Character index for the webcomic Pulse (2016), by Ratana Satis.
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Mel Sievers
"I'm not gonna let a promise I made go unfulfilled."
If you don't want to fall prey to your own emotions... all you have to do is stay above them and take them by the horns. It's always more favorable to become the hunter than to end up as the hunted.
An apathetic cardiothoracic surgeon who works at the SE Medical Center is fully against the concept of true love.
- Boyish Short Hair: When she was still at medical school, she had this hairstyle.
- Broken Ace: While Mel appears to be one of the best cardiothoracic surgeons in SE Med, she still harbors a distrust towards romantic love and guilt for ruining a former lover's chances at surgery.
- Defrosting Ice Queen: She starts out as someone possessing a cold demeanour regarding the cases she comes across. However, that all changes with Lynn's introduction.
- Expository Hairstyle Change: Before the events of the webcomic, Mel had messy short hair, which was fitting when she once had a relationship with Sue. But after they broke up, the present day Mel has her bangs parted from the middle, representing her cynical beliefs on love. But after she starts to become more emotionally vulnerable over the series, the more liberated Mel lets her bangs fall down and cover her forehead, both at work and in her spare time.
- Love Is a Weakness: Just look at the folder caption. This is her philosophy in life and as such, she treats love as nothing more than a mere tool for passing the time.
- My God, What Have I Done?: After Mel knocks Tom unconscious with her motorcycle helmet, she is left shaken by the experience. Since she's a surgeon, she feels like she went against her own principles.
- My Greatest Failure: Mel feels utterly guilty for irrevocably injuring Sue's right hand, which prevented her from being a surgeon. But eventually, she gets over it by chapter 60.Mel: I used to think I was at fault for what happened. And I never forgave myself for it. For hurting you. For making you like this. But I don't blame myself for it now... not anymore. You wanna know why? Because now I know that this is exactly what you deserve.
- The Stoic: Mel refuses to show any emotions when it comes to her personal one-night stands or informing a patient's loved ones about surgery results.
- Weaponized Headgear: When Tom insults Mel one last time, she suddenly bludgeons his head with her yellow motorbike helmet.
Lynn Wiles
"Let me be the one to wake you from this never-ending nightmare."
We often hear the phrase 'you don't know what you have until its gone'. That's right... we take things for granted... and only truly see how much they mean to us when we're close to losing them. And this phrase in particular... fits quite well with situations regarding life and love.
A patient currently suffering from a serious heart disease, yet still cherishes life itself.
- Hair of Gold, Heart of Gold: She has blonde hair, and has a cheerful, upbeat persona.
- Manic Pixie Dream Girl: Lynn serves as this to Mel. While Mel is brooding, reserved and indifferent, Lynn is childish, beautiful and joyful, serving to let Mel become more open to true love.
- Second Love: After the existence of Sue is revealed, Lynn turns out to be this for Mel.
- Your Days Are Numbered: She has around two years to live until her heart disease proves fatal.
Renny Wiles
"Trust me. We'll stick together forever! Forty years, even fifty years from now... you'll always be my sister, no matter what!"
Lynn's brother, who takes care of her due to her heart disease.
- Big Brother Instinct: Renny is overprotective of her younger sister, Lynn, due to the fact that she's suffering from a heart disease. It's summed up well when he sees her hanging out with a fellow student, Andrew.Renny: You're only to talk about 'school stuff' with my sister. Got it? And no coming onto her. Don't you even think about it. Also, don't bother her after 9pm, ever. She needs her rest.
Crystal Gale
"When will you ever learn to think before you act?"
"Could you not turn this into something personal? And besides, you shouldn't even be getting involved? Just... leave this to the authorities, okay?"
A policeman, who serves as one of the few friends that Mel has.
- Anger Born of Worry: She has these kind of reactions whenever Mel does something stupid, like fracturing Tom's neck or almost ruining her left hand from smashing it into a mirror.
- By-the-Book Cop: Crystal upholds the law rigidly, which is why she is occasionally frustrated with Mel's unconventional methods when it comes to finding out who ran over Grace with a car.
- Only Friend: Crystal serves this to Mel outside of work.
- Reasonable Authority Figure: Despite taking Mel in for questioning after the latter's battle against Tom, she immediately brings up one important fact to the chief: the fight was recorded on a security camera, proving that Tom struck first and Mel had to defend herself.
- Shipper on Deck: When she finds out that Mel and Lynn are spending more time together, she is nothing but supportive of their budding relationship.
Sue Whickers
"I'll do anything if it means getting you back! Even if it means losing everything I have!"
In this world, where money and authority come hand in hand... I've learned that it really doesn't take much to achieve your dreams at all. If you can truly keep your eye on the prize, that is.
The hospital director of the SE Medical Center, who harbours a mysterious past with Mel.
- Career-Ending Injury: When they were still training as surgeons, a heated argument led to Mel shoving Sue into a framed photo, causing one of the glass shards to cut Sue's right hand. This ruined her future prospects of surgery, which is emphasized when the present-day Sue tries and fails to hold a scalpel with that hand.
- Control Freak: She prides herself on being the one in control of anyone, such as Olivia and especially Mel.
- Corrupt Corporate Executive: This is seen in chapter 40, where Sue does not hesitate to cut costs in certain departments at the hopsital. And it doesn't end there, because further chapters reveal that she alters Lynn's lab results, which could have confirmed the heart surgery eligibility.Sue: Some of you may consider said treatments and the patient's recovery to be top priority. However, that doesn't change the fact that we are still conducting a business.
- Fatal Flaw: Lust. Ever since medical school, she only has eyes for one woman: Mel. But during that time, her obsession causes Sue to try to cling on this relationship while attempting to marry a man that could help her rise in the medical ranks. When Mel found out, not only did she break up with Sue, she accidentally mutilated Sue's right hand, preventing her from pursuing surgery. In the present day, Sue's continued desire to be with Mel again screws her over in the long run. On one of her trysts with Olivia, she accidentally blurts Mel's name out, leading to Olivia inadvertently finding Lynn's sabotaged lab results, which were made by Sue to separate Mel from Lynn. Not only does this cause Olivia to doubt Sue's love, she ends up showing Mel the lab results, leading to Sue's arrest.
- First Love: She acted as this for Mel.
- It's All About Me: Despite Sue claiming that she loved Mel from the very day they met, it turns out that this was only a tool to satisfy herself.
- Villainous Breakdown: When she's on the verge of losing her relationship with Mel in chapter 60, she makes a tearful confession about the sacrifices she's willing to make to forever be with her. It doesn't work.
- Whip of Dominance: In her BDSM sessions, she has a tendency to use a whip on her submissive partner. She got the idea from her husband, David, who wanted her to use it on him.
- White Hair, Black Heart: Her hair color is silver and she turns out to be an unethical hospital director who wants to take Mel for herself by threatening Lynn's life.
