why did they kill joel off the last of us

They killed off Joel in The Last of Us because it was a pivotal and inevitable moment in the story, originally from the video game, that drives the entire narrative of the second season. Joel was killed by Abby, a former member of the militant Fireflies group, who sought revenge for the killing of her father by Joel in the first season. Joel had brutally stopped the Fireflies from sacrificing Ellie to find a cure to the fungal outbreak, which led to Abby's vendetta. Showrunners explained that Joel's death early in season 2 serves as the "inciting incident" that propels the story forward. It was a difficult but critical storytelling choice to explore themes of loss, revenge, and consequences in the harsh post-apocalyptic world. They also wanted to avoid prolonging the inevitable and tormenting fans with suspense about when the death would occur. Joel's death is both brutal and heartbreaking, witnessed by Ellie, who had become like a daughter to him, and it deeply affects the story and character decisions thereafter. In summary, Joel was killed off to faithfully follow the original game's story and to set the tone for the second season's themes of retribution and loss. It was a creative choice by the writers to deepen the drama and impact of the story.