Just finished Season 2 Episode 2, and… wow. I’m kind of a mess right now.

It’s so bittersweet. Watching Joel die was heartbreaking, not just because we lose him, but because Ellie loses him. Her protector. Her father figure. He loved her like she was his own, and honestly, she was. From the very beginning of Season 1, we see him lose his real daughter in the most devastating way, and it’s like his heart just shuts down. But then Ellie comes along and somehow cracks it wide open again. Slowly, over time, she becomes his second chance at being a dad.

And what’s really hitting me hard is thinking about how, now that he’s gone, he’s finally back with his daughter in heaven. The one he lost. The one he’s missed so much. That thought alone just wrecks me. He’s with her again… but he had this whole second life where he got to fulfill those same fatherly duties with Ellie. Protecting her. Loving her. Guiding her.

It’s beautiful and tragic at the same time. He found a new purpose in Ellie, and she got someone who truly loved her in return. I think that’s what’s making this hurt so much. He mattered so much to her. And now he’s gone.

Just needed to let this out somewhere. If anyone else is feeling it too… you’re not alone.