#hopefullt they are coherent enough

[dominijoyce]

I can't remember who it was but someone did tell me once to take first scenes of a piece very seriously as they are there to set the tone and the mood for the entire or at least most of itself.

In Disco Elysium the beginning immediately throws us as deep as it possibly can. Between a literal conversation with your brain that you will *never* win, waking up naked and weak in a destroyed room, being able to die within minutes because you "dare to challenge the lightbulb"... Yeah there is a lot.

And people have talked about it, yes. Those alone set a tone perfectly on their own for the rest of the Player's experience. But I don't think people talk enough about The Expression scene in the similar depth.

First of all, not every Player will get a chance to immediately trigger the scene. Similarly, there is so much content a Player *will* miss. The game is extreme in its possible paths to take.

But even after you do, your Skills immediately rush to stop you and make you second-doubt yourself. They will do that countless more times.

However, it is The Expression that tells us the most, even if at the time we are yet to understand it.

You don't know what it is. You don't know why you are making it. But you do. Even if you manage to figure out what and why, you still are going to struggle with it. It is here to stay. It is off-putting and you hate it but it is an inherent part of you.

And it defines you. It defines the Protagonist, whose name is yet unknown for you. You may know basics and yet you know shit. But the more you get to know, it doesn't make it any easier nor enjoyable. You are off-putting, creepy and no matter how much you try, people will hate you for that. You can have the entire world as your motivation but that same world will push you back. You are stuck in this situation. Just how you are stuck with The Expression.

Well, that is just not true. You can get better. You can get people to like you or even look up to you. And similarly you can get rid of The Expression if you try enough. It may take some time but you *will* do it if you so desire. It may seem impossible but why not go for it?

The Expression scene, other than being surreal and bizarre in excellently executed way sets up your entire journey and how it will feel. You are an off-putting middle aged man who knows shit. But it can get better if you decide you wish for it to get better. So why not go for that ending?

Of course, the Player can get rid of The Expression even by a sheer lucky roll. In fact, you can fade The Expression before even getting to know what the hell it is (which is what I managed to do on my Second Playthrough). But then you are left without any answers. It was a hard check and you passed it. And yet it feels like losing it and wandering somewhere else would give you more answers to your situation.

You are only left to wonder. How much did you lose? Are other Checks the same? Is it even worth it to make some of them? Your choices matter more than you may realize for now and being The Completionist Route is not going to be the way to go this time.

It is an amazing scene. One that at the time might not be fully understood by us. But it trully will set a tone for the rest of the game, no matter how it will go in each Player's experience.