Pedro Pascal’s character Joel Miller was killed off

Viewers were left heartbroken this week after The Last of Us fan favourite Joel Miller, portrayed by Pedro Pascal, met a gruesome end at the hands of Abby Anderson, played by Kaitlyn Dever, as she avenged her father’s death.

This twist follows the storyline from the videogame, and was something long-time gamer fans anticipated, but it still sent shockwaves through viewers new to the tale.

As the internet blows up with theories and condolences, everyone’s asking why the star who rose to fame with Game of Thrones and Narcos has exited the acclaimed series, reports the Mirror US.

Why did Pedro Pascal leave The Last of Us?

The plot demanded it. The show’s visionaries Craig Mazin and video game creator Neil Druckmann were committed to sticking to the original script, ensuring that Joel’s death would ripple throughout the story.

Pascal looked back on his time with the series with a touch of “active denial”, having known all along that his character was doomed.

He wasn’t blindsided by the producers; from the get-go, he was in on the fate awaiting Joel.

The actor opened up to Entertainment Weekly, saying: “But it was always an understanding that it would stay true to the source material in a specific way and that the, let’s say, practical and exclusive obligation would be for season one.”

He further confided: “It was just a matter of how and when.”

Despite recognising his chapter on The Last of Us had closed, Pedro Pascal admitted he found it tough to move on, remarking: “I’m in active denial. I realise this more and more as I get older, I find myself slipping into denial that anything is over.”

Pascal reflected on his deep ties with his colleagues, mentioning he was “forever bonded” with many of them and suggested future reunions would occur “under different circumstances”, yet not in their roles from The Last of Us.

Confronted by the emotion of departure, he disclosed that dwelling on it could make him feel “sad”.

Pascal won’t be disappearing from our screens anytime soon, keeping his schedule filled with multiple upcoming releases.

Viewers can look forward to seeing him in Materialists, The Fantastic Four and reprising his role alongside Grogu in The Mandalorian.

IMDb has also listed him in the star-studded lineups for Avengers: Doomsday and Avengers: Secret Wars.

But what about a return to The Last of Us?

Intriguingly, yes, Pedro Pascal will come back to the series. Season two’s trailers have teased viewers with unseen clips featuring Joel and Ellie (played by Bella Ramsey).

So, although his character may have met an untimely end, Pascal will still grace the screen in flashback sequences.

Fans of The Last of Us are biting their nails in anticipation, expecting to uncover the mystery behind Joel and Gail’s (Catherine O’Hara) husband Eugene – a twist that might mean more screen time for Pascal.

Adding fuel to the fire, co-creator Druckmann revealed on The Last of Us podcast: “But I will say that we do know there are some mysteries here, some gaps, in Ellie and Joel’s relationships.”

He tantalisingly teased: “This is not the last that we will see of Joel.”