#lis3 alex

[thealexchen]

Our first look at Alex Chen, the brand new protagonist of Life is Strange: True Colors (2021)!

[thealexchen]

SHE’S SO CUTE ????

[thealexchen]

Happy birthday, Alex Chen! (July 10th, 1997)

Click for better quality. Please don’t repost!

[thealexchen]

Ofc I’m excited for Chenrich and Luchen but I cannot wait for the pure chaos and dumbassery these two will unleash together

[thealexchen]

“Oh god. Shu-shu’s gonna look so grungy on this nice bed.”

This tiny little detail already made me so emotional because “shu” means mouse in Chinese! Even the double name (”Shu-shu” instead of just “shu”) is a very Chinese convention for cutesy pet names, like saying “kitty” instead of “cat.” It’s a detail that becomes more meaningful if you know the language or if you’re of Chinese descent like Alex. I’ve never seen any sort of reference to the Mandarin Chinese language before in an American video game, and it makes me feel so seen!

(Video source (minor spoiler warning): Noisy Pixel)

[thealexchen]

Absolutely LOVING all the Asian American cast and crew behind True Colors!

Lead writer - Felice Kuan

Alex Chen - Erika Mori

Alex Chen (singing voice) - Maia/mxmtoon

Gabe Chen - Han Soto

[thealexchen]

STEPHANIE GINGRICH YOU’RE KILLING ME HERE

[thealexchen]

Life is Strange: True Colors Theory (The Canary)

Theory: Alex’s animal symbol is the canary. (spoiler warning!)

During the Square Enix Presents showcase, we can see a canary on a record player right before they present the Life is Strange: True Colors trailer. Also, Alex’s hoodie has a canary with the word “FREE” on it. 

Canaries typically symbolize joy (and yellow is the color for joy when Alex uses her powers) and freedom. They are also songbirds, which ties into Alex’s talent in singing and playing music. Alex’s arrival to Haven Springs marks a new chapter in her life where she can start fresh. After the plot kicks off, Alex could use her powers to discover what really happened to Gabe and free Haven Springs from its current dangers.

The canary also made me think of the phrase “canary in a coal mine,” which refers to how miners would bring a canary with them to detect poisonous gases. If the canary died, it was a warning sign to evacuate. Haven Springs is a mining town in Colorado and Gabe’s death kicks off the plot. Since Life is Strange 2 had wolves represent the entire Diaz family, not just Sean, it’s possible that Gabe was “the canary in the coal mine.” His death is the warning sign to the town of Haven Springs that it is not what it seems, and there may even be a serial killer among them. 

However, you can also see a tiger patch on Alex’s denim jacket. I think that’s a nod to her Chinese zodiac sign, not her animal motif-- the game is set in 2019 (source) and Alex is 21 years old (source), so she would’ve been born in 1998, the Year of the Tiger. It also fits in with her cat-themed outfits in the preorder outfit pack!