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== Creation ==
== Creation ==
The development team of ''The Last of Us'' spent more time selecting the actor for Joel than Ellie, as the chemistry between the two characters was imperative to the game. After [[Troy Baker]] and Ellie actress [[Ashley Johnson (actress)|Ashley Johnson]] played alongside each other, the team realized that the former perfectly fit the role of Joel, despite the actor's young age.<ref name="Grounded"/> Creative director [[Neil Druckmann]] attributed Baker's voice and movement to the team's choice of casting him.<ref name="Grounded"/> Baker contributed greatly to the development of the character; for example, he convinced Druckmann that Joel would care for Tess due to his loneliness.<ref name="IBTimes"/> When designing Joel's physical appearance, the team tried to make him look "flexible enough" to allow for him to appear as both a "ruthless operator in the underground of a quarantined city" as well as a "caring father figure to Ellie".{{sfn|Druckmann|Straley|2013|pp=10}} His appearance was aimed to evoke "rural [[Americana (culture)|Americana]]", referencing values of self-reliance and ingenuity when facing hardship and deprivation.{{sfn|Druckmann|Straley|2013|pp=10}} The team experimented with his appearance to determine his age in the game.{{sfn|Druckmann|Straley|2013|p=11}}
The development team of ''[[The Last of Us]]'' spent more time selecting the actor for Joel than [[Ellie (The Last of Us)|Ellie]], as the chemistry between the two characters was imperative to the game. After [[Troy Baker]] and Ellie actress [[Ashley Johnson (actress)|Ashley Johnson]] played alongside each other, the team realized that the former perfectly fit the role of Joel, despite the actor's young age.<ref name="Grounded"/> Creative director [[Neil Druckmann]] attributed Baker's voice and movement to the team's choice of casting him.<ref name="Grounded"/> Baker contributed greatly to the development of the character; for example, he convinced Druckmann that Joel would care for Tess due to his loneliness.<ref name="IBTimes"/> When designing Joel's physical appearance, the team tried to make him look "flexible enough" to allow for him to appear as both a "ruthless operator in the underground of a quarantined city" as well as a "caring father figure to Ellie".{{sfn|Druckmann|Straley|2013|pp=10}} His appearance was aimed to evoke "rural [[Americana (culture)|Americana]]", referencing values of self-reliance and ingenuity when facing hardship and deprivation.{{sfn|Druckmann|Straley|2013|pp=10}} The team experimented with his appearance to determine his age in the game.{{sfn|Druckmann|Straley|2013|p=11}}


{{wide image|Joel (The Last of Us) age designs.jpg|550px|The art design team experimented with Joel's appearance throughout [[Development of The Last of Us|development]] to determine his age in ''[[The Last of Us]]''.|225px|left|alt=Four images depicting a man with dark brown hair and beard, wearing a flannel shirt and looking to the right. From left to right, he gets younger, with less wrinkles and grey hair in each iteration.}}
{{wide image|Joel (The Last of Us) age designs.jpg|550px|The art design team experimented with Joel's appearance throughout [[Development of The Last of Us|development]] to determine his age in ''[[The Last of Us]]''.|225px|left|alt=Four images depicting a man with dark brown hair and beard, wearing a flannel shirt and looking to the right. From left to right, he gets younger, with less wrinkles and grey hair in each iteration.}}
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When writing Joel, Druckmann initially took inspiration from [[Josh Brolin]]'s portrayal of Llewelyn Moss in ''[[No Country for Old Men (film)|No Country for Old Men]]'' (2007), which he saw as "very quiet, very cool under pressure".<ref name="Edge Postmortem"/> However, Baker's interpretation of Joel as a more emotional person evolved the character in a different way.<ref name="Edge Postmortem"/> 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.<ref name="VentureBeat Definitive 1"/>
When writing Joel, Druckmann initially took inspiration from [[Josh Brolin]]'s portrayal of Llewelyn Moss in ''[[No Country for Old Men (film)|No Country for Old Men]]'' (2007), which he saw as "very quiet, very cool under pressure".<ref name="Edge Postmortem"/> However, Baker's interpretation of Joel as a more emotional person evolved the character in a different way.<ref name="Edge Postmortem"/> 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.<ref name="VentureBeat Definitive 1"/>


Druckmann felt that players, specifically parents, would be able to relate to Joel's character and his bonding with Ellie.<ref name="VG247 Acting"/> Baker believes that Joel discovers morality throughout the game's narrative, working out the difference between loss and sacrifice, and his true personality begins to show.<ref name="Dev Series 5"/> Druckmann became intrigued by players who discussed Joel's morality, distinguishing him as a hero or villain; Druckmann felt that Joel was only "a complex person who's made good and bad decisions", but allowed it to be open to interpretation.<ref name="VentureBeat Definitive 2"/> When auditioning for the role, Baker read a phrase on the character sheet that stated Joel had "few moral lines left to cross", which became the "anchor point" to the character for him.<ref name="Grounded"/> Baker found great difficulty in filming the game's prologue, which features scenes with Joel and his daughter Sarah, portrayed by [[Hana Hayes]]. Upon later viewing of the first day of footage from the scene, Druckmann felt that it could still be improved. When filming the scene again, Druckmann explained to Baker how to perform it, and felt that it was the best take upon doing so. Though Baker initially found the take too "mechanical", he retroactively realized that he had been trying to impress audiences by his acting, and that it was "not what the scene needed".<ref name="Grounded"/>
Druckmann felt that players, specifically parents, would be able to relate to Joel's character and his bonding with Ellie.<ref name="VG247 Acting"/> Baker believes that Joel discovers morality throughout the game's narrative, working out the difference between loss and sacrifice, and his true personality begins to show.<ref name="Dev Series 5"/> Druckmann became intrigued by players who discussed Joel's morality, distinguishing him as a hero or villain; Druckmann felt that Joel was only "a complex person who's made good and bad decisions", but allowed it to be open to interpretation.<ref name="VentureBeat Definitive 2"/> When auditioning for the role, Baker read a phrase on the character sheet that stated Joel had "few moral lines left to cross", which became the "anchor point" to the character for him.<ref name="Grounded"/> Baker found great difficulty in filming the game's prologue, which features scenes with Joel and his daughter Sarah, portrayed by [[Hana Hayes]]. Upon later viewing of the first day of footage from the scene, Druckmann felt that it could still be improved. When filming the scene again, Druckmann explained to Baker how to perform it, and felt that it was the best [[take]] upon doing so. Though Baker initially found the take too "mechanical", he retroactively realized that he had been trying to impress audiences by his acting, and that it was "not what the scene needed".<ref name="Grounded"/>


Druckmann felt that Joel's character arc was complete after the first game.<ref name="Podcast 1"/> Joel's death was a core part of the narrative structure of ''[[The Last of Us Part II]]'' from early in development;<ref name="Press Start Interview"/> Druckmann considered it one of the most difficult to write, rehearse, and shoot.<ref name="Podcast 2"/><!-- 6:05 --> Though it initially caused some internal resistance, the team felt compelled when more of the narrative was built out.<ref name="Press Start Interview"/> An early version of Joel's death scene had him utter "Sarah", his daughter's name, until Baker suggested that he should remain silent.<ref name="IndieWire"/> While Sarah's death in the first game intended to evoke sadness, Joel's death aims to elicit anger.<ref name="KF"/><!-- 30:52 --> Ellie was originally absent during the scene, and was to be informed by Joel's brother Tommy,{{sfn|Spicer|Druckmann|Gross|Baker|2020|loc=8:48}} but Druckmann felt that witnessing the death through Ellie's perspective emphasized the anger of the player.{{sfn|Miller|Druckmann|Johnson|Baker|2020|loc=1:20:44}} He wanted it to be portrayed as "gross, unceremonious, and humiliating" instead of heroic;<ref name="WP Ellie"/><ref name="Eurogamer Druckmann 2"/> it was originally more gruesome, but later toned down as the gore was not crucial to the scene.<ref name="Empire"/><!-- 16:34 --> He predicted that it might lead to negative reactions, but felt it was necessary to tell the story; he particularly felt that Naughty Dog's notability in the industry gave it the opportunity to take risks that other developers can not.<ref name="GMA"/> In an earlier version of the scene, [[Abby (The Last of Us)|Abby]] stabbed Joel in the back and twisted the knife to paralyze him; however, as knives are more closely associated with Ellie, the team replaced it with a golf club, partly inspired by an incident in Druckmann's youth.<ref name="WP Golf"/>
Druckmann felt that Joel's character arc was complete after the first game.<ref name="Podcast 1"/> Joel's death was a core part of the narrative structure of ''[[The Last of Us Part II]]'' from early in development;<ref name="Press Start Interview"/> Druckmann considered it one of the most difficult to write, rehearse, and shoot.<ref name="Podcast 2"/><!-- 6:05 --> Though it initially caused some internal resistance, the team felt compelled when more of the narrative was built out.<ref name="Press Start Interview"/> An early version of Joel's death scene had him utter "Sarah", his daughter's name, until Baker suggested that he should remain silent.<ref name="IndieWire"/> While Sarah's death in the first game intended to evoke sadness, Joel's death aims to elicit anger.<ref name="KF"/><!-- 30:52 --> Ellie was originally absent during the scene, and was to be informed by Joel's brother Tommy,{{sfn|Spicer|Druckmann|Gross|Baker|2020|loc=8:48}} but Druckmann felt that witnessing the death through Ellie's perspective emphasized the anger of the player.{{sfn|Miller|Druckmann|Johnson|Baker|2020|loc=1:20:44}} He wanted it to be portrayed as "gross, unceremonious, and humiliating" instead of heroic;<ref name="WP Ellie"/><ref name="Eurogamer Druckmann 2"/> it was originally more gruesome, but later toned down as the gore was not crucial to the scene.<ref name="Empire"/><!-- 16:34 --> He predicted that it might lead to negative reactions, but felt it was necessary to tell the story; he particularly felt that Naughty Dog's notability in the industry gave it the opportunity to take risks that other developers can not.<ref name="GMA"/> In an earlier version of the scene, [[Abby (The Last of Us)|Abby]] stabbed Joel in the back and twisted the knife to paralyze him; however, as knives are more closely associated with Ellie, the team replaced it with a golf club, partly inspired by an incident in Druckmann's youth.<ref name="WP Golf"/>
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[[Pedro Pascal]] was cast as Joel in [[HBO]]'s [[The Last of Us (TV series)|television adaptation]] of the video games on February 10, 2021.<ref name="Deadline Pascal"/> Earlier that day, it was reported [[Mahershala Ali]] was offered the role of Joel after [[Matthew McConaughey]] turned it down;<ref name="VGC Ali"/> ''The Hollywood Reporter'' noted Ali "did circle a role" in the show, but a deal was never formed.<ref name="THR Ramsey"/> Pascal became available for a new series after the release of the [[The Mandalorian (season 2)|second season]] of ''[[The Mandalorian]]'', attracting several offers for projects from large networks, of which he chose ''The Last of Us'',<ref name="Deadline Pascal"/> partly to work with co-creator [[Craig Mazin]].<ref name="Wired Pascal"/> Mazin and Druckmann had been considering Pascal for some time. He accepted the role within 24 hours;<ref name="Vanity Fair Interview"/> ''The Mandalorian'' producers gave Pascal permission to work on the series.<ref name="THR Plans"/> He is reportedly earning {{USD|600,000}} per episode, making him one of the [[highest-paid American television stars]].<ref name="Variety Salary"/>
[[Pedro Pascal]] was cast as Joel in [[HBO]]'s [[The Last of Us (TV series)|television adaptation]] of the video games on February 10, 2021.<ref name="Deadline Pascal"/> Earlier that day, it was reported [[Mahershala Ali]] was offered the role of Joel after [[Matthew McConaughey]] turned it down;<ref name="VGC Ali"/> ''The Hollywood Reporter'' noted Ali "did circle a role" in the show, but a deal was never formed.<ref name="THR Ramsey"/> Pascal became available for a new series after the release of the [[The Mandalorian (season 2)|second season]] of ''[[The Mandalorian]]'', attracting several offers for projects from large networks, of which he chose ''The Last of Us'',<ref name="Deadline Pascal"/> partly to work with co-creator [[Craig Mazin]].<ref name="Wired Pascal"/> Mazin and Druckmann had been considering Pascal for some time. He accepted the role within 24 hours;<ref name="Vanity Fair Interview"/> ''The Mandalorian'' producers gave Pascal permission to work on the series.<ref name="THR Plans"/> He is reportedly earning {{USD|600,000}} per episode, making him one of the [[highest-paid American television stars]].<ref name="Variety Salary"/>


Pascal was chosen for his ability to portray a tough, tortured, and vulnerable character who suppresses his emotions until necessary.<ref name="TheWrap Interview"/> A non-gamer, Pascal watched his nephew play the beginning of the first game because he lacked the skill to play it himself; he found Joel to be "so impressive" but was concerned about imitating the games too closely, instead choosing to "create a healthy distance" and allow the showrunners to decide the characterization.<ref name="GQ Pascal"/> Pascal based Joel's voice on his own experiences growing up in San Antonio, Texas, paring it back from the Southern accent used in the game.<ref name="Game Informer Interview"/>
Pascal was chosen for his ability to portray a tough, tortured, and vulnerable character who suppresses his emotions until necessary.<ref name="TheWrap Interview"/> A non-gamer, Pascal watched his nephew play the beginning of the first game because he lacked the skill to play it himself; he found Joel to be "so impressive" but was concerned about imitating the games too closely, instead choosing to "create a healthy distance" and allow the showrunners to decide the characterization.<ref name="GQ Pascal"/> Pascal based Joel's voice on his own experiences growing up in [[San Antonio]], Texas, paring it back from the Southern accent used in the game.<ref name="Game Informer Interview"/>


== Character ==
== Character ==
In the prologue of ''The Last of Us'', Joel is depicted as a sensitive single parent who is emotionally engaged with his daughter. After her death and the 20 years that follow, during which Joel witnessed more horrific events,<ref name="PSL Morality"/> he has significantly changed, using violence to solve issues and showing reluctance when asked to escort Ellie.{{sfn|Cruea|2018|p=99}} Joel is often described as an antihero.<ref name="PSL Morality"/>{{sfn|Gonzales|2017|p=87}}{{sfn|Murray|2019|p=126}}<ref name="Voorhees"/> He is a hardened survivor whose obsession with survival is fueled by his desensitization due to his daughter's death.{{sfn|Gonzales|2017|p=88}} Joel's years of survival have led him to become resourceful, practical, and emotionally impenetrable, although he is still traumatized and vulnerable.<ref name="Polygon Fantastic"/><ref name="GameZone Joel"/>{{sfn|Murray|2019|p=121}} He avoids becoming attached to others as he would fear losing them.<ref name="GameZone Joel"/> Each of his movements show his age and experience, carrying the weight of the lives lost.<ref name="Kotaku Joel"/> As the game progresses, Joel becomes more sensitive to Ellie, and speaks to her in a manner previously only reserved for his daughter.{{sfn|Cruea|2018|p=99}} Joel's act of saving Ellie in the first game's conclusion shows that he has become too sentimental and attached to Ellie to "do the 'right thing{{'"}}, a trope often demonstrated in male heroes.<ref name="Voorhees"/> His act is seen by some as one of redemption,{{sfn|Gonzales|2017|p=88}} and by others as one of selfishness.<ref name="Polygon Fantastic"/><ref name="GameZone Joel"/>
In the prologue of ''The Last of Us'', Joel is depicted as a sensitive single parent who is emotionally engaged with his daughter. After her death and the 20 years that follow, during which Joel witnessed more horrific events,<ref name="PSL Morality"/> he has significantly changed, using violence to solve issues and showing reluctance when asked to escort Ellie.{{sfn|Cruea|2018|p=99}} Joel is often described as an [[antihero]].<ref name="PSL Morality"/>{{sfn|Gonzales|2017|p=87}}{{sfn|Murray|2019|p=126}}<ref name="Voorhees"/> He is a hardened survivor whose obsession with survival is fueled by his desensitization due to his daughter's death.{{sfn|Gonzales|2017|p=88}} Joel's years of survival have led him to become resourceful, practical, and emotionally impenetrable, although he is still traumatized and vulnerable.<ref name="Polygon Fantastic"/><ref name="GameZone Joel"/>{{sfn|Murray|2019|p=121}} He avoids becoming attached to others as he would fear losing them.<ref name="GameZone Joel"/> Each of his movements show his age and experience, carrying the weight of the lives lost.<ref name="Kotaku Joel"/> As the game progresses, Joel becomes more sensitive to Ellie, and speaks to her in a manner previously only reserved for his daughter.{{sfn|Cruea|2018|p=99}} Joel's act of saving Ellie in the first game's conclusion shows that he has become too sentimental and attached to Ellie to "do the 'right thing{{'"}}, a trope often demonstrated in male heroes.<ref name="Voorhees"/> His act is seen by some as one of redemption,{{sfn|Gonzales|2017|p=88}} and by others as one of selfishness.<ref name="Polygon Fantastic"/><ref name="GameZone Joel"/>


== Appearances ==
== Appearances ==
{{main|The Last of Us|The Last of Us Part II}}
{{main|The Last of Us|The Last of Us Part II}}


Originally from Texas, Joel was a single father in his late 20s or early 30s{{efn|The original description for ''[[The Last of Us]]'' described Joel as "a man in his late 40s" twenty years after the outbreak,<ref name="Gematsu Age"/> while in-game details in ''[[The Last of Us Part I]]'' list his age at 52 at the time.<ref name="GamesRadar Age"/>}} when the initial ''Cordyceps'' outbreak occurred. Fleeing his home near Austin with his brother Tommy and his 12-year-old daughter Sarah, they got involved in a firefight with a soldier; Sarah was mortally wounded and died in his arms, leaving him traumatized. In the 20 years that followed, Joel did whatever he had to do to survive.<ref>{{cite video game |title=The Last of Us |developer=[[Naughty Dog]] |publisher=[[Sony Computer Entertainment]] |date=June 14, 2013 |platform=[[PlayStation 3]] |version=1.0 |level=Power Plant |quote='''Tommy''': "Repay you?" / '''Joel''': "For all those goddamn years I took care of us." / '''Tommy''': "Took care? That's what you call it? I got nothing but nightmares from those years." / '''Joel''': "You survived because of me." / '''Tommy''': "It wasn't worth it.}}</ref><ref>{{cite video game |title=The Last of Us |developer=[[Naughty Dog]] |publisher=[[Sony Computer Entertainment]] |date=June 14, 2013 |platform=[[PlayStation 3]] |version=1.0 |level=Ambush Hideout |quote='''Ellie''': "How did you know?" / '''Joel''': "Know what?" / '''Ellie''': "About the ambush." / '''Joel''': "I've been on both sides." / '''Ellie''': "So, ah, you kill a lot of innocent people? / ''Joel sighs.'' / '''Ellie''': "I'll take that as a yes." / '''Joel''': "Take it however you want. }}</ref> In the time spent in the brutal post-apocalyptic world, still bitter from his daughter's death, Joel became a hardened survivor who was physically and mentally tough. He has a brutal fighting style and is capable of defeating much younger men in hand-to-hand combat.<ref name="GameZone Joel"/><ref name="IGN Storyline"/>
Originally from Texas, Joel was a single father in his late 20s or early 30s{{efn|The original description for ''[[The Last of Us]]'' described Joel as "a man in his late 40s" twenty years after the outbreak,<ref name="Gematsu Age"/> while in-game details in ''[[The Last of Us Part I]]'' list his age at 52 at the time.<ref name="GamesRadar Age"/>}} when the initial ''Cordyceps'' outbreak occurred. Fleeing his home near [[Austin, Texas|Austin]] with his brother Tommy and his 12-year-old daughter Sarah, they got involved in a firefight with a soldier; Sarah was mortally wounded and died in his arms, leaving him traumatized. In the 20 years that followed, Joel did whatever he had to do to survive.<ref>{{cite video game |title=The Last of Us |developer=[[Naughty Dog]] |publisher=[[Sony Computer Entertainment]] |date=June 14, 2013 |platform=[[PlayStation 3]] |version=1.0 |level=Power Plant |quote='''Tommy''': "Repay you?" / '''Joel''': "For all those goddamn years I took care of us." / '''Tommy''': "Took care? That's what you call it? I got nothing but nightmares from those years." / '''Joel''': "You survived because of me." / '''Tommy''': "It wasn't worth it.}}</ref><ref>{{cite video game |title=The Last of Us |developer=[[Naughty Dog]] |publisher=[[Sony Computer Entertainment]] |date=June 14, 2013 |platform=[[PlayStation 3]] |version=1.0 |level=Ambush Hideout |quote='''Ellie''': "How did you know?" / '''Joel''': "Know what?" / '''Ellie''': "About the ambush." / '''Joel''': "I've been on both sides." / '''Ellie''': "So, ah, you kill a lot of innocent people? / ''Joel sighs.'' / '''Ellie''': "I'll take that as a yes." / '''Joel''': "Take it however you want. }}</ref> In the time spent in the brutal post-apocalyptic world, still bitter from his daughter's death, Joel became a hardened survivor who was physically and mentally tough. He has a brutal fighting style and is capable of defeating much younger men in hand-to-hand combat.<ref name="GameZone Joel"/><ref name="IGN Storyline"/>


20 years after Sarah's death, Joel works as a smuggler in the Boston quarantine zone, ruled by a military dictatorship, with his friend and partner Tess. While searching for a former accomplice who stole some of their merchandise, Joel and Tess are tasked by Marlene, an acquaintance and leader of a rebel militia called the Fireflies, to smuggle the 14-year-old Ellie to a rendezvous point. Making their way there, Joel discovers that Ellie is immune to the infection. Upon their arrival, Tess reveals that she has become infected and insists that Joel finds Tommy, a former Firefly, in order to continue the mission. Joel is initially surly and short towards Ellie, though he begins to warm up to her as their journey continues. This is compounded when Joel, having initially asked Tommy to carry on in his place after meeting up with him at Tommy's settlement in [[Jackson, Wyoming|Jackson]], changes his mind and carries on as planned. Their bond deepens when Ellie nearly loses Joel to a severe injury, and when he comes to her aid after she is nearly killed by a band of cannibals in Colorado. Ultimately, Joel shows his devotion to Ellie when he chooses to rescue her from the Firefly doctors who plan to remove and examine her brain, as opposed to allowing her to die. To ensure they are not pursued, Joel kills Marlene. Driving away, Ellie wakes up, and Joel tells her the doctors gave up on discovering a cure. Ellie soon confronts him about the events, and Joel swears to her that he is telling the truth.
20 years after Sarah's death, Joel works as a smuggler in the [[Boston]] quarantine zone, ruled by a military dictatorship, with his friend and partner Tess. While searching for a former accomplice who stole some of their merchandise, Joel and Tess are tasked by Marlene, an acquaintance and leader of a rebel militia called the Fireflies, to smuggle the 14-year-old Ellie to a rendezvous point. Making their way there, Joel discovers that Ellie is immune to the infection. Upon their arrival, Tess reveals that she has become infected and insists that Joel finds Tommy, a former Firefly, in order to continue the mission. Joel is initially surly and short towards Ellie, though he begins to warm up to her as their journey continues. This is compounded when Joel, having initially asked Tommy to carry on in his place after meeting up with him at Tommy's settlement in [[Jackson, Wyoming|Jackson]], changes his mind and carries on as planned. Their bond deepens when Ellie nearly loses Joel to a severe injury, and when he comes to her aid after she is nearly killed by a band of cannibals in Colorado. Ultimately, Joel shows his devotion to Ellie when he chooses to rescue her from the Firefly doctors who plan to remove and examine her brain, as opposed to allowing her to die. To ensure they are not pursued, Joel kills Marlene. Driving away, Ellie wakes up, and Joel tells her the doctors gave up on discovering a cure. Ellie soon confronts him about the events, and Joel swears to her that he is telling the truth.


Joel and Ellie build a life in Jackson with Tommy. In the prologue of ''The Last of Us Part II'', Joel confesses his guilt to Tommy over lying to Ellie. Flashbacks in the game show Joel taking Ellie on a birthday trip to a museum, and later finally admitting the truth to her after she travels back to the hospital to find out for herself. Four years after the first game, with their relationship strained, Joel expresses to Ellie that he does not regret stopping the Fireflies, and Ellie promises to try and forgive him. While on patrol the following day, Joel and Tommy save a stranger named Abby from the infected and they escape a large horde, returning to a lookout run by Abby's group. After they exchange names, however, Joel and Tommy are swiftly attacked by Abby's group, revealed to be ex-Fireflies who are now part of the Washington Liberation Front (WLF), a militia based in [[Seattle]]. Ellie finds them but is assaulted and watches helplessly as Abby beats Joel to death with a golf club; it is later revealed that Abby's father was the lead Firefly surgeon killed by Joel while saving Ellie, and that Abby and her group had sought revenge on him ever since.
Joel and Ellie build a life in Jackson with Tommy. In the prologue of ''The Last of Us Part II'', Joel confesses his guilt to Tommy over lying to Ellie. Flashbacks in the game show Joel taking Ellie on a birthday trip to a museum, and later finally admitting the truth to her after she travels back to the hospital to find out for herself. Four years after the first game, with their relationship strained, Joel expresses to Ellie that he does not regret stopping the Fireflies, and Ellie promises to try and forgive him. While on patrol the following day, Joel and Tommy save a stranger named Abby from the infected and they escape a large horde, returning to a lookout run by Abby's group. After they exchange names, however, Joel and Tommy are swiftly attacked by Abby's group, revealed to be ex-Fireflies who are now part of the Washington Liberation Front (WLF), a militia based in [[Seattle]]. Ellie finds them but is assaulted and watches helplessly as Abby beats Joel to death with a golf club; it is later revealed that Abby's father was the lead Firefly surgeon killed by Joel while saving Ellie, and that Abby and her group had sought revenge on him ever since.
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Joel's character received generally positive feedback. ''[[IGN]]''{{'}}s Colin Moriarty found that he cared about the character and considered him likable.<ref name="IGN Review"/> Andy Kelly of ''[[Computer and Video Games]]'' wrote that Joel "has a likeable warmth in his laconic Texan drawl".<ref name="CVG Review"/> [[Jim Sterling]] of ''[[Destructoid]]'' found Joel likable despite his impatience and harsh tone.<ref name="Destructoid Review"/> ''[[Eurogamer]]''{{'}}s Oli Welsh felt that, by the game's end, Joel and Ellie had "matured from clichés into rounded characters".<ref name="Eurogamer Review"/> Conversely, Tom Mc Shea of ''[[GameSpot]]'' found Joel unlikable and unrelatable.<ref name="GameSpot Review"/>
Joel's character received generally positive feedback. ''[[IGN]]''{{'}}s Colin Moriarty found that he cared about the character and considered him likable.<ref name="IGN Review"/> Andy Kelly of ''[[Computer and Video Games]]'' wrote that Joel "has a likeable warmth in his laconic Texan drawl".<ref name="CVG Review"/> [[Jim Sterling]] of ''[[Destructoid]]'' found Joel likable despite his impatience and harsh tone.<ref name="Destructoid Review"/> ''[[Eurogamer]]''{{'}}s Oli Welsh felt that, by the game's end, Joel and Ellie had "matured from clichés into rounded characters".<ref name="Eurogamer Review"/> Conversely, Tom Mc Shea of ''[[GameSpot]]'' found Joel unlikable and unrelatable.<ref name="GameSpot Review"/>


Critics praised the relationship between Joel and Ellie. Matt Helgeson of ''[[Game Informer]]'' wrote that the relationship was "poignant" and "well-drawn",<ref name="GameInformer Review"/> ''[[Joystiq]]''{{'}}s Richard Mitchell found it "genuine" and emotional,<ref name="Joystiq Review" /> and ''IGN''{{'}}s Moriarty identified it as a highlight of the game.<ref name="IGN Review" /> ''Eurogamer''{{'}}s Welsh felt the characters were developed with "real patience and skill".<ref name="Eurogamer Review"/> Philip Kollar of ''[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]'' found the relationship was assisted by the game's optional conversations.<ref name="Polygon Review" /> Kimberly Wallace of ''Game Informer'' named Joel and Ellie one of the "best gaming duos of 2013", appreciating their interest in protecting each other.<ref name="GI Duos"/> ''Game Informer''{{'}}s Kyle Hilliard compared Joel and Ellie's relationship to that of the Prince and Elika from ''[[Prince of Persia (2008 video game)|Prince of Persia]]'' (2008), writing that both duos care deeply for one another, and praising the "emotional crescendo" in ''The Last of Us'', which he judged had not been achieved in ''Prince of Persia''.<ref name="GI Elika"/> ''[[PlayStation Official Magazine - UK|PlayStation Official Magazine]]''{{'}}s David Meikleham named Joel and Ellie the best characters in a PlayStation 3 game.<ref name="OPM Review" />
Critics praised the relationship between Joel and Ellie. Matt Helgeson of ''[[Game Informer]]'' wrote that the relationship was "poignant" and "well-drawn",<ref name="GameInformer Review"/> ''[[Joystiq]]''{{'}}s Richard Mitchell found it "genuine" and emotional,<ref name="Joystiq Review" /> and ''IGN''{{'}}s Moriarty identified it as a highlight of the game.<ref name="IGN Review" /> ''Eurogamer''{{'}}s Welsh felt the characters were developed with "real patience and skill".<ref name="Eurogamer Review"/> Philip Kollar of ''[[Polygon (website)|Polygon]]'' found the relationship was assisted by the game's optional conversations.<ref name="Polygon Review" /> Kimberly Wallace of ''Game Informer'' named Joel and Ellie one of the "best gaming duos of 2013", appreciating their interest in protecting each other.<ref name="GI Duos"/> ''Game Informer''{{'}}s Kyle Hilliard compared Joel and Ellie's relationship to that of the [[Prince (Prince of Persia)|Prince]] and Elika from ''[[Prince of Persia (2008 video game)|Prince of Persia]]'' (2008), writing that both duos care deeply for one another, and praising the "emotional crescendo" in ''The Last of Us'', which he judged had not been achieved in ''Prince of Persia''.<ref name="GI Elika"/> ''[[PlayStation Official Magazine - UK|PlayStation Official Magazine]]''{{'}}s David Meikleham named Joel and Ellie the best characters in a PlayStation 3 game.<ref name="OPM Review" />


Baker's performance received praise.<ref name="Eurogamer Review"/> ''[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]]'' wrote that, alongside Johnson's Ellie, Baker "breathe[s] poignancy into the grace notes of the script".<ref name="Edge Review"/> Anthony Severino of ''[[PlayStation LifeStyle]]'' felt that the performance made him care about the character,<ref name="PSL Review"/> while Giancarlo Valdes of ''[[VentureBeat]]'' lauded Baker for adding "nuance and complexity" to the role.<ref name="VentureBeat Review"/> For his role in ''The Last of Us'', Baker won Best Voice Actor at the [[Spike VGX]],<ref name="Spike VGX"/> and was nominated for Best Performer from ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'',<ref name="Telegraph Performer"/> [[D.I.C.E. Award for Outstanding Achievement in Character|Outstanding Character Performance]] at the [[17th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards]]<ref name="DICE 2014"/> and for [[British Academy Games Award for Performer|Performer]] at the [[10th British Academy Video Games Awards|British Academy Video Games Awards]].<ref name="BAFTA"/> Baker's performance in ''The Last of Us Part II'' was similarly praised.<ref name="VG247 Review P2"/><ref name="Destructoid Review P2"/><ref name="Push Square Review P2"/><ref name="Guardian Review P2"/> ''[[GamesRadar+]]''{{'}}s Alex Avard found that Baker "steals some of [the game's] best scenes as Joel" by adding complexities that enrich the character and relationships.<ref name="GamesRadar Review P2"/> Evan Lewis of ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' wrote that Baker "deserves every accolade possible for his heart-wrenching performance".<ref name="EW Review P2"/> ''IGN''{{'}}s Dornbush lauded Baker's performance for depicting the weariness of Joel.<ref name="IGN Review P2"/> For his role, Baker won Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Drama at the National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers Awards,<ref name="NAVGTR"/> and was nominated for [[British Academy Games Award for Performer in a Supporting Role|Performer in a Supporting Role]] at the [[17th British Academy Games Awards]].<ref name="BAFTA 2020"/>
Baker's performance received praise.<ref name="Eurogamer Review"/> ''[[Edge (magazine)|Edge]]'' wrote that, alongside Johnson's Ellie, Baker "breathe[s] poignancy into the grace notes of the script".<ref name="Edge Review"/> Anthony Severino of ''[[PlayStation LifeStyle]]'' felt that the performance made him care about the character,<ref name="PSL Review"/> while Giancarlo Valdes of ''[[VentureBeat]]'' lauded Baker for adding "nuance and complexity" to the role.<ref name="VentureBeat Review"/> For his role in ''The Last of Us'', Baker won Best Voice Actor at the [[Spike VGX]],<ref name="Spike VGX"/> and was nominated for Best Performer from ''[[The Daily Telegraph]]'',<ref name="Telegraph Performer"/> [[D.I.C.E. Award for Outstanding Achievement in Character|Outstanding Character Performance]] at the [[17th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards]]<ref name="DICE 2014"/> and for [[British Academy Games Award for Performer|Performer]] at the [[10th British Academy Video Games Awards|British Academy Video Games Awards]].<ref name="BAFTA"/> Baker's performance in ''The Last of Us Part II'' was similarly praised.<ref name="VG247 Review P2"/><ref name="Destructoid Review P2"/><ref name="Push Square Review P2"/><ref name="Guardian Review P2"/> ''[[GamesRadar+]]''{{'}}s Alex Avard found that Baker "steals some of [the game's] best scenes as Joel" by adding complexities that enrich the character and relationships.<ref name="GamesRadar Review P2"/> Evan Lewis of ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' wrote that Baker "deserves every accolade possible for his heart-wrenching performance".<ref name="EW Review P2"/> ''IGN''{{'}}s Dornbush lauded Baker's performance for depicting the weariness of Joel.<ref name="IGN Review P2"/> For his role, Baker won Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Drama at the National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers Awards,<ref name="NAVGTR"/> and was nominated for [[British Academy Games Award for Performer in a Supporting Role|Performer in a Supporting Role]] at the [[17th British Academy Games Awards]].<ref name="BAFTA 2020"/>

Revision as of 00:36, 5 January 2024

Joel Miller
The Last of Us character
Joel as he appears in the first game
First appearanceThe Last of Us (2013)
Created byNeil Druckmann
Portrayed by
In-universe information
ChildrenSarah (daughter, deceased)
Relatives
OriginAustin, Texas, U.S.

Joel Miller is a character in the video game series The Last of Us by Naughty Dog. In the games, he is portrayed by Troy Baker through motion capture and voice acting; in the television adaptation, he is portrayed by Pedro Pascal. In the first game, The Last of Us (2013), Joel serves as the main protagonist and is tasked with escorting the young Ellie across a post-apocalyptic United States in an attempt to create a potential cure for an infection to which Ellie is immune. He also appears briefly in the downloadable content campaign The Last of Us: Left Behind (2014). Joel is killed in The Last of Us Part II (2020) by a woman named Abby, whose father he had killed in the first game, prompting Ellie to seek revenge.

Joel was created by Neil Druckmann, the creative director and writer of The Last of Us. The character's casting was extensive, as his relationship with Ellie was imperative to the game; it was the central focus of the first game's development, with all other elements developed around it. Baker inspired aspects of Joel's personality, making the character more emotional than initially pitched. Druckmann wanted players, especially parents, to relate to Joel through his bonding with Ellie. He considered the character morally complex. For Part II, Druckmann felt that Joel's character arc was complete after the original, and his death was a core part of the game's development.

The character has been well-received by critics, including his chemistry with Ellie and the likability and complexity of the character. Baker's performance in both games was highly praised and received numerous awards and nominations. Pascal's performance in the television series was similarly praised.

Creation

The development team of The Last of Us spent more time selecting the actor for Joel than Ellie, as the chemistry between the two characters was imperative to the game. After Troy Baker and Ellie actress Ashley Johnson played alongside each other, the team realized that the former perfectly fit the role of Joel, despite the actor's young age.[1] Creative director Neil Druckmann attributed Baker's voice and movement to the team's choice of casting him.[1] Baker contributed greatly to the development of the character; for example, he convinced Druckmann that Joel would care for Tess due to his loneliness.[2] When designing Joel's physical appearance, the team tried to make him look "flexible enough" to allow for him to appear as both a "ruthless operator in the underground of a quarantined city" as well as a "caring father figure to Ellie".[3] His appearance was aimed to evoke "rural Americana", referencing values of self-reliance and ingenuity when facing hardship and deprivation.[3] The team experimented with his appearance to determine his age in the game.[4]

Four images depicting a man with dark brown hair and beard, wearing a flannel shirt and looking to the right. From left to right, he gets younger, with less wrinkles and grey hair in each iteration.
The art design team experimented with Joel's appearance throughout development to determine his age in The Last of Us.

When writing Joel, Druckmann initially took inspiration from Josh Brolin's portrayal of Llewelyn Moss in No Country for Old Men (2007), which he saw as "very quiet, very cool under pressure".[5] However, Baker's interpretation of Joel as a more emotional person evolved the character in a different way.[5] 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.[6]

Druckmann felt that players, specifically parents, would be able to relate to Joel's character and his bonding with Ellie.[7] Baker believes that Joel discovers morality throughout the game's narrative, working out the difference between loss and sacrifice, and his true personality begins to show.[8] Druckmann became intrigued by players who discussed Joel's morality, distinguishing him as a hero or villain; Druckmann felt that Joel was only "a complex person who's made good and bad decisions", but allowed it to be open to interpretation.[9] When auditioning for the role, Baker read a phrase on the character sheet that stated Joel had "few moral lines left to cross", which became the "anchor point" to the character for him.[1] Baker found great difficulty in filming the game's prologue, which features scenes with Joel and his daughter Sarah, portrayed by Hana Hayes. Upon later viewing of the first day of footage from the scene, Druckmann felt that it could still be improved. When filming the scene again, Druckmann explained to Baker how to perform it, and felt that it was the best take upon doing so. Though Baker initially found the take too "mechanical", he retroactively realized that he had been trying to impress audiences by his acting, and that it was "not what the scene needed".[1]

Druckmann felt that Joel's character arc was complete after the first game.[10] Joel's death was a core part of the narrative structure of The Last of Us Part II from early in development;[11] Druckmann considered it one of the most difficult to write, rehearse, and shoot.[12] Though it initially caused some internal resistance, the team felt compelled when more of the narrative was built out.[11] An early version of Joel's death scene had him utter "Sarah", his daughter's name, until Baker suggested that he should remain silent.[13] While Sarah's death in the first game intended to evoke sadness, Joel's death aims to elicit anger.[14] Ellie was originally absent during the scene, and was to be informed by Joel's brother Tommy,[15] but Druckmann felt that witnessing the death through Ellie's perspective emphasized the anger of the player.[16] He wanted it to be portrayed as "gross, unceremonious, and humiliating" instead of heroic;[17][18] it was originally more gruesome, but later toned down as the gore was not crucial to the scene.[19] He predicted that it might lead to negative reactions, but felt it was necessary to tell the story; he particularly felt that Naughty Dog's notability in the industry gave it the opportunity to take risks that other developers can not.[20] In an earlier version of the scene, Abby stabbed Joel in the back and twisted the knife to paralyze him; however, as knives are more closely associated with Ellie, the team replaced it with a golf club, partly inspired by an incident in Druckmann's youth.[21]

Television series

Pedro Pascal was cast as Joel in HBO's television adaptation of the video games on February 10, 2021.[22] Earlier that day, it was reported Mahershala Ali was offered the role of Joel after Matthew McConaughey turned it down;[23] The Hollywood Reporter noted Ali "did circle a role" in the show, but a deal was never formed.[24] Pascal became available for a new series after the release of the second season of The Mandalorian, attracting several offers for projects from large networks, of which he chose The Last of Us,[22] partly to work with co-creator Craig Mazin.[25] Mazin and Druckmann had been considering Pascal for some time. He accepted the role within 24 hours;[26] The Mandalorian producers gave Pascal permission to work on the series.[27] He is reportedly earning US$600,000 per episode, making him one of the highest-paid American television stars.[28]

Pascal was chosen for his ability to portray a tough, tortured, and vulnerable character who suppresses his emotions until necessary.[29] A non-gamer, Pascal watched his nephew play the beginning of the first game because he lacked the skill to play it himself; he found Joel to be "so impressive" but was concerned about imitating the games too closely, instead choosing to "create a healthy distance" and allow the showrunners to decide the characterization.[30] Pascal based Joel's voice on his own experiences growing up in San Antonio, Texas, paring it back from the Southern accent used in the game.[31]

Character

In the prologue of The Last of Us, Joel is depicted as a sensitive single parent who is emotionally engaged with his daughter. After her death and the 20 years that follow, during which Joel witnessed more horrific events,[32] he has significantly changed, using violence to solve issues and showing reluctance when asked to escort Ellie.[33] Joel is often described as an antihero.[32][34][35][36] He is a hardened survivor whose obsession with survival is fueled by his desensitization due to his daughter's death.[37] Joel's years of survival have led him to become resourceful, practical, and emotionally impenetrable, although he is still traumatized and vulnerable.[38][39][40] He avoids becoming attached to others as he would fear losing them.[39] Each of his movements show his age and experience, carrying the weight of the lives lost.[41] As the game progresses, Joel becomes more sensitive to Ellie, and speaks to her in a manner previously only reserved for his daughter.[33] Joel's act of saving Ellie in the first game's conclusion shows that he has become too sentimental and attached to Ellie to "do the 'right thing'", a trope often demonstrated in male heroes.[36] His act is seen by some as one of redemption,[37] and by others as one of selfishness.[38][39]

Appearances

Main articles: The Last of Us and The Last of Us Part II

Originally from Texas, Joel was a single father in his late 20s or early 30s[a] when the initial Cordyceps outbreak occurred. Fleeing his home near Austin with his brother Tommy and his 12-year-old daughter Sarah, they got involved in a firefight with a soldier; Sarah was mortally wounded and died in his arms, leaving him traumatized. In the 20 years that followed, Joel did whatever he had to do to survive.[44][45] In the time spent in the brutal post-apocalyptic world, still bitter from his daughter's death, Joel became a hardened survivor who was physically and mentally tough. He has a brutal fighting style and is capable of defeating much younger men in hand-to-hand combat.[39][46]

20 years after Sarah's death, Joel works as a smuggler in the Boston quarantine zone, ruled by a military dictatorship, with his friend and partner Tess. While searching for a former accomplice who stole some of their merchandise, Joel and Tess are tasked by Marlene, an acquaintance and leader of a rebel militia called the Fireflies, to smuggle the 14-year-old Ellie to a rendezvous point. Making their way there, Joel discovers that Ellie is immune to the infection. Upon their arrival, Tess reveals that she has become infected and insists that Joel finds Tommy, a former Firefly, in order to continue the mission. Joel is initially surly and short towards Ellie, though he begins to warm up to her as their journey continues. This is compounded when Joel, having initially asked Tommy to carry on in his place after meeting up with him at Tommy's settlement in Jackson, changes his mind and carries on as planned. Their bond deepens when Ellie nearly loses Joel to a severe injury, and when he comes to her aid after she is nearly killed by a band of cannibals in Colorado. Ultimately, Joel shows his devotion to Ellie when he chooses to rescue her from the Firefly doctors who plan to remove and examine her brain, as opposed to allowing her to die. To ensure they are not pursued, Joel kills Marlene. Driving away, Ellie wakes up, and Joel tells her the doctors gave up on discovering a cure. Ellie soon confronts him about the events, and Joel swears to her that he is telling the truth.

Joel and Ellie build a life in Jackson with Tommy. In the prologue of The Last of Us Part II, Joel confesses his guilt to Tommy over lying to Ellie. Flashbacks in the game show Joel taking Ellie on a birthday trip to a museum, and later finally admitting the truth to her after she travels back to the hospital to find out for herself. Four years after the first game, with their relationship strained, Joel expresses to Ellie that he does not regret stopping the Fireflies, and Ellie promises to try and forgive him. While on patrol the following day, Joel and Tommy save a stranger named Abby from the infected and they escape a large horde, returning to a lookout run by Abby's group. After they exchange names, however, Joel and Tommy are swiftly attacked by Abby's group, revealed to be ex-Fireflies who are now part of the Washington Liberation Front (WLF), a militia based in Seattle. Ellie finds them but is assaulted and watches helplessly as Abby beats Joel to death with a golf club; it is later revealed that Abby's father was the lead Firefly surgeon killed by Joel while saving Ellie, and that Abby and her group had sought revenge on him ever since.

Reception

42 year-old man looking to the left of the camera.
41 year-old man smiling at something to the left of the camera.
Troy Baker (left) and Pedro Pascal's performances as Joel in the video games and television series, respectively, received praise.[47][48][49]

Joel's character received generally positive feedback. IGN's Colin Moriarty found that he cared about the character and considered him likable.[50] Andy Kelly of Computer and Video Games wrote that Joel "has a likeable warmth in his laconic Texan drawl".[51] Jim Sterling of Destructoid found Joel likable despite his impatience and harsh tone.[52] Eurogamer's Oli Welsh felt that, by the game's end, Joel and Ellie had "matured from clichés into rounded characters".[47] Conversely, Tom Mc Shea of GameSpot found Joel unlikable and unrelatable.[53]

Critics praised the relationship between Joel and Ellie. Matt Helgeson of Game Informer wrote that the relationship was "poignant" and "well-drawn",[54] Joystiq's Richard Mitchell found it "genuine" and emotional,[55] and IGN's Moriarty identified it as a highlight of the game.[50] Eurogamer's Welsh felt the characters were developed with "real patience and skill".[47] Philip Kollar of Polygon found the relationship was assisted by the game's optional conversations.[56] Kimberly Wallace of Game Informer named Joel and Ellie one of the "best gaming duos of 2013", appreciating their interest in protecting each other.[57] Game Informer's Kyle Hilliard compared Joel and Ellie's relationship to that of the Prince and Elika from Prince of Persia (2008), writing that both duos care deeply for one another, and praising the "emotional crescendo" in The Last of Us, which he judged had not been achieved in Prince of Persia.[58] PlayStation Official Magazine's David Meikleham named Joel and Ellie the best characters in a PlayStation 3 game.[59]

Baker's performance received praise.[47] Edge wrote that, alongside Johnson's Ellie, Baker "breathe[s] poignancy into the grace notes of the script".[60] Anthony Severino of PlayStation LifeStyle felt that the performance made him care about the character,[61] while Giancarlo Valdes of VentureBeat lauded Baker for adding "nuance and complexity" to the role.[62] For his role in The Last of Us, Baker won Best Voice Actor at the Spike VGX,[63] and was nominated for Best Performer from The Daily Telegraph,[64] Outstanding Character Performance at the 17th Annual D.I.C.E. Awards[65] and for Performer at the British Academy Video Games Awards.[66] Baker's performance in The Last of Us Part II was similarly praised.[67][68][69][70] GamesRadar+'s Alex Avard found that Baker "steals some of [the game's] best scenes as Joel" by adding complexities that enrich the character and relationships.[71] Evan Lewis of Entertainment Weekly wrote that Baker "deserves every accolade possible for his heart-wrenching performance".[72] IGN's Dornbush lauded Baker's performance for depicting the weariness of Joel.[73] For his role, Baker won Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Drama at the National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers Awards,[48] and was nominated for Performer in a Supporting Role at the 17th British Academy Games Awards.[74]

In the television series, Pascal's performance and chemistry with Bella Ramsey's Ellie received high praise.[49][75][76] Empire's John Nugent and /Film's Valerie Ettenhofer referred to Pascal's performance as the best of his career, citing his ability to portray nuance and rare vulnerability.[77][78] TechRadar's Axel Metz described him as the "perfect real-world manifestation" of Joel.[79] GameSpot's Mark Delaney said Pascal's performance in the first episode made him cry twice and lauded his ability to portray different sides of Joel;[80] Push Square's Aaron Bayne found Pascal's performance reflected Joel's torment without speaking,[81] In the fourth episode, The A.V. Club's David Cote enjoyed Pascal's warmth and humor, particularly in scenes in which he teaches Ellie.[82] For his role, Pascal won Best Hero at the MTV Movie & TV Awards,[83] and is nominated at the Hollywood Critics Association TV Awards,[84] Primetime Emmy Awards,[85] and Television Critics Association Awards.[86]

Notes

  1. ^ The original description for The Last of Us described Joel as "a man in his late 40s" twenty years after the outbreak,[42] while in-game details in The Last of Us Part I list his age at 52 at the time.[43]

References

  1. ^ a b c d Naughty Dog and Area 5 (2013). Grounded: Making The Last of Us. Sony Computer Entertainment. Archived from the original on February 25, 2014. Retrieved October 11, 2014.
  2. ^ Smith, Edward (June 5, 2013). "The Last of Us, Neil Druckmann and Less Being More". International Business Times. IBT Media. Archived from the original on February 15, 2015. Retrieved October 22, 2014.
  3. ^ a b Druckmann & Straley 2013, pp. 10.
  4. ^ Druckmann & Straley 2013, p. 11.
  5. ^ a b Staff (June 18, 2013). "The Last Of Us: the definitive postmortem – spoilers be damned – Page 2 of 3". Edge. Future plc. p. 2. Archived from the original on June 24, 2013. Retrieved October 14, 2014.
  6. ^ Takahashi, Dean (August 5, 2013). "The definitive interview with the creators of Sony's blockbuster The Last of Us (part 1)". VentureBeat. Archived from the original on February 16, 2015. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
  7. ^ Cook, Dan (December 12, 2012). "The Last of Us: acting out the end of the world". VG247. Archived from the original on December 12, 2012. Retrieved January 14, 2015.
  8. ^ Naughty Dog and Area 5 (September 9, 2013). The Last of Us Development Series Episode 5: Joel and Ellie. Sony Computer Entertainment. Archived from the original on May 17, 2014. Retrieved January 18, 2015.
  9. ^ Takahashi, Dean (August 6, 2013). "The definitive interview with the creators of Sony's blockbuster The Last of Us (part two)". VentureBeat. Archived from the original on March 1, 2015. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
  10. ^ Spicer, Christian; Druckmann, Neil; Gross, Halley; Margenau, Kurt; Newman, Anthony; Soria, Almudena; Neonakis, Alexandria (July 7, 2020). ""Take on me" - Behind Part II". The Official The Last of Us Podcast (Podcast). Sony Interactive Entertainment. Retrieved July 9, 2020.
  11. ^ a b Gibbons, Brodie (June 18, 2020). "We Chatted To Naughty Dog About The Last Of Us Part II Spoilers, Leaks, Themes And Brutality". Press Start. Southern Cross Austereo. Archived from the original on June 21, 2020. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  12. ^ Spicer, Christian; Druckmann, Neil; Gross, Halley; Baker, Troy; Johnson, Ashley; Woodward, Shannon (July 14, 2020). ""They should be terrified of you" - Ellie". The Official The Last of us Podcast (Podcast). Sony Interactive Entertainment. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  13. ^ Ehrlich, David (June 22, 2020). "Neil Druckmann and Halley Gross Open Up About the Biggest Twists of 'The Last of Us Part II'". IndieWire. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on June 23, 2020. Retrieved June 25, 2020.
  14. ^ Miller, Greg; Druckmann, Neil; Johnson, Ashley; Baker, Troy (June 25, 2020). "Last of Us 2 Spoilercast". Gamescast (Podcast). Kinda Funny. Retrieved June 26, 2020.
  15. ^ Spicer et al. 2020, 8:48.
  16. ^ Miller et al. 2020, 1:20:44.
  17. ^ Favis, Elise (July 1, 2020). "Naughty Dog details Ellie's dark and turbulent evolution". The Washington Post. Nash Holdings. Archived from the original on July 1, 2020. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  18. ^ Wilson, Aoife (July 1, 2020). "A spoiler-heavy interview with The Last of Us Part 2 director Neil Druckmann". Eurogamer. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on July 1, 2020. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  19. ^ Dyer, James; de Semlyen, Nick; Warmann, Amon; Druckmann, Neil (July 15, 2020). "The Last of Us Part II Spoiler Special". Empire (Podcast). Bauer Media Group. Archived from the original on July 18, 2020. Retrieved July 18, 2020.
  20. ^ Blackwelder, Carson (July 2, 2020). "3 reasons why 'The Last of Us Part II' is a game changer for video games". Good Morning America. American Broadcasting Company. Archived from the original on July 2, 2020. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  21. ^ Park, Gene (March 3, 2021). "Here's why Abby uses a golf club in 'The Last of Us Part II'". The Washington Post. Nash Holdings. Archived from the original on March 4, 2021. Retrieved March 4, 2021.
  22. ^ a b Andreeva, Nellie (February 10, 2021). "Pedro Pascal To Star As Joel In 'The Last of Us' HBO Series Based On Video Game". Deadline. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on February 11, 2021. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  23. ^ Ivan, Tom (February 10, 2021). "Mahershala Ali reportedly offered the role of Joel in HBO's Last of Us Series". Video Games Chronicle. Gamer Network. Archived from the original on February 11, 2021. Retrieved March 25, 2021.
  24. ^ Kit, Borys; Goldberg, Lesley (February 10, 2021). "'Last of Us': 'Game of Thrones' Breakout Bella Ramsey to Star as Ellie (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. MRC. Archived from the original on February 11, 2021. Retrieved February 11, 2021.
  25. ^ Jhaveri, Hemal (January 9, 2023). "Unmaking Pedro Pascal, the Complicated New Face of Sci-Fi". Wired. Condé Nast. Archived from the original on January 9, 2023. Retrieved January 10, 2023.
  26. ^ Jarvey, Natalie (January 13, 2023). "The Last of Us Game Creator's Parents Can "Finally Experience" His Work". Vanity Fair. Condé Nast. Archived from the original on January 13, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  27. ^ Hibberd, James (January 4, 2023). "How 'The Last of Us' Plans to Bring the Zombie Genre Back to Life". The Hollywood Reporter. Eldridge Industries. Archived from the original on January 4, 2023. Retrieved January 5, 2023.
  28. ^ Schneider, Michael; Otterson, Joe (August 18, 2021). "Streaming Boom Keeps TV Salaries at Heady Levels: Here's What Kate Winslet, Jason Sudeikis and More Are Earning". Variety. Penske Media Corporation. Archived from the original on August 18, 2021. Retrieved August 19, 2021.
  29. ^ Manfredi, Lucas (January 6, 2023). "'The Last of Us' Creators Talk the Scrapped Movie Adaptation and How Changes From the Game Were Made With 'Care'". TheWrap. Archived from the original on January 6, 2023. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
  30. ^ King, Jack (April 13, 2022). "Pedro Pascal talks The Last of Us, being Nicolas Cage's number one fan, and returning to the set of The Mountain and The Viper". GQ. Condé Nast. Archived from the original on April 13, 2022. Retrieved April 16, 2022.
  31. ^ Hilliard, Kyle (January 6, 2023). "Druckmann And Pascal On How The Last Of Us Changed For TV". Game Informer. GameStop. Archived from the original on January 6, 2023. Retrieved January 7, 2023.
  32. ^ a b Reeves, Brianna (March 14, 2019). "Our Favorite Characters: Joel and Morality in The Last of Us". PlayStation LifeStyle. CraveOnline. Archived from the original on August 19, 2019. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  33. ^ a b Cruea 2018, p. 99.
  34. ^ Gonzales 2017, p. 87.
  35. ^ Murray 2019, p. 126.
  36. ^ a b Voorhees, Gerald (September 3, 2014). "Mourning Sex". First Person Scholar. University of Waterloo. Archived from the original on June 7, 2020. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  37. ^ a b Gonzales 2017, p. 88.
  38. ^ a b Campbell, Colin (June 8, 2018). "The Last of Us is worth returning to, 5 years later". Polygon. Vox Media. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved July 11, 2020.
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Bibliography

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