A new promo picture for the upcoming HBO Max show The Last of Us brings a tragic backstory for one of the main characters, according to Screen Rant. The image centers around Joel and his daughter Sarah.

“The series takes place 20 years after modern civilization has been destroyed. Joel, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal, heartbreaking journey, as they both must traverse the U.S. and depend on each other for survival,” via HBO.

At the very start of the apocalypse, Joel and Sarah, played by Nico Parker (Dumbo, Reminiscence), try to escape from the outbreak and are successful until a soldier is ordered to kill them to contain the spread of the virus. Although they fight back, Sarah is fatally wounded and dies. Screen Rant explains the significance of the prologue: “It’s essential that viewers have time to connect with Joel and Sarah’s relationship in The Last of Us, since losing his daughter made Joel into the jaded, carefully guarded character that travels with Ellie during the series. While much of The Last of Us hinges on the relationship between Joel and Ellie and is set two decades after Sarah’s death, the loss of his daughter permanently marks Joel’s character and informs many of his future decisions and actions.”

The Last of Us, created by Craig Mazin (Chernobyl, The Hangover Part II), is set in the future during a zombie apocalypse. The protagonists are Joel Miller and Ellie Williams, played respectively by Pedro Pascal (The Mandalorian, Kingsman: The Golden Circle) and Bella Ramsey (Game of Thrones, Hilda). Gabriel Luna (Terminator: Dark Fate, Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.) will play Joel’s younger brother, Tommy, and Anna Torv (Fringe, Mindhunter) will play Tess, a smuggler. Original voice actors Ashley Johnson (The Avengers, Blind Spot), Troy Baker (BioShock Infinite, Batman: Arkham Knight), and Merle Dandridge (Station 19, Half-Life 2), who, respectively, voiced Ellie, Joel, and Marlene in the game, and composer Gustavo Santaolalla are also reported to be working on the project.

Carolyn Strauss (Game of Thrones, Chernobyl) will serve as executive producer of the series along with the game developer Naughty Dog’s Evan Wells (Uncharted) and PlayStation Production’s  Asad Qizilbash (Twisted Metal) and Carter Swan (Uncharted).

Niel Druckmann, known for his work on the popular game Uncharted, is the creator of the video game franchise from which the series is adapted from. He shared the photo on Twitter, excitedly announcing the countdown for the premiere of the show.

T-one-month! #TheLastOfUs pic.twitter.com/szhQyYT7Th

— Neil Druckmann (@Neil_Druckmann) December 15, 2022

The Last Of Us will air at 9 p.m. Eastern time on January 15, 2023, streaming only on HBO Max. You can watch the official trailer below.