Warning: This article contains spoilers for The Last of Us and The Mandalorian.
It is very obvious that Din Djarin from The Mandalorian is different from Joel from The Last of Us, despite both of them being played by the internet’s “daddy,” Pedro Pascal. And there are plenty of reasons why that’s the case. For starters, both are from different franchises. Also, one lives in a “space-opera” type story while the other lives in a universe where 60 percent of the population is wiped out due to a fungal brain infection.
But if you think about it, both characters have so many similarities that you may not realize. Sure, both are from different shows, owned by different studios. But it doesn’t negate the fact that we might be watching the same character, just in different settings.
So here are five ways that both Din Djarin and Joel are the same people.
5. Both have to escort and protect “someone special”
If you saw the fan art leading up to season three of The Mandalorian, people would have drawn Pascal with “three of his children” (Sarah, Ellie, and Grogu). So in a way, the fact that Pascal is playing literally the same type of character, just in different universes is quite funny.
Not to mention, both Grogu and Ellie have something “special” about them that makes them worth protecting. Grogu is a Jedi and Ellie is immune. Both younglings are a product unseen in their time and Pedro Pascal has to escort and protect both of them.
4. They both have the same story
Din Djarin’s story in the first season of The Mandalorian was that he’s a highly acclaimed bounty hunter who was given the task to find Grogu and take him to Moff Gideon. But then he changes his mind and made it his mission to take him to his kind. Joel’s story is about a survivor who became a smuggler in Boston’s Quarantine Zone. He was tasked to take Ellie to the Fireflies, but literally changes his mind at the last minute and saves her.
Both characters developed strong bonds towards the creature/person that they were tasked to escort, only to have changed their minds at the very last minute. Not to mention, both had to travel far and wide in order to complete their task. While one could argue that The Mandalorian might have copied The Last of Us because the game came out first, I still can’t believe the irony that Pedro Pascal is technically performing the same story twice.
3. Both are trying to atone for past mistakes
If there is something we learned in both season one of The Last of Us and season three of The Mandalorian, it’s that both Joel and Din want to fix the mistakes made in the past. For Joel, it’s how he was unable to protect Sarah (and eventually Tess). And for the Mandalorian, it was to be accepted back by his people. And in doing so, they both undergo this long journey for redemption.
2. Both worked in a seedy underbelly before finding a purpose
Isn’t it funny that both Joel and Din did shady jobs before their big mission? Even the reason behind it is the same — for money. And it’s technically their main form of work. The only difference is the type of work that they do. Joel smuggles items while Mando captures people. But in the end, it’s all for the reward money since it’s the only way to make a living in this new world order.
1. They both care for the little guy
Regardless if it’s Ellie or Grogu, both Din and Joel have a soft spot for their little ones. Both Grogu and Ellie have shown at times that they may be a nuisance and have demonstrated that they can help their protectors in battle. But in the end, they want them to remain innocent despite being aware of the true nature of the world they live in. In a way, both characters want to ensure that both younglings could still have a childhood, despite knowing they have gifts to help a greater cause.
So whether you’re watching The Mandalorian or The Last of Us, just note that you’re somewhat watching Pascal play a similar role, just in a different universe and setting. But just because it’s like he’s playing the same characters doesn’t mean they don’t have their differences. Mando and Joel are products of the world they live in and have different ways to deal with it. But regardless, both characters have many things in common that people might have missed in the past.