Mel is a problem. Not because she’s a poorly written character—actually, it’s the exact opposite—but because she makes players feel deeply, intensely uncomfortable. If you’ve spent any time in the The Last of Us subreddits or scrolled through Twitter threads since 2020, you know the vibe. People kinda hate her. They call her a hypocrite, they find her annoying, and they judge her for being on the front lines while pregnant.
But honestly? Most of the discourse around Mel in The Last of Us misses the point of why Naughty Dog put her there in the first place. She isn't just "the other woman" in a messy post-apocalyptic love triangle. She’s the moral conscience that nobody wanted to listen to.
The Reality of Mel in The Last of Us Part II
Melanie, voiced by the talented Ashly Burch, isn't a soldier by trade. She’s a surgeon. Specifically, she was a top student of Jerry Anderson—Abby’s father. When Joel Miller made the choice to save Ellie at the end of the first game, he didn't just kill a doctor; he wiped out Mel’s mentor and the hope of a community.
That trauma defines her.
Unlike Abby, who turned her grief into physical muscle and a singular obsession with revenge, Mel stayed soft in ways that are actually quite brave for a world gone to hell. She’s highly skilled, a literal lifesaver, and yet she’s constantly surrounded by people who prefer breaking things over fixing them. When we see her in the Seattle chapters, she’s heavily pregnant. This is usually the part where players start typing in all caps. Why is she in the field? Why is she climbing over fences?
The game actually answers this, though it’s subtle. The Washington Liberation Front (WLF) isn't a traditional army; it’s a desperate community. Owen hints that they are short on medics. Mel is the best they have. She isn't there because she wants to be a hero; she’s there because her skills are non-negotiable for the survival of the group. It’s a grim reality of their world. If you have the hands that can sew a chest wound shut, you go where the wounds are.
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The Hypocrisy Argument: Is Mel Actually Right?
One of the loudest complaints about Mel in The Last of Us is that she participated in Joel’s death but then acted "holier-than-thou" afterward. Fans point to the scene in the Salt Lake City flashback where she agrees that Joel deserves to die.
Then, in Seattle, she calls Abby a piece of shit.
Is that hypocrisy? Maybe. Or maybe it’s just the messy, jagged way humans process guilt. Mel was there in that basement in Jackson. She watched what Abby did. Seeing a revenge fantasy turn into a bloody, prolonged reality changed her. It’s one thing to say someone deserves to die; it’s another to watch your friend turn into a monster to make it happen.
Mel’s disdain for Abby isn't just about Owen. Sure, the love triangle is there—Owen is the father of Mel's baby but clearly still loves Abby—but Mel’s issues run deeper. She sees Abby as a person who has lost her humanity. When Mel tells Abby she’s a "piece of shit," she isn't talking about the past. She’s talking about the fact that Abby thinks a few good deeds for some Yara and Lev can erase the trauma she inflicted on everyone else.
The Tragedy of the Aquarium
The final confrontation between Ellie, Mel, and Owen is one of the most stressful sequences in gaming history. Period. By the time Ellie reaches the aquarium, the player is already frayed. We know Mel is pregnant because we’ve spent hours playing as Abby, walking through her life, seeing her fears.
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When Ellie kills Mel, the realization hits like a physical weight.
It’s the moment the cycle of violence becomes unbearable. Ellie didn't know Mel was pregnant. When she unzips Mel’s jacket and sees the bump, she has a full-blown panic attack. It’s the first time Ellie truly sees the "other side" as human beings rather than just obstacles. Mel’s death is the catalyst for the game’s final shift in tone. It’s the point of no return.
Why Players Struggle with Mel
There’s a specific psychological phenomenon at play here. Players identify with Ellie and Joel. When a character like Mel stands in opposition to them—or even in opposition to the "cool" new protagonist Abby—she becomes an easy target for frustration.
- She’s vulnerable in a way that feels like a liability.
- She speaks truths that are hard to hear.
- She doesn't have a "cool" combat style; she’s a doctor.
- She represents the domestic reality that war destroys.
We tend to like "badasses." Mel isn't a badass in the traditional sense. She’s a person trying to maintain a semblance of a life while carrying a child in a war zone. That’s uncomfortable to watch. It’s supposed to be.
Factual Details You Might Have Missed
If you look closely at the environment in the WLF base, you can find notes and details about Mel’s standing. She was genuinely respected. Isaac, the ruthless leader of the WLF, gave her special clearance because she was that vital to their medical infrastructure.
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Also, consider her relationship with Owen. Owen is a dreamer. He wants to sail to Santa Barbara and find the Fireflies. Mel is a realist. She knows the world is broken. Their relationship was likely doomed even without Abby's interference because Mel wanted stability for her child, while Owen wanted to escape his sins.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Playthrough
If you’re planning on jumping back into The Last of Us Part II Remastered on PS5 or PC, try changing your lens on Mel.
- Listen to her tone. During the Abby chapters, pay attention to Mel’s voice lines during combat or exploration. She is clearly exhausted and fearful, yet she continues to perform her duties.
- Read the journals. Check the notes in the hospital and the aquarium. They provide context on her training and her relationship with the other Salt Lake survivors.
- Watch the background. In the scenes where Mel and Abby interact, look at Mel’s body language. She’s constantly guarded. She knows Owen isn't fully "there" with her.
- Acknowledge the contrast. Compare Mel to Dina. Both are pregnant during the game, but their experiences are vastly different based on their environment. Dina has a support system in Jackson; Mel is surrounded by a militant cult.
Mel is the mirror the game holds up to the player. She reminds us that even in a world of monsters and clickers, the hardest thing to survive is the people we thought we knew. She wasn't a warrior, and she wasn't a villain. She was just a woman trying to find a way for her baby to have a future in a world that had already decided it didn't have one.
When you stop viewing Mel as an obstacle to the "main" characters and start seeing her as the victim of their collective choices, the entire narrative of The Last of Us shifts. It becomes less about "winning" and more about the collateral damage of a world without mercy. Next time you see her on screen, remember: she’s the only one who actually told the truth to everyone’s face. That’s why she’s so hard to love. And that’s exactly why she matters.