Warning: This article contains spoilers for The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 2.
The newest season of The Last of Us has taken just two episodes to leave viewers in absolute shock.
In a plot twist that has been causing viewers to compare it to Game of Thrones’ now infamous Red Wedding scene, Pedro Pascal has issued a statement on social media.
Pascal is no stranger to being involved in plot twists, with one of the most shocking Game of Thrones twists coming when his character Oberyn Martell’s head got popped like a balloon.
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The show’s second season sees Bella Ramsey’s Ellie taking more of a central role, with Pascal returning as Joel.
Final spoiler warning for Season 2 Episode 2 of The Last of Us.
As many fans of the iconic 2020 game the second season of the show is based on will know, Pascal’s Joel dies a brutal death at the hands of new character Abby.
Abby, who was introduced in the first scene of season two, is played by Kaitlyn Dever.
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Hunting Joel down to Jackson - the town where him and Bella reside - she happens to run into him whilst he is out on patrol, saving her life in the process.
This doesn’t stop her taking vengeance on the first season’s lead character, played by without a doubt the biggest name on the show.
Whilst in the game she beats him to death with a golf club, in the show she puts him out of his misery in a perhaps even more brutal way, beating him near to death with the club until it’s broken and stabbing him in the neck with the broken handle.
Though the moment is a huge shock for fans, Pascal isn’t afraid of having fun with it, posting a picture of himself and Dever to Instagram.
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He posted: “Blizzard Buddies. Thank you, scene partner. You little miracle.”
Dever herself posted the same selfie from filming, saying: “My best snow buddy buddy buddy.”
One comment on Pascal’s Instagram summed up the reaction from fans fairly well, saying: “HOW DARE YOU POST THIS AFTER THE SH*T WE WENT THRU.”
Others, however, thought that his post may have a sweet hidden motive to it.
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One fan commented: “I know you posted this so there won't be any hate for Kaitlin after episode 2 because you're such a sweetheart! And don't worry, we love her.”
Fan concern dates back to the release of the second game, where the death of Joel was a controversial choice.
This then led to a horrific backlash against the voice actor behind Abby, Laura Bailey.
Bailey revealed in a documentary that she received death threats against herself and her son, with several serious threats having to be passed along to authorities to investigate.
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The voice actor spoke recently to Vulture ahead of the episode’s release, saying HBO were ‘wise’ to add extra scenes to give context to his death.
She said: “I think that’s why HBO is doing what they’re doing. You’re prepared for it.”
Topics: TV and Film, TV
Michael Slavin