in tlou how do you think tess would’ve handled telling joel she was bitten if things actually went to plan at the capital and they handed off ellie? i have been thinking about this lately
Ooh, good question, anon!
Joel would’ve fulfilled a promise. This was a possibility he and Tess would’ve discussed many years ago, and they would’ve sworn that they’d never let the other turn. It was a crucial foundation of their trust and love for one another. It was a promise they took seriously a final act of love and the last thing they could protect the other from.
So they would’ve parted ways with Ellie and gotten their reward. Mission complete, Tess can begin to check out. She lets Joel pack the vehicle and check it over, and he’s annoyed she’s dragging her feet. He’s eager to go by this point and he’s so pissed off that she’s not helping. The Fireflies leave first and she watches them go. And when Joel tells her they’re ready too, what the fuck are you doing, come on, she tells him she’s not going.
The same pressure isn’t on as it is in canon, but it still takes Joel some time to grasp that this is really happening once she's shown him the bite. He sees her hand shaking. She reminds him of their promise, and he says he can get her out of Boston. He doesn’t know why. It just seems right. But Tess tells him there isn’t time. She is out of time, and he made a promise.
I don’t think they would be able to admit anything to one another. It’s already too late. Tess is too concerned with ending it before she can lose her mind, which she’s already fighting. But she also knows that Joel won’t be able to do it. He could put her down once she’s gone, but Tess doesn’t want to turn. She doesn’t want a single moment in that state. She does not need those final seconds, but Joel does, and he would be incapable of robbing himself of any time with her. Even if it means sparing her turning.
So they sit down together and he holds her hand, and Tess does it herself.
Joel takes the vehicle and drives across the country. It’s pretty easy with good equipment. He does stop at Bill and Frank’s for supplies and has A Great Time there finding Bill’s letter all by himself. But he doesn’t really experience much difficulty in his journey with good equipment at his disposal. He has a goal to find and save Tommy, but when he gets to Jackson, Tommy’s not the one who needs saving.
And Joel doesn’t have a purpose anymore.
