Epilogue - Smoking Mirror

File:NormanJayden22.jpg

"Smoking Mirror" is one of four possible endings to Norman Jayden's story in Heavy Rain. It is his worst ending.

Characters

• Norman Jayden

Ending

Norman Jayden talks with himself in an ARI environment. He discusses what he will do next and that things are worse than they appear. He panics when he sees the person he was talking to was himself. He is later found in a hotel room surrounded by several empty Triptocaine vials. He is seen trembling and bleeding from his nose with widened eyes. Norman then dies, having overdosed on Triptocaine.

Transcript

Familiar Voice: What are you going to do now?

Norman: I don't know... resign... try to forget. I don't know?

Familiar Voice: Is Tripto part of your plan to forget?

Norman: It's the most effective way I've found.

Familiar Voice: Except it's not a solution.

Norman: For the moment I'm not looking for solutions. I just want to forget.

Familiar Voice: I'm afraid things may have affected you more than you think Norman.

Norman: Why do you say that? I'm okay... I'm getting through this. Let's just take it easy... see what happens when it's all over.

(Norman stands up, turns around, and is shocked to see himself standing there.)

Other Norman: It may never be over, Norman.

(Norman is seen in a hotel room on the floor, clutching his head and bleeding from his nose with multiple Triptocaine vials next to him, painfully dying.)

Requirements

• Norman survives.
• Shaun dies. This means that:
  • Norman must give up on the final puzzle or accuse the wrong suspect.
  • Ethan must not complete enough trials to locate the warehouse, go to the wrong place, or be arrested in both "Fugitive" and "On the Loose."
  • Madison must die, fail to locate the warehouse, or reach the warehouse and be killed before Shaun is rescued.

Trivia

• This can be considered Norman's worst ending because it shows a death that is entirely his fault and that it was his own guilt that caused his undoing.
• Some players consider this to be Norman's second worst ending after "Uploaded." However, Norman does not die by his own hand and it is possible for Shaun Mars to live if he gets that ending, as Ethan and/or Madison can still arrive and save the boy (and Norman, even if he dies confronting the Origami Killer, will save Shaun if he arrives alone).
• This is one of five epilogues to have a death scene, the others being "Helpless," "Origami Blues," "Tears in the Rain," and "A Mother's Revenge."
• This ending along with "Helpless," "Dead Heroine" and "Unpunished" are considered by many to be the worst combination of endings. This is because all the main characters except Scott die, including Shaun and Lauren.
• Despite being in the ARI environment, Norman is not seen wearing his glasses as he does in other chapters, which is an early hint that something is not right. It is possibly a sign that as a result of overuse, his brain was altered to the point where he could see the ARI environment even without the glasses.
• If all the requirements for this ending except Shaun's death are met, Norman will get the "Resignation" ending instead.
• Some players report that you get this ending if you allow Jayden to take Triptocaine in the game. This is untrue - you'll only get this ending if Shaun dies and Jayden survives.