Internet Says ‘Same’ After Seeing Joel In The Last Of Us Show Have Panic Attacks

It ain’t easy traveling across the country with folks who don’t have it all together. With the burden of succumbing to brutal violence himself, witnessing harm against folks who don’t deserve it, and remembering the echoes of normal life, the TV version of Joel is revealing something we all knew about Video Game Joel. Those of us who played The Last of Us rarely saw it, but it was always there: The dude might have a bad case of PTSD.

The Last of Us, in the HBO adaptation and the original game, follows the story of two survivors, Joel and Ellie, in a pandemic-sparked post apocalypse. As is fitting of zombie-adjacent drama, the story explores the inner emotional burden of survival and violence. HBO’s adaptation expands on this theme, showing us more of the psychic damage Joel has suffered and the toll on his mind and body. Suffering with symptoms similar to what we might describe as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), Pedro Pascal’s Joel doesn’t seem to be able to keep it all bottled up as much as Troy Baker’s more stoic and grumbly version of the internet’s favorite apocalypse daddy. While early episodes hinted at the mental burden of Joel being forced into violent situations, the most recent one portrays Joel suffering through overwhelming panic attacks and, as one would expect, memes that break own his panic attack into three stages have followed.

Read More: The Last Of Us Fans Better Brace Themselves For The Left Behind Episode

Me after saying "No worries if not" yet again pic.twitter.com/LW3R8uXemP

— Kris Wall (@KrisxWall) February 22, 2023

me at the top of the stairs pic.twitter.com/FV3wF5jvB5

— Wesley LeBlanc (@LeBlancWes) February 21, 2023

When someone tells you they chose Triss over Yennefer pic.twitter.com/8PL02fg2on

— Cian Maher (@cianmaher0) February 21, 2023

https://twitter.com/embed/status/1628154479802548226

#TheLastOfUs Joel having anxiety attacks while the world collapses around him and while he’s trying to do a job is extremely relatable. pic.twitter.com/E7dAXKK6BV

— Tauriq Moosa (@tauriqmoosa) February 21, 2023

Me playing a PSVR2 and trying not to vom. pic.twitter.com/DkINrUinlc

— Ed Nightingale (@ed_nights) February 22, 2023

When you realize The Last of Us Season 1 ends in less than 3 weeks pic.twitter.com/zkWBSbjYFa

— DomTheBomb (@DomTheBombYT) February 22, 2023

Fans of the show are also finding the portrayal of Joel’s struggles with mental health work both to humanize Joel even further, and to provide something relatable for those who do suffer regularly with anxiety.

https://twitter.com/embed/status/1627510298331447297

As someone who had panic attacks I can't express how much Joel's scenes meant. Pedro Pascal's performance hit home. You're fine, then you feel your heart stop. My favorite character experiencing the same thing I did? It makes me feel better. #TheLastOfUspic.twitter.com/tqXB2PUmRp

— DeanaMarie (@DeanaXburke) February 20, 2023

While Joel’s emotional struggles and the toll of trauma aren’t necessarily a secret in the original game, these scenes are a side of the character we haven’t really seen before. There’s something notably vulnerable and honest about these HBO portrayals. That said, many have noticed an interesting addition to the recent remake of the first game that’s more or less canonizing Joel’s specific mental health struggles.

I will always be grateful for the depictions of anxiety and anxiety attacks in television. This moment with Joel is so relatable and so important. Another episode of #TheLastOfUs that didn’t disappoint me. Ellie and Joel’s bond is growing and I cannot wait next one! pic.twitter.com/ahgOIoPnjx

— Zofia Wijaszka (@thefilmnerdette) February 21, 2023

How The Last of Us: Part I added Joel’s anxiety to the lore

While the opening of HBO’s adaptation and the original video game are similar in broad strokes, there are a number of key differences. The game’s opening is a bit shorter than the TV show, though players are given some time to play as Sarah and explore portions of her and Joel’s pre-pandemic home. It’s here that players are discovering what seems to be a sneaky addition from the remake: Joel’s anti-anxiety medication is now sitting on his nightstand. The show didn’t just add anxiety attacks for Joel out of nowhere, it turns out.

Some had even taken notice of this addition long before the show aired:

https://twitter.com/embed/status/1565830916517564416

Unlike the game, HBO’s adaptation meditates a bit more on pre-pandemic life and the depths of what was lost in the carnage of the outbreak. But given the addition of the medication in the remake, it’s clear that the show isn’t the only thing evolving. It’s certainly got me thinking: What else did Naughty Dog update in that PS5 remake?