Spoiler Alert: This article includes significant spoilers for the Season 2 finale of The Last of Us.

The finale of HBO’s The Last of Us Season 2 showcases multiple pivotal character deaths, with some diverging substantially from the storyline of the original Naughty Dog video game.

As Ellie (portrayed by Bella Ramsey) relentlessly seeks revenge, she ultimately faces more members of the Washington Liberation Front (WLF)—specifically, two individuals who played a part in Joel’s (Pedro Pascal) brutal murder in Episode 2.

One of the most striking deviations from the game is the fate of Mel, part of Abby’s (Kaitlyn Dever) close-knit group.

What happens to Mel in The Last of Us Season 2 finale?

After a violent encounter with Nora (Tati Gabrielle) in a spore-riddled hospital basement earlier this season, Ellie’s path of vengeance intensifies. In Episode 7, she pursues Abby to the Seattle Aquarium, only to encounter Mel (Ariela Barer) and Owen (Spencer Lord) instead. Both are former Fireflies and close companions of Abby. Mel, a physician, witnessed Joel’s execution, while Owen is Abby’s partner and often a voice of reason, previously urging her to cease the violence.

In a tense standoff, Ellie attempts to forcefully gain Abby’s location using Joel’s interrogation technique—making both Mel and Owen point to the same place on a map. However, Owen refuses to betray Abby and reaches for his weapon. Ellie swiftly reacts, shooting him in the neck. In the ensuing chaos, Mel is also shot. Heartbreakingly, she is visibly pregnant.

In her last moments, Mel tries to leverage her medical expertise to save her unborn child, instructing Ellie on what to do. But it is too late—both she and her baby perish.

What happens to Mel in The Last of Us Part II game?

In the video game, the setup resembles the show: Ellie discovers Mel and Owen at the aquarium. Owen dies after attempting to disarm Ellie. Nonetheless, the critical difference is that Mel aggressively attacks Ellie with a knife. Players must fend her off in a desperate battle. Ultimately, Ellie stabs Mel in the neck, killing her immediately. It’s only after Owen takes his last breath that Ellie realizes Mel was pregnant—though players were already informed of this in a prior scene when Owen tells Abby.

Unlike the series, the game doesn’t portray Mel trying to save her unborn child, nor does Ellie attempt to assist her. The TV adaptation adds an element of tragedy and humanity to Mel’s death, making it evident that Ellie did not wish to kill her.

Both iterations, however, emphasize the brutal, relentless cycle of violence that characterizes The Last of Us. Mel, Owen, and Nora—all connected to Abby—have now perished at Ellie’s hands. The aquarium, once a sanctuary, transforms into a somber emblem of the price of vengeance.

As Ellie plunges further into hatred, the series continues to delve into the devastating ramifications of revenge—affecting both the victims and the aggressors.

The Last of Us Season 2, Episode 7 premieres Sunday at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and Max.