HBO's The Last of Us just aired (April 20) its most gut-wrenching episode yet, and fans are still reeling from the loss of Joel Miller. In a devastating, game-changing twist, Joel (Pedro Pascal) is murdered by Abby (Kaitlyn Dever), a moment that not only shook viewers but also deeply affected the show's stars behind the scenes.

Keep reading for a full episode recap. 

WARNING: Major spoilers ahead for the latest episode of HBO's The Last of Us

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Abby and her crew made their way to the snowy outskirts of Jackson, Wyoming, with the intent of finding Joel and making him pay. Though they had no solid plan, Abby's luck turned when she spotted Joel and Dina (Isabela Merced) on patrol. Trying to follow them, Abby slipped down a snowy hill and landed in what looked like a frozen infected pit, but they weren't frozen for long.

In seconds, hundreds of infected burst from the snow, chasing her through the forest. Joel saved her life, completely unaware she was his enemy. Abby played along, convincing Joel and Dina to follow her back to a cabin where she said her group had supplies. Once there, the truth came out…Abby shot Joel in the knee and revealed that he had killed her father, a doctor, during the infamous hospital standoff years ago. 

Now, she was here for justice.

Ellie (Bella Ramsey) stormed in too late. Abby's crew held her back as she screamed for Joel to "get up." In the most haunting moment of the series so far, Abby delivered the final blow, stabbing Joel in the neck with a spear.

The episode closed with Ellie, Dina, and Jesse returning to Jackson. Joel's body, wrapped in a white cloth, was dragged behind them through the snow, a visual that left fans with goosebumps. 

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Earlier in the episode, Ellie admitted to Jesse that even though things between her and Joel were strained, "I'm still me, he's still Joel, and nothing's ever going to change that."

The moment wasn't just difficult for fans, it was emotionally intense for the actors, too.  Pedro Pascal, 50, opened up about saying goodbye to Joel in a recent interview with USA TODAY. 

"I have nothing but respect for the level of investment that people have in a video game or a television show or a movie or a book," Pascal told the outlet. "If it is incredibly painful for people, that's obviously a brilliant achievement of the storytelling."

Pascal also told Entertainment Weekly that he's still emotionally processing it all: "I realize this more and more as I get older, I find myself slipping into denial that anything is over. I don't spend a lot of time thinking about it because it makes me sad."

Ramsey also weighed in, revealing that while they knew Joel's death was coming from Season 1, it didn't make reading the scene any easier.

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"I was dreading getting to that bit, and I cried," said Ramsey.  "It was the first time I ever cried from reading a piece of writing."

According to showrunners Craig Mazin and Neil Druckmann, this pivotal event will forever change the course of the story and the characters.

"This event will change all the characters we know forever from this point on," Druckmann said. Mazin added, "This story is about how we all deal with those moments, which do confront us in life."

With Ellie now vowing revenge, the rest of the season is shaping up to be a dark, emotional rollercoaster. The Last of Us airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and streams on Max.

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