Mel Ace fight off zombies
Plot Beats
The narrative micro-steps within this event
Mel and Ace detect the approaching zombie crew, prompting Ace to suggest they investigate the noise, and Mel to caution them.
Who Was There
Characters present in this moment
Determined but panicked in the moment, transitioning to disoriented and confused after the fall
Mel uses two cans of Nitro Nine explosives in rapid succession to repel the approaching zombie mercenaries, forcing them back. After tossing the second can, she slips on icy metal stairs and strikes her head, temporarily losing consciousness. When she regains her senses, she is disoriented and asks Ace what happened.
- • Survive the immediate zombie threat
- • Assess and respond to the environment's hazards
- • Improvised weapons are the only viable defense in this environment
- • Speed and violence can counter relentless pursuers
Hostile and single-minded
The relentless zombie mercenaries advance methodically from the corridor's corner, immune to the explosions' initial blast. One zombie rises despite two direct hits, demonstrating their resilience and ruthless single-mindedness. The crew continues their pursuit despite Mel and Ace's defensive tactics, embodying the lethal efficiency of Kane's forces.
- • Capture or eliminate Mel and Ace
- • Execute Kane's directives without deviation
- • Compliance with orders is paramount
- • Violence is the only acceptable solution
Frustrated at the zombies' resilience but resolute in protecting Mel; moments of reassurance despite tension
Ace takes immediate charge of the situation upon detecting the zombies, shouting orders and hurling explosive cans to repel them. After the initial volley, she quickly assesses their failure to completely eliminate the threat and shifts into extraction mode, dragging Mel to safety beneath the stairs and attempting to revive her despite the continued presence of zombies.
- • Eliminate the immediate physical threat
- • Ensure Mel's safety and recovery
- • Aggression can neutralize threats
- • Loyalty to Mel outweighs personal risk
Objects Involved
Significant items in this scene
The three dented cans of Nitro Nine, marked with red hazard stripes, are repurposed as improvised explosives by Mel and Ace. Mel opens a can and hurls it to create a distraction and shockwave, successfully disorienting the zombies. After the first can's explosion, Ace orders a second to be thrown, but this only temporarily halts the relentless advance, revealing the substance's limited and desperate nature.
The Iceworld Lower Level Catwalk, a narrow metal grating walkway, becomes the battleground where Mel and Ace's improvised defense plays out. Its fragility and exposed positioning force Mel and Ace into desperate, high-stakes maneuvers, while the catwalk's vibrations and noise betray their location to the advancing zombies.
The hazardous metal stairs, slick with ice and worn smooth, serve as both an obstacle and a momentary sanctuary. Mel slips on their icy surface during her retreat, striking her head—a critical injury that disables her temporarily and nearly costs their lives. The stairs' steep angle and hardness amplify the impact of her fall.
Location Details
Places and their significance in this event
The Iceworld Lower Levels Catwalk (Blue Ice Vault) serves as the confined and precarious battleground where Mel and Ace make their last-stand defense. Its narrow metallic surface, sheathed in blue ice walls that refract flickering light into jagged shadows, amplifies every footstep and explosion. The catwalk's inherent instability and vulnerability force the two into desperate improvisations against the relentless zombie horde.
The Lower Levels Corridor Alcove provides the only refuge as Mel and Ace's initial defensive maneuvers fail. This narrow, walled-off corner, stocked with unseen rubbish, offers a brief sanctuary where Ace drags Mel and attempts to revive her. The alcove's isolation and cold, damp air contrast sharply with the chaos outside, highlighting their vulnerability and the predators' proximity.
Narrative Connections
How this event relates to others in the story
Across episodes
"Ace’s ejection from the cantina in Episode 12 (due to her explosive confrontation) directly results in her having explosives (Nitro Nine) available for use in Episode 13. These explosives become critical to the group’s survival during the zombie attack."
Ace sprays manager with milkshake before ejection"Ace’s decision to arm Mel with homemade Nitro Nine explosives in Episode 12 directly enables their use to repel zombie mercenaries in Episode 13. This action underscores Mel’s growing reliance on Ace’s resourcefulness under pressure."
Ace gives Nitro Nine to Mel for docking bay assault"Ace’s dramatic ejection and rebellious use of Nitro Nine in Episode 12 escalates into her leading countermeasures against undead mercenaries in Episode 13. Both events showcase her tactical transgression of norms under pressure."
Ace sprays manager with milkshake before ejection"Glitz’s attempt to exclude Mel and Ace in Episode 12 (based on chauvinism and self-preservation) parallels the group’s exclusionary and hierarchical tendencies in Episode 13 (Kane’s ruthless control, Glitz’s opportunism). Thematic parallels show how exclusion and power imbalances drive conflict."
Glitz's exclusion sparks Ace's rebellion"Mel’s experience leading Ace in a desperate zombie defense (Ep 13) reflects her groundwork in prioritizing safety, which later manifests when Glitz abandon Ace and Mel in Ep 14, leaving them in a vulnerable position."
Glitz leaves Ace and Mel to fetch supplies"The zombie mercenaries’ pursuit in Part 2 escalates into Kane directly using Ace as leverage in Part 3. The shift from physical pursuit to psychological hostage-taking shows Kane’s escalating control and violence."
Kane forces surrender in brutal exchange"The zombie mercenary attack in Part 2 mirrors the biomechanoid dragon’s execution in Part 3 — both involve Ace witnessing ruthless termination of powerful beings due to Kane’s orders. The stakes escalate from survival tactic to witnessed assassination."
Dragon fired upon by Kane’s men