Tarot cards have been around in the Persona series for years. Like Personas themselves, tarot is connected to Carl Jung's collective unconsciousness, sharing the idea that symbols and stories can be cross-cultural and lay deep in the human unconscious. In that sense, tarot cards are perfect imagery for the Persona series.

In Persona 5, Confidant characters that help Joker are each assigned a major arcana card. These cards are very meaningful, showing what a character can stand for, what motivates them, and what journey they are taking. There are a lot of Confidants, but the Phantom Thieves themselves are the most prominent characters, and their own major arcana reveals a lot about them.

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Joker's Arcana

Joker and Igor with the Fool tarot.

Joker is special because he gets two major arcana. His first persona, Arsene, is a part of the Fool arcana. It is also the card represented by Igor, that sets Joker on his path. The Fool is a card that symbolizes opportunity, beginnings, and innocence. It can mean taking a leap of faith and not knowing what comes next. It is the card of the improviser. All these meanings are deeply connected to Joker, who is never afraid to take a leap of faith and can also use a variety of Personas, rather than being limited to one. The dog symbol in the card, however, means that Joker's past will not be shaken off. This is symbolic of his arrest.

Towards the end of the game, Joker is given the World arcana by Igor and Lavenza. This is a special arcana, as it is the final one in the order of the major arcana. The Fool is the beginning and the World is the end, which is meant to show how far Joker has come. The World is a cycle completed.

Ryuji's Arcana

Ryuji in mask.

The rest of the Phantom Thieves, like Ryuji, get just one major arcana. Ryuji's is the Chariot. The card is representative of always being on the move and having lots of willpower, confidence, and ambition, but it can also symbolize a journey. Ryuji is certainly on a journey with the Phantom Thieves, and he is the sort who brings a ton of confidence.

The Chariot is connected to the water element, which may be symbolic of the ripples Ryuji can make with his high-energy personality. The card that comes after the Chariot is Strength, which could be a sign of what comes next for Ryuji once his journey with the Phantom Thieves is complete.

Morgana's Arcana

Morgana's all out attack.

Morgana's tarot card is the Magician. His card comes right after the Fool, and is often the card of a mentor figure on the Fool's journey. It is also an arcana connected to the element of air, which can connect to the fact that Morgana is not grounded. His amnesia has given him little connections to the world, though that will change with the Phantom Thieves.

The Magician means skillfulness, resourcefulness, and determination. On the reverse, though, it can mean confusion and a block in communication. This does happen with Morgana at one point in the game, as he doesn't properly communicate his feelings to his friends and can fall victim to the confusion of his identity.

Ann's Arcana

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Ann's card is the sixth card of the major arcana, the Lovers. It comes before Ryuji's card, the Chariot, which can symbolize how they grew up together before joining the Phantom Thieves. The Lovers is a card of commitment, but that doesn't have to mean ties to a single person. It can symbolize her commitment to the Phantom Thieves. It can also symbolize choices, which Ann has plenty to make, since she is wondering about her modeling career and what she wishes to do in the future.

Her card is connected to the element of air, which can symbolize her head sometimes being in the clouds; Ann could also be a romantic. In reverse, the card can mean a broken relationship. This could also be symbolic for Ann, as she broke free from her ties to the oppressive Kamoshida.

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Yusuke's Arcana

Yusuke cutting through enemy with sword.

The Emperor is Yusuke's tarot card. It is a card ruled by fire and Mars, which can symbolize passion. Right side up, the card represents law, leadership, authority, or a father figure. The father figure symbol may be what made this card get chosen for Yusuke, as his father figure is Madarame, who ultimately connects Yusuke to the Phantom Thieves.

In reverse, the card can mean a loss of authority. This meaning can also be connected to Yusuke, as he ultimately loses Madarame's control over him. However, the reverse can also mean a lack of discipline, which can relate to Yusuke's art career when Madarame is no longer in his life.

Makoto's Arcana

Makoto on her persona.

Makoto's arcana is the High Priestess, a card known to symbolize intuition, spiritual insight, and hidden talents. It is symbolic of Makoto finding her inner strength and finding out the world is not what it seems. To join the Phantom Thieves, she had to trust her intuition that their high school may be using her to cover up their mistakes rather than protect other students.

The card is also one of secrets and can represent Makoto working for the Phantom Thieves in secret under her own sister's nose. It is connected to the element of water, like Ryuji, showing that Makoto may be ruled by emotions and can also have the power of influence.

Futaba's Arcana

Futaba pressing button in her persona.

Futaba's arcana is the Hermit. The card suits her in every way, as it means being withdrawn from society, solitude, and self-reflection. In reverse, it can mean loneliness, sorrow, and withdrawal from loved ones. Futaba fits both readings, as she is terrified of society and believes she is at fault for the death of her mother. The card is connected to the earth element, which can symbolize Futaba's palace where she is buried. The earth element can also represent her inability to let go of the past.

Haru's Arcana

Haru with gold eyes.

Haru's card is one with feminine energy, the Empress. It is symbolic of nurturing, stability, and new opportunity. It is connected to the earth element. Haru is a girl that loves to work with her hands, especially with plants. This is a great connection to her arcana with its earth element and its symbols of nurturing. In fact, the Empress card typically shows the empress sitting over a field of grain, a symbol of her dominion over growing things.

In reverse, Haru's card can mean domestic and financial issues. This also relates to her story, as her father has put her in a marriage she never agreed to and his obsession with politics has changed him. Her father affects her greatly and is ultimately what gets her to join the Phantom Thieves.

Akechi's Arcana

Akechi in his palace outfit.

Akechi's arcana is Justice, which may seem ironic. However, when it is read in its reverse form, it is very clear about who Akechi is and what drives him. While its upright form reads symbols of fairness, balance, and responsibility, the reverse form is about dishonesty, unfair treatment, and illegal activity.

The upright reading can symbolize Akechi's mask, since he portrays himself as someone who is fair and responsible. The element connected to Justice is air, which can symbolize Akechi being ungrounded. He does not have much that he cares about in the physical world.

Persona 5 is available now for PS3 and PS4.

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