Pedro Pascal Got Nightmares From This Tragic Death (But More Trauma Might Be Coming)

Note: This article contains spoilers for The Last of Us Part 2 and may contain spoilers for the second season of the HBO show.

Pedro Pascal isn’t easily shaken, but the actor revealed that the infamously brutal death of his Game of Thrones character, Oberyn Martell, left a lasting mark. Speaking with ComicBook during an interview at Star Wars Celebration in Tokyo, Pascal reflected on the visceral impact of the Red Viper’s demise and hinted that an even more traumatic fate might await his current beloved character, Joel Miller, in HBO’s The Last of Us. With Season 2 of the acclaimed series having just premiered, adapting the harrowing events of the The Last of Us Part II video game, Pascal’s words carry a particular weight for fans bracing themselves for what lies ahead for Joel and Ellie (Bella Ramsey).

“It gave me nightmares, too,” Pascal told us, recalling his reaction to reading about Oberyn Martell’s gruesome end. “And it’s funny, I remember thinking when I read that, I was so familiar and a fan of the show that the pages of the script were so vivid to me, as if I was watching the episodes myself. So when I got to that [scene] and I knew that it was happening, I just was like, ‘Thank God I have a build-up to when. So that when it actually happens, and when it’s shared with the world, it won’t traumatize me in the way that it’s going to traumatize everyone else.’ I had a sort of selfish gratitude that I could be protected from something like that.”

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When the conversation shifted, linking the discussion of Oberyn’s shocking death to the potential horrors awaiting in Pascal’s career, the actor offered a chillingly ambiguous tease. Asked if anything could top the trauma of the Red Viper’s death, he cryptically replied, “I’m not sure. There’s a chance something could top it.” His careful choice of words hints at the possibility that Joel’s journey in the HBO adaptation might follow the same controversial path as his video game counterpart, potentially setting up one of television’s most gut-wrenching moments.

Pedro Pascal Hints at Joel’s Traumatic Future in The Last of Us Season 2

Pascal’s hint that “something could top” Oberyn’s death points directly toward the grim fate awaiting Joel Miller In the video game The Last of Us Part II, Joel is brutally murdered early in the story by Abby Anderson (played by Kaitlyn Dever in the series), who seeks revenge for Joel killing her father years prior, during the massacre at the Firefly hospital. The scene is notoriously violent, involving Joel being ambushed and beaten to death with a golf club. 

Joel’s death sparked intense debate over the decision to kill a beloved main character in such a manner and so early in the narrative. However, despite the controversy, Joel’s death serves as the crucial catalyst for the entire plot of Part II. It ignites Ellie’s all-consuming quest for vengeance, driving the game’s central themes about the destructive cycle of violence and the consequences of past actions. Given Season 1 of The Last of Us close adherence to the first game, it’s widely expected that the HBO series will depict Joel’s death faithfully, potentially delivering a moment even more harrowing on screen due to the audience’s connection with Pascal’s portrayal.

The Last of Us Season 2 airs Sunday nights on HBO and Max, with new episodes premiering weekly.

Are you prepared for Joel’s death in Season 2 of The Last of Us? Let us know in the comments!