We finally saw what happened between Joel and Ellie after they arrived in Jackson until the start of the season. We watched their relationship change from a caring “father/daughter” bond to one where they kept each other at a distance. Their differences created walls that kept them apart.
Austin 1983:
Joel and Tommy’s background reveals how they were raised by a single father. Their father worked as a police officer and their troublemaking often brought him into conflict with them. Despite working in law enforcement, he battled his own inner struggles. When misbehaving, he sometimes resorted to hitting the boys. It’s clear he struggled with raising two sons on his own. In a heartfelt moment, he tells Joel that if he ever has a family, he should aim to “do a little better than me.” Later, we notice a familiar watch on the father’s wrist — the same watch Joel wears. That detail suggests his father’s influence on him runs deeper than words.
2 Months In Jackson:
Seth’s story becomes clearer; we learn he was also a police officer. Joel crafts Ellie’s guitar with skill, showing his talent and hinting at the caring father figure he’s becoming. When Ellie burns her arm, it’s to hide the fact she was bitten. She wants to wear short sleeves again, which makes sense since she shouldn’t have to hide her bite marks. But it also feels strange because she’s part of Jackson, where everyone should know about her immunity. They should understand she can’t get infected. I enjoyed hearing Ellie’s dark humor again when she joked that her arm smelled like pork. What I loved most was how sweet Joel was with her. He called her “baby girl” and kissed her forehead. It was clear how comfortable they both had become, enough for him to comfort her so gently.
It’s Ellie’s 15th birthday, and Joel arranges a cake for her. He hands Ellie her guitar, and we finally see him play for her. Though he once said he wanted to be a singer, it was sweet to see him shy about performing. The scene calls back to the Pearl Jam song, which Ellie played at the theater in Seattle. I like how these moments link flashbacks to the present.
16th Birthday:
Joel and Ellie wander through their surroundings, and from their talk, it’s clear Ellie is growing up. She wants to learn how to patrol, and since she spends so much time with Jesse, Joel wonders if she has a crush on him. Little does he realize, Ellie isn’t interested in him that way. Joel takes Ellie to a museum and points out a huge dinosaur statue. Her reaction tells him she’s truly excited. They go inside to explore the space exhibit. They look at the solar system and climb into a space shuttle. The moment feels warm and real, full of simple joy. Joel feels proud of himself and makes it special by giving Ellie a cassette tape of the Apollo 11 moon landing. It’s the happiest they’ve been together, and watching it is a gift in itself.
17th Birthday:
Ellie has grown a lot and is starting to pull away from Joel. She gets caught with Cat, who gave her a tattoo, and they smoke pot together. Joel struggles to handle Ellie’s independence and seems to be losing control. Ellie chooses to move into the shed, and surprisingly, Joel agrees to give her space. Ellie is very stubborn and determined, and Joel seems unsure how to deal with that. He tries to be both her protector and parent, but he isn’t really her father. Letting her stay in the shed feels like the start of their relationship falling apart.
Ellie is obsessed with moths. She read about their representation in dreams and Joel thinks they symbolize change and growth. But everything shifts when Gail tells Joel their real meaning: they represent death. That news hits Joel hard and raises concerns about Ellie’s mental state. She has already been through so much during the apocalypse. Now, her main focus seems to be destruction. In Season 1, we saw how caught up she was with Joel hurting others and her obsession with killing infected. She has a strong urge to eliminate anyone who has harmed her or poses a danger.
18th Birthday:
Ellie’s curiosity about what happened in Salt Lake City is growing. She wants to ask Joel about the Fireflies and her rescue at the hospital. It’s clear she senses something isn’t right. Joel surprises her by taking her on patrol instead. She still seems to push away from him, craving her independence, but he doesn’t notice her signals. During their walk, they hear infected and come across Eugene. This makes the story from Joel’s talk with Gail start to fit together. Eugene reveals he has been bitten but wants to return home to say goodbye. Joel insists he can’t let him do that. Ellie speaks up, saying Eugene still has time. Thinking Joel is protecting her, he has her fetch the horses while he stays with Eugene. He promises they’ll return home, but everyone knows that’s a lie. Joel walks Eugene to the lake and kills him before Ellie returns. When Ellie sees what’s happened, her face shows she doesn’t trust Joel anymore. It hits her that Joel lied to her before. They bring Eugene’s body back, and Joel still lies to Gail, spinning a story about Eugene’s last words. He claims Eugene didn’t want to hurt her. Ellie boldly tells Gail the truth—Joel lied. She says Eugene had time to come back. Tension fills the air, and Ellie’s trust in Joel shatters. That moment was truly heartbreaking.
New Years Party:
Looking back at the New Year’s Party, we see events unfold through Joel’s point of view. He notices Ellie with Jesse, but they are both staring at Dina. Then, he observes what happens between Ellie and Dina. Meanwhile, we learn that Maria was willing to help Joel with any trouble he faced. Still, Joel’s pride keeps him from accepting help.
After Ellie scolds Joel for pushing Seth, he goes home and plays his guitar on the porch. At first, it looks like Ellie goes straight to her room when she gets back, but she later returns to talk to Joel. She assures him she had Seth under control and is upset that Joel took her off patrol. Trying to make a connection, Joel asks about her relationship with Dina and surprisingly says she’d be lucky to have her. Ellie isn’t convinced and quickly calls him an asshole. She then reveals she knew all along that Joel had lied about Salt Lake City. She wants the truth, and after a long moment, Joel finally confesses. Watching Joel break down was heartbreaking. He looked like a scared kid, knowing he had to tell the truth. Ellie’s anger grew because she believed that dying to save everyone was her purpose. Joel had taken that away from her. In that moment, Joel said he was willing to pay the price to keep her alive, even if it meant she’d turn from him. But he refused to change what he did. Then came a moment that hit hard. Ellie called Joel selfish, but he argued he did it because he loved her. It was the first time they both admitted how they felt. Joel’s love ran deep because he had always protected her. But that protection turned into a parent’s instinct to shield. Ellie had become like a daughter to him. He was scared of losing her, even if it meant lying. There’s a full circle moment when Joel repeats what his dad said about doing better than him one day. How heartbreaking to see the Miller family struggle so much. They can’t keep a real, stable family. Things get worse when Ellie says she can’t forgive Joel but is willing to try. We never see her fully forgive him, though. This makes me wonder if that’s why she accepts what Joel did. Ellie’s confrontation with Nora makes me think about her feelings for Joel. After learning the truth and feeling angry at Joel, Ellie begins to accept that Joel killed Abby’s father and stopped the cure. It’s partly about forgiving Joel, but it’s also about revenge and justice for her. She never got the chance to change her mind about Joel or to learn how to forgive. They didn’t work out their problems or find happiness together again.
The episode closes in Seattle, with Ellie heading back to the theater. Now, we see her journey to find Abby. We understand more about the time that passed between Season 1 and this new season. Those lost moments make more sense now.
