Why Did Joel Kill the Fireflies in 'The Last of Us'? Season 1 Finale Ending Explained

Spoiler alert: This article contains spoilers for Season 2, Episode 1 of The Last of Us.

Season 2 of the hit series The Last of Us premiered on April 13, 2025, picking up five years after the events of Season 1. Since this season draws from The Last of Us Part II video game, there’s a lot of story to unpack.

Co-creator Craig Mazin told Deadline that while the season is shorter in terms of episode count, it takes a slower approach to storytelling.

This gives viewers time to fully digest what’s happening and, of course, leaves room for future seasons.

That said, a lot goes down in the Season 2 opener, and fans have questions, some of which tie back to the Season 1 finale, like: Why did Joel (Pedro Pascal) kill the Fireflies? The answer is simple, but it says a lot about Joel’s character and his deep commitment to Ellie (Bella Ramsey).

In The Last of Us, Joel kills the Fireflies to protect Ellie. They planned to sacrifice her in order to run tests — since she was immune to the Cordyceps infection — and hoped her unique immunity could lead to a cure. But Joel wasn’t about to let her die in the process.

In the Season 1 finale, Joel takes out several members of the Fireflies, including a doctor who turns out to be Abby’s (Kaitlyn Dever) father. He had been working to develop a cure, and Ellie’s bite, without her turning, was believed to hold the key. But Joel couldn’t bear the idea of losing her, so he did what he had to do, even if it meant taking out people who were trying to save humanity.

Joel’s decision to kill the Fireflies doesn’t go unnoticed. With Abby’s father among those he killed, things get personal and Abby becomes hellbent on finding Joel and making him pay, with death, of course.

Season 2 opens with the Fireflies mourning their losses, but the grief hits especially hard for Abby. While some members of the group are ready to move on and leave the past behind, Abby can’t let it go.

Joel and Ellie fled Salt Lake City not only because it wasn’t safe to stay there after the Firefly deaths but also because Joel’s brother, Tommy, had established a community in Jackson, Wyo., which is much safer, for now. With Abby ready to get her taste of revenge, she and her friends decide to set off on their own mission to track Joel down — and kill him.

So, does Joel die in The Last of Us? While he may be seen as a hero to Ellie, going to great lengths to protect her, he's viewed as a villain by others, particularly the Fireflies. So it makes sense that in the video game, he is beaten to death by Abby, per IGN. However, it's unclear if the series will take a similar route.