This scene in The Last of Us Season 2, episode 1 is the key to understanding Joel
If the wait for The Last of Us Season 2 had you forgetting what kind of person Joel (Pedro Pascal) really is, the opening episode provides a strong reminder.
There's one scene in particular that feels almost like the key to understanding his character — and possibly even the deeper message of the show itself.
So what does Joel say, and why is it so important? Let's unpack.
What does Joel say in Season 2, episode 1?
Five years on from the events of Season 1, Joel is the foreman for Jackson's ongoing construction and expansion. But the town's mayor, Maria (Rutina Wesley), is concerned that things aren't happening fast enough. She wants building work to move at a quicker pace to accommodate the influx of new survivors seeking shelter in the town. This prompts the following exchange, which says a heck of a lot about how Joel views the world:
Maria: "We're running out of space to put these people."
Joel: "Yeah, I noticed. Maybe your council would stop lettin' so many of 'em in."
Maria: "It's our council. And those people are fleeing collapsed settlements. They're fleeing Infected. We're supposed to leave them out there?"
Joel: "If our lifeboat is swamped, yeah, we leave 'em out there. If I could, I'd let 'em all in. And I'm workin' every damn day and night to make more space, you know that. But you got to look after your own first, or you're no good to anyone."
What does the scene with Maria say about Joel?
That last line, in particular, is the one that stood out to us: "You got to look after your own first, or you're no good to anyone." Not only does this scene get to the heart of Joel as a character, but it also gets to the core of the show itself.
The Season 1 finale presented a massive moral quandary, with Joel essentially placing the life of a loved one over the lives of a potentially infinite number of strangers. He saved Ellie (Bella Ramsey), but murdered a large number of people in the process.
This line is a reminder of who he is. It highlights that despite his ongoing therapy, he hasn't really changed as a person. He still believes that the life of a loved one is worth more than the lives of strangers. The questions is, now that he's part of a collaborative community like Jackson, is that approach always going to work?
The Last of Us Season 2 premieres April 13 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and Max.