Act I
Opening Image
Joy proudly firing "bad" memories into the back of Riley's mind, establishing the tidy new "Sense of Self" system and Joy's perfectionist mindset.
This beat in 16 films →Ordinary World / Setup
13-year-old Riley preps for a three-day hockey camp with pals Bree & Grace; Headquarters hums along under the original five emotions.
This beat in 16 films →Theme in Motion
Joy's mantra: only good memories belong in Riley's core—hinting the film's lesson about integrating all feelings.
This beat in 16 films →Inciting Incident
The puberty alarm blares, workers "upgrade" the console, and Riley's reactions go haywire.
This beat in 16 films →Refusal / Debate
Four new emotions (Anxiety, Envy, Embarrassment, Ennui) arrive and clash with Joy; power struggle over who knows what's best.
This beat in 16 films →Break into Act II (Stunning Surprise #1)
Anxiety bottles the originals, ejects Riley's existing Sense of Self, and installs an anxiety-driven replacement; Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear & Disgust are exiled to the memory vault and must fight their way back.
This beat in 16 films →Act II-A
Secondary / Parallel Thread
Riley's social stakes at camp: impress star player Val Ortiz while friendships with Bree & Grace strain.
This beat in 16 films →Fun & Games (Tests/Allies/Enemies)
Joy's team escapes the vault, teams with Embarrassment, navigates quirky mind lands to recover the lost Sense of Self; comedy-adventure showcases "promise of the premise."
This beat in 16 films →First Pinch Point
Anxiety pushes Riley to abandon Bree and Grace for Val’s approval, proving the new strategy can damage the belonging it is meant to secure.
This beat in 16 films →Approach to Inmost Cave
Riley sneaks into Coach Roberts’s office while Joy’s group reaches the discarded Sense of Self atop the painful memories Joy suppressed.
This beat in 16 films →Midpoint (Game-Changer)
Anxiety overhears Joy's plan and destroys the recall tube, stranding the originals; stakes double—Riley's core self may be lost forever.
This beat in 16 films →Act II-B
Bad Guys Close In
Anxiety builds a new identity around not being good enough, driving Riley to overperform and further alienate her friends.
This beat in 16 films →Second Pinch Point / Joy's Daring Gambit
Joy detonates a cliff of bad memories, surfing the avalanche back toward HQ—spectacular yet risky.
This beat in 14 films →All Is Lost (Stunning Surprise #2)
New Sense of Self mutates into crippling self-doubt; Riley crashes into Grace, lands in the penalty box, then spirals into a full-blown panic attack as Anxiety melts down.
This beat in 14 films →Act III
Dark Night of the Soul
Joy finds Anxiety frozen by guilt; both admit their control tactics failed—raw honesty in HQ's ruins.
This beat in 15 films →New Resolve / Break-into-Three
Joy pulls the flawed first Self, letting a new, integrated Sense of Self form from good and bad memories.
This beat in 14 films →Final Preparations
Emotions rally at the console; external clock ticks toward end of tryouts.
This beat in 15 films →Climax / Final Battle
Joy pilots Riley through the last shifts on the ice, balancing excitement, nerves, and teamwork.
This beat in 16 films →Self-Revelation / Final Choice
Riley reconciles with Bree & Grace, performs authentically, and earns Val's respect—proof that wholeness beats anxious self-editing.
This beat in 16 films →Denouement / Return with Elixir
Start of high school: nine emotions cooperate inside a calmer HQ while Riley checks Fire Hawks results with genuine confidence.
This beat in 16 films →Final Image
Headquarters aglow around the balanced console—Joy now flanked, not dominant, symbolizing a mature emotional ecosystem.
This beat in 16 films →