The dust hasn’t even begun to settle after Season 2 of HBO’s The Last of Us, and yet, fans everywhere keep one eye on the upcoming third season. If you thought the Joel moment was the finish line for controversy, buckle up — things could get wilder.
Drama, Discourse, and Divided Fans
First off, let’s talk about the elephant in the room — the “controversy.” Unless you lived under a Clicker-infested rock, you know what happened. When Abby (Kaitlyn Dever) thumped Joel (Pedro Pascal) out of the narrative early, the internet exploded. Seriously, from Reddit to old-school forums to thirsty TikTok drama, debates raged hotter than a firefly’s torch. Some fans cheered the boldness. Others… not so much.
- Empire gushed over Season 2, crowning it post-apocalyptic TV at its peak.
- Collider called it “one of 2025’s best seasons.”
- Pedro Pascal? Critics fell over themselves, loving his mix of warmth, resilience, and haunted charisma.
- Bella Ramsey, meanwhile, shaped Ellie with a cocktail of heartbreak and hope, mixing trauma and goofy charm in every scowl and smirk.
But praise didn’t drown out the howls of protest. After Joel’s downfall, Dever admitted fans weren’t letting her off the hook. In her own words, people would actually come up to her months later and ask, “Why did you have to do my boy like that?” That’s not just lingering bitterness, that’s dedication that borders fandom obsession.
Not only did Joel’s fate rattle cages, but some plot zigzags also irked loyalists. Early appearances by Isaac Dixon and the remixing of certain emotional beats stirred the pot. Reddit threads filled up. Twitter/X threads ignited. Fans clashed over whether the show should stay glued to Naughty Dog’s cutscenes or carve its own path.
Showrunners and The Art of Selective Deafness
You might wonder — do Craig Mazin and the creative crew actually care about all this uproar? Short answer: Yes and no, but probably more no. Mazin, ever the straight-shooter, confessed he avoids Reddit like the fungus plague. Why? Because online “feedback” (read: screams) can get seriously out of hand. He prefers not having his creative spirit steamrolled by every trending hashtag.
His approach? Tell the story he wants to tell. Let the chips — and the memes — fall where they may. Mazin outright said ditching the noise helps keep his vision sharp. He’s not deaf to the conversation, but he isn’t shaping scripts by poll either. And somewhere along the way, this headstrong attitude keeps the show from turning into creative mush.
What’s Brewing in Season 3’s Cauldron?
Let’s shift gears to the future — Season 3. First, the basics. It is happening. Expect it by 2027, after HBO cranks out another round of clicker nightmares and heartbreak poetry. This time, all signs point to a change of focus. Yes, Ellie sticks around, but Abby steps further into the spotlight.
- Bella Ramsey reprises Ellie, and she seems thrilled by the drama.
- Abby? Dever’s ready to (literally) fight for perspective, since Season 3 aims to crack open Abby’s side of the same relentless cycle we saw in Part II of the game.
- The producers tease that much of Abby’s Seattle story will unfold this time. “Day One, Day Two, Day Three”—all those grim flashpoints from the second game — will get fleshed out on TV.
- As for the infamous Ellie-on-Abby showdown, rumors hint it might be held back for a thunderous Season 4 finale.
But, there’s another wrinkle: Neil Druckmann, who co-created the entire TV adaptation and shaped so many big choices, won’t return as showrunner for Season 3. He’s shifting over to a mysterious video game project but will stay on as executive producer. The creative core, though, remains intact. Mazin’s fingers are still on the narrative wheel.
Big Moves or More of the Same?
So, with all this drama swirling, will HBO and the creators pump the brakes? Will they course-correct after the loudest critics picked the show apart? Visibly, that’s not the vibe — and there’s no mountain of evidence they’ll swerve from their blueprint to placate internet fury.
Yes, Abby will get more dimensional storytelling. The narrative will slow down, offering more context — especially for those who labeled her a “villain” instead of seeing the full tragedy. However, everything Mazin and the producers have said signals that they’re still swinging for the fences rather than playing it safe. Artistic vision comes first. If anything, the buzzwords circling Season 3 are “ambition” and “expansion,” not “damage control.”
This approach stems in part from confidence. Despite the noise, the show pulled record viewership and gigantic critical praise. Most major outlets flagged it as must-watch — so why fix what isn’t broken? At the same time, there’s enough behind-the-scenes awareness to suggest they’re not completely ignoring feedback. Expect more nuance in character arcs, more layers in relationships, and probably a bit more breathing room for big emotional beats.
What Fans Hope — and Fear
Dig through forums, and you’ll see a split. A lot of folks hope Season 3 will slow down and treat its characters with a softer touch. Maybe fewer sledgehammer plot twists. Maybe more room to mourn. A popular wish: Give Ellie some space to process it all, especially after what goes down in Season 2.
Others, though, want the show to stay merciless. After all, the game thrived because it didn’t coddle anyone — not players, and certainly not its characters. If the show suddenly got shy? That, ironically, might feel more off than any creative risk.
Ramsey, in fresh interviews, said she expects people to argue, maybe even harder, about what happens next. She seemed cautiously excited for the heat. Abby’s incoming backstory, Abby’s trauma, Abby’s impossible choices — all this will get a platform. Whether that calms tempers or fuels new fandom storms, only time will tell.
Abby: Season 3’s Lightning Rod
We know Abby’s role will grow huge. Expect her to anchor the narrative. Fans still smarting from Joel’s fate might get more reasons to empathize — or just new axes to grind. The show likely banks on this tension to drive conversation. There’s a gamble here. Give Abby her due and maybe, just maybe, shift the narrative from hate to heartbreak.
Still, don’t mistake more Abby time for a total turnaround. Insiders have confirmed the show wants balance, but not safe clichés. You’ll see her pain, her regret, and her need to survive. But her story will stay honest, not polished to please every Reddit thread.
The State of the Fandom: Healing or More Chaos?
Right now, #TheLastofUs fandom floats in a weird in-between. People still drop Joel memes. Cosplayers keep Ellie and Abby alive at conventions. And on Twitter/X, watch a single screenshot trend for days. Some hope for fresh closure. Others brace for more heartbreak.
But look — this is the same fan base that argued for years over game canon versus adaptation twists. These debates? They’re tradition now. The creative team seems to know this. Mazin keeps leaning into the conflict, not away from it.
A Final Turn in the Road
So, here we stand — at the threshold of yet another risky, ambitious season. Will Season 3 hand out peace offerings? Maybe in small doses — deeper character work, more nuance, and a few extra minutes for big moments. But don’t expect wholesale capitulation, not from this crew.
Instead, HBO seems ready to double down, offering more complexity rather than fewer headaches. If you’re watching for boldness, you’ll probably stay hooked. If you’re after safe answers and clean resolutions? Well… strap in. The apocalypse is never easy, especially with this many voices in the room.
Whatever you prepare for, remember: The Last of Us has always thrived on tension, loss, and tough choices. Season 3 looks to embrace every piece of that legacy, grounded in facts, fearless against the noise. The only guarantee? The conversation isn’t dying down any time soon. If anything, it’s about to get a lot louder.
