More than a week has elapsed since the emotional blow of Episode 2 of The Last of Us Season 2, and fans are still coming to terms with the departure of one of the series’ most cherished characters. For long-time enthusiasts of the video game, this moment was particularly heartbreaking — a haunting reminder of a plotline they anticipated but hoped would unfold differently on screen.

Gabriel Luna, who plays Tommy — Joel’s sibling — in the HBO series, recently guest-starred on Late Night with Seth Meyers to talk about the significant change both in the storyline and within the cast following Joel’s demise, portrayed by Pedro Pascal.

“I was aware early on in the second game that there’s this sudden exit of a cherished character — someone who holds great significance for me, both as Tommy and as Gabriel,” Luna shared during the interview. “We all had to get emotionally ready for that. It was a major shift. Just as in real life, when someone dear to you is gone, family dynamics shift. It was similar on set. Pedro is such a beautiful, remarkable person who led with grace and talent. When he was gone, we all sensed that change. Now the narrative is in the hands of Bella Ramsey, Kaitlyn Dever, and me.”

Meyers responded humorously, joking, “I think he got what was coming to him,” in reference to the contentious nature of Joel’s fate in the franchise.

New episodes of The Last of Us Season 2 air Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and Max.

Interested in exploring the games after watching the series? Here’s how you can start playing The Last of Us.