Gimel
Gimel is a character in Shin Megami Tensei II.
Though Gimel is his default name, the player is permitted to rename him should they wish in the beginning section of the game.
Profile
Gimel is the administrator of the Arcadia district of Tokyo Millennium. He is described as exceptionally intelligent. The residents of Arcadia refer to him as "Lord Gimel", and view him as their Messiah, owing the peace and happiness they experience in the district to him.
He is a very ethereal-looking man, dressed in all-white clothes and a choker, with his sleeves having tiered ruffles and an open dress shirt that shows off his well-defined chest and abdomen. He has gold chains that act as a belt and atop his long and black hair rests a laurel wreath. His footwear consists of just brown sandals, and he is always seen holding a golden lyre. His design for the Playstation release of Shin Megami Tensei II is slightly different, as his hair is longer, the golden lyre has a different design, it lacks the golden chains, and his sleeves are tiered puffs instead of ruffles. The clothing is more reminiscent of a low-cut bell-bottom pantsuit.
"Gimel" is named after the 3rd letter of the Hebrew alphabet, whose name means "camel".
Gameplay
Shin Megami Tensei II
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Game Appearances
Shin Megami Tensei II
At the beginning of the game in Valhalla, during Hawk's second run through the Virtual Battler of Haneda's gym, he has a flashback involving an unknown man asking him to name someone. If Hawk chooses not to name the person, he will be told that their name is Gimel.
Gimel's first in-person appearance is in Arcadia, after Zayin recommends that Aleph visit him. There, wealthy citizens hand-picked by the Center live lives of luxury, free from pain and strife. When Aleph meets with him, he discusses the state of Arcadia, claiming that he built it into an ideal world that serves as a showcase for what the Millennium Kingdom will look like when it is fully realized; A world where demonic threats and conflicts between others cease to exist. He requests that Aleph tell Zayin that Arcadia is a great success, and sends him on his way.
This section contains spoilers. (Skip Section)
If Aleph chooses to visit Arcadia after Zayin announces his rebellion against the Center, Gimel will comment on it, saying that he is saddened to hear him saying such things.
When Aleph gains access to the Makai, a spatial distortion can be found southeast of the Yetzirah Corridor in Ti'feret that sends the party to a mysterious facility. In it are multiple people with dilapidated appearances, tied to chairs and hooked up to small machines. In reality, these people are residents of Arcadia, and at the topmost floor, the real Gimel can be found, a featureless, cybernetic man hooked up to a giant machine, a stark contrast to the ethereal appearance his virtual avatar has. There he reveals the true nature of Arcadia: It is nothing more than a lie, a virtual simulation he administrates that merely emulates the appearance of a peaceful world. Gimel reasons that even if it is a lie, it is one that gives people the peace they so desire, and so declares that he cannot allow anyone who discovers the truth to live, attacking Aleph's party right after.
After defeating Gimel, Aleph is presented with a choice of what to do with Arcadia.
Gimel is mentioned by Mekata when Aleph's party meets him again inside of Abaddon's body, who reveals that Gimel's role in the Messiah Project was being the Messiah of the virtual world to conduct tests for what would become the Millenium Kingdom.
Visionaries
Gimel is featured in two Visionary cutscenes in the Game Boy Advance and iOS versions of the game.
In "Gold Wing Harp", Gimel and Zayin discuss the concept of salvation. Gimel disparages Zayin's idea that it should be accessible to all people, arguing that the Center does not have the resources to accommodate everyone and adding that there is a growing corruption within the Center that must be destroyed.
In "Laurel Leaf", Gimel is asked a multitude of questions by a priest while the Elders observe. The questions are centered around the concept of salvation and the Messiah and God's role in delivering it. Gimel gives very extremist answers to them, claiming that those who will be saved obey God's authority unquestioningly, and if they do not they should be destroyed. Even if people try to obey God, if they do not fit in with God's purpose, they should be destroyed, for it is God and the Messiah who determine who should be saved and who should be happy; People's will is unnecessary. Though the Elders note that his way of thinking is akin to that of a ruler's than one of a Messian's, they reassure themselves that no mistakes will occur with him so long as he remains under their control, and the scene ends with Gimel silently standing alone.
- End of spoilers.
Trivia
- Gimel was designed to be reminiscent of the Greek god Apollo, as in Arcadia he is worshipped as a god, contrasting with his true appearance, which is described as a "small being wearing a lump of iron."[1]
Nomenclature
Gimel is named after the 3rd letter of the Hebrew abjad, ג gīmel.
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
 Japanese
|
ギメル | Gimel |
Gallery
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Gimel's sprite from Shin Megami Tensei II (Playstation).
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Artwork of Gimel during his boss fight in Shin Megami Tensei II (Super Famicom).
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Gimel's boss sprite from Shin Megami Tensei II (PlayStation).
Notes
- ↑ Listed as Neutral-Law in Shin Megami Tensei II Official Perfect Guide.
References
- ↑ "ヘブル語で “3”および“ラクダ” という意味の名をつけられた、 救世主計画のプロトタイプ3号。 高い知能の持ち主として設計され、情操教育に重きが置かれた。 竪琴を持つのはそのためで、頭上の月桂冠との組み合わせは、ギリシアの芸術神アポロンを連想させる。 新デザインでは、 ゆったりとした服から、 身体のラインが強調されたフィットしたものに変更された。 神というよりも、神々に愛された美少年というイメージを強めたためだろう。 千年王国のモデルとして造られた、 電脳空間上の仮想都市アルカディアの管理者であり、このギメルの姿は、そこでのものである。 そこでは神として崇められたが、実際には、 鉄の塊をまとう矮小な存在に過ぎなかったのだ。" Kazuma Kaneko Works III. Japanese. exposition 23. ISBN-13: 4-7753-0609-X.