THE LAST OF US Creator Craig Mazin Teases Joel's Past and an Upcoming Moment That Hits "So Hard"

So far, The Last of Us series has delivered nothing but greatness. This is such an incredibly well-made show and I get excited every week to watch the next episode! With how Episode 3 offers the full history of Bill and Frank, I couldn’t help but wonder if the series will explore more of Joel’s past.

According to series co-creator and executive producer Craig Mazin, it’s not going to get too much more into his past, but he teases that there’s a powerful moment coming that hits “so hard.” He told TV Line:

“I don’t think we’re going to go backwards at length like that, but Joel’s past is what informs his future. There’s a particular moment I’m thinking of that also just [hits] me so hard.”

I can’t wait to see that moment play out in the series! I just assume that we’ll know it when we see it. Joel is carrying a lot of baggage and it’s that baggage from his past that will inform the powerful and emotional moment that Mazin is teasing.

When talking about Joel’s character and the scene’s significance, Mazin said: “Pedro Pascal’s portrayal of Joel has so much soul and humanity to it, and vulnerability, especially when Joel is alone. You know? He has to be a tough guy around everybody, but when he’s alone, that’s when you see all that soul.”

The Last of Us takes place 20 years after modern civilization has been destroyed by a deadly virus. Joel (Pedro Pascal), a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie (Bella Ramsey), a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone to the Fireflies, a cure-searching organization. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal, heartbreaking journey, as they both must traverse across the U.S. and depend on each other for survival.

In addition to Pascal and Ramsey, the first season also stars Gabriel Luna, Anna Torv, Nico Parker, Murray Bartlett, Nick Offerman, Melanie Lynskey, Storm Reid, Merle Dandridge, Jeffrey Pierce, Lamar Johnson, Keivonn Woodard, Graham Greene, Elaine Miles, Ashley Johnson and Troy Baker.