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| TrueAstralKnight #1046091 4 months ago |
The Mane Six in Harmony and the Judgement Arcana
(WARNING: Endgame semi-spoilers for P3 and P4. Also tl;dr inbound) Surprised? Well if you’ve played either game all the way, you might have seen this coming. In both P3 and P4, the Fool Social Link seems to evolve into the Judgement Arcana. Up until now, each Arcana represented something different, but when strung together, they tell the tale of a man on a journey towards enlightenment. As with any person (or pony) they start off as the “Fool” not knowing much of the world, but through the trials each of the cards depict, they grasp a full understanding of the World around them. The Judgement Arcana marks the end of the journey. In Persona 3, the SEES members attained their goal; however their story wasn’t finished. A shocking turn of events leaves the group dumbfounded and demoralized. As they try to continue living their dual lives, a new threat emerges. The end of days is approaching and the group is left to make a life altering decision, and it is here the road splits. One path leads to an immediate end of the game, and for the lives of everyone on Earth. The other road is declared “impossible” and the pain of knowing what is coming is frightening, but the group’s resolve to challenge a doomed fate shows the strength they all forged with one another over the past year. Choosing to challenge fate is the last step in the Fool Social Link, and thus gives rise to the Judgement Arcana. The Specialized Extracurricular Execution Squad evolves into the ___ Annihilation Team. In Persona 4, a group of teenagers are unexpectedly thrust into solving a murder case of supernatural quality. A murderer is tossing victims into the TV to have them killed by their repressed feelings, manifested as a Shadow. With each rescue, the victim accepts their Shadow as being part of them, and the Shadow then manifests as a Persona. The Murder Investigation Team piece together the clues learned from each abduction, which leads them to catching the killer… or did they? P4 loves to use red herrings, and a single misunderstanding can cause the truth of the case to be lost forever. But, if the right mind doesn’t falter at the right moment, a new branch of possibility is revealed. Not letting their feelings cloud their judgment, the Murder Investigation Team reaches a new understanding of the entire case. This new knowledge is the final phase of the Fool Social Link, and thus awakens the Judgment Arcana. The Murder Investigation Team becomes the Seekers of the Truth. So, how do the Mane Six fit into this? Just like with the casts of each game, the Mane Six are able to wield the Elements of Harmony after a long endeavor filled with trials that test their will and friendship. Essentially, they are the Keepers of the Elements. So far, they have only needed to use them twice, but both scenarios brought out the best (and worst) in them. The Judgement Arcana represents the end of a journey, and in their debut quest to locate the Elements of Harmony and stop Nightmare Moon, the six new friends realize how each of them embodies one of the six elements. This was only possible by experiencing the hardships they faced along the way. With this greater understanding, the girls put an end to Nightmare Moon’s plans. This arc somewhat resembles the events of P3, as each member realizes their true potential, signified by their Persona evolving as part of a critical point in the game’s story. The Discord arc shares some similarities with P4. The trickster attempted to divide the group individually by forcing out the opposite of their Element. The group’s clouded judgment of their friendship is much like the fog’s representation in P4. The fog blinds us from the truth, but looking back on every experience that brought them together, the truth shines through the haze. The girls remember everything they shared together, and also remember it’s worth fighting for, and so the Elements of Harmony are once again used at the final part of the journey to cast off evil. *Sigh* Well, it’s been a fun journey making these images and writing these descriptions, but just like with the games, the Judgement Arcana represents The End. Thanks to all of you who followed me along on this road. I hope I left you with some new thoughts on the characters we know and love, whether it’s Persona or Friendship is Magic, and I hope I convinced some pony fans to give the games a try. I’m not sure how much longer I’ll be following these colorful equines, but I’m glad I was able to contribute something to the series. I had something else I planned to do, but never got around to finishing. Who knows, maybe you’ll see my name on something else in future if I do decide to finish my first project. Anyways, let me just leave you with one final message, a message that encapsulates the two series: “Bonds of people is the true strength” – Persona 4: The Animation Later… - TrueAstralKnight |
| Anonymous #1046315 4 months ago |
been a while dude, now what to do with the world/universe/aeon/whatever it is? |
| TrueAstralKnight #1047117 4 months ago |
@315
I think another Anon suggested that Faust be the World. I agree to an extent, but to keep things within the 4th wall, I would assume the Ponytagonist would represent the Element of the World. I have no plans for Aeon, unfortunately. |
| AetherNite75 #1047326 4 months ago |
Lucifer! |