The Last of Us is often hailed as one of the greatest modern video games due to its strong gameplay and emotionally charged narrative that delves into moral ambiguity. Nowhere is this more evident than in its ending, both in the original game and the first season of the HBO adaptation.
Did Joel do the right thing? This is a question thousands of fans ask themselves, and opinions are certainly divided. Neil Druckmann, one of the main creators behind the franchise, has finally addressed the issue, bringing an end to years of discussion.
Before going further, note that this article discusses one of the most crucial moments from the PlayStation game and HBO series.
The Fireflies could have made the cure with Ellie, confirms Neil Druckmann
In the final moments of The Last of Us (2013), Joel storms the hospital to save Ellie, who was about to lose her life to doctors trying to find a cure for the Cordyceps virus. The scene raises profound questions about the morality of Joel’s actions and has been controversial since release, although debate grew following the debut of the HBO series starring Pedro Pascal and Bella Ramsey.
Neither the game nor the show clarified whether a cure was possible. Some fans argued that Ellie’s death could have been pointless if no vaccine was possible, while others believed the medical procedure was humanity’s best shot.
Neil Druckmann of Naughty Dog has finally ended the debate. During his appearance on the Sacred Symbols podcast, he confirmed that the Fireflies could have made a cure operating on Ellie. Joel, therefore, deprived humanity of its best chance at salvation.
“Could the Fireflies make a cure? Our intent was yes, they could,” he stated. “Our science is a little shaky and people are now questioning it. I can’t say anything. I can say our intent was that they would have made a cure. That makes the most interesting philosophical question for what Joel does.”
The Last of Us fans react strongly
Druckmann’s comments may have ended years of debate, but they have also sparked a new disagreement among fans. Many say confirming the possibility of a cure diminishes the story’s ambiguity and lessens the moral weight of Joel’s decision.
“The ending is clearly intended to be ambiguous, and to me, it still is,” said one user on social media.
In March 2025, Druckmann told IGN he would have made the same choice as Joel had it been his call. However, The Last of Us series producer Craig Mazin believes Joel was wrong.
What are your thoughts on these revelations? Share your views in the comments.