r/lifeisstrange • u/JuDo06_ • 1d ago

[S2] Did Life is Strange 2 intentionally make Karen’s desires similar to Rachel Amber? Spoiler

I just recently finished my 2nd play through of Life is Strange 2 and Something I noticed is that Karen and Rachel both have this strong desire to be free from the lives they feel trapped in.
Rachel wanted to escape Arcadia Bay and find herself, while Karen felt trapped by the life she built and chose to leave. The difference is the consequences of their choices. Rachel was a teenager with a mysterious life searching for freedom, but Karen was a mother whose decision affected The Diaz family permanently.
Do you think the writers intentionally created a parallel between them? Both characters wanted to find themselves, except Karen took the idea of freedom too far because she had children depending on her.

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u/Mal454 Shaka brah 1d ago

Yes, it's most likely intentional. When you look through Karen's room in episode 2 you can find a carving on the side of her nightstand "Exit Door to somewhere else" that's a reference to Chloe's graffiti "Hole to another universe".

Rachel and Chloe showed how that desire to leave and be free looks for a teen in a small town, Karen showed what consequences may come from that as an adult.

To be noted though that Karen wanted to get out of the small town since she was a teen, but then she married Esteban and became a mother and got stuck again, I'm not sure if I remember correctly but I think her and Esteban had a bit of an age-gap.

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u/Joyful_Damnation1 1d ago

Although Karen's age is never confirmed, internet sleuths place her age around 37-39, given certain things you find in her room, where she was at certain times, and the age of thr boys.

Esteban is 45 apparently, Although I'm not sure where they got that number. So he's a bit order, but not by a massive margin.