diff --git a/frontend/src/components/FloatingTranscriptDebug.vue b/frontend/src/components/FloatingTranscriptDebug.vue
index 06a4324..1a88c7f 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/FloatingTranscriptDebug.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/FloatingTranscriptDebug.vue
@@ -970,29 +970,15 @@ onBeforeUnmount(() => {
   pointer-events: none !important;
 }
 
-/* Idle: slide user-input down and fade out (only if empty) */
-.aero-win:not(.chrome-visible) .content :deep(.user-input) {
+/* Idle: slide bottom-overlay down and fade out */
+.aero-win:not(.chrome-visible) .content :deep(.bottom-overlay) {
   opacity: 0 !important;
   transform: translateY(100%) !important;
   pointer-events: none !important;
 }
 
-/* Keep user-input visible when textarea has text */
-.aero-win:not(.chrome-visible) .content :deep(.user-input:has(.input-field:not(:placeholder-shown))) {
-  opacity: 1 !important;
-  transform: none !important;
-  pointer-events: auto !important;
-}
-
-/* Idle: hide status bar */
-.aero-win:not(.chrome-visible) .content :deep(.status-bar) {
-  opacity: 0 !important;
-  transform: translateY(100%) !important;
-  pointer-events: none !important;
-}
-
-/* Keep status-bar visible when input has text */
-.aero-win:not(.chrome-visible) .content :deep(.status-bar:has(~ .user-input .input-field:not(:placeholder-shown))) {
+/* Keep bottom-overlay visible when textarea has text */
+.aero-win:not(.chrome-visible) .content :deep(.bottom-overlay:has(.input-field:not(:placeholder-shown))) {
   opacity: 1 !important;
   transform: none !important;
   pointer-events: auto !important;
@@ -1022,11 +1008,7 @@ onBeforeUnmount(() => {
   transition: opacity 0.35s ease, transform 0.35s ease !important;
 }
 
-.content :deep(.user-input) {
-  transition: opacity 0.35s ease, transform 0.35s ease !important;
-}
-
-.content :deep(.status-bar) {
+.content :deep(.bottom-overlay) {
   transition: opacity 0.35s ease, transform 0.35s ease !important;
 }
 
@@ -1321,16 +1303,23 @@ onBeforeUnmount(() => {
 }
 
 
-/* Status bar: absolute overlay at very bottom */
-.content :deep(.status-bar) {
+/* Bottom overlay: absolute container for lifecycle + input + status */
+.content :deep(.bottom-overlay) {
   position: absolute !important;
   bottom: 0 !important;
   left: 0 !important;
   right: 0 !important;
-  z-index: 4 !important;
-  background: rgba(0, 6, 18, 0.6) !important;
+  z-index: 3 !important;
+  display: flex !important;
+  flex-direction: column !important;
+  background: rgba(0, 6, 18, 0.5) !important;
   backdrop-filter: blur(8px) !important;
   -webkit-backdrop-filter: blur(8px) !important;
+  border-top: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.06) !important;
+}
+
+.content :deep(.status-bar) {
+  background: transparent !important;
   border-top: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.04) !important;
   border-bottom: none !important;
   padding: 0.15rem 0.5rem !important;
@@ -1368,20 +1357,19 @@ onBeforeUnmount(() => {
   color: rgba(255,255,255,0.2) !important;
 }
 
-/* UserInput: absolute overlay above status bar */
+/* UserInput: inside bottom-overlay, no absolute positioning needed */
 .content :deep(.user-input) {
-  position: absolute !important;
-  bottom: 20px !important;
-  left: 0 !important;
-  right: 0 !important;
-  z-index: 3 !important;
-  background: rgba(0, 6, 18, 0.5) !important;
-  backdrop-filter: blur(8px) !important;
-  -webkit-backdrop-filter: blur(8px) !important;
-  border-top: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.06) !important;
+  background: transparent !important;
+  border-top: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.04) !important;
   padding: 0.3rem 0.5rem !important;
 }
 
+/* Lifecycle ribbon: inside bottom-overlay, flows naturally above user-input */
+.content :deep(.lifecycle-ribbon) {
+  background: transparent !important;
+  pointer-events: none !important;
+}
+
 /* Dark overlay on input-container so text is readable */
 .content :deep(.input-container) {
   background: rgba(0, 6, 18, 0.8) !important;
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/transcript-debug/ChatContainer.vue b/frontend/src/components/transcript-debug/ChatContainer.vue
index 37f9416..7879a83 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/transcript-debug/ChatContainer.vue
+++ b/frontend/src/components/transcript-debug/ChatContainer.vue
@@ -17,6 +17,7 @@ import ProgressEvent from './ProgressEvent.vue'
 import SystemMessage from './SystemMessage.vue'
 import TurnEndDivider from './TurnEndDivider.vue'
 import UserInput from './UserInput.vue'
+import SessionLifecycleStatus from './SessionLifecycleStatus.vue'
 import ResumeTerminalButton from './ResumeTerminalButton.vue'
 
 const props = defineProps<{
@@ -75,6 +76,19 @@ const agentStatus = computed(() => {
   }
 })
 
+// ── Lifecycle hook event (for SessionLifecycleStatus) ──
+const lifecycleEvent = computed(() => {
+  const agent = props.selectedAgent
+  if (!agent) return null
+  return sessionStore.agents[agent]?.lastHookEvent ?? null
+})
+
+const lifecycleDetail = computed(() => {
+  const agent = props.selectedAgent
+  if (!agent) return ''
+  return sessionStore.agents[agent]?.lastHookDetail ?? ''
+})
+
 // ── Derived display values ──
 const permissionMode = computed(() => props.hookPermissionMode || '')
 const fullCwd = computed(() => props.conversation.metadata.cwd || '')
@@ -646,24 +660,26 @@ function formatDuration(start: string, end: string): string {
       </div>
     </Transition>
 
-    <UserInput
-      :processing="props.processing"
-      :terminal-ready="props.terminalReady"
-      :voice-transcript="voiceTranscript"
-      :is-recording="isRecording"
-      :voice-mode="voiceMode"
-      :whisper-status="whisperStatus"
-      :max-lines="props.inputMaxLines"
-      @send="emit('send', $event)"
-      @start-recording="emit('startRecording')"
-      @stop-recording="emit('stopRecording')"
-    />
+    <div class="bottom-overlay">
+      <SessionLifecycleStatus
+        :current-event="lifecycleEvent"
+        :event-detail="lifecycleDetail"
+      />
 
-    <div class="status-bar">
-      <span v-if="agentStatus" class="agent-status-indicator" :title="agentStatus.label">
-        <span class="agent-status-dot" :class="agentStatus.status" :style="{ background: agentStatus.color }" />
-        <span class="agent-status-label">{{ agentStatus.label }}</span>
-      </span>
+      <UserInput
+        :processing="props.processing"
+        :terminal-ready="props.terminalReady"
+        :voice-transcript="voiceTranscript"
+        :is-recording="isRecording"
+        :voice-mode="voiceMode"
+        :whisper-status="whisperStatus"
+        :max-lines="props.inputMaxLines"
+        @send="emit('send', $event)"
+        @start-recording="emit('startRecording')"
+        @stop-recording="emit('stopRecording')"
+      />
+
+      <div class="status-bar">
       <span v-if="permissionMode" class="meta-badge mode">{{ permissionMode }}</span>
       <span v-if="displayCwd" class="meta-badge origin" tabindex="0">{{ fullCwd }}</span>
       <span class="meta-count">{{ conversation.messages.length }} msgs</span>
@@ -707,6 +723,7 @@ function formatDuration(start: string, end: string): string {
         </template>
       </button>
     </div>
+    </div>
   </div>
 </template>
 
@@ -791,6 +808,13 @@ function formatDuration(start: string, end: string): string {
   color: #22c55e;
 }
 
+/* ── Bottom overlay (lifecycle + input + status bar) ── */
+.bottom-overlay {
+  display: flex;
+  flex-direction: column;
+  flex-shrink: 0;
+}
+
 /* ── Status bar (below input) ── */
 .status-bar {
   display: flex;
@@ -1347,40 +1371,5 @@ function formatDuration(start: string, end: string): string {
   flex-shrink: 0;
 }
 
-/* ── Agent status indicator ── */
-.agent-status-indicator {
-  display: inline-flex;
-  align-items: center;
-  gap: 4px;
-  flex-shrink: 0;
-}
-
-.agent-status-dot {
-  width: 5px;
-  height: 5px;
-  flex-shrink: 0;
-  border-radius: 0;
-  transition: background 0.2s;
-}
-
-.agent-status-dot.thinking {
-  animation: pulse-status 1.5s ease-in-out infinite;
-}
-
-@keyframes pulse-status {
-  0%, 100% { opacity: 0.5; }
-  50% { opacity: 1; }
-}
-
-.agent-status-label {
-  font-size: 9px;
-  font-weight: 600;
-  font-family: 'Courier New', monospace;
-  color: var(--text-muted, rgba(255,255,255,0.4));
-  white-space: nowrap;
-  max-width: 120px;
-  overflow: hidden;
-  text-overflow: ellipsis;
-}
 
 </style>
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/transcript-debug/SessionLifecycleStatus.vue b/frontend/src/components/transcript-debug/SessionLifecycleStatus.vue
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5801988
--- /dev/null
+++ b/frontend/src/components/transcript-debug/SessionLifecycleStatus.vue
@@ -0,0 +1,217 @@
+<script setup lang="ts">
+import { ref, computed, watch, onMounted, onBeforeUnmount } from 'vue'
+
+type LifecycleEvent =
+  | 'SessionStart' | 'UserPromptSubmit'
+  | 'PreToolUse' | 'PermissionRequest' | 'PostToolUse' | 'PostToolUseFailure'
+  | 'Notification' | 'SubagentStart' | 'SubagentStop'
+  | 'Stop' | 'TeammateIdle' | 'TaskCompleted'
+  | 'ConfigChange' | 'PreCompact' | 'SessionEnd'
+
+type Category = 'session' | 'user' | 'tool' | 'agent' | 'system'
+
+interface LifecycleInfo {
+  color: string
+  label: string
+  category: Category
+  processing?: boolean
+}
+
+const LIFECYCLE_DISPLAY: Record<LifecycleEvent, LifecycleInfo> = {
+  SessionStart:       { color: '#60a5fa', label: 'Session started',     category: 'session' },
+  UserPromptSubmit:   { color: '#a78bfa', label: 'Prompt submitted',    category: 'user' },
+  PreToolUse:         { color: '#fbbf24', label: 'Tool starting',       category: 'tool',    processing: true },
+  PermissionRequest:  { color: '#fb923c', label: 'Permission required', category: 'tool',    processing: true },
+  PostToolUse:        { color: '#4ade80', label: 'Tool completed',      category: 'tool' },
+  PostToolUseFailure: { color: '#f87171', label: 'Tool failed',         category: 'tool' },
+  Notification:       { color: '#38bdf8', label: 'Notification',        category: 'system' },
+  SubagentStart:      { color: '#c084fc', label: 'Subagent spawned',    category: 'agent',   processing: true },
+  SubagentStop:       { color: '#a855f7', label: 'Subagent finished',   category: 'agent' },
+  Stop:               { color: '#22d3ee', label: 'Response complete',   category: 'session' },
+  TeammateIdle:       { color: '#94a3b8', label: 'Teammate idle',       category: 'agent' },
+  TaskCompleted:      { color: '#34d399', label: 'Task completed',      category: 'system' },
+  ConfigChange:       { color: '#e879f9', label: 'Config changed',      category: 'system' },
+  PreCompact:         { color: '#f59e0b', label: 'Compacting context',  category: 'system',  processing: true },
+  SessionEnd:         { color: '#6b7280', label: 'Session ended',       category: 'session' },
+}
+
+interface MockStep {
+  event: LifecycleEvent
+  duration: number
+  detail?: string
+}
+
+const MOCK_SEQUENCE: MockStep[] = [
+  { event: 'SessionStart',       duration: 2000,  detail: 'claude-opus-4-6' },
+  { event: 'UserPromptSubmit',   duration: 1500,  detail: '"Fix the login bug"' },
+  { event: 'PreToolUse',         duration: 800,   detail: 'Grep' },
+  { event: 'PostToolUse',        duration: 1200,  detail: 'Grep' },
+  { event: 'PreToolUse',         duration: 600,   detail: 'Read' },
+  { event: 'PostToolUse',        duration: 1000,  detail: 'Read' },
+  { event: 'PreToolUse',         duration: 500,   detail: 'Edit' },
+  { event: 'PermissionRequest',  duration: 3000,  detail: 'Edit src/auth.ts' },
+  { event: 'PostToolUse',        duration: 1500,  detail: 'Edit' },
+  { event: 'PreToolUse',         duration: 400,   detail: 'Bash' },
+  { event: 'PermissionRequest',  duration: 2500,  detail: 'npm test' },
+  { event: 'PostToolUseFailure', duration: 2000,  detail: 'Bash (exit 1)' },
+  { event: 'Notification',       duration: 1500,  detail: 'Test failed, retrying' },
+  { event: 'PreToolUse',         duration: 500,   detail: 'Edit' },
+  { event: 'PostToolUse',        duration: 1000,  detail: 'Edit' },
+  { event: 'PreToolUse',         duration: 400,   detail: 'Bash' },
+  { event: 'PostToolUse',        duration: 1500,  detail: 'Bash (tests pass)' },
+  { event: 'SubagentStart',      duration: 1000,  detail: 'code-review' },
+  { event: 'SubagentStop',       duration: 1500,  detail: 'code-review' },
+  { event: 'PreCompact',         duration: 2000 },
+  { event: 'TaskCompleted',      duration: 1500,  detail: 'Login bug fixed' },
+  { event: 'Stop',               duration: 3000,  detail: 'Done' },
+  { event: 'TeammateIdle',       duration: 1500 },
+  { event: 'ConfigChange',       duration: 1200,  detail: '.claude/settings.json' },
+  { event: 'SessionEnd',         duration: 4000 },
+]
+
+const props = defineProps<{
+  currentEvent?: string | null
+  eventDetail?: string
+}>()
+
+const isMock = computed(() => !props.currentEvent || !(props.currentEvent in LIFECYCLE_DISPLAY))
+
+const mockIndex = ref(0)
+let mockTimer: ReturnType<typeof setTimeout> | null = null
+
+const activeEvent = computed<LifecycleEvent>(() => {
+  if (!isMock.value) return props.currentEvent as LifecycleEvent
+  return MOCK_SEQUENCE[mockIndex.value].event
+})
+
+const activeDetail = computed(() => {
+  if (!isMock.value) return props.eventDetail || ''
+  return MOCK_SEQUENCE[mockIndex.value].detail || ''
+})
+
+const displayInfo = computed(() => LIFECYCLE_DISPLAY[activeEvent.value])
+const isProcessing = computed(() => !!displayInfo.value.processing)
+
+function advanceMock() {
+  mockIndex.value = (mockIndex.value + 1) % MOCK_SEQUENCE.length
+  scheduleMock()
+}
+
+function scheduleMock() {
+  if (mockTimer) clearTimeout(mockTimer)
+  mockTimer = setTimeout(advanceMock, MOCK_SEQUENCE[mockIndex.value].duration)
+}
+
+watch(isMock, (mock) => {
+  if (mock) {
+    scheduleMock()
+  } else if (mockTimer) {
+    clearTimeout(mockTimer)
+    mockTimer = null
+  }
+})
+
+onMounted(() => {
+  if (isMock.value) scheduleMock()
+})
+
+onBeforeUnmount(() => {
+  if (mockTimer) {
+    clearTimeout(mockTimer)
+    mockTimer = null
+  }
+})
+</script>
+
+<template>
+  <div class="lifecycle-ribbon" :class="['category-' + displayInfo.category]">
+    <Transition name="lc" mode="out-in">
+      <div class="lc-content" :key="activeEvent + activeDetail">
+        <span
+          class="lc-dot"
+          :class="{ processing: isProcessing }"
+          :style="{ background: displayInfo.color }"
+        />
+        <span class="lc-event" :style="{ color: displayInfo.color }">{{ activeEvent }}</span>
+        <span v-if="activeDetail" class="lc-detail">{{ activeDetail }}</span>
+      </div>
+    </Transition>
+  </div>
+</template>
+
+<style scoped>
+.lifecycle-ribbon {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  min-height: 20px;
+  padding: 0.15rem 0.5rem;
+  border-top: 1px solid rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.04);
+  transition: border-top-color 0.3s ease;
+}
+
+.lifecycle-ribbon.category-session { border-top-color: rgba(96, 165, 250, 0.15); }
+.lifecycle-ribbon.category-user    { border-top-color: rgba(167, 139, 250, 0.15); }
+.lifecycle-ribbon.category-tool    { border-top-color: rgba(251, 191, 36, 0.15); }
+.lifecycle-ribbon.category-agent   { border-top-color: rgba(192, 132, 252, 0.15); }
+.lifecycle-ribbon.category-system  { border-top-color: rgba(56, 189, 248, 0.15); }
+
+.lc-content {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: 5px;
+  width: 100%;
+}
+
+.lc-dot {
+  width: 5px;
+  height: 5px;
+  flex-shrink: 0;
+  border-radius: 0;
+  transition: background 0.3s ease;
+}
+
+.lc-dot.processing {
+  animation: pulse-lifecycle 1.5s ease-in-out infinite;
+}
+
+@keyframes pulse-lifecycle {
+  0%, 100% { opacity: 0.5; transform: scale(0.8); }
+  50% { opacity: 1; transform: scale(1.2); }
+}
+
+.lc-event {
+  font-size: 9px;
+  font-weight: 600;
+  font-family: 'Courier New', monospace;
+  white-space: nowrap;
+  transition: color 0.3s ease;
+}
+
+.lc-detail {
+  font-size: 9px;
+  font-family: 'Courier New', monospace;
+  color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.3);
+  white-space: nowrap;
+  max-width: 120px;
+  overflow: hidden;
+  text-overflow: ellipsis;
+}
+
+/* Transition classes */
+.lc-enter-active {
+  transition: opacity 0.15s ease, transform 0.15s ease;
+}
+
+.lc-leave-active {
+  transition: opacity 0.1s ease;
+}
+
+.lc-enter-from {
+  opacity: 0;
+  transform: translateY(4px);
+}
+
+.lc-leave-to {
+  opacity: 0;
+}
+</style>
diff --git a/frontend/src/stores/session-state.ts b/frontend/src/stores/session-state.ts
index 2ac4924..90d7467 100644
--- a/frontend/src/stores/session-state.ts
+++ b/frontend/src/stores/session-state.ts
@@ -71,6 +71,8 @@ export interface AgentSessionState {
   pendingApprovals: PendingApproval[]
   terminal: AgentTerminalInfo
   notifications: SessionNotification[]
+  lastHookEvent: string | null
+  lastHookDetail: string | null
 }
 
 // WS message types