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Lala Escargot is a Persona 5 character that tends the bar called The Crossroads in Shinjuku. Among the many characters, she is unique for her large feminine design and masculine voice. Players fell in love with her for her quick-witted comments, motherly persona, and kindness towards Joker. When Persona 5 Royal came out, though, the only additional Lala content fans got was some more lines of dialogue.
Oddly enough, Lala is the only non-confidant character in Persona 5 Royal with a profile picture and background on Joker's phone. This brings up the question of why was Lala not a confidant in the first place, especially since she is a more interesting character than others. Most notably, she is vastly more loved by fans than the Devil arcana confidant, Ohya, who sits in Lala's very own bar. As such, it is hard not to see Lala's limited role as wasted potential.
How Lala Could Have Been An Amazing Confidant
The idea of Lala being a more interesting confidant than Ohya is nothing new, as many fans have mentioned this already in various forums. What has been an interesting topic of conversation, however, is what Lala could've been like as a confidant. While many say she should've replaced Ohya, her sweet personality is not suitable for the Devil arcana, so which arcana suits Lala best is up in the air.
Joker could have had a relationship with Lala similar to Iwai in that he is a part-time employee who fosters a friendship with his boss. Many players wanted at least one scene of Joker crossdressing with Lala, as the game teased that possibility when Joker can work for her part-time. Having her as a confidant definitely could have opened that door to provide a fun little scene that fans always wanted. The amount of gossip that is heard at her bar could also have been attached to the abilities her arcana could give. For example, her ability could have been attached to having more control over Mementos.
Fans loved how Lala and Ohya interacted with each other, and Lala as a confidant could have had her interact with more characters. During hang-outs, it is not unusual to bump into another confidant and to have them briefly chat with each other. Lala talking to characters like Sojiro, Akechi, Futaba, Ryuji, and others would not only enrich her interesting character, but others as well.
Lala Could Have Given Persona Some Needed Positive LGBTQIA+ Representation
It is no secret that Persona 5 has had issues in its portrayal of LGBTQIA+ characters, which is ironic considering the story revolves about being an outsider in society. The game even sported an infamous homophobic scene of gay men in Shinjuku flirting with Ryuji, who is a minor and keeps begging them to stop and they do not listen. It pushed the old and bigoted homophobic cliche that gay men regularly prey on youth and do not respect people's boundaries. Persona 5 Royal promised to deliver a less homophobic game, but the infamous scene was still riddled with the issue of gay men not respecting boundaries and hassling minors.
Lala as a confidant could have given Persona 5 Royal what it really needed, a positive LGBTQIA+ figure. Someone who does not hassle youth, but helps them and is there for them to talk to if they want. Lala's gender identity is a little up in the air, as it is hinted that she is either a transgender woman or a crossdresser. Either way, she has a place in the LGBTQIA+ umbrella. In a game about being outsiders in society, Lala would definitely have some stories to share with the players.
Persona 5 Royal is out now for PS4.