Clair Obscur: Expedition 33has loads of hidden or minor details that add so much context and meaning to the larger story, and arguably one of the game’s most important aspects pertains to the mysterious Axons you experience at different points in the game. Anyone who has played through the end of Act 2 inClair Obscurwill be familiar with at least two of these Axon enemies as they are required bosses that must be defeated in order to break the barrier blocking players from reaching the Paintress and advancing the main storyline.
However, if you’ve been paying close attention throughout the game, you probably noticed that there are actually four Axons inside the Canvas, and each one of them has an incredibly significant role in the larger story and is connected to a specific member of the Dessendre family. These mysterious beings each have their own lore and backstory, and they were all created by one of the most infamous recurring characters in the game, Renoir, to represent a member of his family. To fully understand what these Axons mean in the larger picture, it’s worth taking a deeper dive.
Who The Axons Represent In Clair Obscur
Each Axon Represents A Member Of The Dessendre Family
There are four different Axons inClair Obscur: Expedition 33, each representing a different member of the Dessendre family. These include the two main Axons that players encounter during Act 2,Sirene and Visages, but also two less-talked-about Axons, the Reacher and the Hauler.All four of these Axons are present in the final battle against Renoir, acting in his defense as players attempt to defeat him for the final time. Renoir created these Axons as “parables” representing each of his family members, and each has a unique role and/or “purpose” connected to their respective character.
She Who Carries The World*
*Unconfirmed
Sirene was created by Renoir to represent his wife, Aline, while Visages was created to represent Verso, his son and one of themain playable charactersinClair Obscur. Both of these Axons are encountered during the main story progression and present a true challenge for Expedition 33 as they attempt to reach and destroy the Paintress once and for all. Sirene’s power is derived from her ability toentrance and charm people inside the Canvas, while Visages is a being with many masks that, once weakened, is revealed to be controlled by"the true Axon,“the Mask Keeper.
The Reacher Axon was modeled around Alicia, Renoir’s youngest daughter, and while she is depicted as a colossal being that can’t even be fully viewed on screen,“the real Axon"version of The Reacher is seen once youclimb to the top of The Reacher and Maelle faces Alicia one on one.Finally, The Hauler is the most mysterious Axon in the game and is only described vaguely in a few journals, while also appearing in the final fight against Renoir to defend him.
The Hauler is found in Old Lumiere and represents Clea, and the few details we receive are found in Expedition 58’s journal as having"a small city on its back.“We know that The Hauler was defeated by Simon -one of the secret bosses, which is found at the bottom of the Abyss inside Renoir’s Drafts - because it has beenpierced with Simon’s golden swords,and we are told via Simon’s journal that he was"granted [the] power to fell the Axons and enter the Monolith.”
Why & How Axons Came To Be In Clair Obscur
Renoir Created The Axons After The Fracture With Hearts Of Pure Chroma
Renoir created the Axons sometime after The Fracture, the main event that set everything in Clair Obscur’s story in motion long ago. According to his daughter Alicia, these beings served as symbolic figures, or parables, each representing a different member of the Dessendre family, as detailed above.The Axons are said to possess"hearts of pure Chroma,“which can be used by Expedition 33 and the Curator to forge a weapon capable of breaking through the protective barrier blocking their way to the Paintress.
These Axons contain the most concentrated Chroma available inside the Canvas, and defeating them and harnessing this Chroma is a key part of reaching the Paintress. Renoir likely created them originally to keep this powerful Chroma out of Aline’s grasp, as the heart of the conflict inClair Obscurisa result of Aline’s descent into the Canvasand Renoir’s attempt at saving her and destroying the Canvas so she would not die inside. Aline is much more powerful a Painter than Renoir, and these Axons were a way for him to even the stakes.
Why Axons Are Crucial To Understanding Clair Obscur’s Deeper Lore
Each Axon Gives Us A Better Understanding Of Renoir’s Relationship With His Family
What we do know for sure is that these Axons each give us clues about Renoir’s relationship and connection with each of his family members. The Axons' “tag lines” give players insight as to how Renoir views each of his family members. He modeled each one around a concept thatreflects how he sees them as individuals,particularly what he admires about them. These details reveal a side to Renoir that we otherwise wouldn’t be privvy to, such as him modeling his wife as Sirene, “dancing” beautifully when she paints.
you may see paintings of each Axon inside the Manor, which also happens to contain the clearest in-game depiction of The Hauler.
Similarly, Visages, The Hauler, and The Reacher give us insight into Verso, Clea, and Alicia as complex characters that Renoir loves deeply - they are his children after all, and Renoir is not truly their enemy when all is said and done. While Verso and Maelle debate with each other during the game who is Renoir’s favorite child, the creation of each Axon shows that Renoir loves andappreciates all three of them equally for their own unique characteristics and idiosyncrasies.In my view, the Axons are the best example we have of Renoir’s love for his family.
The Axons serve to add complexity to Renoir as a “villain” or antagonist. Aside from learning more about Renoir and the Dessendre family, the Axons give us a better concept of the scale of the Canvas and what is possible inside this mysterious world. Each Axon seems to be even more colossal than the last, and is symbolic of each character’s significance in the larger story. Overall, the Axons inClair Obscur: Expedition 33depict the nuances of the Dessendre family’s complex relationships, and provide layers of depth in an already incredible story.
