From TES issue 42 (November 2006)

Series 3/4. Level 1/2.
MELLISANDRE

After the huge character and actor cull at the end of series 2, there were many (too many, some might say) new characters introduced into series 3 as direct replacements for characters from series 2. One such replacement was Zoe Loftin as Mellisandre, taking over the role of Dungeon maid from Gretel. Mellie was very much like Gretel in some ways, with her white flowing gown, cheery yet slightly ditzy disposition, and virginal(?) beauty. However, Mellie did seem to be a lot more practical and clued-in about life in general than Gretel had been, which is why I've always preferred her as a character.

Because Mellisandre's two series have perhaps the most differences of any two consecutive series of Knightmare, her role in each one was slightly different. In series 3, Mellie spent much of her time handing out clues about correct pathways, doors and steps, as well as falling down trapdoors. In series 4, she was seen working as a barmaid at the Crazed Heifer inn, hanging around the woodland and ruined castles, and (surprise, surprise) getting trapped in and rescued from the stocks.

One thing that transcended both series, however, was Mellie's partnership with Motley. The two of them have several joint scenes together, in which they can be seen bickering, teasing each other and cavorting together in a playful manner. Any viewer with an ounce of acumen could tell that Motley and Mellie were involved in some kind of close relationship, although Motley's fickle heart soon forgot Mellie after she left, honing in on many of the Dungeon's later female characters.

Perhaps Mellie's most significant role in a quest came during the middle of series 3, when she acted as a quest object for dungeoneer Ross, whose task it was to free her, very much like Mark's experiences with Gretel the previous year. This time, however, we actually got to see Mellisandre disappearing into the Dungeon depths (through a trapdoor) and we were treated to her plaintive cries wafting up through pits and holes in the floor throughout the quest. As it turned out, Ross failed to succeed in freeing the maid, but she obviously had little trouble in escaping under her own steam, as she was seen back in level one with dungeoneer Douglas two episodes later.

I've always quite liked Mellisandre, particularly as part of a double act with Motley, but she will never really be remembered as a classic character because she wasn't in the programme for very long, and she never really took part in any very memorable scenes. Perhaps bridging the yawning gap between series 3 and 4 is partly to blame for this. However, Mellisandre has now had her fifteen minutes of fame, and it's only taken me five and a half years to get round to writing it!

Fear Factor: 1 Known to get a bit shirty, especially with Motley.
Killer Instinct: 0 100% dungeoneer-friendly.
Humour Rating: 6 Usually displayed a sunny disposition.
Oscar Standard: 7 Easily watchable; easily forgettable.

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Maid seen on Levels 1 and 2 in Series 3 and 4. She gave her full name as Mellisandre Makepeace Perhappenstance, though was often referred to as Mellie, or even Smelly Mellie. Grimwold reportedly adored her, and she and Motley often spent time together. Friendly and helpful to dungeoneers.

After falling through a trapdoor during the sixth quest of Series 3 (having already done so during the fourth quest), Mellisandre became the subject of a 'free the maid' quest. Oddly, her voice could be heard throughout the Dungeon during this time, and even though the quest wasn't completed successfully, Mellisandre still got free somehow. During Series 4, Melly claimed not to be getting any older, but was old enough to get a temporary job working as a provider of information at the Crazed Heifer.

The name Mellisandre is from the Ancient Greek words for honeybee and brave. She was played by Zoe Loftin. The character also appears in the third official Knightmare gamebook, Fortress of Assassins, as the captive of an unnamed witch. The similarity of the character name Melisandre in Game of Thrones is considered coincidental.

In addition, Mellisandre can be heard in the Knightmare-inspired audio play Famous For Retreating, in which the character is voiced by Vivienne Traill.

In 2004, Willowherb revealed on Knightmare Back-Up that she had a cat named Mellisandre, born in 1990/1991: 'Unlike her namesake though, I doubt my furry friend would ever care much about helping small humans.'

According to Mellisandre's Knightmare Top Trumps card as provided in The Quest, she 'met her end between the jaws of a marauding cavernwight'. The card gave her age as 16.

[Earlier version: 2006-07-31 17:58:57]

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