Is the Persona 5 Ending Canon? Yes, It‘s the True Ending

ByJames Dorn Last Update on

As a long-time Persona fan and avid gamer, I‘m here to definitively answer one of the most debated questions in the fandom: is the ending of Persona 5 considered canon? The short answer is yes – by defeating the god Yaldabaoth, Joker and the Phantom Thieves save reality and bring the main story to its true conclusion.

Let‘s dive deeper into the winding narratives of Persona 5 and its expanded edition Persona 5 Royal to understand why this qualifies as the canonical ending…

Overview of Persona 5‘s Story and Endings

Persona 5 follows Joker, a teenager wrongly accused of assault who discovers his power to access the Metaverse with the Phantom Thieves. As a phantom thief group, their goal is to steal corrupted adults‘ treasure and reform society.

The main antagonist is Masayoshi Shido, a powerful politician who framed Joker. By the end, it‘s revealed Shido was a pawn of Yaldabaoth, a god seeking to gain control over humanity.

There are a few endings that can play out:

Bad Endings:

  • Fail to complete a Palace in time
  • Reject Igor‘s initial contract

Normal Ending:

  • Defeat Shido as the final boss

True Ending:

  • Defeat Yaldabaoth as the god orchestrating events

It‘s this true ending where Joker and his teammates free the world from Yaldabaoth that is considered the canonical conclusion of Persona 5‘s narrative.

Persona 5 Royal‘s Additions to the Story

Persona 5 Royal adds a whole new semester with additional story content. Here, a new character named Maruki gains god-like powers and creates a reality where everyone‘s happy according to his warped vision.

Joker has to defeat Maruki to restore free will. Royal has two potential endings:

Bad Ending:

  • Accept Maruki‘s reality

True Ending:

  • Defeat Maruki and destroy the false reality

Both of Royal‘s endings stem from the original true ending with Yaldabaoth. As such, Royal is considered an expansion of Persona 5‘s canon – both endings are valid depending on which version you play.

Evidence Supporting Persona 5‘s Canonical Ending

A few key points confirming why Persona 5‘s ending with Yaldabaoth serves as the canonical conclusion:

  • Aligns with the game‘s central themes of fighting corruption and attaining freedom/justice
  • Provides resolution for the main narrative arc and antagonist
  • Is required for unlocking New Game+
  • Sets up the storyline for sequel Persona 5 Strikers
  • Explained in-universe as the "true" ending
  • Matches narrative conventions of paths to bad/normal/true endings

Additional Insights and Analysis

As a devoted Persona player since the P3 days, I‘ve analyzed the complex storylines across several games. Persona 5 Royal adds richness, but the core arc culminates with Yaldabaoth‘s defeat. From the perspective of thematics, character arcs, boss progression, and story structure – the evidence points to this as the dev team‘s intended conclusion.

Maruki and the third semester make for bonus content expanding on ideas related to happiness versus reality. As thought-provoking as these themes are, the Yaldabaoth ending delivers the complete narrative for the Phantom Thieves‘ core mission. It brings full circle the concepts emphasized from the very beginning regarding justice, societal reform, and fighting those with distorted desires who subsume others‘ free will for their selfish ends.

In terms of connecting to future games, Persona 5 Strikers directly references the base game‘s ending while omitting Royal‘s additions. Looking ahead, upcoming projects seem to consider the Yaldabaoth conclusion as the canonical endpoint for the Phantom Thieves‘ disbanding.

As more Persona 5 spin-offs and sequels release, the notion of P5‘s true ending as the canonical narrative capstone seems to only grow stronger over time.

TLDR & Wrap Up

To conclusively answer our starting question: yes, Persona 5‘s true ending with defeat of Yaldabaoth is indeed the canonical conclusion to the main game‘s storyline.

This marks the culmination of the Phantom Thieves‘ primary mission and brings appropriate closure. While Persona 5 Royal contributes excellent supplemental content expanding on secondary themes, the base game‘s finale represents the canonical endpoint that phases Joker‘s journey.

As a fellow Persona fan, I‘m thrilled to analyze and discuss even the finer minutia of narratives and timelines across this stellar RPG series. I aim to continue providing comprehensive guides and commentary to dissect P5 lore. Please reach out with requests for any other topics you want explored around gaming‘s greatest modern franchise!

James K. Dorn, a passionate gamer deeply immersed in the world of video gaming. My journey in gaming is not just about playing; it's about exploring every facet of the games I love. I am particularly fascinated by the intricate worlds of role-playing games like "The Witcher" series and "Elder Scrolls: Skyrim," where every decision shapes the story.

As a strategy game enthusiast, I spend hours devising tactics in games like "Civilization VI" and "StarCraft II," always eager to share my strategies with fellow gamers. I'm also an ardent follower of the ever-evolving landscape of indie games, finding gems like "Hollow Knight" and "Celeste" that offer unique, compelling experiences.

My content isn't just reviews; it's about deep dives into game mechanics, storytelling, and the art of game design. I love dissecting the narratives of games like "The Last of Us" and discussing the innovative gameplay of titles like "Death Stranding."

Being at the forefront of gaming news, I eagerly anticipate and share insights on upcoming releases like the next big open-world adventure or the latest in the "Final Fantasy" series. My goal is to build a community where we not only play games but also appreciate the artistry and effort behind them. Join me in this gaming journey, where every session is an adventure, and every game is a story waiting to be told.

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