More on the Persona (Elements, Folklore, and Transformation) - Tomoe the Chariot

PERSONAS: The Dungeon

The second floor of the dungeon in Yukiko's Castle is an open area with room for seating. The middle is huge, and no matter how often you go through that part of the castle, you never encounter anything besides Shadows - Chie's or Yukiko's. The two advance the plot in some way, or pause it before things can move forward.

Yukiko's Castle - Floor 2

This is the second dungeon in which two people who are connected in some way end up within the same dungeon and facing their Shadows. In this case, both are girls who are unhappy with an aspect of their life, and feel the need to either 'escape' or to be 'freed' in some other way. Chie's focus is on her external looks and her envy of Yukiko, while missing Yukiko's needs. What prompts Chie's Shadow to arrive is Chie hearing Yukiko's voice, talking about how she hated her name, but how Chie's compliments end up giving her courage, or at least more confidence while wearing a certain color.
As explained in the last blog, Chie and Yukiko both are two people 'trapped' in the castle that Yukiko's repressed side created. In some ways, both want a way 'out' and are looking for the easiest way, but Chie's issue is a lack of movement, or movement in a dangerous way that can result in self-destruction. Chie's views on her feminine side, or a lack of one based on her 'prettier' friend, has lead to a great deal of envy and self-hate over that. The result is her being overly protective of Yukiko, to the point of feeling like she needs to control every aspect or have Yukiko feel bad about herself in order for Chie to feel better by acting as the "protector".
Going with the Prince theme and the theme of being 'rescued', Chie being the 'prince' with the Protagonist and Yosuke, Chie is facing down a great evil before dealing with the main antagonist/evil that is guarding and holding the 'Princess' hostage. Most of the myths dealing with a princess in a castle leaves the Prince having to overcome multiple obstacles, especially personal ones, in order to save or even regain the ultimate goal. Chie, as the 'prince', must overcome her personal demon and darkness in order to move forward and help Yukiko with hers.

The Chariot: Tomoe

The second massive Shadow you have to defeat, Chie's Persona transforms first into the massive and starts to show off more of how the repressed feelings, especially deep ones, can change the original Shadow into something showing more of issues or darker beliefs that they have. After it's defeat and Chie's acceptance, the Shadow transforms into the Persona called Tomoe.

The Persona is based off the female samurai Tomoe Gozen, a tough and beautiful warrior who is known for going into battle with an over-sized sword and is spoken about in The Tale of Heike and was said to have fought during the Genpai War (1180-1185). A woman who took multiple heads of her opponents and was proclaimed both beautiful and deadly, and who is one of the well-known female warriors in Japan. 

Shadow Chie has long, dark hair, with pale skin and a lot of yellow on it, as well as the smiling face over the pointed, full-head cover it wears (like the pin Chie wears). She wears mostly a a BDSM outfit and carries a whip, held up by struggling girls in outfits who look like Yukiko. She holds chains attached to the Yukiko's, and will use her hair and whip against anyone she turns her gaze to, especially against Yosuke (who has a strong element against her Shadow). Afterwards, while the long black hair stays, the outfit becomes more like a female version of the Bruce Lee tracksuit, with armor and a double-edged spear she uses to attack her enemies.

The Chariot, which works on movement and belief in one's self, is exemplified in Tomoe as she is often the one who attacks with a strong physical attack, and has to level up before she gains her element attack. While not the leader, she is one of the strongest members of the team, especially against many of the earlier Shadows that you face off against.

ELEMENT

Element: Bufu (Ice)

              Weakness: Agi (Fire)

Ice is often an element used to distinguish a variety of water elements in fiction. Ice is a transformation of water, created in extreme temperatures (as opposed to steam, created at the other extreme). Water is considered a powerful element in many cultures, and often it is in or near water that something is created or destroyed. Perhaps the most famous quote about water that works for Chie and that exemplifies her and her card is one by Bruce Lee:

         [Don't get set in one form, adapt it and build your own, let it grow, be like water. Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless - like water. Now you put water in a cup, it becomes the cup; you put water in a bottle it becomes the bottle; you put water in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.] {Source: Wikiquote}

Chie has to build herself up and adapt to the situations she's in. The Chariot is about movement and continuing forward with confidence. To move and be 'like water', Chie has to change and adapt to her new role and to her new opinion about herself. Through this and with the Protagonist's help, she begins to see that she does have a feminine side and admirers in her own right. She becomes who she needs to be, and adapts to what she needs to be.

Ice, though frozen, can sometimes have water flowing underneath. Huge pieces of ice, such as glaciers, often are much larger underneath the surface and are used to show the difference between what people see versus who you really are. Ice can, if thick enough, be safe to cross and create new landscapes, but if weak in any point, it can become extremely dangerous. Not only that, but depending on how well you're able to deal with such a cold element, you can create beautiful things like ice sculptures, castles, or even huge icicles that capture the light amazingly. But because of the way it's formed - with such cold - ice is also a dangerous element as well, just as water can be. 

Chie shows herself to be more than simply a girl who enjoys fighting movies and who practices what she sees on the shows. She proves to have feminine qualities, but also manages to show herself as more than just the tomboy she attempts to be, and shows all that she can be and how good she is.

Next Time: Yukiko's Castle - Finale