Unlocking Melina’s Secrets: A Guide to Her Unique Endings in Elden Ring
The enigmatic character of Melina in Elden Ring captivates players with her mysterious nature and crucial role in guiding the Tarnished. While she isn’t tied to a traditional “secret ending” in the way some characters like Ranni are, Melina’s story diverges significantly based on your choices, leading to distinct outcomes, including a unique cutscene and, potentially, her survival. The “secret” isn’t a hidden route, but rather a specific pathway through the game that alters her fate and your final encounter with her. This article details the paths leading to these distinct Melina encounters, clarifying the difference between her role in the standard ending versus the dramatic finale of the Frenzied Flame ending.
Melina’s Role in the Main Narrative and the Frenzied Flame Path
The Standard Ending and Melina’s Sacrifice
To understand Melina’s secret endings, it’s essential to grasp her role in the standard narrative. Usually, Melina’s primary purpose is to serve as your guide and maiden, facilitating your journey towards becoming the Elden Lord. This involves following her directions, defeating major demigods like Morgott, the Fire Giant, and Malekith, and ultimately, burning the Erdtree to forge a path to the Elden Beast. In this path, Melina sacrifices herself to burn the thorns blocking your path at the Forge of the Giants. This act is her preordained purpose, and it concludes her journey, leaving you to finish the game alone. She is not present in the finale, and you are left with the usual Elden Ring endings that do not involve her directly.
The Frenzied Flame Route and Melina’s Fury
The path that unlocks Melina’s unique cutscene and leads to a different final encounter with her deviates significantly from this standard narrative. The key divergence is your engagement with the Three Fingers and the Flame of Frenzy. If you choose to accept the Frenzied Flame before Melina sacrifices herself at the Forge of the Giants, Melina will abandon you. She will recognize the path you have chosen and will not aid in any way going forward. This is the most crucial decision that affects Melina’s ending in Elden Ring.
Upon embracing the Frenzied Flame, Melina leaves. However, if you choose to complete this path, you will get the Lord of Frenzied Flame ending. During this ending, and only if you embraced the frenzied flame before Melina sacrificed herself you’ll witness a special cutscene after the credits. Melina appears with her eye open and a murky dark blue color to it, symbolizing the influence of the Gloam-Eyed Queen, as she promises to deliver destined death to you – the newly crowned Lord of Frenzied Flame. This encounter is unique as it is the only ending where Melina directly confronts the player after the final boss battle, showcasing the ramifications of your choice.
Spared by the Frenzied Flame: Another Path for Melina’s Survival
It is possible to save Melina from sacrificing herself by bypassing her role in burning the Erdtree. This is achieved by using the Frenzied Flame to burn the Erdtree, and thus no longer needing Melina’s sacrifice. You will have to get the Frenzied Flame before you get to the Erdtree, and before Melina would normally sacrifice herself. She will abandon you, but she won’t need to die to open the way. To further mitigate the consequences of the Frenzied Flame you will need to complete Millicent’s questline. You must acquire the curse-ridding needle by completing her quest and choosing to help her fight her sisters, and then using the needle once the Frenzied Flame ending is reached. This will stop the spread of the frenzy. This is an alternative path that, while not featuring the same cutscene as the Frenzied Flame ending, keeps Melina alive.
Key Steps to Unlocking Melina’s Frenzied Flame Cutscene
- Progress through the main story: Defeat key demigod bosses such as Morgott, and reach the Forbidden Lands.
- Locate the Three Fingers: Descend into the Subterranean Shunning Grounds beneath Leyndell and make your way to the hidden door of the Frenzied Flame Proscription and enter the area.
- Embrace the Frenzied Flame: Interact with the Three Fingers at the bottom to receive the Frenzied Flame.
- Progress to the Erdtree: Then, proceed to the Forge of Giants. Since you have the Frenzied Flame, the Erdtree will burn without Melina’s sacrifice.
- Complete the Game with the Frenzied Flame Ending: Make sure to choose the Frenzied Flame ending when given the choice at the end of the final boss fight.
- Witness the Cutscene: After the credits roll, the unique Melina cutscene will play, where she vows vengeance against you.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Does Melina die in all the other endings?
In all the Elden Ring endings that are not the Frenzied Flame ending, Melina dies when she sacrifices herself at the Forge of the Giants. However, she will not die if you use the Frenzied Flame to burn the Erdtree instead of having her do it. She is not present in the endings, except for the unique Frenzied Flame ending cutscene, where she makes an appearance.
2. Can you bring Melina back to life?
No, there is no way to bring Melina back to life if she dies by sacrificing herself at the Forge of the Giants or if she dies for any other reason. She does not appear in the world again after the events leading up to her sacrificing herself and she can not be summoned or interacted with in any way. She will, however, appear in the special cutscene at the end of the game if you choose the Frenzied Flame ending after having met the Three Fingers.
3. What is the significance of Melina’s eye?
Normally, Melina keeps one eye closed. In the Lord of Frenzied Flame ending, she opens it and reveals a dark blue color. This is believed to be a connection to the Gloam-Eyed Queen, which many players think may be a past or future form of Melina.
4. Is Melina a Finger Maiden?
While Melina performs the duties of a Finger Maiden, like introducing the Tarnished to the Round Table and gifting Torrent, she is not technically an actual Finger Maiden. It is unknown if she is even associated with the Fingers in any way.
5. Why does Melina leave you if you choose the Frenzied Flame?
Melina strongly opposes the Frenzied Flame and sees it as a destructive force. Accepting it goes against her entire goal of aiding the Tarnished to become Elden Lord in a stable, sane way, and it is for this reason that she abandons you. This is crucial to remember if you are trying to achieve the special cutscene or save Melina.
6. Is Melina good or evil?
Melina is neither good nor evil, but instead, appears to be a character who is committed to the restoration of the Elden Ring in the intended way, which would seem to be ‘good’. She opposes the Frenzied Flame and the chaos it represents, and can even seem to be rather ‘bad’ if you choose to accept the flame, as she appears as an enemy in that ending. She is, however, willing to sacrifice herself for your cause, which can be seen as a ‘good’ act. She is presented as a neutral character following a defined purpose.
7. Does removing the Frenzied Flame bring Melina back?
No, if you choose to remove the Frenzied Flame via the curse-ridding needle from Millicent’s questline after she leaves you, it does not bring Melina back into the world. She is still absent from the game. The only time you will see Melina again is in the special cutscene after the credits roll in the Frenzied Flame ending, if you made the correct choice to receive the flame before she sacrificed herself.
8. Is Melina Radagon’s child?
There are hints suggesting that Melina could be another child of Radagon and Marika based on their similar naming conventions, but the theory is not definitively confirmed in the game.
9. What does it mean if you refuse to accept Melina at the beginning of the game?
Refusing Melina’s offer at the beginning of the game will block your progression. She is essential for leveling up and obtaining Torrent, the spectral steed. Accepting her offer is crucial to move forward in the game.
10. Can you fight Melina?
You can only “fight” Melina in the Frenzied Flame ending cutscene, where she appears as an antagonist, vowing to kill the Lord of Frenzied Flame. It is a non-interactive cutscene.
11. What is the hardest ending to achieve in Elden Ring?
The Lord of Frenzied Flame ending is often considered the hardest to achieve because it requires a specific and often overlooked path. You must reach the Three Fingers and embrace the Frenzied Flame before she sacrifices herself at the forge. It also requires the player to take a path that most of the other NPCs are very much against.
12. How do you get the Dung Eater ending?
The Dung Eater ending requires completing his quest line and giving him Seedbed Curses to free his form. After the boss battle, you can choose to mend the Elden Ring or use the Mending Rune of the Fell Curse.
13. What happens if you use the curse-ridding needle after getting the Frenzied Flame?
Using the curse-ridding needle from Millicent’s questline after getting the Frenzied Flame stops the spread of the madness, but it does not bring Melina back, nor does it remove the special ending cutscene featuring Melina. It will, however, change the ending from the Lord of Frenzied Flame ending to the normal ending.
14. Does sacrificing Melina end the game?
Yes, Melina’s sacrifice is a key turning point in the game. After she burns, you proceed towards the finale of the game alone.
15. What is the “true” ending for Melina?
There is no “true” ending for Melina. Her fate is determined by the choices you make, especially regarding the Frenzied Flame. The normal ending she sacrifices herself, the other she is gone but spared from sacrificing herself, and in the Lord of Frenzied Flame ending, she takes on a vengeful form. This is the only ending that specifically shows Melina in the after-credits cutscene.
By understanding these key elements and pathways, you can appreciate the depth of Melina’s character arc and the unique scenarios that she presents in Elden Ring. The choices you make will directly influence her fate and your final encounter, so explore all the possibilities and see what destiny you wish to enact.