Summary
This article contains story spoilers for Persona 5 Tactica and Persona 5 Strikers.Persona 5 TacticaandPersona 5 Strikersshare many commonalities in theme, working from the framework set byPersona 5’s use of rebellion and fighting against injustice. These overarching ideals are pervasive in both titles' handling of villains, though their formulas differ based on number, setting, and overarching story. WithPersona 5Tacticacentralizing its villains around one key figure andStrikersspreading out its cast and motivations, the ways in which they each handle trauma change, with an argument to be made that the focus of the former lets these portrayals feel more deserved.
Persona 5 TacticaandPersona 5 Strikersboth rely heavily on trauma as a plot device for their characters.Strikers, being a game that utilizes frequent setting changes to showcase its road-trip formula, sees multiple traumatic backstories among its Monarchs – rulers of Jails engaging in some act of manipulation – that the Phantom Thieves must inflict a change of heart on. In this way,Strikersbears resemblance toPersona 5’s own villain formulathrough a litany of personalities and motivations, though its constant thread in the form of trauma is one that weaves itself into each of their narratives and “insight” into their behaviors. As the Monarchs are stuck in a literal trauma cell reliving their past, the Thieves must help them to move on.
Comparing and Contrasting Persona 5 Tactica and Strikers' Villains
Strikers' Proliferation of Trauma
Persona 5 Strikersdoesn’t treat the Monarchs' traumas as justifiable for their misdeeds, asthe Phantom Thievesimplore them to atone for their crimes and change for the better, though the ways in which these traumas are presented can feel a bit formulaic. It becomes apparent early on that every villain will have a tragic backstory that ties into their exposition, handled in such a way that it becomes a case of when, not if, it will be revealed. Repeating the same cycle across an entire cast of villains makes it difficult to keep its portrayals of trauma feeling impactful, especially when its narrative role follows the same beats across each character.
Tacticafalls into a bit of the same trappings, in that, once reaching the end of Marie’s Kingdom, it becomes clear that each world will play a role in showing Toshiro’s traumas. The way in which the Kingdoms and its villains are framed around Toshiro, however, lets these portrayals feel more fleshed out in the context of its story. Not only is the game’s narrative focus given more room for growth because it is centralized around Toshiro’s experiences as a recurring character, but honing in on his cognitive perception also works well in the settings and metaphors that the Kingdoms employ. While not perfect,Persona Tactica’s storylets its villains receive more space to show the impact of their actions.
The Focus on Villains From the Victim’s Standpoint
Instead of havingthe Phantom Thieves play a role in changing the heartsofTactica’s villains, their importance lies in changing the heart of Toshiro himself; the focus becomes less on the villains and more on Toshiro as a victim who must learn to advocate for himself. Of course, the game frequently reminds the player that Toshiro isn’t completely without fault, given his inability to stand up to his father’s and wife’s crimes despite having the evidence to do so, though its narrative structure allows the Thieves to see what led him to this fear in a more substantial manner. Having multiple Kingdoms to showcase his past, even if some twists fall under the line of predictability, lets Toshiro’s struggles feel better contextualized in both his motivations and progression.
Similarly,Toshiro Kasukabeisn’t played up as a character who becomes cartoonishly evil as a result of his trauma; rather, he’s someone whose subservient nature needs to be challenged, both for his own sake and to hold those around him accountable. Despite its overuse as a plot device, making him a selective amnesiac who revisits these traumas from a more active lens helps inTactica’s reveals; both Toshiro and the player are learning of these events at the same time, aiding in their impact. WhilePersona 5Tacticacan feel a bit reductive at the beginning in terms of painting Toshiro as spineless, the way it handles its villain formula helps to acknowledge the struggles he’s gone through while demonstrating a growth in courage.
