Persona 5 and Persona 5 Royal are deep games laden with multiple layers of meaning and symbolism that are easy to overlook, especially when the details hide in plain sight. There are many compelling plotlines hidden in Joker’s unnecessary eyewear as one such point of nuance, as they seem to come and go without apparent rhyme or reason. But the Persona 5 protagonist’s simple black frames hide tremendous significance, deftly uniting the game’s themes of thievery and cognitive exploration.
While Persona 5 avoids spelling out the secrets for its numerous plots, sometimes the obvious answers are the correct ones, and Joker’s glasses are a subtle but transparent metaphor for a mask. Even if that symbolism seems on the nose, there is a surprising amount of depth beneath the mask, especially if one examines the broader significance of masks in the Persona franchise as a whole.
First, it is important to settle the debate over whether his glasses are real or fake. Some fans have speculated that Joker’s glasses are for far-sightedness, which would account for their absence when he watches the fireworks festival with the other Phantom Thieves. However, Royal‘s content lays the glasses issue to rest with an observation from Morgana in Kichijoji that identifies his specs as spurious. It is also worth noting that the glasses shop is titled “Two Windows” which is likely an allusion to the biblical phrase, “the eyes are windows to the soul.”
The inspiration behind Joker’s new look probationary look is easy enough to parse. Joker knows that he will be singled out as a problem child as soon as he is convicted of Shido’s assault, long before Sojiro and Kawakami start lecturing him about toeing the line. So he chooses an accessory stereotypically associated with scholarly, non-physical, and mild-mannered people, like a certain reporter for the Daily Planet. Even though Clark Kent’s glasses are often maligned as a flimsy disguise and may not plausibly guard a secret identity, they inevitably influence first-impressions.
The Persona series is heavily influenced by the works of Swiss Psychologist Carl Jung, who employs the terms “Persona” and “Shadow” with specific philosophical meanings in his writing. Jung’s personas are essentially the self people present to society. While this term is chiefly employed to describe one’s mental self-image, it can be extended to account for every aspect of a person’s presentation, including mannerisms, vocabulary, general attitude, and apparel. Even incidental circumstances like zodiac signs can become part of a persona when a person emphasizes it as part of their identity.
In addition to making an impression, however, Jungian personas are also disguises intended to occlude aspects of a personality that people are ashamed of. By masking his impulsive, passionate self behind a normal pair of glasses, Joker prevents people from seeing his true self, or at least makes it more difficult for them to square his appearance with the rumors about his delinquency. The thing that makes Joker and other Persona protagonists members of the Fool Arcana—and ideal Arcane Tricksters—is that they are capable of developing a variety of personas to suit their current situation, much like a master thief or conman adopting different roles during a heist.
When unmasked, Joker is at the height of his power, but he is also at his most vulnerable. While imprisoned in the Velvet Room, he is without glasses and at the mercy of Igor and the wardens. The same is true when he is being interrogated by Sae. When Joker watches fireworks with his friends, it represents him lowering his guard and allowing them to see his true self. On the other hand, Joker removes his mask when performing special attacks with his various personas, as if the mask would fetter his pent up rage. Joker also surrenders to his heart’s truest impulse when aiding Shido’s victim before recognizing the dangers of life without a mask. That initial act of strength and vulnerability is what sets him on the journey that ultimately turns him into a hero.
This odd risk/reward dynamic hints at an underlying philosophy of the Persona franchise. The Phantom Thieves and Joker become masks for the players themselves, suggesting that most of the time, it is important to guard one’s true self with a filter against the consequences of society’s ceaseless, knee-jerk judgments. But the moments that catalyze true growth, whether they are acts of vulnerability or tremendous strength, happen on those rare occasions when the mask comes off.
One of the most nuanced distinctions in the game is illustrated by the contrasting functions of Joker and Futaba’s glasses’ lenses. Since Futaba actually requires glasses to see clearly, they can be considered a part of her true self, while her own figurative “mask” manifests as her online persona, Alibaba. The fact that Joker’s glasses do not alter his sight in anyway also distinguishes them from the glasses donned by the cast of Persona 4, which are much more colorful and characterful, serving as lenses of truth in that game’s televised cognitive realm.
The glasses-as-mask metaphor also factors into the game’s meditations on fame and popularity, acting as a point of contrast between Joker and Goro Akechi. While Joker is repeatedly instructed to keep a low profile and wears glasses to help accomplish this, Goro is a budding celebrity, with an empty personality that has been meticulously groomed for television interviews and social media soundbites. His noble, Detective Prince persona is itself a mask of course, imposed on the world through frequent broadcasts, which makes him the perfect foil for Joker and a divisive character among the Persona fandom.
Persona 5‘s final act digs deep into the dualistic perils of popularity, and the heroes reach their nadir as they start to become seduced by the Phantom Thieves’ growing fame. Though it may sound trite, the masks start wearing them, rather than the other way around. For all the characters, there is a razor thin margin between acclaim and infamy, and the distinction between them is as fickle as a coin flip. It is fitting, therefore, that when the Thieves achieve their final victory, their cognitive masks are upraised, revealing genuine joy and triumph.
Persona 5 is available now for PlayStation 4.
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