DeathTurn

I would not cogitate so intently over arcade scenarios. They are very condensed snippets of the actual full storyline, so trying to grasp cohesion without full context may be a bit confusing. The "evil" within Ragna is a direct result of the Azure Grimoire's instability. As we know, the corrosion spreading from his arm throughout his entire body will ultimately transform him into a Black Beast. The instability of the Azure Grimoire makes sense as it is incomplete and not intended to be wielded by someone like him. To fully exercise its power, the Azure Grimoire must be incorporated into a causality weapon: more accurately, a Murakumo Unit (replay Arakune's CS route.) For all we know, becoming one with Nu via the "true merge" may be the key to "saving" Ragna. Anyway as you said, we will likely get more details on the said "true merge" with the introduction of Acts 2 & 3. We do not have much to go on right now.

The context of the story thus far is "Defeat Izanami to prevent her from obtaining the Azure and wishing for the world's destruction." Suffice to say, that is very broad. What "context" is necessitated for a "true merge" to transpire between Nu and Ragna? It is not as if there are any canon roadblocks preventing the hypothetical "true merge" from happening.

"True merge" - that would imply the incorporation of the Azure Grimoire into the Murakumo Unit: transforming her into a Kusanagi. She wants to become "complete" as opposed to becoming the "heart" of the failure that is the Black Beast. Interesting distinction... I bet this is Mori teasing Alpha again.

I do not know what the HTML formatting is, but highlight your text and click the "eye"/spoiler icon in the reply box.

This is my position on the matter. Quoted from the Short Stories and Novels discussion. With Naoto jumping across the timeline, I wonder just how much this theory will hold up. I am excited to see the direction BBCF will take this, seeing as though closure via a 3rd novel is apparently not in the cards.

Unsurprising as she is with Naoto. In the 1st volume of the Bloodedge Experience, she used Phenomena Intervention to travel to the past (his world) to see him. My translation is rough, but: Naoto on Rachel: And...Rachel just so happens to be meeting Naoto again in the above featured scan preview.

If I am reading this correctly, Naoto's spread on Famitsu states that he is "a foreigner from another world." He must have traveled through the Boundary for some reason. I wonder what brings him.

Ah, the disparities of translation strike again. Thanks for the heads up. Must be parroting Raquel's "Naoto, get the Azure in your possession, and then search for me." Then it appears his target is Raquel/NotRachel.

Naoto: "Search for myself?" Where do I begin... Assuming Naoto = Ragna as per popular theory, is Naoto searching for Ragna as well? The fact he even exists at this point all but affirms he is either time displaced or a Chronophantasma. Seeing as though his life support, Raquel, is effectively nonexistent (unless she is Rachel, whose lifeforce value is now 0) - I doubt he makes it through the novels in one piece, especially with the grim foreshadowing with Rachel in novel 1. He also seems determined to expunge the Murakumo Units, which seems to insinuate his relationship with Kiiro will deterioate by the end of The Bloodedge Experience. Really excited he is playable. He always felt too important to me to remain restricted to the novels.

You have my utmost gratitude for compiling this. Kudos. Gave me a chuckle. First ousted as main heroine, now cucked. Only a matter of time before Celica reawakens DA GODSLAYA.

"Will there also be other new stories other than what is presented here?" Might as well make an official announcment if you are going to be that "ambiguous."

  Bingo. Noel is as Takamagahara described: an "uncertain factor", an anomaly. Her survival of the destruction of Ibukido was an actual product of distortions in the timeline caused by the time loops. She did not exist in earlier phases, such as Phase 298. However, distortions occurred which permitted her to exist in later Phases, such as Phases 724 and 725. Interestingly in CSE when Makoto gets too close the cauldron, her consciousness is swallowed by the Boundary and displaced in yet another timeline in which Noel did not exist as well. Basically, just as most timelines involve Ragna falling into the cauldron with Nu, most involve Noel not existing.

This is exactly what I meant. Sorry for mixing that with the loops (although I put them in the same category due to the repitition.) All the "possibilities" are canon as they actually occur, but Takamagahara observes each phenomenon to see which one leads them closest to obtaining the Azure. If something deviates off course, they re-initialize. The ending of CS would have been another "possibility" of the Continuum Shift as well, but Terumi was like lolnope and infected Takamagahara with the Phantom virus before that could happen.

You are not exactly "incorrect", but I am just going to expound on this and elucidate a bit further. Every event which transpires is technically canon, as the event did in fact occur (I will not comment on some of the gag reels.) This is why characters experience déjà vu and why Observers such as Rachel retain all memory of the loops/Phases. One of my favorite examples from Continuum Shift is when Hazama trolls Ragna by mocking him, knowing exactly what Ragna would say before he did. Reason? Hazama observed every possibility of the Continuum Shift and had the same conversation with Ragna god knows how many times. It’s all canon. The issue is that the Master Unit (sometimes Takamagahara) resets time if the unfolded events lead to an unfavorable outcome. When time resets, distortions occur which cause events to unfold slightly or drastically different from the preceding timeloop (Phenomena Intervention can come into play as well.) A major example being how Noel did not exist in Phase 0 and earlier timeloops as she originally was supposed to die after Take-Mikazuchi destroyed Ibukido, yet survived and existed in later loops such as Phase 724 due to the new distortions in the timeline. Basically, every reset gives birth to a new set of possibilities. That is why there are so many conflicting events in the games’ story. It all happens…it’s just that Amaterasu goes “lolno” and resets everything whenever something deviates from her convoluted plan in saving the world. :p

Thanks for the translations, Zedar! Nah, I got the same impression. I read the translation and literally said "It's a contest for Ragna's ****!" It may not be inherently "romantic" so to speak, but I am fairly certain that ambiguity is the writing intent. Mori loves his ship teases. What confounds me more is how they are all seemingly "at odds" despite sharing a mutual goal. ...Why is this a "contest" of sorts, exactly? Is saving Ragna's life officially a game now? Being Ragna is suffering.

His ultimate is Messiah. There is really little room for debate here. :/

^^Your spoiler wrapped theory is still very much possible. MINAZUKI and Malevolent Entity are two entirely seperate existences. Malevolent Entity is the current "General Teddie."

Ah, I get you. I'm thinking if he does return, he could potentially be inducted into the Shadow Ops as #0. With Mitsuru's connections, I doubt he'll need school...or money...or lodging...or anything. :P

Messiah seems to be the only viable and sensible option, seeing as Mitsuru, Akihiko, Aigis, Junpei, Yukari, (and presumably Fuuka) have all retained their ultimate Personas. Orpheus is obsolete. Orpheus Telos is a later FES/P3P addition. Elizabeth has Thanatos.

Actually, there is only a 2 year difference between the end of P3 (March 2010) and Arena (May 2012.) There is 3 year difference between the beginning of P3 and the start of Arena, however. :P Still though, two years is not that radical of a difference (if any.) If it were a 6+ year gap or so...I could concede. But two years comes off as extremely miniscule and inconsequential to me. Unless groundbreaking advances were made or the world is recuperating from an apocalypse, I do not see how he would have trouble adapting. Therefore, I would not go as far to use the word "alien." As for them being older and wiser...if their dispositions in P4U are a solid indicator, their temperaments have in fact changed very little since The Answer. It is not as though they are adults who have finished college, started careers, and settled down and started families. They're still the same, if you ask me. Junpei is still Stupei, Yukari is as snarky as ever, Mitsuru is more independent in the sense she now picks out her own clothes, Fuuka is...Fuuka, and Aigis is essentially the same. If anyone changed (if it all) I would argue Akihiko due to his protein and training obsession taken to new heights. haha. Truly though, I find "age" beyond arbitrary in this scenario. Technically, Makoto is still their age anyway...he's just been "dead" and one with the universe all of this time. :P Egh...honestly, if this had even a remote chance of happening, I would vastly prefer if he just remained dead. It just comes off as jarring (let alone bewildering) for him to be "abandoned" by his friends who he endured with, gave his life for, and remained alive through sheer force of will (despite having no lifeforce) to fulfill his promise to them on graduation day. It...doesn't sit right with me. The Investigation Team is for Yu. S.E.E.S/Shadow Ops is for Makoto: http://24.media.tumblr.com/ca8216ace9b2a4b26f79ecc9634daf23/tumblr_n1c772HvpN1spdy36o6_r1_250.gif Not to mention it seems extremely out of character for all of them, specifically Aigis, Yukari, and Mitsuru to just "let him go." Hell, Mitsuru was going on about how Makoto was "more than just a friend" and how she "owes her life to him" in P4U. Aigis almost gave into Malevolent Entity's temptation to "reunite" with him in the TV world. Doing so (Makoto sticking with the IT) render the dynamic of SEES as dangerously tenuous and shallow in my opinion, and defeats the themes of "friendship" and "bonds" which are salient in P3 and P4 (for me, at least.) I mean...they can accept Labrys who was sealed away for 12 years (who they also do not know)...over Makoto? Lastly, the old bonds he established (not just with SEES) allowed him to form The Universe arcana and vanquish Nyx. What sense would it make for him to separate from everyone and start a life with random highschoolers? (this is my position, I understand if you feel differently.) Plus, if P4G's epilogue is canon... I would wager chances are slim to none. But yeah...just my 2 cents.

I wouldn't count my chickens before they hatch. But you're correct, either interpretation is valid. I simply side with the resurrection because it seems the most plausible given his archetype. The foreshadowing is just too thick for me to ignore.

There was actually nothing that explicitly linked Ryoji to Makoto's return after the Great Seal. When Yukari is calling out to him after his "death", he can answer "It's alright..." or "What happened...?" All Ryoji does afterward is say that normal days will return to the cast and Makoto, and that Makoto has found "the answer to life's greatest question."

He never died. He stayed alive through sheer force of will.

I can almost guarantee this will not happen due to its ambiguous and inconclusive implications. It is essentially a more fleshed out rendition of the The Answer's resolution, and only a very vocal minority will be satisfied with it. That minority being those who feel P3's ending will be "ruined" and feel resurrecting him would be an "asspull" or "poor writing." Though I find this perspective jarringly incoherent due to Makoto's messianic ethos, and how a revival was not so coyly foreshadowed from the beginning. His ultimate Persona is "Messiah" and the compendium reads: He appeared on The Promised Day"/The Fall ("Judgment Day") to save humanity ("saves the virtuous"), merges with the universe and becomes the sole user of the Universe arcana ("is a universal figure"), has died ("his death"), but has yet to experience a "rebirth." Not to mention he conquered death by sacrificing his soul and crucifying it to protect mankind's collective malice (or sin) lead them into everlasting destruction. I feel it is fairly palpable where this is headed. If Atlus were planning on keeping him dead, they would have never bothered to revisit his story in P4 or expound even further in P4U. 9x out of 10, they are bringing him back. Either way, Makoto and Elizabeth's story will be wrapped out here, as it was confirmed this game will conclude all of these points. Lastly, Atlus teased a character who they "could not name" that "the fans have certainly been hoping for" who will appear in P4U2/P4AU. A quick glance on 2ch swiftly reveals the #1 requested character among the Japanese fanbase is "Kitaro" (Makoto), with much discussion involving a revival. Followed very closely after him, is Adachi (who has been practically confirmed.) This is my prediction as well. Erebus was destroyed by Elizabeth in P4U, so Nyx will not burst through the door immediately after the seal is temporarily lifted. I can easily see "Malevolent Entity" being imprisoned as the seal (seeing as though he cannot die) as eternal punishment (pun intended.) How? The "miracle" we learned about in P4 and P4U that Elizabeth and the others will pull off. P3 released 8 years ago in Japan. ...How much more time do you want to wait? lol Thankfully, this game is tying up those loose ends. I in no way want this storyline apart of P5 or any future entries whatsoever. This is a seamless venue for it. :p

You didn't derp; consider it a blessing 4chan is foreign to you. I have only lurked Persona General because they are fairly good at getting new information, but beyond that... it is nothing more than disturbing, morally questionable, and totally not sexually deviant "discussion" of "waifus" and "best girls". Finding quality posts and productive discussion is like finding a needle in a goddamn haystack. It's a miracle I found the said translations to begin with. Also interestingly enough (albeit somehow unsurprising) from what I have garnered from Sho's dialogue, he has no idea what the hell Elizabeth wants and why she is interfering. haha.