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Why Did Joel Decide To Save Ellie In The Last of Us Finale?


Why Did Joel Decide To Save Ellie In The Last of Us Finale?
Credit: HBO

Warning: This article contains spoilers for The Last of Us. Read at your own risk!

At times, there are decisions that means life or death and that is one of the hardest choices to make. In the finale of The Last of Us, Joel is put in this position and his immediate response is to save Ellie, but why did he do that when the cost means humanity loses its best chance?

Why Did Joel Decide To Save Ellie In The Last of Us Finale?

Why Did Joel Decide To Save Ellie In The Last of Us Finale?
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Credit: HBO
Why Did Joel Decide To Save Ellie In The Last of Us Finale?

Being immune to the cordyceps infection, Ellie has been a valuable asset that could even be the last saving grace of humanity and the Fireflies know about her being such a special person given her immunity to the fungi.

Joel's mission from the start is simple: deliver Ellie to the Fireflies hospital where the organization could find a cure for the cordyceps infection, possibly even a vaccine, because she is immune and that is what the world needs.

Throughout their journey, Joel and Ellie found with each other what they need in life, a father and a daughter to each other, and that is what has been established from the first episode to the penultimate. That brings everyone into The Last of Us Episode 9 where Joel makes a shocking decision.

READ MORE: The Last of Us Creators Confirm Planning Multiple Seasons

Joel decides to save Ellie from the Fireflies even if it means killing all of them, including Marlene. Joel is one lean mean killing machine but his decision to save Ellie would mean that humanity would have no cure, but why would Joel do that?

Simple. Joel treats Ellie now as his daughter, and he would not let anyone harm her, not after he lost his own daughter, Sarah. Deep inside, Joel knows he could not let Ellie die in exchange for anyone, even for himself.

Why Did Joel Decide To Save Ellie In The Last of Us Finale?
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Credit: HBO
Why Did Joel Decide To Save Ellie In The Last of Us Finale?

See, the moral dilemma of Joel puts him in a difficult position: will he let the Fireflies kill Ellie to get a cure or will he let the whole humanity suffer and Ellie gets to live? Well, Joel did not even hesitate to take the second option.

He could not fail his daughter anymore, not the second time. As Ellie arrived in his life, he had a second chance to having a child and if you're a parent in the same position as Joel, you might have chosen the same choice that Joel made. After all, humanity has survived for decades already.

While Joel made a selfish decision in the eyes of all others, you cannot blame him for doing so. It's one tough call and time is not on his side. The choice of Joel speaks volumes -- a father would do anything for his child, and in the end, Ellie gets to live, even in a lie.

All of the episodes of The Last of Us are now streaming on HBO Max.

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