"Joel makes a life-altering decision regarding Eugene in ‘The Last of Us’"

“What Happened to Eugene in ‘The Last of Us’? Joel’s Shocking Decision Revealed”

The Final of Us season 2 started with fairly a couple of bombshells, amongst them being a personality named Eugene and his dying. As followers observe the five-year time leap that Joel and Ellie — performed by Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey, respectively — are in, viewers wish to study Joel’s connection to Eugene and what occurred to the latter.

Beneath, Hollywood Life is breaking down what we all know to this point about Eugene and his dying.

Who Is Eugene in The Final of Us?

Eugene was the husband of Gail, Joel’s therapist. Within the Final of Us Half II online game, Eugene solely seems in pictures or logbooks. So, the HBO collection crew wished to delve deeper into his storyline.

Collection showrunner Neil Druckmann informed Selection in March 2025 that he wished to unpack Eugene’s character in season 2.

“I get excited once I see these alternatives,” Neil identified. “I’m like, ‘Oh, I don’t know Eugene that properly!’ The story we informed [in the video game] was considerably superficial. The way in which this character is available in actually will get to the guts of Joel and Ellie and their relationship.”

Who Performs Eugene in The Final of Us?

Joe Pantoliano performs Eugene in The Final of Us. The actor is finest identified for his efficiency as Ralph “Ralphie” Cifaretto in The Sopranos. He additionally performed supporting characters in numerous TV reveals, together with Hill Road Blues, The Goonies, La Bamba, Empire of the Solar, Midnight Run, NYPD Blue, Memento and Unhealthy Boys. 

What Happened to Eugene in 'The Last of Us'? Find Out What Joel Did
HBO

What Occurred to Eugene in The Final of Us?

Eugene was fatally shot By Joel sooner or later earlier than season 2. In episode 1, Gail reminds Joel concerning the taking pictures throughout their remedy session. Although she initially hesitates to say it aloud, Gail acknowledges, “You may’t heal one thing except you’re courageous sufficient to say it out loud.”

“You shot and killed my husband,” Gail says to Joel. “You killed Eugene. And I resent you for it. No, perhaps a little bit greater than that. I hate you for it.”

Why Did Joel Kill Eugene in The Final of Us?

The precise particulars of Eugene’s dying are nonetheless unclear from episode 1, however followers expect solutions because the season continues. Within the first episode, Gail says to Joel, “I do know you had no selection. I do know I ought to forgive you. Nicely, I’ve tried, and I can’t due to how you probably did it.”

Since Gail mentioned Joel “had no selection” however to kill Eugene, there are a couple of explanation why Joel should have felt the necessity to. Followers speculated that Eugene in all probability contracted the Cordyceps mind an infection and/or was threatening Joel or Ellie’s lives.

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