No matter how we look at it, The Last of Us Episode 9 concluded on a low note as Joel lied to Ellie about what happened at the Firefly hospital and she appeared to have accepted it. But what exactly was going through their heads in those final moments? Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey weighed in on Joel and Ellie's mindset in Look for the Light.
In The Last of Us Episode 9, Joel killed almost everyone at the Firefly hospital after realizing that Ellie will die in the effort to find a cure. However, he later tells Ellie that the Fireflies, including Marlene and one important doctor, were killed by raiders and she later seems to believe him.
But why did Joel choose to lie to Ellie? Pedro Pascal explained to Empire magazine that his character had his reasons (via Collider).
"He's just riding this unconscious wave of delusion mixed with gratitude," Pascal said. "Even though it comes with such a big lie, it doesn't feel like a lie in his heart, because he has her back and they're going home."
"It's the first time he's able to share a memory that makes him happy, because he's with the person that makes him the happiest - his daughter, Ellie," he continued before adding that the girl probably isn't buying it.
"Ellie can smell the sense of what's in his unconscious, and something's off. It isn't until he's under her lens of truth that it all comes tumbling down. And he has to lie to keep it going," Pascal said.
Bella Ramsey agrees. "I think Ellie knows," she said. "There's a part of her that knows or fears he's not telling the truth. But she has to believe it. Because she can't think about what it would mean if he isn't telling the truth. She has to believe because otherwise, it would break her heart."
Both Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey are set to return as Joel and Ellie in The Last of Us Season 2, which is expected to begin production next month.
Related: The Last of Us: Melanie Lynskey's Husband Confirms Secret Clicker Cameo
Explore new topics and discover content that's right for you!