Because the TLoU is not your story, it's the story of Joel and ellie. You're moving the story along, you're not making the decision yourself. You're forced to do it cause it's what Joel would have done, probably 10 out 10 times. If ND is telling the story of Joel, it wouldn't make sense for you to inject yourself at the last few minutes and retconn the story by making a decision that would betray Joel's new found paternal love for ellie. I could understand if the game had giving you multiple decisions to be made throughout the game AND then force you into one at the end but that isn't the case. Honestly, there was no indication that this last decision would be based on our input.

Because the TLoU is not your story, it's the story of Joel and ellie. You're moving the story along, you're not making the decision yourself. You're forced to do it cause it's what Joel would have done, probably 10 out 10 times. If ND is telling the story of Joel, it wouldn't make sense for you to inject yourself at the last few minutes and retconn the story by making a decision that would betray Joel's new found paternal love for ellie. I could understand if the game had giving you multiple decisions to be made throughout the game AND then force you into one at the end but that isn't the case. Honestly, there was no indication that this last decision would be based on our input.

You're not thinking logically. Joel didn't make a choice. He wasn't confronted with a dilemma, consider the two options and 'choose' saving Ellie, he just reacting as a Father would (and should). He wasn't running and gunning his way through three rooms full of soldiers while simultaneously weighing the pros and cons. He was running to save his daughter, having already failed his first daughter. You're trying to retrospectively associate consideration to a situation in which there was NO consideration, not even the time to consider. 

When they were heading for the Fireflies, there was no indication that Ellie could die. Ellie herself spoke to Joel about what they'd do AFTERWARDS, meaning she didn't consider she may die. Ellie was then taken to the operation table unaware of what could befall her. There was NOTHING to consider, either from Joel's perspective or Ellie's perspective. The whole thing was just Joel saving his daughter from death. 

Only when he saved Ellie, went down the elevator and was confronted by Tess, was the consideration part of the narrative. At that point he DID make a choice but it was still a Father's choice and so the right one for Joel. The ironic thing here is the way they played this scene out. We see Joel's shoulders and head slump, giving the impression of 'consideration'. Because we, the player, saw that, when he's in the car and the camera is focused on a rather pensive looking Joel, for one moment (a deliberate moment) we think he may have chosen to leave Ellie. At that point, EVERY SINGLE let's player is hoping Ellie is in the back seat and then sigh with relief when she is. So, during the game, EVERY player believes Joel has made the right choice because we too now feel for Ellie.

It's perfect. All this 'I'd save the world' is primary school virtue signalling. 

I agree wholeheartedly! One thing I love and dislike about games is allowing me to create a lead character and making that character’s choices. I love it because I like to make the character look like me. I hate it because it usually leads to a sequel that’s not directly connected to the previous game often the story isn’t cohesive. If ND had allowed a choice then they’d have had to pick one themselves to follow for the sequel which would lead to the disappointment of many fans one way or another. Having Joel make the call himself leads to a stronger story and adds that aspect to the sequel. Like, does Ellie know that he lied to her? Or will she ever know for that matter? We’ll see...

Actually yes there was indication that Ellie could die, maybe Joel didn't realise that but Ellie did from what I remember. Around the time of the scene with the giraffes it's pointed out that Ellie is acting weird and quiet, she knew she might not live. Whether you have the time to think or not, it's still a choice. As was lying to Ellie at the very end saying there were many more like her.

And yes by your own admition there was the point at the elevator where he chose to ignore what Ellie would want. "It's what she'd want... And you know it." He did know it, and ignored her wishes.

So it's weird to start a post with "Joel didn't make a choice" to later on say he did. xD

Joel's decision was selfish and it was the wrong choice. I'm not saying that from a story point of view but from a human one. It's understandable, but selfish and short sighted. Like most good characters, he has flaws.

You're not thinking logically. Joel didn't make a choice. He wasn't confronted with a dilemma, consider the two options and 'choose' saving Ellie, he just reacting as a Father would (and should). He wasn't running and gunning his way through three rooms full of soldiers while simultaneously weighing the pros and cons. He was running to save his daughter, having already failed his first daughter. You're trying to retrospectively associate consideration to a situation in which there was NO consideration, not even the time to consider. 

When they were heading for the Fireflies, there was no indication that Ellie could die. Ellie herself spoke to Joel about what they'd do AFTERWARDS, meaning she didn't consider she may die. Ellie was then taken to the operation table unaware of what could befall her. There was NOTHING to consider, either from Joel's perspective or Ellie's perspective. The whole thing was just Joel saving his daughter from death. 

Only when he saved Ellie, went down the elevator and was confronted by Tess, was the consideration part of the narrative. At that point he DID make a choice but it was still a Father's choice and so the right one for Joel. The ironic thing here is the way they played this scene out. We see Joel's shoulders and head slump, giving the impression of 'consideration'. Because we, the player, saw that, when he's in the car and the camera is focused on a rather pensive looking Joel, for one moment (a deliberate moment) we think he may have chosen to leave Ellie. At that point, EVERY SINGLE let's player is hoping Ellie is in the back seat and then sigh with relief when she is. So, during the game, EVERY player believes Joel has made the right choice because we too now feel for Ellie.

It's perfect. All this 'I'd save the world' is primary school virtue signalling. 

I can guarantee that if Joel had stopped to give it some thought, weighed the pros and cons, and decided 'you know what, I think I'll let them kill her', people would have hated it.  'Bah, after all they've been through? There's no way Joel would have let her die. This is terrible writing.'

I agree wholeheartedly! One thing I love and dislike about games is allowing me to create a lead character and making that character’s choices. I love it because I like to make the character look like me. I hate it because it usually leads to a sequel that’s not directly connected to the previous game often the story isn’t cohesive. If ND had allowed a choice then they’d have had to pick one themselves to follow for the sequel which would lead to the disappointment of many fans one way or another. Having Joel make the call himself leads to a stronger story and adds that aspect to the sequel. Like, does Ellie know that he lied to her? Or will she ever know for that matter? We’ll see...