The Three Wise Men

The Three Wise Men
First Appearance	Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey
Alignment	Law

"Here in this blasted land of ruin, what will you find? A light illuminating the way to the future? The fires of destruction? Or perhaps...?"

—Left Voice, Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey

The Three Wise Men are mysterious beings from Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey.

History

In Christian tradition, the Magi, also referred to as the Three Wise Men, are a group of distinguished foreigners who are said to have visited Jesus after his birth, bearing gifts of gold, myrrh and frankincense.

Appearances

• Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey / Redux

Profile

Shin Megami Tensei: Strange Journey

Upon the Investigative Team's entrance into the Schwarzwelt, they partake in the catastrophe that causes three of the ships of the team, the Elve, the Gigantic and the Blue Jet, to be scattered and lost. Mastema is depicted as their servant, though amoral and capable of manipulation and deception in hopes of attaining his goals above those of the Wise Men.

During important junctions in the story, such as the destruction of Ouroboros and the aftermath of the battle with Maya, they forcefully interrupt whatever is happening to contact the surviving members of the Investigative Team, who have become capable of deciding the fate of the Schwarzwelt and Earth by extension, to introduce themselves and present their intentions. They explain the history of the Schwarzwelt: the world was once populated by an advanced civilazation not so different from humanity before its members fell victim to their own corrupted desires which generated the Schwarzwelt and brought about their own extinction. After their explanation, the three announce their final plan: to unite souls of all beings with the "spiritually enlighted." In such a world, those of firm wills would live and rule over the world while those with corruptible weak hearts would all perish. All life would be without desire or deep emotion for the sake of peace. Louisa Ferre appears and interrupts them, mocking their project as a lifeless, motionless world in which nothing dies and nothing is born.

In Strange Journey Redux, New Law Route

Should the Law Path be chosen, the Three Wise Men appear a final time to bestow the protagonist and Zelenin with the Clement Bell Rare Forma. Mem Aleph mentions in the Law path that the Three Wise Men have some form of obligation to her, but by aiding the forces of Law against her means they have forgotten it.

In Redux, they take a more important role if the player goes for the New Law/Neutral/Chaos routes. After accepting Alex's request to change the future, Demeter snatches the Third Fruit which Alex had stolen earlier in the Womb of Grief (along with the player's fruits), claiming that it belongs to the "three spirits" and teleports away, just after thanking them in New Law, or mocking them in New Neutral/Chaos. After the initial shock, Louisa Ferre appears, informing the protagonist that  the "three spirits" are in fact the Three Wise Men, that Demeter was their servant all along and that they took advantage of  the protagonist to collect the pieces of their power for them. She then reveals that they have retreated to the Empyrean Ascent, and encourages the player to stop them.

When finally confronted, they act somewhat differently depending on the alignment: in New Law they at first congratulate them - until they realize both the protagonist and Zelenin are going against them, which leads to them reacting with contempt, referring to them as foolish apes. In New Neutral they offer mercy at first, only to soon drop it- as they realize the player is facing them at all costs. Finally, they show total spite and disgust in New Chaos, referring to Jimenez and the protagonist as the two demons that remain. In all New routes, after a brief exchange, they merge with the cosmic fruit, becoming Shekinah, their true form. They also mention in all New routes that the "vile Mem Aleph" stole the source of their power, the cosmic fruit, implying that their "alliance" with Mem Aleph was forced. 

Just like other godly beings associated with the Great Will, they present themselves as the vehicle for humanity's salvation, but are actually manipulative, cruel and arrogant.