WARNING: This article contains major spoilers from The Last of Us season 2, episode 1 and the video game The Last of Us Part II

HBO's critically acclaimed post-apocalyptic drama series The Last of Us has finally returned to our screens, with fans praising the opening episode, Future Days.

The Emmy Award-winning show is based on the popular Naughty Dog video game of the same name.

The second season will only adapt half of the material from The Last of Us Part II, with the third season expected to cover the remaining content.

Future Days has already sparked speculation among viewers about the direction of the TV series, particularly regarding the fate of Joel Miller (played by Pedro Pascal), reports the Mirror US.

Fans of the video game will know that Joel meets a tragic end in The Last of Us Part II when he is brutally murdered by Abby Anderson (Kaitlyn Dever).

This brutal killing was alluded to in the TV show right from the start when Abby swore revenge for Joel's hospital massacre to save Ellie (Bella Ramsey).

Many have taken to Reddit to share their theories about Joel being killed off in season two, with one person speculating: "I wasn't sure they would do the thing this season. Thinking maybe that would be the intro episode for next season.

"But now it feels like we might not have our man this whole season. And I have to say, PP is playing the hell out of Joel. He definitely needs an Emmy [sic]."

They also said: "I feel like with flashbacks and world-building. Abby's story timeline, we're going to see this happen in the last episode. It's gonna be a crazy way to end the second season [sic]."

Another viewer was adamant, saying: "There's no way he lasts past next episode."

One fan, discussing the most recent episode, remarked: "My gf was convinced he'd bite it in this ep after they showed Abby's crew so early on [sic]."

Abby's early appearance in the show has also sparked debate over storytelling techniques that deviate from the original game. The character's motivation for pursuing Joel remains under wraps in the game but is foregrounded in the television series.

A viewer commented: "I think they revealed the purpose of Abby and her team so early because probably the real twist they want to build will be the revelation that the surgeon Joel killed was Abby's father."

Another explained the significance for viewers who haven't played the game: "For those who have already played the game it won't carry as much weight, but for the audience who only watch the TV series it will certainly be different."

And finally, one fan expressed hesitation about the change: "Okay. I understand why they're introducing Abby early, and why they're laying out her motivations early, but that really takes away the surprise from that scene."

Adding their two cents, they said: "I'll hold judgment to see how this plays out but.. initial reaction, not a fan of that change. Maybe it works better this way given that it's a TV show and prepares the viewer. We'll see."

A third viewer commented: "Can already tell a big difference in the structure of the introduction of Abby to garner more sympathy than how it was done in the game.

"I'm very excited to see how it's going to come across in this series. I loved how she was handled in the game. But I'm very interested to see how they'll handle her whole arc here, hopefully it goes well!" commented another enthusiastic fan.

With The Last of Us confirmed for a third season, fans are on tenterhooks to see if the series will faithfully adapt the story lines from the acclaimed game or take creative liberties, especially considering Pascal's standout performance and fan appeal that may potentially influence his character Joel's screen time.

The Last of Us season 2 airs on HBO in the USA on Sundays and on Sky Atlantic and NOW in UK on Mondays