The second episode pulls no punches. We begin with Abby’s flashback, her grief over her father’s death still raw. Cut to present day: she and her crew spy on the Jackson commune, stunned at how big and secure it is. Abby suggests ambushing a scout group, but her team isn’t on board. Frustrated, she heads off solo.
Meanwhile, Ellie wakes up grumpy, gets pulled into patrol duties with Jesse, and ends up chatting with Maria while Jackson braces for danger. The infected are evolving, growing smarter and deadlier. Ellie senses something’s off when she finds Joel missing.
Elsewhere, Abby gets swarmed by infected until Joel saves her. That trust proves fatal. Abby lures Joel and Dina to a lodge, traps them, and delivers a brutal monologue before savagely killing Joel. Ellie arrives just in time to witness the horror. In Jackson, Tommy holds off a terrifying Bloater, and Ellie, Jesse, and Dina return with Joel’s body in tow.
This episode is emotionally devastating, no doubt. Joel’s death is horrifying, and Pedro Pascal’s exit feels like a seismic shift. The tension is high, the stakes are real, but the writing choices leave a bitter aftertaste.
Joel, a hardened survivor who’s protected Ellie through hell, suddenly trusts strangers and walks blindly into danger? It’s a frustrating deviation from who we know him to be. Swapping Tommy for Dina during the ambush and sedating her to reduce stakes also weakens the impact.
Still, the performances are stellar. Bella Ramsey nails Ellie’s grief, and Abby’s fury simmers beneath every word. The action is fierce, and the visuals remain top-tier. But when character logic starts crumbling, it’s hard to stay fully immersed. Let’s hope future episodes balance bold and believable choices better.
