This article explains what happened to Joel’s wife in The Last Of Us and contains spoilers for the TV show and games.
HBO’s The Last Of Us TV series has been years in the making but it is finally here. Despite astronomically high fan expectations and stellar reviews that seemed too good to be true, the first episode was resoundingly well received by viewers. Many are calling it the best video game adaption of all time.
After watching episode one myself, I’m happy to confirm it delivered.
The Last Of Us Part I and Part II are truly spectacular games. What’s more, they’re wrapped up in a cinematic style that’s been crying out for a TV or movie adaption.
The new HBO show takes the best bits from the games and transports them into the medium of TV without missing a beat. What’s more, any changes that have been made only serve to make The Last Of Us work as a TV series. All in all, it is off to a flying start.
The Last Of Us tells the story of Joel and Ellie, two survivors of a worldwide pandemic caused by the contagious Cordyceps fungus. They embark on a journey across post-apocalyptic America.
The show picks up twenty years after the onset of the pandemic and the world has been devastated. Millions are dead or have been transformed into zombie-like creatures called “Infected”.
Before we get to the present day, viewers saw Joel’s life before the Outbreak. He had a daughter called Sarah.
However, Sarah’s mother (Joel’s wife) isn’t mentioned or seen. Even if you played the games, you’re probably still wondering what happened to her.
So, what happened to Joel’s wife in The Last Of Us?
What Happened To Joel’s Wife In The Last Of Us?
The Last Of Us episode 1 kicked off in 2003. Joel is living a happy suburban life with his daughter Sarah in Austin, Texas. He is an army veteran who works in construction alongside his brother Tommy.
While both Joel and Sarah have an undeniably strong bond, there is one conspicuous absence: Joel’s wife AKA Sarah’s mother.
Clearly, something happened before the events shown in the TV show and games that caused Joel to become a single parent. But what was it?
This is what happened to Joel’s wife in The Last Of Us: In the games, Joel’s wife left and divorced him after Sarah was born. This was confirmed by video game and TV show creator Neil Druckmann in a Reddit Ask Me Anything.
“The backstory was that she left Joel after Sarah was born. Not someone he looked up to to keep a picture around,” Druckmann explained.
Joel also tells Ellie that “he was married once”; however, he refuses to elaborate further when she asks.
Of course, there’s always room for Joel’s backstory to be expanded in the TV show – and that could include his wife. Although, it’s fairly safe to assume that this element of Joel’s past will go unchanged from the games.
From what we’ve seen, we already know Joel was a devoted father to Sarah. He raised her as a single parent while holding down a tough, physical job. And that’s central to the relationship he forms with Ellie. So, outside of fleshing out his backstory, additional detail isn’t really needed.
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