Share and Follow

Last night’s The Last of Us Season 2 premiere on HBO gave us a tense therapy session between series hero Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Jackson’s resident (and only) therapist Gail (Catherine O’Hara). What made the mental health check in so frosty — besides Joel’s own inability to own up to the truth about what’s really driven a wedge between him and surrogate daughter Ellie (Bella Ramsey) — was the reveal that Joel had killed Gail’s beloved husband Eugene.

“You shot and killed my husband,” Gail says. “You killed Eugene. And I resent you for it. No. Maybe a little more than that. I hate you for it.”

Gail goes on to admit she knows Joel “had no choice” and she should forgive him, but she can’t, because of “how” he killed Eugene.

So what’s going on here? Who exactly is Eugene? Why did Joel kill him? Here’s everything you need to know about Eugene on The Last of Us Season 2 on HBO…

Slanted side-by-side of Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Gail (Catherine O'Hara) in 'The Last of Us'
Photos: HBO

Who is Eugene on The Last of Us?

Eugene is a character who is mentioned, but never seen in The Last of Us II, the hit video game that the HBO show is based on. The Last of Us Season 2 is expanding upon his character in a similar way to how Season 1 gave star-crossed lovers Bill (Nick Offerman) and Frank (Murray Bartlett) more meat on TV.

Without getting into spoilers, DECIDER can confirm that we will meet Eugene later in the season and he will be played by Joe Pantaliano.

Now, The Last of Us is being deliberately coy at this point about what exactly happened to Eugene and how Joel killed him. However, we can confirm why Joel killed Eugene. Eugene was bitten by one of the infected, ergo he would have been turned by the Cordyceps virus. Joel had to kill him to prevent him from spreading the disease further.

The Last of Us Season 2 premiere ends with a few haunting developments for our heroes. Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) and her friends are closing in on Jackson, which means they are close to their goal of finding Joel. Elsewhere, Ellie has come into contact with uniquely smart infected who can stalk their prey. Oh, and it looks like there’s some Cordyceps sneaking into Jackson via the water pipes. They might want to take care of that.

Time will tell exactly how HBO’s The Last of Us tackles what went down between Joel and Eugene and what it means for the season overall…

The Last of Us Season 2 Episode 2 premieres on HBO and MAX on Sunday, April 20.

Share and Follow
You May Also Like

How to Watch the 2026 Golden Globes Live: Free Streaming, Start Time & Channel Guide

In a sun-kissed California setting, the Beverly Hilton gears up to welcome…

Grateful Dead Co-Founder Bob Weir Passes Away at 78

The iconic band, the Grateful Dead, is mourning the loss of one…

Unraveling the ‘David’s Dead’ Debacle: The Inside Story of CBB’s Most Surreal Moment

It’s astonishing to realize that a decade has passed since the infamous…

Brother of Eagles Defensive Back Cooper DeJean Faces OWI Charges

On Sunday, January 11, just hours before the Philadelphia Eagles faced off…

Exploring the Golden Globes Podcast Category: An In-Depth Look at ‘Call Her Daddy’ and Other Contenders

KPOP Demon Hunters has garnered accolades including Best Animated Picture, Box Office…

Jennifer Lopez Stuns in Dazzling Beaded Gown at Star-Studded Pre-Golden Globes Celebration

Jennifer Lopez dazzled as she graced the Vanity Fair and Amazon MGK…

Celebrity Tributes Pour in for Grateful Dead Co-Founder Bob Weir

Bob Weir, the legendary guitarist and one of the founding members of…

Ex-Disney Star Matt Prokop Faces Serious Charges Involving Child Pornography

In a troubling turn of events, former child star Matt Prokop has…