Character Spotlight - Joel Miller

In September of 2013 Joel’s life as a simple working man was forever changed as a spore-like outbreak began to ravage the world. After tragic events take place on the day of the outbreak, the game jumps 20 years to the summer he meets Ellie and his life is changed forever. But a lot happened in the years after the outbreak took 60% of the world’s population.

Joel is by no means your typical white collared hero. After the tragedies that affected his life following the outbreak, Joel took a dark turn. To survive he had to turn to a… malevolent lifestyle. He eventually joins a faction called the Hunters (a group that you eventually come across in the game and fight against). Before reaching Boston, Joel spent a good portion of his time killing and torturing innocent people in order to to survive. Believing it to be the only way to survive in this new, harsh world, Joel sank into this dark role. Shortly after smuggling their way into the city, Joel and his brother brother, Tommy, parted ways on bad terms. Tommy joined the Fireflies; a rebel faction hoping to restore the US government back to its former glory as well as fight the overall oppressive militia government in place. Joel spends a considerable time alone after Tommy’s leaving until he teams up with his business partner Tess. Joel and Tess start a smuggling business and eventually become close. While they never say they had a romantic relationship it’s implied that two have a deep bond.

Gameplay-wise The Last Of Us is top notch. This quasi-stealth survival game mixed with limited supplies gives you a constant feeling of desperation. Always feeling like you barely survived the fight. That paired with a very well put together story and a character that you can root for and empathize with makes this hands down one of the best games i’ve ever played and Joel plays a defining factor in my choice.

Joel is your regular hard working everyday kind of guy that was just thrown into a bad spot. So it’s no surprise that he has a past filled with blood, pain, and difficult choices. But he is also proof that we can climb out of those dark holes we find ourselves in and fight to be the best versions of ourselves. You can see Joel Miller in The Last of Us and potentially The Last of Us part 2. You can also find more content in the Last Of Us universe through the comic mini series The Last Of Us: American Dreams.