Why Joel’s Watch Is Significant in The Last of Us Season 2

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Caution: This discussion includes major spoilers for The Last of Us season 2, episode 3 on HBO. In the series, Joel’s broken watch is a cherished item with emotional significance. We first meet Joel living with his brother Tommy and daughter Sarah in Austin, Texas, where it’s revealed that the story begins on Joel’s 36th birthday, with Sarah planning to repair his watch as a gift. She succeeds, jokingly commenting that he wouldn’t have fixed it himself. In episode 3 of season 2, this item resurfaces in a poignant manner, following Joel’s sad demise.

In the TV series The Last of Us, the watch worn by Pedro Pascal’s character, Joel, played a crucial role in defining his personality. This timepiece connected his past and present, serving as a significant symbol. With Abby taking Joel’s life in season 2, the significance of this watch intensified, as it became an emotional keepsake symbolizing not just Sarah’s, but also Joel’s passing. The watch is deeply linked to the show’s central themes, which revolve around life, death, and the way characters cope with loss.

Joel Kept Wearing His Broken Watch Because It Was A Gift From Sarah

Sarah Fixed The Watch For Him As A Gift, But He Broke It Again

In its current, unrepaired state, Joel’s watch symbolizes his enduring struggle to come to terms with the tragedy of losing his daughter and the subsequent events. As a treasured gift from Sarah, the broken watch remains a poignant reminder of their bond and the emotional turmoil that has persisted within Joel for over two decades since her passing.

Joel donning the damaged watch symbolizes the fragmented, frosty persona he’s evolved into in the years post-outbreak, and mending it would signify reminding himself of his life with Sarah prior to the Cordyceps pandemic, as well as her harrowing demise. In The Last of Us season 2, Joel has started making efforts towards self-improvement, including therapy, but there remains significant emotional scarring that he hasn’t fully addressed yet.

Ellie Quickly Notices Joel’s Broken Watch In The Last Of Us

Ellie Is The Best Thing To Come Into Joel’s Life After Sarah Dies

In the initial episode of The Last of Us season 1, it was the second time Joel’s watch appeared prominently. After Joel and Tess make a plan to take Ellie beyond Boston’s quarantine zone, they retreat to Joel’s apartment for some rest while Tess looks for an escape route from the QZ. As Ellie prepared to sleep, she pointed out that Joel’s watch was broken, which triggered a sleep response in him, as he fell asleep to the haunting echoes of Sarah’s death, highlighting the profound impact the watch has on his past traumas.

In a subtle yet significant way, the watch symbolizes Joel’s deep bond with Sarah. When Ellie mentions it, this sets the stage for Joel to eventually view Ellie as a surrogate daughter, aiding him in his emotional recovery after Sarah’s passing. Despite never repairing the watch, Joel grows increasingly open and emotionally exposed around Ellie, sharing candid stories about his relationship with Sarah.

Joel Was Wearing His Broken Watch When Abby Killed Him In The Last Of Us Season 2

Joel Died Wearing His Daughter’s Final Gift To Him

In the gripping third episode of season 2 of The Last of Us, Joel’s death is undeniably the most heart-wrenching scene. Viewers are left powerless as they witness Joel being brutally attacked with a hockey stick, and Ellie, his surrogate daughter, is forced to bear the tragic loss of her adoptive father. Notably, Joel is wearing a watch when he’s killed by Abby, which Tommy discovers in the subsequent episode. In essence, Sarah’s memory, symbolized by the gift she gave him, and Ellie herself were with Joel as he passed away.

Tommy’s Reaction To Seeing Joel’s Watch & Why He Saves It For Ellie

Tommy Knows What The Watch Meant To Joel

In the third episode of The Last of Us season 2, following Joel’s body being returned to Jackson, a touching scene unfolds where Tommy examines Joel’s remains before burial. Noticing the watch on Joel’s wrist, Tommy whispers, “Give Sarah my love,” as he recalls it was a special gift from her. This moment symbolizes Tommy’s hope that, even though Joel has passed, he can now be reunited with his long-lost daughter at last.

Instead of retaining the damaged watch for himself, Tommy places it inside a box together with Joel’s revolver, so Ellie will find it later. Since the watch has no practical value for him, he passes it along to Ellie as a keepsake, having been originally given to Joel by his first daughter. As “The Last of Us” story progresses, Ellie can hold on to this sentimental object in place of Joel.

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2025-04-28 06:22