The Last of Us: Why Joel Killed Eugene, Explained by Season 2's Most Popular Theories

Joel (Pedro Pascal) has been responsible for many deaths throughout The Last of Us, but Eugene's murder is a new mystery the series has yet to solve.

In Naughty Dog's video game The Last of Us Part 2 (which Season 2 of the HBO drama is adapting), Eugene is a character only mentioned by name and is said to have died from a stroke at age 73. 

Eugene is yet to be seen on-screen in The Last of Us Season 2 but will be portrayed by Joe Pantoliano in the series, meaning audiences can expect to learn more about the character in upcoming episodes.

What Happened to Eugene in The Last of Us Season 2?

Eugene is first mentioned in The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 1 ('Future Days') by Gail (Catherine O'Hara). The new The Last of Us character reveals during a therapy session with Joel that she misses her husband, as it's her first birthday without him in 41 years. 

The Last of Us Season 2 then diverges from Eugene's backstory from the game, revealing that Joel is responsible for killing him. Gail is aware of this and is bitter toward Joel, telling him, "You killed Eugene, and I resent you for it."

Joel doesn't admit to killing Eugene in front of Gail, but his silence speaks volumes, indicating he was somehow involved in the death of her partner. 

When Did Joel Kill Eugene? TLOU Speculation

HBO's The Last of Us has not revealed exactly when Eugene's death occurred. 

There are some hints that help narrow down this window. The first is that the second season of The Last of Us picks up five years after Season 1 and Eugene's death would have to have taken place at some point within this time jump as these were the years that Joel spent living in the Jackson community.

The next and biggest indicator is that Gail says the present day (New Year's Eve) is the first birthday she's spent without her husband, suggesting he was alive this time a year ago. 

This means Joel killed Eugene at some point in the past 12 months in The Last of Us timeline.

Why Did Joel Kill Eugene In The Last of Us?

The circumstances around Eugene's death haven't been revealed in the series just yet. However, during her confession in Episode 1, Gail reveals that she knows Joel "had no choice" but to kill her husband:

"I know you had no choice. I know that."

Given The Last of Us takes place in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by savage (sometimes smart) fungal zombies the obvious answer for why Joel would have no choice but to kill Eugene is that the older man was infected and needed to be eliminated to prevent him from turning.

However, another element of Eugene's character from The Last of Us Part 2 that may become relevant in the series is that he was an ex-Firefly. 

A different reason that could have driven Joel to kill Eugene is that the ex-Firefly knew something he shouldn't have. 

This secret could be pertaining to Ellie and her immunity, or it might have something to do with the events that occurred at the Salt Lake City hospital (which has put Joel in the crossfire of another Firefly, Abby). 

Joel would undoubtedly do anything to protect Ellie and keep his secret about the Fireflies from getting out, so knowing about either of these things could be enough of a motivator for Joel to end Eugene.

How Did Joel Kill Eugene? Theories Explained

Eugene's death scene has not been shown on screen, but trailers for The Last of Us Season 2 seem to hint that it will. 

One scene in the trailer shows Joel pointing a rifle at Eugene while his back is turned, but the context around this moment or whether this is when Eugene actually dies isn't clear.

Gail confirms that Eugene was shot by Joel, saying in Episode 1 "You shot and killed by husband." However, she also says that despite knowing Joel had no choice she can't forgive him "because of how [he] did it:"

"I know I should forgive you. But I’ve tried, and I can’t because of how you did it."

This suggests that how Joel killed Eugene is a critical part of the puzzle, and the exact nature of the murder will likely be revealed in future episodes via flashbacks.

A popular theory among fans is that Ellie may have witnessed, or at least known of, Eugene's death. Potentially, Eugene saw Ellie's immunity first-hand, and this caused Joel to make the hard decision to silence him–something Ellie would no doubt have objected to. 

If Ellie was somehow part of the reason Eugene killed Joel, and she knew it, this could be another reason that a rift has formed between the two characters in The Last of Us Season 2.

New episodes of The Last of Us Season 2 air on Sundays on Max.