The Last of Us’ latest Ellie and Joel twist leaves fans overwhelmed: ‘We’re all crying’
Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey are as close as Ellie and Joel. (Getty/Michael Buckner)
Fans of The Last of Us were left in tears after this week’s episode. But for once, they were happy tears.
Ellie (Bella Ramsey) has spent the past couple of episodes riding through the post-apocalyptic world solo, as Joel (Pedro Pascal) is recovering after being stabbed by a member of David’s cult.
When cannibal David and some of his henchmen tried to track the pair down, Ellie was captured and nearly succumbed to a grisly fate.
She had to literally burn the entire cultish operation down in order to survive, managing to bludgeon David to death as part of her escape.
As Ellie and Joel are reunited, both having been equally sure the other was dead, emotions ran high. In a heart-wrenching moment, Joel assures Ellie that he’s got her, and calls her his “baby girl” – in the exact same way he did with his real daughter Sarah in episode one, just before she died.
Fans were understandably overwhelmed by the touching moment.
Pouring their heart out on Twitter, one fan wrote: “Something about Joel not saying ‘baby girl’ for 20 years since Sarah died and saying it to Ellie because she’s hurt and she needs him, and that’s his daughter too… I’m not crying, you’re crying, leave me alone, we’re all crying.”
The moment is made all the more gut-wrenching by the fact that a few episodes earlier, Joel considered sending Ellie off with his brother and making his way without her.
“Ellie going from being considered cargo to Joel brutally interrogating some men, going out in the cold while still fighting an infection to find her, and calling her baby girl?! My heart,” one fan exclaimed.
Even though fans who have played the game, on which the TV show is based, knowing the “baby girl” moment was coming, didn’t make it any less moving.
“Just like the damn game!” wrote one person, adding: “All I’m saying is Bella and Pedro better win awards for these performances.”
As if fans weren’t already feeling incredibly unstable following this week’s brutal episode, HBO Max are hoping to squeeze a few more tears after sharing a video where Pascal reveals the adorable name he has for his co-star.
“Bella Ramsey plays Ellie. I call her Bellie. She’s my blessing. It was just a match made in heaven, and I love her,” Pascal says in the clip.
Ramsey replies: “Our relationship has definitely developed as Joel and Ellie’s has. We’re good buddies.”
A fan responded to the clip by saying: “Just started crying thanks, a lot HBO.”
That seems to be the general consensus among all 7.6 million people who have watched the clip so far.
The final episode of The Last of Us season one airs on Sunday (12 March) on HBO in the US, and the following day on Sky Atlantic in the UK.
