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The Last of Us Part 2 is coming, we just don’t know when. In fact, developers Naughty Dog have kept their cards relatively close to their chest when it comes to most things about the game’s story, characters and gameplay.

In place of concrete information, there has been a lot of fan-speculation about what exactly the game and its story will entail. Naturally, Joel (protagonist of the original TLoU) has featured heavily in many of these theories.

However, aside from a short conversation with Ellie in the TLoU P2’s second trailer, Joel has been notably absent from all videos and screenshots Naughty Dog have released to promote the game.

This has led to one particular fan theory gaining traction in TLoU fan community, the idea that Joel could be dead and appearing to Ellie as a figment of her imagination rather than as a real character.

There is also speculation that Joel could be alive and present in the game, but that perhaps he might act as the game’s villain.

While this notion may seem unlikely or even sacrilegious to Joel-lovers, a recent interview with Troy Baker (the actor voicing Joel) hints that there may be some validity to this idea.

At Manchester Comic Con Troy Baker was asked whether Joel could be considered as a villain or a hero, with Baker responding:

‘I don’t think Joel believes he’s a hero. If he was to lean anywhere I think that Joel would consider himself a villain, which is why he can say that he’s been on both sides. Like he can say, “I’m just a guy trying to get by. I’m not here to save anybody, I’m not here to upset anyone’s plans. I’m just trying to live one day at a time.”’

This quote comes at a time when we know Baker has finished mo-capping Joel for TLoU Part 2, so arguably Joel’s role in the sequel is colouring Baker’s answer.

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During the first game, Joel was working as a smuggler, hardened by grief and left cynical and cold. His journey to deliver Ellie to the Fireflies restores his humanity, but he still ruthlessly murders and attacks other survivors on the way.

The Last of Us Part 2 is set five years after the conclusion of the original game and in that time a lot can change. But could it have changed so much that Joel is now an antagonistic presence?

Well, at the end of the first game, Joel made a huge decision with vast implications and lied to Ellie about it. Could it be possible that Ellie finds out and attempts to rectify the situation? All while Joel tries to stop her from doing so?

There would certainly be a lot of dramatic potential in such a premise, with cat and mouse gameplay revolving around Ellie trying to get away from Joel as he tries to capture her without harming the thing he loves most.

In a Newsweek interview with Naughty Dog co-directors Kurt Margenau and Anthony Newman, it was confirmed that a lot has changed between the duo in between games. Margenau stated:

‘What excites me about the game is that we're gonna get to see how Joel and Ellie's relationship has evolved. It's a complicated relationship after the events of the first game.’

This could certainly ring true with the idea that Ellie discovered Joel’s lie and, as a result, turned against him. Or maybe another significant event has transpired in the five-year time gap?

We can’t yet know for sure, but perhaps more information on the game will be revealed during the upcoming PlayStation Experience or during future State of Play conferences. We certainly hope so!

For everything on The Last of Us Part 2 as it’s announced, stay tuned to Daily Star Gaming.