Demeter is the goddess of the harvest and agriculture in Greek Mythology. She is the daughter of Cronus and Rhea, who in turn makes her Zeus' sister. She presided over grains and the fertility of the earth. Though Demeter is often described simply as the goddess of the harvest, she presided also over the sacred law. Demeter was intimately associated with the seasons.
It was believed that Demeter made the crops grow each year; thus the first loaf of bread made from the annual harvest was offered to her. She was the goddess of the earth, of agriculture, and of fertility in general. Sacred to her are livestock and agricultural products, poppy, narcissus and the crane. She is the mother of the Spring goddess Persephone.
When Hades abducted and married her daughter Persephone to be his wife and queen in the Greek underworld, she punished the caretakers of Persephone into monsters. Then in a fit of anger and sorrow at her daughter's loss, Demeter laid a curse on the world that caused plants to wither and die, and the land to become desolate.
Zeus, alarmed for the barren earth, sought for Persephone's return. However, because she had eaten the pomegranate while in the underworld, Hades had a claim on her. Therefore, it was decreed that Persephone would spend four months each year in the underworld. During these months Demeter would grieve for her daughter's absence, withdrawing her gifts from the world, creating winter. Her return brought the spring.
Demeter restores the protagonist in the Womb of Grief following his mortal wounding at Alex's hands, calling him by the nickname "My Harvest" and imploring him to grow into strong and healthy wheat. In exchange for his resurrection, she asks that he aid her in collecting fruits from the Mothers and Wardens of the Womb.
She lacks physical power, admitting to being weaker than a pixie, but makes up for it with her powerful healing capabilities and non-combat magic that can hide her and the protagonist from others. Demeter is on friendly terms with the mothers (Anahita and Ishtar being the first) who are both prisoners and protectors of the fruits, and is set on her course no matter what happens as she reveals with her talk to Maria. Should Alex die near the end of the original routes with Amon's fruit she will lament the rotten state of it, cursing humanity for destroying it and hoping they all die horribly on Neutral and Chaos. On Law she is saddened, but supports Zelenin and the protagonist for their path before vanishing.
She reveals her true nature on the New/+ routes, where after Mem Aleph was slain and Alex's final offer is accepted, she takes the fruit away from the protagonist and reveals her true role as a servant to The Three Wise Men alongside fellow servant Mastema. She mocks the protagonist and Jimenez for killing Mem Aleph on Chaos+, calls out the protagonist as foolish in Neutral+ or offering her sincerest gratitude to the protagonist and Zelenin in Law+ before leaving for the Empyrean Ascent on all three. Her true motives unveiled by Louisa Ferre.
Demeter appears during the final battle as Shekinah summons her, telling her to offer her life for a world of Law. Fearing her own death and inability to bring fertility to the world under the God of Law, she reluctantly complies and uses her full healing powers, the "Eleusinian Harvest", her life withering away as she laments and dies, fully healing Shekinah for another round.
Demeter portrays herself as childish and innocent to hide her true nature, a ruthless agent of Law who has to rely on others due to her lack of power, even having a sadistic streak and amusement at the actions of others. Demeter's willingness to serve means she was even willing to sacrifice her brother Zeus using the protagonist, and eventually, her own life, to make the world of Law a reality. However, her loyalty to Law and desire to bring fertility is genuine (as in not doing so for the sake of reveling in the suffering that follows), best shown during her compliment on the New Law route, where she and the Three Wise Men still believed the protagonist and Zelenin to be their allies before the final battle.
Shin Megami Tensei V[]
"A goddess from Greek mythology. Her name means "Mother Earth" in ancient Greek. She is the sister of Zeus, goddess of fertility and is said to be the one who taught humanity the ways of agriculture. With the advancement of civilization, laws were put into place and she was given another name, "Demeter Thesmophoros"."
—Shin Megami Tensei V lore
Demeter provides the protagonist several quests in killing evil demons such as Baal in the hopes that they would die so Zeus could claim their soul, even intending to do so herself if they were still alive. However, as they slay the evil demons, she comes to realize that they are a far greater force for change than Zeus could ever accomplish. When the Empyrean opens, Demeter makes her way there and can be spoken to, where she reveals her intentions and Zeus' plan. If the protagonist accepts her quest "A Plot Revealed", she becomes unlockable for fusion and joins their party once they defeat Zeus, provided that there is space for her.
+20% to max HP, -50% to Critical hit rate of damage received.
Innate
Elusis's Blessing
Auto
+50% to Max HP. Adds Null Mortal. While the one with this skill is alive, all party members will receive the following effect: While party members have Bulwark, they will gain immunity to all status ailments and take 20% less damage.
At start of first turn: Adds Bulwark with 1500 HP for all party members for 1 turn, and restores 2 MP.
When an ally (excluding self) takes Phys, Magic, or Fractional damage: All party members gain Bulwark with 25% of their respective HP and increases ATK, DEF, EV/AC of All Party Members by 20% for 1 turn.
Innate
My Harvest!
6 MP
Inflict Almighty (Magic) damage (Power: 150) with Remnants to a single enemy.
If the attack is successful: Grants all party members a Bulwark with 20% of their respective HP values for one turn, and all party members recover 2 MP.
Innate
Judgement
9 MP
Inflicts Almighty (Magic) damage with 100 power on All Enemies and increases own party's ATK 20% for 3 turns.
Aragami (Awaken)
Great Idea
Auto
+20 to St, Ma, Vi, Ag and Lu.
Aragami (Gacha)
Harvest's Blessing
Auto
At start of first turn: +20% to DEF of all party members and -20% to ATK of all enemies. (1 turn)
Protector (Awaken)
6th Sense Survivor
Auto
-50% to Critical hit rate of damage received. HP stops at 1 HP upon receiving the first killing blow.
Protector (Gacha)
Almighty Survivor
Auto
+15% to Almighty damage and HP stops at 1 HP upon receiving the first killing blow.
Psychic (Awaken)
Lunar Downfall
Auto
Activates the following Chain Effect at the beginning of battle:
If enemy attacks first: Reduces all enemy ATK and EV/AC by 20%. (1 turn)