Lena, the Cryptozoologist's wife

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> LENA, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST'S WIFE – "Oh sweetie..." she smiles a sad smile. "It's really not. There used to be people who thought that way -- other people, who wanted those things -- but... they all went extinct."
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**Lena, the Cryptozoologist's wife** is a character in *Disco Elysium*.

## Background

Lena is an older woman married to Morell, the Cryptozoologist, and a strict believer in cryptozoology. She is convinced of its truth, as when she was five and a half, she saw the Insulindian Phasmid in Betancourt suburbs.

Two decades earlier, she was a training and development manager working for a mail-order shoe company, and suffering an accident underneath faulty scaffolding, which made her paraplegic. She is one of the first characters to show kindness towards Harry.

She and her husband are friends with Gary, the Cryptofascist, something that is better understood as Lena makes the occasional racist or "old-fashioned" remark. She and Morell stay with Gary when visiting Martinaise. She visits the Whirling-In-Rags cafeteria for tea.

## Interactions

* Lena is a fixture of Whirling-in-Rags, and can provide some information about reality, as well as pointers about where to Get a reality lowdown elsewhere in Martinaise. If some of her questions are answered correctly, she will give the Kind Green Ape Pen as a reward.
* If she is badgered, she will also give out a commemorative pin to pawn (if one's financial situation is dire). Taking it will trigger a task to return it to her.
* If the player immediately runs away from Garte when he first asks for payment, and fails the Savoir Faire check, Harry will run into Lena, who is sitting by a pinball machine. Despite crashing into her, Lena will be unharmed, as her wheelchair takes the brunt of the damage.
* On Day 2, she can be asked if she needs help. She states that she is anxious about her husband's whereabouts, starting a task to find him. She also opens up about her cryptozoology profession.
* If one is interested in cryptids, Lena is happy to explain more about them. Kim disapproves of the focus on cryptozoology over the case, and the player can make (and break) a promise to only ask Lena about one cryptid.
	+ During this exchange, she can be asked about the Kind Green Ape if the pen is in the player's possession. She says that it is one of her favourite cryptids, and explains that it was an ape that healed soldiers with its saliva. She talks about how human evolution has different paths, and makes a racist remark suggesting that Kim is of a different species, as well. The player can call her out on this, express shock, or play along.

## Behind the Scenes

* During early stages of development, Lena was planned to be another member of the party who could accompany the player. This was later scrapped due to issues with pathing involving her wheelchair. The game makes reference to this cut idea, as the player can ask Lena to join them, which she politely declines, stating that Martinaise is not the most wheelchair-accessible place.

## References

LENA, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST'S WIFE – "Hello again, sweetie." Her grey eyes shine above the rims of her glasses.
2. ↑ LENA, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST'S WIFE - "That's how I feel about the accident..." She looks down and then up at you again. "I was a training and development manager at a rapidly expanding mail-order shoe company."
3. ↑ LENA, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST'S WIFE - "You'd think it would be a safe job. But I had to be everywhere -- and, well, once I happened to be under some faulty scaffolding."
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 LENA, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST'S WIFE - "I'm Lena. My husband Morell and I are staying with our friend Gary just down the street, but I come here for tea when they're away." Her eyes glitter over the rims of her glasses as she looks up, smiling.
5. ↑ LENA, THE CRYPTOZOOLOGIST'S WIFE - "Indeed there is! It's our closest relative among the cryptids. Same taxonomic family, different genus."
"Which is to say, the kind green ape is a species with which we share a common ancestor and that evolved parallel to our own -- just like your partner's!"