The Last of Us isn’t just a survival game or a prestige TV show. It’s a two-punch combo of post-apocalyptic horror and emotionally ruinous dad content. And Joel Miller? He’s the bearded heartbreaker at the center of it all.

Whether he’s grunting through trauma, bonding with Ellie over puns, or shooting his way through morally grey decisions, Joel never wastes a word. Which is terrifying, because every word he does speak? It means something.

Bella Ramsey in The Last of Us | Credits: HBO

With Season 2 fast approaching and the emotional stakes only rising, it’s time to gear up. But not with weapons, with quotes. These aren’t just lines, they’re emotional bear traps, waiting to snap shut on your heart. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll question everything you thought you knew about good and evil. So, sit down. Stay quiet. And listen close.