Goro Akechi

Mementos is the collective dungeon of the Metaverse. Its function and characteristics:

Collective origin: It is the Palace “of all humanity.” It reflects the lesser desires and hidden thoughts of the general public, not of a single person. (In Royal it is made explicit that after the destruction of the original Mementos, Yaldabaoth becomes the "treasure" of the new final Mementos). Random generation: Unlike fixed palaces, Mementos has random floors and layouts, continuously generating corridors without a predetermined pattern. It is extensive and evolves as the game progresses. Requests: Confidants and NPCs issue "requests" that are completed by exploring Mementos: facing a boss, finding an item, healing someone, etc. These mini-quests offer rewards (PSI, items, money) and deepen subplots. However, there is no central treasure that will change anyone's heart in particular. Exploration and Mechanics: Like the palaces, it's filled with shadows you can fight or negotiate with. Stealth and the Third Eye can be used to detect traps. There's no time limit or alert meter in Mementos (Thieves can roam freely). Safe Rooms and an exit staircase appear for backtracking. Narrative purpose: Mementos serves as a gameplay resource (farming, subplots) and as the final setting. In the main story, Yaldabaoth/Joker uses it for a decisive blow and to trap the protagonist in Royal. Thus, Mementos represents the collective consciousness manipulated by the villains.

A Palace is a personalized cognitive domain that reflects the corrupt individual's distorted worldview. Its characteristics are:

Cognitive reflection: Each palace has a unique aesthetic and set of rules based on its owner. For example, a mobster sees a cruise ship (Shido Palace) because, metaphorically, it "sails" the country; an academic sees an endless museum (Madarame) filled with his own "works." Morgana explains that "Palaces are the representation of people's distorted desires." The inner treasure (the real motive behind his evil) fuels the structure of the Palace. Shadow Guard: The shadows or enemies in the palaces are manifestations of that reprobate desire. Attacking or negotiating with them is similar to the system in previous installments (there may be Hold Ups, negotiations, or Baton Passes to change turns). Unlike other SMT games, the shadows take on thematic forms (e.g., armor, statues). Infiltration: The team must move stealthily to reduce alertness. They solve puzzles and traps specific to each palace (such as passing scanners or picking locks). They estimate enemy levels and advance by resupplying in Safe Rooms. The ultimate goal is to locate and defeat the Treasure Guardian (the palace "administrator," the final cognitive boss). Sometimes there are mini-bosses. Change of Heart: By defeating the guardian and "stealing" the Treasure, the Palace immediately collapses. According to Morgana, this is the only way to get rid of a Palace: "to steal its owner's hidden treasure, changing their heart in the process." In other words, the villain is forced to recognize the evil of his actions. In reality, this translates into him admitting his crimes (e.g., "He turned himself in to the police" or "He apologized publicly") and, finally, changing his personality. Key examples include the palaces of Kamoshida (castle), Madarame (museum), Kaneshiro (bank), Futaba Sakura (grave due to her guilt), Okumura (space station), and Shido (cruise ship).

The Navigator is a hidden app on the Phantom Thieves' smartphones that serves as a portal to the Metaverse. In the story, Igor gives it to Ren Amamiya and later to his allies. Its key functions are:

Targeting: The Phantom Thieves choose a real-world target (e.g., a corrupt school principal) and gather information about their wish distortion. The app allows them to "enter the password," which consists of three keywords: the target's name, the type of wish distortion, and their location. For example, for Kamoshida they would use (“Kamoshida”, “Perversion”, “Shujin”). For Mementos, the word “Mementos” is sufficient. Upon validating this data, the app generates the entry to the corresponding domain (a red and black eye animation is seen). Interface and Mechanics: The Navigator displays a futuristic hacking interface (an eye logo). To infiltrate, the player selects the indicated location on the phone's map. In gameplay, this is equivalent to choosing the dungeon (e.g., Kamoshida's Castle of Lust) on the exploration screen. The team then appears inside the Palace in the cognitive world. New features: Anyone in the Metaverse can automatically receive the app. Futaba Sakura, for example, gets the app without being chosen: Igor "installs it on her device" when she helps the protagonist. The player cannot delete the app, as Igor himself reinstalls it if it is removed. After defeating Yaldabaoth and destroying Mementos, the Navigator magically disappears. (The same thing happens in Persona 5 Royal after Maruki). This suggests that the app is a divine tool linked to Yaldabaoth himself.

The rules of the Metaverse differ markedly from the real world:

Restricted access: Only those who have awakened a Persona may enter. For safety reasons, anyone without a Persona would "inevitably be in mortal danger" in the Metaverse. Igor grants the Navigator app only to those he deems capable (renamed Phantom Thieves), but it operates in an area: if a user activates the app near someone, that person may be drawn into the Metaverse or even receive the app automatically. (Futaba Sakura acquires the Metanav after helping the protagonist). Time Limit: Each Palace has a deadline (usually one month of real time) before the main antagonist can claim their Treasure on their own. If it's not completed before then, you're given the option to "return to the beginning of the week" or load a previous save (in practice, this is game over). Mementos, on the other hand, does not close; it is always available as an auxiliary dungeon with no expiration date. Effects in reality: By stealing the Treasure from a Palace and collapsing this cognitive world, the individual's true "heart" changes. In real life, the person recognizes the evil of their desire and confesses their actions (e.g., Kamoshida admits his abuse). These changes of heart often have legal consequences: the victim turns themselves in to the police or receives punishment, while the case is resolved publicly. For example, after the success of his Palace, Okumura frees the exploited employees, but then suddenly dies from "disconnected wires" at a press conference. Shido, after his Palace collapses, publicly reveals his crimes. Discovery Warning: An alert meter is activated inside a Palace. If thieves are detected by the shadows too many times (security bar at 100%), they are expelled from the Palace and must try again another day.

In Persona 5, the Metaverse is described as “a parallel world created from the amalgamation of the hearts of human beings” It originally arose from “the hopes and dreams of the people,” but has been corrupted by the actions of distorted authorities. Ontologically, the Metaverse originates from the human collective unconscious. There, the hidden desires of powerful individuals are revealed. Each Palace corresponds to a distorted desire of a corrupt person (such as an abuser or a corrupt politician). For example, Professor Kamoshida's Palace is a medieval castle reflecting his perversion, while Madarame's is a dark museum illustrating his artistic plagiarism. This approach summarizes the idea of ​​Shin Megami Tensei: the shadows and Palaces are psychocognitive echoes of these desires.

Origin in the narrative:

Velvet Room and Navigator: The protagonist receives an app called Metaverse Navigator delivered by Igor (actually Yaldabaoth) This suggests that those who obtain the app are "elected" to reform society. Cognitive research: A character in the game, Wakaba Isshiki, researched "cognitive psychology," a science that links the Palaces to the Metaverse Igor/Yaldabaoth uses these discoveries to manipulate the Metaverse. Collective Influence: The Metaverse includes a Central Palace known as Mementos, located beneath Shibuya Station, which holds the shadows of the common people. Mementos is a manifestation of the collective unconscious, “the Palace of all humanity”

Bearer of the Wild Card, a rare ability. It has multiple people:

•Robin Hood → represents his heroic facade.

•Loki → embodies his destructive side.

The illegitimate son of politician Masayoshi Shido, Akechi grew up in abandonment and loneliness, which shaped his worldview. He achieves public recognition as a prodigy detective, gaining the trust of society.

However, he is secretly responsible for the mental breakdowns, acting as the killer known as "Black Mask". He works for Shido while plotting revenge against him, making him a tragic character caught between manipulation and personal ambition.

Akechi presents a marked duality:

•Public image: charismatic, educated, intelligent and admired as the “Detective Prince”.

•True self: cold, manipulative, and deeply resentful of his past.

His character is defined by a constant internal conflict between his desire for justice and his thirst for revenge.

Goro Akechi is a young man with an elegant and impeccable appearance, light brown hair, and reddish-brown eyes. His attire reflects his public image as a detective: a neat uniform, a light beige coat, and dark gloves. He always carries a silver briefcase. In the Metaverse, it adopts two contrasting identities:

•Crow (white): symbolizes justice, order, and heroism. He wears an elegant, military-style white suit with gold and red details. He wears an elongated red plague doctor-type mask. Clean, tidy and “heroic” design. It represents his facade of justice and his image as the perfect detective.

•Black Mask (dark): represents chaos, violence, and his true nature. His dark suit (black and violet) has a more chaotic and aggressive appearance. A more cluttered design, with straps and details that suggest instability. A black mask that completely conceals his identity. A wilder and more violent aesthetic.