Strega

Strega is the name of a group of Persona users in Persona 3.

Appearances

 * Persona 3: Major Antagonists
 * Persona 4: Weapon

Persona 3
Strega is a group of three rogue Persona users who use the Dark Hour for their own personal benefits. They set up an internet website called "Revenge Request" where users can contract Strega to commit assassinations and other illegal activities, which the three carry out during the Dark Hour. They become enemies of SEES because SEES is trying to put an end to the Dark Hour, as Strega carries out its hits during the Dark Hour. Part-way through the game, the player discovers that Strega are artificial Persona users created by the Kirijo Group. They were picked up off the street and used as fodder for the corporation's experiments. Because their Personas were not awakened naturally, they must take suppressants supplied by Shuji Ikutsuki. The drugs keep their Personas from killing them, but have lethal side-effects.

In their first encounter with the SEES members, they attempt to learn of their goals. Finding out that SEES aimed to rid the Dark Hour, the two groups became enemies. For the remainder of the game, the two groups would clash. In one particular encounter, SEES managed to capture Chidori, the data gatherer like Fuuka, thereby weakening the group in the process. Takaya would later set up Ken and Shinjiro in an attempt to turn SEES against each other. Takaya attempted to manipulate Ken into killing Shinjiro, but when this failed, Takaya instead attempted to shoot Ken, only for Shinjiro to jump in the way of the bullet. Prior to fighting the 12th Shadow, Takaya and Jin made a final stand to prevent SEES from destroying the last Shadow, only to be defeated. Rather than accept life without the Dark Hour, the two jumped off the bridge they battled on, seemingly committing suicide.

A month later the two would appear again, alive, appearing before Chidori (who at this point was in a hospital). They convinced her to rejoin them, turning her against SEES. When Junpei managed to convince Chidori not to walk down the path, Takaya shot him, killing him the process. Chidori would then sacrifice her life in exchange for his. Angered by this act, Takaya and Jin fled. Near the end of the game, the two would start a cult for those who wished for Nyx's coming. The two would make a last stand in the final mission, both are defeated, with Jin dying in the process. Takaya was last seen laying on the ground next to the SEES members during Nyx's final assault. His final status is unknown, but it is assumed he is dead.

It is revealed in FES that some of the artificial persona users turned into Shadows.

Members
The three main members of Strega all dress similarly to specific sub-cultures: Takaya dresses like a stereotypical hippie, Jin wears a bomb expert's jacket, and Chidori wears a ruffled gothic lolita dress.
 * Takaya Sakaki
 * Jin Shirato
 * Chidori Yoshino

Trivia

 * In Persona 4, one of Teddie's accessible weapons is called the Strega Claw. The description, which says made for agents of revenge is most likely a reference to Strega.
 * "Strega" is the literal translation of "witch" in Italian.