Warning! This article contains spoilers for The Last of Us episode 1 and the original game.
Joel's first two kills in The Last of Us show highlight how different Ellie and Sarah are. HBO Max's adaptation of the acclaimed Naughty Dog video game maintains the core focus on Joel Miller (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie Williams (Bella Ramsey). The father-daughter-like relationship between the two emerges 20 years after Joel's biological daughter Sarah died on the night that the Cordyceps virus first started to infect humans. Although Ellie is older when Joel meets her than Sarah was when she died, The Last of Us' grizzled and distant lead cannot help but see his daughter in the girl he's now been tasked with protecting.
The Last of Us episode 1 spends a lot of time establishing Pedro Pascal's Joel and the relationships he has with Sarah and Ellie. The Last of Us makes it clear just how close Sarah and Joel are, which makes Sarah's death in episode 1 even more heartbreaking. The 20-year time jump that occurs afterward allows Joel and Ellie to meet. Through both portions of the story, Joel is put in positions where he needs to kill to protect the girls. Joel's willingness to go to such lengths to protect Sarah and Ellie does not waver, but the girls' reactions to his protective nature are far from the same.
Ellie & Sarah React Very Differently To Joel Killing
Joel's first kill in The Last of Us show comes as he kills their elderly neighbor who is chasing after Sarah. She is left a bit shocked and calls out her father for killing someone. Sarah's emotional reaction to Joel killing the woman in episode 1 is tied to a variety of factors. For starters, this happens on the first night of the Cordyceps virus, so she had no idea why her father would do this. Furthermore, she might have thought that Joel was not capable of killing anyone, much less an elderly woman who they knew. Sarah's reaction to Joel killing the woman is a sign of her innocence.
The sadness that Sarah experiences from the shocking moment is far different from Ellie's reaction in The Last of Us episode 1. Joel killing a FEDRA soldier after punching him repeatedly appears to make Ellie feel some sense of joy that he is now responsible for protecting her. Ellie is in the frame for much of The Last of Us episode 1's ending sequence, allowing her reaction to be seen by audiences. She doesn't quite crack a smile due to Joel's violence, but she does appear pleased by his brutality and comforted by knowing he will go to such lengths to keep her alive.
How Ellie’s Reaction To Joel Killing The Guard Teases Her Future
Ellie's reaction to seeing Joel kill the FEDRA guard is a direct tease of her future. Ellie was born after the Cordyceps virus had already taken place, meaning she was raised in an environment where violence was more prevalent. Thus, she is willing to kill if that means getting what she needs. It is this darkness that lives inside Ellie that partially makes her and Joel such a good pairing, as they are both accustomed to this new lifestyle. The Last of Us season 1 will be able to show glimpses of Ellie's brutal side and how she can fight for herself when needed as they encounter Clickers.
New episodes of The Last of Us release every Sunday on HBO.