The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 6: An Emotional Return to Joel and Ellie's Bond That Breaks Our Hearts

Let me just say that The Last Of Us at its very best is what we got in season 2 episode 6. After a frustrating fifth episode that dove too deep into the war between the W.L.F. and Seraphites, the HBO series swung back to what made season 1 so special. Yes, I am talking about the beautiful almost-father-daughter connection between Joel and Ellie. But it was also about something else: small, contained, powerful storytelling. This is a show set in a world broken by a terrible pandemic but it is not defined by it. And that is what this episode delivered so wonderfully.

It starts right from the opening scene of season 2 episode 6. This part was entirely created by series co-creator Craig Mazin. We never meet Joel Miller's father in the video games. (Do not worry: Neil Druckmann who created The Last of Us video games directed this episode. So this change definitely has his approval.) And Mr. Miller is there for a reason. Played by actor Tony Dalton, Joel’s father sits down a teenage Joel for a beer. He is not there to just chat with his son. His youngest boy Tommy ran into some trouble while supposedly buying pot. Something went wrong there was a fight and Joel stepped in to help. Right away we learn what counts as punishment in the Miller house: abuse.

"Okay yeah, I’ve hit you," Joel's father tells him. "And I’ve hit Tommy. But never like that. Not even close. I mean, maybe I go too far. I just… I don’t know. But I’m doing a little better than my father did. And you know, when it’s your turn, I hope you do a little better than me." Now I feel okay talking about this part because you have likely noticed it already. After Ellie hurt Nora in the last episode, you should ask yourself: Has Ellie taken on any of Joel's pain? Especially his violent ways which led to his own death? Yes, dear viewer, how past family hurts carry on is the big idea here. Blood runs deep in the Miller family. In the games we are supposed to guess that Ellie learned how to deal with feelings through fighting from Joel. Thanks to the TV show we now know that Joel learned it from his father. His father was hurt by his own dad. That meant his dad hit him so hard he broke his jaw. It is a truly sad thought.

Episode 6 Takes Us Back to the Best of The Last of Us, Away From the World's Chaos

Focusing on the Deep Connections That Make This Series So Special and Heartbreaking

Episode 6’s opening scene reminded me of how I felt all through season 1: This does not feel like a zombie show! And that is a good thing. We have plenty of those already on other networks. This week’s The Last of Us keeps that feeling alive. What we see later with the show’s added part to Eugene’s story is truly something special. Let’s get right into it.

This episode is made completely of flashbacks. For the most part they jump ahead one year at a time. They move toward the New Year's Eve party where Bigot Man had his bad moment. Each scene happens during Ellie’s birthday. In the first flashback, life seems pretty good at Ellie and Joel’s new home in Jackson. Joel gives some LEGOs to Bigot Man. This character clearly had better days before his homophobic words in episode 1. In return, he bakes Joel a cake! Who knew that a former police officer could bake so well. This guy should be on a cooking show!

Then, we see Joel and Ellie back at their house for another scene that feels like the very heart of the show: a song. In a moment taken right from the video game, Joel softly sings Pearl Jam’s "Future Days" to Ellie. Just look at the words to that song and you will understand why Joel is singing it. It is very fitting for him. Another year goes by and the feelings are still good. In a touching part adapted from my favorite moment in The Last of Us Part II, Joel takes Ellie to the Wyoming Museum. Everything about Druckmann’s directing in this scene, from Ellie climbing the dinosaur to her pretending to go to space, is done with so much care. Just look at how Druckmann shows Ellie when she reaches the stars. This is one of the last times before she loses her innocence. He knows it. It is so well done that you almost wonder what a space game directed by Druckmann would be like.

One year later and we have reached Ellie’s seventeenth birthday. Joel puts it simply: she is going through all the messy teenage things at once. Tattoos, kissing her crush when no one is looking, and wanting to live on her own. This year in Ellie and Joel’s life together is a sign of what is to come. It is their first hint of trouble. Ellie knows deep down that Joel lied about what happened in Salt Lake City. And he is starting to know that she knows. The air between them is thick with this unspoken truth.

Joel's Actions Create a Deep Rift, Leading to a Heartbreaking Confrontation

The Death of Eugene and the New Year's Eve Talk That Changes Everything for Ellie and Joel

Fast-forward another two years. Ellie is practicing the exact moment she will confront Joel about the event that changed their lives forever. But the talk has to wait. It is Ellie’s birthday again! Her gift is a promotion to Jackson patrol. Things go wrong almost right away. Joel wants Ellie to stay away from the danger. "I’m not your kids, Joel," Ellie snaps back. "I’m your partner. We stick together."

They do stick together. Eventually, they find out what went wrong. Eugene, the husband of Gail (played by Catherine O'Hara) almost lost a fight with a hidden infected creature. But he has a big bite wound on his side. This means he is as good as dead. Eugene has one last wish. He wants to see his wife before Joel kills him. The problem is that Joel broke every moral rule when he killed a whole hospital's staff. Now he wants to follow Jackson's rule that any infected person should die right away. "I got things I gotta tell her," says Eugene, played by Joe Pantoliano in a short but strong guest role. "Things. You don’t understand."

Joel actually does understand. I am sure he wishes he could talk to his own daughter one last time. But he does not care. Ellie thinks she changed Joel’s mind. But even so, he takes Eugene to the side of a lake and shoots him in the back of the head. Eugene sees Gail’s face before he gives in. "If you love someone, you can always see their face," Joel says. This cruel action shows just how dark Joel has become, and how much he wants to control things.

Back at Jackson it is the start of the end for Ellie and Joel’s relationship. We have seen Joel lie before of course but what happens next is truly hard to watch. Joel tells a shocked Gail that Eugene wanted to say goodbye to her. But he did not want to put her in danger. And one more thing: Eugene shot himself. "That’s not what happened," Ellie says. "He begged to see you. He had time. Joel promised to take him to you. He promised us both. And then Joel shot him in the head." This raw confession highlights Ellie’s pain and honesty. It is a moment of pure emotional hurt.

The Enduring Impact of Joel and Ellie's Deep Connection and Future Traumas

Looking Ahead to the Season Finale After a Heartbreaking, Yet Essential, Episode

Eugene’s death moves into the New Year’s Eve party that started season 2. The first episode told us that after the party Ellie walked past Joel’s house. Nothing more. Now we learn that she joined Joel on his porch for a chat. If this is the last scene we see between Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, it is a truly amazing one to go out on. In this moment both actors give what might be their best performances of the entire series. Their raw emotion is clear and undeniable.

"You’re such an idiot," Ellie says angrily. "You lied to me. You looked me in the eyes and you lied, and it was the same face. Same frustrating look. But I think I knew already. I knew this whole time. So, I’m gonna give you one last chance. Tell me what happened with the Fireflies. If you lie to me again, we’re done. Were there other immune people?" Ellie presses him, desperate for the truth. "Then I was supposed to die," Ellie continues. "That was my purpose. My life would have mattered! But you took that from me! You took it from everyone." She is truly broken by his choice. "Yes," Joel says. "And I’ll pay the price. Because you’re gonna turn away from me. But if somehow I had a second chance at that moment, I would do it all over again. Because I love you. In a way you… you can’t understand. Maybe you never will."

Then, he uses the words of his own father: "But if that day should come, if you should ever have one of your own, well then… I hope you do a little better than me." This brings the family cycle of trauma full circle, showing how his past shapes his present. The last we see of Ellie in this episode is in the present day. She is outside, in the Seattle rain, likely heading toward Abby. In next week’s season finale, we will see whether or not she does a little better than Joel did. This episode feels like a turning point, setting up the painful path ahead for Ellie. It is a hard truth to accept, but one that feels very true to this series.