"Penance or Pretense?"
The Tower Arcana (塔, Tō)? is a recurring Arcana in the Persona series.
Quick Answers
What is the symbolism behind the Tower Arcana in the Persona series?
How is the Tower Arcana typically portrayed in Persona 5?
What organizations does the Tower Arcana commonly represent in the Persona series?
What is the significance of the Tower Arcana in Persona 3 Reload?
Why is the Tower Arcana often seen as an omen of doom and disaster in the Persona series?
Overview[]
"...All things visible are bound to change and disappear... All things in this world are not singular. They're all smaller parts of a bigger picture. And yet, they're all different from each other. All things in this world are unique."
Portrayed as a tower stricken by lightning, from which two small figures fall down; a straight Tower of Babel allegory about pride preceding the fall. The Tower Arcana is commonly associated to overly arrogant, prejudiced and authoritarian organizations, which walk to their own ironic demise. Furthermore, it is also more generically used as an omen of doom and disaster. It can be seen as the worst card of the deck, as it rarely has a positive meaning.
Gameplay-wise, player characters usually have bad affinities with the often physical-based Persona of the Tower Arcana. Tower Arcana Personas are usually mythological figures that were once heroic or well-loved, but have since fallen from grace. Alternatively, the Personas represent deities associated with destruction, righteousness or otherwise.
Driven by isolation, pessimism and denial, human characters of the Tower Arcana are typically arrogant and introverted, isolated somewhat of their own volition but in part because of treatment from others around them. They are never immediately receptive to the protagonist, requiring some way of proving themselves before talking with them. The harshness of reality gets to them, forcing them to face their feelings. The protagonist's bond with them gives them the courage and understanding to break out of their isolation and establish more relationships with others.
The Arcana represents destruction, but it has a positive context as though painful, it leads to liberation and realization. When it comes to the characters of the Arcana, they're narrow-minded to a potentially severe degree and can only mature through a "disaster" that causes them to question their beliefs. Usually, the outcome of the disaster isn't clear and cut. For example, Shinya Oda, a child gamer obsessed with winning in fear of losing his mother's validation, has his moral outlook shaken to the core once he loses against another capable player: the catch is that he's lost to a cheater, making it harder for Shinya to morally transition and come to terms with, in his words, that "losing is a new beginning." He only does so after another "disaster," after "winning" by taking another child's money and being called a "bad guy" from a confrontation by a group of kids, realizing that victory does not make him a good person.
Appearances[]
- Megami Ibunroku Persona
- Persona 2: Innocent Sin
- Persona 2: Eternal Punishment
- Persona 3 / FES / Portable / Reload
- Persona 4 / Golden
- Persona 4 Arena / Ultimax
- Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth
- Persona 5 / Royal
- Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth
- Persona 5 Strikers
List of Personas[]
In Megami Ibunroku Persona and Persona 2, this Arcanum corresponds to the Vile race. Persona 2 also includes Slimes and their ilk.
Megami Ibunroku Persona[]
| Persona | Level | |
|---|---|---|
| PSP | Revelations | |
| Nyarlathotep * | Massacre | 66 |
| Amatsu Mikaboshi | Shaa | 88 |
Persona 2[]
Innocent Sin[]
| Persona | Level |
|---|---|
| Kanaloa | 27 |
| Loki | 36 |
| Aeshma | 42 |
| Seker | 50 |
| Seth | 68 |
Eternal Punishment[]
| Persona | Level |
|---|---|
| Kanaloa | 24 |
| Loki | 36 |
| Aeshma | 42 |
| Seker | 50 |
| Hastur * | 62 |
| Seth | 68 |
Persona 3[]
The Tower Arcana Social Link is represented by Mutatsu, a monk constantly visiting Club Escapade to drown his sorrows via alcohol. The protagonist can initiate the Social Link once he upgrades the Strength Arcana Social Link to a certain Level with Yuko Nishiwaki, where she hears rumors regarding a drunken monk.
Upon the Protagonist's first meeting with Mutatsu, Mutatsu easily brushes off the Protagonist. The Protagonist must then impress Mutatsu by completing the manager's Club Escapade request of taking everyone's order correctly. In the events of the Tower Arcana Social Link, the Protagonist helps Mutatsu to regain his confidence and courage to face his once abandoned family, and his wishes to reconcile with them. By completing the Social Link, Mutatsu will give the Protagonist his alcohol recipe, "XYZ", bestowing the Ultimate Form of the Tower Arcana, Chi You, the warrior king.
In FES, the Tower Arcana remains relatively the same as Persona 3, however, an exclusive Persona, Mara was added in the Tower Arcana repertoire, while Uriel was removed from and placed into the Aeon Arcana. In Reload slight level change.
| Persona | Level | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P3 | FES | Portable | Reload | |
| Eligor | 31 | |||
| Cu Chulainn | 40 | |||
| Uriel | 54 | - | ||
| Bishamonten | 60 | |||
| Seiten Taisei | 67 | |||
| Mara | - | 77 | 75 | |
| Masakado | 73 | 79 | ||
| Shiva | 82 | |||
| Chi You | 86 | |||
DLC Personas (Reload)[]
| Persona | Level |
|---|---|
| Magatsu-Izanagi | 50 (DLC) |
Persona 4[]
The Tower Arcana Social Link is represented by Shu Nakajima, a junior-school student in Persona 4. The Protagonist can initiate the Social Link by accepting the tutoring Part-Time job in the Shopping district notice board. However, the Protagonist must first max-out his Understanding 'Characteristic Parameters' before accepting the job.
The Tower Arcana Social Link can be interacted only during night-time, and only available in Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. In the events of the Tower Arcana Social Link, the Protagonist helps Shu in his academics, but slowly helps him in lightening his burden and pressure of being a Top-student. By the end of the Social Link, Shu will give the Protagonist his first Test-Result Score, bestowing the Ultimate Form of the Tower Arcana, Shiva, the God of Destruction.
| Persona | Level |
|---|---|
| Tao Tie | 35 |
| Cu Chulainn | 46 |
| Abaddon | 55 |
| Mara | 62 |
| Masakado | 69 |
| Yoshitsune | 75 |
| Shiva | 80 |
Persona 4 Arena[]
In Persona 4 Arena, the Tower Arcana is used for Elizabeth's Shuffle Time Furious Action at 101 SP or greater. It inflicts Panic upon the opponent.
Persona Q: Shadow of the Labyrinth[]
| Persona | Level |
|---|---|
| Raiju | 12 |
| Cu Chulainn | 41 |
| Abaddon | 47 |
| Mara | 56 |
| Seiten Taisei | 61 |
| Masakado | 67 |
| Yoshitsune | 76 |
| Shiva | 82 |
| Chi You | 87 |
| Magatsu-Izanagi ↓$ | 92 |
Persona 5[]
The Tower Arcana is represented by the Confidant with Shinya Oda, which ranks up as the protagonist interacts with him. In the events of the Tower Confidant, the protagonist helps Shinya deal with his extreme competitiveness, which leads to hostile relations with his classmates. This Confidant unlocks Random Fire, Warning Shots along with gun attack and bullet capacity improvements as it ranks up.
Completing the Tower Arcana Confidant will also bestow the ultimate form of the Arcana, Mada, the Intoxicated One.
| Persona | Level |
|---|---|
| Jatayu | 32 |
| Belphegor | 37 |
| Red Rider | 41 |
| Magatsu-Izanagi↓ | 44 |
| Magatsu-Izanagi Picaro↓ | 48 |
| Seth | 51 |
| Black Rider | 59 |
| Mara | 73 |
| Yoshitsune | 79 |
| Mada | 85 |
Royal[]
In Persona 5 Royal, the Tower Arcana has been altered slightly, with Jatayu now moved to the Hanged Man Arcana, and the levels of Yoshitsune and Mada have been altered.
| Persona | Level |
|---|---|
| Belphegor | 37 |
| Red Rider | 41 |
| Magatsu-Izanagi↓ | 44 |
| Magatsu-Izanagi Picaro↓ | 48 |
| Seth | 51 |
| Black Rider | 59 |
| Mara | 73 |
| Yoshitsune | 87 |
| Mada | 90 |
Persona Q2: New Cinema Labyrinth[]
| Persona | Level |
|---|---|
| Ukobach | 5 |
| Raiju | 12 |
| Ammut | 20 |
| Nigi Mitama | 23 |
| Magatsu-Izanagi ↓ | 25 |
| Ares | 30 |
| Cu Chulainn | 39 |
| Magatsu-Izanagi Picaro ↓ | 40 |
| Abaddon | 47 |
| Longinus | 55 |
| Mara | 60 |
| Masakado | 69 |
| Yoshitsune | 78 |
| Shiva ° | 83 |
| Chi You | 86 |
Persona 5 Strikers[]
| Persona | Level |
|---|---|
| Seth | 51 |
| Yoshitsune | 78 |
| Mara | 72 |
List of Demons[]
Persona 2[]
Innocent Sin[]
| Persona | Level |
|---|---|
| Slime | 1 |
| Blob | 5 |
| Ochre Jelly | 13 |
| Kanaloa | 27 |
| Shoggoth | 35 |
| Aeshma | 42 |
| Seker | 50 |
| Tezcatlipoca | 59 |
Eternal Punishment[]
| Persona | Level |
|---|---|
| Slime | 1 |
| Blob | 5 |
| Ochre Jelly | 13 |
| Kanaloa | 24 |
| Shoggoth | 35 |
| Aeshma | 42 |
| Seker | 50 |
| Tezcatlipoca | 59 |
| Shub Niggurath | 64 |
| Angra Mainu | 99 |
Characters[]
| Character | Media |
|---|---|
| Takahisa Kandori | Megami Ibunroku Persona |
| Anna Yoshizaka | Persona 2: Innocent Sin |
| Mutatsu | Persona 3 |
| Shu Nakajima | Persona 4 |
| Shinya Oda | Persona 5 |
Card Designs[]
