Of course, Joel, having just arrived, does not yet equate staying alive with winning. Surviving is an end in and of itself, with no particular goal or crown to look forward to for doing it.

Just more surviving.

"I ain't gonna kill you," he says, almost in pity, though, because he gets it. He gets that feeling, of not having anything to live for anymore, of just wanting to say 'fuck it, I'm done'.

He has Ellie, keeping him going now. If he didn't? It might be a different story. So it's something like pity, if he's capable of that anymore. "Find your folks," he says, "take care of 'em."

He turns to leave.