Will Pedro Pascal’s Joel Return in ‘The Last of Us’ Season 3? Craig Mazin Has an Optimistic Future Update
The Last of Us has captivated audiences not just as a groundbreaking game but also as a deeply emotional series that refuses to offer easy answers. Its power lies in how it humanizes every decision, flawed or not, without necessarily asking for forgiveness.
Season 2 was already a gut-punch, tearing away both Ellie’s and the audience’s emotional anchor, Pedro Pascal’s Joel. His absence left a hole that many fans are still mourning, sparking one big question: Will fans see more of him as the story moves forward?
With Season 3 expected to delve deeply into Abby’s perspective, some worried Joel’s role might fade into the background. But now, co-creator Craig Mazin is finally addressing the speculation, and fans may find hope in his answer.
Will Pedro Pascal’s Joel come back in The Last of Us Season 3?
Will Joel be back in The Last of Us? It’s the question that ironically refuses to die. After Season 2 delivered one of the most gut-wrenching moments in television by removing Joel from the narrative, fans have been desperately wondering if they’ve really seen the last of Pedro Pascal in that iconic flannel.
While the HBO series has stayed mostly faithful to the game’s storyline, it’s also proven it knows how to go deeper, peeling back emotional layers, exploring complex backstories, and giving side characters a surprising amount of depth. And with the story now expected to shift toward Abby’s point of view in Season 3, something game fans will recognize as a bold and controversial move (similar to the game), there’s still space to revisit the past.
According to creators Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, the third season will allow more creative flexibility. They said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter,
Next season we probably will have a lot more flexibility [to tell side stories], Maybe a side trip to do Joel and Tommy terrorizing the countryside, we’ll never know.
That means possible flashbacks, side stories, and deeper dives into character relationships that weren’t fully explored before. A glimpse into Joel and Tommy’s morally murky past is also on the radar. He further stated,
All I can say is we haven’t seen the last of Kaitlyn Dever, and we haven’t seen the last of Bella Ramsey, and we haven’t seen the last of Isabela Merced, and we haven’t even seen the last of a lot of people who are currently dead in the story
And with hints that characters who’ve already died might still reappear, there’s growing hope that Joel’s story isn’t quite finished. Joel may no longer be alive, but his shadow and how he impacted others loom large. Whether through memories, flashbacks, or previously unseen moments, fans can likely expect Joel to return in some meaningful form.
What to expect from The Last of Us Season 3!
The end of The Last of Us Season 2 may have closed with a bang, literally, but it’s far from the end of the story. With Ellie and Abby facing off and emotions running high, fans were left reeling, uncertain of what comes next.
While game players knew Ellie wasn’t meant to die just yet, the dramatic cliffhanger still sparked concern. Thankfully, it looks like Ellie’s journey isn’t over just yet.
While it was expected she wouldn’t meet her end here, especially for those familiar with the game, there was still some worry that the show might take creative liberties. But Craig Mazin’s assurance that this isn’t the last fans have seen of Ellie brings much-needed relief.
Season 3 is expected to circle back to Seattle, Day 1, but this time from Abby’s perspective. Though the showrunners haven’t said it outright, it’s pretty clear the narrative will echo the game’s structure, Joel led Season 1, Ellie took center stage in Season 2, and now it’s Abby’s turn. That shift is also central to the show’s core theme, forcing viewers to see through the eyes of characters they may not like, at first.
Abby’s story, much like Ellie’s, is one of loss, vengeance, and survival. Her actions, including that fateful confrontation with Joel, were driven by the same rage and pain that sent Ellie on her own violent path. The uncomfortable truth is that Abby and Ellie are far more alike than either of them, or the audience might want to admit.
Season 3 may be the moment Ellie finally breaks free from the cycle of revenge and violence that began with Joel. It’s shaping up to be a deeply emotional continuation, one where lines blur even further between right and wrong, hero and villain.
And yes, despite the heartbreak, Pedro Pascal seems set to return, along with the rest of the beloved (and bruised) cast. If the journey so far has taught fans anything, it’s to expect pain, depth, and sheer brilliance, and Season 3 looks ready to deliver all three.
The Last of Us Season 2 is currently available to stream on Max.
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