The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 6 Ending Explained: What Secret was Joel Hiding from Ellie?

With only one episode left of The Last of Us season 2, many expected episode 6 to ramp up the violence and Ellie’s (Bella Ramsey) thirst for revenge. After all, episode 5 left us with Ellie brutally beating up Nora. However, this episode took a step back in time and was mostly full of flashbacks between Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie. 

It also answered a main question that has been plaguing viewers since season 2 began- why is there a rift between Ellie and Joel? Many suspected that it had to do with Eugene, and they were proven right in this episode. In this article, we will dissect The Last of Us season 2 episode 6. 

How the Joel and Tommy Flashback Scene ties into the Present

The episode begins with a flashback to 1983. We see a young Joel telling Tommy (Gabriel Luna) that he is afraid of their father (Tony Dalton) beating him up. When Joel’s father comes home, he tells Joel a story about his father (Joel’s grandfather) once punching him so hard that his jaw broke. 

Joel’s dad admits that he does hit Joel, but not in any way that will hurt him as severely. In the end, he hopes that Joel will be a little better than he is, just like he was a little better than Joel’s grandpa. When the scene returns to Joel and Ellie on the porch at the end of the episode, Joel says the same to his daughter, Ellie. 

He admits that he has messed up by essentially not telling her the truth about what happened with the fireflies at the hospital at the end of season 1 (that he killed them all to save her even though a cure could have been made). But that’s not all. He also made a mistake by shooting Eugene dead when Ellie wanted him to say goodbye to his wife, Gail. 

Why does Ellie hate Joel in The Last of Us Season 2?

Episode 6 of the show finally shows us why Ellie hates Joel and it’s because of Eugene, Gail’s husband. In one of the flashbacks, we see Ellie out on patrol with Joel. They get alerted to a group attacked by a horde of infected. Both race to find out what's going on, and they discover that the entire group is dead with only one survivor- Eugene. 

However, he has clearly been bitten and is in the early stages of the fungus taking over him. Eugene realizes that his time is limited, but still, he requests one thing- to go back to Jackson so that he can say goodbye to his wife, Gail. Ellie agrees, but Joel doesn’t. Joel eventually tells Ellie to get the horses and promises that they will wait for her. 

However, when Ellie is gone, he shoots Eugene. This upsets Ellie a lot, and when they get to Jackson, things get worse because Joel insists on lying to Gail. However, Ellie intervenes and tells Eugene’s wife the truth, which causes Gail to be angry with Joel. Ellie doesn’t talk to Joel after this, and this causes their falling out. 

How many Flashbacks did Episode 6 of The Last of Us Season 2 have?

The entire The Last of us season 2 episode 6 was almost all flashback, but they can all be divided into 5 main ones:

1. 1983 Flashback: Joel’s dad tells him to do better than him. 
2. First birthday of Ellie in Jackson: Joel gives Ellie a guitar and teaches her to play. He plays Pearl Jam’s “Future Days.”
3. Second birthday of Ellie in Jackson: Joel takes Ellie to an abandoned museum. 
4. Third birthday of Ellie in Jackson: Ellie gets a tattoo from Kat.
5. Fourth birthday of Ellie in Jackson: Ellie goes on patrol with Joel.
6. Joel and Ellie talk on the Porch: Set after season 2 episode 1, where Joel confesses everything to Ellie.

Does Joel tell Ellie About the Truth Regarding what Happened in The Last of Us Season 1 Finale?

Yes, Joel confesses to Ellie that he did kill the Fireflies to save Ellie because he couldn’t bear the thought of her dying. He also knew that he had essentially doomed humanity by not letting the doctors make a cure from the only immune person (that they all know of). 

What will Happen next?

The Last of Us season 2 episode 7 is the final episode of the season, and the preview hints that the gang will be in an all-out war between the Seraphites and the WLF. Jesse’s death will also probably happen, which will be heartbreaking for Dina and Ellie. It’s also expected that the episode will see the return of Kaitlyn Dever’s Abby, who has been missing this season since murdering Joel in episode 2. 

So, it looks like the action will escalate a lot. However, this episode was a beautiful respite from the violence, and it allowed fans to remember Pedro Pascal’s Joel like they wanted to- him being a loving dad to Ellie. 

Check out the preview for the season 2 finale below:

Where can you Stream The Last of Us Season 2?

The Last of Us season 2 is now streaming on HBO and Max. New episodes air weekly on Sundays. The last episode of season 2 titled, “Convergence”,” will premiere on May 25, 2025. If you want to refresh your memory, we have recaps of Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3, Episode 4, and Episode 5. 

You can also check out the making of episode six below.