If you’ve been anxiously anticipating the comeback of The Last of Us and find yourself unsure about who Joel (Pedro Pascal) truly is, the Season 2 premiere swiftly brings you up to speed.

A standout moment in the first episode offers a compelling glimpse into Joel’s mentality — and possibly the series’ wider moral message.

Let’s examine what Joel shares, and why it holds such significance.

What does Joel express in Season 2, Episode 1?

Taking place five years after the conclusion of Season 1, Joel is now a foreman overseeing the expansion of the Jackson settlement. The town is quickly growing as more survivors arrive, and Maria (Rutina Wesley), the town’s mayor, worries that construction is not keeping pace with demand. Their dialogue reveals a great deal about Joel’s perspective:

Maria: “We’re running out of space to put these people.”

Joel: “Yeah, I noticed. Maybe your council should stop lettin’ so many of ‘em in.”

Maria: “It’s our council. And those people are fleeing collapsed settlements. They’re fleeing Infected. Are we really supposed to leave them out there?”

Joel: “If our lifeboat is swamped, yeah, we leave ‘em out there. If I could, I’d let ‘em all in. And I’m workin’ every damn day and night to create more space, you know that. But you got to look after your own first, or you’re no good to anyone.”

What does this exchange reveal about Joel?

That last line — “You got to look after your own first, or you’re no good to anyone” — is especially telling. It encapsulates Joel’s fundamental philosophy and acts as a thematic foundation for the series.

In the Season 1 finale, Joel made a heartbreaking decision: he rescued Ellie (Bella Ramsey) from a surgery that might have led to a cure for humanity, resulting in the deaths of many. It was a profoundly personal choice that favored one life — Ellie’s — over the possible salvation of countless others.

This new scene demonstrates that Joel hasn’t drastically changed. Even with therapy and being part of a more collaborative society in Jackson, he still holds the belief that safeguarding those closest to you takes precedence over everything else. It’s a mindset that prompts critical questions: Can this belief coexist with the demands of a larger community? And in a world necessitating collective survival, is Joel’s way of thinking viable?

Maria clearly holds an opposing view, emphasizing the conflict between personal loyalty and communal duty — a central clash that continues to propel the story forward.

The Last of Us Season 2 premieres April 13 at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and Max.