'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYH/8QAFQEBAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAwT/2gAMAwEAAhADEAAAAMZkyd//xAAdEAACAgIDAQAAAAAAAAAAAAABAgMFABEEIjFi/9oACAEBAAE/ALC95C2fMns1WWMSkOqHzpoBd+ADGnBJOyN/Of/EABcRAQADAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEAAiH/2gAIAQIBAT8AoAZP/8QAFxEAAwEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAECMf/aAAgBAwEBPwCm60//2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
The Last of Us season 2 brings fresh faces, time jumps, and intriguing new turn of events and feuds as the show returns to HBO after a two-year wait. This new season is set five years from the events of the season 1 finale, bringing Joel and Ellie together with his brother and sister-in-law, Tommy and Maria, and their son.
Besides familiar faces, season 2 also brings new characters. There's Catherine O'Hara's Gail, Joel's new therapist. The season 2 premiere also brought up a name that plays a key role in Joel's character arc—Gail's husband, Eugene. He had a small presence in The Last of Us game as a septuagenarian who became close to Ellie's friend, Dina.
However, he is set to have a significant character weight in the season 2 narrative, especially as the show further explores Joel and Ellie's relationship. Read on to find out more about Eugene's character in the series, how it differs from the game, and the answer to the question, 'Did Joel shoot Eugene?'
Trending
Everything to know about Eugene in The Last of Us season 2
Eugene is a character initially mentioned by name in The Last of Us part 2. He is one of the survivors in Jackson. He often went on runs with Ellie's BBF, Dina, and they formed a close friendship. While very little is known about him in the previous season, The Last of Us season 2 premiere revealed more about his backstory.
It turns out that Eugene is the husband of Gail, the resident therapist in Jackson. The premiere also revealed that he served as a patrolman of the Jackson Community. However, in the present timeline, he is already dead, and Gail blames Joel for her husband's death.
Did Joel shoot Eugene?
According to Gail, as seen in the therapy session scene in The Last of Us season 2 premiere, Joel shot Eugene. In the scene, the inebriated Gail tells him:
"You shot and killed my husband. You killed Eugene. And I resent you for it."
But why did Joel shoot Eugene? So far, in the series, the reason for Joel killing Eugene remains uncertain. However, Gail's statement in the therapy session scene reveals that it was a necessary choice on Joel's part. She told Joel, "I know you had no choice," when she was talking about him killing her husband.
How does The Last of Us season 2 change Eugene's death from the game?
Some of Eugene's backstories in the series line up with his character from the game. For example, Eugene in the show is a Jackson patrolman, the same as Eugene Linden's character in the game. However, how he died is changed in the series. In the game, he died of natural causes, specifically a stroke, but in the series, Joel shot Eugene.
The season 2 premiere also hinted that one of the reasons why Gail can't forgive Joel for killing her husband is because of how he did it. She said, "I know I should forgive you. But I tried, and I can't because of how you did it."
Who is going to play Eugene in The Last of Us season 2?
Eugene hasn't appeared in The Last of Us season 2 yet, but he will at a later point in the series. And because he's already dead in the present timeline, his eventual appearance on the show will be in a flashback, and Dexter: Original Sin star Joe Pantoliano will be playing Eugene.
Pantoliano famously played Cypher in The Matrix and the sociopathic mobster named Ralph Cifaretto in The Sopranos. He has over 150 credits to his name, including Bad Boys for Life, Sense8, and Memento.
The Last of Us season 2 is now streaming on Max.
