Luchen

Luchen is the het ship between Alex Chen and Ryan Lucan from the Life is Strange fandom.

Chapter 1: Side A
On April 28, 2019, Alex arrives to Haven Springs, Colorado to reunite with her estranged older brother, Gabe Chen. Prior to Alex’s arrival, Gabe informed the residents of the small town of his sister’s advent. While Gabe is busy patching things up with his girlfriend, Charlotte Harmon, Alex decides to walk across the street to the town’s record store. Not long into entering the store, a man informs Alex that the store is actually closed, though how that’s also confusing since it’s clearly open. Upon getting a better a look at her, the man asks if she’s Alex. Alex confirms that she is with the man remarking how Gabe has been talking about her coming to town since “forever”. The man extends his hand out, formally introducing himself as Ryan. Though nervous, Alex takes his hand and they shake.

From Gabe, Ryan already knows Alex is from Portland, Oregon, and he asks what she thinks of Haven Springs so far. Depending on player choice will determine her answer: still deciding or cool. With a CD in his hands, Alex takes notice that what Ryan is picking up must be “pretty important” as the store is closed. He sheepishly raises his hand to show what he’s holding – “An Outdoorsmen's Guild to the Calls of Common Birds”. Depending on player choice will determine her answer: different or nerdy.

Different = Alex tells Ryan him picking up that CD is “not what she was expecting at all”. Ryan jokes, calling it a “pretty obscure record,” additionally saying that the National Park Service “gave it five stars”. Alex tells Ryan him picking up that CD is “the nerdiest thing she’s ever seen,” before claiming that she owned two Schoolhouse Rock albums. Instead of lying and saying it’s for his work, Ryan’s honest and says it’s “totally for fun”.
 * -|Nerdy=

Ryan’s embarrassment is clear, though joking manner earns a giggle from Alex. Alex asks what he is with Ryan informing her that he’s a Colorado state park ranger, leading to Alex claiming that it’s “all coming into focus”.

Alex expresses her disappoint that the store’s closed as she had wanted to get Gabe a record, reminiscent when they were children. She begins to wonder if he even still listens to records when Ryan tell her that he does, further stating that Charlotte had gifted him a record player for his birthday. Ryan remembers Gabe having put a record on the store’s hold list and begins to search for it, with no luck. He asks Alex to help him and the two begin to look around for it. Alex locates the list underneath store cat Valkyrie. Unable to get her to move, Alex and Ryan now begin the search for Valkyrie’s cat toy to coax her away to another area. As they look, Alex and Ryan banter over what they think Gabe listens to until they find the toy in a junk box. Toy in hand, Ryan wishes Alex to be “safe out there” as she lures Valkyrie off of the hold list. List in hand, it shows Gabe’s latest record hold being the Kings of Leon.

Ryan rings Alex up for the record when store manager/radio host Steph Gingrich comes storming out of the on-air radio booth with a red aura surrounding her that only Alex can see. Steph argues with someone over the phone and Ryan quickly takes notice of Alex’s changing behavior; her stepping back, her tapping her heal to match Steph’s tapping, her nails clawing against the checkout desk. Seeing how Steph’s anger is affecting Alex, Ryan steps into action and walks over to Steph. He tells her he can take over her job while she goes to handle what has her so upset. Steph is grateful and immediately her anger dissolves, with Alex also feeling relief. As Steph leaves the store, Ryan cautiously walks up to Alex, asking if she’s okay. Depending on player choice will determine her answer: never better or better now.

Never Better= Alex tells Ryan’s she’s “great,” before thanking him. As Steph left the store, she had revealed that her anger was because of a LARP she was organizing, this LARP becoming “hard”. Ryan calls her “Queen of Haven’s nerds,” and Alex jokes that there’s “unrest in the kingdom”. Alex apologizes, claiming how she was “just a little thrown for a moment,” before thanking Ryan.
 * -|Better Now=

Ryan begins to say something, however he and Alex are interrupted by Gabe entering the store. Seeing how Alex’s record gift to Gabe is still placed on the checkout desk, Ryan moves to position himself in front of the desk while the three of them make pleasantries. Gabe questions what they’ve been up to; depending on player choice will determine Alex’s answer: talking about birds or checking out the place. Ryan soon pulls Gabe aside, giving Alex the opportunity to grab the record and put it in her traveling backpack. Gabe asks Ryan if he’d like to tag along, but since Steph is gone, he’s “got a radio show to host” and he’ll catch up with them later. As Gabe and Alex are leaving the store, Alex and Ryan share an unspoken look, leading to Ryan smiling as he watches her go.

Later in the evening, Alex and Gabe are sitting and chatting on the rooftop garden of the Black Lantern bar. Ryan comes up to them, asking if they’ve seen Ethan Lambert, a local child of the town. With a mining blast scheduled for 9pm that night, all three head for the mines located on the mountains as earlier Ethan had informed Alex of his plan to explore the area.

Up in the mountains, they encounter a locked Typhon Mining gate. Using Ryan’s sat-phone, Gabe calls Typhon’s safety manger, Mac Loudon to postpone the blast. Ryan searches for a way around and finds an opening in a destroyed wall. He calls for Alex and offers his hand to assist her in stepping over the debris. To search in different ways, Gabe breaks off, ending with Alex and Ryan partnering together. They ultimately group back up and head for the ravine seen in the distance as is where the comic book Ethan created is showing where he could have gone.

As Ryan and Gabe shout Ethan’s name, Alex sees a purple aura illuminating ahead of the path. Knowing it has to be Ethan, she runs forward with Ryan and Gabe following suit. Alex finds Ethan alone and terrified across the ravine, with an old log acting as a bridge. Ryan tests the sturdiness of the log, proving that he or Gabe weigh too much for log to handle either of them. Despite Ethan’s fear being so strong and already affecting her, for his sake, Alex volunteers herself to be the one to go across. Ryan has Gabe anchor himself to a large tree stump by tying a belay, while Ryan then directs his attention to Alex. He asks of she’s okay. Depending on player choice will determine her answer: no, does it matter or I’m okay.

No=

Alex tells Ryan how her feelings don’t feel “relevant right now,” leading to Ryan asserting that it’s “relevant to him”. Alex lets him know that once she figures it out, she’ll in return let him know, with Ryan saying that he’ll hold that to her. Alex tells Ryan she’s okay in a nervous voice that she’s trying not to make sound so timid. Ryan expresses his uncertainty, questioning if she’s sure. He states that it’s okay if she’s not. Alex claims that “she’s good,” with Ryan telling her that “he actually believes her when she says that”.
 * -|Does It Matter?=
 * -|I’m Okay=

With Gabe secure to the stump, Ryan asks for Alex to make eye contact with him while he explains what he’s doing and what’s going to happen. Using the other end of the rope, Ryan attaches Alex to Gabe. Steadily Alex begins to move across the log to Ethan’s position, with Ryan giving her encouraging words. With Ethan in tow, Alex heads back where Ryan is there is pull her to safety. Due to the high stress of the situation: Ethan’s fear being so great and Alex needing to have felt Ethan’s fear to get him to cross with her, results in Alex collapsing to the ground, though smiling at a job well done for a successful rescue operation.

Moments later, sirens blare, an explosion sounds and the ground begins to shake. Everyone stands in confusion, trying to process what’s happening when Gabe is suddenly struck by a large boulder, sending him over the ravine’s edge. By the rope they’re still attached to, Alex is pulled toward the edge Gabe went over. Ryan is quick and runs for Alex, pulling the rope to keep her from going over as well. He turns back and sees more rocks and other boulders come streaming down the mountain. Ryan pulls out his outdoorsman’s knife and cuts the rope, all while Alex is screaming and pleading no. With Alex released, Ryan wraps his arms around her and pulls her back, shielding her with his own body as more rocks come flying overhead. As the chaos settles, Alex pries herself from Ryan and runs for the edge Gabe went over, devastated.

Chapter 2: Lanterns
On May 1, 2019, the day of Gabe’s wake, Alex and Ryan are in attendance at the Black Lantern bar, where Gabe worked as a bartender. They listen to the residents of Haven Springs speak of him. As the service is coming to a close, Jed Lucan, Ryan’s father, calls what happened to Gabe a tragic accident. Ryan immediately calls this out, proclaiming that he gave Gabe his satellite phone so to be sure that Gabe got through to Typhon Mining. Local resident Mac Loudon claims he was on shift that night, before stating that no call came in. Ryan turns his attention to Mac, a red aura surrounding him. Ryan is furious and accuses Mac of lying, especially of lying in front of Gabe’s sister, Alex. Depending on player choice will determine Alex’s answer over Ryan’s accusations over the call: he’s right or not quite.

The argument continues with Ryan and Mac getting into each other faces, ending with Charlotte yelling at them to stop, as this is nor the time or place for this. With the room still, all eyes are suddenly on Ryan seemingly judging him for Gabe’s death – Ryan being the one to cut the rope Gabe was attached to. As tension rises and anger fills the room, Alex becomes overwhelmed and she leaves to rush up the stairs to her apartment above the bar.

Prior in the day, Alex had read a text from Ryan, him asking her he’d like to talk. A few hours following Gabe’s wake, Alex isn’t able to find him around town, leading to her calling his phone, asking where he is. Ryan informs her he’s at the ravine where they, Gabe and Ethan were that fatal night.

Alex arrives to find Ryan standing over the edge Gabe went over. Using knowledge she learned earlier in the day about Mac, Alex tells Ryan he was right – about Typhon and about how Mac had lied about receiving Gabe’s call. Alex tries to explain how someone if putting pressure on Mac to keep quiet, only for Ryan to shout that it doesn’t matter, because Gabe is still dead, with a red aura surrounding him. Alex steps closer and places her left hand on his shoulder. Using her ability, Alex reads his thoughts; Ryan saying that it’s all his fault and how it’s his job to keep people safe and how he failed. Depending on player choice will determine Alex’s answer: you saved Ethan, Typhon did this or you saved me.

Ryan doesn’t respond to Alex. Instead Alex hears his thoughts again, with Ryan saying that she’s wrong and how it was him who allowed her to cross that log, in addition to how it was him that put Gabe in harms way. He declares that he’s not a hero, and that he’s worse than worthless. Depending on player choice will determine Alex’s answer: you’re braver than me, how could you have known? or neither of us is worthless.

Ryan doesn’t respond to Alex. Instead Alex hears his thoughts again, with Ryan saying that it doesn’t matter because Gabe is still dead because of him. Ryan apologizes to Gabe and takes a step closer the edge of the ravine. Alex quickly moves to hold his arm, stopping him. Depending on player choice will determine Alex’s answer: Gabe would forgive you, forgive yourself or I forgive you.

Ryan doesn’t respond to Alex, but rather clings to her, falling to his knees and cries, with Alex holding onto him.

Later in the day and still at the ravine, Ryan is no longer upset. He and Alex lay on the ground, laughing and sharing stories about Gabe. After a moment, Ryan sits up and asks how Alex knew he was right about Mac receiving Gabe’s call. Alex sits up too and tells Ryan that “this is going to sound sorta weird, then really weird,” ending by asking him if he trusts her. Ryan nods in response that he does. Instead of telling Ryan how her power works, Alex would rather show him. Depending on player choice will determine how Alex wants to show him: think of something sad, think of something scary or think of something infuriating.

Alex feels whichever of Ryan’s emotions and reads his thoughts again. No matter the choice, Ryan suddenly begins to smile and chuckle at recalling a memory with Gabe. A gold aura surrounds him, one that Alex is unable to identify what emotion it is. Alex instructs Ryan to keep thinking whatever it is he’s thinking. While confused, Ryan obliges and lies back down on the ground, still chuckling. Alex uses her ability on him and soon is also smiling and chuckling along with him. Alex realizes that he must be remembering a good memory and begins to piece it together. She reads Ryan’s thoughts by using three clouds, all specific shapes related to his memory. She learns that Ryan and Gabe once accidentally killed a Canadian goose and buried it, and Ryan pranked Gabe into thinking he was in international trouble with the British Queen. As Alex pieces the memory together, she feels Ryan’s joy and laughs along with him. Once the laugher dies down, Ryan is left confused, questioning how Alex knew the details of what made him so happy. Depending on player choice will determine Alex’s answer: I’m basically some kind of superhero or I’m basically some kind of freak.

With her secret out, Alex tells Ryan how she’s only ever experienced the “bad” emotions before, stating that what Ryan felt was “pure joy”. Still processing, Ryan asks Alex who else knows of her power. Depending on an earlier player choice, Alex could have told Gabe of her power, with Ryan now being the only person who knows, or Alex could have kept her power a secret from Gabe, with Ryan now being the only person she’s told.

Ryan now understands how Alex knew of Mac receiving Gabe’s call and that the call was ignored by an unknown person working for Typhon when Mac did try to stop the detonation. Ryan realizes Alex is going after the company, before claiming that she’ll need help. Alex tells him that he doesn’t have to only for her to be told that she’s now stuck with him. Depending on player choice will determine Alex’s answer: hug or handshake.

Hug= Alex turns on her knees and goes in for a hug. Ryan is surprised and unsure what to do with his hands, while rapidly moving his eyes to the sides. He soon moves a hand to Alex’s back, telling her she’s welcome. Alex smiles into the hug and moves back moments later, thanking Ryan for his help. Ryan insists that it’s he who should be thanking her. Alex declares a “team up” and for them to do the “buddy-cop thing,” while extending her hand out to Ryan. Ryan stares at her in bewilderment, before laughing and calling her a “loose canon,” as he takes her hand and they shake.
 * -|Handshake=

While with Ryan, Alex had suggested a way to send off Gabe one last time. Using the MyBlock app, the town’s residents think it’s a great idea and agree to meet her on the flower bridge later that night. After Alex makes a short speech, she gestures to Ryan, who is holding a large paper lantern. Together they release the lantern, watching as it floats over the river and up into the sky.

Chapter 3: Monster or Mortal
Three weeks later, on May 25, Alex decides she’s ready to inform Steph of her ability. Together, she and Ryan sit Steph down at the Black Lantern while Alex is working her shift and shares her secret. With Steph in the know now, the three friends wait for Diane Jacobs to enter the bar for lunch, with the intent of stealing her laptop, Diane being a person of interest in their mission to uncover the truth of Gabe’s death. Until then, Alex does her job as a server while Ryan and Steph come up with a plan should Diane enter the bar.

When Diane does enter, Alex makes her way back to them to hear what they’ve come up with, to less than stellar results. Alex questions what their plans are and Steph answers first: she asks Diane out on a date and while Diane is distracted, Ryan comes up and steals her laptop. Alex scuffs at the idea, but when Steph shows that she wasn’t joking, Alex turns to Ryan, begging for him to have something better. Ryan reveals that he does, however that it’s the same plan as Steph’s, expect he’s the distraction and Steph would be the one to come up and swipe Diane’s laptop. Alex disagrees to both plans, but Steph argues all Alex has to do is choose the “hotter distraction”. Alex declares that she’s not doing that, only for Ryan to say that she’s the only tiebreaker they have. Depending on player choice will determine Alex’s answer: Ryan or Steph.

Upon choosing Ryan, he’s slightly smug, though says nothing. Steph protects, however ultimately goes along. Depending on Alex’s relationship with Ryan up until this point, she can call him a “total smokeshow in a flannel”.

While Alex does appreciate effort Ryan and Steph have put in, she wants to at least talk with Diane first, and if she needs Ryan’s distraction, she’ll call him over. When that distraction is needed, she sends a text message and Ryan nervously walks over, asking Diane out on a hiking date, giving Alex time to steal the USB drive sticking out of Diane’s bag, instead of her whole laptop. USB secure, Alex excuses herself and Ryan and they head up to Alex’s apartment with Steph in toe.

They laugh and address what just happened as either hilarious or terrifying, hoping whatever is on the USB to be worth it. Inserting the USB into Alex’s laptop, they realize it’s password-protected. Ryan removes it and says he’ll take it to Riley Lethe, a local woman and friend who’s knowledgeable with computers. In the meantime, Alex works with Steph on a LARP (live-action role play) that Steph is organizing for Ethan to cheer him up over Gabe’s death, in which Ryan is also taking part in.

The LARP begins and Alex, playing a half-elf bard, first encounters Ryan as he’s playing a dire wolf. Upon defeating him, he lays on the ground. As he lay, Alex has the option to ‘annoy’ him, by questioning if he’s really dead and wondering if she should tickle him to find out, however Ethan, playing Thaynor the Monster Slayer, tells her to be serious. If Alex chose Ryan to be the distraction for Diane, she can read his thoughts, with Ryan claiming that he must look like a goofball and so much for him being hot. Alex replies to herself that hot and goofball are not mutually exclusive, at least in her book.

Alex’s next encounter with Ryan is when he’s now playing the serpent. Alex questions whether they have to fight him, leading to Ethan asking why they wouldn’t. Depending on player choice will determine Alex’s answer: it’s cute, not worth it or doesn’t deserve it. Upon choosing the ‘it’s cute’ option, Alex calls Ryan, who’s wearing a green plush serpent hat, kinda cute and that he doesn’t look goofy-looking at all. Hearing her words, Ryan mouths a “thanks,” before going back into character and begins to attack Alex as a serpent. Following his defeat by either putting him to sleep with a bell or killing him in battle, Alex leaves.

Alex’s next and final encounter with Ryan is when he’s now playing the troll. She can kill him or bribe him. If Alex had purchased the troll dust, which is glitter, that makes trolls become friendly from Steph’s Magpie Emporium, should Ryan be alive, Alex can throw troll dust on him, defeating him that way too. Along with the dust, Alex has the option to have Ryan say something nice about both her and Ethan. After Ryan finishes saying a nice compliment about Ethan, he turns his attention to Alex. However unlike Ethan, Ryan spoke to him as his LARP character, whereas with Alex, he speaks to her as herself. He tells her, “And you… you see deep into the hearts of people, but you don’t let that stop you from believing in them.” Alex is genuinely touched by his words, the two sharing brief moment where Alex is too surprised to speak until Ethan does.

After the LARP concludes, Alex goes to visit Charlotte. Ryan and Steph have made themselves at home in Alex’s apartment. When Alex returns they’re working on her laptop, going through what was on Diane’s USB drive. Alex makes her presents known, asking if they’ve discovered all of Typhon’s secrets. While they hadn’t, they did uncover the call Gabe made using Ryan’s sat-phone. Ryan moves from his position on the couch to the floor to give Alex space while she listens to her brother’s call. After listening to Gabe’s call, Alex will either stay calm, her own emotion, or become angry from having took Charlotte’s anger to the point of throwing a prized possession of Gabe’s.

If Alex becomes angry, Steph storms out of the apartment, with Ryan following after her, leaving Alex to decode the USB on her own. If Alex stays calm, Ryan stays with her and assists in decoding the UBS. Alex comments to herself that she finds it hard to believe she met Ryan less than a month ago and that it feels like she’s known him for years. Alex decodes the USB with Ryan and Steph, learning that the explosion was a decoy meant to cover up another explosion.

Life is Strange: True Colors
Chapter 1: Side A
 * Alex and Ryan jokingly banter over what they think Gabe listens to.
 * Ryan wishes Alex to be “safe out there” as she lures Valkyrie off of the hold list.
 * Alex praises Ryan for his idea about using Valkyrie’s cat toy.
 * Ryan quickly takes notice of Alex’s overwhelmed behavior.
 * Ryan asks if Alex is okay.
 * Alex’s gift to Gabe is still placed on the checkout desk, so Ryan moves to position himself in front of it.
 * Ryan and Alex share an unspoken look, leading to Ryan smiling as he watches her leave.
 * Ryan offers his hand to assist Alex in stepping over debris.
 * Ryan says encouraging words to Alex.
 * Ryan pulls Alex to safety.
 * Ryan pulls the rope Alex is attached to keep her from going over the ravine’s edge.
 * Ryan shields Alex with his own body as rocks and other boulders fly down the mountain.

Life is Strange: True Colors
"He seems cool… for a tree cop."

- Alex about Ryan, after learning he’s a park ranger, Chapter 1: Side A.

"You got this, Alex!"

- Ryan, as Alex begins to cross the log, Chapter 1: Side A.

Fanon
Prior to the release of Life is Strange: True Colors, Luchen had an incredibility small fanbase, while the majority of the fandom was already shipping Alex with her other love interest, Steph Gingrich. Most of the fandom seemed to be in fear that Ryan was going to be like the previous male love interests of the series, however favor for Ryan/Luchen quickly changed upon the game’s release when he was proven to be different in a better way. Support for the pair and their romance only rose higher as the days, weeks and months passed. While still considered a small ship compared to the other ships of the series, Luchen does have a decent fandom surrounding it with dedicated shippers.

Fandom
FAN FICTION
 * Alex/Ryan tag on FanFiction.net
 * Alex/Ryan tag on FanFiction.net
 * Alex/Ryan tag on FanFiction.net

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WIKIS
 * on

Variations

 * Luchenrich refers to the ship between Steph Gingrich, Alex and Ryan

Trivia

 * Alex and Ryan go mountain biking together on Saturday, May 11, 2019.
 * Alex joins Ryan in his annual watching of a nature documentary on Saturday, May 18, 2019.
 * During Alex and Steph’s foosball game, when Steph asks Alex if “she’s into girls,” should the player choose the ‘nope’ option, Steph will endorse Ryan, offering to hook Alex up with him.