‘The Last of Us’ Season 2 Finale: Does Jesse Really Die?

Things have finally started swirling in The Last of Us’ season 2 finale, and though some plot twists were just a little bit cringey or even completely unnecessary, the show still followed the original video game’s events pretty much faithfully.

Particularly, both the game and the HBO series treated Young Mazino’s Jesse pretty badly after he followed Ellie to Seattle and, on top of that, even revealed her harsh truth about his own take on Joel’s death.

However, it might be for that little detail with which the show made Jesse’s fate even more tragic. Here’s what happens to the character and what his plot twist means for The Last of Us’ future.

What Happens to Jesse in ‘The Last of Us’ Season 2 Finale?

In this season’s episode 7 titled “Convergence”, Jesse is seen changing his mind about the cycle of revenge that Ellie plans to keep as her priority since he tries to convince her to get back to Jackson where Dina could get medical assistance.

Eventually, Ellie agrees, though she still wants to try to catch Abby before Tommy gets back and they’re all set for Jackson.

When Ellie makes things clear about her desire to bring Abby to justice no matter what, Jesse accuses her of selfishness, to which Ellie responds that, unlike Jesse, she’s never cared that much about Jackson’s community because her own community was Joel.

The two eventually separate as Jesse embarks on a search for Tommy, and later they reunite in the Seattle theatre.

However, when they’re about to get on a trip back to Jackson, Tommy is ambushed by Abby, which prompts both Ellie and Jesse to come to his rescue. This is when Abby shots Jesse straight into his head, killing him instantly.

Jesse’s Hyperfixation About Not Dying Makes It All Even Worse for Dina

Even though most fans definitely saw it coming thanks to the video game’s plot line spoilers, Jesse’s passing becomes an even more tragic event in the wake of his constant focus on avoiding death no matter what.

Throughout the episode, he repeatedly states that he can’t die because he now has to take responsibility for his and Dina’s child, even though she didn’t even tell him she was pregnant at that point.

The show is yet to witness how exactly Dina will handle the news of her future baby’s father’s death, but the original game suggests she would go on to live with her and Jesse’s child on a farm where Jesse’s parents would help her raise their grandson.