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Originally Posted by ShiftyEyedWaterboy
I've seen this sentiment expressed a lot and I don't entirely agree with it. The Fireflies weren't exactly good people. When you finally find them in the first game they debate killing Joel on the spot. During the second half of the museum flashback you see the graffiti from a Firefly talking about murdering and torturing people for them. Abby's father decides he has the right to take Ellie's life without consulting her about it or giving Joel any time with her. If I'm remembering correctly there was a chance it wouldn't even work. I think Joel's actions were pretty understandable and even justified given the circumstances. I wouldn't call it a good thing but I'm not sure it was evil, either.
The shittiest thing from a in-universe perspective is that Ellie probably would have agreed to the procedure and talked Joel into it, too, but Jerry had to be an unethical asshole. I do agree that the game is great, though. I beat it a few days ago and loved it. Not as much as the first but it is great.
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Your opinion honestly isn't wrong and I think that's the nuance and genius of what Druckmann did with this game.
Morality in the world of The Last of Us is so subjective. You could argue that Joel did the right thing by saving Ellie because of the unethical actions of the Fireflies. But you could also argue that the Fireflies were justified in attempting to act in the best interests of the greater good, even if it meant taking someone's life.
There isn't a clear cut right answer, and it makes the situation much more complex. Abby is completely justified in hunting down and killing Joel. From her perspective, he is a monster that murdered her father, disbanded the Fireflies (which were her family) and ended any chance of humanity being able to manufacture a cure. From that point of view, he's a horrible person who deserved a brutal death.
But he also saved Ellie, gave her a new chance at life and a family as well. From her point of view he is a loving father figure who died wrongfully, even though she wishes he had given her a choice in the matter, she understands why he did what he did and still loves him.
This story is multilayered, complex and requires critical thinking. I think anybody who expected a light, fun buddy adventure with Joel and Ellie completely missed the point of the first game. This was always a series that was about sobering reality and the consequences of a cruel world.
Even if you don't like the direction that they took the narrative, you at least have to respect the story that Druckmann is trying to tell. Unlike other recently criticized stories The Last Jedi and Game of Thrones, this one is different because the character's motivations all make sense and their actions are justified and rational in the scope of the world they live in. People just don't like it because it's not the direction they wanted the series to go. It's a bold story that takes risks that I wish more games would have the balls to do.
I think it's a masterpiece and I suspect that as the years go by, the widespread reception to this game will do a 180.