The many arcana of the tarot deck have been a key element of the Persona series since the very first game. Characters – and the Personas they wield – are represented by the cards of the Major Arcana, from protagonists embarking on the Fool’s journey to romanceable Lovers, fatherly Hierophants, doubting Hanged Men, and more. Persona 6 is likely to continue utilizing the tarot – but it should not limit itself to the Major Arcana. Previous Persona games have made only minimal use of the Minor Arcana’s four suits and their meanings, making Persona 6 the perfect time to change this.
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What Is The Minor Arcana?
A standard tarot deck consists of 22 Major Arcana cards and 56 Minor Arcana cards divided into four suits. The suits are Swords, Cups, Wands (also called Staves), and Coins (also called Pentacles). Each suit consists of ten numbered cards and four “court cards,” the King, Queen, Knight, and Page (also called Jack.)
In tarot readings, Minor Arcana cards typically represent temporary influences and factors in the subject’s life, compared to the more permanent Major Arcana. The Cups suit represents emotions, romance, and creativity, Coins/Pentacles represent material wealth and finances, Swords represent actions and conflict, and Wands/Staves represent energy, spirituality, and passion. The court cards, especially the Kings and Queens, typically represent a distilled, concentrated version of the suit’s meaning – for example, a person who draws the King of Swords may be undergoing a conflict that will be long-lasting or have a significant impact.
The Minor Arcana’s Use In Previous Persona Games
The Minor Arcana did not appear at all in Revelations: Persona, the first game in the series. It also did not appear in Persona 5 or the base version of Persona 4. However, the suits of the Minor Arcana did play a small role in other main line Persona games:
- In Persona 2: Innocent Sin and Eternal Punishment, Personas had a chance to “mutate” during fusion, turning into Persona of the Sword, Cup, Wand, or Coin Arcana.
- In Persona 3 and Persona 4 Golden, Minor Arcana cards coudl appear during Shuffle Time. Cups restored HP, Wands granted experience or stats, Coins granted bonus money, and Swords gave weapons, equipment, or Skill Cards.
Persona 6 Could Use The Minor Arcana In A Major Way
Persona 6 would be the perfect time for the Minor Arcana to become something more than a simple health refill or coin bonus. The games, particularly Persona 3 through Persona 5, have occasionally felt stale due to the reusing of the same Arcana within the party, such as the Magician for a close friend or the High Priestess for a female party member undergoing emotional conflict. Using the Minor Arcana instead is a great way to branch out – the Swords suit could represent a party member who is a strong physical attacker, or Pentacles / Coins a shopkeeper or someone with money troubles, such as Persona 5’s Yusuke.
Alternately, there could instead be a group of villains based around the suits of the Minor Arcana. Persona is no stranger to themed villains – Persona 3 saw SEES fighting Major Arcana shadows each month, while Persona 5’s Palace bosses were based on deadly sins. A group of villains representing the Kings and/or Queens of Swords, Wands/Staves, Cups, and Coins/Pentacles could be a serious threat to the game’s protagonists, especially if they themselves are Persona users. Persona 6 needs to find ways to break away from the formula largely followed by the last three main games in the series, and incorporating the Minor Arcana as something other than a Shuffle Time bonus would be a great way to do so.
