Joel Was Right | The Last of Us Analysis

The Last of Us franchise is known for a lot of things. But among that list, Joel's choice to save Ellie at the cost of the rest of the human race is the thing that has kept people talking ever since the first game was released in 2013; I'd say it is the plot point that the entire series hinges on. So, for today, I decided I would take what I said regarding Joel's choice, his lies, and their impact from my videos on TLOU1 and 2 from last year and compile them together into one video!
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Chapters:
00:00 The Last of Us Part 1
18:11 The Last of Us Part 2
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#thelastofus #thelastofuspart2

[mijaba]

Any doctor that would willfully kill the ONLY known survivor of an otherwise deadly infection is not only guilty of medical malpractice, but shouldn't be allowed anywhere near a scalpel.

[Starik-]

A medical professional actually said that even he wouldn't sacrifice Ellie since she didn't really need to die, especially taking in the fact that she's literally the sole chance of a cure so that means she NEEDS to be kept alive for research. This just shows how the Fireflies felt backed into a corner and has lost their sense of meaning and purpose for their original cause.

[steampunksamuraii]

Problem to the "Trolley-Problem" at the beginning:
The Cordyceps-Virus wasn't even a virus, it was a fungus. Meaning there wouldn't have been a vaccine to be made out of her "immune" cells, because Ellie wasn't even immune.
She was just, well, lucky, because when she got infected, the fungus did not take over Ellie's brain. You could say, it was like a "benign tumor" or some sort of symbiosis: Her brain remains fully functional and the fungus doesn't spread over her body, while the fungus prevents her from becoming infected again.

There is no recreating that, and there never was a need to kill her to "study her brain".

[pixilatedsarin]

My biggest gripe with the whole Firefly cure plan is the logistics of it. Even if by some miracle a cure was developed, how the hell is one ragtag group of people that are actively being hunted by the last remnant of the government, that barely got across the country in the first place, going to distribute said vaccine. Were they going to walk into places like Pittsburgh, Seattle, or Santa Barbara, places we know are completely lost to people who are unable to return to a pre-Cordyceps world. The first city they walk into touting their cure, no one would believe them, and they'd most likely get brutally killed. Humanity had its chance, and there is no going back. The only thing a cure would have guaranteed is Ellie's death.

[Coophack]

I swear everyone forgets the recording where it states this surgery has a 90% failure rate. Meaning Ellie would have died for nothing.

[lizziebozzie]

I also love Joel's quote with the "I would do it all over again" Because who hasn't played TLOU again and again. We've all done the same thing for Ellie again and again because we saw the relationship they had, we lived through their best and worst moments and we do it all over again.

[tomclark]

Consent is everything. On my first play through, I couldn’t escape how unethical it was that they kept Ellie unconscious and refused to inform her that this experimental procedure would end her life. ‘It’s what she would’ve wanted’ is bullshit when they are the people denying her that choice. Ellie believed she would live through it when she says to Joel ‘After we’re finished with the fireflies, we can go wherever you want’. They were murdering a child and we’re supposed to condemn her adopted dad for trying to stop them

[trin]

"Ellie doesn't owe humanity her life." Exactly. That's it. That's all you need to say. That's all the argument there is- simply that.

[jackluffy]

It really annoys me when people say Joel was a killer and got what was coming to him when he LIVES in a world full of zombies and killers. You wouldn’t be a nice guy in that situation everything he did was for his loved one or because he had to do it



Edit: a lot of people came with different opinions and respected mines while I respect theirs a lot of people give complying reasons on why they think the way they do and I love seeing a game from a decade ago still get talked about with so many ideas. I do get the weirdos who just say “ JOeL bad ANd KiLLeR” but seriously respect to the people who genuinely have good arguments

[paranoyd]

A few things...
- The Fireflies did NOT have the expert they needed, he died. Neil Druckman retconned that in the sequel and he admitted that he always wanted Joel to die in the original but was denied by the first games Director.
- The Fireflies had ZERO capability of manufacturing a cure as they did not have the materials, nor the supplies, nor the equipment, nor the know how, nor the personnel. People don't realize what is required to make a vaccine. The Fireflies had NONE of it.
- The game established that the disease was fungal in nature. You CAN'T make a vaccine against a fungal infection, its NOT possible.
- The Fireflies erroneously thought that Ellie needed to have her brain diced up to find a cure. That's NOT how cures work. Its like thinking that you can fix an engine with a hammer. It doesn't work that way.
- Ellie HAD a cure within herself...Ellie has the ability to pass on her immunity through her offspring (children). That was a far more realistic & tangible cure and by killing her erases this possibility and it pisses me off that nobody considers this.
- Ellie was like 14 years old during the events in the first game. In what universe is a 14 allowed to make life ending decisions?

[Blacklightning]

Okay…. With Marlene saying Joel has no idea what she’s been through is insensitive to me. He was there from the time his biological daughter was born and held her in his arms as she died and he was about to lose Ellie who was like a 2nd daughter to him. So it’s like he’d be losing a daughter twice

[elitemook]

Ignoring the fact that no one has ever been able to make a vaccine for a fungus, even before the collpase, the fireflies were acting in bad faith. Not only did they keep Ellie unconscious they tried to kill Joel for questioning their actions and they went back on the deal they originally offered him.

[TheSwampDonkey]

Also, lets not forget the recording at the hospital that Joel finds that says the Fireflies really had no intention of letting Joel go and were going to kill him. Joel's biggest mistake was lying and continuing to lie to Ellie.

[plantslayer]

My favorite quote about the immunity was from Tess where she said “you’re not immune from being ripped apart” sure the vaccine would keep bites from being lethal but there’s still the very possible danger of being totally outnumbered by infected so the positives would barely be noticeable, they will not stop trying to kill you vaccine or not.

[PyroIce]

Why does no one bring up the audio log of Marlene saying that they were going to kill Joel in the first game. Am I the only one who found that?

[DavidMyrmidon]

It's One of The Main Reasons why I always supported Joel's Decision on The First LoU. Of all The Adults that came across Ellie's life.. Joel was The Only one who sought out what was best for her. As a Parent.

[DroppinJaws]

In TLOU Part 2 it was revealed Marlene originally didn't want Ellie to go through with the surgery if it meant her life had to be sacrificed but eventually gave in when Abbys father convinced her. Also the Fireflies are terrorists I highly doubt if the cure was successful they would use it for the good of mankind but only for their own benefit whether its to give to their own people or sell it to help finance their organization

[dariensuperman]

This is a super good analysis but there’s one crucial conversation in the beginning of part 1 that’s left out.
After Tess kills Robert and they meet up with Marlene. And Marlene begins talking about a cure. Joel laughs in her face and says “that’s not the first time we’ve heard that” insinuating that the fireflies have failed in this mission too many times to make it worth the effort and possibly Joel and Tommy (or Joel and Tess) have embarked on a similar (cure) journey in the 20 years prior.
I think the TV series did a great job clearing this up when the scientist says it’s not possible to make a cure.
Joel was right.

[rowaystarco]

There is no way in hell you can allow a literal child with survivors guilt to make decision to end her own life. That is extremely morally wrong and in completely illegal in most countries as well.

[silenthill]

You're forgetting that the fireflies claimed to have already tried to extract the "cure" from potentially dozens of others and failed. There's a strong chance her immunity is a rarity and not re-creatable or so rare it's not worth it, like the person that survived rabies.