Joel is a human being. Not a superhero, not any kind of hero. And the thing is, he
never pretends to be one. He never wanted to do this. He set out on a journey to get some guns, and now all of a sudden he's supposed to help save humanity? Why? What has humanity done for him? The "Government", that's resorted to treating ppl like animals...essentially herding them into cages? Society itself, who have behaved like the very animals they deny being? The Fireflies, who have, since we have known them, shown to be nothing but incompetent, wanna-be Freedom Fighters that can't get out of their own way? Those are the ppl he's supposed to "want" to help?
I think that's goes to the core of his decision. If Ellie never came into his life, he and Tess would be living life just like they were: one day at a time, fighting for survival. His daughter long buried, and even (dare I say) forgotten (I mean, he kept the watch yes, but even with Ellie, it's like he's trying his hardest not to remember...refusing the picture from Tommy being the main example). But the bond is there, and it grows to be the strongest he's felt since Sarah (I mean, we don't know how he responded with whatever happened between him and Tommy, but even when Tess died, it was like...life goes on). So they took his daughter once, and now they're trying to do it again? How's he supposed to live with himself? How's he supposed to pick up and move on? You wanna call that selfish? Go ahead. What would I call it? Real. Human.
I seen Winb had some problems with the ending, and while I can understand where he's coming from, how can you NOT understand where Joel was coming from? My dude isn't Captain America, trying to save the planet. He's you...he's me...he's any one of us, that, if put in a similar situation, would in all likelihood do the exact same thing Joel did. I know as soon as Marlene said they "decided" that Ellie had to die, I immediately got the
face. Wasn't no way I was letting them kill my girl. Nope. Everyone wants to hope that they would do "the right thing", but "the right thing" isn't necessarily the same for me as it is for you. Is it right to deny humanity a chance at a cure? Obviously not. At the same time, is it right to sacrifice a 14 year old girl on the "hope" (NOT guarantee) that she'll be the answer? Who here can answer that without being put in them shoes? I'm one of them people that isn't big on speculation. That "what would you do if..." scenario that ppl like to throw around. I don't know what I would do. Let me get in that situation, and I'll let you know after the fact. That's what makes this game so damn great...it really makes you feel as if you really
are in that situation.
That said, I'm sure they probably thought about, and obviously decided against it, but imagine if they actually
did give you the choice? I can tell you 2 things: 1. I obviously woulda made the same exact decision that Joel made, and 2. No matter how many times I replay it, I woulda NEVER went the alternate way. I couldn't deal with Ellie dying. I'm not bout
that life.
Also, I missed the Surgeon's Recorder my first go around, so I didn't even know they had already had access to other immune people, and I STILL wanted to walk out that hospital with Ellie by my side. They failed how many times? But I'm supposed to believe THIS time will be different? Nah...Ima go ahead and take Ellie out of here, and we'll be on our merry way. As far as Ellie's feelings on the matter, do I think she was resigned to the fact that she was going to die? Maybe. I mean, we never "knew" she had to die until the very end, so how could she "know"? I think she suspected, hence the aloofness she showed when Spring started. But at the same time, that aloofness was gone when we saw the Giraffes. It coulda been lingering from what happened during Winter. I mean, she
was almost cut up into "tiny pieces", Joel almost died, and who knows what that psycho woulda done to her had he finally gotten his hands on her in the restaurant. I agree with what someone (not sure who) said above: when she asked Joel at the end, and he said what he did, and she said "OK", I think she meant it. I think she knew that he wasn't 100% with her, but I think she accepted it.
As far as the doctors, the first one that showed aggression got clapped up real quick. I left the others alone. And Marlene? After she green-lit dude to kill me, I just wish I was in control of Joel when he murked her.
