History Characters / PhantasyStarOnline2ARKSGuardians

* PhysicalGod: [[spoiler:By the end of the story, Xion refers to the player as the "Great Light", the true and ultimate antithesis to the Profound Darkness. Given your laundry list of accomplishments up to this point, being on a god-like level isn't that much of a stretch (although you'll probably still lose to Phaleg in a fair fight).]]

* TheChosenOne: An ancient legend in Omega foretells of a savior from a distant world, guided by a spirit, who will eradicate the darkness. You happen to fit the bill. Even before that, you're also the one chosen alongside Matoi by Xion, for reasons that don't become much more clear until well after Luther takes the center stage in ''Episode 2''. [[spoiler:As it so turns out, you're also ultimately a creation of Xion specifically, crafted to uphold a StableTimeLoop as the original Akashic Record, literally ushering in the chosen one that makes the series go round.]]

* DefeatingTheUndefeatable: The Three Heroes in their prime couldn't stop Dark Falz Elder, but the Guardian does it singlehandedly. Part of it is being a Third Generation ARKS that simply has more refined and latent capability, but part of it is also being TheAce, and eventually they could make a checklist of all the godly entities no one expects them to beat. By ''Episode 6'', they not only beat [[PhysicalGod Shiva]] with a great deal of help, but [[spoiler:once they're bailed out by Matoi, Hitsugi and Harriet in the aftermath, they even manage to '''[[KilledOffForReal kill]]''' the Profound Darkness once and for all in single combat.]]

* ChronicHeroSyndrome: They have a tendency to lend a hand to everyone they meet, regardless of circumstances, if they need it. Lampshaded repeatedly throughout the story.
-->'''Harriette:'' To fly to someone's aid in a realm where you tread blindly... is no small feat.

* {{Stripperific}}: Most of her outfits tend to be this. Averted with her outfit as Klariskrays II which is reasonably clothed.

* DefeatingTheUndefeatable: The Three Heroes in their prime couldn't stop Dark Falz Elder, but the Guardian does it singlehandedly. Part of it is being a Third Generation ARKS that simply has more refined and latent capability, but part of it is also being TheAce, and eventually they could make a checklist of all the godly entities no one expects them to beat. By ''Episode 6'', they not only beat [[PhysicalGod Shiva]] with a great deal of help, but [[spoiler:once they're bailed out by Matoi, Hitsugi and Harriet in the aftermath, they even manage to '''[[FinalDeath kill]]''' the Profound Darkness once and for all.]]

* DefeatingTheUndefeatable: The Three Heroes in their prime couldn't stop Dark Falz Elder, but the Guardian does it singlehandedly. Part of it is being a Third Generation ARKS that simply has more refined and latent capability, but part of it is also being TheAce, and eventually they could make a checklist of all the godly entities no one expects them to beat.

* {{Workaholic}}: A significant number of main characters and [=NPCs=] constantly have to remind the player character not to overwork themselves. They're not just worried for their health: [[spoiler:the Profound Darkness was able to manifest from them because they did ''too'' good a job at killing lots of Falspawn]].

* AndIMustScream: Clearly suffering very badly while she's resisting the Dark Falz transformation.

* ApocalypseMaiden: She eventually becomes the host of the Profound Darkness after absorbing too many corrupted photons. Persona argues that due to Matoi's incredible photon capacity and innate desire to help others (by fighting Falspawn), she is ''always'' destined to become the Profound Darkness no matter what.

* BroughtDownToBadass: When Dark Falz Apprentice launches an assault on an ARKS ship in A.P. 228, Matoi, then Klariskrays II, is forced to give her Clarissa rod to a young girl she saves in order to keep her safe. Despite losing her weapon, she still manages to hold her own against Apprentice by picking up left over weapons on the battlefield and using them against her. It's revealed that because of how powerful Matoi is, any weapon she picks up inevitably breaks unless they're on the level of a Cosmogenic Arm like Clarissa.

* MessianicArchetype: Invoked by Xion. She wanted someone who could help drive back the Falspawn threat and created Matoi for that purpose. Averted however as Matoi became less a savior and more like Falspawn killing weapon over time who fought less because she wanted to and more because was told to.

* WillfullyWeak: Matoi when it comes to helping train Klariskrays III. [[BadLiar Matoi denies it]], but the Protagonist points out that if she were actually serious then she would wipe the floor with Klariskrays rather easily.

[[center: [- [[Characters/PhantasyStarOnline2 Main Page]] | [[Characters/PhantasyStarOnline2ARKS ARKS]] ('''Guardians''' | [[Characters/PhantasyStarOnline2ARKSCouncilOfSix Council of Six]] | [[Characters/PhantasyStarOnline2Classes Classes]]) | [[Characters/PhantasyStarOnline2OtherPlanets Other Planets]] | [[Characters/PhantasyStarOnline2Enemies Enemies]] ([[Characters/PhantasyStarOnline2EnemiesFalspawn Falspawn]]) | [[Characters/PhantasyStarOnline2es 2es]] | [[Characters/PhantasyStarOnline2TheAnimation The Animation]] -] ]]

* CleavageWindow: Her first outfit has a prominent window that shows off some {{Underboob}}. Her third outfit also does the same although more standard.

* {{Deuteragonist}}: Becomes this by ''Episode 2'', when a lot of the story that isn't related to a subplot begins to revolve around her.

* EarlyBirdCameo: Prior to ''Episode 4'', had you completed ''Episode 3'' Chapter 7,it was entirely possible, albeit very rare, to team up with Matoi on the field in her ''Episode 4'' outfit, complete with her new Clarissa III rod.

* CleavageWindow: Her first outfit has a prominent window that shows off some UnderBoob. Her third outfit also does the same although more standard.

* DarkerAndEdgier: Her depiction in ''EPISODE 0'' is more openly hardcore compared to her personality in the game, at one point [[spoiler:''[[AnArmAndALeg dismembering Apprentice's arm]]'']], among other things.
* {{Deuteragonist}}: Becomes this by Episode 2, when a lot of the story that isn't related to a subplot begins to revolve around her.

* ExplainingYourPowerToTheEnemy: Defied. When she fights Dark Falz Apprentice as Klariskray II, she seals away Apprentice's powers with Clarissa. Apprentice angrily asks what she did, but Matoi scoffs at the idea of giving away her abilities to the enemy.
* FanservicePack: Her outfits become increasingly fanservicey with each iteration, with her current one (pictured above) being basically just an open jacket that shows off cleavage. Tends to happen to her in media as well as she's often depicted having a larger bust than what her in-game model actually has.

* GetAHoldOfYourselfMan: She manages to dispel the "Code ABYSS" order from Risa, Marlur, Oza, and Fourie (the latter three replaced by Afin and Ion in the anime) [[DeusExMachina without any real explanation.]] It can be inferred that this was due to her status as a former member of the Council of Six or due to her overall power over photons dispelling the command from their minds.

* LaserGuidedAmnesia: Suffers from this, knowing practically nothing except you, apparently. This was because Clarissa erased her memories after Matoi was sent into the future.

* LoveConfession: Indirectly gives one in Episode 3 when trying to save the Protagonist from becoming the Profound Darkness, asking Clarissa to help her save the person that she loves the most. [[spoiler:She gives a more direct one in ''Episode 6'', when again she has to save the Protagonist from the Profound Darkness together with Hitsugi and Harriet, describing her wish to be always with them even if she has to risk all of existence to do it. She gives another one in the epilogue.]]

* ReadingsAreOffTheScale: Her ability to use photons is described as being the highest that anyone in ARKS has ever seen. Probably the only person who could actually rival Matoi in power would have to be the Protagonist themselves, as they're capable enough that they can use any class with ease. It also comes at a price as Matoi can't use regular ARKS weapons without breaking them almost instantly.
** She's also powerful that she can use technics rather easily aboard the ARKS ship, this in spite of the fact that each ship in the fleet has a special dampening field that weakens photon users aboard to prevent conflict. This surprises Filia when Matoi one day picks up a rod and proceeds to use it just fine. [[spoiler:This also lets her fight off the Mother Corps assault in ''Episode 4'' until the Protagonist arrives to back her up]].

->'''Voiced by:''' Creator/SatomiSato

[[quoteright:350:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/ash_episode_oracle.png]]
[[caption-width-right:350:Ash]]

** To put this into perspective, the game's story starts in the 2nd month of the AP 238 just when the Protagonist graduates from being a cadet. By the time the Protagonist and Matoi fight off the ARKS operatives during "Code ABYSS", it's only the 7th month of the year, meaning it's only been five months since they became an official operative themselves and they're already kicking everyone's ass.

* OneManArmy: The protagonist quickly gains renown as a standout ARKS operative because of the sheer amount of ass they're able to kick, to the point that Code: Attack orders often involve you coming to the aid of one of your own trainers as they flee from a horde of foes. Even when all of ARKS is turned against them by Regius' "Code ABYSS" order, they manage to plow through every operative they encounter without killing them. Xiao refers to the number of Falspawn you've killed as "astronomical".

The counterpart of the PlayerCharacter, serving as TheProtagonist in ''Anime/PhantasyStarOnline2EpisodeOracle''. An orphan hailing from Ship 74, Ash is a young ARKS recruit fresh out of the ARKS Cadet program who joins Oracle's elite military force to find his place in the universe. What appears at first to be a normal graduation exercise takes a turn for the worse, leading to a cavalcade of events that ultimately puts him at the center of a conflict whose history spans beyond the reaches of time and will alter the future forever.

* ArtificialHuman: [[spoiler:Luther reveals near the end of the story that Ash is a synthetic entity created by him to mimic Klariskrays II, who herself was created by Xion. When Klariskrays II seemingly vanished after the Darker invasion ten years ago, Luther abandoned the project and left Ash for dead. Xion ultimately came to Ash's aid and raised him herself before freeing him and leaving him at an orphanage, giving him one of Luther's authentication markers in the process.]]
* AudienceSurrogate: As the replacement for the PlayerCharacter, Ash is basically this.
* BadassBaritone: Ash notably has a deep and almost soft-spoken voice. Given that, as the PlayerCharacter, he ultimately becomes one of the strongest beings in ''the universe'', saying he's a badass is an understatement.
* TheChosenOne: In Episode 12, Ash is informed that [[spoiler:he is the only one capable of TimeTravel]].

* HeroicWillpower: Subverted. When he sees Gettemhart [[spoiler:lifting Matoi]], he gets up from an otherwise heavy punch and challenges Gettemhart to Round 2. Unfortunately, Ash is too winded to fight, and Gettemhart just delivers a hard one to the gut and knocks him out for real.

* ManaDrain: [[spoiler:Ash is revealed to be able to absorb Darker Factor from the Dark Falz and drain their powers. While normal ARKS can absorb and gradually purify Darker Factor naturally, the degree with which Ash is capable of doing so far exceeds that of the average ARKS, which is noticed by both Elder and Luther.]]
* NotSoStoic: Although he's generally muted in expression, he becomes visibly agitated when [[spoiler:Xiao pitches the idea of killing Matoi]].
* OrphansPlotTrinket: He has a strange necklace that was given to him when he was sent to an orphanage as a child. [[spoiler:It's an authentication insignia that Luther uses to mark his creations, given to Ash by Xion when she released him.]]
* TheProtagonist: He takes the role of the custom-created PlayerCharacter from the game.
* RippleEffectProofMemory: [[spoiler:The introduction of Deumans in Episode 11 alarms Ash, as he is the only one who never recalls seeing Deumans before meeting Io.]]

* BigDamnHeroes: [[spoiler:During the raid of Mother Corps on ARKS ship in ''Episode 4'', Matoi appears to hold off the attacking members by herself until the Protagonist comes along and together both proceed to lay waste to their enemies. She later does it again during the fight against Esca Falz Mother where both she and the Protagonist work together to surpress it which gives Hitsugi the opening she needed to save Al and convince Mother to stand down.]]

* BroughtDownToBadass: When Dark Falz Apprentice launches an assault on an ARKS ship in AP 228, Matoi, then Klariskrays II, is forced to give her Clarissa rod to a young girl she saves. Despite losing her weapon, she still manages to hold her own against Apprentice by picking up left over weapons on the battlefield and using them against her. It's revealed that because of how powerful Matoi is, any weapon she picks up inevitably breaks unless they're on the level of a Cosmogenic Arm like Clarissa.

* MoralityChain: To the Protagonist and Persona. They're driven by the desire to always protect Matoi and by the Episode 3, her death becomes the catalyst for the Protagonist become a Dark Falz themselves just like their future self Persona. However, even after transforming, Persona only acts in Matoi's best interests and never truly does anything evil like the rest of the Dark Falz in the game.

* WalkingSpoiler: It's nearly impossible to talk about Matoi without mentioning how important she is to the story.

* ThrowingYourWeaponAlwaysWorks: Against Deus Hyunal, the protagonist throws their sword like a buzzsaw at the self-proclaimed god. Then then finish it off by throwing their sword like a javelin through it, leaving it open to getting bisected by Hitsugi.

* BattleCouple: With the Protagonist as they're described as being constantly together and work very well with each other.

* HeterosexualLifePartners: This can be the implied case if the PlayerCharacter is female. With Melphonseana in the ''EPISODE 0'' manga.

* IJustWantToBeNormal: Matoi would really prefer not being wrapped up in the battle against the Dark Falz, but eventually joins ARKS because she's damn good at it and doesn't want to see more senseless death and carnage in what has essentially become a ForeverWar. [[spoiler:This goes so far back as having the desire even as the far colder Klariskrays II, who resented not even being allowed near other ARKS operatives or people in general, until the time-traveling protagonist unwittingly instilled the urge to be normal in her.]]

* SwordOfPlotAdvancement: Clarissa the White. Original Matoi's weapon as Klariskrays II, the protagonist spends most ''Episode 1'' reassembling it and afterwards it becomes an important plot point in several instances such as being used to unseal Dark Falz Elder or when Persona uses it to save the Protagonist's and Matoi's life at the end of ''Episode 3''.

* {{Cyborg}}: The CAST in general. In-game, the CASTs are the result of humans undergoing cybernetic surgery to enhance their overall fighting capability and photon usage. They care considered cyborgs because CASTs aren't entirely robotic and still have organic parts within them, to which DNA can even be extracted from them to create offspring should they want.

* HelloInsertNameHere: Text dialogue uses your player name when needed, but any speech refers you as "you", "mate[=/=]partner" (by Afin), "boss[=/=]senpai" (by Io), "leader" (by the Darker Busters, Gene, More, Annette and Bruno), "Guardian" (by most of the people in Omega) and some of its variations like, "Guardian-kun" (by [[spoiler: Omega Luther]]) and "Guardian-dono" (by Valna).

* SwordOfPlotAdvancement: In ''Episode 5'', your weapon is modified to replicate the Ame-no-Murakumo, Hitsugi's Katana from ''Episode 4'' that has the power to separate Ether from living beings. [[spoiler:It [[SpannerInTheWorks accidentally ends up working against you]], since its Ether causes the rescue attempt at saving Persona to go awry, indirectly leading to the discovery of the Omega dimension.]]

* TheGadfly: In more casual story events, there's a surprisingly high number of opportunities to say weird things or just outright be a lighthearted {{Troll}} just to see how others react. From ''Episode 4'' onwards, characters like Io imply they've always had a habit of it.

** To put this into perspective, the game's story starts in the 2nd month of the AP 238 just when the Protagonist graduates from being a cadet. By the time the Protagonist and Matoi fight off the ARKS operatives during Code Abyss, it's only the 7th month of the year, meaning it's only been five months since they became an official operative themselves and they're already kicking everyone's ass.

* ArrestedForHeroism: In ''Episode 2'', thanks to Luther making it seem like the Protagonist was some sort of spy through falsified evidence, Regius puts out a hit order on them through Code Abyss which makes the near entirety of ARKS go after them and Matoi. It takes Quna bringing forth proof of the Protagonist's innocence that Code Abyss is rescinded.

* OneManArmy: The protagonist quickly gains renown as a standout ARKS operative because of the sheer amount of ass they're able to kick, to the point that Code: Attack orders often involve you coming to the aid of one of your own trainers as they flee from a horde of foes. Even when all of ARKS is turned against them by Regius' Code: ABYSS order, they manage to plow through every operative they encounter without killing them. Xiao refers to the number of Falspawn you've killed as "astronomical".

* GetAHoldOfYourselfMan: She manages to dispel the Code Abyss order from Risa, Marlur, Oza, and Fourie (the latter three replaced by Afin and Ion in the anime) [[DeusExMachina without any real explanation.]] It can be inferred that this was due to her status as a former member of the Council of Six or due to her overall power over photons dispelling the command from their minds.

[[quoteright:200:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/pso2_matoi_8409.jpg]]

* BewareTheNiceOnes: Matoi's normally a nice girl who does her best to help others, but that doesn't mean she's helpless. In fact, she's likely the second strongest member of ARKS right after the Protagonist themselves. On a more comical note, the Protagonist also tries to avoid getting on her bad side as Io threatens to tell Matoi about their teasing attempts on her. This is especially seen when she was still Klariskrays II. Although she's as nice and warmhearted outside of it, in battle Matoi was utterly ''ruthless'' and showed no fear at all when it came to fighting Dark Falz Apprentice by herself.

* LoveConfession: [[spoiler:In ''Episode 6'', she gives one to the Protagonist when trying to save them from the Profound Darkness together with Hitsugi and Harriet, describing her wish to be always with them even if she has to risk all of existence to do it. She gives another one in the epilogue.]]
* MoralityPet: To the Protagonist. They're driven by the desire to always protect Matoi. Even as Persona, where they became a Dark Falz themselves, they're still driven by the singular wish of saving Matoi's life from her fate as the Profound Darkness rather than anything evil.

[[center: [- [[Characters/PhantasyStarOnline2 Main Page]] | [[Characters/PhantasyStarOnline2ARKS ARKS]] ('''Guardians''' | [[Characters/PhantasyStarOnline2ARKSCouncilOfSix Council of Six]] | [[Characters/PhantasyStarOnline2Classes Classes]]) | [[Characters/PhantasyStarOnline2OtherPlanets Other Planets]] | [[Characters/PhantasyStarOnline2Enemies Enemies]] | [[Characters/PhantasyStarOnline2es 2es]] | [[Characters/PhantasyStarOnline2TheAnimation The Animation]] -] ]]

[[center: [- [[Characters/PhantasyStarOnline2 Main Page]] | [[Characters/PhantasyStarOnline2ARKS ARKS]] ('''Guardians''' | [[Characters/PhantasyStarOnline2Classes Classes]]) | [[Characters/PhantasyStarOnline2OtherPlanets Other Planets]] | [[Characters/PhantasyStarOnline2Enemies Enemies]] | [[Characters/PhantasyStarOnline2es 2es]] | [[Characters/PhantasyStarOnline2TheAnimation The Animation]] -] ]]

This page details information pertaining to both the Protagonist and Matoi. To return to the main character index, click [[Characters/PhantasyStarOnline2 here]].

[[center: [- [[Characters/PhantasyStarOnline2 Main Page]] | [[Characters/PhantasyStarOnline2ARKS]] ('''Guardians''' | [[Characters/PhantasyStarOnline2Classes Classes]]) | [[Characters/PhantasyStarOnline2OtherPlanets Other Planets]] | [[Characters/PhantasyStarOnline2Enemies Enemies]] | [[Characters/PhantasyStarOnline2es 2es]] | [[Characters/PhantasyStarOnline2TheAnimation The Animation]] -] ]]

'''WARNING: LateArrivalSpoilers for events up to Episode 1-3'''