Ellie is mad at Joel in The Last of Us Season 2 because Joel lied to her about the events at the Firefly hospital. Joel saved Ellie from a surgery that could have used her immunity to create a cure for humanity, but in doing so, he killed the surgeon (Abby's father) and kept Ellie in the dark about the truth. He told her the Fireflies had stopped looking for a cure and that there were other immune people, which was not true. Ellie feels betrayed because Joel took away her choice to potentially save humanity without asking her, causing her to feel guilt and anger for being alive while the opportunity for a cure was lost. This lie and loss of agency have created a deep rift between them, with Ellie struggling with the weight of what Joel did and feeling hurt by his decision made out of love but resulting in loss for her and humanity.
Key reasons Ellie is mad:
- Joel lied about the Fireflies and the cure.
- Joel prevented her from choosing to sacrifice herself.
- Ellie feels the weight of lost potential to save humanity.
- The betrayal is deeply personal, breaking their strong bond.
- Ellie matured and started questioning everything about Joel's actions.
Joel's act, while intended to protect Ellie as a father figure, erased her agency and purpose, causing Ellie to channel her pain into anger and rebellion at the start of Season 2.
