this character is over-hated | Scene Analysis - The Last of Us Part II
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- Опубліковано 14 тра 2024
- Please enjoy this in-depth analysis of this scene between Abby and Mel from The Last of Us Part II.
This video was created for educational purposes only. This is my own interpretation of the scene based on multiple playthroughs and hundreds of gameplay hours, my experience as a writer/director, and listening to interviews with/commentary by the creators of the game.
Music by Gustavo Santaolalla and Mac Quayle.
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CHAPTERS
00:00 Intro
00:41 Context
16:17 The Green-Eyed Monster
23:30 Given Circumstances
24:18 Desired Outcomes
26:01 Subtext
34:38 Conclusion
Clip from "We Have Cool Friends": • The Last of Us Part II...
Abby's cut voice lines: • The Last of Us Part 2 ... - Ігри
Even discounting that Mel doesn't know the sincerity of Abby's intentions, there's a painful -- yet important -- lesson in this scene: The people you've hurt are under no obligation to forgive you. Forgiveness is given, not earned. You should put in the work and make amends because it's the right thing to do, but at the end of the day, if a person decides they can't or won't forgive you for past harms? You've just got to accept that as a consequence of your actions and keep trying to do better. Now, maybe Mel would've been more forgiving if she'd seen Abby as we did, but even if she wasn't? I couldn't hold that against her.
And to add to that, I think that was really the whole idea behind putting Abby’s perspective in the game. If we had gone the entire game as Ellie, we would have had no remorse for Abby. The writers wanted to give us a choice. To see her side and to decide on our own terms whether we forgive her or not.
The amount of parallels that can be drawn in this story. This is very well put and it immediately made me think of:
"I don't think I can ever forgive you for that. But I would like to try."
Joel struggled with the very same thing described here (not necessarily with his decision but Ellie's reaction to it and the way he handled it with her). Would Ellie have been more forgiving if she saw Joel as we did, as you suggest for Mel? We wouldn't know, but at the ending conversation, their last, just as you said, he was ready to accept the consequences, Ellie not forgiving him, and just trying to be better, and also feeling that he did the right thing even if it meant losing her.
The basis of this story is the fact that people are people on both sides. If they met in different circumstances, they would not be inherently hostile to each other. There are so many parallels, similarities between Ellie and Abby, their respective crews, the WLF and the Seraphites, and so on.
😊😂😂😅😊е😅е😊😂
Qq
Great comment
It’s so sad that Mel still dies for Abby’s sins in the end, you know she’s in the afterlife FUMING
she's gonna haunt Abby forever that's for sure😅
LMAOO bro Mel really ain’t deserve this shit fr
Technically, it was Owen's fault that he and Mel died... they only spared Ellie and Tommy because Owen insisted on it. Even Mel was on board with killing them just so there wouldn't be any witnesses left.
They're Mels sins too lmao
and then abby still writes to owen (you can see the note in the boat). if I was mel, I’d be so upset. definitely gonna haunt abby in the afterlife. I love both abby & mel SO much, but abby did mel dirty. SO dirty.
I Hate how many people hate Mel. She's perfectly justified in her hate for Abby, even if Abby is becoming a better person and gets sympathy from the player. She was clearly affected by the events in Jackson and her boyfriend (WHO SHE"S PREGNENT BY) Is constantly worried about Abby and ignores her, not even bringing up the boat scene where he CHEATED on her with Abby.
I never "hated" Mel, just felt like she was a wet blanket.
I'm coming around though.
Didn’t Nora say Isaac was extremely harsh on her when abby went awol. Possibly torture?
@@Banskibri I think Isaac (and other WLF) only torture those they've dehumanized. Like the Seraphites.
Right! Abby is the catalyst and the trigger for one of the most traumatic events of Mel’s life.
@@superphantom100 Owen's pretty good.
Mel deserved so much better, she worried about Abby she supported her, probably killed for her, and what did she got? The most traumatic event of her life, being cheated on and a stab in the throat.
fr i dont see how more people cant see that. Abby really was such a piece of shit for that.
@@charlieberry7562 There is so much wrong with your statement idk where to begin...
- Joel was NOT an innocent man. And this is coming from someone who has him tattooed on their body. I loved joel so much but he killed abbys dad. As much as i hate her, she had every right to feel vengeful. Imagine someone killed your mom or dad and got away with it. No matter why the reason they did it... is that an innocent person to you...??
- I agree that mel did put herself in harms way but in a world where any day could be your last, mel was simply just doing what she thought was right to survive. She was abbys dad's top student in the medical field, she felt she had duties to fulfill, without her yara wouldve easily died. Do i agree with mels methods? No, if i was pregnant id be resting but I am me. Mel is Mel. You have every right to dislike her character but we cant judge her on her way of survival when we havent experienced the world that she grew up in...
I don’t understand hating Mel. She was mistreated by her supposed friend Abby, who keeps inserting herself into her life with Owen (the arrow shooting scene in the aquarium irks me because no, Abby, your name didn’t have to be there, Owen was right to be hesitant and you shouldn’t have insisted) and constantly neglected by her boyfriend Owen, who is irresponsible to begin with because I think he got with her to try to forget Abby, which is shitty and emotionally irresponsible. Don’t even get me started on Owen cheating and just not caring about his pregnant gf in general. She was done so dirty by everyone, especially Abby and Owen.
I agree with pretty much everything you said except the arrow shooting thing. While you could argue that Abby was pushy, the burden was on Owen to say "Hey, this is just a fun thing between Mel and me, sorry ". He could've kept her at a friendly distance but he didn't.
While Owen wasn't an irredeemable person, he really failed Mel in so many ways, specially in the end with Ellie's confrontation.
@@cloudtx oh yeah, I agree with that too. Abby shouldn’t have insisted and also, he should’ve stood his ground. But he didn’t care enough about Mel to actually try with her and really let go of Abby, it shows through in that lack of boundaries with Abby. Even if it’s a small thing like a shooting arrow game. I always felt so bad for Mel. Like, damn, it was unfair of them to treat her like that, it’s like she wasn’t even a person.
@@DanielMcGarrity-xs4bu I couldn't disagree with you more. She came across as pretty likable in the trip with Abby and Manny. Not to mention, this is a woman who was pregnant yet willing to go into the field. While you could argue she was being reckless, it shows that she cared enough about doing her duty as a member of the WLF and as a doctor that she was willing to risk it when she could've easily stayed behind.
Plus, when Abby brought Yara to her, she didn't hesitate in giving medical aid to what should've been a mortal enemy because it was the right thing to do. Mel was a really good person who didn't deserve what she got nor does she deserve the hate from the fandom.
I think Abby has some good quality to her despite what's she's done, which there is quite the list. I feel as though there are circumstances that don't justify, but explain certain actions. I.e., murdering Joel how she did, the amount of anger and rage to finally be met with the silver platter to satisfy it, is a hard thing to stifle. It doesn't justify it, but there isn't an absence in logic from Abby's perspective. This might also be supported by her decision not to kill Ellie and Tommy; she was over her indulgent rage, and might have felt guilty just as soon as it was finished. Abby seems more susceptible to impulse than anything, which just seems to be a quality of hers, which, objectively, needs work. This would also apply to her treatment of Mel, she might not have Mel at the top of her mental list, with all that she's been through in that short time. Abby indirectly, not entirely intentionally, was very well shitty to Mel, and single-handedly ruined that relationship, and hardly knew it until it was deteriorating/over.
@@charlieberry7562 Your points about Mel endangering her child are valid, I personally disagree with her those choices, though I think you might be overstating the point a bit about what that child might have thought about her in the future.
Also, while I agree that she was a part of what happened to Joel and even supported it, Joel was not an "innocent man".
Your point about Naughty Dog deleting Abby's lines about Mel/Owen starting to judge her because they were too on-the-nose shows that Naughty Dog was really trusting its audience to piece together the nuances of the characters on their own. I give them a lot of credit for challenging the player to think critically, even if it's uncomfortable from an emotional standpoint. I hope the backlash doesn't deter them or other studios from taking narrative risks and trusting the audience to challenge their own intuitions.
Another reason why the game was so controversial… For a good reason, I mean.
That's the issue with being subtle. If deeper meaning is hard to find, its like its not there at all for most. That goes double for if the deeper meaning is debatable.
I hope it does, then they can bring people in who know what they are doing
Not only Mel and Owen, but Jordan (in a missable interaction) makes a comment about not talking to each other (and by extension, Leah etc.) since returning to Seattle.
Pretty much everyone (except Manny) distanced themselves from Abby after Jackson.
Manny is to the Salt Lake Crew what Jesse is to Team Jackson.
YES, Manny is such a good friend to his people man. he's the mom of the group for sure, just wants harmony and for everyone to be okay. another totally over-hated character
wait- I'm curious. What did Jordan say exactly? The only lines of Jordan's I remember is on the first day, where he was asking if Abby is coming with them to the Serevena.
@@hersn1per maybe they mean "nice to see you too, Abby"? but yeah there's really nothing else that he says that is along that vein haha
@@tlou_explained 👆
Interesting you say that!! Manny is to Salt Lake what Jesse is to Jackson because they also both got killed in very similar ways, and both standing right next to the person whose revenge quest was the thing that got them both killed. 😬
Mel has every right to be angry. Imagine being in her position. She countlessly went out of her way to clean up the messes Abby made when blinded by revenge.
Well she slept with her friends ex first
Fun scenes to try from the Ellie side:
Jesse and Ellie's conversation about Dina being pregnant. Lots of nuance there. Ellie is very uncomfortable.
Also the very tense conversation between Ellie and Dina when Dina tells Ellie that she things she's pregnant and Ellie effectively calls her a burden. I remember the being painful when I first played it.
The final conversation between Joel and Ellie too. A lot to unpack considering the history and context, or them both processing the lie Joel was keeping for 5 years.
@superphantom100 watch me :)
Being pregnant, you just *know* Mel smelled the Abby/Owen funk on the boat the next morning!
TO BE FAIR I'm sure everyone fuckin reeks in that world lmao, poor Mel (or any pregnant lady) should be walking around pinching her nose
Why do ya'll think water stops existing???
@@PhantomThief7 huh?
@@PhantomThief7 It's not that water stops existing -- though to be fair it's not free flowing and filtered like before -- but the HEAT and the lack of soap or deodorant is more the thing. I don't think that's a priority if there's any left that hasn't been horded.
@SirJonHarringtonBlumpkinThe8th Yeah, I highly doubt Owen got up early, washed the blankets etc. before Mel got there. While *hung over* no less!
Also, Mel is a BAD ASS! She basically the same journey as Abby to get to the aquarium. While pregnant!
I would like to see an in-depth analysis video on Abby and Issac's relationship. I genuinely believe that Issac took advantage of her built up anger to make her one of his best soldiers. Or just an analysis on their relationship itself because he was a "father figure" to her.
I also think thats why isaac lets her go to jackson with the salt lake crew in the first place his thinking is if i help her achieve her goal of justice knowing they're kinda disillusioned from what happened... that may help me achieve my goal of making them stronger top scar killers...
The truth is, we just didnt get enough of isaac ive always been 50/50 on it, it emphasises that anyone can die at anytime no matter how big you are which i like but we also miss digging into his backstory more. I hope the tv series could highlight him more
@slickstar96 You're right about that. Isaac was an interesting character that we didn't get to see much to better understand him.
Agreed, iirc they cut a looot of scenes between Abby and Isaac so I feel like there could be a lot of missing context / subtext there
yeah that's exactly why I think he let them go. he figured if Abby finally got her revenge she would be free from distractions and could put all her focus/energy on ending the scars.
@SirJonHarringtonBlumpkinThe8th 😒 anyone is an npc the game stresses that more than anything anyone could die why does he need to get a death of huge spectacle? Does that happen in real life?, no, people die thats it...
Ive voiced my issue with it, but i also explained why i like it...plus yara got shot with one bullet then has enough strength to shoot him then gets riddled with bullets not the other way round. i see nothing wrong with that. It happens in movies and games all the time but here suddenly its a problem
Mel is sooo interesting to me. She trained under Jerry and learned a lot from his downfall I think. It really stood out to me how she immediately helped Lev and Yara, despite them being seraphites. I really like Mel. I think she’s justified in her hatred of Abby and is the only one who actually pushes Abby to think about her actions.
Mel should’ve woke up and realized that Owen didn’t love her and that he really wanted Abby. Her resenting Abby because she’s her mentors ACTUAL daughter and also her baby daddy is in love with is understandable. She’s only seen Abby murder a guy with a golf club and sleep with her man. She’s not gonna forgive her just because she decides to save Yara and Lev. Mel ends up dying and saved Yara. Mel isn’t a bad person. She fell for a dude who was on the rebound. She’s foolish not evil.
The fact that TLOU2 is still being talked about today speaks volumes of the rich content of the game, especially the characters. It's not always the case when you go to a deep analysis of a side character and have much to uncover. Good job!
The conversations during the trip to the FOB where Abby and Mel's former friendship starts to peek back through are so sad. There's something so... innocent about those conversations; a reminder that when they were friends, they were children. Just one more thing that was lost along the way. I doubt either one of them have ever really put the time into unpacking all the layers to why they feel the way they do about each other (beyond the obvious ones), and it's so poignant seeing that there's at least some part of both of them that wishes it didn't turn out this way.
The hate for Mel seems so random because there’s no single awful thing that she did. “She went out on patrol while pregnant,” no, Isaac called her up to the FOB to give medical aid to injured soldiers, she was literally moving from one safe location the next and the Scar ambush wasn’t her fault. “She cusses out Abby,” because Abby has been a bad friend to her and also slept with her baby daddy.
While I agree she didn’t do anything “awful”, and that Abby deserved how Mel treated her, I also don’t like that she went out on a mission pregnant. It’s just a stupid move tbh and one someone who is a medical professional (as professional as one can be in the world of tlou) should never have done. It broke my immersion on my first run and to this day i don’t like it.
@@jh22966 Actually I misspoke, she wasn’t going out on patrol, she was called up to the FOB by Isaac along with everyone else at the stadium. She was just following orders.
Abby suggested she not go, and Mel makes the choice to do so of her own volition
It's important that Mel was one of the crew who wanted to kill Ellie and Tommy to "tie up loose ends" and it was Abby who refused it (and Owen agreed) because they weren't guilty of what Joel did. Mel, like everyone, hasn't been ethically perfect, and if she has been troubled by participating in Jackson she may be shifting her self blame onto Abby.
@@Harbinger57 Mel and Manny were right about “tying up loose ends,” Tommy and Ellie came after them and killed their entire crew because they didn’t.
I’m so so so excited to see you cover the last scene with Ellie and Joel 😭😭😭
that's definitely on my list!
@@superphantom100 lol
2:10 i never once thought about whose voice that was on the recorder. Once you mentioned it being Mel, it makes so much sense. Great catch!
That Last 5 Years reference was so unexpected... well done
When in the video was it?
Found it lol. It wasn’t subtle at all.
lmao I couldn't get that line out of my head after I wrote the bit about Abby doing what she always said she would do😅
Not sure if someone already mentioned this, but I think Neil or Haley said in the directors commentary that they considered portraying Mel as closer to Jerry than abby ever was. They said they ended up taking it out bc they thought it was just too much. I’m sure those deleted lines were from that specific route they thought about taking.
What frustrates me about the discourse around Mel is people saying that she's pregnant so it's unrealistic she'd be on duty. Not only does the game lampshade that but medics are valuable resources in the world of Last of Us. It makes sense she'd be on duty regardless of her state.
I was going to address this but didn't feel like dealing with the discourse, but you're right. she's a medic and she was needed on-site. they were travelling from their Homebase to the fob through what was supposed to be wlf-controlled territory; obviously the ambush wasn't planned. and also, ofc, it's entirely her choice what she does with her body. as a medic she is more than capable of determining what she can take on.
Yes. This is the most infuriating part of that whole scene. It’s the most basic takeaway people come to, and they only come to it by equating their own expectations around pregnancy without considering the environment they are in.
She’s not fighting. She’s going to the FOB where they will need all the medics possible. That’s made even clearer when you see all the WLF body bags, and even more so when Isaac’s plan is revealed.
Traveling to the FOB isn’t supposed to be overtly dangerous either.
Arguably, Mel is likely the best doctor they have at the base. She studied under someone extremely talented. There’s no doubt she’d be needed in that circumstance.
The only part about Mel’s character that has ever truly annoyed me is how much she puts on Abby regarding going after Joel, when she chose to go and then was completely down with killing Ellie and Tommy to close the “loose ends.” Granted, I COMPLETELY understand the contradictory nature of people, as well as the regret that comes with the actions they took, so I never thought it didn’t make sense for her character to act the way she did. It was just mildly annoying to me on a visceral level, because I put myself in Abby’s shoes and I can imagine she’s like “yo, you chose to go get over yourself”, even if that wouldn’t really resolve anything. If anything, Mel is even more tragic of a character because she was always going to be second to Abby in Owen’s heart and mind.
Best TLOU analysis channel going! The way you dig so deep into the core of what’s going on in each scene is incredible to watch. Keep it up
I feel bad for the chair every time I play this part lol
ua-cam.com/video/VLlvDqgu6GY/v-deo.htmlsi=Tt4po3qBCjUQawlp
At least they gave it a purpose😂😂
The chair:
What chair??
I’m loving these videos! I can never get enough of TLOU, and I’m learning things I never considered or thought of. Please keep ‘em coming!
God tier edit at the end there.
wow what an absolutely astonishing analysis, I've never looked at the Abby-Mel-Dynamic like this. Please keep up what u're doing, bc u're doing a great job here! The scenes are really good cut together, your analysis is thorough and u've got a real nice storyteller voice. You seem to be one of those rare YT gems, hope to see your content on a regular basis!
my god, the joining of their lines at the end "i haven't always done the right thing-"/"but i'd like to try" was such a gut punch! loved the video, can't wait to binge watch the rest of your channel :D
Mel’s only mistake in my opinion was dating her best friend’s ex. Cause yes, she involuntary is a victim of Abby’s actions
do you feel the same way about Ellie sleeping with Dina a week after she and Jesse broke up?
@@tlou_explainedi actually do, considering Jesse is one of Ellie’s bffs. That’s how I think tho, I get that circumstances are messy specially in a world like tlou. And that’s why I love this game and It’s mirroring. I love Ellie, but she makes a lot of questionable actions in this part :’)
@@tlou_explained Different circumstances in my opinion. With Ellie and Dina it was just a kiss at first which then I think Ellie allowed to develop into something more once she got the all clear from Jesse (which could also be just him keeping the peace.....my man deserved better).
With Abby, Owen and Mel it was obvious from the very start that Abby and Owen had a past before they even stated it on the walk to the cliff to view Jackson.
From the get go Owen and Mel don't click, there are disagreements he doesn't view the family unit back at the stadium cause he's taking on extra assignments.
All signs point to him avoiding her whereas Ellie and Dina do click, they work well together and the only tension they have is when Dina says shes pregnant. So in my opinion Mel got with her friends ex boyfriend knowing that Owen wasn't over Abby at all. Ellie got with Dina after pushing her feelings down but then showed them when Jesse said it was cool.
Either way I think you should never date your friends ex but I also think communication is a must have in these situations.
I don't hate Mel but I hate her choices and her attitude. She blames Abby for actions that Owen also voluntarily took part in but at the same time in her eyes she probably saw it as Abby leading Owen on with a caring front regarding Yara and Lev.
In all honesty the second game doesn't deserve the hate it gets because the whole point of it was to make you question the choices people make and what you view as the wrong choice on one side is the right choice on the other
@@alicedickinson5356 it's just interesting that you make a lot of excuses and interpretations for the Ellie/Dina/Jesse scenario, and then make a lot of assumptions about the Owen/Mel/Abby situation when we don't know how Mel and Owen ended up dating or what the circumstances were. it's also interesting that you're blaming Mel for a lot of this when Owen is the one trying to play two girls.
you're right that the game is about both sides, it's just common to see people put down the characters on Abby's side without giving them the same grace they give to those on Ellie's side, and I find that contradicts the point of the story. just my opinion.
@@alicedickinson5356 I don’t think the circumstances are that different. Dating your friends ex is dating your friends ex and I wish Jesse stuck around long enough to see if it would develop into a problem, especially after the baby was actually born.
I've played this game so many times, and have watched many analysis videos online, so i'm always surprised when I learn something new. I never realised Abby had the thank you letter from Mel in her backpack. Such a great video. Looking forward to the next one.
These analysis are absolutely needed, I love when someone can bring to light subtext and make it easy and digestible for all audiences, me included. Didn’t like Mel at all, but now I could see some details I previously didn’t catch quite so well so, thank you 🌟
This channel is amazing. Really appreciate the care and work you are putting into these.
This is SO GOOD. Absolutely amazing analysis and brought up some really cool subtext I hadn't noticed before. My favourite of your videos so far
That Line "Hey Your my People".
Such a simple statement yet holds weight into it.
Showing that everything that has happened, none of it matters, what matters is that you are important to me. The way Abby said it, with hope, assurance, and deep concern, shows how much she truly cares for Lev.
And that touched me it warms my heart. Showing compassion to people you want to protect, who you knew only for a little time.
This line reminded me so much of My Hero Academia S4 Ep 13 where the Mc is trying his best to save the girl so bad he is risking everthing to save her. And from a person who took her away and experimented on.
And he only knew her because he was just passing by and she bump into him while she escapes from her torturer.
And I felt that care through Abby's words
Mel is to the last of us, what Karen is to the office, a good character who literally did nothing wrong while getting screwed over in the process and for some reason everyone hates her because she thwarts the main relationship
Nah she does plenty wrong. Disloyal as fuck. After everything we see in the game, in her last moments she wants to abandon Abby/Yara/Lev and then tries to convince Owen to snitch to Ellie "she's probably dead anyways 🤓" also not mention she was 100% fine with killing Ellie and Tommy in Jackson
@whatisreddin7367 Did you really call Mel disloyal when Owen and Abby had sex behind her back? Mel was nowhere near disloyal. She was absolutely loyal to her partner, she did her job properly. If you think Mel was disloyal for wanting to tell Ellie where Abby is you're 100% wrong. If you hadn't missed it already, Mel was sick of Abby. Why on earth would Mel risk her life, her child's life, and Owen's life for Abby? That's unrealistic. Also, Mel never once said anything about abandoning Yara or Lev. Wanting to kill Ellie and Tommy was nothing more than self-preservation.
It’s so wild to me how anyone can play this game, claim to understand it, and still walk away from it hating ANY of the major characters. None of them are bad or deserving of any hate.
Except Seth cause fuck that guy.
And Isaac, of course. Even the notes that you find throughout Seattle as Ellie corroborate that he was always an asshole who turned a legitimate resistance into his own personal dictatorship.
@@webhead215I wish they'd kept the flashback showing Abby going to the wolves. they could have fleshed out the relationship between her and Isaac more imo
I actually like Seth in TLOU2. Not only was he apart of making the bigot sandwich meme, but his apology to Ellie seemed genuine even though Ellie in the beginning of the story doesn't want to forgive anyone like him at all. Plus considering that he's old, there's a chance he isn't caught up in the modern times and him not knowing much about how ruthless Ellie can be also proves that he's out of the loop of what's going on outside of the safe zone of his community
@@j-the-jolteon8351ehhh I wouldn't say his "apology" is genuine. he doesn't *actually* apologize, and uses his drinking as an excuse. plus, maria clearly made him do it, he wasn't doing it of his own volition. however, it was probably the best he could offer under the circumstances.
when you're wandering in the wilderness as Abby at the beginning you can actually find a note from Seth where he says his wife and eldest son were killed. so he's really just a sad old man who was alive pre-outbreak and just held on to his old fashioned views I guess.
@@tlou_explained Oh really? I didn't know about that note, that's pretty interesting. Just shows that every single character in The Last Of Us is human in their own way. Thank you for telling me
I love this series of video essays so much! Keep making these! 😊
This was BRILLIANT! Thank you SO much for making this!!!
New subscriber with a humble request: cover the scene on the farm where Tommy (seemingly out-of-character) guilt trips Ellie for refusing to chase down Abby based on his lead. I agree that what Tommy did was ultimately wrong, but few people want to focus on how Tommy must have perceived Ellie’s behavior, given everything he lost while trying to satisfy *her* lust for revenge.
@SirJonHarringtonBlumpkinThe8th This is just the point I’m trying to make - if *all* you’re paying attention to is that Tommy’s behavior in this scene seems inconsistent with his previous characterization, then you may be tempted to use words like “lazy” to describe his characterization here.
Have you thought about the possibility that, perhaps, *you* are the lazy one for failing to appropriately empathize with Tommy (simply because his behavior seems “out of character”)? This possibility seems far more likely to me than Naughty Dog simply phoning this scene in, as you’ve suggested.
did you just forget that in between those two conversations Abby killed Jesse right in front of him, shot him in the side of the head, and very nearly killed Ellie and Dina too?
@SirJonHarringtonBlumpkinThe8th firm and unwavering? did you play the first game? he switched loyalties multiple times. changed his mind multiple times. them deciding to go back to Jackson was because they'd killed 7/8 of the Salt Lake Crew and Dina was pregnant and sick.
and yes, obviously a big part of it is being disabled by Abby and Lev. he can barely walk and he can't shoot anymore. he and Maria also split up so no, he doesn't still have his life. he has lost everything, including his only blood relative. the only thing he has left is the thought of getting revenge because like Ellie, he thinks it will help bring him some peace/closure. but he can't do it himself because of what she did to him.
my next video is gonna be about Tommy because he gets way too much hate from people who don't understand him.
@@tlou_explainedCall me crazy, but I think that a lot of folks make the mistake of thinking they have Tommy’s motivations 100% figured by the time he sets out to kill Abby and the WLF. It seems to me that this is something he is doing, not because he shares Ellie’s zeal for revenge per se, but because he wants to honor his brother’s memory and (hopefully) protect Ellie by saving her the trouble. This seems clear from the letter Maria reads to Ellie and Dina. We also know from the later scene that he and Maria have hit the pause button on their relationship. This doesn’t seem worth mentioning unless the writers want us to know that the fallout between them had something to do with Seattle.
If you ask me, Tommy has a lot to be resentful about. It doesn’t make his behavior at the end of the game righteous, but it *is* understandable.
@@fox_e_crow3276 yes I think you're totally right about his motives for going to Seattle. along with seeking justice for his big brother, he did it to protect Ellie. at that point Ellie doesn't know that Tommy knows what Joel did to save her. if Ellie dies on this mission to avenge Joel it would render Joel's whole sacrifice pointless.
35:31 omg for the last two analysis videos you sneak in an absolutely amazing edit and it just encapsulates how beautiful this story is Great fuckinh job! You’re killing it!!
I don’t even think Mel hates Abby… she’s very frustrated and traumatized and Abby is the catalyst for it and the trigger all at the same time.
Good comment!
Honestly you should just do all the scenes, I’m working my way through the ones you’ve done so far and your analysis is incredible. I’ve played through Part II roughly 12 times and you’re painting a whole new, more complex picture for me. Please keep it up. Love the idea of analyzing the story moment by moment as opposed to a single full story analysis. It’ll be way juicier bite by bite.
Your essays are super-smart. I really enjoy how inexorably human these characters are, nuanced and riddled with relatable contradictions. Many of the reactors, content creators, streamers, even some essayists--even honest ones--don't pay attention to the things you do. (Games are monumental efforts, of course: I won't fault somebody for paying attention to different aspects of the enterprise.) But your essays are refreshingly straightforward, even if incisive.
Also, kudos for the "The Last Five Years" reference! Never thought I'd see that in a TLOU2 video. 😅
It makes no sense to hate Mel. I don't hate Mel. I felt sorry for her. She got into a relationship with Owen who didn't love her the way he loved Abby, then he didn't break things off and she got pregnant. Unfortunately sealed her fate when she traveled to see Joel die and you can see she regretted participating in such a brutal murder. And she was right to want to kill Ellie and Tommy. It made me sad Owen had an affair with Abby and I definitely think she knew something happened between them. I liked how she called Abby out on her BS and you can see Abby agrees and didnt argue with Mel. I wonder if she told Ellie "wait I'm pregnant" and showed Ellie, if Ellie would have definitely spared her and let her walk away considering Dina is pregnant. Mel is such an underrated tragic character I love her PoV and it sucks her unborn baby was caught in the middle.
@@thepeskyone That actually got me wondering, I've never once heard of anyone straight-up hate Mel for.......basically being incredibly based outside of the glaring problems, especially if they hate Abby
It must have been a fight or flight moment Ellie was going to let the two live and Owen fucked it up and a bit of Mel too by trying to rush Ellie after she shot Owen plus that jacket of hers was hiding her bump had it been visible Ellie would have probably just knocked her out
I love your videos and I thank you so much for broadening my horizons to this story it is only gotten better with every video of yours that I watch thank you so much every time I finish one of your videos I need to jump back on and start playing again 😁
I also thought Mel had suspected or figured out Owen & Abby slept together. And that was the source of her confrontation.
In the next Scene Owen says I don't think Mel has figured out about last night. Which sounds like Owen might have been behaving differently with Mel as a result.
@@user-ut6nh1ir7h that happens the day before the confrontation, not the next scene. the scene after this is the "allowed to be happy" scene where Owen gives no indication that he's aware anything is wrong between Mel and Abby.
@@tlou_explained yeah but Owen is an oblivious idiot, he's constantly misjudging the situation
I'm loving these analysis videos! People aren't talking enough in depth about just how carefully layered these scenes are, and these videos are really well made and explain everything really well.
I'm definitely subscribing!
You know after watching all of these analysis videos on the games story. It’s actually not even as bad of a story as I originally thought it was when I first bought it on release. I take this as a lesson to just experience games with my own viewpoint instead of drowning my mind with other people’s opinions.
Thank you so much for these analysis of female frienship. I love this game to the core and i do burst out in tears everytime i see how vulnerable and hurt these characters are. But especially the different female relationships that are depicted in the last of us part two were the once who touched me the most (Dina/Elli, Elli/Abbey, Abbey/Mel). Shared trauma that may lead to deep connection or pure hate and discust.
Love this series! It’s kinda hard to find good tlou content these are great
really love your content, please keep up the good work!
The issue I have is that there is still nothing in Abby’s past that would even hint that she would create a ploy to use Yara and Lev. Coming to the conclusion that’s what she is doing goes against everything she is. She’s direct, blunt as a hammer, to get what she wants. Abby isn’t a scheming, deceptive person. Besides, if she wanted Owen, all she’d have to say is “I want you/I love you” and he’d be hers. Mel knows this. Mel knew he was hung up on her, which is why she’s not okay with her being around. Why she completely isolated herself from Abby even before the incident.
She jumped to a completely unreasonable conclusion because she expects the worst from Abby. Ignores Abby’s actions and character almost wanting it to be true that Abby can’t become a better person. She’s an absolutely horrible friend. All of her dislike travels back to jealousy around two people that were Abby’s people. One of which died, and the other she actively wanted to isolate away from Abby.
And whether or not she feared retribution or not, being willing to kill an innocent girl that was just begging for her “father’s” life after their experience in SLC shows she’s no better than any of the rest of them. She just likes to think she is. Even being willing to give Abby up without hesitation. She wanted Abby gone because she sees her as the source of all her problems, especially with Owen.
And it’s also implied Manny and Abby have tortured before, and are very willing participants once they go to see Isaac. Manny even implies it when he says “not like us”. So not knowing she’d go to that length with Joel rings quite hollow to me.
Still, great analysis and insight into her character and the dynamics between the two. I just don’t see Mel as a good person. Abby knows she’s not, Mel won’t admit that she isn’t.
Off topic but, hearing Ashley Birch's voice throughout the video is such a treat. She's so talented. I love her voice.
I'm loving these analysis videos, they bring us a nice place to discuss the subtle themes of this game, and not just polemic stuff that's been around for a while
this is so well explained and i really enjoy hearing your analyses and gaining new knowledge about this game. i also loved the tl5y reference
You’re videos have made me like this game more. I was pretty salty about it like most popular but understanding the characters more helps put the story into perspective
this is a great video, i played through part II too fast to really grasp the nuance of these scenes. can’t wait for the next one :-)
This was an amazing breakdown. Awesome!
lol the pepe silvia gif in the background. Seems like some solid detective work 😂😂. Really appreciating these break downs and your view on things. It brings even more clarity to the scene where Abby softly touches Mel's back to reveal her wound. I was almost caught off guard that it was clear there used to be tenderness and familiarity there in contrast to the coldness/discomfort leading up to that.
Your videos are fantastic! I've beaten the game several times, watched several videos on the story, and I still learn new details from you!
For me it was pretty easy to actually sympathize with Mel.. She's not only pregnant with Owen's baby, a dude who keeps dropping everything to be with Abby (who he is clearly still in love with) but she's pregnant during an apocalyptic time where danger lurks around every corner; and Mel is having to face a harrowing journey of trying to raise a kid in such a world. And Owen is just not stepping up to the plate when it comes to preparing for a baby in an apocalyptic world. The only person who is prioritizing the safety of an innocent's life has been Mel.
EDIT: I also wanted to add that I really don't think that Mel is looking to be with Owen per say, rather she is looking to Owen to provide for their child.
I just wanna say i've been appreciating your videos so incredibly much- I am an avid youtube consumer...especially when it comes to media such as video games and film,,,so analysis videos/video essays are my absolute favorite things to watch. but what i've noticed recently is how nearly every. single. video. is made by a man. and lately i have not been able to *not* notice it, and it really turned me off from those types of videos even though they are my favorite. hearing a woman do a deep dive in a game like this truly made my day, especially when you are able to relate personal experiences (female friendships/communication between abby and mel) to what you are discussing. so i just wanted to say thank you so much for that, and its so nice to hear women voicing their opinions so well in a male-dominated video genre!!!! i loved your analysis!!
This is a channel I didn’t even know I needed❤
Another ripper! Thank you very much
This was such a great video. Never considered the fact that they were also in competition for Jerry’s attention. I’ll be checking out your other TLOU2 vids!!! (especially about Abby 😍)
Mel: Manny they're kids, it's not their fault.
Abby: It's not our fault either, those deaths are on them.
Isaac: Abby move away from that Scar.
Abby: He's just a kid!
Oh Abigail🤦♂️
Such a good summary of the story. I never hated Mel as I understood that she was hurt, but know i see things much clearer. Thanks for that
I am loving your analysis videos! This is going to be a long comment. When you said NaughtyDog did too good of a job depicting this scene, you corroborated a theory I have had for a while as to why this game is so hated. These games, Part 1 and Part 2, do too good a job of putting the player in the character's head. I think most players of Part 1, mostly the male players, were so invested in Joel's perspective that at the end, they couldn't even begin to see Ellie's perspective. Even playing as her in the Winter section, I am sure they were still in Protective Daddy Joel Mode, not Alone 14 y.o Girl Mode.
Now Part 2 happens, and you are forced into Ellie's perspective. She sees the end of the 1st game differently from Joel. And then he is ripped away, and the game does too good a job of making you want revenge as much as Ellie does. Then, when it shifts to Abby, they already had a difficult time adjusting to Ellie's perspective that they flat out refused to see anything from her perspective. I'm not insinuating sexism here, by the way, I think it is perfectly natural for male players to relate more to Joel, who lost a child, more than relating to a young woman. I honestly think the biggest reason I love Part 2 so much is because of how I lost my own father, I can just instantly relate to both Ellie and Abby more so than Joel who I can only emphasize with. I feel like Part 2 is a great story that exposes your own biases and forces you to confront them. Many people believe the end of Part 1 was a happy ending, despite how obviously it isn't, so naturally, they are going to be upset when Part 2 establishes that they interpreted it wrong. They only see a father telling a white lie to protect his daughter. They didn't see a young girl be betrayed by her father who just saved her by taking pretty much everything from her: her only connection to her mother, Marlene, who was most likely a mother figure to Ellie, her purpose she had fought for to make up for Riley, Tess and Sam's deaths, and the Fireflys who Ellie was obviously sympathetic to and believed in. If you are unable to change your own perspective and understand the other characters, then it really is no wonder why people who actually played the game and hated it, hated it so much, despite their valid criticisms, which is fine but let's be honest, the hatred for this game extends well beyond fair criticism, especially since an overwhelming amount of the haters have never touched the game and only go off what youtubers said before the game even came out, I was one of those people by the way, until I decided to play the game for myself, so I know.
Yeah, I enjoyed the game a lot more after _actually_ playing it. I still think there's a LOT of valid criticism about it though.
Perfect analysis! Well done!
next video couldn’t come out sooner, i have never seen such beautiful deduction of a scene ever before, this and the other two have actual literature values to them that makes me crave more
I didn’t even know these characters had so much depth into them. Your work on them is amazing.
Amazing analysis once again! I‘m loving this series. I‘d be extremely interested in hearing your thoughts on the final scene between Joel and Ellie, I feel there is a lot of ”unspoken“ text in that scene and I‘d love if you could do a video on it :)
I found this channel and I'm grateful I did such great in depth explanations
I love this! My feelings about Mel’s character have always been something I couldn’t quite put into words. I was sympathetic for her and I realized there was something else underneath that was just waiting to break their relationship in two. This is an amazing in depth analysis about them.
These series are a gem for the Last of Us II. A true gem
I’m really happy I discovered this channel! While I don’t 100% agree with everything you say, I appreciate you helping me understand the story of TLAS2 in a deeper level!
Abby and Owen did Mel dirty. Owen didn’t want that girl, he wanted Abby and the whole squad knew it. Mel deserved better.
What's always been interesting to me is Mel's feelings towards Abby were mine exactly when I first played the game. I also initially felt that Abby's sudden change in attitude towards Seraphites was performative and aimed at winning Owen back (rather than being part of a search for inner peace and self-acceptance). And it was pretty clear based on prior gameplay that Abby's revenge on Joel would result in a disproportionate punitive expedition via Ellie and Tommy.
Please do more videos like this!! They're so good!!
Phenomenal video! Got yourself a new fan
love love loveeeeeee these videos!!! keep up the amazing content :))))))
thanks for this. seeing mel get the representation her character deserves is such a breath of fresh air. i was frustrated at first with her behaviour towards abby, but as youve so thoroughly explained, she really does have every reason to be upset with her. definitely gonna check out the rest of your stuff after this.
This is so gooood. Love this content.
Glad I found this channel!
What a thoughtful analysis. I enjoyed this immensely! I admit I wasn’t a big fan of Mel, but now I’m starting to see her character in a different light (excuse the pun). I think my favourite part of your analysis videos are the “subtext” sections!! Can’t wait to see what you do in the future. I’d love to see you analyse the scene at the dance with Ellie and Dina in particular.
God this makes me appreciate the dialogue of this game even more- thank you for this
PLS DO MORE OF THESE I LOVE THEM
that abby-to-ellie dialogue edit at the end hurt bad ho-ly, really good analysis. this was one of the more memorable scenes from the game for me for how realistic both abby and mel’s reactions were
Do you remember apartment where 4 enemies are hiding as Ellie looks around and jump her when she activates the work bench? You find a note titled "WLF deserters letter", and they're heavily implied to be former fireflies (the note uses the phrase "Remember who we were! The WLF took us in, but they are not our people.") who are heading "south" (Santa Barbara) to see if "the rumors are true". And who this letter is addressed to? A person named Melissa.
Obviously it's not a 100% confirmation, Melissa is a common name, but I feel the implications get us 90% of the way there. To me it essentially confirms that Mel was absolutely planning on abandoning leaving, regardless of her ultimatum to Owen, and has been planning to do so for some time. Whats odd is that Owen obviously had no idea about these people when they have basically the same plan as him, except without the boat, which means seemingly that Mel has hiding this information from Owen. So I think these people were her "Plan B" in case Owen doesn't check out.
The main thing that that changes, for me atleast, is that this implies to me that this conversation was not spontaneous. It was something Mel had been working up to. She was planning on giving Owen this ultimatum and she's having this conversation with Abby now because she believes that this is going to be the last conversation she has with Abby (which she is correct about, but not for the reasons she thinks). I don't hate Mel, and I respect that she has reason to be angry with Abby, but I also think she's something of a coward if this is how she purposely tried to have the final word on Abby.
I'm curious how this changes your read on her, if at all.
oo I knew about the deserters but hadn't made the connection that Melissa could be Mel. that's definitely an interesting angle to consider. for sure this conversation is an ultimatum either way.
I've also seen theories that the Firefly Melanie whom Riley refers to in Left Behind could be Mel haha
you can hear some WLF talking about the deserters as Ellie on day 1. by that point Owen had already gone AWOL so it's possible he just wasn't aware of what had happened.
GREAT video thank you i enjoyed this and will again probably
AMAZING VIDEO! I love this side of the story even more than the other. I just love trying to understand the context just like you did. I felt so sad for the characters. Owen is my fave, he is a martyr but the only with HOPE (abby at the end too thanks to him). I hope we get to see more of abby and lev in the fututr
Great vid. Something i probably didn't pay attention to at the time playing it for the first time.
your videos are so great bro T_T
Wow you just earned a sub you did a great job on this video
Great analysis looking forward to more of these, I always thought I understood Mels issues with Abby but I hadnt considered several of the points you raised in this video. Maybe an analys of the Tommy Ellie Dina scene at the farm I think it would be an interesting one.. some players view this as out of charcter for Tommy so Im curious to see what you make of it and what the context and subtext might be telling us..
I am only a few minutes into this video, but man i can't tell you how FURIOUS I am every time you point something out that I never noticed despite playing this game multiple times. In this case recording = maybe Mel? Keep up the amazing work!
I appreciate you making this video so much. I love Mel. She is one of my favorite characters.
I’d love to see you make a video on Ellie and Abby’s fight on the beach. The before, during, and after fight scenes.
I loved this. I've been too distracted with life to remember why I love and defend this game. This was definitely the perfect spark to inspire me to play again.
Owen and Mel were always destined to fail because Owen couldn’t let go of his feelings for Abby. Abby feels guilty for feeling love and joy when her dad’s death was so brutal and an injustice was made. She can’t let herself fall in love with Owen because of her guilt. Though Owen tries to move on he’s still holding onto hope Abby will change her mind and he will leave Mel in a heartbeat regardless of her being pregnant or not. It was never in the cards for Mel to be with Owen and ultimately he is responsible for her death when he tried to protect Abby from Ellie and attacking her while she had a gun pointed at Mel