The Great Will (宇宙の大いなる意志 and 大いなる意志) is an entity in the franchise.
Appearances[]
- Megami Tensei II
- Shin Megami Tensei II: as 宇宙の大いなる意志
- Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne: as 大いなる意思
- Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux: as 大いなる意思
- Shin Megami Tensei V / Vengeance: As 大いなる意志
- Last Bible (Game Gear): Final Boss (true ending) as だいうちゅういしき
Profile[]
The Great Will is an entity often referred to by YHVH and other demons as the creator and overseer of the Megami Tensei Multiverse. It is often described as the consciousness or will of the cosmos itself, and a number of games have implied the Great Will can manifest itself across different realities through various "faces" or entities acting on its behalf.
Beings who act on behalf of the Great Will include YHVH and other godly beings who fulfill a specific function in the cosmic designs of a specific reality. The Great Will might also act through various names of God or other beings associated with YHVH, such as Metatron and The Three Wise Men. Those who aren't seemingly related to YHVH, such as Kagutsuchi, might still have similar roles and personalities. These beings are often the main antagonist and final boss of the games they are in, though not always.
Shin Megami Tensei IV Apocalypse introduces an entity known as Great Reason, localized as Axiom, who happens to share a fair number of characteristics with the Great Will from previous games, including the use of YHVH as an avatar. However, due to a lack of detailed information as well as conflicting behaviors, it is currently impossible to ascertain if the Great Will and the Great Reason are two names for the same being, or two distinct entities with similar influence over the Megami Tensei Multiverse.
Megami Tensei II[]
First mentioned in Megami Tensei II, upon defeat YHVH states that he is only one part of an incorporeal entity which rules over countless universes. Before fading, YHVH states it is not the end, and claims the protagonist has ensured an even more painful path for humanity's future.
Shin Megami Tensei II[]
After being defeated by Aleph, YHVH claims as long as humans believe in his salvation, the great will of the universe will revive him over and over. As the Japanese game is not officially translated, fan translation often omits the "great" part.
In the remakes of the game available in Playstation and Game Boy Advance, there is a bonus scene in the Fragment of Petrification Prison which involves Zayin being contacted by a mysterious voice. When Zayin despairs over the fact God has apparently abandoned him and the other faithful by choosing the Elders of Millennium Kingdom and leaving him to his fate, a mysterious voice interjects and tells Zayin that there is no God.
The voice proceeds to claim because Zayin was born in the name of God, whatever he does is by definition the will of God. The voice further tells Zayin not to try and obey anyone or anything, because God doesn't only have one "face" and is not just good, but God is everything and everything is also God. Zayin is to become a face of God, a judge and punisher, and the voice encourages him fulfill that role. Interestingly, as Satan, Zayin's race is Godly, the same as YHVH and the other Names of God, indicating Satan is either a part of YHVH or the Great Will.
Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne[]
In this game, demons generally refer to God and the Great Will as interchangeable. Kagutsuchi, acting on behalf of the Great Will, causes the Conception and creates a Vortex World from Tokyo. The purpose of the Vortex World is to facilitate the death and rebirth of universes, as determined necessary by the Great Will.
During the Labyrinth of Amala sidequest, Metatron appears on the Great Will's behalf and tries to deter the Demi-fiend's progress, and is described by the demons of the Labyrinth as being "the voice of the great will" (in English, it is instead translated as "voice of the universe").
As the Demi-fiend progresses through the sidequest, Lucifer gradually explains the Great Will's actions and the nature of the Conception. The fallen angel explains since the Demi-fiend is neither human nor angel, he will be less likely to be blessed by the Great Will.
By venturing to the Fourth Kalpa of the Labyrinth of Amala, the Demi-fiend will be informed that Jyoji Hijiri, a reporter who has assisted him throughout the story, actually died when the Conception occurred, having failed to reach the hospital in time. However, he continues to exist in the Vortex World in the body of a Manikin as his punishment for committing the "ultimate sin." Hijiri is trapped by the Great Will in an endless cycle of suffering, death, and rebirth, forced to witness the creation and destruction of each world without having any chance to affect the outcome.
Should the Demi-fiend choose to reject all the reasons, complete the Labyrinth of Amala and meet Lucifer, he will unlock the sixth ending: the "True Demon Ending." After defeating Kagutsuchi, Lucifer remarks that by defying the Great Will and choosing to side with him, the Great Will shall curse the Demi-fiend for eternity, implying that he will suffer the same fate, or worse, as Hijiri. However, Lucifer will also comfort the Demi-fiend, stating that even if the Great Will cursed him, he'd have the blessing of the fallen angel. The Demi-fiend then leads the legions of Chaos in the final battle against the Great Will.
Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux[]
As Shekinah dies in the New Chaos, New Neutral and New Law endings, she asks for forgiveness toward the Great Will for failing to guide the world. This would mean both her and The Three Wise Men who composes her being as a manifestation of Great Will in this world, and would explain their earlier claim about being beyond time, as the Great Will is beyond time and space.
Shin Megami Tensei V[]
Sophia makes a mention of the Great Will on occasion, telling the Protagonist to abide the Great Will and create a new world. After arising from Tao Isonokami's body, Panagia encountered a mysterious light, and claims to act on behalf of the great will of the universe (in English, the "great" is omitted), to bring a worthy Nahobino to the Empyrean realm and the Throne of Creation.
Lucifer's Demon Compendium in Japanese states "さらに上位の存在である事象の一部となった" which means Lucifer became part of a higher phenomenon entity; this is reflected in the kanji 事象 (lit. "phenomenon"), which is also the Japanese name for the demon race Matter that Lucifer becomes after his transcendence. This phenomenon entity is also referenced in Panagia's Compendium, indicating it might be the Great Will. This detail is lost in the English localization which instead translates the sentence as "transcended to a higher plane of existence."
Shin Megami Tensei V Vengeance[]
In addition to the mentions in the base game, a few demons refer to an entity implied to be the Great Will. Mastema at one point clarifies the God of Law who previously served as the Creator and Ruler of the world is not "the Lord" he serves, in a manner similar to how the angels in Nocturne refer to the Great Will as the Lord.
On the other hand, Satan who was summoned by Mastema claims he was sent by "事象" ("phenomenon"; in English, it is translated to "transcendence itself"). It is not entirely clear who Satan is referring to: "phenomenon" has been used to describe both the Mandala System (Lucifer describes it as a "spatial governing phenomenon"), and the higher entity described in Lucifer's Compendium, and Satan doesn't make it clear which one sends him in this case.
Last Bible[]
"I am the will of the universe. I am the whole of it, and at the same time, I am but a single part of it."
In Last Bible, the final boss of the true ending (available only in the Game Gear version, with no official localisation) calls itself だいうちゅういしき, unofficially translated as the Universal Will. Before the final battle, the Universal Will states it created El to be his adversary, and they exist to destroy each other. It doesn't concern itself with the outcome of the fight, and challenges El to fulfil his destiny.
It is soon realized however, that the Universal Will is immune to all forms of damage. El remembers the spell granted to him by the Goddess of Force, "Coquitoelcos" (A corruption of Cogito Ergo Sum, I think therefore I am) and uses it to materialize the Universal Will at the cost of his own life, leaving Kishe and Uranus to finish the battle.
Upon its defeat, the Universal Will pontificates on the nature of the universe, how countless worlds are destroyed and countless more reborn. It claims the humans have earned a new world for themselves, but it will always be there, as conflicts are waged across eternity. It then promises they will meet again in an untold thousands of years in the future.
Stats[]
Last Bible[]
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Known Agents[]
- YHVH (Megami Tensei II, Shin Megami Tensei II)
- Sabaoth (Shin Megami Tensei II)
- Shaddai (Shin Megami Tensei II)
- Elohim (Shin Megami Tensei II)
- Satan (Shin Megami Tensei II, Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance)
- Yaldabaoth (Shin Megami Tensei NINE)
- Kagutsuchi (Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne)
- Metatron (Shin Megami Tensei III: Nocturne)
- Shekinah/The Wise Men (Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey, Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey Redux)
- Panagia (Shin Megami Tensei V, Shin Megami Tensei V: Vengeance)
Gallery[]
Trivia[]
- It is mentioned that Catholic Churches are specific places where people worship the Great Will in Devil Summoner 2: Raidou Kuzunoha vs. King Abaddon. This, however, appears only in the English localization and is absent from the original Japanese script. [1]
See Also[]
References[]
Playable Characters | Aleph/Hawk - Hiroko - Beth - Cerberus - Lucifer - Satan |
Non-Playable Characters | Okamoto - Gimmel - Zayin - Stephen - Haneda - Daleth - Red Bear - Madam - Hanada - The Center's Bishop - The Four Elders - Mekata - Puck - Hanoun - Mutant Elder - Hiruko - Taira no Masakado - Siren - Petersen - Michael - Raphael - Uriel - Gabriel - Fake YHVH - Seth - Virocana - Ozawa - Gotou - Gemori - Astaroth (Ishtar / Ashtar) - Kuzuryu - YHVH |
Locations | Tokyo Millennium - Underworld - Expanse - Eden - Diamond Realm - River Styx |
Terminology | Millennium Kingdom - Great Cataclysm - Order of Messiah - Ring of Gaea - Terminal - Sword fusion - Identification Program - Summon Doll - Seven Pillars of Solomon - Sabbath - Abaddon's Innards - Megiddo Arc |
Content | Demons - Bosses - Skills - Items |