Before The Last of Us even started airing on HBO, audiences were comparing it to The Mandalorian – not just because it’s a science fiction series starring Pedro Pascal, but because it revolves around a surrogate parent-child relationship. But The Last of Us’ Joel and Ellie are a very different duo than Mando and Grogu. Aside from the obvious differences (The Last of Us is set on Earth while The Mandalorian takes place in a galaxy far, far away), there are some key distinctions between the nuances of their character dynamics. Joel isn’t the same kind of father figure as Mando and Ellie isn’t the same kind of kid companion as “Baby Yoda.”
There are certainly similarities between the characters of The Last of Us and The Mandalorian. Like Din Djarin, Joel is far from a traditional hero; he’s not above taking lives and his motivations aren’t always noble. Like Grogu, Ellie is a special kid whose unique biology has made her a high-profile target in a hostile world (not because of her formidable Force sensitivity, but because she’s immune to the virus that wiped out human civilization). Like the Mandalorian and his little green friend, Joel and Ellie have embarked on a treacherous journey across an intricately constructed story world with danger lurking around every corner. But these parallels are in very broad strokes, and the similarities end there.
RELATED: The Last of Us: Joel’s Similarities and Differences From The Game to the Show
The Mandalorian loves Grogu as his own son from the offset, whereas Joel is reluctant to travel with Ellie and takes a while to warm up to her. Ever since he saw her bite wound, Joel has been avoiding getting too attached to Ellie. The way he sees it, it’s only a matter of time before she turns into a zombie and someone has to shoot her. When Tess warns Joel that Ellie will be shot by FEDRA agents if they take her back to the quarantine zone, Joel gruffly says, “Better them than us.” Mando would never consider killing Grogu under any circumstances. If everybody else in the galaxy had to die for Grogu to live, Mando would gladly take that deal.
There is an intriguing parallel between Joel and Mando early on in their adventures; they both kill to save their young companion from being killed. Mando shoots IG-11 when he’s about to kill Grogu to take him to the Client. Joel beats a FEDRA officer to death when he’s holding Ellie at gunpoint, reminding him of the soldier that shot his daughter Sarah at the beginning of the outbreak. Both Joel and Mando would kill to protect the kid they’re traveling with, but only Joel would kill the kid if it was absolutely necessary.
Grogu is a symbol of childlike innocence, whereas Ellie is biting and sardonic. Unlike Grogu, Ellie always has a sarcastic quip up her sleeve, and she’s desperate for Joel to arm her with her own gun. Whenever Grogu does anything dark or violent, there’s always a layer of innocence over it. He Force-choked Cara Dune while she was arm-wrestling with Mando, but only because he thought his surrogate dad was in danger. There are a few reminders that Ellie is just a kid peppered throughout The Last of Us, like when she gleefully plays make-believe with the luggage cart in a flooded hotel lobby. Although she usually puts on a brave face, whenever clickers are around, she’s absolutely terrified. But Ellie has had to grow up a lot faster than the average 14-year-old, because she was born in a world ravaged by a zombie plague.
Taking Grogu under his wing is the first emotional connection that Mando has made. Ever since he was orphaned in the Clone Wars and adopted as a Mandalorian foundling, Mando has followed the Mandalorian creeds like his life depended on it. When Star Wars fans meet him at the beginning of the series, Mando is a lone wolf working as a bounty hunter, callously telling his bounties he can either bring them in warm or cold. It’s not until he meets Grogu that he opens up his heart.
Joel is the opposite; he opened up his heart a long time ago, but it was closed off by the unexpected onset of tragedy. Right after the outbreak of Cordyceps, Joel’s daughter Sarah was killed by a nervous soldier with an itchy trigger finger. Joel is more reluctant than Mando to take a child under his wing because he already tried and failed to do that before. Of course, it’s only a matter of time until Joel finally embraces his role as a father figure and steps up to the plate to protect Ellie from the monsters that lurk across the post-apocalyptic wasteland.
Both The Last of Us and The Mandalorian are sci-fi shows about an antihero taking a kid under his wing and going on a daring adventure. Pascal gives a phenomenal performance in each series and shares spectacular chemistry with his co-star, whether that co-star is an adorable animatronic like Grogu or a prodigious child actor like Bella Ramsey. They’re also both incredible shows that perfectly capture the tone and spirit of their respective franchises. HBO’s Last of Us series is a perfect companion to the games and The Mandalorian is one of the best pieces of Star Wars media ever produced.
MORE: The Mandalorian Returning To The Status Quo Could Hurt Its Third Season
