone". Not desiring to hear Bill's complaints, he asks if they can just "get on with it", irritating Bill. Just before they leave, Bill gives him a nail bomb and teaches him how to make one. As they do leave, Joel tries to stop Ellie from staring at burnt corpses but the teenager just states she had "seen worse".
Despite encountering numerous Infected and even a Bloater at an old high school, it seemed all for nothing when the car battery they needed was not where it should be. Joel begins to ask Bill what their next plan is only for it to results in the pair arguing, Bill insulting Tess in the process, greatly infuriating Joel. Just as he goes to fire back, Bill freezes in place, staring at a hung corpse. Joel spitefully asks who the person is, quickly changing his tone to one of remorse when he learns it is Bill's former partner; Frank. Joel tries to console Bill but the sound of an engine distracts them, reminding them of the need to press on: they can't dwell on the past.
It turns out Frank had acquired the battery for himself, having fitted it in a truck Ellie has just started. Watching Bill assessing the vehicle, he learns they need to push the truck to recharge the battery via the alternator. Ellie asks him what he wants her to do. Joel trusts Ellie enough that he lets her drive the vehicle. After several attempts (and holding off Infected as they do so) they manage to start the truck and take off, returning to Bill's armory.
"You drive, we push".
Joel leaves Ellie to allow the motor running as he bids Bill farewell. The pair briefly remark how Ellie "held her own back there" though Bill believes he and Ellie "ain't gonna make it". Joel is gifted a siphon hose by Bill and awkwardly attempts to offer his condolences regarding the loss of Frank; Bill just scrubs it off, asking if they're "square". Joel confirms they are: Bill no longer owes him anything. With that, he returns to the truck, taking off with Ellie for Pittsburgh.
Joel spends much of the journey driving, leaving Ellie to sleep. However, Ellie suddenly grunts in anger, Joel realizing she hadn't slept like he had presumed. He listens as Ellie complains about a Savage Starlight comic, claiming the cliffhanger at the end has ruined it. Joel asks where she obtained the comic, to which she hesitantly says she got it from Bill. Joel, although shaking his head, asks what other items she stole. Ellie passes him a cassette tape, saying it should "make [him] all nostalgic". Joel chuckles as he claims the song was "before [his] time" but he play it anyway, remarking that "it's a winner though". Joel continues to drive, whistling to the tune as Ellie pulls out a magazine she stole, joking that Bill "won't be missing this tonight". Joel turns around, realizing it is a pornography magazine. He sternly tells her to get rid of the magazine as it "ain't for kids", making a grab for it. Ellie laughs him off, sitting back so he can't reach, wanting to "know what all the fuss is about". As she asks why the pages are stuck together, Joel awkwardly doesn't answer. to his relief she laughs at him, throwing the magazine out the window. Once Ellie climbs in the front, he advises she go to sleep. Despite saying she isn't tired, Ellie does indeed falls asleep during the journey. Joel continues to drive in to the night.
As the morning arrives, Joel comes to a blocked entrance at the city of Pittsburgh, starling Ellie awake as he jerks to a halt. Although he is weary of going in to the city rather than turning back to avoid any possible trouble, he does so anyway. The pair drive deep into the city before Joel slams the brakes at the sight of a man stumbling in the road, pleading for assistance. Although Ellie wants to help the man, Joel frantically puts his seatbelt on, telling her to do the same. Joel, recognizing a tactic he had used when he was a hunter, knows the ruse. He accelerates in to the man, almost being shot as the man drops the act and orders his comrades to attack the truck. Despite avoiding most of the attackers, a bus succeeds in slamming the truck, causing the pair to crash in to a bookstore. Joel and Ellie manage to escape, almost being killed in the process, fleeing away from the highway.
They then battled through the city, fighting numerous hunters on the way. Joel spies a Humvee being used by the hunters to kill "tourists", their word for outsiders. The two bond as Joel answers Ellie's questions regarding life before the disease destroyed the world. One question in particular, regarding a Dawn of the Wolf poster, reminds Joel of Sarah; that pair had saw it shortly before the outbreak. When asks why Joel would have watched such a "dumb teen movie" he lies saying he doesn't remember, wanting to avoid telling Ellie about his daughter. To "lighten the mood", Ellie's reveal a joke book she possesses, quoting several jokes from it as they go to take their minds off of the dangers in the world, if all too briefly.
Joel becomes separated from Ellie when the pair climb an elevator shaft, the elevator giving way, sending Joel plummeting to the bottom. Ellie, safe on the ledge, tries to climb down to Joel but he demands that she stay put, wanting to make his own way to her. Joel manages to make it out of the basement, facing Infected as he does so. As he tries to return to Ellie, he is ambushed by a hunter, speedily being detained underwater. He desperately reaches for his handgun but can't reach it, the hunter grappling his arm to prevent his escape. Luckily, Ellie appears at the last second, shooting the hunter dead; saving Joel's life.
Despite the fact that Ellie is initially in shock from having killed a person for the first time, Joel scolds her for disobeying his orders. Ellie argues back, telling Joel that, though it wasn't easy for her, it was either "[Joel] or him", and he could at least thank her for "saving [his] ass." Joel brushes off the remarks and avoids thanking her as the two continue on. However (seeing hunters in the distance) Joel eventually comes to trust Ellie with a hunting rifle, testing to see if she "can handle that". Although disappointed Ellie has only ever shot a BB gun at rats, he teaches her how to use it regardless. He also vaguely thanks her for saving him, making Ellie happier that Joel is starting to trust her, and that the two are beginning to bond. After they kill the group, Joel finally feels Ellie has earned the right to carry a pistol, though he declares it is "for emergencies only".
Soon after, The pair encounter the Humvee in person when traversing through the streets, managing to out run it despite its heavy fire power. The two decide to enter a building via the balcony in order to get off the streets.
A confrontation results in new allies.
While doing so, Joel is grabbed from behind by what he presumes is another hunter. Struggling to shake him off, he finds an opportunity when Ellie distracts the man by attacking him with her switchblade, being knocked down in the process. Joel subsequently slams the man's head against the wall then throws him to the floor, proceeding to heavily beat his ribs, kidneys and face. However, Ellie shouts for him to stop, pointing towards the other side of the room. Joel looks up, seeing a teenage boy pointing a gun at him. Backing off, he calmly tells the boy to "take it easy". The man he was laying into tells the boy Joel and Ellie ""are not the bad guys", the boy lowering the gun at hearing such. The man gets up, remarking that "[Joel] hits hard". The group admits their confusion, having each thought the other was a hunter until they saw each pairs respective child, the man pointing out that "they don't keep kids around". While patching up a slash wound on his arm, the man introduces himself as Henry to Joel and says the boy is his brother, Sam, explaining that they are separated from their group. Once acquainted, Joel cautiously agrees to follow them to a hideout; "it will be safer if we chat there".
Once there, Henry offers Joel blueberries having found "a whole stash of them". Joel politely refuses, wanting to learn why they haven't left yet. As Ellie and Sam converse in the background, Henry explains that the bridge (the only real exit) is heavily guarded by day but is reduced to just a skeleton crew at night. Turning to the kids, the men see them laughing, the pair trying to toss blueberries into their mouths. Henry says that Ellie "doesn't seem bothered by all of this" but Joel sits down, asking what the man's plan is. Upon hearing that Henry wants to join the Fireflies, Joel challenges his decision to "drag [Sam] halfway across the country" along with him. Responding to this, Henry leans forward subtly threatening Joel. Joel stays relaxed, revealing he is looking for the Fireflies as well. Realizing Joel is friendly, Henry tells him of his plan to go to a radio station just out of the city to reunite with the survivors of his group. Joel agrees to join him, shortly going to sleep to "rest up".
The four decide to team up to escape the hunter area through the sewers and suburbs. The pair slowly bonded with the brothers, but this ended when Sam got infected and started to attack Ellie. With no other choice, Henry shoots his brother in the head. Overcome with grief, Henry then commits suicide.
Fall
Brotherly reunion.
Following the events in Pittsburgh, the duo continue westward to reach the Fireflies. Fall arrives as Joel and Ellie reach Jackson County in Wyoming, where Joel believes his younger brother Tommy can show them the Firefly's location. They reach a dam and try to cross through. While opening the gate, a women and two men hold then at gunpoint. As Joel tries to get the the group to let them pass through, someone on the inside begins opening the door - the man is revealed to be Tommy. To Joel's surprise, his brother hugs him and briefly remark to each other about their age. Tommy introduces him to Maria, the settlement's leader. The woman says she is sorry, and comments that Joel is her brother in law, surprising Joel at the prospect of Tommy having gotten married. Maria takes note of Ellie, who has remained quiet, and invites them to eat.
The group enter the settlement, amazed to find such a place. They see horses, Joel learning that Ellie also knows how to ride one. They learn the group is trying to restore the electricity. As they approach the cafeteria, Maria receives a call on her radio to check out the newly repaired generator. Tommy and Joel go while the girls eat. Before they do, Tommy gives Joel a picture he found back when he returned to Texas. Joel looks at the photo but, after a long pause, gives it back; he is too pained by the memories of his lost daughter to take it. Tommy accepts this, taking him to see the generator be activated. As they cross through, one worker jokingly bets "a million bucks it works" to which Tommy remarks "make it two". The two watch as the generator successfully starts. Joel jokes that Tommy is out two million dollars, Tommy laughs him off as they enter a room to talk privately.
Once inside, Joel and Tommy begin discussing why Joel has come so far. Joel confesses Elie's immunity to his brother. Although doubtful, Tommy "bites" when Joel proposes he can show him. Joel admits he came here to pass Ellie on to his brother as the Fireflies were his "crusade", thus his responsibility. Tommy promises Joel gear but refuses to "take that girl off [his] hands". Joel is greatly angered, angrily stating that Tommy owes him this, only for Tommy to say that surviving "wasn't worth it". Greatly enraged, Joel shoves him against a locker, preparing to get even more physical. As he goes to do so Tommy warns him; "you lay your hands on me again and it won't end well for you". Before they argue further, the two are interrupted when bandits attack the dam.
Joel helps fend off the attackers and rescue Maria and Ellie. He checks to see if Ellie is hurt, relived she isn't. As the group recovers after the attack, Tommy reluctantly agrees to take Ellie to the Fireflies. While he informs a heartbroken Maria, Joel is harsh to Ellie, avoiding the fact that the two are arguing. Maria confronts Joel, threatening his life if Tommy dies. As Joel tearfully goes to retrieve Ellie, Tommy is radioed by a comrade that Ellie has stolen a horse and fled into the woods. Joel and Tommy give chase, tracking her to a ranch house.
Joel finds Ellie alone in an abandoned bedroom reading a diary. He tries to make her leave but she refuses. Joel reprimands her for running off, causing Ellie to bring up Sarah; having been told of Joel's deceased daughter by Maria. Joel is greatly angered, warning Ellie that she is "treading on some mighty thin ice." The two argue heavily about the losses in their lives, Ellie pushing Joel while doing so. Joel remains cold, asserting he isn't her dad. Tommy interrupts them, as bandits have reached the ranch.
Once the trio dispatch them they depart back to Tommy's. While riding, Joel thinks back on his time with Ellie, concluding he doesn't want to abandon her and leave her scared. He asks Tommy for the Firefly lab's location, the University of Eastern Colorado. He has Ellie give her horse back and get on his. Tommy tries to convince him to come to the town so they can discuss it but Joel's mind is made up. With the promise of a home at Tommy's if they should return, Joel and Ellie depart for the University.
Several weeks pass before they reach the University. While traveling they decided to name the horse Callus, though Joel doesn't approve of it. They search through the university for traces of Fireflies, finding a sniper's nest, Firefly symbols, and the mirror-like science building Tommy mentioned. Joel briefly encounters infected, including a Bloater - a former Firefly. Joel tries to assure Ellie that the Infected where there as a form of defense. While searching, Joel confesses his desire to be a singer and that he was in sports. Ellie also remarks that she wants to be an astronaut. When closing in on the abandoned and barricaded science lab, Ellie asks if Joel went to college. He confesses he didn't since he had Sarah quite young but is slow to talk of his ex wife.
They reach the building but find that the Fireflies are gone. They do find monkeys (Ellie saying she had never seen them before) and evidence of the abandoned research. They search through the building, breaking in through the side gates due to how fortified the main entrance is with barbed wire. While searching, they manage to reach a blocked door.
Once inside, Joel finds a Firefly skeleton with a recording. As Ellie searches through some files, Joel plays the recording and learns the Fireflies have relocated to Salt Lake City. Knowing where to go, the pair go to leave, but notice a flash on a lower floor, narrowly avoiding being shot.
Joel being tackled by a Cannibal.
The two waste no time fleeing the building, killing several bandits in the process. They make it to the lower levels but Joel is surprised by one attacker, tackled off a ledge and crashes through a piece of rebar, mortally wounding him. Luckily, his attacker breaks his neck on the fall. Ellie frantically climbs down to Joel, unsure of what to do. Joel picks up his revolver. Grunting in pain as he orders her to move, shooting two more bandits as they charged through the doors in front of the pair. Joel fidgets, unable to get up. No other choice, Ellie pulls Joel up, the man screaming in pain from the effort.
Joel is up but his torso is punctured, causing him to lose a great amount of blood. Ellie checks the corridor as Joel limps behind her, insisting he doesn't need her assistance. They climb through a smashed window, Joel falling to the ground only for Ellie to pull him behind a desk; another bandit forced his way in to the room, not hesitating to fire at the pair. Joel tries to return fire but is pinned down. Ellie decides to flank him, Joel wearily telling her not to. She does so regardless, distracting the man long enough for Joel to shoot him dead. Ellie returns to Joel picking him up.
They carry on through the building, approaching the exit. Joel stumbles, almost falling, on the way out. Ellie once more tries to help but he pushes her off, causing her to shout that he's "not okay". They proceed through to the main hall, Joel's body giving in as he falls to the ground, attempting to shoot oncoming bandits. Ellie manages to kill them, forcing Joel to his feet once more but this time, he allows her to assist him.
They make it outside, Joel falling down the steps. They secure their horse and ride out of the university. Once a safe distance away, Ellie remarks that they are safe, only for Joel to lose consciousness, falling from Callus. Ellie tries to pick him up but can't, begging him to tell her what to do.
Events of Left Behind
Joel appears briefly in the Left Behind DLC. Carrying on from the Fall arc, Ellie has managed to drag Joel to an abandoned mall. He is severely injured because of the last major event in the fall, and only appears in the beginning and towards the end of the DLC.
Ellie briefly covers his wound with her summer shirt, using duct tape to keep it in place. She leaves him in the yogurt bar with Callus while she searches the Colorado Mountain Plaza for medical supplies. Ellie returns with a first aid kit, after having to fight through cannibals and Infected to get back. She stitches up Joel's wound and straps him to a sled to pull him through snow. They leave, eventually reaching Silver Lake. Ellie manages to secure him and takes him to an abandoned house near a lake. As the weeks pass, Ellie hunts for food while Joel recovers and contracts septicemia.
Winter
Joel in Ellie's care.
A few weeks have passed, and Joel is unconscious and feverish due to wound sepsis. Ellie has been doing her best to keep him alive and recover. She returns on day with a bottle of penicillin she obtained from two survivors named David and James, but he is still weak and can't move.
The next morning, Ellie looks out the window to find the same people trying to find her. Fleeing the area by horse to protect Joel, she is eventually captured by them; Joel is left alone but isn't found by the group.
Joel awakens, startled. The medicine brings him back to his feet, albeit weakened, but he is surprised to find Ellie missing. Upon leaving the hideout, he encounters the same group of survivors who seem to know her whereabouts. He chases after them, killing all but two. He tortures and interrogates them to learn of Ellie's location. Joel fears for her safety, enacting revenge upon the pair, brutally beating one to death and ruthlessly breaking the others' neck in cold blood.
Joel arrives in the survivors' settlement and discovers, to his horror, that they are cannibals. He dispatches the rest of them before finding Ellie, who had managed to escape before falling victim to their cannibalistic ways, brutally hacking at David with his own machete. He pulls her away from the corpse and holds her to calm her down. As a traumatized Ellie begins to break down, Joel holds her in his arms to comfort her; the first time he had ever embraced her. He calls her "baby girl," the same term of endearment he used for Sarah.
Spring
Joel overlooking Salt Lake City.
Spring arrives as Joel and Ellie reach Salt Lake City, their intended final destination. Joel tries to fill the silence in order to cheer up an estranged and traumatized Ellie, who warms up after seeing a herd of giraffes. Realizing what Ellie has been through, he tells her that they can leave and return to Tommy's settlement, but she declines his offer, remarking that she wants to go through with this after all they have been through.
In the city, they encounter a horde of Infected, miraculously managing to fight through all of them. While crossing a flooded street via the roofs of vehicles and construction scaffolding, they reach a big gap. Ellie is scared that she won't make it, but Joel reassures her that he will catch her. She jumps but makes it without his help, something Joel congratulates her for.
While crossing the last bus to reach the end of the sewers, it gives way as Joel tries to climb it, forcing him to the front of the bus despite his efforts. He notices the door above him and proceeds to pull it. Ellie jumps on the bus too, kicking the door to open it. They succeed, but the bus sinks beneath the waves. Joel forces his way out, finding Ellie unconscious in the water. He reaches her and proceeds to carry her to the surface. However, she is not breathing. Panicking, he gives her CPR to save her life. While doing so, two Fireflies find them. Despite trying to convince them he needs to give her CPR, they knock him out.
When Joel wakes up, he finds Marlene and what remains of the Boston Fireflies at the hospital. Ellie was successfully revived but was immediately taken for research on Marlene's order, which will possibly create a vaccine for the infection, as Joel finds out at Marlene's disclosure. Marlene also tells Joel that in order to fully reverse engineer the fungus for a vaccine, the doctors must remove the fungus from Ellie's brain, which will result in certain death. Upon hearing this, Joel begins to protest for her. Marlene disregards him however, saying that he is not in a position to make decisions, and that her decision to sacrifice Ellie will save millions.
She spares Joel's life, but Joel, determined not to lose his new "daughter" like he lost Sarah, escapes and tortures his Firefly guard Ethan to find out the location of the operating room. He battles his way through the facility and brings Ellie out.
At the hospital parking garage he is cornered by Marlene, who threatens him with a pistol. She tries to persuade him that it's pointless to run; Ellie will die anyway as he can't protect her. She lets her guard down as Joel considers this, willingly letting him decide Ellie's fate. She moves closer to him and reaches for Ellie. Despite this offer, Joel shoots Marlene in the abdomen, leaving her on the floor grievously wounded, firmly deciding he'd rather save Ellie than save humanity. Before killing Marlene, Joel secures Ellie in a car. Marlene begs for her life, but Joel coldly refuses, fearing that she will only pursue them if she survives. He shoots her point blank in the head, leaving her behind as he flees with Ellie.
"I swear".
Joel delivers Ellie out of the city, heading for "home" at Tommy's. To spare her from feeling survivor's guilt, he tells Ellie a half-truth: that the Fireflies did actually find more people with immunity like her but had no success (true) so they have stopped looking for a cure (false). Ellie is greatly dismayed when she hears this. The two finally reach Tommy's Dam, where Joel remarks that they can return to their normal life. Unable to cross through the main road due to the truck breaking down, they detour in to the woods. Walking through the woods, he tells her that he used to hike with Sarah, believing the pair would have "been good friends". Eventually, Ellie confronts Joel and questions him whether what he tells her is true. Joel replies, "I swear", leaving a doubting Ellie to her own belief.
Events of One Night Live
Epilogue
After a live performance of some of the most pivotal scenes, creator Neil Druckmann released an epilogue to the epilogue, taking place a few weeks[11] after the end of the game. The One Night Live epilogue is quoted by Druckmann as a way of “saying goodbye” to Joel and Ellie."[12]
After spending a few week so at Tommy's and having been accepted by the community, Joel finishes his work and searches for Ellie. He finds her listening to her Walkman in her room, writing something at her desk. He knocks on the door, calling Ellie's name but she can't hear him. After a few attempts he enters the room to tap her shoulder, startling her.
Ellie stands up and waves him off, pulling off her headphones as Joel claims he "didn't mean to scare [her]". After a pause, he asks "What's up?" There is some tension in the air—Ellie possibly resenting Joel for having lied to her, though whether she knows for sure is unknown.
Joel/Troy sings for Ellie/Ashley.
Joel starts off slowly, saying that they haven't talked for a little while and he wanted to check in on her. He tells her that some kids found some water guns and were playing with them outside that day. He had hoped to have seen Ellie out there playing too. Ellie quickly responds by telling him that she's more needed repairing the outer wall with Maria and that she doesn't have time for that. Sitting down on the corner of the bed, Joel tells her that everyone has been really impressed with Ellie but that it's okay to take a break from work every once in a while. Joel realizes he isn't getting anywhere, and decides to change the subject.
He talks about how Tommy has made him a town guard and that things have "calmed down out there somewhat." Tommy apparently has paired Joel up with a woman named Esther, with Joel confessing that he thinks Tommy wants to see them "hitched", remarking she has a "great sense of humor" and that she told him a joke.
While Joel starts mumbling to himself, trying to remember the joke, Ellie interrupts. She mentions that it is late and that she needs to get going with the additional repairs needed for the outer wall. Joel is a bit deflated, but quickly recovers, leaving and quickly returning with a guitar in hand.
"What's that supposed to be?" Ellie says, somewhat sarcastically.
"Well I done hear that some people call this a gui-tar." Joel says, really pouring on his Texan accent, getting a quiet chuckle out of Ellie.
"I know that," Ellie says and asks him again what it is for. Joel sits down on Ellie's bed and confesses that he has been working on a song for some time, though "started working on it sometime ago", hinting that he may have originally begun writing it for Sarah. Ellie sits in her swivel chair, drawing up one of her legs to her chest as Joel begins to play and sing select verses from Future Days by Pearl Jam.
The musical performance is tender as Joel sings about the pain that they've gone through and how much it means to him that they still have each other — "you and I." As Joel performs, Ellie silently sheds a few tears, wiping them away slowly. As the guitar and Joel fall silent, an emotional Ellie quietly responds "That was beautiful, Joel." The tension and distance between Joel and Ellie is gone now, replaced with genuine fatherly-daughterly love.
Joel thanks Ellie, stands and offers the guitar to her. Even though she says that she doesn't know how to play, Joel reminds her of his promise to "teach [her] how to play the guitar" gifting it to her.
Ellie, touched that Joel remembered, reaches out and takes it saying, "You did." A warm silence falls and Joel begins to excuse himself. "It's getting late and we both need our rest." Joel heads for the door as Ellie falls back into her swivel chair.
"What was the joke you heard the other day?" Ellie says, breaking the silence and bringing Joel to a full stop before exiting through the door.
Joel turns around, and with a soft smile on his face asks, "What's the hardest part about eating clocks?" Ellie shakes her head and puts up her hands, giving up.
Joel smirks and says, "It's time consuming."
They both share a little laugh. "That is pretty bad," a smiling Ellie responds. "Yeah, it's one of the worst I've heard," says Joel. "Well, goodnight, Ellie." Joel walks out the door, a little slow to remove his hand from the door frame, leaving Ellie to play the guitar a bit. [13]
Events of The Last of Us Part II
Joel has been confirmed to be returning as a major character for the upcoming sequel, The Last of Us Part II. In the reveal trailer, Joel is five years older, wielding his signature revolver. He enters an abandoned house, where he finds Ellie playing an acoustic guitar and singing. He asks her "What are you doing, kiddo? You really gonna go through with this?" Slowly putting the guitar down, she replies "I'm gonna find and I'm gonna kill every last one of them."
Personality and Traits
Described as being in his late 40's, Joel knows what the world looked like before it was devastated. Over time, he has begun to become less bound by morality and more driven by doing whatever is necessary to survive. "What he wouldn't do in the past is almost a daily occurrence at this point," Bruce Straley, the game's director, notes.[14]
Joel has been described as a "violent thug, a brutal killer, and a torturer."[15] He is shown to be able to kill his enemies with noteworthy brutality, earning his infamous reputation to those he encounters. David calls him a "crazy man." During the aftermath of the epidemic that struck the country, he has resorted to working in black-market dealings and smuggling items or people of interest through quarantine zones or other designated areas.[16] Because of this, he has accumulated valuable knowledge in regards to surviving the post-apocalyptic environment. After the death of his beloved daughter Sarah, Joel has become more broody and damaged. His personality becomes darker and apathetic. Joel rarely shows signs of happiness and often cynical. Ellie notes that Joel has stained his hands with innocent blood when he reveals to her that he has been "on both sides", thus having the knowledge about a hunters' ambush and anticipating it. This dark past likely contributed to his experience as a hardened survivalist.
He also becomes extremely dedicated to Ellie, using any means possible to save her and keep her safe. He tortures several cannibals to find out Ellie's location, and then kills the other prisoner after he has gained information about Ellie's location. Ellie also cares greatly for Joel when she cares for him when he was injured, just as Joel cared for her and protected her throughout their journey. They had a father and daughter bond.
It is at strongly hinted that Joel suffers from PTSD due to losing his daughter and committing acts necessary for his survival. He is reluctant or simply refuses to speak about people he has lost along the way (Sarah, Tess, Sam, Henry). He has nightmares and does not speak about his time as a Hunter.
However, Joel's other side is also portrayed. Prior to the apocalypse, he worked hard to raise his daughter by himself. The outbreak and Sarah's death changed him into an apathetic, ruthless, and estranged man. He wears the watch that Sarah gave him the day before the initial outbreak as a reminder. Upon meeting Ellie, he initially has a rocky relationship with her. However, Joel later grows to trust her and finds her reliable at most times such as Ellie spotting for Joel or providing support. As time passes, Joel establishes a father-daughter relationship with Ellie, reminding him of his beloved daughter, Sarah.
Whether being selfish, or not wanting to lose another 'daughter' to the whim of another again, he chose to save Ellie and try and start some semblance of a normal life again. His decision to kill Marlene inside the Fireflies facility in Salt Lake City is to ensure that no one will have the knowledge of Ellie and thus no one will go after her in the future. In this sense he is the opposite of Marlene, who intended to sacrifice Ellie for a chance to save the rest of humanity.
Skills and Abilities
As a hardened survivalist, Joel displays terrifying intensity, strength, cunning, and fierce fist-fighting prowess; he can perform fatal chokeholds, string combinations of hard punches, and other miscellaneous attacks with little fatigue or hesitance, and he has become adept to the point where he can out-brawl and overwhelm opponents half his age quite quickly. Joel is able to use these attributes very efficiently and this often strikes fear into the hearts of human enemies, as evidenced by the fact that after Joel physically overwhelms survivors, they will beg Joel not to kill them.
Joel choking a cannibal.
He can also hold his own against competent combatants. He successfully overpowered and badly beat Henry, despite being surprised, and later easily parried his gun from him while shoving him to the ground. He could pin Robert and break his arm, shove his brother Tommy against a locker, tackle a soldier and overpowered Ethan; a trained Firefly; despite being held at gun point. He could even overpower two cannibals, despite not having fully recovered from his life-threatening wound. Undeterred by being disoriented after a car crash, Joel was also able to overpower a Hunter and impale him on a shard of broken glass.
Joel restraining Robert.
However, his strength isn't always as consistent. Having been dazed due to falling from a great height, he was tackled by a Runner, unable to force it of off without assistance. He was subdued by Bill, almost bitten by a Clicker when tackled by it (having to be saved by Tess), and was nearly killed by a hunter who held him underwater, needing Ellie to intervene. A Cannibal also managed to tackle him off a ledge, leading to him being critically wounded by a piece of rebar.
Joel is also an expert at wielding a wide range of weapons, from handguns to rifles and bows, which he can use with great proficiency. He is shown to be an expert tactician, able to use both stealthy and overt means to overcome overwhelming odds. He is also adept at crafting improvised weapons and tools (possibly due to his background in construction), and possesses an acute sense of hearing that allows him to pinpoint the relative location of those around him when focused. Joel is also a strong swimmer and can also hold his breath for a relatively long period of time.
Joel is still human, however, and is just as vulnerable to death and injury as other survivors. Unlike Ellie, he is not immune to the cordyceps infection and thus cannot survive in a spore-filled environment without a gas mask. When he was mortally wounded, he was unable to move faster than a walk and struggled to climb over obstacles or stay on top of Callus. The wound also caused him to contract wound septis, leaving him bed ridden for several weeks, needing antibiotics to cure him.
Design and Appearance
Joel's appearance indicates that he is in his late 40s. He has a heavy, muscular build, with dark, graying hair and a beard. According to sewage's water level ruler, he appears to be between 5 feet 10 inches (177.8cm) and 5 feet 11 inches (180.3cm) tall. Joel has many cuts and scars, which can be seen on his face and arms (if the player equips Joel with a t-shirt.)
Joel wears a watch that was a gift from Sarah for his birthday the day before the outbreak; twenty years later, it has broken, likely from two decades of surviving in a post-outbreak world. He keeps the watch in remembrance of Sarah. Joel seems to sigh sadly when Ellie mentions that it is broken in the early chapters of The Last of Us.
Joel also looks down at the watch when Ellie was mentioning how beautiful the view was to Joel as they were about to leave. The ending scene also shows Joel slightly rubbing his watch after he said he "struggled for a long time with survivin'" as he encountered major difficulties in accepting Sarah's death and sympathizes with Ellie's survivor's guilt.
He is most notably shown in a green checkered collared shirt, which is rolled up to his elbows, and jeans. He carries an old, worn canvas backpack which holds a gas mask and a flashlight attached to the strap. He was given this look by creative director Neil Druckmann due to him and his team wanting Joel to appear "as both a father figure to Ellie and a hardened survivor" at the same time, the costume bring almost "neutral" for such a setting.
Throughout the game, Joel picks up different items (pendants, letters etc.) and the player can have Joel craft Health kits, Molotov cocktails etc. which are stowed in his pack. Like Ellie, he also changes his appearance slightly in accordance to the seasons (e.g. in the winter, Joel is seen in a different shirt and a coat). At the end of the game (or as a pre-order bonus), different clothing options for Joel can be unlocked. These include:
- Grey Shirt (pre-order bonus)
- Brown Shirt
- Short Sleeve Denim Shirt
- Long Sleeve Denim Shirt
- Grey Sweatshirt
- Gold Plaid Shirt
- Red Plaid Shirt
- Purple Plaid Shirt
- Camper Backpack
- Military Backpack
Relationships
Ellie
Joel's relationship with Ellie started off on sour terms, probably due to his experience with his daughter. Both Joel and Ellie were against Marlene's idea for Joel to watch over Ellie, while she and Tess went to check out the weapons that their former associate, Robert, sold to Marlene. Joel couldn't even look at her in the eye until much later after their initial meeting. Joel viewed himself as someone who had to escort her rather than develop a relationship with her. Their relationship grew even more unstable after the death of Tess, who made Joel promise to get Ellie to Tommy for his assistance on finding the Fireflies. He now viewed Ellie's so someone he had to protect but still keep himself detached from to save his spirit, not wanting to lose someone close to him again.
He was reluctant to let her use a gun and refused to admit that she saved his life. However, he opened up to her eventually, the first time when he had her snipe the Hunters, and gave her one of their guns; seeing her as an equal after slowing giving her small portions of responsibility like driving the truck at Bill's.
When Ellie overhears Joel and Tommy argue over her fate, she steals one of the settlement's horses and runs away. Before Tommy informs Joel that Ellie took one of his horses, Joel appears to shed a tear and wipes it away just before Tommy tells Joel of the incident. Joel by this point seems to have a hard time parting with Ellie, but at the time he believes that this will be best for her because he doesn't seem to trust himself enough to go along with the journey, and doesn't want to be held responsible for another person's death, especially Ellie, who reminds him too strongly of his daughter. After being found at a ranch house nearby, Joel has a change of heart about keeping Ellie with him when she confronts him about Sarah, stating that she is not like his daughter, and is more than capable of taking care of herself.
Joel holding Ellie in his arms.
Eventually, their bond grows stronger later in the game. Joel having had time to think about what Ellie said, he realizes that abandoning Ellie is worse than staying with her, possibly harming any relationships she may try to form in the future. He therefore stays with Ellie and goes with her to the University. Their time there is arguably when their relationship is at its strongest, Ellie is no longer fearful that Joel will leave her; she stays with Callus as Joel wanders around, whereas before she would try to find him like in Pittsburgh. Joel even opens up about his past, even about Sarah, now he is even polite about letting her know when the topic gets too personal rather than brushing her off entirely as before.
When Joel is wounded and on the verge of death, Ellie tends his wound during the stages of winter, becoming the protector he was to her. Though their bond remains strong for Joel though he notices that Ellie is distant, likely due to the incident with David, signifying that she is no longer as close as he is.
In the spring, Joel tells her he will teach her to play the guitar after meeting with the Fireflies and says he would not leave without her. At this point, he sees Ellie as a surrogate daughter as he would now do anything to save her and keep her safe, Joel is willingly to take anyone's life in order to keep Ellie with him. She is apparently similar to Sarah and Joel states that they would have been good friends and liked each other. Ellie, not just being the cure, becomes a very important symbol to reverting Joel back to how he was before the outbreak. A structural parallel of Joel trying to run away from the enemies and holding her in his arms like he did with Sarah demonstrates this, but this time, Joel would save his "baby girl" from dying. This helps express Joel's philosophy of doing anything for himself, rather than the world around him; he saves Ellie to save himself, not her or humanity,
Joel, in order to attempt and alleviate Ellie's survivor's guilt, tells her a half-truth that the Fireflies had other survivors like Ellie but failed to assist in finding a cure. [17] He also shares his own struggle with survivors guilt, opening up to Ellie in a way he hadn't done before, though he arguably at his weakest now, as his relationship with Ellie is possibly him just using her to replace his daughter Sarah, rather than actually forming a unique bond with her.
Tess
Tess is Joel's smuggling partner in Boston, and the two have a strong trust with each other by the events of the game. Both share the same philosophy and the same ruthlessness, earning a fearsome reputation in the Boston Quarantine Zone. Joel cares of her a great deal but this causes him to doubt her; he instantly presumes the deal "went south" when Tess comes back in injured, expressing that he almost views Tess as vulnerable without him present to provide the muscle (even though Tess can clearly take care of herself). It is implied that at one point they were in a romantic relationship, but otherwise their bond and obligation between the pair is strong; so much that Joel decided to honor Tess' final request to deliver Ellie to Tommy after she became infected. Afterwards, Joel was firmly reluctant to talk about Tess, angered by Ellie and even by Bill if she was mentioned. After a year though, he didn't mind Ellie talking about her, showing that he had moved on from losing her.
Sarah
Sarah was Joel's 12 year old daughter who died early in the morning, the day after his birthday at the start of the initial Cordyceps outbreak, having been shot by a soldier following orders. The two had a very close father-daughter relationship, being that Joel was a single parent. They were so close that Sarah gave him a watch for his birthday that he still wears 20 years later, though it is cracked, to remind him of his losses. The loss of Sarah hurt Joel greatly, turning him cynical enough that he became a Hunter, murdering many innocent people and even lost touch with his brother Tommy because of this. He even at one point considered suicide, but managed to find something to fight for.
Joel is very sensitive about her, angered when Ellie brings her up and attempts to compare her loss to Joel's; some thing that further enrages him. He even denied the picture of the two at Sarah's soccer game from Tommy. However, He accepts the picture from Ellie after she steals it from Maria, showing that he has finally come to terms with her death, saying himself that "[he] can't escape [his] past".
Tommy
Tommy is Joel's younger brother and a former Firefly. The pair are close, Tommy covering Joel with his revolver while he runs with Sarah in his arms during the initial outbreak and spending the majority of the post-apocalyptic years together, looking out for one another. However, their different views of the world led to conflict between them, and when Tommy joins the Fireflies, the brothers lost contact with each other, their relationship completely breaking down; the last thing Tommy said to Joel was that he did not want to see him again.
Despite this, when the brothers meet up again in Jackson County, Tommy was very glad to see Joel, embracing him and joking about his age despite Joel's doubts Tommy would forgive him. Regardless, the two soon argue about Ellie's custody, Joel greatly angered that Tommy is playing "the pissy little brother". Despite Joel shoving him and insulting his community, Tommy still accepts to take Elie from him perhaps to save him from suffering the loss of another "daughter" and to avoid the turmoil that losing Sarah caused him. Even after all their years apart, Joel still holds him in high regard, stating to Ellie that he trusts him more than he trusts himself.
Bill
Bill had a smuggling arrangement with Joel and Tess, and before Joel met Ellie, they were both on good terms, claiming he was a "good guy, just needs some warming up to." During this time he, Tess and Bill did various jobs smuggling items into the Boston Quarantine Zone.
Even though Bill was angry about Joel setting off his traps and having to rescue them from the Infected, he was still willing to help Joel to get a car since he owed Joel "some favors." However, Bill didn't respect him for his decision to look after Ellie, claiming that "having someone you care about in your life is good for only one thing, which is getting you killed", implying that he was talking about his personal experience with his partner, Frank. When they obtained a pickup truck he gave Joel the siphon hose, saying they were now even, and then proceeded to tell him to "Get the fuck out of (his) town."
The impact of Bill on Joel is an eye-opening one. Joel now sees that trying to detach himself from anyone and everyone he meets will likely result in him being paranoid and alone. The only good thing about such a situation would be that he would survive no matter what. His relationship will Bill therefore strengthens his bond with Ellie, Joel deciding it's better to bond with someone and lose them than to never have had that bond at all.
Henry
Henry was a minor acquaintance of Joel and Ellie who they met in Pittsburgh. When they first met, Henry mistook Joel for a Hunter, and attempted to kill him, Joel doing likewise. Even when their fighting stopped, Joel didn't trust Henry initially, refusing to join up with him and being cautious of his true intentions. However, he later complied upon learning how similar they were; both searching for the Fireflies and each trying to care for someone.
Even with this hostility buried, it arose again when Henry abandoned Joel during their escape from the city. Although saved by the man, Joel turned violent, shoving him down and prepared to kill him in cold blood; inadvertently revealing the "Hunter" side of himself. He quickly regretted doing so, dropping the gun. Henry didn't fear him either, having the confidence to stand up to Joel despite the man having been on the verge of killing him.
Their friendship only grew stronger, each revealing their love of motorbike riding, bonding over stories of Joel and Tommy renting a pair of Harleys, and driving cross country; Joel is considerably less distant with Henry than before.
However, their fragile rapport abruptly comes to an end when Sam, who had been scratched by a Clicker the day before, turns overnight. With Sam attacking and clawing at Ellie, Joel reaches for his pistol, but Henry fires a warning shot. Joel showed no fear though, and reached for his bag again, but Henry shoots his brother and cries with grief. He blames himself for his brother's death, before shooting himself. It is implied that Joel, and possibly Ellie, had buried the two brothers in a nondescript area, Joel preventing Ellie from mentioning them, clearly damaged by the loss.
Henry had a great impact on Joel as they effectively mirrored each other, both being protectors of their respective child. This initially made Joel feel like the relationship between Henry and Sam was something he should aspire to have with Ellie. However, this is ruined when he realizes the repercussions of being close to someone as Henry was to Sam, bring reminded that he may (and likely would) no longer survive if he had no one to protect as Henry did when he had to kill Sam. It is likely this is why he tried to transfer Ellie to Tommy, fearful he would meet the same fate, as Bill had foreshadowed earlier.
Sam
Like Henry, Sam is a minor acquaintance of Joel and Ellie, and another survivor the two had met during their travels. Joel does not interact with Sam much, but has shown he does care for the boy's safety — as evidenced when the two had gotten separated from Henry and Ellie, by a safety door in the sewers compound.
Unlike Joel and Henry's relationship, Joel's camaraderie with Sam is never cultivated to fruition. He arguably knows next to nothing about the boy, unlike Ellie who had become close friends with Sam. Despite this gap in their relatively short companionship, he actively tries to keep him safe.
When Sam became infected and attacked Ellie, Joel attempted to reach his bag for a gun, only to be stopped by Henry. Sam and Henry died soon after when Sam is shot and Henry commits suicide. Joel, along with Ellie, deal with the shock of the abrupt stop to their short relationship. Early in the Fall chapter, it is implied that Joel and Ellie had buried the two brothers in a nondescript area.
Marlene
Joel has known Marlene as the leader of the Fireflies, ever since his brother Tommy joined the militia group. Before leaving, Tommy told her that if she was ever in a jam she could rely on Joel for help. Joel is quite cynical of the Fireflies' promises of hope, which is flowed on to Marlene.
When Joel does finally deliver Ellie to the Fireflies, Marlene compares his bond with Ellie to her own and understands that as Ellie's surrogate parents, the decision to kill her to develop a vaccine is hard on Marlene and Joel. However, Marlene reluctantly made the decision to kill her while Joel attempts to save Ellie from that fate. Joel kills Marlene in fear that she will come after her.
Maria
Maria is Tommy's wife and Joel's sister-in-law. They meet at the settlement, Maria being extremely hostile to him. Tommy manages to calm her when informing her Joel is his brother.
While she is kind due to the fact that he is Tommy's brother, her fierce opposition to Tommy taking Ellie to the Fireflies shakes her faith in him. She angrily shouts at him, demonstrating a deep distrust of him, and implies she would harm him should Tommy suffer any sort of harm from taking over for Joel. This threat has Joel jokingly state to Tommy that she "scares" him, and it contributes to his reasoning to stay with Ellie.
Joel, however, isn't as angry, being sympathetic and calmly letting her shout at him; he couldn't even look her in the eyes.
Weapons Used
- Fists
- 9mm Pistol
- Revolver
- Shotgun
- Bow
- Hunting Rifle
- Shorty
- El Diablo
- Flamethrower
- Assault Rifle
- Molotov Cocktail
- Nail Bomb
- Smoke Bomb
- Shiv
- 2x4
- Hatchet
- Machete
- Pipe
- Baseball Bat
- Military Sniper
Quotes
| “ | Lyin' on the couch watchin' Sunday football. That... greasy smell of a downtown hot dog. 4th of July, family barbeques. The sound of a plane flying overhead. Just one peaceful night; a clean conscience—all gone...
―Quote author
|
” |
| “ | Joel: Where'd you get the money for this?
Sarah: Drugs. I sell hardcore drugs. Joel: Oh good. You can start helpin' out with the mortgage, then. |
” |
| “ | Goodnight, baby girl.
―Quote author
|
” |
| “ | Don't do this to me, don't do this to me baby girl... come on... God...
―Quote author
|
” |
| “ | Tess: It's like we're on a date.
Joel: Well, I am the romantic type. Tess: You got your ways. |
” |
| “ | Joel: Ladies first.
Tess: Lady? You must be thinkin' of someone else. Joel: It's all relative. |
” |
| “ | Do I need to remind you what is out there?
―Quote author
|
” |
| “ | Joel: Well, is that everything you hoped for?
Ellie: Jury's still out. But, man... you can't deny that view. |
” |
| “ | No, we are survivors! Now we tried. Let's just go home.
―Quote author
|
” |
| “ | Y'know, that is actually before my time. That is a winner though.
―Quote author
|
” |
| “ | You sacrifice the few to save the many.
―Quote author
|
” |
| “ | I really miss coffee.
―Quote author
|
” |
| “ | You make every shot count.
―Quote author
|
” |
| “ | Henry: Damn, man. You hit hard.
Joel: Yeah, well, I was tryin' to kill you. |
” |
| “ | Ellie: [after shooting an enemy] I did good, right?
Joel: Don't let it go to your head. Let it go to theirs. |
” |
- "Ellie: Did everyone have boats back then?"
- "Joel: Yeah. I had a sixty foot yacht."
- "Ellie: Really?"
- "Joel: No."
- "Ellie: Sarcasm... making progress."
| “ | You are treading on some mighty thin ice here.
―Quote author
|
” |
- "Joel: Uh... I had Sarah when I was pretty young."
- "Ellie: ...were you married?"
- "Joel: For a while."
- "Ellie: What happened?"
- "Joel: ...okay."
- "Ellie: Too much?"
- "Joel: Too much."
| “ | Cannibal: Fuck you, man. He told you what you wanted. I ain't tellin' you shit.
Joel: That's alright. I believe him. |
” |
| “ | Ellie: He tried to...
Joel: Oh, baby girl...it's okay. It's okay. Ellie: Joel... |
” |
| “ | I guess no matter how hard you try, you can't escape your past.
―Quote author
|
” |
| “ | I gotcha, baby girl.
―Quote author
|
” |
| “ | Hmph, Endure and Survive.
―Quote author
|
” |
| “ | You'd just come after her.
―Quote author
|
” |
| “ | Don't think I ever told you but Sarah and I used to take hikes like this. I think ah... I think the two of you would've been... would've been good friends. Think you really woulda liked her. I know she woulda liked you, too.
―Quote author
|
” |
| “ | I struggled for a long time with survivin'. And you—... No matter what, you keep finding something to fight for.
―Quote author
|
” |
| “ | Ellie: Swear to me. Swear to me that everything that you said about the Fireflies is true.
Joel: I swear. Ellie: Okay. |
” |
Trivia
- The Japanese version of the game manual lists Joel's last name as "Miller".
- In Sarah's room above her computer is a certificate. The last name is blocked by an award, however the first letter was identified as "M". Since the release of The Last of Us Remastered and its Photo Mode, the whole award can now be visible and displays the last name of "Miller" as well, further confirming the name listing. The concept of his last name was removed by Naughty Dog early in development and is not considered canon.
- During the design development of Joel's physical appearance, the developers worked to make him look "flexible enough" to appear as both a "ruthless operator in the underground of a quarantined city" as well as a "caring father figure to Ellie". His appearance was intended to evoke "rural American", referencing values of self-reliance and ingenuity when facing hardship and deprivation.
- Upon writing Joel's character, Druckmann initially took inspiration from Josh Brolin's portrayal of Llewelyn Moss in No Country for Old Men (2007), whom he noted for being "very quiet, very cool under pressure". However Troy Baker's interpretation of Joel as a more emotional person who evolved the character in a different way. Ultimately, the narrative became an exploration of how willing a father is to save a child; initially, Joel is willing to sacrifice himself, before evolving where he is willing to sacrifice his friends, until finally feeling that he would sacrifice all of humanity in order to save Ellie.
- During an optional conversation with Ellie, when a banner proclaiming about the football team Bighorns is examined, she'll ask if everyone were like idol worshipers. Joel replies, "when it comes to sports? Hell yeah."
- He also may or may not have been a fan of the UEC football team, as he somewhat dryly remarks "Go Bighorns."
- It is suggested that either Joel or someone he knew has struggled with suicide. After Ellie comments about the "easy way out" when finding the corpses of two suicide victims, Joel heavily says "Trust me, it ain't easy." Based on the loss of his daughter and him saying that he struggled staying alive, it is quite possible Joel considered suicide after Sarah's death.
- Joel comments that he was never fond of video games before the outbreak, although it is shown that his house had a PlayStation 3 in the family room. This suggests that this PS3 belongs to Sarah and she used to play with Joel.
- Joel is a fan of music, and stated that as a kid he wanted to become a singer, he owned a six string guitar as well as an extensive music collection (including CD & Vinyl). Additionally he personally intended to teach Ellie to play after their journey was over.
- Joel stating he wanted to be a singer as a kid, and his ability to play the guitar, are likely a reference to his voice actor, Troy Baker, who is a singer and guitar player in real life.
- Joel appears to have been very fond of coffee before the infection left the world in ruins, as he mentions to Ellie that he always went to coffee shops and purchased coffee.
- He even laments on the lack of the beverage while in Pittsburgh.
- Before the outbreak, Joel possibly enjoyed hunting as a hobby, seeing that there was a framed painting/photograph of a deer above his bed.
- Joel's birth date was first speculated to be September 26, as it was the date seen in the Texas Herald newspaper at the beginning of the game.
- A tweet by Naughty Dog developer Mark Richard Davies confirms this date.[18]
- Joel's weapon of choice seems to be a revolver. He is seen holding it in both promotional pictures, and trailers. He also kept one in his house, before the outbreak.
- Though it is never explained where Joel was born, he was most likely born in Austin, Texas or somewhere in Travis County. This is also hinted at when Tommy says that he "went to Texas, back home" shortly before he attempts to give Joel a picture of him and Sarah.
- Joel was named after director Joel Coen who directed No Country for Old Men and True Grit.
- The Winter chapter is the only section of the game in which Joel never encounters any Infected.
- Joel is officially ranked as the sixth sexiest male video game characters of all time.[19]
- Joel was possibly a Bandit or Hunter before he became a smuggler, since he told Ellie he has "been on both sides".
- Further evidence to this would be when Joel reminded Tommy the things he did to keep them alive and how Tommy recalled the years after the outbreak giving him nightmares.
- Bill also makes a remark that suggests Joel was once a hunter saying "It's the normal people that scare me. You of all people should understand that."
- Expanding on this, Joel demonstrated knowledge of the Hunters' tactics, knowing beforehand that a Hunter was feigning injury when he remarked "He ain't even hurt!" shortly before running him over. He was also experienced in interrogating and torturing people, such as the Cannibals he captured and the Firefly Ethan.
Gallery
The Last of Us
Concept Art
Official Stills
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The Last of Us Part II
Official Stills
References
- ↑ Last of Us Voice Actors, Connection to Enslaved
- ↑ The Last of Us - Actor Q&A Part 1
- ↑ PlayStation Bio
- ↑ Tommy's Dam
- ↑ The University
- ↑ The University
- ↑ Hometown
- ↑ Hometown
- ↑ Hometown
- ↑ Jackson
- ↑ Neil Druckmann - Tweet about One Night Live
- ↑ Venture Beat Article on One Night Live Epilogue
- ↑ IGN Blog - One Night Live Epilogue
- ↑ The Last of Us Storyline Explained in Detail
- ↑ The Last of Us - Presentation by Naughty Dog
- ↑ The Story and Environment of The Last of Us
- ↑ Surgeon's Recorder, Marlene's Recorder 1
- ↑ Mark Richard Davies Tweet - Twitter
- ↑ WhatCulture Rankings
| Playable character | Ellie |
|---|---|
| Boston | Tino |
| Colorado | Drew Beckwith · Laura Brown |
 Fireflies
|
Marlene · Melanie · Riley Abel · Trevor |
 U.S. military
|
Banks · Eugene Ellis · Larry Caulfield · Princess · Regan Francis · Sean Brendon · Winston Asher |
| Other characters | Anna · Callus · Joel Miller |
| Groups | Cannibals · Fireflies · Infected (Runners · Stalkers · Clickers) · Survivors · United States military |
