"What's the matter...? Are you simply going to watch? Are you forsaking him to save yourself? Death awaits him if you do nothing. Was your previous decision a mistake then? (No need for mere words. Show me your true feelings.) Very well... I have heeded your resolve. Vow to me. I am thou, thou art I... Thou who art willing to perform all sacrilegious acts for thine own justice! Call upon my name, and release thy rage! Show the strength of thy will to ascertain all on thine own, though thou be chained to Hell itself!"
Arsène Lupin is a fictional gentleman thief created by Maurice Leblanc. He was known for targeting criminals or those who were much worse than himself, making him an anti-hero of sorts within his own stories. He might have been partly inspired by the French anarchist Marius Jacob.
Arsène has, from top to bottom: a very tall top hat, a long-horned mask for its face (as Arsène appears to not have a head), a cropped red eighteenth century-esque suit worn open with the collar popped, stitched heart designs on the shoulders, a white ruffle tie, a black, tailed corset running down its torso; large, black, feathery wings starting at around the small of its back; claws; red coverings on its legs resembling pants and boots with blade-like heels.
Character designer Shigenori Soejima explained that Arsène was designed with an "old school vibe" in mind. Arsène's wings are meant to evoke the image of a thief's cape in the viewer's mind and represent the idea that a thief can go wherever he wants.[1]
"A being based off the main character of Maurice Leblanc's novels, Arsène Lupin. He appears everywhere and is a master of disguise. He is known to help law-abiding citizens."
—Persona 5 background
The protagonist obtains Arsène, his initial Persona, during his first confrontation with Shadow Kamoshida in Kamoshida's Palace, where Arsène personally teaches the protagonist how to fight during his first battle. Upon being fused for the first time, he bids the protagonist farewell, but states that he will appear again at an important period in his journey. This occurs at the beginning of Niijima's Palace, facing off against Moloch. At the climax of the game during the battle against Yaldabaoth, Arsène appears once more. The cheers of the public fuel the protagonist to finally unbind the chains around Arsène, causing him to transform into his ultimate Persona, Satanael.
The Shujin Academy library has a book based on him called "The Great Thief" that boosts the Knowledge social stat, while one of Sadayo Kawakami's quiz questions is on the book about his exploits.
In both the manga and anime adaptations of the game, Arsène makes a brief cameo appearance as a fiery shadow in the first chapter and episode. Here he appears before the protagonist after he initially uninstalls the Metaverse Navigator app on his way to Café Leblanc for the first time.
In the fourth episode of the anime, Arsène is fused with Pixie during the battle with Shadow Kamoshida. He re-appears in episode 26, right before the protagonist is about to be captured by the police, reminding him to keep remembering the bonds he had forged since last spring. In the Dark Sun special, he is summoned to fight against Goro Akechi's Persona, Loki, and is able to defeat it, resulting in victory against their former ally.
Arsène specializes in Curse and Physical skills. However, unlike other party members, he has two weaknesses and, as the protagonist is a Wild Card, he stops learning new skills at Level 7.
"I am the rebel's soul that resides within you. If you so desire, I shall consider granting you the power to break through this crisis."
"Hmph, very well..."
"Detest the enemies before you! Change that animosity into power... and unleash it!" (Tutorial)
"Swing your blade!" (Tutorial)
"This power of mine is yours! Kill them however you want. Run wild to your heart's content!" (Tutorial)
"I am Arsène—the other you who exists within... Though I may disappear this moment, I shall always be at your side. We shall meet again... when your fate reaches its conclusion." (Upon being fused)
"What's the matter? Simply going to watch? Wouldst thou forsake him? For death truly awaits him. Was your choice back then a mistake? Very well. I have heeded your resolve. Vow to me! I am thou... Thou art I... Thou who would accept blasphemy for the sake of thine own justice! Call upon my name and release thy rage! Show the strength of thy will to ascertain all on thine own, though thou be chained to Hell itself!" (Upon awakening)
"I am the pillager of twilight, Arsene. I am the rebel's soul that resides within you. If you so desire, I shall consider granting you the power to break through this crisis."
"Thou I may disappear at this moment, I shall always be at your side. And when thy fate reaches its end... We shall meet again." (Upon being fused)
"What's wrong? Are you simply going to watch? Here, in his final moments, you would forsake him? Nothing awaits him but death. Did you make the wrong choice then too? Very well. I have taken heed of your resolve... Vow to me! I am thou... Thou art I... Thou who would accept blasphemy for the sake of thine own justice... Call upon my name and release thy righteous rage! Reveal the strength of thy will to seek the truth on thine own, though thou be chained down by Hell itself!" (Upon awakening)
"I am the pillager of twilight, Arsène. I am the soul of a rebel that resides within you. I shall consider granting you the power to break out of this crisis, if you desire..."
"Thou I may disappear for now, I shall always be at your side. And when thy fate reaches its end, we shall meet again." (Upon being fused)
"I am thou. Thou art I. You frauds who are in over your heads... Allow me to show you. How you pale in comparison to us as thieves!" (With Ren Amamiya)
In the game's prologue, Arsène's form is darkened much like Izanagi is obscured in the fog when summoned during the prologue of Persona 4.
Arsène's two moves in the prologue, Eigaon and Brave Blade, are impossible for him to learn normally and must be inherited via fusion or taught using skill cards. He would also be far too low in level to face the Moloch in the prologue without multiple repeat strengthening sessions.
Arsène is the only Persona to speak to the protagonist should he be used in fusion, though this only occurs the first time.
If Arsène is fused near the end of the game, the cutscene would play as if Lavenza were still split into both of the twins, and the protagonist would be holding invisible bars.
Arsène is an anti-hero that conspires against people more evil than him; this trait is represented by his sinister and demonic appearance in the game and also by the protagonist as he uses his status as a thief to steal the hearts of the corrupt.
One of the original ideas for Persona 5 was to give the protagonist an entirely different Persona instead of Arsène. The original idea was to have a Persona based on the German demon Mephistopheles. However, the programmers were against this idea because the idea of a demon-based Persona didn't fit into the thief theme of the game. [2]
The spelling of the Persona is different between Persona 5 and Persona 5 Royal: in Royal, Arsène now has an accent applied to the first "e" as the new font can support foreign letters.
Arsène's awakening dialogue about sacrilegious acts is referenced by Michael in the Qliphoth World followed by claiming the party is beyond salvation, implying the group has no place in the world (and therefore society) tying into the theme of having no place to belong.
Interestingly, Michael is also the only mid-boss in the game that plays "Blooming Villain" instead of the standard mid-boss theme.
