The following article contains spoilers from Episode 1 of The Last of Us.
Ever since Pedro Pascal’s casting as Joel was announced for The Last of Us adaptation, fans have been analyzing whether he will do justice to the character. When the first trailer dropped, many fans started comparing his Joel to that of the popular game franchise. With the series finally premiering on HBO Max this weekend, here’s a closer look at what the adaptation has retained from the games and what has changed when it comes to Joel.
In both the game and series, Joel is a central The Last of Us character. His story is a tragic one wherein he loses his teenage daughter Sarah, played by Nico Parker in the series, when the pandemic first breaks out and later turns into a cold, broken man in the present post-pandemic world. The series seems to have adapted his mannerisms, grubby outfit, and personality quite accurately. But, it is already known that the adaptation isn’t going to replicate everything from the game.
In the premiere episode of The Last of Us, fans get to meet the single dad Joel who works late and hard to provide for his daughter Sarah. After her death, and the spread of the fungal virus, Joel turns into a quiet and serious smuggler who focuses on his survival and that of his brother Tommy in the post-pandemic world. Viewers get to develop a bond with him before meeting the other protagonist, Ellie. It remains to be seen how his character will evolve on his journey forward, but based on the first episode fans can already spot Joel’s similarities and differences from the game to the show.
Similar: His appearance
Pascal embodies the character from the games. His appearance is spot on, with his salt-and-pepper hair, somber expressions, and creased forehead. The only exception is the thinner beard, which some fans had complained about when The Last of Us trailer was released. His outfits are also quite accurate to the games, with similar looking flannel shirts, heavy boots, and a jacket. The creative team obviously paid attention to the minor details of Joel and ensured that Pascal recreated them in the live adaptation.
Similar: His accent
In The Last of Us, Joel is originally from Austin, Texas. He then moves to Boston to be a part of the quarantine zone setup in the city after the Cordyceps outbreak. Based on the first episode, it seems like Pascal underwent some language training as he nails Joel's Texan accent. Pascal has played a wide array of characters in the recent past, with the most popular one being the titular role in Disney Plus’ The Mandalorian. Prior to that, he has recently appeared as Maxwell Lord in Wonder Woman 1984, Oberyn Martel in Game of Thrones, and Javier Peña in Narcos. He brings his versatility to each of these characters, and has now succeeded in bringing Joel from The Last of Us to life.
Similar: His watch
While Joel’s appearance and accent in the live adaptation are definitely worth noting, it is his watch that wins the prize for the best and closest adaptation. It looks like it was lifted out of the game, with a lot of attention placed on the details of the watch face and the crack on it when Joel is seen wearing it in the post-pandemic world. The watch is an iconic memento in The Last of Us, and adds to Joel’s character development. It is great to see the HBO series honor the character-defining accessory in such a way. A nice addition is when Ellie first sees Joel wearing the accessory in the series, she tells him, “your watch is broken.” Those are the exact words she uses in the game as well.
Different: His smuggling job
This is where the first key difference arises. In The Last of Us game, Joel is also a smuggler, but he is shown to be tracking down Robert, the black-market dealer, regarding a stolen weapons cache. In the HBO series, Joel is in search of a battery for a vehicle, so he can venture out and find his brother Tommy. The series is obviously taking a slightly different route to Joel’s story and his smuggling job. The reason could possibly be to showcase the continuing importance of family in his life after the death of his daughter Sarah. Additionally, dealing in weapons is frankly a lot more dangerous than car batteries, which is a decision the showrunners took to perhaps factor in the character’s age. To see a 56-year-old running around town, crouching through tight spaces, and quickly healing after a monster fight is something only possible to understand in a game setting, not live adaptation.
Different: His apathy
In The Last of Us, Joel’s story is what shapes up his entire character. A single father who loses his daughter and is thrown in the middle of a world overtaken by mindless infected beings. In the game, when players first meet him after the 20-year jump, he is portrayed as a heartless individual with apathy, who has been hardened over time due to his circumstances. However, in the series, he seems to be slightly softer with a tiny hint of sympathy. He is seen helping a fellow worker early on in the post-pandemic world. The task at hand, moving a child’s body to the burning pyre, is obviously a difficult one, and many might think that it seems appropriate for Joel to be able to fulfill it with ease. However, the game’s Joel wouldn’t have cared to help the worker, and asked them to complete the task on their own. This hint of a softer side of Joel makes him slightly more human and is essential to his character development over the series, and what’s to come.
Different: His relationship with Tess
Tess is an important supporting character in The Last of Us and appears in the premiere episode of the series as well. In the game, she is shown to be Joel’s partner in crime, as the duo work together on the smuggling jobs. However, it is unclear whether they are a couple or just colleagues. The HBO series, on the other hand, clarified their relationship being a little more emotional and possibly intimate. In one scene, Anna Torv’s Tess lies down next to Joel and hugs him while he sleeps. She shows her feelings towards Joel in a more public display than the game.
These are the observations from just the premiere episode of The Last of Us, and perhaps more similarities and differences will pop up as the series progresses. For now, Pascal’s performance as Joel is noteworthy as he wonderfully brings the character from the game to life. His portrayal of the central character should receive the blessing of hardcore gamers.
The Last of Us is streaming on HBO Max.