Jester (Arcana)
The Jester is an Arcana in Persona 4 Golden. It is an additional Arcana added in that version, not present in the original Persona 4's deck.
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Unlike the other Arcana in Persona 4 Golden which come from the Tarot of Marseilles and Thoth tarot decks, the Jester is not named after an Arcana from a real tarot card deck. It is an alternate way of saying the Fool, as both share the number 0. The Jester is used to symbolize Adachi having set out on a journey but stopped and fallen along the way.[1] In Japanese-language materials such as the Persona 4 Golden Premium Fun Book and both Persona 4 Arena Ultimax Design Works, Atlus also labels it in English as the Fool.[2][3][4]
Characters
List of Personas
Like with Personas of the Aeon Arcana, these Personas can only usually be obtained via a Triple Fusion, or via a Double Fusion if both of the ingredients are of the Jester Arcana.
| Name | Level |
|---|---|
Game Appearances
- For information about the Social Link, see Gameplay:Tohru Adachi
Adachi's Jester Social Link added for Persona 4 Golden fleshes out his character and backstory.
Rank 8 and above
This section contains spoilers. (Skip Section)
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Hunger is an Arcana in Persona 4 Golden. The Hunger Arcana comes from the Lust Arcana in Aleister Crowley's Thoth tarot deck.[a] Numbered at 11, Lust is the Thoth version of Strength. The Thoth Lust card depicts a drunk woman—the goddess Babalon from Crowley's Thelema—holding the leash of a seven-headed beast.[6] In interpretations of Crowley, Crowley himself is said to be the beast, and Babalon represents various women from his life. The woman in the card holds the beast's leash to give the illusion that she has control, and the beast obeys her, allowing itself to be tamed.[7] The Hunger arcana in Golden depicts the opposite: The woman no longer has the illusion of control, and the beast is seemingly ready to devour her.
Characters
List of Personas
Like with Personas of the Aeon Arcana, these Personas can only usually be obtained via a Triple Fusion, or via a Double Fusion if both of the ingredients are of the Jester Arcana. Magatsu-Izanagi can only be fused if you have maxed out Adachi's Social Link.
| Name | Level |
|---|---|
Game Appearances
- For information about the Social Link, see Gameplay:Tohru Adachi
Following the confrontation between Adachi and the protagonist on December 7th, the relationship between the two changes drastically, resulting in the Jester Arcana transforming into the Hunger Arcana and being renumbered from 0 to 11. In Atlus's developer's corner, they describe the Hunger card to mean do what you want rather than what is logical.[8] Furthermore, the change from Jester to Hunger is the result of both Adachi and the protagonist trying to satisfy their own "Hunger".[9] While they once shared a path, having both started with 0 cards, the Hunger Arcana was also created from the protagonist having the ability to separate from Adachi after learning of his true nature.[10]
- End of spoilers.
Trivia
- The Persona Master archetype in Metaphor has a synthesis skill called Masquerade Charge which depicts the caster putting on glasses and shooting the Jester card.
Nomenclature
| Language | Name | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
 Japanese
|
道化師 Dōkeshi | Clown (Kanji meaning), Fool (Atlus's English name in Japanese design works) |
| 欲望 Yokubō | Desire (Kanji meaning), Lust (Thoth deck name) |
Notes
- ↑ The non-Tarot de Marseille in Persona 4 Golden comes from the Thoth deck. This applies to both Adachi and Marie's arcana. This can be recognized by their numbering and by their Japanese arcana names being the same as the Japanese arcana names for the Thoth deck.[5]
References
- ↑ "“道化師"は愚者の翻訳違いですが、旅を始める愚者とは違い、旅をやめて墜ちてしまった人として設定しました。" Translation: "Adachi's Fool Arcana is another way of depicting the protagonist's Fool Arcana. But unlike the protagonist's Fool, who has only just set out on their journey, Adachi's Fool is one who has stopped their journey and fallen low." "Special Investigation Files", Persona 4 The Golden Premium Fun Book, Compiled by the Persona Magazine Editorial Department. Published by ASCII Media Works (2012). Japanese. p. 230. Translation by User:Cabbage. ISBN-13: 978-4048868150.
- ↑ "Characters", Persona 4 The Golden Premium Fun Book, Compiled by the Persona Magazine Editorial Department. Published by ASCII Media Works (2012). Japanese. p. 128. ISBN-13: 978-4048868150.
- ↑ "Character Illustration", Persona 4 The Ultimax Ultra Suplex Hold: Official Design Works, Atlus. Published by Famitsu (2015). Japanese. p. 99. ISBN-13: 978-4048667975.
- ↑ "Characters: Tohru Adachi", Persona 4 The Ultimate in Mayonaka Arena & The Ultimax Ultra Suplex Hold Super Official Design Works, Atlus. Published by Famitsu (2015). Japanese. p. 320-321. ISBN-13: 978-4047304024.
- ↑ Thoth Tarot at Japanese Wikipedia. Published 2021. Retrieved 2023. Wikipedia. Article.
- ↑ The Book of Thoth. Published Dec 21, 2021. Retrieved May 15, 2024. Thelemagick Library.
- ↑ The Lust Thoth. Retrieved May 15, 2024. Tarot X.
- ↑ "“欲望”は「汝の意思するところに従え」というカードのようです。理屈ではない、心が望むものを取れ、と。" Translation: "Desire/Lust is a "do what thou wilt" kind of card. Disregard logic, take what your heart desires." "Special Investigation Files", Persona 4 The Golden Premium Fun Book, Compiled by the Persona Magazine Editorial Department. Published by ASCII Media Works (2012). Japanese. p. 230. Translation by User:Cabbage. ISBN-13: 978-4048868150.
- ↑ "足立と主人公がそれぞれの「欲望」を追い求めた結果、道化師コミュが変化して手に入れられる「欲望」コミュ。" Translation: "As the result of Adachi and the protagonist chasing after their own "Desire/Lust", Adachi's Fool Social Link changes and the player obtains the Desire/Lust Social Link." "Special Investigation Files", Persona 4 The Golden Premium Fun Book, Compiled by the Persona Magazine Editorial Department. Published by ASCII Media Works (2012). Japanese. p. 230. Translation by User:Cabbage. ISBN-13: 978-4048868150.
- ↑ "足立は足立の意思する道を選んだわけですし(そうしたかったかは別として)、主人公も足立の意思(本心)を知り、そして決別するという「主人公側の意思」を持ったわけで、主人公のほうにも“欲望”のアルカナが芽生えたのだ･･････とも言えます。" "Special Investigation Files", Persona 4 The Golden Premium Fun Book, Compiled by the Persona Magazine Editorial Department. Published by ASCII Media Works (2012). Japanese. p. 230. ISBN-13: 978-4048868150.