Pedro Pascal: ‘The Last of US’ conspiracy theory: Why fans think that Pedro Pascal, aka Joel Miller, will make a comeback |

‘The Last of Us’ isn’t just another hit show; over the last few years, this one-of-a-kind show has become a global phenomenon, thanks to its gritty post-apocalyptic world, unforgettable characters, and that raw, cinematic feel.But if you’ve already binge-watched the two seasons of the series so far, and spent any time on the internet lately, you know that fans aren’t just hooked on the story. They’re obsessed with what comes next, especially when it comes to the one character of the show — Joel Miller.After all, it’s Pedro Pascal breathing life into the already intriguing character and making it human enough for the audience to latch on to. And after everything that happened in ‘The Last of Us Season 2’, people can’t stop asking: Is Joel really gone, or is there even the slightest chance that he’ll show up again?Let’s weigh the speculations and try to figure out the answer to the question.

Joel Miller: Who is he?

Let’s talk about Joel for a second. His story isn’t just the crowd-puller; it’s the backbone and emotional core of the whole series. When the viewers first meet him, Joel’s basically broken, carrying around a ton of pain in a world where doing the right thing isn’t always enough to keep you alive. Then comes Ellie, and Joel meets her. What starts as a job turns into something real, as Joel goes from reluctant guardian to someone who’d do anything for her.By the end of ‘The Last of Us Season 1’, Joel makes a brutal, controversial choice to save Ellie, and honestly, that moment still has people divided. Some call him a hero, others don’t, but everyone agrees it was pure, complicated humanity.Jump to ‘The Last of Us Season 2’, Joel and Ellie seem to have found some sort of peace in Jackson — at least for a while. But then tragedy hits. For the unversed, the almost unacceptable happens: Abby kills Joel, and it’s a gut punch, just like in the second game.

Will Joel Miller make a comeback?

Now here’s where the conspiracy theories start rolling in.Even though Joel dies early in ‘The Last of Us Season 2’, fans refuse to believe his story is done. Part of that comes from reports that Pedro Pascal is still involved with the hit series, popping up in flashbacks that fill in the five-year gap between seasons. These scenes are more than just nostalgia; they dive deeper into what Joel and Ellie meant to each other, and if anything, they make his presence even stronger after he’s gone. Moreover, Joel’s influence doesn’t end with his death. Ellie’s choices, her whole journey, are still tangled up with what she learned from him.In fact, as reported by The New York Post, the showrunner and co-creator Craig Mazin even said Joel and Ellie’s relationship sends “ripples” through the whole story, whether Joel’s on screen or not.“The relationship between Joel and Ellie … is present throughout everything, even when they’re not together on-screen. The things that happened with them ripple out and echo forth across everything,” Craig Mazin exclusively told The Post.And in case you’re wondering why fans care this much about Joel? It’s because Joel isn’t just another survivor on the show. The bond he shares with Ellie, how it shifts from awkward and distant to something that feels like family, all that hits people hard and connects with them on an emotional level. Sure, he’s lost, he’s flawed, but he loves fiercely and makes impossible choices. And that’s exactly why it’s easy to see bits of ourselves in him, and that’s why losing him stings so much.In fact, unlike a lot of post-apocalyptic heroes, Joel does more than just fight monsters. Rather, he faces what it means to stay human when the world’s falling apart. That’s the real hook, and it’s why people can’t let go of him, even after his fate seems sealed.

‘The Last of Us’: All you need to know

For the unversed, ‘The Last of Us’ is a post-apocalyptic drama based on a legendary video game series from Naughty Dog. As shown in the show, the world’s been wrecked by a fungal infection that turns people into monsters, and society’s barely hanging on.Joel (Pedro Pascal), a hardened survivor who’s lost almost everything, and Ellie (Bella Ramsey), a girl who might be the key to saving humanity, are the heart of Season 1. Their cross-country journey isn’t just about survival; it’s about found family, sacrifice, and hope.After the show exploded in popularity, the creators (and HBO) brought it back for Season 2, jumping five years forward and unraveling the fallout from Joel’s big decision. Things get even messier as new characters and conflicts show up, especially with Abby entering the story.Of course, we haven’t the last of ‘The Last of Us’, as the show is set to come back with Season 3, which is already in the works, with the creators planning to dig even deeper into the world and the lives of everyone caught in it.