Earlier I had covered the first fourteen stages of Persona 3's "Fool's Journey", namely the arrangement of certain boss encounters and social links around the stages of a tarot-based metaphor for life. I planned to stop there for reasons of length, but folks in the comments and elsewhere seemed to be interested in what I had to say about the rest of it. Desperate for attention and not wanting to waste the notes I had taken as I drafted the first write-up, I've decided to oblige, and will be covering the last seven* arcana of The Fool's Journey through the lens of the game's Social Link events.

Note that due to the open nature of the game, the arcana social links and plot events can happen "out of order", depending on how and when you do certain things in-game. There are no individual "Arcana Bosses" for these trumps, and no corresponding quote from the end boss. Combined with the subjectivity inherent in divination, the relations of certain social links with their arcana can appear more tenuous than those first fourteen.

Warning: This piece will be spoiling the rest of the social links in the game, and will also spoil some plot points. If you refused to read the previous piece and "bookmarked it for after [you] finish the game", you might want to do the same here.

That in mind, here we go:

[The Fool steps through the door opened by Death, refining himself through Temperance (XIV):



Temperance is a realization of possibilities without being weighed down by disappointment, something key to harmony, balance, and gaining greater satisfaction from life. Temperance is a spirit of reconcilliation and understanding, something learned by your Home Economics club partner Andre Roland Jean Gérard, (a.k.a. "Bebe"). A certified Japanophile, Bebe drafts you into helping him sew together a kimono with which to impress his uncle, who would rather he return home to France. Over time, Bebe comes to understand the sacrifices his relatives and community went through to finance his trip, eventually deciding to delay his return to Japan rather than impose further upon those around him for the sake of self-centered excess.

His senses charged, The Fool makes ready to deal with The Devil (XV):



Rather than the sinister, malicious being that sits outside ourselves, The Devil is a struggle (and opportunity) riging from within, though not without considerable risk. The Devil's deals demand serious, even obsessive devotion, their rewards (and cost) only emerging at the end. Tanaka, the less-than-ethical TV hawker, pursuing none but self-gain, is clearly The Devil of Persona 3. Your first meetings involve, of all things, his bilking you. Then again, to deal with The Devil is to break old habits and rethink bad attitudes. Being consistent and fair in your dealings with Tanaka helps to convince (or at least encourage) him to follow a slightly higher path, cultivating an interest in taking a proper protege, the better to sow the seeds of proper success. Even that "charity" stuff sounds like a decent-enough opportunity to him, as your relationship matures.

Free from The Devil's influence, The Fool begins to scale The Tower (XVI):



The Tower, broken and burned by lighting from on high, The Tower is the epiphany born of catastophy, a gem lying in the rubble of plans and bonds torn apart. The bald Buddhist monk Mutatsu drowns his regrets and sorrows in drink, trying to forget the shattered family life he abandoned. Through your irritatingly stubborn attempts to make conversation with him, Mutatsu gradually opens up to risking an attempt to reconnect with his wife and son.

Calmed by the thought of rebuilding what was broken, The Fool spies The Star (XVII) hanging above:



The Star symbolizes hope and dreams, including those far away and out of reach. Such was the case with Mamoru Hayase, top athlete in his school. Hoping to become a draft pick, Mamoru hoped to go pro, attend college, and better help his family, whom he had supported almost single-handedly since the death of his father. Mamoru eventually decided to temporarily abandon his dreams and take a 9-to-5 factory job, the better to make ends meet. The hope and positivity that The Star encourages would help him keep the faith, knowing that someday he'd be able to pursue his goal.

Glowing behind the midnight haze is The Moon (XIII):



Distorting reality as it does the tide, The Moon's influence is vague and potentially confusing. In such an environment some truly creative thoughts can bubble up, but deeper, unconscious fears can also taint the water. Nozomi Suemitsu, self-proclaimed "Gourmet King" and secret member of the feel-good "Cult of Nyx" stirred up by Strega. Nozomi's constant eating (and occasional scamming activity) were at first an avenue of escape from his inferiority complex, forgetting the pressure to try to be like his dead brother. Later, Nozomi would realize that his uniqueness truly did lie in his eating, leading him to make his own way in life as a food critic, rather than try (and fail) to be like his brother.

The blazing The Sun (XIX) dispells the fog:



The Sun is inspiration, perseverance, and creativity, replacing fatalism with hope, appreciating life in the face of death. Akinari Kamiki had been having trouble writing a children's story. The terminally ill teenager needed your help. With it, he would manage to put to page his thoughts, but its initial draft would on a rather tragic note, to reflect his still-bleak outlook on life. With a little more encouragement and warmth, his legacy is positive and hopeful, vital and inspired.

His journey almost over, his purpose almost found, The Fool takes his last steps towards Judgment (XX)**:



Like Death, Judgment is a spirit of transition, the final paces before attaining The World*** (or The Universe), that final, perfect self-knowledge. In-game, Judgment is the arcana of the Nyx Annihilation Team, SEES reborn in its true purpose, reaching the top of Tartarus to face the ultimate end - and never blink. The ultimate persona of Judgment, Messiah, is the protagonist transformed, no longer a fool, but a savior. The Fool has found his answer.

And there you have it. The Fool's Journey, chronicled in a game, and bookended by renditions of Burn My Dread.

*The Fool is numbered "0" (XXII in other decks).

**Judgment and The Aeon normally replace each other in a regular deck. In the game they share the same number (Arcana XX) and card appearance. The arcana of Aegis is The Aeon.

***The Universe is a fictional arcana, but it is otherwise identical to The World (Arcana XXI). As of Persona 3, only Elizabeth holds The World arcana.

Perhaps next time I'll get into the main cast's persona selection and art design.

Now for something completely different: