The Last of Us fans 'work out' Joel Miller's tragic fate and predict season 2's 'crazy' ending

WARNING: This article contains major spoilers from The Last of Us season 2, episode 1 and the video game The Last of Us Part II

The much-anticipated return of HBO's hit apocalyptic drama series The Last of Us has left viewers buzzing with speculation. The Emmy Award-winning series, adapted from the popular Naughty Dog video game, kicked off its second season with the gripping episode Future Days.

However, fans should brace themselves as this season will only cover half the material from The Last of Us Part II, leaving the rest for an expected third season.

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Viewers are already theorising about the direction of the TV series, particularly concerning the fate of Joel Miller (played by Pedro Pascal). Those familiar with the video game know that Joel meets a tragic end when he's brutally murdered by Abby Anderson (Kaitlyn Dever).

This shocking event was hinted at in the TV show's opening episode when Abby swore vengeance for Joel's hospital massacre to save Ellie (Bella Ramsey), reports .

Fans have taken to to share their theories about Joel's potential demise in season two. One viewer speculated: "I wasn't sure they would do the thing this season. Thinking maybe that would be the intro episode for next season.

"But now it feels like we might not have our man this whole season. And I have to say, PP is playing the hell out of Joel. He definitely needs an Emmy [sic]."

They added: "I feel like with flash backs and building. Abby's story timeline, we're going to see this happen in the last episode. It's gonna be a crazy way to end the second season [sic]."

Another Redditor chimed in with their own forecast: "There's no way he lasts past next episode."

Meanwhile, a third fan shared their partner's anticipation: "My gf was convinced he'd bite it in this ep after they showed Abby's crew so early on [sic]."

The early appearance of Abby has left some viewers scratching their heads, as it deviates from the game's narrative where her character remains shrouded in mystery, with her reasons for pursuing Joel not unveiled until she traps him.

One enthusiast expressed their thoughts: "I think they revealed the purpose of Abby and her team so early because probably the real twist they want to build will be the revelation that the surgeon Joel killed was Abby's father.

"For those who have already played the game it won't carry as much weight, but for the audience who only watch the TV series it will certainly be different."

Another added: "Okay. I understand why they're introducing Abby early, and why they're laying out her motivations early, but that really takes away the surprise from that scene.

"I'll hold judgment to see how this plays out but.. initial reaction, not a fan of that change. Maybe it works better this way given that it's a TV show and prepares the viewer. We'll see."

A third viewer observed: "Can already tell a big difference in the structure of the introduction of Abby to garner more sympathy than how it was done in the game."

A fourth fan expressed their anticipation by writing: "I'm very excited to see how it's going to come across in this series. I loved how she was handled in the game. But I'm very interested to see how they'll handle her whole arc here, hopefully it goes well!".

With The Last of Us securing a third season, viewers are eager to see how the storylines from the popular game will be adapted for the television series.

Furthermore, as fans anticipate upcoming episodes, speculation abounds regarding potential plot alterations to maintain Joel's presence onscreen, buoyed by co-lead Pedro Pascal's rising star status and his character's popularity with the audience.

The Last of Us season 2 airs on HBO in the USA on Sundays and on Sky Atlantic and NOW in UK on Mondays