Posted in: HBO, Preview, TV | Tagged: Bella Ramsey, HBO, hbo max, Pedro Pascal, preview, season 2, the last of us

The Last of Us S02 Straying from Part II "Wouldn't Make Sense": Pascal

Pedro Pascal, Bella Ramsey, and Craig Mazin had some thoughts to share regarding Joel, "Part II," and HBO's The Last of Us Season 2.

While it might be some time before the second season of Neil Druckmann & Craig Mazin's Pedro Pascal (Joel) & Bella Ramsey (Ellie)-starring The Last of Us hits our screens (2025?), it's never too early to start discussing just how much the HBO series will reflect the video game sequel, The Last of Us Part II – and how that directly impacts Pascal's Joel moving forward. During a profile of the actor posted by Esquire, Pascal, co-star Ramsey, and Mazin shared their thoughts on what's about to happen to be a foregone conclusion and if they're ready for it. From this point forward, we're throwing on the "MAJOR SPOILERS AHEAD!" sign and throwing down an image spoiler buffer – you've been warned!

Okay, without going into some "super-spoiler' territory, let's just say that Joel isn't a major living & breathing factor in The Last of Us Part II – which would lend viewers to have a ten-ton hint when it comes to Pascal's fate in the second season. But when we're talking about a series that isn't afraid to stray from/add to the source material, could there be "other options" available? If there are, Mazin isn't sharing them. "This should be fairly obvious to anyone by now, but I don't fear killing characters," Mazin shared. "But the important thing to note is that neither Neil [Druckmann] nor I feel constrained by the source material." Pascal is aware of that moment – and if that's the way it plays out, then that's how it should play out. "It wouldn't make sense to follow the first game so faithfully only to stray severely from the path," Pascal explained. "So, yeah, that's my honest answer." If that moment does happen? "If that does take place in the show, I don't know that I'm emotionally ready for it," Ramsey added.

Bella Ramsey Talks The Last of Us Season 2

Speaking with British GQ, Ramsey (who recently came out as gender fluid, using both she/her and they/them pronouns) touched briefly upon her visit to the Season 2 writers' room before sharing how much she's looking forward to filming Ellie's time with Dina and how any pushback from what's to come "isn't gonna make me afraid."

"It was so cool to hear them talk about ideas — I've watched quite a lot of the gameplay of the second game just because I've been curious. I think [the show] will most likely follow the storyline of the games again. I don't think there's much need to fill in the gaps," Ramsey shared regarding the work already underway on the next season when she stopped by the writers' room. "There are a few bits with Ellie on her own, probably, but I like the fact that she also has [Dina] now." And now that the episodes are actually seeing the light of day, Ramsey is "excited" for a chance to return to the show's universe again. "I mean, season one really was the best year of my life," she shared. "As the episodes come out, [they] bring back such good memories. I am nervous, of course. [But] I'm so excited to get the chance to do that again."

As for the haters already sharpening up their social media knives, Ramsey has a message – you're not going to scare her off. "I'm not particularly anxious about it. I know people will think what they want to think. But they're gonna have to get used to it. If you don't want to watch the show because it has gay storylines, because it has a trans character, that's on you, and you're missing out," Ramsey responded on the matter. "It isn't gonna make me afraid. I think that comes from a place of defiance."

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