"I'm not taking orders from any of you!" - Salene
Salene is the "mother" type figure in the Mallrats. Looking after the "little ones" in the tribe; Cloe, Patsy, Paul, Mouse, Charlie, Sammy and Brady. Salene initially started out as a person who struggles with low self-esteem and depression. It resulted in Bulimia but she is saved by the caring Ryan, whom she marries. When The Chosen take over the city in Series 3, Salene is brainwashed into joining them as she is afraid for her unborn child's safety. Evenutally Ryan is taken away and Salene suffers a miscarriage after accidentally falling down the stairs. Very unhappy and confused, she attempts suicide but is stopped by some of the Mallrats. After Bray's abduction, Salene rises to lead the Mallrats in Series 4 against the Technos. She becomes engaged to Pride but he is tragically killed by the Techno, Wizard. Salene once again falls into depression and then alcoholism, but overcomes her grief and loss with May's help.
Biography
Salene has a strong nurturing instinct and makes a difference by engaging with others and by caring for them and giving advice.
Salene struggles with low self-esteem and depression, which eventually results in bulimia and alcoholism. Salene gives a lot of support and care but also requires compassion herself.
As time goes by, Salene learns to become more independent and self-reliant and she will rise to prominence among the leadership first of the Mallrats; and eventually the entire city.
History
Salene is a gentle mother figure within the Mallrats. When we first meet her, she is caring for Patsy, Paul and Cloe within the city. The children see her as the mother figure and always bring their problems to her. She has a deep attraction to Bray. But although the two share a kiss it isn't to last, this however leaves Salene broken, causing her emotions and depression of what has happened to the fore. To her, the only way of coping is to eat, which makes her feel guilty, and she makes herself sick. She hides her bulimia from the others, and puts on a brave face, helping to take care of Trudy and the baby when Trudy is sick. Trudy however, herself going through a rapid state of emotions, turns her aggression towards Salene and the two go through a bitter start to their relationship.
When the tribe realize food is going missing, Salene starts going into the city in search of food, she ends up at the docks, where a woman named Roanne offers her food, but eventually Salene cannot repay her. Roanne however has other plans for her to pay, and locks Salene in a cell, hoping to pimp her off to the next caller. Thankfully for Salene, it is Ryan who happens along at the docks and he gets her out of the bad situation. As they hide out from Roanne and her crew, Salene confesses everything to Ryan and learns he'd planned on leaving the Mallrats himself. The two make a pact to stand by each other and return to the mall.
In season two, she and Ryan continue to build on their relationship. Salene also sets up classes for the younger city kids, wishing them to learn how to read and write. However she still has strong feelings for Bray and these cloud her feelings for Ryan, she is unsure whether she loves him or not. Salene leaves the Mallrats to figure things out for herself and happens across May who informs her that she suspects Salene is pregnant. When Trudy returns to the mall after going missing Salene is slightly hurt when Patsy spends more time with her, especially as it neglects Cloe in the process. However she stays strong for Cloe and between them the three stick together. Ryan asks Salene to marry him and she agrees and they marry in a double wedding ceremony alongside Tai San and Lex. Salene is afraid to tell Ryan that she is pregnant thinking he will suspect the only reason she married him was because of the baby.
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In season three as the Chosen overtake the mall, Salene is concerned for the baby when they are prevented from eating. May persuades her to join the Chosen in pretense, for the babies sake, but in her emotional state and weakness, Salene falls for the brainwashing techniques the Chosen use and becomes one of them, much to Ryan's disbelief. Ryan is taken away and Salene is distraught, in an argument with Alice she runs up the mall steps but falls at the top and falls down them causing her to lose the baby and pushing her further into a deeply depressive state.
When the Chosen are eventually defeated by the rebels and things start to return back to normal, the Mallrats give her a hard time about going along with the Chosen. Salene feels ostracised within the group and keep herself to herself. Eventually the side comments and remarks and own self-deprecation, Salene goes to the roof with intent to kill herself by throwing herself from it. Bray tries to coax her from the edge, but it is only when Tally comes to the roof with Brady that they are able to get her from the edge. She starts the slow road back to recovery. Later Bray reveals to her that he met Ryan in the mines and Salene leaves the mall to try and find.
She returns in season four without Ryan, and finds Charlie and Mouse and that half the Mallrats have gone, captured by the new enemy in the city, the Technos. She has changed and makes sure her voice is heard, and her opinions taken notice of as she and Pride become leaders of the Mallrats as they work to overthrow the Technos somehow. She and Cloe's relationship is thrown into turmoil as Cloe insists on not being treated as a child anymore and has a growing interest in Pride. But Pride is more interested in starting a relationship with Salene and the two hit it off, much to Cloe's dismay. Salene is a key figure in helping overthrow the Technos at the end of Season four.
In season 5 she is captured by Stats and Wizard and when she escapes finds out Pride is dead and starts drinking alcohol which Mouse finds out about and helps her with it before going with Mouse to join the Eco tribe then cuts herself when she leaves. She then gets bashed up and taken care of by May, then they retern to the Mallrats and May develops feelings for Salene and they shared a kiss, but nothing becomes of it. The last time we see Salene is when she leaves on the boat for a new beginning.
Salene is in both sequel books "A New World" and "A New Dawn". In these her relationship with May developes and the two end up an item.
Trivia
- Salene is good with horses, having won prizes prior to the virus. She managed to ride KC's horse Apollo despite Pride deeming him 'unrideable'.
- Salene appears to have a troubled childhood as her father left her when she was young and her mother used to constantly call her 'stupid Salene'. The lack of a father figure may have been a contributing factor to her long term feelings for Bray, who could be seen to be 'father' of the tribe.
- Salene is one of seven characters to appear in all five seasons of the show. The others being Lex, Ebony, Trudy, Jack, Brady, and Zoot.
- Salene is one of the four characters on the show to have attempted suicide. The others being Trudy, Ryan and Ellie.