Luchenrich

"Life in Haven would be a lot worse without these two weirdos."

- Alex, about Ryan and Steph.

Luchenrich is the poly ship between Ryan Lucan, Alex Chen and Steph Gingrich from the Life is Strange fandom.

Life is Strange: True Colors
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 with a different matter, Alex decides to walk across the street to the town’s record store. Not long into entering the store, she encounters Steph while she’s working in her radio booth, the two seeing each other through a glass window. As Steph is changing songs, she presses two records against the glass, prompting Alex to be the one to pick what plays next. With the record chosen, Steph gets back to work and Alex begins to browse through displays of records. She meets Ryan who’s the only other person in the store. He lets Alex know that the store is actually closed though how that’s also confusing since it’s clearly open. Upon getting a better look at her, Ryan realizes she’s Alex, the sister Gabe has been talking about since “forever”. Instead of gently kicking her out of the store, Ryan and Alex formally meet and banter about Gabe.

A short time later, Steph storms out of her 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 store’s checkout counter. 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. Just before leaving the store, Steph tells Ryan not to play any bird calls, as Ryan is a well-known bird enthusiast. She leaves, now leaving Ryan and Alex alone.

During Alex’s first night in Haven Springs, Gabe dies following a mining explosion, in which she and Ryan were present for, Ryan being the one to save her life. A couple days later, on May 1, a wake is held for Gabe at the Black Lantern bar, in which Alex, Ryan and Steph are all in attendance. Hours after the service, Alex decides she would like one final sendoff of her brother, with the residents of Haven Springs agreeing to her request. That night, on the flower bridge, Alex makes a short speech with Ryan and Steph by her side. Alex and Ryan release a lantern over the river as Steph watches along with the rest of the town in attendance.

Three weeks later, on May 25, Alex decides she’s ready to inform Steph of her empathetic abilities, in which Ryan already knew about. On the day of Gabe’s wake Alex revealed to her power to Ryan. For those original three weeks, Ryan was Alex’s only trusted confidant until both Alex and Ryan agree to tell Steph. Upon being told, Steph questions if she’s being fucked with. Depending on player choice will determine Alex’s answer: not fucking with you or wouldn’t call it that.

No matter Alex’s remark, Steph asks her what she’s feeling in that moment, leading to Ryan jokingly telling her she’s feeling “disbelief”. Alex goes quiet and focuses on Steph, with Steph and Ryan watching her. Alex reveals that Steph is slightly annoyed because Alex and Ryan didn’t tell her until now, that true or not, Steph doesn’t like being left out. Steph suddenly remembers a moment that she and Alex had on the day of Gabe’s wake, realizing that Alex had used her ability on her. As the women recall their time together, Ryan questions if Alex has seen Diane Jacobs that day, a person of interest in their mission to uncover the truth of Gabe’s death. On the day of Gabe’s wake, Alex and Ryan teamed up to uncover Typhon Mining’s plot when it was revealed that Gabe’s death could have been prevented.

With Steph in the know now, the three friends wait for Diane to enter the Black Lantern for lunch, with the intent of stealing her laptop. Until then, Alex does her job as a server while Ryan and Steph come up with a plan. When Diane does enter, Alex makes her way back to them to hear what they’ve come up with, to less than stellar results when Ryan reveals that they’ve come up with two plans, however he and Steph are still “workshopping” them. 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 informs her 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 the plans, but Steph argues that it’s a simple plan with two steps; 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.

Ryan= Ryan is slightly smug, though says nothing. Steph protects, calling this a bad dream, however ultimately goes along. Depending on Alex’s relationship with Ryan up until this point, she can say, ''“Total smokeshow in a flannel? It’s a no brainer. Sorry, Steph.”'' Steph is excited, proclaiming, “Fuck yes!” Ryan doesn’t protect, only saying, "Yeah, that’s fair." Depending on Alex’s relationship with Steph up until this point, she can say, ''“Badass DJ? It’s a no brainer. Sorry, Ryan.”''
 * -|Steph=

While Alex does appreciate effort Ryan and Steph have put in, she wants to at least talk with Diane first, and if she needs that distraction, she’ll call them over. When that distraction is needed, she sends a text message to their group chat and whomever she picked walks over, asking Diane out on a 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 whomever and they head up to Alex’s apartment with the other 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 and Steph work on a LARP (live-action role play) that Steph is organizing for Ethan Lambert, a local child of the town who was present for Gabe’s death. The goal of the LARP to be a fun distraction for him. As Ryan and Steph leave Alex’s apartment, Alex watches them go, smiling.

Soon after, the three play the LARP, Alex has a bard and companion to Ethan’s main character, Ryan as three monsters Alex has to defeat and Steph as the store owner of the Magpie Emporium.

After the LARP, Alex goes to visit Charlotte Harmon, Gabe’s girlfriend who’s not handling Gabe’s death well. 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 the USB drive, in addition to talking about how Typhon Mining’s logo, the company responsible for Gabe’s death, is conspicuously shaped like the Illuminat’s. 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. Steph tells her that she and Ryan are there for her. 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 alone to decode the USB on her own. If Alex stays calm, Ryan and Steph stay with her and assist in decoding the UBS, learning that the explosion was a decoy meant to cover up another explosion.

Later that night, same day as the LARP, Alex walks up to Ryan and Steph as they’re working to set up the stage for the live musical performance later. Steph is first to spot Alex coming up to them, loudly commenting on Alex owning a skirt, causing the microphone to feedback an ear piercing noise, with Ryan reacting to the sound, leading to Steph apologizing to him. Upon Alex arriving, Ryan and Steph stop what they’re doing and join her, wishing her a happy first Spring Festival. Earlier in the night, Alex had made a call to police deputy Jason Pike regarding what was on the USB drive and how Typhon will go down because of what decoded. Ryan and Steph are excited, claiming that it’s cause for a celebration. Steph tells Alex the band will be performing soon and for Alex to be front and center. With jobs still needing to get done in the meantime – Steph working the radio trailer and Ryan still working on the sound for the stage – they leave Alex to be a “normal person for a while” until it’s show time.

It’s a popular tradition of the Spring Festival to give a rose away to “someone special”. Depending on player choice, Alex can give a rose to either Ryan or Steph. Whoever Alex gives her rose to, they’ll ask her to meet them on the rooftop garden of the Black Lantern after the show. The show is ready to begin soon after with it being revealed that Steph is playing. Knowing Steph is just a drummer, Alex questions who else is performing, only earning glances from both of her friends. The scene jump cuts to Alex on stage, her guitar in hand and deadpan commenting that she hates both Ryan and Steph, as Ryan and Steph look on from the sideline. Alex is hesitant as she and Steph have never practice before, however Steph is unbothered as the people of the festival are drunk anyway. Alex and Steph preform, with Steph following Alex’s lead as Ryan watches from the audience, giving them a supportive thumbs up. As the performance goes on, he cheers, claps and dances to their music.

After the show, Alex meets whomever she gave the rose to on the rooftop garden of the Black Lantern. There Alex can confirm who her chosen love interest is by kissing or hugging either Ryan or Steph.

Knowing she has to meet with police deputy Pike in a few minutes, Alex leaves the rooftop, while Ryan or Steph head back to the festival. Due to Alex having Diane’s stolen USB drive on her person, she is arrested by Pike and taken to the police station. Following her interrogation and instead of pressing charges, Pike eventually allows Alex to go back home, where she finds a note left by Jed Lucan – Ryan’s father and owner of the Black Lantern – asking her to come and see him. In the Black Lantern bar area, Alex and Jed have a conversation about Typhon and about what Alex knows of the company’s involvement in Gabe’s death. Jed reveals that he’s “been keeping their secrets for far too long” and volunteers to take Alex to a long abandoned ventilation mining shaft up in the mountains. Wanting to keep his past and Typhon’s mistakes a secret, he shoots Alex, forcing her to fall over the edge into the shaft.

The following morning, on May 26, Alex manages to survive her ordeal and escapes from the mineshaft. Severely hurt, bloodied and limping, Alex finds new determination to head back into town and confront Jed in front of the people while a council meeting is taking place at the Black Lantern. As Alex enters the bar, Steph and Ryan are in attendance. Between the two, Steph notices Alex first and rushes to her side. Upon seeing Steph move, Ryan notices Alex too and immediately rushes over to her too. They are horrified to see her in such devastating physical state and suggest taking her to a doctor, however Alex dismisses their concerns. Alex is too focused on Jed who’s looking on with shock that she survived. Alex limps up to him and the town’s people, laying forth her claims of Typhon’s misdeeds, lies and cover ups, in addition to how Jed, 12 years prior, left men of his mining crew to die by drowning; one of those men being Alex’s own father.

Depending on player choices of how Alex engaged with the residents of Haven Springs over the course of the game will determine if Ryan believes Alex’s accusations against his father. Steph, however believes her no matter what. If Ryan believes Alex, he, Steph and Alex are on the same side and their relationship remains the same. If Ryan sides with Jed, Alex is emotionally hurt and Steph curses Ryan out for not believing Alex.

After the council meeting concludes, whomever Alex confirmed as her chosen love interest is continued with the reminder of the plot, while the other is left out and only acknowledged briefly in Gabe’s ending monologue. Alex has the decision of staying in Haven Springs or leaving. If Alex romanced Steph and decides on leaving, Ryan is shown standing alone on the rooftop garden of the Black Lantern, looking deeply saddened at the recent events of losing his closest friends. If Alex romanced Ryan, whether Alex decides on staying or leaving, Steph leaves town as there’s nothing keeping her to stay herself.

Quotes
"If I wanted to give away a rose… Steph and Ryan would definitely be on my list."

- Alex, during the Spring Festival, Chapter 4: Flicker.

Fanon
Luchenrich is a highly enjoyed relationship within the Life is Strange fandom. This is in part to how unlike the pervious love interests of the series, Ryan and Steph had a solid friendship prior to Alex’s arrival. Fans appreciate the trio’s dynamic, often describing Ryan and Steph has sharing “one brain cell,” or none at all, and Alex is only one who has it.

The phrases “Alex has two hands” and “This is Steph’s girlfriend, Alex, and this is Alex’s boyfriend, Ryan” are common terms/memes that can be found regarding the three of them. Most, if not all fan works, don’t have Ryan and Steph being romantic with each other – as Steph is a canon lesbian (and Ryan is headcanoned to be ace by some fans). However, due to Alex and the fact that Ryan and Steph are romanceable to her, fan works often depict the three of them in a relationship, rather than just a friendship group. Because of Ryan and Steph’s own popularity, some fans are disappointed that an actual polyamorous relationship is not an option in-game.

Considering True Colors has two endings regarding who Alex romances, fans have come to the conclusion that staying in Haven Springs with Steph is the “best” possible ending for the trio as it means that Ryan, Alex and Steph stay together. Should Alex romance Ryan and choose to stay in Haven Springs, storywise, Steph leaves town, whereas Ryan willingly stays in his home town no matter what.

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Variations

 * Chenrich refers to the ship between Alex Chen sand Steph Gingrich
 * Luchen refers to the ship between Ryan Lucan and Alex Chen
 * Lurich refers to the ship between Ryan Lucan and Steph Gingrich