Arcana

Each character's Persona is from one of the thirteen Major Arcana of tarot cards. As a Persona is supposed to represent the inner self, the Arcana the Persona hails from is arguably representative of the character as well. Mitsuru and Akihiko's Arcana are the Empress and the Emperor respectively. I've already discussed how each Arcana fit their character in their own sections, so if you want to brush up on those pages before continuing, feel free to do so. This page looks specifically at the relationship between the Empress and the Emperor and how that can then be paralleled to Mitsuru and Akihiko's relationship.

Right away you might notice there would be a relationship between their two Arcana based on their names. The Emperor and the Empress clearly form a pair. They are more like two sides of the same coin, however, as while the Empress represents creativity, nurturance and mothering, the Emperor stands for structure, order and dominance of the mind over the heart. One might think these two could never get along because they are on opposite sides of the spectrum. Despite being an unlikely pair, however, the two opposites can actually coincide. The Emperor provides stability and order for the Empress to grow and express creativity. It is also said when the two polarities come together, it represents a state of synthesis, harmony and equilibrium. Further, 3+4 (the Empress is III and the Emperor is IV) = 7, which represents life's lessons and a deeper understanding. Lastly, the appearance of both the Empress and the Emperor in divination can show a long enduring friendship, anniversary of marriage, parents or worldly success.

If you think about Akihiko and Mitsuru's personalities, this description may seem a bit backwards. I would consider Akihiko to be the one to act on passion or creativity while Mitsuru upholds structure and order. However, the union of the two Arcana fits their relationship much better. Akihiko provides Mitsuru with support and stability to the best of his ability while she is in despair or upset. In fact, he seems to be sincerely bothered over the idea of leaving Mitsuru alone while she is grieving because he wants to do something more. He wants to be there for her so she can move forward. Akihiko has also challenged Mitsuru's faulty thinking when she blames herself needlessly. This does end up grounding her so she can think more realistically (which is then stabilizing). Additionally, he was the first one to join Mitsuru in the fight against the Shadows. She still may not have known what they were doing, but having a teammate certainly added more stability to her life than having no one. If you think of it that way, then, Akihiko provides support and some stability for Mitsuru, much like the Emperor does for the Empress.

When looking at the representations of the Emperor and the Empress coming together, I feel that state of equilibrium or harmony makes sense for Akihiko and Mitsuru. When they are separate, they experience some extremes. Mitsuru has excessive, needless guilt and an extreme tendency to keep to herself. Akihiko can be excessively reckless and impulsive. They both seem to mellow out when they come together, though. Mitsuru scolds Akihiko for being impulsive and he does end up sitting out of Tartarus exploration at her warnings not to participate when he is injured. Based on comments Akihiko has made, Mitsuru must talk to him about certain things that normally she wouldn't tell others. Akihiko also challenges her faulty thinking regarding guilt and steps in a few times when she is feeling sad or guilty to balance the mood out. Akihiko and Mitsuru can be together and simply smile--a moment of harmony.

The number 7 (the addition of the Arcana numbers) representing life's lessons and a deeper understanding can be drawn to how much Akihiko and Mitsuru have gone through together and how long they've known each other. Mitsuru starts to question herself by looking at Akihiko and watching him grow in the face of adversity. It begins her quest to better understand herself. Also, I wholeheartedly believe the two of them could reach a deep understanding of the other if they opened their hearts up fully. Because they both closed themselves off from relationships for so long, if they were to come together, they could learn many things about themselves and each other in the process.

Lastly, the Empress and the Emperor showing up in a reading together can represent a number of things ranging from good friends to marriage. I think this represents the potential Akihiko and Mitsuru's relationship has to go a number of ways. They share a strong bond but it certainly has room to grow--whether that means having a long lasting friendship or becoming more.

RESOURCES:
The Emperor and The Empress
The Empress and the Emperor
The Major Trumps in Divination

b a c k   .   c l e a r   .   f o r w a r d    Resonance is © Samantha, however Akihiko, Mitsuru and Persona 3 are © Atlus and other rightful owners. Resonance is a part of AFTER-DEATH.ORG.