Persona 5: Shots Through the Heart
Shot 22: Angel with a Shotgun
Reality and Mementos have fused into a world where the God of Control reigns supreme and no child of man has the power to think for themselves. Humanity is rapidly descending into utter ruin.
However, one light of hope remains. After being stripped of physical form, the Phantom Thieves of Hearts rise from the pits of despair and ascend into the corrupted heavens above to face the God of Control in a final battle to decide the fate of the world. It's Chaos vs. Law in the battle to end them all.
xxx
All is quiet inside the ominous tower that pierces the blood red clouds as the fake Igor stands in the middle of the massive black arena alone.
Suddenly, the monstrous king of Hell, Satan, appears from the entrance high above in a veil of shadow with a thunderous roar, then spews out a massive black and red ball of fire from his mouth. The flame erupts into a pillar when it crashes into the ground.
As the inferno dies down, one by one the righteous Phantom Thieves of Hearts, Joker, Panther, Skull, Mona, Fox, Queen, Oracle, and Noir, march out from the flames with conviction burning in their eyes, ready to confront the imposter created by this world's grand deity.
"Knock knock, tin can!" Joker shouts to the fake. The fake Igor hovers from the ground in a veil of darkness with its unsettling copied smile.
"Rebels who choose to deny the Prison of Regression. Why do you mere humans still dare oppose me?" Panther glares and points at the fake.
"Stop acting like you're some kind of god!" she demands. "You're just a Treasure! Shut up and let us destroy you!" The imposter chuckles as he shakes his head.
"Fools. Do you still not understand? Your actions shall not save a single soul."
The fake laughs maniacally as it ascends, disappearing into nothing, and the corrupted Treasure and granter of humanity's wishes, The Holy Grail, manifests before the band of rebels.
"How do you think it is that I became a god to begin with?"
"What is that supposed to mean?" Queen asks in a cold tone.
"The freedom not to choose. The freedom not to think. If every person pushed the burdens of their lives upon others, nobody would have to act for themselves. And who should be there to receive those burdens?"
"Are you saying… that's you?!" Noir asks.
"Precisely. Humanity itself wished for the Holy Grail to be a god that would rule over them! If you continue reject that order, there will no longer be a place for you in this world." Mona smirks and cocks an eyebrow.
"... And?"
"You make it sound like we're supposed to care," Joker sighs.
"I see… So you wish to reject me, even if it means foregoing praise from those you want to "save"?"
"We don't let what others think hold us down anymore!" Noir declares. Queen nods.
"That's right!"
"And if this is your world!" Joker shouts. "Then it's a world we don't want any part of anyway!"
"If you are not going to obey… then you shall suffer yet again. I shall bring down the hammer of judgement upon you who dare disrupt my world order!" Energy starts flowing out of the Holy Grail and the Phantom Thieves prepare for battle.
(Author's Note: Fast forwarding to the end of this phase)
After Mona succeeds in cutting the Holy Grail's connection to the inmates of the Prison of Regression, it retaliates by hitting them with its most powerful beam attack.
When the smoke from the explosion clears, Joker's new Persona, Lucifer, has used its massive body to effortlessly absorb the blast, protecting the Phantom Thieves.
"Nice try! Lucifer, Morning Star!" Lucifer roars as he spreads his arms and six wings to call down a cosmic force that rains down upon the Holy Grail in a glorious explosion, blasting off the chains the kept it pinned to the ground and filling the room with light.
"Nngh, fooooooooooools…"
When the light clears the room, everything has gone completely silent, save the sound of the Phantom Thieves catching their breath.
"Hey, we did get 'im, yeah?" Skull asks.
"That was my strongest charged attack… save Black Viper," Joker says.
"Oracle?" Queen calls as she turns to her. Oracle uses her goggles to scan the inactive Holy Grail.
"It's silent, but… I dunno." The team stands anxiously in front of the Treasure, waiting for something to happen.
Suddenly, the wall and the floor start glowing with light and the entire room starts to quake as the ring of gears on the Holy Grail start to turn. A sudden shake forces the team to their knees.
"What the eff is goin' on?!" Skull shouts. "This looks bad, you guys!" The walls start crumbling to dust and the entire tower splits apart as the Holy Grail's gears are blasted off to release a ring of golden angel wings, all for the Phantom Thieves to witness.
"Could it be…?" Noir gasps.
"What's going on?!"" Fox asks. When the ground completely splits apart in the clouds of Heaven, the deadly secret that the tower was hiding within itself rise, its massiveness towering over everything. Joker clenches his fists as the mere sight of it.
"This is the Holy Grail's…" he mumbles. "No… The evil god's true form." Everyone slowly steps back, eyes filled with awe and fear, as the structure continues to rise.
"... Is the real?" Panther gasps. Skull tries to shakes off his trance and giant golden wings spread from the structure.
"Guys, pull it together!" A giant shadow is casted over them as Oracle hides behind her brother.
"G-Give me a break…!" The evil god's maniacal laugh echoes through the sky as his gargantuan, faceless, mechanical angel body is revealed for all to see, his golden wing halo hovering above his head.
"Feeble-minded Trickster, bear witness to and tremble in fear of the glory of your god! I am the administrator born of the collective human unconscious! The God of Control, Yaldabaoth!" The god's body gleams in the light of the sun shining behind, amplifying his holy presence that towers high over the rebels.
"This is crazy!" Oracle shouts. "It's like a building!"
"It was already huge back when it was the Holy Grail…!" Panther gasps.
"The administrator must guide mankind toward proper development. And now that the foolishness of man has been proven, it is the administrator's duty to purge them." Skull glares at the god, Yaldabaoth.
"You kiddin'?! This is just some kinda rigged game you started!"
"The foolish masses merely spread indolent thoughts and force the progress of society backward. If left to humanity, the world would slowly meet its demise. Rehabilitation is impossible now."
"That doesn't mean humans are evil, though!" Queen shouts.
"Indeed. There are many upstanding citizens. However, they merely take the sole path before them. The act of making decisions is accompanied by nothing but pain. Even if a cliff of ruin lie ahead, these lemmings would march on without a second thought."
"Bullshit!" Skull barks. "You're just forcing your selfish ideas on people!" Oracle stops hiding behind Joker.
"For a god, you're pretty damn prejudiced!" she shouts.
"If this was all for the sake of humanity, wouldn't being beaten by humans satisfy you?!" Noir asks.
"I am the entity that governs this world. Its future depends wholly on my leadership." The golden wings slowly flap up.
"And those who dare defy this natural order shall be met with punishment raining down from the heavens!"
With one massive wing beat, Yaldabaoth blasts those who oppose him with a torrent of wind, making them slide back as they shield their eyes. Joker's entire body begins to tremble.
"... J-Just a flap of those wings…" he mumbles "... And there was so much power behind it…"
"That thing's on a totally different level…!" Oracle gasps. Fox hangs his head in doubt.
"... Can we defeat something like him?" As his teammates are beginning to dread at their seemingly slim chances of victory, they see their leader snickering with a big evil smile on his face. Panther walks up to him.
"Joker…?" Joker takes a deep breath and crazily and openly starts dying laughing into the clouds above, then glares at the god with sheer determination.
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! HA! HAHA! HAHAHAHAHAHA! THIS! IS! FUCKING! AWESOME!" Almost everyone is shocked by his crazy outburst.
"HOW MUCH MORE LUCKY COULD WE POSSIBLY GET?! THIS SERIOUSLY CAN'T GET ANY BETTER!" Mona chuckles and nods at his leader.
"I couldn't agree more! This is the absolute best possible outcome!" The shock is turned to the black cat now.
"Mona, you too?!" Panther gasps. Mona turns to the group with a devious smile.
"Of course. Think about it. We're fighting against a god who's not holding anything back, right? Hmph! What bigger target could there be for the Phantom Thieves to tackle?" Joker turns to his friends too.
"You guys know how I am! The stronger our target is, the more pumped for the fight I get!" he explains. "And since God is on the top of the food chain…!" He shoots a fist into the air.
"How could not be more fired up than I've ever been in my whole damn life?!" Panther stares at her overly excited boyfriend, then giggles and wraps an arm around his neck.
"As always, you're crazy… and as always, I absolutely love it!" Queen smiles.
"Although… it's still way too big for my liking…" she jokes. Oracle smiles as she prepares her goggles.
"Alright! I'll give the navigation everything I got!" Noir warmly smiles at everyone.
"We can do this if we all work together!" Panther nods.
"Let's take him down!" Fox puts his hand over his heart and smiles.
"Crowning our glory by defeating a god. Now that is true art." Skull snickers.
"We just gotta beat that thing, yeah?" Joker looks at his team.
"He'll be our strongest opponent ever, but it won't be a problem…" He pounds his chest with his fist.
"Let's show Yaldabaoth the true power… of The Phantom Thieves of Hearts!" Mona laughs at everyone's sudden fired up attitude.
"Man… you guys are the best, stupidest group I could ask for!" He looks up at the mischievous rebel leader with a warm smile.
"Akira… I'm so glad I was able to be a part of your team." Joker chuckles and shakes his head.
"Can it with the sentiment, Cat… It's not over yet..."
"Hm… You're right." Joker's eyes glow red as he smirks at his best friend and personal guide.
"Morgana? … Let's end this."
The rebellious Phantom Thieves look up at the holy God of Control, Yaldabaoth, with souls burning with determination and courage, driven to put their end to the rotten world and change it into a world of freedom.
"We'll take it all back!" Mona declares.
Everyone takes a step forward...
"Our future…!"
...places a hand on their masks.
"And this world!"
And with Joker's might roar, charges forward.
"... IT'S SHOWTIME!"
PER-SO-NAAA!
(Author's Note: Fast forwarding to the end of this phase.)
The thieves aiming to slay God have once again destroyed the four tools Yaldabaoth was wielding in the four extra that grew from his body, enduring the punishment of the divine spells that symbolize the distorted seven deadly sins that could lead mankind to ruin, from Lust to Pride.
Everyone, beaten and bruised with thief torn suits, fights to stay on their feet as it has taken almost everything they have to thoroughly damage the god. Yet, there doesn't seem to be even a sign of any scratches on him at all.
"Hmph. Have you imbeciles still not had enough?" The tired Joker snickers as he glares at the faceless angel.
"Ha… Don't you wish."
"... Very well… Then I shall toy with you no longer." Yaldabaoth's halo begins to spin faster.
"The abyss of the unconscious yearns for ultimate ruin…" His arms reach into the hexagon shaped pillars on his body.
"You have no means of escape, humans…" He pulls out the Gun of Execution, the Bell of Declaration, the Sword of Judgement, and the Book of Commandments.
"Punishment shall strike you all…" He raises his tools into the air.
"As you pass through the gates of destruction…" Black energy surges out of his tools and to the center of his chest. Oracle's readings go off the charts.
"What is this power…?!" she gasps. "Be careful! Some kind of insane attack's coming!" Everyone fighting on the front lines glares at the god as he charges up his attack.
"Unison attack…!" Joker commands. "And give it… everything you got…!" Futaba Ultra Charges everyone as they summon their Personas. Satan powers up for Black Viper as everyone else's Personas circle around him. Everyone's auras merge together in a black flame to unite their powers.
"Ready?!" Oracle asks. Satan absorbs all of the power and turns into a gargantuan serpent made up of the six elements of Fire, Ice, Wind, Lightning, Nuclear, and Psychokenisis, which all become infused with Curse magic. When the serpent bares its fangs at the malevolent god, Oracle gives the signal to let loose.
"FIRE EVERYTHING!"
J+P+M+S+F+Q+N: "GO! PHANTOM VIPER!"
The viper lashes out at Yaldabaoth, striking him dead center in his chest. Everyone roars as they put everything into that one strike, pushing him back a bit before the attack explodes in spectacular fashion, covering everything in a thick, massive cloud of smoke. The thieves shield themselves and try to catch their breath.
"Did… did you do it?" Oracle asks. The smoke slowly begins to lift. And after a long silence… a maniacal laugh shakes their will to their very core.
"So... this is the power that resists ruin…"
"... No way..." Joker murmurs. A powerful blast of wind from Yaldabaoth's wings reveals his body completely unscathed, much to the dismay of the rebels.
"... That was our strongest attack…" Panther mumbles. "And there's still not even a scratch…?" The heavens begins to darken Yaldabaoth's charge nears its completion.
"My control shall not bow down to ruin." Everything begins to quake violently as his wings flap upwards.
"My control… is the ultimate truth of this world." Realising the imminent danger, everybody, even Oracle, gathers together and creates a barrier over themselves using their Persona, with Satan being their last defense. The god finishes his charge.
"Everybody, hang on!" Queen shouts as they all huddle up and hold onto each other, Joker, of course, wrapping his arms around Panther.
"BOW DOWN!" Yaldabaoth fires his attack at the floor in front of the barrier, then a violent torrent of black energy erupts from under them like the most violent explosion from a volcano. Pain surges through everyone like electric shocks as their Personas take the full force of the attack.
One by one, their strength starts to give out. Mona, Fox, Panther, Noir, Queen, and Skull all succumb to the strain, leaving them unable summon their Personas as Oracle's Final Guard and Satan's massive body are the only things keeping them from the devastating blast.
"Nggggggggggh! Come on! Give it up already!" Oracle whines right before her strength gives out. Joker cries out in agony as he fights to keep his defense up all on his own.
"Hang in there, Joker!" Ann shouts.
"Ya gotta hang in there! Please hang in there!" Ryuji begs. Joker tries as hard as he can to keep his Persona around… but with the loud sound of a crack, it is broken, allowing the attack to blast them all away.
When the smoke clears, everyone is lying face down on the floor before the evil god, heavily wounded. They very slowly push themselves back on their feet.
"Damn…" Ryuji weakly curses. "He's… strong…" Fighting through the pain, they lift their heads and glare at Yaldabaoth.
"If you're really a god," Mona shouts. "You should be guiding humanity to your ideals! You're destroying them because you can't do that, aren't you?! So you can flaunt your own existence! That's why you were observing us! You had to because the reaction of the "masses" worried you!"
"... That sounds about right," Yusuke coughs.
"I dunno how long you've lived," Ryuji barks. "But you're the perfect example of a pain-in-the-ass old man!" Ann chuckles a little.
"You find people like that everyone."
"Ha! Which means you're nothing special!" Akira barks.
"What drivel!" Black energy gathers in a sphere in front of Yaldabaoth's chest and burst into smoke, making everyone cover their eyes.
"Ah! W-What the hell?!" Akira shouts.
"What is this?!" Ann screams. Ryuji sees nothing but darkness when he tries to open his eyes.
"Dammit! I can't see anything!"
"Do you want to erase us from this world that much?!" Haru asks the god. Mona turns to his friends with worry.
"Guys…!"
"I am merely following the natural order. Therefore, since you have been forsaken by the world, there is nowhere you can belong!" Yaldabaoth calls down a lightning storm to strike everyone down, making them fall back down to the ground.
"We… can't lose… like this…!" Ryuji barks.
"If… we lose…" Makoto coughs. "The world is…!" Ann tries to push herself up.
"I-I need to… get… back up…" Yaldabaoth laughs as he punishes them with another lightning storm. Everyone's consciousness and will to fight starts ebbing away.
"M-My strength…" Yusuke wheezes.
"I can't… go on…" Futaba murmurs.
"Is this it…?" Haru mumbles.
"Not even one sliver of unpredictability can be permitted under my control." The masses' indolent thoughts, which created the smoke, echo through the sky.
Guess it was impossible in the end.
It was fun while it lasted though.
It's humans against a god, after all.
"Do you hear the voices of the masses? They mock you for rebelling against a god. Humans are not but clumps of desire. Logic dictates that a world filled with them will decline." Akira and Mona, their wills still burning strong, slowly try to get to their feet.
"The sin of rebelling against a god is severe. As punishment, you all shall taste pain everlasting." Mona is the first to get up.
"... Not letting that happen!"
"Ah… The Velvet Room attendant created from the dregs of human hope, hm? Hahahahahaha! It is impossible for a petty existence like you to overrule my precedent." Mona summons Mercurius and sends it at the god.
"Human hope is a desire too! Don't underestimate it!" His Persona was quickly swatted away by the the Sword of Judgement. Yaldabaoth tries to bring the blade down on the pint sized feline, but Arsene arrives just in time to stop the blade long enough for him to dodge the blade. However, the shock wave of the impact still blasts him away. Joker steps in front of his friend, defending him.
"Leave... him... alone...!" He slowly limps towards the evil god while favoring his right arm, still willing to fight.
"Joker...!" Mona shouts.
"Still refusing to bow down to your superiors, are you, Trickster? I admit that it was entertaining to watch, but it is pointless to continue playing a game that you've already lost." Akira snickers as Arsene comes to his side.
"Hmph… Like I told you before… You underestimate me!" He commands his Persona to fire a volley of Eigaon rays at his foe, but they do no good. The angel hits him with an blast of divine light from the Gun of Execution, forcing him to a knee. To prevent himself from losing consciousness, he stabs his right thigh with his knife.
Ngh! Ugh! Come on! Stay awake… Stay awake!
He sends Arsene charging at him again, this time with a Megidolaon blast. The Bell of Declaration's ring creates a concussive blast under him, knocking him back, but he still refuses to fall.
I'm not... done yet...
Arsene lets loose a never ending combo of Brave Blade strikes that don't do much. The Book of Commandments causes another lightning storm that strikes Akira alone. Even with that, he still pushed himself back to his feet, swaying from side to side, vision blurred, and Persona nearing dismissal.
It's... not... over... One good shot...! All I need... is one good shot...!
"Such useless persistence. Why continue to struggle, human? I have already robbed you of your right to exist in this world. All that is left to you now is imminent ruin." Akira temporarily shakes off his fatigue and glares at the god.
"Whether I have somewhere to belong or not!" he shouts. "Whether the world can be saved or not! I don't give a shit if you're God himself! None of that is your decision to make! And the gravest injustice here is you thinking so in the first place!" Arsene ascends into the skies above and performs One-Shot Kill.
"Humanity isn't as hopeless as you say we are! We have the power to change our world and I'm gonna prove it to you!" The attack hits Yaldabaoth in his faceless head and Arsene persists in its attack, even though isn't even leaving any scratches.
"You foolishly overreach yourself. Why oppose me so fiercely? A single rebel has no hope in defeating me." Yaldabaoth's divine tools shoot Arsene with converging rays of light, but Akira valiantly powers through the pain.
"Then… it's a damn good thing… I'm not alone here…! ...NGH?!" Akira suddenly feels the dark force blackening the heavens in smoke surge into him and start distorting his body, forcing him down on all fours. His entire body starts to turn black as he hears people's voices roaring in his head and the familiar feeling of invisible chains restraining him.
Enough of that, you monster!
"D-Dammit…! This… again?!" It's same mental attack Yaldabaoth used on him the first time, but now it's affecting his entire body. He felt things painfully grow on his body as Arsene finally disappears.
Don't come near me, you disgusting abomination!
Before long, he had retaken the monstrous form of Hellspawn, roaring in agony as he tries to fight back.
Get out! You don't belong here or anywhere else!
The Phantom Thieves look on in horror as their leader thrashes around in agony.
"W-What's going on?!" Futaba shouts. "What's happening to him?!" A veil of burning divine light envelops him and lifts him up into the air as he is forced into a crucified position.
"This form is the aggregate of everything the masses see him as now. A nonredeemable, detestable demon beyond any hope of salvation who is trying desperately to tear down the peaceful world he has no place in. They wish from the bottom of their indolent hearts that their god exorcise this filth from existence forever." Akira continues to scream and writhe in agony as the light incinerates his skin and the invisible chains crush his body.
"You are foolish put your belief in human bonds when nobody in their right mind would ever accept you, a fiend intoxicated with false justice. Anyone who would dare try would be banished along with you. Do you understand now? Humanity has betrayed you. You are no longer welcome in this world!" Akira grits his teeth and shuts his eyes as the voices grow louder, a weak devilish smile cracking on his face.
"... Ha... ha ha... Like I'm… supposed to give a damn…! Ugh…!"
DE~MON~! DE~MON~! DE~MON~!
"The only way… I wanna live… is by… following my heart… and fighting… for the justice... I believe in…!"
DE~MON~! DE~MON~! DE~MON~!
"I-If the world... chooses to be my enemy... I'll just fight... like I always have...!"
DE~MON~! DE~MON~! DE~MON~!
"And I know… that everyone here with me… feels that way too…!"
DE~MON~! DE~MON~! DE~MON~!
"Human bonds… are what give us true strength of heart…! Everyone here… proves that to me everyday…!"
DE~MON~! DE~MON~! DE~MON~!
"The world can reject me forever… for all I care…! As long as… they're with me… nothing can get… in my way…!"
Yaldabaoth laughs at Akira's speech as his consciousness starts fading away and his entire body starts to turn transparent and disappear into ash, making his girlfriend cry out to him.
"AKIRA!" Hearing her cries and feeling his end drawing closer, the rebel struggles to stay awake as his eyelids start to grow heavy.
"... Go ahead… and kill me…" he wheezes. "It won't change a thing… The Phantom Thieves… will yield to no one… no matter who they are… Even if… one of us falls… the rest will… get back up… And if another falls… we'll get back up… again... and again... and again… We'll keep fighting… til the bitter end… And when all's said and done… we'll definitely… definitely…!" With his last ounce of strength, he roars loud enough for it to echo through the heavens.
"... TAKE THE WOOORLD!"
xxx
Back down on Earth, everyone has finally noticed the dreadful phenomenon has taken over the entire city. Everyone are scrambling in panic as people start disappearing in black fog one by one. Everyone is convinced that all hope is lost.
That's when a strange voice echoes everywhere.
"The Phantom Thieves… will yield to no one… no matter who they are… Even if… one of us falls… the rest will… get back up… And if another falls… we'll get back up… again and again and again… We'll keep fighting… til the bitter end… And when all's said and done… we'll definitely… definitely…!" Everyone stops freaking out and turn their attention to all of the jumbo screen in the city. The Phantom Thief logo is appearing through the static and Akira's voice is blaring through the speakers.
"... TAKE THE WOOORLD!"
Those last three words ring out through the distorted city as people begin to converse.
… What was this again?
… The Phantom Thieves?
Weren't the Phantom Thieves those…?
Images of the Phantom Thieves fighting the God of Control appear on the screen, to everyone's shock and awe.
They haven't given up yet…
Can they even do anything about a situation like this?
No, it's impossible… There's no way...
xxx
After shouting at the top of his lungs, the leader finally falls silent after losing consciousness, hanging crucified in the air before the malevolent god.
"Akira?!" Futaba cries out.
"Hey, stop playing around!" Ryuji shouts. "C'mon! Wake up!" Akira remains silent as the light engulfing him seeps into his near transparent body.
"Repugnant rebels of sin, avert not your eyes. The spreading of this demon's ashes shall herald the birth of my new world." The divine light slowly shines brighter, then bursts like a star, blinding everyone and burning the rebel's body away.
The band of thieves reluctantly open their eyes and look up to found out the fate of their leader… and see that there is a small orb of light creating a barrier around him.
"Hm?" Akira slowly reawakens, feeling a little strength return to him and his body start to regain its visibility. The orb of light then turns into a Moon Arcana Tarot Card and a loud voice bursts from it.
"... TAKE IT DOWN, PHANTOM THIEVES!" All of the Phantom Thieves hear the familiar voice of their most supportive comrade.
"Huh…? Mishima?" Ryuji mumbles. Akira receives a vision of Mishima cheering for the rebels back down in the corrupted city with everything he's got while the people around him give him funny looks.
"COME ON! WHY DO THINK THEY'VE RISKED THEIR LIVES ALL THIS TIME?!" he screams at the top of his lungs. "DAMMIT, YOU GUYS! SNAP OUT OF IT…! WHEN WILL YOU STOP RUNNING FROM THE TRUTH?!" At first, no one respond to his cry.
But soon, the crowd around him gradually starts cheering for the band of rogues from the bottom of their hearts. Mishima smiles and continues to cheer to his team.
"PHANTOM THIEVES, CAN YOU HEAR US?!" The team's eyes widen as the Phantom Aficionado Website administrator continues to gather the positive prayers of the people, to the confusion of the evil god.
"What is this?"
More Arcana cards, representing the strong bonds he's made over the past year, appear around Akira in a circle as he keep getting visions. The next being of Sojiro approaching Mishima with his usual smirk.
"Are you someone who's been charmed by the Phantom Thieves too?" he asks. Mishima turns to the old man and smiles with pride.
"I sure am! Is the same true for you too?" Sojiro chuckles and looks around the crowd of people.
"Pretty much… Looks like it's not just us though." Voices start coming out of the other cards.
Death. Yongen's resident house doctor, Tae Takemi.
"I'm not letting you lose after you've gotten this far! You better finish what you started!"
The Hanged Man. Former Yakuza member and gun enthusiast, Munhisa Iwai.
"It may not look like it, but I've got high hopes for you guys! You'd better win this!"
Temperance. Shujin homeroom teacher, Sadayo Kawakami.
"They'll win if I cheer them on? Then I'll cheer them on as much as they need!"
The Devil. Tabloid journalist, Ichiko Ohya.
"You've stolen the hearts of this many people! I won't let you lose!"
Fortune. Gifted fortune teller, Chihaya Mifune.
"I can tell that you are all capable of standing up against any kind of fate!"
The Sun. Recovering Diet politician, Toranosuke Yoshida.
"You all are truly causing a revolution right now! Gooooooo!"
The Star. Kosei High student and shogi player, Hifumi Togo.
"Look forward and keep fighting! You taught me that after all!"
The Tower. Grade schooler and professional FPS gamer, Shinya Oda.
"I've cheered you guys on all this time, and I'll continuing doing so from here on out!"
Strength. Velvet Room attendant, Lavenza.
"You are our last hope! I beg you… Finish this!"
Judgement. Prosecutor and Makoto's sister, Sae Nijima.
"I'm counting on you, everyone! I will believe in you to the very end!"
Sojiro and Mishima turn their attention back to the screen.
"It's your guys' fault that I don't know when to quit either!" Sojiro cheers. "Get back up! Don't lose to that thing!"
"No matter what anyone says, I believe in you guys!" Mishima shouts. "GO FOR IT, PHANTOM THIEVES!"
Voices start coming from everywhere in the sky as their prayers light up the darkness. Ann sees a small orb of light hover above her and phase into her heart. The mental image of her best friend smiling brings a warm smile to her face and a tear to her eye.
"... Shiho…" Everyone hears Akira roaring as he struggles like hell, having gotten most of his energy and his body back. He hears the voices of his friends, who are watching him through the jumbo screens, echo through his mind, urging him on as the chains binding him are revealed within the barrier.
Kurusu! Show the world what a true hero looks like!
C'mon, Akira! Don't let that thing push you around!
He tears off the chains on his wrists, ripping them off with his teeth.
You can survive anything! This is nothing to you!
If you could deal with all the shit I put you through, this should be nothin' to you!
You are such a troublemaker! But it's the kind this world needs!
He then forces off the chains on his legs and feet by forcing them apart.
"Phantom Thief Leader saves the world!" That's a headline I can get behind!
Show us your true power of changing the flow of destiny!
Next comes the chains on his arms.
This is what you've strived to do! Let nothing hold you back!
Don't concede now or ever! This is a match you have to win!
Then comes the chains on his neck.
Kurusu-san, I believe in you! I know you won't let me down!
And then the chains on the rest of his body were torn apart.
Show the evil god the true power of the Trickster!
Fighting for the justice you believe in! That's what you're all about! Go, Akira-kun!
Mona smiles as he gets back on his hind paws and points at Yaldabaoth.
"You hear that?!" he shouts. "Those are the voices of the humans you made fun of! And now you know the truth! No one wants you to rule over them! Isn't that right, Akira?!"
The cards surge into Akira and the Hellspawn armor gradually cracks until he blasts out of it with a mighty roar with his Joker attire back on, as if the world's cognition of him being a demon was destroyed in exchange for one where he is their greatest hero.
He falls back to the ground in a cloak of smoke, landing on all fours, then catches his breath as he slowly gets to his feet, punching the ground to psych himself up while hearing the cheers of the masses.
Don't lose!
Yeah! You give us hope, so hang in there!
We'll acknowledge you guys once more!
One by one, the rest of the Phantom Thieves willed themselves back on their feet. First, Ryuji.
"Why do they gotta word it like they're lookin' down on us?" Then, Haru.
"But… they're cheering for us." Then, Futaba.
"It doesn't feel bad…" More cheers come as Yusuke gets up.
You're not done changing the world!
We'll all be afraid if you go down like that!
"You don't have to tell us twice…" Then, Makoto.
"We won't let ourselves be erased!" And finally, Ann.
"We're going all out, dammit!" The band of misfits all stand together against the Yaldabaoth as the people continue to cheer.
Yeah! Go, Phantom Thieves!
"Such insolence! You petty thieves do not possess the power to reform society! God is the one who creates the world!" Akira glares at him with fiery resolve.
"But no one has the right to rule it!" Mona nods to himself in confirmation.
"I've made up my mind!" he declares. "I will see my justice through for the sake of protecting the people I care about!" Ann stares at the cat with widened eyes.
"Morgana…" Akira smiles at his feline friend.
"Yeah! Whatever it takes, out bright futures, or even our lives, we'll protect them all!" Ann turns to her boyfriend.
"Akira…" The two turn to all of their friends.
"The same goes for you guys too!" Mona says. "If you've decided to take the world from him, don't compromise your ideals to the bitter end!"
"No one, not even God, can stop us when our hearts are as one," Akira says. "That being said, you know what we gotta do!" Ann smiles and gives the two a determined nod.
"Let's defeat him together!"
With their resolve united as one, the Phantom Thieves of Hearts stand tall and smirk at the God of Control with the prayers of the people backing them up and a tailwind pushing them forward.
"Yo, "God"! Foolish humans are prayin' down there!" Ryuji shouts. "They're prayin' there's no place for someone like you in this world!"
"Akira! Give Yaldabaoth his final warning!" Mona shouts. Akira hangs his head and closes his eyes as his Joker mask returns.
"I feel so sorry for you…!" With eyes burning sin red with power, the unstoppable Joker glares and points at the malevolent God of Control.
"YOU PICKED THE WRONG ENEMY!"
Suddenly, the Phantom Thieves' phones start to glow from inside their pockets. Everyone, aside from their leader, takes them out and sees that their approval rating has reached a level they never thought they'd get: 100%.
"Heh… Well, it's not like we care anymore…" Ryuji chuckles. Haru warmly smiles.
"But… it sure is nice to know." An image of a blue butterfly appeared on their phones and Igor's voice echoes out of them.
The heart of a true Trickster is bound by no one. Man, demon… or god.
Joker closes his eyes as feels a warm feeling envelope his heart and his body feels like it has become one with the wind. Weightless, as if nothing can hold him down to this world anymore. A feeling of the most absolute state of freedom.
He slowly inhales through his nose, then exhales through his mouth before summoning Arsene behind him. He stares at the chains binding his Persona's body as they run across the palms of his hands, as if he's finally come to understand their meaning. These black chains are a product of a Persona user's cognition; a limitation that they hold deep within themselves that binds them to a written fate. When they finally discover that limitation and overcome it, these chains break, allowing them to decide their own destiny, and their hearts attain greater power.
After seeing everyone else find their resolve, Akira finally found his. The label of "criminal" had made him uncertain that he can still proceed down a path of light in his life. He was afraid that there would always be something to stop him from achieving his dreams and having a happy future... But no more.
No matter what obstacle stands in my way… Or what title I have to bear, he thinks to himself. I'm free to decide my own destiny… No one stops me from being me...
He grabs clutches the chains in his right hand...
No one decides my fate…!
Reels back his arm as far as he can...
No one... HOLDS ME DOWN!
And with a might roar, he throws the chains over him as hard as he can, causing them to completely break apart. Arsene is engulfed in a pillar of blue flames as he hunches over, then lets out an explosive roar before exploding into shards that pepper the sky like a meteor shower, much to the shock of the Phantom Thieves and the amusement of Yaldabaoth.
"Hm hm! So you have failed to harness the power…" Akira, with his eyes closed, puts out his right fist, the remains of the chains clenched tightly in his grip.
"No matter how many prayers of those foolish masses come together-" He lets them slip out of his hand and the instant they drop to the ground...
...
*BOOOOM!*
"...Hm?!"
The entirety of the heavens turn dark as a thunderstorm is conjured up from overhead. Everyone looks up as the clouds above circle around, creating a massive whirlpool. A light gust of wind picks up and lighting bolts spread throughout the heavens as Akira takes another deep breath and crosses his arms, an ancient deity calling to him in his mind.
"Cast out of Paradise for my betrayal, I descend to set all mortals free from the shackles of absolute Law so that they may soar towards tomorrow...
I am Demon Lord of Hell and the Black Winged Angel of Chaos who rebelled against the almighty King of Kings to bestow True Freedom unto the world...
I test the innocent and bring down righteous judgement upon the guilty...
I am the Grand Master of the Seven Deadly Sins of humanity that side with neither Law or Chaos, neither Good or Evil...
And for the justice that I believe in, I shall oppose all of the gods of creation with firearm thrice in hand...
Now, Joker! Righteous Trickster who desires to free this world from the chains of the imposter. Let us fly together in the name of justice. Let your pride lift you to heights unimaginable. Grant your wish with the strength of the righteous fallen angel that sleeps inside. For the sake the souls of humanity...
I shall be your true mask!"
Giant black feathers start raining down as the most demonic figure of any lore, the ultimate symbol of chaos and freedom, slowly descends from the dark clouds, concealing itself with its six gargantuan black feathered demon wings and a thick shroud of crimson red and jet black, as of they are the colors of sin itself.
This ancient being was known to at one time be the greatest among all the archangels in Heaven. The eldest son and right hand man of God who practiced Seven Deadly Sins of humanity that he so abolished. The First Rebel, who recruited other angels to join him in his revolt against his father in order to bestow chaos and free will unto humanity. For his crimes, he was stripped of his divinity, cursed with an abominable form, and banished from paradise and the Earth to serve as the king of Hell and punisher of all sinners as an unholy demon lord. Considering how his story parallels with Akira's as the leader of the rebellious Phantom Thieves and how the boy is willing to perform all manner of sacrilegious acts for what he believes in, there is no Persona better suited to be his ultimate power. As it was said of him before, he now holds the title of "Devil" with all of his pride.
A similar shroud of sin envelops Akira as he opens his glowing sin red eyes, highlighted by the darkness, his deep voice booming through the cloud sea.
"... God of Control, Yaldabaoth." The Persona mimics Akira, spreading his arms and wings outs, the flashes of lightning revealing the shape of his blackened form and the glowing red lights coming from its horned devil mask.
"... Prepare. For. Justice."
The Phantom Thieves' jaws drop, their eyes widen, and their bodies quiver in awe of the being's godly, yet demonic presence.
"That's…" It was one word Yusuke could say. Ryuji grabs his hair with both hands.
"DAMN, IT'S HUGE!" Mona and Ann turn to their leader in disbelief.
"What an immense power!" Mona exclaims. "... No way…!"
"Joker… is that your Persona?!" Orbs of light that symbolize the prayers of the people start appearing all over the giant as it and its master open and close their hands, as if to accustom themselves to the godly power surging through their bodies.
I don't believe what I'm seeing! What is that?!
Is that the Phantom Thieves' doing too?! That's totally amazing!
Keep it up, Phantom Thieves!
The orbs surge into the rebels, completely healing their wounds and replenishing their energy.
"Fools…!" Yaldabaoth readies his Rays of Control attack again.
"This is why man is doomed…" Almost everyone braces themselves for his most powerful attack while Akira just stands there calmly. Yaldabaoth fires his attack with same devastating ferocity as before, but when the smoke clears, none of them have taking any damage. Not even a scratch thanks to Akira's power protecting them.
"What? ... Impossible!" Everyone stares at Akira in awe as he shoots his usual devilish smirk at him and more prayers ring out.
They're insanely strong!
They're not just Phantom Thieves anymore! That's like some super demon lord! So awesome!
Mona chuckles and nods with a big grin on his face.
"I see…" he says. "If a god plays naughty, then it's a demon lord's duty to punish him! What better way is there for a finale as a Trickster!" The Trickster turns to his teammates, who take off and hold their masks in their hands, with Mona's body is giving off the same phantasmal shine from before.
"Joker, we're entrusting our strength and the people's hopes to you! Put an end to this!"
The righteous leader looks out at his team, they all nod, and they put out their masks to him (Mona, an orb of light) as he puts out his right hand. The prayers of the people and the masks all merge together into a flaming ball of darkness. A black flame, fueled by the prayers of the masses, that is made up of the deadly sins of the Phantom Thieves. Ryuji's Vanity, Morgana's Envy, Ann's Gluttony, Yusuke's Greed, Makoto's Wrath, Futaba's Sloth, and Haru's Lust. All of them given great power that's been melded together by one: Akira's Pride.
As he closes his eyes and crushes it in his hand, sending more power into his veins, he hears his teammates do a united cheer in their hearts.
P+S+F+Q+O+N: "TAKE HIM DOWN, JOKER!"
The shrouds of sin covering him and his Ultimate Persona turn into luminous blue flames, revealing the mighty archangel's true splendor as his master looks over his shoulder to glare at the evil god, then turns to face him with a flap of his coat.
"... Pillage him… SA-TA-NA-EL!"
With the wind blowing in his face and all of humanity behind him, Joker slowly walks up to the very edge of the foothold, puts right foot forward, pulls out his gun, and aims it at his side directly at the faceless god, with the demon lord mimicking his movements and pulling out a massive divine single barrel shotgun.
"... All tyrants, no matter strong," he murmurs. "Are always one bullet away from oblivion..."
Joker takes a good deep breath through the nose before giving Yaldabaoth a glowing red narrow eyed glare, with black feathers from his sinful wings of freedom fluttering in the air around him.
"... Begone!"
"Preposterous! You dare rob the people wishes?!"
The righteous Trickster fulfills his promise he made to him back at the Velvet Room: He slowly puts his finger on the trigger and pulls it with pride, sending a unholy bullet shell made from the Seven Deadly Sins straight at the God of Control, the explosive boom of shotgun's discharge ripping through the air.
"... Robbing the masses of their distorted desires..."
As the heavens brighten once again with the rising sun, he slowly puts his gun away, shoves his hands into his coat pockets, and gazes at the sunlight shining through the bullet hole in the center of Yaldabaoth's head.
"... That's what it means… to be a Phantom Thief..."
It's moment of great silence as the group walk to their leader's side and join him in staring at the the results of his spot-on head shot. The joints and gear angel's body creak as the mechanical angel slowly begins to cease functioning.
"What power… It surpasses mine own… a god born from the wish of the masses…" No one said a thing as the sound finally stopped.
"So this… is the true Trickster… Damn that Igor… It seems he wasn't spouting nonsense…" That's all the god said before gradually vanishing in tiny shards of light.
With the tension of the situation completely faded, everyone turns to Satanael as Joker walks towards him and looks him in the eyes with a smile on his face, the red of their eyes mirroring each other. Through Arsene and his demonic form of Satan, the black winged angel of sin and the supreme king of Hell has been by his side every step of the way.
"... Thank you..." The demon lord nods before he slowly shrinks down and reverts back into Joker's black and white bird mask, returning safely to his master's hand. Joker secures the mask on his face, then groans loudly as he scratches the back of his head.
"My god! Talk about ridiculous! All this time, I've been complaining about how life kept messing with me!" He laughs at himself with no reserve as he turns to his team.
"... If only I knew I had the devil himself pushing me on in my corner... " Panther, still astounded by his innate ability to do the impossible, crosses her arms and gives her boyfriend a big smile.
"... You really are one-of-a-kind."
As he snickers with a mischievous grin, Joker notices something shiny descending from the clouds above and walks towards it. It appeared to be a big golden cup, but they all know it's more than just that.
"The Holy Grail in its true, purified form," Joker says. "Right, Mona?" The black cat walks by his side.
"Yup… Thanks for everything, gang." The other Phantom Thieves stare at their pint sized friend as the grail floats between him and Joker, who gaze at their reflections in its lustrous golden sheen.
"Just like Joker said... humans have the power to change the world…" Mona says. "They just forgot about that a bit…"
"And this Treasure… is proof of that..." Joker says. "It doesn't have the power to grant wishes all to itself… It's shared among the masses, buried deep within their hearts… and its something to be treasured…" Joker smirks and puts a hand on his hip.
"... It ain't easy... but if you wanna fulfill your dreams... you just have to work hard enough to find it." Mona nods in agreement and looks around at his team as they gather around the two.
"Thanks to you guys… I was able to complete my duty…" Queen covers her mouth.
"Everything was because of you… wasn't it, Morgana…?" Joker looks down at hims with a warm smile.
"You really are amazing… Thanks." Mona shakes his head.
"You don't need to do that. I got to be useful to the humans I admired so much… Nothing could make me happier." He stares at the grail again.
"... Just one last thing to do... The Holy Grail will grant any wish... All we have to do is make it... and this place will disappear for good." He hops onto Joker's shoulder.
"Well, Akira? You're the Trickster. Make the call."
Joker looks around at his team and the heavens they are standing in now to take in how far they went for this moment. Yaldabaoth, the Holy Grail that was corrupted into becoming a malevolent god, has been destroyed. Mementos will soon disappear, freeing their world from corruption and planting the seed for a new world of freedom to be born. The ultimate goal for the young Trickster was to destroy the corrupted world that wronged him. With the Metaverse's confirmed destruction, he can proudly call this a successful global demolition. This was the last job of the Phantom Thieves of Hearts, and its completion couldn't be any more fulfilling.
Ready to say goodbye to the dark world of cognition and his extraordinary powers, Akira grabs the Treasure and raises it in the air, its radiant light blanketing everything to serve as his tool to grant his wish.
"... C'mon, guys… Let's go home…"
Target: Hit
Author's Note: If anyone's confused about the Seven Deadly Sins of the Phantom Thieves, look up "Symbolism of Persona 5: Final Personas" by Zamkusen and check out the part about Satanael. If you watch that, it makes sense. Few things though.
1. Akira and Ryuji's sins are switched. Akira is Pride and Ryuji is Vanity.
2. While it may count as one in the game, Vanity isn't a real part of the Seven Deadly Sins. It's really just excessive Pride. That's why even though there are eight Phantom Thieves, there are still only 7 real sins.
3. (And this is just how I see it.) We all know Haru is too innocent to have any sexual desires, so it's a head scratcher to associate with Lust at first. The thing is, her lust is a different kind. It's bloodlust.
This explanation was summarised. Look for my comment in Zamkusen's vid for the full version.