Joel the last of us

EXCLUSIVE: In one of the biggest TV castings of the year, The Mandalorian star Pedro Pascal is set to headline The Last of Us, HBO’s high-profile series adaptation of the Sony Playstation franchise from Chernobyl creator Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann.

Based on the critically acclaimed video game The Last of Us, developed by Naughty Dog exclusively for the PlayStation platforms, the story takes place twenty years after modern civilization has been destroyed. Joel (Pascal), a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie (Game of Thrones‘ Bella Ramsey), a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal, heartbreaking journey, as they both must traverse across the U.S. and depend on each other for survival.

Pascal’s Joel, tormented by past trauma and failure, must trek across a pandemic-ravaged America, all the while protecting a girl who represents the last hope of humanity.

2020-21 HBO Pilots amp; Series Orders

This marks a homecoming for Pascal who became a household name with his role as Oberyn Martell on HBO’s mega hit Game Of Thrones. 

Pascal currently stars in Disney ’s hugely popular and acclaimed series The Mandalorian, which recently received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Drama Series. He will continue on the Star Wars series, where he is used sparingly because of the nature of his character, though The Last Of Us has him in first position.

The actor recently became available for a new series, attracting multiple big offers from top premium networks and streamers, opting to do The Last Of Us.

Pascal is coming off starring as the villain, Max Lord, in Wonder Woman 1984. The Narcos and Kingsman: The Golden Circle star is currently in production on Judd Apatow’s The Bubble for Netflix. He is repped by WME, Anonymous Content and Jackoway Austen Tyerman.

Kantemir Balagov is directing the pilot episode of The Last Of Us, a co-production with with Sony Pictures Television. PlayStation Productions, Word Games, The Mighty Mint, and Naughty Dog.

Druckmann and Mazin write and executive produce; Carolyn Strauss (Game of Thrones, Chernobyl) also executive produces along with Naughty Dog president Evan Wells alongside Asad Qizilbash and Carter Swan of PlayStation Productions.

joel the last of us
This article is about the character from the video game series. For his appearance in the TV series, see Joel (TV series).

Joel MillerIIliliPart Iliulfigureimg src="http://res.cloudinary.com/dubtc8uik/image/upload/v1638959942/Pedro-Pascal-Last-Of-Us-Joel.jpg" srcset="http://res.cloudinary.com/dubtc8uik/image/upload/v1638959942/Pedro-Pascal-Last-Of-Us-Joel.jpg 1x, https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/thelastofus/images/1/17/Joel_2038_shoulder_infobox.jpg/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/700?cb=20201121211458 2x" alt="Part II" width="270" height="219" data-image-key="Joel 2038 shoulder infobox.jpg" data-image-name="Joel 2038 shoulder infobox.jpgfigurefigureimg src="http://res.cloudinary.com/dubtc8uik/image/upload/v1638959942/Pedro-Pascal-Last-Of-Us-Joel.jpg" srcset="http://res.cloudinary.com/dubtc8uik/image/upload/v1638959942/Pedro-Pascal-Last-Of-Us-Joel.jpg 1x, https://static.wikia.nocookie.net/thelastofus/images/7/7b/Joel_music_store_close_up.png/revision/latest/scale-to-width-down/700?cb=20201112230028 2x" alt="Part I" width="270" height="215" data-image-key="Joel music store close up.png" data-image-name="Joel music store close up.pngfigureh3>Other namesStatus

DeceasedOccupation(s) Carpenter (formerly)
Smuggler (formerly)
Jackson patrolman

Affiliation(s)RelationshipsGender

MaleHeight 5 feet 11½ inches (182 cm) [2h3>Hair color

Black (graying)Eye color

HazelAppears inMo-capped by

Troy BakerPortrayed by

Troy Baker (One Night Live)struggled for a long time with survivin', and no matter what, you keep finding something to fight for.
”

Joel Miller is the playable protagonist of The Last of Us, and a supporting character in The Last of Us: Left Behind and The Last of Us Part II, in which he is briefly playable.

Joel was a survivor in post-apocalyptic America that had been ravaged by the Cordyceps brain infection.[4] After losing his only daughter Sarah in the early stages of the outbreak,[5] Joel became a ruthless and cynical smuggler eventually tasked with smuggling and protecting Ellie, a young girl who was the key to mankind's survival.[6] Joel eventually formed a strong bond with her.[7]

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[1h3>Background and early life

Joel was born on September 26[8], in the early to mid 1980s, and grew up in Texas alongside his younger brother Tommy.[9]

As a child, Joel developed a passion for music, learning to play acoustic guitar and once even aspired to become a singer. In his teens, Joel had a daughter named Sarah, and he was married to her mother for a short period of time. Saddled early in life with the responsibilities of parenthood, he never had the opportunity to attend college.[10]

Regarding his ex-wife, whatever occurred between them is painful for Joel to talk about.[10] Shortly after Sarah was born, Joel's wife left him.[11] As a result, he raised their only daughter as a single father for the majority of his life.[10] The two lived together in a two-story single-family home somewhere in or around Austin, Texas located in Travis County through Texas State Highway 71.[4]

As an adult, Joel worked as a carpenter, alongside Tommy. He kept a revolver locked in a safe box in his office and owned a pick-up truck outside his house. Building plans laid on his bedside table along with several copies of a book called Construction Regionalism on top of his bookshelf. He possessed 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 owned a treadmill in his bedroom. He mentioned in a phone call that he was struggling to keep his job with a contractor.[4]

Despite his long, hard-working hours, he still managed to spend quality time with Sarah, as seen in photographs displayed throughout their home showing the two on a cruise, at a carnival with Tommy, and one of Sarah's soccer matches. Additionally, the two often went on several hikes together.[12] Sarah also made him take her to every museum in Texas.[7]

In the hours leading up to the outbreak, Sarah gave him a new watch as a birthday gift to replace the one he had broken months before.[13] This became a cherished memento he manages to keep in the turbulent years ahead.[5]

Events of The Last of Us

Losing Sarah

After spending a few weeks at Tommy's and having been accepted by the community, Tommy questioned Joel about his experience with Ellie during a patrol inside a vacant house. Joel, sitting down on a chair while cleaning an acoustic guitar, began to tell Tommy all about what happened from smuggling Ellie to the Fireflies, their journey halfway across the country, and the eventual revelation that Ellie will be used for the cure, albeit at the cost of her life.

The dumbstruck Tommy questioned Joel about what Ellie knew about the incident, to which Joel said that he lied to Ellie that there was no cure in order to protect her. Tommy, having heard enough, told Joel that they should head back to Jackson. Joel agreed and returned to Jackson with Tommy. Once they arrived, Tommy stopped Joel and stated that he understood the reasoning on why he lied to Ellie and that he "wouldn't have done it differently" and that he would "take it to the grave, if [he] have to." Joel then waved Tommy goodbye and walked to his newfound home with his new acoustic guitar.[50]

Gifting Ellie a guitar

During the night, Joel finished his work and searches for Ellie. He found her listening to her Walkman in her room, drawing something at her desk. He knocked on the door, calling Ellie's name but she could not hear him. After a few attempts, he entered the room to tap her shoulder, startling her.

Ellie asked Joel why he was visiting, and Joel says he was just checking in. He mentioned that people in Jackson were impressed with how Ellie had been helping out. Joel started to tell Ellie about a joke Tommy told him that he thought she would like, but Ellie interrupted him, noting that it was late and she needed to get up early. Joel agreed to leave her alone after he showed her something.

He stepped outside and returned soon with the guitar he found on patrol. He asked Ellie if she would like to hear something, and she agreed. Joel made her agree not laugh before singing "Future Days" by Pearl Jam for her. The lyrics, which included lines of seeing "future days/Days of you and me" resonated with Ellie as softened while listening to Joel sing.

When Joel finished the song, he then offered Ellie the guitar as a gift. Ellie tried to refuse, saying that she did not know how to play it, but Joel reminded her about his promise to teach her. Touched he remembered, Ellie accepted the guitar. Joel then said their first lesson was tomorrow night, which Ellie agreed to.

As Joel moved to leave, Ellie asked him to finish the joke. Joel smiled and asked "What is the downside to eating a clock? It's time consuming." Ellie smiled and says that is dumb. Joel chuckled then wished her goodnight as he shut the door, leaving Ellie to sleep.[50][51]

Life in Jackson

A couple of years after integrating into Jackson, Joel became well-known and respected within the community. He would often go out on scouting and patrol missions with Tommy in order to keep the surrounding area clear of infected. As mentioned by Ellie and even himself, Joel would often trade many of his belongings with trading caravans in order to obtain coffee.[52] He seemed to have picked up carpentry again, as an entire room in his house was turned into a makeshift workshop where he handcrafted guitars and numerous objects for the residents of Jackson.[50]

Joel continued to care for Ellie as the two settled into Jackson, allowing her personal living space in a large shed in his backyard. During this time, Joel taught Ellie how to swim, as well as teaching her to play guitar. For Ellie's sixteenth birthday, Joel took her to a nearby museum. Along the way, Joel pushed her into the water to help teach her how to swim. In turn, Ellie pushed him in soon after.

At the museum, despite his pleas, Ellie climbed a Tyrannosaurus Rex statue and jumped from it. Inside the museum, the pair looked at various dinosaur statues, with Joel offering his knowledge about them from what he learned through watching action films.

However, Joel's strength occasionally lapses. Having been dazed due to falling from a great height, he was tackled by a runner, unable to force it off without assistance.[16] He was subdued by Bill,[25] almost bitten by a clicker when tackled by it (having to be saved by Tess),[22] and was nearly killed by a hunter who held him underwater, needing Ellie to intervene.[15][29] A cannibal also managed to wrestle him off a ledge, leading to him being critically wounded by a piece of rebar.[10] Ethan also knocked him to the ground with a blow to his thigh.[47]

Joel was also an expert at wielding a wide range of weapons, from handguns[6][22][31] to rifles[22][48] and bows,[16] which he could use with great proficiency. His personal weapons of choice were the Revolver[50][4][7] and the Shotgun.[26][40][53] He could also capably use several melee weapons,[44] though favored using a Machete if one was available.[50][53]

He was shown to be an expert tactician, able to use both covert and overt means to overcome overwhelming odds. He was also adept at crafting improvised weapons and tools and possessed an acute sense of hearing that allowed him to pinpoint the relative location of those around him when focused.[6] Joel was also a strong swimmer and could also hold his breath for a relatively long period of time.[14][47] He could also ride a horse.[50][10][53]

Joel was still human, however, and was just as vulnerable to death and injury as other survivors. Unlike Ellie, he was not immune to the Cordyceps infection therefore could not survive in a spore-filled environment without a gas mask.[10][6][53] When he was mortally wounded, he was unable to move faster than a walk and struggled to climb over obstacles or stay on Callus.[10] The wound also caused him to contract sepsis, leaving him bed-ridden for several weeks, needing antibiotics to cure him.[43]

Joel's relationship with Ellie started off on sour terms. Both Joel and Ellie were against Marlene's idea for Joel to watch over Ellie. Joel didn't even look at her in the eye until much later after their initial meeting.[19] Joel viewed himself as someone who had to escort her rather than develop a relationship with her.[6][20][21] Their relationship grew even more unstable after Tess' death, who made Joel promise to get Ellie to Tommy for his assistance on finding the Fireflies. He now viewed Ellie as someone he had to protect but still keep himself detached from to save his spirit, not wanting to lose someone close to him again.[24] Joel's dedication as her protector was high, the man even attempting to reach his gun to defend Ellie despite the high possibility of Henry shooting him in Sam's defense.[35]

While Joel was willing to give Ellie small portions of responsibility like driving the truck at Bill's,[16] he was reluctant to let her use a gun and refused to admit that she saved his life.[29] However, he eventually admitted he needed her when he taught her how to snipe the hunters and gave her one of their guns.[30][31]

Months later, after seeing Henry's devotion to Sam drive him to suicide, Joel desired to be rid of Ellie. He pushed to pass her on to Tommy. When Ellie overheard Joel wanted to pass her on to Tommy, she stole one of the settlement's horses and ran away. Before Tommy informed Joel that Ellie took one of his horses, Joel shed a tear.[38] Joel by this point, believed that parting with Ellie was for the best because he did not 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 reminded him of Sarah. However, he asserted she was not his daughter.[39]

In the spring, Joel told her he would teach her to play the guitar after meeting with the Fireflies and says he would not leave without her.[14] At this point, he saw Ellie as a surrogate daughter as he would now do anything to save her and keep her safe, believing she was like Sarah and speculated that they would have been good friends and liked each other.[12] A structural parallel of Joel running away from the Fireflies and holding her in his arms as he did with Sarah demonstrates their strengthened bond, but this time, Joel would save his "baby girl" from dying.[48] This expressed Joel's philosophy of doing anything for himself, rather than the world around him; he saved Ellie to save himself, not her or humanity. Furthermore, it displayed how Joel believed that sacrificing Ellie was not worth saving humanity, many of which were ruthless killers and cannibals.[49]

Joel, in an attempt to alleviate Ellie's survivor's guilt, lied to her.[3] He also shared his own struggle with survivor's guilt, opening up to Ellie in a way he hadn't done before, though it revealed his relationship with Ellie acted as a replacement for his daughter Sarah, rather than actually forming a unique bond with her.[12]

Joel and his younger brother Tommy are close, despite their different views on life. Tommy cared about Joel enough that he covered him and Joel's daughter Sarah with his revolver during the initial outbreak and spent the majority of the post-apocalyptic years together, looking out for one another.[4] In fact, given Joel's remark that "[Tommy] survived because of [him]" and the fact that Joel gave him commands when the pair were fleeing infected, the older brother established himself as the leader of the two, guiding and protecting Tommy throughout the majority of the post-apocalyptic years.[37]

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,[19] their relationship completely breaking down; the last thing Tommy said to Joel was that he did not want to see him again. Tommy even claims during their argument that he still has nightmares over what Joel and he did in order to survive.[37]

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.[36] Regardless, the two soon argue about Ellie's custody, Joel greatly angered that Tommy is playing "the pissy little brother".[37] Despite Joel shoving him and insulting his community, Tommy still accepts to take Ellie from him to save him from suffering the loss of another "daughter" and to avoid the turmoil that losing Sarah caused him.[38] Even after all their years apart, Joel still holds him in high regard, stating to Ellie that he trusts Tommy more than he trusts himself.[39]

Maria was Tommy's wife and Joel's sister-in-law. They met at the settlement, Maria acting hostile to him before Tommy calmed her when informing her Joel was his brother.[36]

While she was kind because he was Tommy's brother,[9] her fierce opposition to Tommy taking Ellie to the Fireflies caused a rift between them. She angrily shouted at him, demonstrating a deep distrust of him. A solemn Joel calmly lets her shout at him, avoiding looking in the eyes. Maria also implied she would harm him should Tommy suffer any sort of harm from taking over for Joel.[38] This threat had Joel jokingly state to Tommy that she "scares" him, and it contributed to his reasoning to stay with Ellie.[40]

By 2038, the pair got on well, with Joel serving as a reliable patrolman in Maria's community.[50] However, his death generated heightened aggression in Tommy, whose rage at Joel's demise caused his relationship with Maria to break down.[62]

Abby

Despite knowing her for a short time, Joel's relationship with Abby Anderson was one of false alliance and deep animosity. Despite saving her life at the lodge, Abby soon turned hostile towards him once at the Baldwin lodge. Even though Joel did not know her name or who she was, he gathered that his actions had created a deep urge for revenge in Abby. Accepting such a fact, he goaded her to proceed with carrying out her revenge, deciding to face the punishment with a stern acceptance rather than plead for his life.[50]

Quotes

The Last of Us

Joel: "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…"

---

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."

---

Joel: "Sarah… Baby… Don't do this to me, baby. Don't do this to me, baby girl. Come on… No, no… Oh no, no, no… Please."

---

Joel: "Well, is that everything you hoped for?" Ellie: "Jury's still out. But, man… you can't deny that view."

---

Tess: "We're shitty people, Joel. It's been that way for a long time." Joel: "No, we are survivors!" Tess: "This is our chance–" Joel: "It is over Tess! Now we tried. Let's just go home."

---

Ellie: "Hey, look, um… about Tess. I don't even know what to–" Joel: "Here's how this thing's gonna play out. You don't bring up Tess – ever. Matter of fact, we can just keep our histories to ourselves."

---

Joel: "This is how you gonna repay me… huh?" 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."

---

Ellie: "I'm sorry about your daughter, Joel, but I have lost people too." Joel: "You have no idea what loss is."

---

Hunter: "Fuck you, man. He told you what you wanted. I ain't tellin' you shit." Joel: "That's alright. I believe him."

---

Joel: "I guess no matter how hard you try, you can't escape your past."

---

Joel: "I struggled for a long time with survivin'. And you—… No matter what, you keep finding something to fight for."

---

Ellie: "Swear to me. Swear to me that everything that you said about the Fireflies is true.: Joel: "I swear."

The Last of Us Part II

Joel: "We found the Fireflies. And because of her… they were actually going to make a cure. The only catch… it would kill her."

---

Joel: "Why don't you say whatever speech you've got rehearsed and get it over with."

---

Joel: "Making a vaccine… would have killed you. So I stopped them."

---

Joel: "If somehow the Lord gave a second chance at that moment… I would do it all over again."

Gallery

The Last of Us

Concept art

Official stills

Joel cradles Sarah in her dying moments.

Joel with Bill, preparing to load shotguns,

Joel with Tess and Ellie when being scanned.

Joel with Ellie, near the outside of the zone,

Joel "killing time" by sleeping.

Joel and Ellie during Autumn.

"You're gonna take me to her now!"

"Why are you letting this happen?"

Joel being confronted by Marlene.

Joel's wound stitched up.

Joel, severely ill, with Ellie.

Joel and Tess confront Marlene.

Joel next to a Firefly corpse.

Joel comforts Ellie.

"We don't have to do this."

"Just be done with the whole damn thing."

Joel threatens Henry.

Joel with Tess and a smuggler.

Joel and Ellie at the University.

A hunter tries to impale Joel on broken glass.

Joel chokes a cannibal

Joel shoots an unaware cannibal

A soldier knocks Joel down.

Joel watches as soldiers euthanize someone suspected of infection.

Joel pets a horse.

The hunter's Humvee searching for Joel.

Joel avoiding the soldier's light.

A smuggler attacks Joel with a 2x4.

Joel finding several strung up corpses.

A clicker tackles Joel.

Joel fleeing from infected with Sam, Ellie and Henry.

Joel hanging upside down, having been caught in one of Bill's traps.

A runner attacks Joel.

Joel strangles a runner.

Joel avoids three Fireflies.

Joel pets a giraffe.

Ellie stabs a hunter, who is pushing Joel.

A bloater charges at Joel.

Ellie asks Joel why people descended into the hunters.

Joel and Tommy observe the generator.

Ramirez surprises Joel.

Joel opens fire on a group of Fireflies.

Joel pets Buckley.

Joel hides from approaching Fireflies.

Joel wielding an Assault Rifle.

Joel prepares to execute a downed Firefly soldier with an Assault Rifle.

Joel wielding an Assault rifle.

Joel chokes a Firefly.

Joel shiving a clicker.

Ellie saving Joel from a runner's bite.

Joel fights a smuggler.

Joel falling to the basement.

A hunter holds Joel under water.

Joel spies on Todd's restaurant.

Joel kills the surgeon.

Joel finds Ellie in the operating room.

Joel wearing his respirator.

Joel being helped by Bill.

Joel striking a clicker with a pipe.

March cover of Game Informer, without the headings.

Joel using a hunter as a human shield.

Joel engaging in melee combat with a hunter.

Joel gets impaled on a piece of rebar.

Joel fighting a hunter in Pittsburgh.

The Last of Us Part II

Official stills

Trivia

• The name "Joel" is derived from the Hebrew name "Yo'el" meaning "Yahweh is god".[63] His surname "Miller" is of Old English origin meaning "one who grinds grain".[64]
• Before Part II canonized his surname, the Japanese version of The Last of Us 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 seen and displays the last name of "Miller" as well, further confirming the name listing. His last name was removed by Naughty Dog early in development.
• Joel is the third protagonist to die in a PlayStation exclusive game after Cole MacGrath from Sucker Punch's Infamous series and Nathan Hale from Insomniac's Resistance series.
• 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 to where he is willing to sacrifice his friends, until finally feeling that he would sacrifice all of humanity in order to save Ellie.
• Remarking on Joel's decision to save Ellie, Baker remarked that in doing so he robbed Ellie of her meaningful sacrifice to save the wider world from the infection and so robbed her life of a wider meaning because he believed Joel thought 'if we can't save one little world then it's not a world worth saving.'[65]
• Joel's watch contains a cracked lens. Spiritually broken glass symbolizes stagnation and delay; this reflects Joel's diminished sense of morality as well as his inability to move on from the death of his daughter, Sarah.
• While in Pittsburgh, Joel implied he or someone he knew struggled with suicide because of losing Sarah. After Ellie commented about the "easy way out" when finding the corpses of two suicide victims, Joel responded "Trust me, it ain't easy."
• Before the outbreak, Joel enjoyed hunting as a hobby, seeing that there was a framed painting or photograph of a deer above his bed.
  • It also foreshadows Ellie's encounter with one in the winter chapter.
• Joel was named after Joel Coen, who directed No Country for Old Men and True Grit.
• The Winter chapter is the only section of The Last of Us in which Joel never encounters any infected.
  • He also doesn't meet the primary antagonist of that section, David.
• Joel is officially ranked as the sixth sexiest male video game character of all time.[66]
• While Joel attempted to keep his past as a hunter ambiguous, having told Ellie he had "been on both sides", an audio file unused in the game has Joel blatantly state he was a hunter.[67]
• Joel owned a mug inscribed with the image of an owl, which is symbolic of wisdom and femininity.
• According to Neil Druckmann, he revealed that Joel never went after the commanding officer who ordered Sarah's death. This implies that he did not believe in vengeance which plays a central theme in Part II.
• Joel is the only male playable character in The Last of Us series.

References

↑ 1.0 1.1 PlayStation Bio ↑ 2.0 2.1 According to Game Designer Rodney Reece on Twitter (Accessed 13th of September, 2020) ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 I Swear ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 "Hometown" ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5 5.6 5.7 5.8 5.9 Twenty Years Later ↑ 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 6.11 6.12 6.13 6.14 "The Quarantine Zone" ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5 7.6 7.7 7.8 7.9 "Seattle Day 1" ↑ Naughty Dog's Mark Richard Davies Tweet confirms Joel's birthday Twitter] ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 "Tommy's Dam" ↑ 10.00 10.01 10.02 10.03 10.04 10.05 10.06 10.07 10.08 10.09 10.10 10.11 10.12 10.13 10.14 10.15 10.16 "The University" ↑ Druckmann confirms fan theory about Joel's wife, Reddit, (Accessed 29 November, 2021) ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 12.4 12.5 12.6 "Jackson" ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 Goodnight, baby girl ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 14.5 14.6 14.7 14.8 "Bus Depot" ↑ 15.00 15.01 15.02 15.03 15.04 15.05 15.06 15.07 15.08 15.09 15.10 15.11 15.12 15.13 15.14 "Pittsburgh" ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 16.3 16.4 16.5 16.6 16.7 16.8 16.9 "Bill's Town" ↑ Boston Q.Z. map ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 18.3 18.4 Queen Firefly ↑ 19.0 19.1 19.2 19.3 We're smuggling her? ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 20.3 20.4 Killing Time ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 I'm not infected ↑ 22.0 22.1 22.2 22.3 22.4 "The Outskirts" ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 You can't deny that view ↑ 24.0 24.1 24.2 Just go ↑ 25.0 25.1 I need a car ↑ 26.0 26.1 Let's get on with it ↑ 27.0 27.1 27.2 He was my partner ↑ 28.0 28.1 He ain't even hurt ↑ 29.0 29.1 29.2 I feel sick ↑ 30.0 30.1 30.2 30.3 You're welcome ↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 31.3 How'd I do? ↑ 32.0 32.1 32.2 32.3 32.4 I'm Henry...this is Sam ↑ 33.0 33.1 33.2 Welcome to my Office ↑ 34.0 34.1 34.2 34.3 I saved you ↑ 35.0 35.1 35.2 35.3 35.4 What are you scared of? ↑ 36.0 36.1 36.2 How you doing, baby brother? ↑ 37.0 37.1 37.2 37.3 37.4 37.5 37.6 Why bring her here? ↑ 38.0 38.1 38.2 38.3 38.4 It's best this way ↑ 39.0 39.1 39.2 39.3 I'm not her ↑ 40.0 40.1 40.2 40.3 40.4 Adios ↑ Tell me what to do ↑ Left Behind ↑ 43.0 43.1 43.2 43.3 43.4 You're Going to Make It ↑ 44.0 44.1 44.2 44.3 44.4 44.5 I Believe Him ↑ 45.0 45.1 45.2 It's Me ↑ 46.0 46.1 It Can't be for Nothing ↑ 47.0 47.1 47.2 47.3 47.4 47.5 47.6 47.7 Find Someone Else ↑ 48.0 48.1 48.2 "The Firefly Lab" ↑ 49.0 49.1 49.2 You Can't Save Her ↑ 50.00 50.01 50.02 50.03 50.04 50.05 50.06 50.07 50.08 50.09 50.10 50.11 50.12 50.13 50.14 50.15 50.16 50.17 50.18 "Jackson" ↑ IGN Blog - One Night Live Epilogue ↑ 52.0 52.1 52.2 52.3 52.4 52.5 "The Farm" ↑ 53.00 53.01 53.02 53.03 53.04 53.05 53.06 53.07 53.08 53.09 53.10 53.11 53.12 53.13 "Seattle Day 2" ↑ 54.0 54.1 "Santa Barbara" ↑ 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 ↑ Revealed when players equip Joel with a t-shirt. ↑ As seem in the Summer months of the game ↑ The Last of Us Remastered commentary ↑ See the list of Skins. ↑ "The Farm" ↑ Meaning, origin and history of the name Joel. Behind the Name, (Accessed April 22, 2021) ↑ Miller Last Name Origin. Surname Database, (Accessed April 22, 2021) ↑ The Last of Us - The Definitive Playthrough (Accessed May 6th, 2020) ↑ WhatCulture Rankings ↑ - Annie Marie found such

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Joel as he appears in the first gameFirst appearanceThe Last of Us (2013)Last appearanceThe Last of Us Part II (2020)Created byNeil DruckmannPortrayed by

• Troy Baker
• Pedro Pascal (TV)

In-universe informationChildrenSarah (daughter, deceased)Relatives

• Tommy (brother)
• Maria (sister-in-law)

OriginAustin, Texas, U.S.

Joel Miller is a fictional character in the video games The Last of Us and The Last of Us Part II by Naughty Dog. In the games, he is portrayed by Troy Baker through motion capture and voice acting; in the upcoming television adaptation, he will be portrayed by Pedro Pascal. In the first game, 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. Joel is killed in The Last of Us Part II 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; his chemistry with Ellie is a frequent subject of praise. The likability and complexity of the character has also been commended. Baker's performance in both games was highly praised and received numerous awards and nominations.

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]

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]

In February 2021, Pedro Pascal was cast as Joel in HBO's upcoming television adaptation of the video games.[22]

Character

In the prologue of The Last of Us, Joel, as a single parent, is depicted as sensitive and emotionally engaged with his daughter. After her death and the 20 years that follow, in which Joel witnessed more horrific events,[23] he has significantly changed, using violence to solve issues and showing reluctance when asked to escort Ellie.[24] Joel is often described as an antihero.[23][25][26][27] He is a hardened survivor whose obsession with survival is fueled by his desensitization due to his daughter's death.[28] Joel's years of survival have led him to become resourceful, practical, and emotionally impenetrable, though he is still traumatized and vulnerable.[29][30][31] He avoids becoming attached to others as he would fear losing them.[30] Each of his movements show his age and experience, carrying the weight of the lives lost.[32] As the game progresses, Joel becomes more sensitive to Ellie, and speaks to her in a manner previously only reserved for his daughter.[24] 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.[27] His act is seen by some as one of redemption,[28] and by others as one of selfishness.[29][30]

Appearances

.mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote link .hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}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 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.[33][34] 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.[30][35]

20 years after Sarah's death, Joel works as a smuggler in the Boston quarantine zone 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, Ellie promises to try and forgive Joel for stopping the Fireflies. 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 had sought revenge on him ever since.

Reception

Troy Baker's performance as Joel received praise and awards.

Joel's character received generally positive feedback. IGN's Colin Moriarty found that he cared about the character and considered him likable.[36] Andy Kelly of Computer and Video Games wrote that Joel "has a likeable warmth in his laconic Texan drawl".[37] Jim Sterling of Destructoid found Joel likable despite his impatience and harsh tone.[38] Eurogamer's Oli Welsh felt that, by the game's end, Joel and Ellie had "matured from clichés into rounded characters".[39] Conversely, Tom Mc Shea of GameSpot found Joel unlikable and unrelatable.[40]

Critics praised the relationship between Joel and Ellie. Matt Helgeson of Game Informer wrote that the relationship was "poignant" and "well-drawn",[41] Joystiq's Richard Mitchell found it "genuine" and emotional,[42] and IGN's Moriarty identified it as a highlight of the game.[36] Eurogamer's Welsh felt the characters were developed with "real patience and skill".[39] Philip Kollar of Polygon found the relationship was assisted by the game's optional conversations.[43] Kimberly Wallace of Game Informer named Joel and Ellie one of the "best gaming duos of 2013", appreciating their interest in protecting each other.[44] 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.[45] PlayStation Official Magazine's David Meikleham named Joel and Ellie the best characters in a PlayStation 3 game.[46]

Baker's performance received praise.[39] Edge wrote that, alongside Johnson's Ellie, Baker "breathe[s] poignancy into the grace notes of the script".[47] Anthony Severino of PlayStation LifeStyle felt that felt that the performance made him care about the character,[48] while Giancarlo Valdes of VentureBeat lauded Baker for adding "nuance and complexity" to the role.[49] For his role in The Last of Us, Baker won Best Voice Actor at the Spike VGX,[50] and was nominated for Best Performer from The Daily Telegraph,[51] Outstanding Character Performance at the D.I.C.E. Awards[52] and for Performer at the British Academy Video Games Awards.[53] Baker's performance in The Last of Us Part II was similarly praised.[54][55][56][57] 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.[58] Evan Lewis of Entertainment Weekly wrote that Baker "deserves every accolade possible for his heart-wrenching performance".[59] IGN's Dornbush lauded Baker's performance for depicting the weariness of Joel.[60] For his role, Baker won Outstanding Supporting Performance in a Drama at the National Academy of Video Game Trade Reviewers Awards.[61] He has been nominated for Performer in a Supporting Role at the 17th British Academy Games Awards.[62]

References

Bibliography

.mw-parser-output .refbegin{font-size:90%;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-hanging-indents>ul{margin-left:0}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-hanging-indents>ul>li{margin-left:0;padding-left:3.2em;text-indent:-3.2em}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-hanging-indents ul,.mw-parser-output .refbegin-hanging-indents ul li{list-style:none}@media(max-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .refbegin-hanging-indents>ul>li{padding-left:1.6em;text-indent:-1.6em}}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-columns ul{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .refbegin-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}

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• v
• t
• e

The Last of UsVideo gamesThe Last of Us

• Accolades
• Characters
• Development
• Music
• Left Behind

The Last of Us Part II

• Accolades
• Characters
• Development

Other media

• The Last of Us: American Dreams
• TV series

Characters

• Abby
• Ellie
• Joel

Category

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