The Last of Us Part 2: Why Abby Kills Joel | Screen Rant
[Warning: Spoilers for The Last of Us: Part 2 below]
One of the most shocking scenes from The Last of Us: Part 2 happened early in the game, when Abby killed Joel. Many players were likely expecting Joel to gain the advantage or for Tommy or Ellie to break free of the former Fireflies’ grasp and save his life. But this makes it all the more horrific when it becomes clear that Joel is actually dead, setting up events for the rest of the game.
This entire sequence created one of the biggest mysteries featured in the game – why did Abby kill Joel, and why did she do it so brutally? Players were never introduced to Abby's character before the sequel, and The Last of Us: Part 2 forces players to keep guessing what her connection is to Joel. Granted, given that Joel previously worked as a smuggler, it’s easy to assume he made a lot of enemies along the way. However, Abby’s’ actual reason is much more complicated.
It becomes clear why Abby did what she did by the time player must assume her role half way through The Last of Us 2. The more time they spend playing as her, the more the audience is supposed to relate and sympathize with Abby as well as understand why she killed Joel. While she may have had a good reason for seeking revenge, it remains controversial whether Joel’s death was justified or not.
Abby’s reason for killing Joel is directly related to him saving Ellie from the Fireflies at the end of The Last of Us. When he learns that they would have to kill Ellie in order to make a vaccine, Joel breaks into the operating room and saves Ellie, killing the doctors and nurses in the process. Ellie is the only known persons who’s immune to infection, and therefore she’s the only hope for a cure. By killing the doctors and taking Ellie, Joel potentially risked the lives of countless people by not allowing them to try and develop a cure. Even more, as it turns out, one of these doctors had a daughter – and that girl is Abby. So, Abby goes on a quest to take Joel’s life because he’s responsible for killing her father.
Once players realize Abby is on a quest to avenge her father’s death, the similarities between her and Ellie become strikingly apparent. Both girls are grieving the loss of their fathers (or father figure, in Ellie’s case), leading them to want to avenge the deaths. Players instantly dislike Abby at first because of what she did to Joel, but the point of the game is to force players to realize she’s not so different from Ellie. While Abby’s reason for killing Joel in The Last of Us 2 may be surprising at first, players are meant to have a deeper understanding by the time the game finishes.