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Control - Self-Reflection: defeating esseJ, unlocking the Asynchronous Suit

Somebody's been to the Black Lodge.

Self-Reflection is one of the side-mission you discover in Control by finding collectables scattered throughout the Federal Bureau of Control. This mission will you see travelling through a mirror to fight the evil esseJ.

Defeating her will unlock the Asynchronous Suit - one of the outfits Jesse can wear throughout Control.

You can find this mission in the Containment Sector during The Face of the Enemy.

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13 Ways Control Gameplay Connects To Alan Wake - Control + Alan Wake Easter Eggs!Watch on YouTube

Need more help in your quest through the Oldest House? Then check out our Control walkthrough hub, with links to all our Control guides.

How to start Self-Reflection in Control

You can start Self-Reflection by finding the Mirror Supplement collectable in the Containment Sector.

Mirror Supplement can be found during The Face of the Enemy mission on your journey to find the Prime Candidate Program.

When you enter the corridor to the Prime Candidate Program from Security you will find a metal detectors and a small office space. Go through the metal detector and kill the Hiss Guard waiting for you on the other side.

Enter the small office space next to the metal detector and you'll find Mirror Supplement on the desk inside.

The location of the Mirror Supplement collectable.

Locate the Mirror in Synchronicity in Control

The Synchronicity Lab is located in the Research Sector. The easiest way to get there is to fast travel to the Ritual Division.

The entrance to the Synchronicity Lab can be found in the north-west corner of the room from the Ritual Division Control Point.

Head into the lab and go down the staircase in the right-hand side of the room. Its helpfully labelled Mirror Testing.

Go through the Clearance Level 6 door you find at the bottom of the stairs.

Find a way into the containment cell in Control

You'll find yourself in the Mirror Testing Lab.

First, you'll want to make a visit to the computers up on the stairs on the left-hand side of the room. There you'll find a cube symbol on one of the computer monitors. Keep this symbol in mind or use the picture below - you'll need it later.

Remember this symbol.

Now use the computers in front of the mirror's containment cell. This will allow you to see the mirror inside the cell in through the CCTV cameras.

You'll notice that the mirror shows the cell shutters in different positions to what they are in real life. To open the cell you need to arrange these shutters in accordance to this reflection.

For the right-hand set of shutters, only the far left shutter, nearest the stairs, needs to be open.

What the right hand shutters should look like.

The left-hand set of shutters, however, are the opposite. The far right shutter, nearest the stairs, is the only one that needs to be closed. The other two, the middle shutter and the far left need to open.

What the left hand shutter should look like.

This combination will allow you to enter the mirror's cell.

Touch the mirror and you'll be transported inside.

Collectables to be found:

  • Multimedia - FBC Recordings - Mirror Debrief
    • (Along the back wall of the Mirror Testing Lab on a cabinet.)
  • Research & Records - Research - Mirror Altered Item
    • (On the cabinet on the left-hand side of the Mirror Testing Lab.)
  • Research & Records - Research - Mirror Containment
    • (Up the right-hand stairs in the Mirror Testing Lab.)
The locations of the collectables - Mirror Debrief, Mirror Altered Item and Mirror Containment.

Explore the reflected space inside the Mirror in Control

Since you've entered a magical mirror world, you might as well go and explore.

If you head up the right-hand stairs in the Mirror Testing Lab you'll find a chest connected to a computer.

It's time to solve another movable square in a cube puzzle - previously seen in Old Boy's Club. This time, however, there's a twist.

Remember that the cube symbol we told you to pay attention in the previous lab? That is the answer for the puzzle, but, due to being in the mirror world, the solution has to reflect to work.

You solve this puzzle by moving the square on the monitor around the cube. Every time you move the square, it will add or remove a line within the cube. Keep doing this until you make the reflection of the cube you saw in the original Mirror Testing Lab.

Once you solve this puzzle correctly, you'll be able to open the chest.

The solution to the cube puzzle.

Head through the doors and up the stairs into the mirrored version the Synchronicity Lab.

You'll notice that the cell full of mannequins is flashing a red light - somebody's trapped inside.

You should go and help them out. When you interact with the cell, however, that person will disappear.

The red light will move to the cell up the right-hand staircase.

Found up the right-hand staircase...

Investigating it this time will move the light to the cell at the top of the other set of stairs.

...then the left-hand staircase.

Before you interact with the final cell make sure you have your favourite Mods, Weapon and Personal, and preferred Weapon Form ready to go - you're about to start a fight.

Collectables to be found:

  • Multimedia - FBC Recordings - feirbeD rorriM
    • (On the back floor of the mirrored version of the Mirror Testing Lab.)
The location of the feirbeD rorriM collectable.

Defeat esseJ in Control

It's time to fight the evil version of Jesse - esseJ.

This fight is broken into three different stages.

In the first, esseJ will be armed with a copy of your Service Weapon. She will switch between the Spin and Charge forms, regularly firing rockets at you.

You will want to keep your distance from esseJ as her Spin Weapon attack will easily be able to kill you. Plus, the distance will allow you to use Launch to catch the rockets being sent towards you.

In the second stage esseJ will act similar to a Hiss Warped, but with a gun. She will throw projectiles out at you and project herself with a shield of rubbish, while continuing to use the Service Weapon.

Second stage esseJ is by far the easiest, because after you destroy her shield, she will stand still for a few seconds, giving you the opportunity to fill her with bullets.

When essseJ's shield drops, you'll be able to attack her freely.

The third stage of esseJ is the hardest.

This esseJ will attack like a Hiss Elevated, while still using the Service Weapon, throwing projectiles at you and using a ground slam attack.

The Service Weapon is the best way to defeat this final stage as, like Hiss Elevated, she will be able to dodge most of your Launch attacks.

Use Evade or simply run from the projectiles she sends towards you, stopping occasionally to shoot her with the Service Weapon. You'll also be able to hit her a couple of times when she readies a projectile - just make sure you make a quick escape.

When esseJ glows red, it means she's readying a ground slam. This is a sign for you to run. Wait until she hits the ground, then turn around to Launch an object at her.

esseJ out to use a ground slam attack.

The more damage esseJ takes the lower she will fly and the easier it will be to hit her.

Try to avoid the centre of the room during this fight, as it has most likely been transported into a pile of rubbish. You can easily get stuck in this pile, giving esseJ the chance to murder you.

If you die during this fight, you'll be transported back to the Ritual Division Control Point. From there you can easily run back to the mirror and restart the fight.

Cleanse the Mirror in Control

With esseJ defeated, head back to the Mirror Testing Lab and cleanse the mirror to complete the mission.

How to unlock the Asynchronous Suit in Control

On your way out of the Synchronicity Lab, you'll notice that the glass for the cell full of mannequins near the main doors has been broken.

Pop inside the cell and take the suit you find inside to unlock the Asynchronous Suit.

Where to find the Asynchronous Suit.

You can wear the Asynchronous Suit by changing Jesse's outfit at the Central Executive Control Point.


It’s time to journey into the mysterious Federal Bureau of Control. Our Control walkthrough can help you through the storyline missions, including Welcome to the Oldest House, Unknown Caller, Directorial Override, Old Boy’s Club, Threshold, My Brother's Keeper, The Face of the Enemy, Finnish Tango, Polaris and Take Control. You can also learn new supernatural powers by completing A Merry Chase, A Good Defence and A Captive Audience. We also have guides on upgrading the Service Weapon, your Abilities, how to use Weapon and Personal Mods, how to unlock every outfit and the solution to the Roulette Wheel puzzle.


Rewards for completing Self-Reflection in Control

For completing Self-Reflection, you'll be rewarded with:

If you'd like to learn more about Control, visit our Control walkthrough guide.

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