History Fanfic / YouSeeThem

* BrokenMasquerade: Before it can truly set in, the revelation that a Palace is still active snaps the Thieves and their ghost relatives out of the actualization. [[spoiler:Doesn't stop most of them from fully succumbing after New Year's, though...]]

* EasilyForgiven: DefiedTrope. After being rescued, Ren being quick to forgive the rest of his allies for falling to Maruki's actualization wasn't taken well by them as they still couldn't forgive themselves for abandoning Ren and make him do all the heavylifting of freeing them from Maruki's actualization and hurting Ren in the process indirectly.

* HeroicRROD: According to Lavenza in Chapter 18, Ren expended most of his power [[spoiler:breaking the other Thieves out of the actualization]], all of them in one day. Which, you know, wouldn't be so bad if it weren't for the fact that right as he was about to start recovering his energy, [[spoiler:Maruki kidnapped him]].

* NotSoWellIntentionedExtremist: In Chapter 19, the rest of the thieves all lambast Maruki that any well intentions he had and the sympathies that the group had on him are lost when he not only attempted to decide what would be best for the whole world without the respective people's consent, including [[spoiler:barring ghosts from passing on and attempting to summon them back from the Sea of Souls]], when Ren demonstrated too much resistance to his plan and refused to stop, Maruki's response was to [[spoiler:put him into a magical coma until his new reality became permanent]], and then [[spoiler:forced all of the Personas Ren had except for Satanael]] to stop the rest of the Thieves when they came to save their leader. After all of that, Maruki's attempts to justify all his actions for the supposed sake of their happiness fell flat.

* BadassInDistress: [[spoiler:Ren was kidnapped and put in a magic-induced coma by Maruki in his palace and the rest of the thieves had to focus on luring his Persona away from Futaba who is tasked with bringing Ren out of Maruki's control.]]

* NotSoWellIntentionedExtremist: In Chapter 19, the rest of the thieves all lambast Maruki that any well intentions he had and the sympathies that the group had on him are lost when [[spoiler:not only did he try to attempt to revive the dead and decide what he ''believed'' would be the best for the whole world without the respective people's consent, Maruki kidnapped Ren just because Ren didn't agree to Maruki's ideal world and prevent Ren from interfering in his plan further by putting him in a magic-induced coma along with controlling all of the Persona's Ren had in hand except for Satanael. Maruki's attempts to justify all his actions for the supposed sake of their happiness after what he did to Ren didn't really help his case either and his kidnapping of Ren was considered the last straw for the group.]]

* NotSoWellIntentionedExtremist: In Chapter 19, the rest of the thieves all lambast Maruki that any well intentions he had and the sympathies that the group had on him are lost when [[spoiler:not only did he try to attempt to revive the dead and decide what he ''believed'' would be the best for the whole world without the respective people's consent, Maruki kidnapped Ren just because Ren didn't agree to Maruki's ideal world and prevent Ren from interfering in his plan further by putting him in a magic-induced coma along with controlling all of the Persona's Ren had in hand except for Satanael. Maruki's attempts to justify all his actions for the supposed sake of their happiness after what he did to Ren didn't really help his case either.]]

* LoopholeAbuse: Invoked. When Yusuke decided to join the team's bet about Ren's secretive superpowers ([[LockedOutOfTheLoop Without Ren's knowledge]]), Yusuke points to Ryuji that there's nothing about the bet saying that he can't use "insider" information and as Yusuke already knew Ren's secret during the time he joined the bet, he effectively won.

** And later, [[spoiler:the rest of the Phantom Thieves]] gain the ability after the final battle against [[spoiler:Yaldabaoth]] due to the latter's influence [[spoiler:erasing the Thieves from existence]]. Or so it seems; that explanation is perfectly feasible, yes, but it's quite possible that the actual reason they gained the ability is [[spoiler:the actualization beginning]]. Which one it is, only the sequel can tell.

* LoopholeAbuse: Invoked. [[spoiler:When Yusuke decided to join the team's bet about Ren's secretive superpowers ([[LockedOutOfTheLoop Without Ren's knowledge]]), Yusuke points to Ryuji that there's nothing about the bet saying that he can't use "insider" information and as Yusuke already knew Ren's secret during the time he joined the bet, he effectively won.]]

* AllPowerfulBystander: Averted by Lavenza in Chapters 17 and 18; when Ren is [[spoiler:kidnapped by Maruki]], she sends Futaba a message to call all of the Thieves together to Leblanc. Then, shortly after they break Maruki's spell, she shows up in person and explains the situation. Bear in mind also that ''existing'' in Maruki's reality is strenuous for her; she pushed through it so she could [[spoiler:save Ren]].

* BarredFromTheAfterlife: In Chapter 14, Ryuji helps out the ghost of his elderly neighbor Hayashi-san pass on, [[spoiler:only for her ghost to not disappear. She describes it as hitting a wall and bouncing back. It's implied, and later confirmed, that Maruki had set this up: not only has he barred anyone from passing through to the Sea of Souls, he's trying to summon others back from it]].

* CodeName: As a complement to Sumire's being Violet, [[spoiler:Kasumi's]] is Rose.

* FirstEpisodeSpoiler: The first scene of Chapter 1 ends by revealing which Yoshizawa arrived at the end of the main story: [[spoiler:it's Kasumi. The actual Kasumi]].

* HeelRealization: In a minor example, Kasumi—tasked by Igor and Lavenza to help break Maruki's spell—urges Ren hard to break his friends out of it, [[spoiler:such that he speaks to the ones not hanging around Leblanc in one day]]. When Ren brings up near the end that he feels like he's being pushed like he was with Sumire, which had ended ''badly'' for him, Kasumi immediately calms down and shows more concern for his well-being.

** Ryuji’s mother recognized her son from Shido’s calling card and remembers the events on Christmas Eve. In light of that, Ryuji told her everything and she agreed to keep their secret.

** Chapter 9: Not only does [[spoiler:Sumire completely break free of the actualization]] in ''October'', but at the same time, [[spoiler:''Kasumi'', a ''ghost'', unlocks her Persona]]!

* FightingFromTheInside: [[spoiler: It's strongly implied that [[PhysicalGod Satanael]] was doing this in chapter 19 when Maruki manifested Ren's Personas in order to fight the Phantom Thieves. Maruki notes, with a grimace mind you, that Satanael was "resisting" being summoned and that's why he could not do it in said fight. The very obvious implication being that since Satanael is an evolution of Arsene, who is Ren's main persona and inner self, his resistance was due to ''Ren'' himself resisting Maruki.]]

* FightingFromTheInside: [[spoiler: It's strongly implied that [[PhysicalGod Satanael]] was doing this in chapter 19 when Maruki manifested Ren's Personas in order to fight the Phantom Thieves. Maruki notes, with a grimace mind you, that Satanael was "resisting" being summoned as that's why he could not do it. The very obvious implication being that since Satanael is an evolution of Arsene, who is Ren's main persona and inner self, his resistance was due to ''Ren'' himself resisting Maruki.]]

* FightingFromTheInside:[[spoiler: It's strongly implied that [[PhysicalGod Satanael]] was doing this in chapter 19 when Maruki manifested Ren's Personas in order to fight the Phantom Thieves. Maruki notes, with a grimace mind you, that Satanael was "resisting" being summoned as that's why he could not do it. The very obvious implication being that since Satanael is an evolution of Arsene, who is Ren's main persona and inner self, his resistance was due to ''Ren'' himself resisting Maruki.]]

* FightingFromTheInside:[[spoiler:It's strongly implied that [[PhysicalGod Satanael]] was doing this in chapter 19 when Maruki manifested Ren's Personas in order to fight the Phantom Thieves. Maruki notes, with a grimace mind you, that Satanael was "resisting" being summoned as that's why he could not do it. The very obvious implication being that since Satanael is an evolution of Arsene, who is Ren's main persona and inner self, his resistance was due to ''Ren'' himself resisting Maruki.]]

* ThisIsUnforgivable: The ghost of the real Kasumi ''absolutely despises'' Dr. Maruki for his BrainwashingForTheGreaterGood act on Sumire. Ironically, both here and in the original game, Sumire doesn't have any resentment towards him (since he arguably prevented her from being DrivenToSuicide out of despair). When Maruki admits to his knowledge of her and tries to talk to her, she refuses to hear a word he says. [[BeAsUnhelpfulAsPossible A pity, that, as it would have given crucial insight into his master plan]].

* UnstoppableRage: Kasumi goes ''berserk'' when she finds out that Maruki [[spoiler:kidnapped Ren]].

* AxCrazy: [[AnAxeToGrind Literally, even,]] for Haru, as in canon. It's not particularly surprising when we see that she inherited it from her father.

* UnstoppableRage: The general sentiment of the Phantom Thieves towards Ren's parents, who abused and gaslit him regarding his ability to see ghosts, especially after they call in Chapter 24 and reaffirm the treatment. Morgana, the only one who hears it, goes berserk as soon as the call ends, and the sentiment spreads to Futaba, Sojiro, and the rest of the Thieves when they hear it.
** Kawakami feels the same way when Ren tells her about it.

* SinisterScythe: [[spoiler:Kasumi]]'s WeaponOfChoice in the Metaverse.

* {{Touche}}: From Chapter 6, after Chihaya inadvertently exposes Ren's secret to Morgana, and the latter asks why he had kept it secret:

* AdaptationalWimp: A ''very'' downplayed example concerning Red. [[spoiler:In canon, he gets through the interrogation and recruits Sae completely on his own, even through the drugs and beating. Here, he has Makoto's dad with him the entire time, helping him remember what to say (and what ''not'' to say) the whole time.]]

** Chapter 50, the final chapter, ends with the lead-in to the new content from ''Royal'': [[spoiler:Ren, Akechi, Ayumu, and Yoshizawa]] become aware that everything is going too well, and that something about it is wrong. Doubles as a SequelHook.

** He also doesn't take it well when people call him crazy.

* TraumaButton: For the longest time, Ren does every thing he can to keep his ability a secret, and just the thought of it being exposed or telling anyone about it puts him in a cold sweat. The first time Chihaya met him and said he was a ghost talker like her (in front of Morgana), he panicked and took off.

* NoSympathy: When the ghosts decide that [[spoiler:Akechi's punishment for his crimes]] is that he's going to help [[spoiler:every single one of his victims find peace and pass on, with the addendum that they're probably going to haunt him until he's finished]], none of the Thieves offer him even a hint of sympathy - if anything, they're ''laughing''. Ren is flat-out ''glad'' that he's not going to be the one who's [[spoiler:helping the ghosts move on in this case. Of course, it's justified in that Akechi did help frame the Thieves for Kunikazu Okumura's murder (which he was guilty of), killed both Kunikazu himself and Futaba's mother Wakaba, and [[LaserGuidedKarma directly or indirectly killed every single one of the other aforementioned ghosts]]...]]

** The Thieves are forewarned about what Maruki can and will do, fulfilling their dreams, but they resolve to refuse it in favor of the truth. One week later, [[spoiler:everyone but Ren, Akechi, his mother, and the twins have succumbed to the actualization.]]

* NonElemental: [[spoiler:Kasumi's specialty seems to be Almighty attacks]].

** Chapter 9: [[spoiler:Not only does Sumire completely break free of the actualization in ''October'', but at the same time, ''Kasumi'', a ''ghost'', unlocks her Persona!]].
** Chapter 13: During the final battle of the main story, [[spoiler:Kasumi ended up meeting Lavenza on her own, who informed her of how big a threat Maruki was about to become. After she reaffirmed an unwillingness to live (as a ghost or otherwise) under Maruki's control, Kasumi was brought to speak with Igor.]]

* FriendlyEnemy: Despite knowing he brainwashed Sumire (and that he's responsible for the world getting warped), neither Ren or Sumire has any trouble having a friendly conversation with Maruki. Kasumi, not so much...