Judgement is the 21st and Penultimate card in the Major Arcana of the Traditional Tarot. Designated 20 and Ruled By Both the Then Planet Pluto, named after the God of Death and the Destructive Power of Fire.
The Day of Judgement has Arrived!
On the Sounding of Archangel Michael's Trumpet the Dead Rise Again, Naked to Have nothing to hide or to bargain with, for the day will come for all, that day where we will be Judged!
Judgement is a powerful card! Something in your life is coming and it cannot be ignored! A doctor's appointment, A Birth, A job Interview for some examples! This Card Means a new Potential and a Sense of Initiative to finish what You started or Start a New Chapter completely. Reversed It means Wasted Opportunities, Ennui, Lack of new Ideas and Blaming others for your failures!
Judgement is an Abstract concept, but Persona and Street fighter made them represent their characters anyway!
We are Doing Something a little different! For you see for whatever reason, 6 of Persona 3's Party Members did not have Social links and were only given them in a non-canon game! Before we judge the S.E.E.S as a whole, we will go through the remaining members: Junpei Iori, DA MAN, Akihiko Sanada, HE'S BEING WAITING FOR THIS!, Koromaru, the Goodest of Good Boys, Ken Amada, The Pretentious Tenderfoot, Shinjiro Aragaki, The Brooding Former and returning S.E.E.S member, and Aigis, The Heartless Armed Angel.
After that, we go through the S.E.E.S And their Rebranding as the Nyx Annihilation Squad, We will then cover the heroes of P4's rebranding into the Seekers of Truth, Persona 5 Sae Nijima, the House Rigging Jealous Prosecutor and Master Bison, The Psycho Powered Dictator of Street Fighter.
ROUND ONE -INSPIRATION
Junpei Iori (Magician)
Kouhai. Wingman. Benchwarmer. "Male Friend".
What if you lived on a world, where you wielded Supernatural powers....but not only are they kept secret, but your insecurities leave you in your supposed "Place" as some new kid gets all the attention, becomes the leader from out of nowhere.
But it's not Entirely everyone else's fault, Iori for all his good humour and Easy-goingness, deep down it's a front to deal with his drunk father constantly calling him good for nothing, it has lead to him being book dumb, half decent in baseball, Slacks off in missions, and has Personal Hygiene so bad, Mitsuru thought he was on drugs!
He took it all in stride, that is, until Minato saved a Runaway Monorail, after Junpei was put in a Position where he needed Rescuing, after saying how he felt, Junpei ran off so he could cool down.
Having a Breather in the Shopping Centre, he saw Something would cheer him up, or someone that would bring him back to his Alleged "Ultimate Ladies Man" Moniker.
A Beautiful yet Strangely Dressed Girl Drawing Away into a Sketchbook, he tries on the old Iori charm and it ends with this Girl, Chidori thinking he is an Idiot!
However, She is soon Smitten by his Complete Brass Balls of Junpei to even attempt to talk to her.
But Quicker than you can say "Capulets and Montagues" it doesn't end well. Not just Romeo and Juliet, but Pirates of Penzance too, as in an attempt to impress Chidori, told her he is the leader of S.E.E.S and Since Chidori is a member of the Evil Persona users Strega, Chidori Uses herself, though Reluctantly, as a bait for a kidnapping.
But Tayaka and Jin abandon Chidori when her Persona, Medea Backfires on her, S.E.E.S prisoner is sent to a Hospital being choked by a Force unseen, However to those with Personas, they see the Drug induced Persona Trying to Kill Chidori, the Price Almost paid for summoning Persona's without a means of Invocation!
Despite Chidori trying end her life herself, and not wanting to Cooperate, Junpei Never left her side.
Until her end.
When Takaya Invaded the Hospital to kill Chidori for her treason, Junpei sacrificed himself, taking the Self-Styled Anti-Christ's Bullet and falling to the ground, dead! So Moved was Chidori She Used Medea's Spell, Spring of Life, to Sacrifices her life force to revive Junpei. Not Only healing his wounds, but Junpei became the only person Not a Guest of the Velvet Room to retrieve a Fusion Persona, as His persona Hermes and Medea became Tri Majestus.
While Losing Chidori Hurt Him, Seeing her Artbook Full of Drawings of him, Softened the Blow that she did care about him, Defeating Strega in her Memory!
After Preventing the Fall Of Man, Junpei Graduated and became a second String Baseball player. Not the life he expected, but at least the life of a secret hero, is better than letting Earth become a world of Death.
As a Magician Rep, Junpei embodies the Transference from Slacker to hero, As well as from Teenager chasing every bit of tail, to Losing the only women who may truly love him.
Junpei gets an Honorary Point.
Akihiko (Emperor), Ken (Justice) and Shinjiro (Moon)
You meet Akihiko at School in your first week of the new Term, but you briefly see him wounded on that first Horrendous Night the Shadows Attacked the Dorm. But it's not like he is a pushover. If you fight Shadows, Demons and even Gods with just your fists, you better be tough as hell!
He does have one Weakness-Talking to G-G-G-G-GIRLS!
Akihiko and Misturu are part of the original S.E.E.S, Make sense since Both are older that Minato, But you hear whispers of other Members. It's Only when a 12 year old Boy named Ken Amada enrols into Gekkokan High. Akihiko knows the last name, in fact the young man asks the Boxer if he knows a Shinjiro Aragaki.
It Just so happens that Shinji would make himself known saving Minato, Junpei and Yukari from a gang mugging. Shinji when bought to S.E.E.S Wants nothing to do with them Anymore, until Akihiko tells his friend "Miki Amada's Child has Joined S.E.E.S" So Shinji returns to meet the boy.
Ken Believes that Shinjiro killed his mother 2 years ago. Though it did happen, it was an accident, Shinjiro's persona, Castor, went berserk. And it didn't Help That Shinji Joined Strega to procure Persona Suppressing Pills to Control Castor. However Learning about Chidori's Demise Shinji would sacrifice himself using his unstable persona and though Takaya and Jin were killed so was Shinjiro, Paying the ultimate Price saving both Aki and Ken, even when the latter Swore Revenge on him!
The Next day, the Principal at Gekkokan high makes the announcement that one of his former students, one involved in gangs, was found dead, so a tribute was held in school. That's when Akihiko and Ken made separate Vows to finish the fight, which Resulted in Their Personas gain second awakenings.
After the Defeat of Nyx, the Boxer and the young boy Would go on separate but similar journeys, spending the next 4 years as Vigilantes at Night.
Akihiko has had his Arcana changed to Chariot in the NON-CANON GAME!, So I'm still counting him as an Emperor Representative. And while it would be just as simple as Saying "Akihiko's an Emperor, cause his Persona becomes one called Caesar!" But there is more to that! Emperors are Rulers of the Material Plain, and Akihiko is that in its primal form: Boxing.
He is also the Father Figure to Minato, in a sense, as he is his Upperclassman or Senpai. He also the Honour Aspect, as his boxing prowess has given him a high level of respect in Inter-School Boxing Competitions.
Ken is the Reversed Justice Aspect-a Revenge seeker who reasons come from misguidance and Misinformation to that point, this is the reason his default persona is Nemesis. For him to continue to moonlight as a Vigilante is one of those rare Reversals from Inverted to Straight meaning
Shinjiro is the Dishonesty and Illusion Aspects of the Moon. Dishonesty, as Shinjiro fallen on hard times to the point he was a High School dropout, with his life Entangled in gangs and Drugs. And Illusion, as Despite looking like a Thug and Acting tough Shinjo had a hidden Depth and a secret talent: Cooking!
A Skill that he tried to hide, if only Aigis couldn't speak Dog!
Bringing us Nicely to....
Koromaru (Strength)
Mascots.
You love them, You want them! And Computer games? They gonna give em to ya!
And persona has 3 of them.
But before the Cat that told you when to go to bed, Before the Bear and his Awful puns, came ....a Dog!
And I know what you're Thinking!
Wait, he's just a Dog?
Well given whose next, a normal dog is not the strangest thing in this party!
Based on the True Story of Hachiko, Koromaru is a White Shiba Inu who once belonged to the Monk who lived in the temple not far from the Dorm.
One Morning after the Dark Hour, Those going to Morning Prayer found the Monk Murdered and the Loyal Dog, Pining for its Owner with nowhere to go and refusing to leave his home forever, Yukari, and Mitsuru adopts the Dog.
The Next Night Koromaru runs back to the temple where he confronts his Owner's killer-A Shadow. Grabbing his Master's sword in his mouth, Koro got a measure of revenge for his Master.
Koromaru is the Strength Representative- the aspects in question being Courage and Fairplay. His Arc Finishes early but at least it gets finished. Koromaru gets his revenge, but even he knows that these shadows will keep coming!
Aigis (Aeon)
Before we get to the Review, it's only fair we learn the Context of the Aeon Card, the 21th card of Alister Crowley's Thoth Tarot, Designated 20.
In the Foreground a Transparent naked God, Hoor, puts his fingers to his mouth to Hush in the Silence Gesture In front of him ( or behind) is his brother Ra, holding a Staff of Rebirth, over them is the Goddess of the night sky, Tefnut, as the Eygptians believed what the sky was. Below all 3 is the Sun. Burnt into the Sun Disc, is Shin, The Hebrew for Rebirth.
This is far more surreal than any card we have looked at!
Created to replace the Judgement card in the Occultist's Thoth Deck, This card like many others he created was used to be side pieces to teach the values of his Thelmatic Church, and his Book, the Book of Thoth, an off shoot of Egyptian God Worship.
This cards artwork is that a Situation requires Analytical Thinking and being Emphatic to the thoughts of others in their eyes. Plans on a global scale.
The Card's meaning is that of a situation that require Analysis.
This card also means Growth, and the Maturity that comes with it! "Death" and "Resurrection" not literal, but " Death of one Ego"...the Cleansing of Vices and the Rebirth of a new person.
Reversed, It means Arrogance, Immaturity and painful Experiences.
So let's get into the Toaster Waifu.
It was Spring Break, and S.E.E.S were Invited to Stay on the Kirijo Compound on the Beautiful Tropical Island of Yakushima. Junpei Ropes Minato and Akihiko to Pickup Girls on the Island. After Attempts with Varying rates at comedy, They see in a long dress, A Single girl staring out to sea. Both Junpei and Aki make Attempts, only for the Girl to tell them Bluntly "YOU ARE NOT THE ONE!" Minato tries his luck and this causes the girl to react that he is "THE ONE!" Returning to the compound, S.E.E.S Handler, Shuji Ikutsuki lets them know that an "Asset" has reactivated itself only to see Aigis and reveals that she is not a girl, she is an Android: An Anti-Shadow weapon, that was used 10 years ago to Destroy Nyx the first time. Aigis is powered by the Papillon Heart, Digitised Data of a killed and recorded Palladium which Aigis can summon without using an Evoker.
The reason for her obsession with Minato, one that leads to her watching Minato in his sleep to enrolling in Gekkokan High, comes from what we learned in The Essay Part 8, Aigis Did not kill Nyx outright, she instead ripped Nyx into 2 weaker Shadows-Orpheus and Tanatos.
Learning the Truth that killing 12 Great Shadows unseal Nyx via a Ritual. Aigis did the only thing she could do to before Ikutsuki betrayed everyone : make out she completed her programming. Hiding the shadows in the Body of a boy, who was caught in a car crash caused by the battle, Bonding Orpheus to Minato and turning Tanatos into a second Personality called Pharos, that would only manifest only when Orpheus got Stronger. Before deactivating for a decade, Ikutsuki made sure to delete the Truth about the Great Shadows from her memory.
Despite celebrating the death of all twelve Great Shadows, and thinking the Dark Hour had ended. Imagine the shock that when the clock struck midnight, Mr Kirijo and everyone in the world still turned into Coffins!
After Pharos freed himself from Minato and transformed into Ryoji Mochizuki a transfer student, Aigis in a sudden Change in personality, showed visible hatred for the new student. It wasn't until Ryoji showed Aggression getting worse and sleepwalking towards the moonlight bridge he remember, he was Once Nyx, and he needed to be destroyed before he was caused the Fall of man. However that's when Ikutsuki reveals his true colours, As Leader of Strega! He also reprogrammed Aigis to ambush S.E.E.S. Knocking them out and propping them on crosses as Sacrifices.
Ikutsuki ordered Aigis to kill Minato First, but her own Subroutine to Protect "The One" overrid her the programming, causing her to reboot, remembering everything and gaining her second awakening, the Goddess of Wisdom: Athena.
Leaving Ikutsuki to die, there is only one thing left to do Climb the Final Floors of Tartarus and slay Nyx. And when all is said and Done, they see what they can't believe carved into a Door is an Effigy of Minato. To seal Nyx forever, Minato sacrifices his life and humanity to become the seal. As the door shuts closed, Minato dies In Yukari's Arms, a smile on his face that is now mirrored on the door. As the heroes go to leave, Aigis refuses to Take orders. If Nyx returns, there is only one of them who can give up there life to wait and protect from Nyx's return: The one who doesn't have a life! And so Persona 3 ends for Aigis the way it started:
Staring into the void, waiting for "The One"
Aigis, being an Android, Fits the Analytical Aspect of the Aeon, and Ironically, by enrolling into school shows Maturity and Growth and Soon Aigis goes from Mimicking Emotions and her lack of social graces, to Understanding weakness and grief in herself when Minato pays the Ultimate Price to save Everyone on Earth.
Aigis Gains a point for the Aeon's Context.
Nyx Annihilation Squad
So it has come to this.
After lies and Betrayal, the Host of Tantalus, Ryoji Mochizuki, begged the heroes to kill him, before he would go insane. Instead you no longer take the easy route, you will complete your mission to kill Nyx. As such This steels the Resolve of S.E.E.S to one linear goal, Annihilating Nyx, Ryoji will try to hold off his Murderous Urges, but you have only til the end of Humanity.
With every step you finally get to the 254th floor of the Tower to defeat Nyx in the time given.
Nyx is a long Gruelling fight who changes his Arcana from Fool Rotating all the way to Death, meaning he changes Thirteen times for a boss battle that had fourteen stages. Each stage has 1500 health points. When becomes a Death Arcana Shadow, that's when he becomes serious. His spell Moonless Gown makes him impervious to all kinds of damage for 3 turns. Like Kumino Sagiri a Game later Nyx attempts Brainwashing your part with the the move Night Queen. So have your Anti charm heals or Accessories Ready.
With Nyx sealed and Aigis Making her Sacrifice, The others return through the teleporters to see Tartarus reconfigure into Gekkokan High School and the Coffins back into people. They decide to continue the fight against the supernatural until they graduate and have lives of their own.
AND FUCK THE ANSWER!
Judgement was indeed served upon Nyx and the Fall of Man, thus being the face value as well as the straight meaning of an event that could not be Ignored. (I mean, it IS the end of the World!) And the Empowerment to change things, to save the world, with School Sports Equipment, No less.
The Seekers of Truth
It Could not get Any worse for Yu Nurakami and his investigation team.
They Defeated Taro Nanatame, The Disgraced Councilman, who had kidnapped and killed his own wife and the witness to it and Attempted to kill many of your friends, but he had just killed Yu's Seven year old cousin Nanako, and the anger caused Nanako's father to crash his car, ending up in the same Hospital, also there to be Psychoanalyzed was Taro. Learning that's his Room had a TV in it should he try to escape, the Team barge into the room, seeing a distraught Nanatame, seeing himself on the TV, this shadow claiming his breakdown on claiming in believing in a Utopia in the cognitive world is a lie, that he's a cold blooded killer. Yosuke wants to just throw "The Bastard" into the TV world and let the shadows kill him. But that's when, Yu pauses and thinks about it. There was letters warning him not to interfere or he'll be "put in next and killed". Now knowing that Taro only thought he was "saving" people, he would not say he was going to kill them by putting him in the TV world. As shocking as it sounds to Yosuke, the Truth is the Truth.
Nanatame is only a kidnapper-Someone was pulling the Strings. On top of that, Teddie, feeling sorry over the Apparent death of Nanako, (Sparring Nanatame, causes her to revive) had returned to the TV world, and the Fog from there was making those weak enough to fall sick and others to turn uncaring.
It's only when Teddie Is told about Nanako's Miracle recovery, is when he returns and not a moment too soon, the fog is messing up Rise's Navigator Skills, So Maybe Teddie's Bloodhound-like Nose can smell out Adachi.
They find him-or rather his shadow in the Noose Room and he admits having a hand in everything, killing Mayumi, as her police Escort, after an attempted rape on his obsession piece, using Nanatame job as a delivery man to get close to the victims that had retails jobs (Saki, Yukiko and Kanji) and when Mitsuo Kubo did his copycat killing, Adachi made sure that after his televised outburst to have a fall guy, but Nanatame kept "Saving" people, Seeing Nanako's presence turn part of the TV world into Heaven only sent the madman over the edge.
For one last time, you watched the midnight channel and saw no one person but the entire town of Inaba covered in fog and desolate. Said fog was now so thick that noone could enter or exit.
Venturing into the final part of the TV world, the destroyed Inaba. At its peak, they found the real Adachi. Confronting him they found out his motive for his crimes beyond a sexual attack that went wrong was out of pure Boredom. But not as shocked to find out he had a Persona also, but not just any Persona, an Evil version of Yu's Persona, Izanagi.
Despite the Shock of this "Magatsu Izanagi" , it was Not enough to match our heroes, until Adachi had a second awakening, and Izanagi and Tohru merged into the Eternal Watcher, a Giant Technicolour Eyeball called Ameno-Sagiri.
But that's a Story for Another day.
Much Like the Heroes before them, The seekers of Truth go through an Empowerment that changes them, against another false god who threatens all humanity. There is also some Reversed Aspects here like fear of Illness and death, Since the Fog from the the TV World started to roll into Inaba.
The reason I didn't finish the story is that Technically, there is no World Representative in Persona 4, Until Yu has his second Awakening and Izunagi becomes a World Arcana Persona called Izunagi-Oh-Kami. So the final battle will be covered in the next essay!
THE SEEKERS OF TRUTH GET A POINT!
Sae Nijima
We Begin at the End.
That is how Persona 5's story starts!
After Eluding the Police for a year, The Leader of the Phantom Thieves, Ren Amamiya, was Captured and Arrested, But not before one of the Swat Officers rubbed it in his face that They had a Man on the inside that Sold Him Out! Roughed Up, Injected with Truth Serum and Thrown into an Interrogation Room, The Prosecutor for your case comes in, One of Japan's Top Lawyers, Sae Nijima, who just happens to be the Sister of Phantom Thief Member (and Canon Love Interest) Makoto Nijima.
With No Choice you recant your tale, Of how You saved a women from a Rape, Only for the man who was a wealthy Councilman called Shido, to pay off the Woman to say it was an unprovoked Assault, How it lead to His parents shipping him out to Shibuya, wild stories about Apps that send you to other worlds, Velvet Rooms, Palaces, Talking Cats, demons, Art Forgery and Killers in Black Masks! All this is readily Accepted, Until she learns her Sister is a Phantom Thief, that's when Sae becomes your final Social Link in the timeline of the story!
From the Tomb of Sloth onward, Sae in Cutscenes will interject after boss battles and key moments, adding her remarks about the Tomb of Sloth, The fall of Medjed, The Black Mask, Spaceship Gluttony, the Death of Mr Okumura, the Mental Shutdown of the Principal of Shujin by The Black Mask and the Framing of his murder, implicating the Phantom Thieves.
But there is a Personal Reason Sae took this case, Far Beyond her Sister's involvement. But because She was targeted to get Off the Phantom Thieves trail. For in the Cognitive World, Sae had a palace. After watching her win a case with false evidence in the Male led Law industry to keep up her Profile, Her Palace turned into a Casino, where as a pit boss Sae sees Justice as a game that can rigged in her favour every time. And the House Always Wins!
Spurred On that Putting Ren Amamiya Away will Grant her a Promotion and the Respect She feels she Deserves, the Casino is a Place full of Gambling Machines themed traps, Slot Machines that decide Bail bonds, A pitch-black Maze through your Arraignment and her Boss battle is on a Roulette Wheel rigged in her Favour. it's only when you cheat yourself by shooting the ball into an adjacent Slot in your favour, that sets her off that Turns her into a monster, a Fallen Angel of Injustice. Upon her Defeat, Makoto Reaches out to her and tells her she forgives her (Sae Before this, claimed Raising Makoto was Weighing her down professionally) But not before the Police came in and Arrested Joker after he was sold out by Akechi.
Convinced that it was all a set-up to either kill her of at least give her a leave of absence, so she would be taken off all her cases, including ones involving Councilman Shido-Akechi's father!-No investigation would impede his presidential Campaign.
But she still has a Job to do- Convict Someone But the Phantom Thieves Suspected Akechi from the word Go (As written in Part 6) They presented Evidence to Implicate Akechi, they even went so far to Fake Joker's Death in the Cognitive World., A world neither party had truly left.
BUT THIS IS ALSO A STORY FOR ANOTHER TIME!
Telling the Story of the Judgement card as a flashback, recalling all the other cards before it, before the final level where the World card is revealed is Genius!
As for Card Meaning-it's Straight meaning! She is a prosecutor going against you in court! Underneath she is reversed Aspects too, all the way! A fear of Change, one that warrants her to cheat to keep her high profile Win-Loss Record, it even effects her Home life with her Sister Makoto, leading to get to have an Inferiority complex she seem dealing with throughout the game. She does change provided you don't rat out the others and Defeat Yaldaboath. On the last day before Ren returns home, Sae gives you her Business card, one that claims she is now a Defence Lawyer, finally on the side of Justice, exactly what her late father would want!
Sae gets a point
Master (M) Bison
Even after his death, Noone is even sure who, or what M.Bison was.
Some say he was just a low-key Drug Dealer, before he was exposed to mass Quantities of an Illicit Superpower giving Substance, that warped his mind.
Some say he was an artificial lifeform Created in an attempt to use Psycho Power as an Energy source.
And Some people say he's a Crooked Realtor with a terrible Irish accent who roars like a lion every time he throws a punch!
Well, whatever he was, he was Evil Incarnate, Manning a Criminal Organisation that rivalled Many Countries Armies. Weapon manufacturing, Kidnapping, Political Assassinations, human trafficking, Human experimentations-There was nothing Bison and his Shadaloo Organisation wouldn't do for World Domination but for what Purpose? Did he have a Childhood that lead to this state of mind, or was he Just Evil for Evil's Sake?
The World May Never Truly Know!
The wheels of the Shadaloo Machine started to turn when 2 Similar Murders Happened in China and South Korea, two detectives were killed in front of their respective daughters on their birthdays. While the Chinese girl was too traumatized to do anything, the Korean girl had some Tae Kwon do training and for her continued troubles...
Bison tore her Left Eye out!
Then the First Street fighter tournament happened in Auspicious Fashion with a Shadowy "Benefactor" Footing the Bill. When Sagat won against Ryu, The Japanese fighter lost control. And as Sagat was helping him up, Ryu in a rage, countered with a Satsui No Hadou powered Shoryuken, scarring Sagat's Chest Forever, as his gang left Sagat for dead, the Former king of Muai Thai crawled for help. He found it....For a price!
Years pass and Shadaloo becomes A Formidable and Feared Criminal Empire. Sequestered in Thailand, With Sagat, Balrog and Vega, All out in the World Roughing up Dojos and Building Dams to power factories, Bison would give the World a Proclamation!
"Defeat me in the finals of my tournament...Or watch me set the world on fire!"
However, despite his power, it was a Double Edged Sword, Psycho Power was too Much Even for Bison to Hold On to. The Alpha Tournament was a front to Steal the Winner's Body while the Psycho Drive, a regeneration pod was creating his new Body. But he did have a first choice, the body of the Young man who bested his Number 1 Sagat; Ryu!
Not Counting On their Power they possess Attracting Akuma and having him One shot the Dictator with Raging Demon, Akuma revealed he Murdered Ryu's Master, Gouken. Defeating Akuma after losing his Composure and tapping into the "Wave of Murderous Intent" Bison came to and imparted Some Psycho power into Ryu, turning him into a Mindless Slave to his Anger, while Charlie went to destroy the Shadaloo base and the Drive inside, The Other World warriors tried to Quell the rage in Ryu and failing. It was only when Sakura's words reached him at the very last Minute, that he redirected his Metsu Hadoken into Bison, Destroying his Body for the first time!
Then the Events that led to the Second Tournament, Bison Whose Soul Entered Rose's Body, ordered his Shadaloo Cohorts to Increase their Efforts in Creating Clone Bodies from Factories Worldwide, Discarding Rose when his new Body was finished or Rose breaking free of her own accord (It's Never Disclosed Which!) the Idea of a Female Body gave him a twisted Idea a leader for his Dolls, a Clone created from his own DNA.
Though Decapre was a failed Attempt, the second was not, Project Killer Bee. While the Mentally Unstable Decapre was Brainwashed into a Mindless Thrall like the other Dolls, Killer Bee later known as Cammy White, was given some Autonomy and Intelligence was created to be his Bride and Empress of Shadaloo. However after the defeat by Ryu a second time, Shadaloo was Starting to Crack.
Ryu Won the Second tournament, Chun Li (Supposedly) killed Vega, Cammy broke free from his control during the Alpha Tournament and all the defeats only caused Bison to overclock himself causing his Psycho Power to Burn up his Body so fast, Cloning a new One that would not die of exposure of his now vast power took too long to create, in fact by this time, Balrog was made Shadaloo Leader and Gambled away their Ill-gotten Gains, The Shadaloo Intelligence Network (S.I.N) Had Splintered under the leader of their Cache of Advanced Clones called Seth and it didn't help that the Illuminati tried their hand at conquest.
Come the Events of Street Fighter 4, Bison's New Body is Ready, and even with Sagat now walking the Straight and Narrow. Bison makes quick work of traitors from S.I.N. And his past, defeating Sagat, Viper and Facing Seth, And While Bison would not be the once to destroy Seth, Seth for all his Bluster, did not fantom that the Girl Bison Blinded, the one he gave an artificial eye that grants her a fraction of his power, only used Seth to get close to Getting revenge on Bison. Juri blindsided Seth, and would defect to Shadaloo, only for her Fung Shui Engine eye to be Stolen, Only to steal it back when she defected again to Illuminati. Without A leader. S.I.N Operatives came grovelling back, and with the acquisition of the Assassins, The Poison Hand, Shadaloo were a Peril to the World once more.
To Street fighter 5 and Bison unveiled his Most Ambitious and Grandiose Plan Ever. The Black Moon-A Super Weapon that Required the Kidnappings of Programmers, including Chun Li's daughter, Li-Fen. Next to goad the World Warriors into one place, Activation keys, Disguised as Chess Pieces were sent to them only to be stolen or used for bartering for Kidnapped Victims' Safety.
As well as the Dark Sun being a death laser, it was also going to used as a Crucible to Siphon the Misery it caused into Psycho Power. It seems for once, Master Bison was finally going to Commit to his mission.
However....
A Combination of Infighting between the other 3 Kings, An Oversight of not having Clones or Dolls on standby, and A Combined Effort from every one of the World Warriors, they got Ryu into Space and with his newly acquired Power Of Nothingness. Ryu Obliterated Bison Entire Being Body and Soul. The Nightmare was over.
Which Brings Us to Now.
5 years have Passed, Metro City had rebuilt Finally, and is one of the 2 Sites of a legitimate Street fighter tournament. The Dolls gave being freed of Brainwashing, Guile retired from the Air Force, Chun Li moved to Metro City to open a dojo, Balrog is on the run, Vega and F.A.N.G are presumed dead and it seems that the world could finally know Peace.
But under the Surface, without a Vessel, the World was permeated with Psycho power enough for G to convince some he was a Prophet proclaiming Human Unity, and a new Nebulous Threat, A Terrorist cell called Amnesia lead by J.P, Bison's Former Accountant No less, Who Also Wields Psycho Power, had Implicated Ken Masters as a Terrorist, Solely becoming the financial backer for the tournament, but there is more to it-The Master Foundation would no doubt in supplying Aid to the "Country" of Nayshal, would probably uncover the them harbouring the Illuminati, if the Familiar Colour Scheme is anything to go by.
Bison is the Subversion of the Empowerment Aspect, A Self-Serving Dictator who had used his power and Potential to Change the lives of those innocent Victims, he killed Charlie Nash, the fathers of Chun Li and Juri and turned innocent children into teen Soldiers and Potential Vessels for his Dark Soul, to Quote Davros from doctor who:
But these are not weapons for his use, those effected became Daggers that softened the blow for Ryu to finish the job.
Bison is also the Negative Aspects. Fear is a two way street, he is feared and yet the fear of death is What Drives him to his most Despicable actions-To Target Children, to erase their own lives and identities to prolong his own life. In the end his Ambition and refusal to change, to surrender is what done more harm more than Ryu ever Could!
Bison gains a point.
Junpei-1 Honourary Point for Being a Magician rep, 1 for Judgement.
Akihiko-1 for Emperor, 1 for Judgement
Koromaru-1 for Strength, 1 for Judgement
Ken-1 for Justice, 1 for Judgement
Shinjiro-1 for Moon, 0 for Judgement, since he died before the rebrand.
Aigis: 1 for Aeon, 1 for Judgement
Nyx Annihilation Squad-1 (Some of it's parts)
Seekers of Truth-1
Sae-1
Bison-1
ROUND 2-PERKS
It's Junpei who shows you Around the Shopping District and Paulownia Hall, providing Minato with, but not limited to, A Chemists for healing items, a police station for weapons, Access to the Velvet Room, Restaurants, Arcades, and Nightclubs for increasing your stats and other locales to Start Social Links. He also gave be you a Cd ROM of Innocent Sin to unlock the "Maya" Social link.
At School it's Akihiko who Convinces You to join a Sport Club, joining one (Swim, Track or Kendo!) Will raise your Diligence Stat will open up 3 of your Social Links.
Ken does not attend school yet and has Joined the S.E.E.S far too late and doesn't unlock or add anything special
Koromaru's Social interaction is that he needs to be walked which is a two person job, which usually ends with you and the random member having a chat. Sometimes the Dog would run off and come back with a random item, this is how players found out they can Talk to Akinari to start his Social Links when Koromaru stole his Pen.
Shinjo dies after you meet him, he's the Moon Social Link in the NON-CANON GAME, So any gains from him don't count.
Aigis adds Nothing in terms of Perks in her initial game.
The Social Link Unlocks The Fusion for Messiah.
As 2 groups that are consisted of all your Playable characters. All the perks that unlock Separately Don't count and neither group get no new perks. This Unlocks Lucifer.
Confiding in Saw to Setup Akechi requires you to not sell out the others, or its Game over. This leads to your Death Being Faked so you can be freed to Stop Shido and Yaldaboath, prior to Rank 7, Ranking up Same progressed Automatically. On Rank 10. You unlock the only perk, True Justice-Unlocking the final 2 levels, The Ark of Pride and Qlipoth World. He key item is the Business card to Unlock Satan as well the Ability to high level Personas in New Game Plus.
Bison is Ryu's Enemy who wished the Death of him and everyone Ryu cares about.
Junpei-1 Magician, 2 Judgement
Akihiko-1 Emporer, 2 Judgement
Koromaru-1 Strength, 2 Judgement
Ken-1 Justice, 1 Judgement
Shinjiro-1 Moon, 0 Judgement
Aigis-1 Aeon, 1 Judgement
Nyx Annihilation Squad-2
Seekers of Truth-1
Sae-2
Bison-1
ROUND 3 INFLUENCE ON THE HERO AND HIS WORLD
Despite his ego stepped on, Junpei becomes Minato's Best Friend.
The sad thing about Aki, Ken and Shinji as Social Links in F.E.S, is that their feelings towards Minato is never discussed.
After his master died, Koromaru is very loving to his new owners.
Aigis' Actions to postpone the end of the World by Ten years by Sealing Personas into a random Child's Body and Reactivate herself to wait for him is Aigis' Purpose. When Nyx is sealed, Needing Minato to give up his life force to do so. Aigis being the only one that won't age or die or forget opts to wait for Minato, Even of it never Happens.
Under the Sudden leadership of Minato, The Dynamic of S.E.E.S Changed Drastically, Gaining A Full-Time Navigator rather than having Mitsuru choose which role to play, you also gain 3 new Fighters. Slowly but surely, your Motley crew becomes the Only line of defence against the Destruction of all Mankind. And all of them take Minato's Martyrdom and death to heart, so even after Sealing Away Nyx, 3 continue to become heroes investigating Supernatural phenomenon.
Yu had a lasting Effect on the lives of Others, Beyond saving the World, Young Nurakami-san practically altered the lives of the others for the better. In the Good Ending, you return to Inaba a year later. And you can't believe how much your friends have changed, the Toyboys have grown hair out, Rise and Yukiko Are sporting mature looks and Kanji is Dahm near unrecognisable with his natural black hair and dressed like an office worker, but most of all Teddie can convince people he's a human better.
Sae Doesn't Believe You at First, But It's Only when she doubts if Akechi has the right interests in mind. Still not believing a word, it was only when Yaldaboath appeared after Shido lost the election. After Yaldaboath's defeat, Same Became a Defence Lawyer after Seeing that Society Needs Justice, not more Victims.
Bison had been the main antagonist for the Street Fighter Series since it's introduction to the West in 1991. Bison is the Source of all Evil in his Universe, that no other even dared to invade unless it seems Bison had perished. Seeing Ryu Nearly Murder his Second in Command with one Punch fuelled by Supernatural powers, A lifelong pursuit to take his body as his vessel. Ryu sees Bison as the Unnatural Monster he is, An Aberration that steaks life away from others to add to his own. In Street fighter 6, Ryu now a Master himself, Contemplates what's next now that it's being five Years since the Black Sun. It's only When Luke challenges him to a fight to prove his strength, Ryu starts his world Journey anew.
Junpei-1 Magician, 3 Judgement
Akihiko-1 Emporer, 3 Judgement
Koromaru-1 Strength, 3 Judgement
Ken-1 Justice, 3 Judgement
Shinjiro-1 Moon, 0 Judgement
Aigis-1 Aeon, 2 Judgement
Nyx Annihilation Squad-2
Seekers of Truth-2
Sae-3
Bison-2
THE WINNER IS SAE.
Well that's it!
Next week I will have the Schedule for The Rest of the Year. Join me over on my film review blog Boggerboxoffice.blogspot.com, on August the 1st for the review of Bluestory!
You can Follow me on Mastodon World @RealEnli, and while you still can follow me on Twitter under the same name, before it implodes!
Thanks for reading! The next TAROTOBER essay, the last one, will be in November!
