Joel will have to be replaced in The Last of Us season 2, and season 1 has already introduced his perfect replacement from the video games.

Warning: Contains SPOILERS for The Last of Us Part II!

The Last of Us season 2 will have to replace Joel, but his replacement has already been introduced to the HBO series. While Pedro Pascal’s Joel was the main character of The Last of Us season 1, that will have to change for the upcoming season of the beloved video game adaptation. Luckily, the games handled replacing Joel perfectly, and the ideal candidate already appeared in The Last of Us season 1.

HBO’s The Last of Us is based on the critically acclaimed Naughty Dog game, and the massive success of the series has led to The Last of Us season 2 being announced. Season 2 will be based on the controversial sequel to the original game, The Last of Us Part II, which is known for making some major changes to the franchise. Most significantly, Joel is killed off early on in The Last of Us Part II, making him absent for most of the game. Joel’s death will be integral to the plot of The Last of Us season 2, meaning that the show will have to find a replacement.

Tommy Is Joel’s Replacement In The Last Of Us Part II

Joel may not be in The Last of Us Part II much, but he is replaced by his brother Tommy. In The Last of Us Part II, Tommy acts like a father figure to Ellie, helping her grieve after Joel’s death. Tommy even helps Ellie hunt down Joel’s killer, Abby, showing just how dedicated he is to his family. Although not as prominent as Joel, Tommy is a companion and father figure for Ellie throughout the game, making him Joel’s replacement in the game’s sequel.

Due to the importance of Tommy’s role in The Last of Us Part II, it seems likely that this role replacement will carry over to The Last of Us season 2. Finding Tommy was one of Joel’s main motivations throughout season 1, and now that he has been located, he will be a key part of season 2. If season 2 kills Joel off early on as many viewers have theorized, Tommy could get much more focus than his brother.

The Last Of Us Season 2 Will Turn Tommy Into A Main Character

Although Tommy acts as a big motivator for Joel, the character was actually kind of sidelined in The Last of Us season 1. The Last of Us season 2, however, will turn him into a fully-fledged main character, giving him a much bigger spotlight than season 1. Tommy appears in The Last of Us Part II a lot more than he did in the original game, something that will probably be mirrored in season 2.

On top of that, Tommy is actually given a pretty serious arc throughout The Last of Us Part II. Much like Ellie, Tommy has to deal with the death of his brother, with him being conflicted about his desire for revenge. As players will know, Tommy goes through some serious tragedy in The Last of Us Part II, and HBO’s The Last of Us season 2 will use this storyline to turn him into a main character.