Ever since Naughty Dog released the first teaser trailer for “The Last of Us Part II,” fans of the franchise have begun formulating numerous theories about the game. One of which has caught everyone’s attention, and it has since divided fans.

Possible Spoilers Ahead

The teaser trailer for “The Last of Us 2” gives everyone a look at a much older, blood-splattered Ellie sitting in a room playing a guitar and singing Shawn James’s “Through The Valley.” The trailer then cuts to a man in the house showing a trail of dead bodies presumably killed by Ellie herself. The man approaches Ellie’s room revealing that he could be Joel.

What got fans all riled up is the that we only see Joel’s back and we never actually see his face in the trailer. Fans theorize that Joel is actually dead and the man Ellie is talking to is just in her imagination, possibly a trauma-induced hallucination. One fan also noted that the way Joel entered the house seems pretty much like a ghost.

This has also led fans to speculate that Joel’s death may have motivated Ellie to seek revenge on the Fireflies militia. There’s also a dead body right in front of Ellie, which some fans have pointed out could actually be Joel’s, according to Eurogamer.

Another theory, which is probably the most outrageous one yet, is that Joel committed suicide at some point before the the beginning of “The Last of Us 2.” When Joel enters the house, he is seen holding a revolver, the same weapon that fans believe that Joel used to end his life, as per Games Radar.

Naughty Dog has confirmed that players will take control of Ellie as she will be the lead character of “The Last of Us Part 2.” That being said, the game developer also noted that both Ellie and Joel will return for the sequel, but they didn’t emphasize anything further than that. This has of course fueled the flames of the “Joel is dead” theory.

With the theory gaining some popularity, a lot of people have already voiced out their opinions. Many fans are saddened, disappointed or angry that there players who are already assuming that Joel will be dead at the beginning of “The Last of Us 2.” The theory has also spurred numerous debates online with the game's subreddit being flooded with numerous forums disavowing the theory, as reported by Polygon.

“The Last of Us 2” is currently in early development and it doesn’t have a release date yet. Expect to see more theories popping up about the sequel until Naughty Dog confirms anything. The developer might shed some more light on the sequel by releasing another trailer in the near future.

RELATED STORIES