It's not exaggerating to say that The Last of Us' Joel Miller is not the most badass but one of the most relatable characters in video game history: a struggling working-class father with grey morality. He wants nothing but the best for his daughter. He's not your average good guy protagonist; he's a human capable of loving and dying for people he cares about, with all his flaws.
That said, there are still a couple of unheard or rather unknown facts about Joel and his past. The following ten lists will dig up some of the most essential facts about Joel's history, and if you haven't played Part 2 yet, there will be a major spoiler here. You have been warned.
Updated on March 30, 2023, by Ritwik Mitra: The Last of Part 1 has recently been released on PC, allowing a new batch of gamers to experience this masterpiece for the first time. The visual uplift and gameplay improvements certainly make this title feel pretty modern, with its solid story still holding up to this day. At the heart of this game is Joel, a complex and beloved character whom players love to this day. Here are some things about Joel Miller's past that most fans aren't aware of.
14 He Never Attended College Because He Became A Parent Very Early
Joel became a parent right after he came out of school, with his wife leaving soon after. Since he was shouldered with the responsibilities of a parent at an early age, this meant that he had to make some sacrifices to accommodate his daughter.
As a result, Joel didn't go to college and opted to use his school education to earn for himself and his daughter instead. Suffice it to say, this education wouldn't really have helped him out, given the terror that the entire world would go through in some time.
13 He Wanted To Start His Own Business
While he worked as a carpenter, Joel clearly had bigger ambitions. This can be seen in the fact that he had a book on his nightstand called "Everything You Need to Know About Creating a Startup".
It was clear that Joel had plans to start a business at some point and was preparing for it. Unfortunately, the advent of the Cordyceps infection threw a wrench in these plans for good.
12 He Was Pretty Adamant About Staying Fit
Joel is a pretty fit middle-aged man who always strove to remain in good health. This is one of the reasons why he's strong enough to take out enemies and sprint for miles without running out of breath.
As a carpenter, it's clear that his job kept him pretty fit as is. Along with this, Joel actually had a treadmill in his bedroom, showing that he always managed to squeeze in a bit of cardio whenever he got the time.
11 He Went To Many Museums With Sarah
Joel loved hanging out with Sarah. He was a model father who always accompanied Sarah whenever his daughter wanted her father around and supported her every step of the way.
Sarah was particularly passionate about museums and loved to explore ancient cultures. Joel, being the great parent that he is, accompanied Sarah on her excursions to these museums time and time again.
10 Joel Is a Texas Native
You've read that right: Joel is a proud Lone Star. He was born on September 26 in the early 1980s and grew up with Tommy, his brother. Mark R. Davies, Naughty Dog's game designer, confirmed the date on his Twitter as he tweeted, "Happy birthday Joel #outbreakday" on September 26, 2013.
Joel also references Texas as his 'home' throughout the games. When he gives Ellie a guitar and sarcastically asks about what it's supposed to be, he answers by pouring out his best Texan accent, "Well, I done hear that some people call this a gee-tar."
9 Joel Never Exactly Had a Picture-Perfect Childhood
Growing up, young Joel had to raise his brother, Tommy, due to their parents' absence, as confirmed during their encounter at the Firefly base on Tommy's Dam chapter in the fall season from the original Last of Us. The two always had each other's back since day one, and it's sad to find out the end of Joel's fate that surrounds the theme of Part II.
8 Joel Had Sarah When He Was Still a Teen
Sarah Miller was born in 2001 when Joel was barely mature. Compared to the girls of her age, Sarah seemed to be wiser and more intelligent, proved by an academic award and an Honor Roll award hanging above her computer. She is a big fan of outdoor activities like soccer, hiking, and skateboarding and even shared the same satirical sense of humor with Ellie. It must be one of the many reasons why Joel sees himself as Ellie's father figure.
7 Before the Outbreak, Joel Wanted to Be A Singer
Before the outbreak event, Joel, at some point in his life, was an aspired singer. He's a fan of music in general, and his favorite genres are hard rock and country. He had an extensive collection of music CDs and pieces of vinyl.
In Part 2, Joel gives Ellie his six strings and teaches her how to play it as he promised in The Last of Us. The scene is undoubtedly the game's most memorable moment, as Joel closes it by singing a beautiful rendition of Pearl Jam's Future Days.
"If I ever were to lose you, I'd surely lose myself," he sings. "Everything I have found here, I've not found by myself."
6 Who Is Sarah's Mother?
Throughout the game, it was never revealed who exactly was Sarah's mother, not even her name. The only clues available are the photographs of them near Sarah's bed and when he told Ellie that they were 'married for a while.'
Some fans believe that Tess was Sarah's mother, hence the close relationship between the two, but it doesn't make any sense because there is no evidence that the two had linked up before the outbreak. The only reasonable hypothesis is the unnamed mother had left Joel and Sarah, leaving him as a single father.
5 Because of That, Joel Single-Handedly Raised Sarah
The absence of Sarah's mother left Joel single-handedly raising Sarah. Despite that, the two still had a perfect-picture daughter-and-father relationship before the virus struck their hometown. Joel would take Sarah to hike and watch her soccer games, being a proud father like he always was. Sadly, we all know what's going to happen to Sarah shortly after.
4 Joel Used to Work as a Carpenter With Tommy
In his adulthood, Joel worked as a carpenter with Tommy. It's confirmed during the very first scene of The Last of Us when Joel was on the call with Tommy, saying that he's desperate to keep the job with a building contractor.
After Ellie and Joel settle in Jackson, he took carpentry as his hobby. His crafty hand helped build several statues and guitars; one of them will be given to Ellie.
3 Sarah Gave Him a Watch as a Birthday Gift, Just a Couple of Hours Before the Outbreak
The memorable watch we all see in both games was a gift given to Joel by Sarah on his birthday. Sadly, just a couple of hours after that, we know how Sarah's fate ended up. After running with Tommy from cannibalistic herds, Joel and Sarah flee to the highway before running into a soldier.
Despite everything, the soldier is ordered by his commanding officer to kill them both. Joel still managed to shield Sarah from the gunshots, but the damage was done. Sarah was murdered, leaving Joel grieving. More than 20 years later, Joel still kept the watch as a memento.
2 Grieving from The Loss of His Daughter, Joel Was Suicidal
The death of Sarah left Joel in shambles. He's lost everything he had: families, friends, and life. After the tragic event, he struggled to find the meaning of life and even contemplated suicide. This was confirmed when Ellie finds a couple that committed suicide, commenting that it's 'an easy way out,' only for Joel to say, "Trust me, it ain't easy."
"I struggled for a long time with survivin'," Joel advised Ellie. "And no matter what, you keep finding something to fight for."
1 The Loss of Sarah Turned Joel Into a Different & Violent Person. Soon, He Became a Hunter
Psychologically, Sarah's death and the world's apocalyptic environment turned Joel into a completely different person. He turned from a loving father to a monstrous and cruel hunter who didn't even hesitate to take innocent people's lives to survive.
This was confirmed during Ellie and Joel scene's journey, where they found a wounded man who begs for help. Recognizing the same tactic he used to do when he was a hunter, Joel told Ellie that the man is a hunter and is not wounded, stepping on the gas pedal.
The Last of Us Part 1 is available on PlayStation 5 and PC.