The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 6 Review: The Price

The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 6 “The Price” is a tragic and depressing deconstruction of the relationship that Joel and Ellie have built up since Season 1, showcasing how Joel’s upbringing has affected Ellie’s trust in him throughout the years.

As it takes a look back on the moments between Season 1 and “Future Days”, this episode not only helps us gain a better understanding of Joel’s overprotectiveness, but also his ethics. Season 2 barely touched upon who Joel really was on the inside. However, with “The Price”, it gives us a better understanding about the man Ellie relied on.

This examination into Joel’s psychology begins with a flashback way before the events of Season 1 to a more simpler time. Here, we’re given a flashback about Joel not trying to get into trouble with his father, who sees easily through Joel’s lies.

This flashback between Joel and his “cop for a dad” gives us the basis for why Joel lies to others. He has this need to shield others from the truth because he can’t stand to lose them. In a way, Joel grows this somewhat toxic attachment that he believes is necessary both for him and for those he cares for.

This theme continues on into a year following the events of The Last of Us Season 1. With Joel and Ellie establishing themselves in Jackson County, Ellie accidentally gets into an incident where she “burnt” herself and Tommy reports in on it. However, with Joel knowing the truth about Ellie’s immunity, he can’t tell Tommy the truth.

Yet, in this moment, Joel and Ellie’s relationship is still stable because of how much trust they’ve built up. In her teenage years, Ellie still mostly believes Joel because he cared deeply for her. She isn’t fully able to see this sacrificial side to him yet, but this gradually changes as the years go on.

While the following year solidifies the bond that Joel and Ellie share with their venture in the science museum, the next year is more heartbreaking. For Ellie’s 17th birthday, Joel discovers that Ellie has been figuring out her sexuality and getting a tattoo of a moth.

Joel’s previous interactions with Seth, the bartender who called out Ellie and Dina’s dancing, and his own stern familial upbringing might suggest Joel’s beliefs are more conservative. Given his reaction to how he found Ellie and her friend in her room, this felt like an uncomfortable moment for the two.

Joel wants to protect Ellie at any cost, but he’s becoming too overbearing on Ellie’s life. Not only does this feel like the catalyst for the episode’s climax, but it utilizes their shared changes to drive that resounding tragedy deeper.

Two years following this, we’re treated to Ellie’s first patrol with Joel as they venture into the woods. However, they come across the aftermath of a patrol group that died to the Infected. One of them, Eugene, is the only one who managed to live just long enough even after being bitten.

Up to this point, Eugene’s been a character who’s been referenced now and then, more notably by Gail on “Through the Valley”. When we finally get to see Eugene, it leads to one of the most personal confrontations we’ve gotten yet.

Despite Joel wanting to kill Eugene before he gets fully infected, Ellie realizes that he’s got enough time to return to Jackson county. In fact, he could’ve had enough time to say his goodbyes to his wife Gail, but Joel feels deep down he can’t risk everyone’s lives at the cost of one.

That’s why he sends Ellie off to get their horses while he somewhat maliciously guides Eugene to an open place to kill him. With all of this build-up, you’d never think once that Joel could pull something like this off. However, it makes you think that’s why Joel turned to Gail at the beginning of this season.

When Joel and Ellie eventually return to Jackson to tell Gail what happened, it’s just more gas to this fire of heartbreak. Joel once again decides to lie while Ellie remains headstrong, sharing the truth about what Joel did to Eugene.

This moment feels like the tipping point for Ellie and Joel. You can feel the tension between them, knowing that Joel’s lies have undoubtedly caused a lot of damage that may not be undone. Yet, it’s what happens in the events following the new year’s dance that does it in.

Following Joel trying to stand up to Seth on “Future Days”, Joel tries to have a moment of reconciliation with Ellie. However, this moment turns sour when Ellie demands the truth about everything from him, from the hospital attack on “Look for the Light” to her immunity.

This climactic moment, which is beautifully uplifted from Part II, is perhaps Season 2’s most depressing moment as we fully realize that Joel might’ve saved Ellie to “replace” his actual daughter. This is why Joel told Gail that saving Ellie was the worst choice he could’ve made.

With Ellie perhaps being the only person with the immunity, Joel essentially let his selfishness get the better of him in spite of humanity’s survival.

With this being the final moment that Joel and Ellie share before Joel’s demise at Abby’s hands, it’s a really sad sendoff for his character. We’ve been too invested in Joel in having him go out like this, yet you also can’t help but understand that the show must go on.

The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 6 “The Price” is a harrowing sendoff for Pedro Pascal’s Joel through this close re-examination of Joel and Ellie’s relationship. As there’s only the finale episode left, I can hope that it effectively utilizes the emotional parts of this episode to bolster that dynamic between Ellie and Dina.

Stray Thoughts:

• I absolutely called it when Joel was pulling out the guitar to sing Future Days to Ellie when she first sang it on “Feel Her Love”!
• I thought it was really creative for this episode to actually have Ellie’s imagination come to life through the visor when she was imagining space. That felt very special to watch!
• Joel saying that he’ll pay the price because Ellie turned away for him didn’t feel like poetic justice, but just added to the pain even more and that really made me sad.

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The Last of Us Season 2 releases new episodes at 9 PM EST/PST every Sunday on Max and HBO.

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