After All The Last Of Us' Joel Turmoil, I'm Really Appreciating The Jackson Community For Two Key Reasons

Spoilers for the latest episode of HBO’s The Last of Us, “The Path,” lie ahead, so read on at your own discretion.

The Last of Us Season 2 is proving to be just as entertaining as its predecessor and just as heartbreaking amid its run on the 2025 TV schedule. Fans of the Naughty Dog video game series were likely aware that this season would adapt a heartbreaking moment involving Joel (who’s played perfectly by Pedro Pascal). Well, it finally happened, and it was just as devastating as I imagined it would be. Luckily, I have found a bit of comfort in the aftermath, and that’s thanks to the community of Jackson, Wyoming.

At the end of the second episode of TLoU Season 2, Joel is brutally murdered by militia leader Abby as retribution for Joel killing her father while taking Ellie from the fireflies years earlier. The following episode tackles the aftermath of Joel’s tragic demise and how his loved ones cope with it. With that, the city of Jackson takes center stage in a way that it didn’t in 2020’s The Last of Us Part II, on which serves as the basis for this season for the show. There are specifically two reasons why I appreciate this change.

The Community Has Time To Mourn Joel And Others Lost During The Attack By The Infected

Episode 2 features a considerable number of casualties, as Abby triggers an event that accidentally wakes up a horde of infected, who make their way to the town. Lives are lost, and in the aftermath, the survivors must pick up the pieces. What I was pleased to see in the third episode, which picks up three months later, is that viewers really get to see the town grapple with what went down. Many of its residents help with the rebuilding process while also reflecting on the people they lost after weeks of funerals.

A major aspect of this that I really enjoyed seeing was Ellie being forced to reckon with the death of Joel, her surrogate father figure. Because The Last of Us Part II moves so quickly and is action-oriented, there’s not much time for the character to sit in her grief. With that, I found it appropriate that the typically vivacious young woman has to take a beat before ultimately seeking revenge on Abby. Joel’s brother, Tommy, and Ellie’s friend, Dina, must also wrestle with the loss in their own ways.

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The shared grief leads to some wonderful character moments, with one particularly affecting scene involving Tommy and local psychotherapist Gail. Moving towards more of a macro level, Joel’s death has a larger impact on the greater Jackson community. That’s actually what leads into the second point I want to make.

Viewers See Jackson Come Together To Weigh The Pros And Cons Of Avenging Joel

Some may argue that the Jackson-heavy content in Episode 3 is simply filler, but I’m of the thinking that the public hearing is far from that. On a basic level, it represents how democracy works in the town, though it more specifically illustrates the varying ideologies held by its citizens. There’s a divide not only in regard to whether it’d be morally correct to seek revenge in Joel’s name, and if it makes sense from an economic standpoint.

I wasn’t shocked at all that the council didn’t vote to send out a posse of 16 to hunt down the WLF members, even after Ellie’s tempered speech. (However, I am still curious about exactly who voted yay or nay.) What I was surprised by, though, was to be so impressed by just how thoughtful series creator Craig Mazin and co. were in dealing with the politics and personal ideologies of the people in this town.

Of course, Ellie – with Dina in tow – is now in Seattle and intent on killing Abby. I’m both excited and nervous to stream episodes of The Last of Us Season 2 moving forward, which are sure to be intense. While Ellie’s mission is at the heart of the story, I’m hopeful that the producers continue to develop Jackson, whether it be through the upcoming Eugene-centric episode or by other means.

New episodes of The Last of Us air on Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO, and they’re simultaneously available to stream with a Max subscription.