The Mall

The Mall
Chapter Details
Day	June 1, 2009
Played As	Ethan Mars
Obtainable Trophies
Platinum	None
Gold	None
Silver	None
Bronze	None
Chapter Chronology
Previous	Prologue
Next	Father and Son

Chapter played as Ethan Mars.

The Mall is the second chapter of the game Heavy Rain. It serves, fundamentally, as the introduction to the story's plot line and can be regarded as the catalyst for the ongoing series of events that follow afterward. This chapter can also be considered the intro to the game along with the previous chapter, Prologue.

Description

The chapter opens with Ethan and the Mars family on an outing to a shopping mall. Playing as Ethan the player, is asked

Ethan buys Jason a red balloon.

by Grace to take charge of Jason whilst she and Shaun buy some shoes. It is during this short conversation that Jason begins to wander off.

By guiding Ethan around the Mall, the player can locate Jason near a balloon vendor, dressed as a clown. Ethan buys Jason a red balloon. Whilst paying for the purchase Jason deserts his father once again. Alarmed, Ethan starts to search for Jason and runs into Grace. Grace points out that the Mall is becoming very crowded. Having told Grace about Jason's disappearance, Ethan leaves to find his lost son.

Using the balloon as a way of identifying Jason amongst the rapidly growing crowd, the player must guide Ethan to a series of red balloons found within the environment. However, to his dismay, none of them belong to his son.

Pushing through the crowds one last time, Jason's balloon can be seen outside the mall, across the street. Ethan starts to go to Jason but sees an oncoming car, Ethan tells Jason to wait for the car to pass by; however Jason charges forward anyway. Ethan runs to save Jason but fails. The scene ends with the car hitting Ethan and Jason.

Characters

• Ethan Mars = Playable character, who tries but fails to save Jason Mars.
• Jason Mars = Ethan's eldest son (aged 10) who dies in a car accident.
• Shaun Mars = Ethan's younger son (age 8).
• Grace Mars = Ethan's wife, ex-wife sometime after the accident.
• Incredibly large crowd of people - The large crowd of people in the malls and its stores and outside. The large crowd is evidence that HR is set in a big city. Ethan develops a fear of crowds after this chapter.
• The Clown - The Clown that sold Ethan a red ballon, during the exchange Jason wanders off.
• The Origami Killer, as revealed in the final chapter, is a member of the crowd watching as Ethan and Jason are hit.

Trivia

• David Cage based this chapter on one of his real life events, when himself, his wife and child were in the shopping mall, and their child got lost.
• The Mall scene has spawned the popular internet meme, Press X To Jason.
• The car that ran over Jason and Ethan resembles a Chevrolet Impala.
• It was in this chapter in which Ethan developed agoraphobia, a paralyzing fear of crowds.
• Some people are confused as to how exactly Jason died; in the scene in which the car "hits him", Ethan successfully pushes himself out of the way before the car makes contact. It is never explicitly stated that Ethan's attempt to save Jason's life was what did him in, but it is possible that the scene was more of a clerical error than not.

CHAPTERS

All chapters are listed in chronological order. Chapters Played as Ethan Prologue • The Mall • Father and Son • The Shrink • The Park • Where's Shaun? • Paparazzi • Lexington Station • The Motel • The Bear • The Butterfly • The Lizard • Fugitive • The Shark • On the Loose • The Rat • The Old Warehouse Chapters Played as Scott Sleazy Place • Hassan's Shop • Suicide Baby • A Visitor • Kramer's Party • The Golf Club • Manfred • Eureka • The Cemetery • Flowers on the Grave • Trapped • Face to Face • Origami Killer Chapters Played as Jayden Crime Scene • Welcome, Norman • Kick Off Meeting • Nathaniel • Covered Market • Shrink and Punches • Jayden Blues • Under Arrest • Mad Jack • Fish Tank • Solving the Puzzle • The Old Warehouse Chapters Played as Madison Sleepless Night • First Encounter • The Nurse • Fugitive • The Doc • Sexy Girl • On the Loose • Ann Sheppard • Killer's Place • The Old Warehouse Other Chapters Twins • Hold My Hand • Police News • Goodbye Lauren