Mel is a wannabe mugger the Lone Wanderer may come across during the Locked and Unloaded random encounter. He wants the player character to give him all of their caps. He will appear as friendly on the radar, and his clearly unassertive and stammering speaking voice makes his demands indeed pathetic.
Background[]
Mel used to live at a mercenary settlement, but after being forced out, he has taken up the role of a highwayman in the Capital Wasteland. He possesses an unloaded sawed-off shotgun and will threaten the Lone Wanderer with it should they encounter him. However, he poses very little threat owing to his nervousness, ineptitude, and lack of ammunition.[Non-game 1]
Interactions with the player character[]
Interactions overview[]
| Interactions | ||
|---|---|---|
  |
This character drops a finger upon death (Lawbringer). | |
  |
This character can be enslaved with the Mesmetron. | |
Effects of player's actions[]
There may be several conversation options, depending on the skills:
- (Speech) Back off or I'll make you regret threatening me.
- (Speech) How about I give you 5 caps and you leave me alone?
- (Intelligence) Bullshit, a mugger in the Wasteland? A real raider would've shot me already.
- (Perception) That gun doesn't look loaded.
- All right. I haven't killed anyone all day. Let's go.
- I can't give you all my stuff, sorry.
If a skill-based topic is used, Mel will end the conversation without turning hostile and will cower as if fleeing. If one refuses to be give anything, he may turn hostile. Mel will also fight any roving hostiles that travel near him (i.e. raiders or critters). But, since his shotgun is unloaded, he is limited to fighting unarmed. He is about as tough as an average raider, although, without weapons, he poses a limited threat.
Inventory[]
| Apparel | Weapon | Other items | On death |
|---|---|---|---|
| Merc cruiser outfit | Sawed-off shotgun |
Notes[]
- After speaking with the player character, Mel will hang around the area where they encountered him for the rest of the game. For a little while, he will be shown as 'fleeing', but afterward hanging around the same spot forever.
- Crouched in one spot, cowering with his arms protecting his head, Mel still counts as "fleeing" and cannot be pickpocketed.
- Mel may run off to a gas station outside Old Olney and then say one of the following phrases...
- "Uh hey, I'm outta here, so see ya."
- "I mind my business, you mind your business."
- "I got nothing to say to you."
- "I'm not looking for trouble, or conversation either."
- Even if Mel gets a weapon with ammunition from a nearby enemy, it is still possible to say it looks unloaded, and he will believe it.
Appearances[]
Mel appears only in Fallout 3.
Behind the scenes[]
Mel is an homage to Mel Gibson, the actor who played Mad Max. In Mad Max 2, Gibson threatened the Gyro Captain using an unloaded sawed-off shotgun.
References[]
Non-game
- ↑ Fallout 3 Official Game Guide Game of the Year Edition p.85: "Mel:
Recently forced out of his Mercenary settlement, Mel is a nervous and ineffectual highwayman, waving an unloaded weapon at you should your paths ever cross. He is of no threat, except to himself."