Discover the story of Joel Miller! @AJM_nerdcore breaks down Joel's emotional journey and the importance of his moral ambiguity throughout the game. Joel (voiced by Troy Baker and played by Pedro Pascal) is a carpenter with a love for music. He's a single father - his ex-wife left after the birth of his daughter Sarah. We are introduced to Joel on the brink of tragedy, seeing the beautiful relationship between father and daughter and then, heartbreakingly soon after, the subsequent death of Sarah on Outbreak Day. The crucial moment of Sarah's death creates a turning point for Joel. He slips into a more brutal way of living as a smuggler in Boston, bringing out his violent side and savage survival instincts. This change in character creates the question: Is it better to be good or to be alive? However, this hardened smuggler's world is changed when he is tasked with escorting Ellie (voiced by Ashley Johnson and played by Bella Ramsey). Ellie represents hope, with her immunity to the Cordyceps infection, suggesting that a cure could be created. Joel must take Ellie to a Firefly drop-off point in Colorado, so they can begin the hopeful process of creating a cure from her. It is the pair's journey that changes Joel; he is no longer just surviving for himself but protecting someone else. Through their constant life-threatening trials, Joel begins to see Ellie as someone worth fighting for. They even become more like equals, with Ellie saving Joel's life after he fell down an elevator shaft. Their new closeness becomes a weakness when Joel has to make a choice. Upon reaching Salt Lake City, Ellie and Joel are captured by the Fireflies. Joel learns that the creation of the cure will kill Ellie. With this knowledge, Joelle must decide, is the sacrifice of one, one he has grown to love, worth loosing for the survival of the many? With the emotional journey Joel has gone on since the death of his daughter, ethics clash with his own personal morality and he kills the Fireflies' medical team and escapes with Ellie. Joel's love for Ellie is greater than his desire to save mankind. We see Joel's journey mirrored in Ellie as, after Joel is murdered by Abi (daughter of one of the Fireflies' surgeons), she enters into her own cycle of violence, similar to the one Joel created after the death of Sarah. These two characters, and their stories, are deeply rooted in trauma theory and the result of moral injury. They explore violence and redemption, with death (especially Sarah's death) being the emotional backbone of the story. The choice Joel faces - saving Ellie or the world - explores the existence of moral ambiguity in a collapsed world. Joel is a psychologically rich character that prompts you to explore your own humanity whilst playing, asking the question: How far would you go to protect someone you love? First Appearance: The Last of Us (2013) Abilities: carpentry, music, survivalists, physical fitness, combat, Roles: Father, Carpenter, Boston Smuggler, Ellie's escort INTRO: 00:00-01:02 JOEL'S BEGINNING: 01:03-04:22 A BRUTAL WAY OF LIVING: 04:23-06:45 A NEW MISSION - ELLIE: 06:46-14:20 JOEL'S CHOICE: 14:20-16:15 JOEL'S LEGACY: 16:16-18:38 OUTRO: 18:39-18:53 Like, comment, and subscribe for more deep dives and updates on The Last of Us. #originStories #characterlore #gaming #gamingvideos #thelastofus #joelmiller #elliethelastofus #pedropascal #bellaramsey #gamergirl #hbo #hbomax #hbomaxseries Want more? Subscribe: Thanks for watching! If you want to have your say, comment below. We'll likely retort with a comeback, or commend you on your wisdom and knowledge.