The Last of Us kills off major character in 'shocking, devastating' scene; reeling fans say: 'This will haunt forever'

The Last of Us S02E02 killed off one major central character in a brutal and devastating scene, triggering a lot of trauma and shock in the viewers.

For anyone who has played the game, this was a plot twist waiting to happen in season 2. For those who haven't played the game, please look away now. Major spoilers for The Last of Us season 2 episode 2 ahead, ones that make Game of Thrones look like a bright sitcom in comparison.

The Last of Us S02E02 killed off a major character in a big shocking twist.

The Last of Us season 2 kills off that major character

Set in a post-apocalyptic world where much of humanity has turned into zombies due to a fungal infection, The Last of Us focuses on Joel (Pedro Pascal), who rescues Ellie (Bella Ramsey) from danger. The first season showed how Joel and Ellie bonded and how he turned into a father figure for her, establishing one of the most memorable bonds in TV history. Season 2 began five years after Joel massacred an entire facility of scientists wanting to kill Ellie to study her natural immunity to the infection. The two have a strained relationship now as they live in a protected community in Wyoming.

Episode 2 - Through the Valley - featured Joel rescuing Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) from a horde of the infected. However, Abby is the daughter of the very doctor Joel killed in the season one finale, and she is out for revenge. She lures him into a trap, shooting him in the leg and then brutally beating him with a golf club. Ellie tracks Joel to where he is being held captive, but she is captured herself and is forced to watch as Abby delivers the final blow to Joel, killing him.

Fans react to The Last of Us shocker

Fans of the video game, on which the show is based, have been waiting for this sequence since the show was launched. But to the uninitiated, it was like a sucker punch to the gut. "This single shot from #thelastofus is going to haunt me," wrote one fan, sharing the shot of Ellie crawling to Joel's lifeless body at the end of the episode.

But even game fans said they were not prepared for how visceral the show would make the moment. One tweeted, "They made it even worse in the show." Another chimed in, "this is actually 10x worse than i thought it would be." A few video game fans were relieved they could, at least, discuss and trauma bond now. "Dear people who’ve never played #TheLastOfUs: DO YOU KNOW HOW LONG WE HAVE HELD THIS SECRET?!? You’re welcome," read one tweet.

Many others harked back to The Game of Thrones, another show hell-bent on killing most of its major characters. One GoT fan quipped, "This is how it feels. Welcome to trauma city."

The Last of Us is streaming on Max globally and on JioHotstar in India.