The Last of Us is a game that is far more than the sum of its parts. Fundamentally, it's a simple story about two people who travel through the post-apocalyptic United States, becoming firm friends along the way, but the immense quality of the writing and the wonderful character development have made experiencing it something that gamers love to do at least once. Its sequel goes in an altogether different direction and is equally praised and criticized for its boldness, primarily because it makes no apologies when it comes to Joel's untimely fate in TLoU Part 2.
The character is more beloved than ever with the HBO show doing well to adapt his and Ellie's journey on a whole different medium, and Pedro Pascal's performance as Joel means that it will be all the more heartbreaking to witness his fate once again when season two of the series looks to adapt the second game. He's a character that fans of both the 2013 original title and the TV show see as an essential component of the franchise's success, and letting him go may be tough to do. It's not out of the realm of possibility to think that the character will feature in a potential third outing from Naughty Dog, be it as the protagonist of a prequel, or as a lingering memory from Ellie's past that she can't seem to shake.
The Last of Us isn't Complete Without Joel
It's hard to imagine The Last of Us without Joel. The series is truly dependent on the relationship between the two main characters, and while the 2020 sequel isn't another conventional journey with him and Ellie at the helm, his mark on the game is constantly felt. The whole story hinges on the bond between the two, so even during long stretches of gameplay and story without him, his influence on Ellie makes his impact known throughout.
Be it in a spiritual way or not, using Joel once again would be a safe idea for developer Naughty Dog. The plan may not have been to keep him around for a long time, but recent months with the HBO show and The Last of Us Part 1 doing well to remind fans of his complexity could have changed the course of his arc.
Joel is a Central Point of Ellie's Trauma
Ellie's development is steep, and significant throughout the series, as she desperately grapples with becoming an adult in a world that is far beyond recognition and saving. Joel was a vital part of her achieving that with small, but significant influences on her like teaching her guitar provide essential building blocks to who she is. Taking that away is like robbing her of a major inspiration and source of identity, so finding a way to bring Joel back into the fold through Ellie could cleverly keep him around while continuing to add to her growth.
Like Joker in Batman: Arkham Knight proved, having a traumatic experience imprint a character into the memory of another is a fascinating narrative tool, and can be used to keep fan-favorite personalities in the fold, even when there is no room for them. Using Joel as a ghost from Ellie's tragic past could be a key motivator for her as she tries to carve out a life for herself in a potential third game. He may appear as more than that in a prequel to The Last of Us exploring the events before Ellie and Joel meet, but if the former is to continue to be the poster child, bringing Joel back in a small but significant way could be a good choice.
The Last of Us Part 2 is available on PS4.
