Character Base

• Character Name: Goro Akechi
• Age: 18
• Canon / Canon Point: Person 5 Royal (March 2020) / Post-Canon
• Items Coming Along:

Cell phone
Toy laser gun
Toy laser sword
Actual handgun
Sword w/ serrated blade
Single glove

• Content Warnings for Character: Suicide, parental abandonment, murder, child neglect

Character Background

• History: Akechi @ the SMT Wiki
• Core Relationships: Akira Kurusu / Ren Amimiya / Joker, Masayoshi Shido, Sae Nijiima, Kasumi Yoshizawa, the Phantom Thieves (Ann, Ryuuji, Yusuke, Makoto, Futaba, Haru)

Character Personality Through Key Moments

Everyone has a mask they show the rest of the world and a true self that they keep hidden beneath it. Sometimes the line between is rather thin, but Akechi is someone who has a wide gulf between his two selves.

First off, his mask. Akechi has a pleasant, mild means of interacting with those around him. He's friendly and a touch teasing, polite without being too stiff or formal, and overall rather easygoing. He makes a point of taking an interest in trendy subjects and hobbies, like darts and popular new dishes. He's shown to be slightly more in his element interacting with professional adults. Sae Nijiima in particular is a good example of this; though Sae is a public prosecutor several years Akechi's senior, the two of them regularly collaborate on cases while sharing a meal. His previously mentioned interest in the latest trends means he finds it easy to make conversation with almost anyone regardless of age. His sense of humor is overall mild and inoffensive, bordering on banality when it isn't just cheesy.

Of course, even when Akechi's is acting (which is almost constantly) there are times when his true nature shows through - though luckily for him it's usually not in a way that makes him unappealing. Mostly, he's quite prone to getting lost in thought and even does so during interviews, on talk shows, and in other situations where he should be paying more attention. His general inexperience with genuine friendships (as opposed to polite acquaintances) is prone to showing through as well. Akechi can come across as downright awkward at times, especially once a conversation strays beyond the boundaries of polite chatter. While it's not exactly common behavior, it's still not unheard of for him to eavesdrop, butt into other peoples' conversations, and even overshare (for example, telling someone he'd only met a few times before about his mother's suicide).

These last few aspects are especially reflective of Akechi's true nature. For all that he plays at being outgoing and confident, he's incredibly lonely and desperate to be needed and loved, but also disgusted by society and convinced that only the useful are desired. So while everyone puts an element of deliberation in the public persona that they show other people, once again Akechi takes this to the extreme. In his own words, Akechi was 'extremely particular' about his life, his grades, and his public image, all so that someone would want him around. After first being abandoned by his father, Masayoshi Shido, before he was even born, and then again by his mother when she committed suicide when he was a child, it's fair to say that he's developed something of a complex about it. And though wasn't something that made Akechi any friends, he did achieve his goals. He became a minor celebrity and gained recognition from both the police and the public for his accomplishments - and he'd done it all with his own skills and cunning.

It's no surprise, then, that he has a rather twisted, short-sighted view on interpersonal relationships. He doesn't really 'get' relationships where the benefits to both parties are intangible things like company and companionship. In his mind people without value have no place in the world - and to be fair, the world has proven him right several times. As an orphaned child he was passed from foster home to foster home without more than the bare minimum of care for his well-being. On the other hand, when he was a genius detective by day and a hitman by night other people would acknowledge him, seek him out, and rely on him for any number of tasks. Akechi has only very recently (as in, within the past six months) started to develop an actual friendship with Joker, the leader of the Phantom Thieves, and even that wasn't enough to keep Akechi from murdering Joker for the sake of forwarding his long-running revenge plot against his father.

And speaking of which, Akechi's moral compass is decidedly skewed. He manages to be selfish, well-intentioned, and severely misguided all at once. He's ruined and ended lives all for the sake of revenge, but the man he was seeking revenge against was a corrupt and genuinely dangerous person. It's outright stated that the murders weren't Akechi's idea in the first place, but he deliberately caused other incidents (many of which resulted in the injury or death of innocent people) solely so he could sweep in, solve the case, and be the hero. On the other hand, the one time he commits an actual face to face murder - against someone he's begun to consider a friend, no less - he doesn't hesitate. But despite that, he expresses surprise and hesitation when ordered to murder several people at once, and a fellow conspirator at one point says that a different planned assassination seems 'too brutal' to have been Akechi's idea. It seem rather inconsistent, but in the end his misaligned moral compass comes down to one thing: survival. If he's not needed then he'll be disposed of, and he'll do anything to prevent that from happening.

It's also worth noting that while Akechi is resourceful, clever, and determined, he's still a terribly lonely teenage boy with a damaged sense of self worth. While his need to be needed is a powerful motivator, it can also be a deadly tool when used against him. He's far easier to manipulate than he realizes, especially by those whose approval he craves. Even his hated father managed to keep him in line with a combination of threats and praise, to the point that Akechi didn't realize he was just a pawn to eventually be disposed of until he was flat out told as much.

The above forms the core of Akechi's personality and how he's behaved for the vast majority of his life. However, at his current canon point three important things have happened and caused a shift in his thinking.

First, he was finally made to realize that his disregard for friends and companions is why he ultimately failed in his struggle against the Phantom Thieves, and why his mission for revenge against Shido was bound to fail. He even admits to wondering what his life may have been like if he had met Joker a few years earlier, and acknowledges that he likely would have gone down a very different path if he had.

Second, he died. And not only did he die, he was killed by a fabricated version of himself that only existed as an obedient lapdog for his father. And while the whole situation happened very quickly, it's important to note that rather trying to strive for his own survival and risk the lives of the Phantom Thieves, Akechi chose instead to sacrifice himself to save them - perhaps the first sincerely altruistic action he's ever taken in his life. It was a moment where he let go of his previous high standards and allowed his actions, rather than his accomplishments, to define him.

And third, he didn't stay dead. He died for what should have been the first, last, and only time... and then he was brought back. Though initially confused and believing he had somehow survived being killed, he immediately jumped back into action. He turned himself into the police to testify against Shido so that Akira wouldn't have have to, claiming that he only sought to repay the debt he owes. A few days later, Akechi was suddenly released from custody, which prompted him to notice a variety of other odd events occurring around him. He eventually realized that he was in some sort of altered, idealized version of reality where many people, himself included, have been brought back from the dead.

Disgusted by the rewritten world, Akechi sought out Akira and once again agreed to work alongside him to set things right. The night before their final confrontation with Maruki, the man responsible for the altered reality, Maruki revealed the truth to Akira and Akechi: returning the world to its true shape meant that Akechi's resurrection would also be undone. Akechi countered by pointing out that not only had he known this the whole time, but that he fully intended to follow through with stopping Maruki even if Akira decided not to. In the end Akira stuck to the plan, and once Maruki was defeated Akechi vanished without a trace.

Throughout the course of this, a facet of Akechi that had only been previously glimpsed in the original game it put in the spotlight. Before he realizes he's been resurrected he seems much the same as he did before - calm, pleasant, and cordial, if a bit colder than usual. Once he does realize he's been brought back from the dead, it's like a switch has been flipped Akechi stops caring enough to maintain his Detective Prince persona from that point forward. He's rude, blunt, vulgar, and aggressive, making no effort to pretend that he and the Phantom Thieves are friends or even that their relationship is anything but transactional. He stops using Robin Hood and switches to Loki on a permanent basis, makes no effort to hide his chaotic and bloodthirsty mindset during battle, and is openly contemptuous of both his enemies and allies.

And why wouldn't he be? His original plan for revenge against Shido is in shambles, his carefully curated reputation is tarnished, and the most meaningful thing he's ever done has been rendered meaningless. Akechi has nothing left to lose except for his life - and he doesn't just not care if he lives, he actively wants to go back to the reality where he's dead. Not because he harbors suicidal tendencies, but because dying when he did and the way he did was his own decision, one he made for the sake of allowing Akira and the rest of the Phantom Thieves to live. Being brought back and, in his opinion, having his continued existence held over the person he died to protect in the first place, completely infuriates him.

But it's worth noting that the events of the third semester are very unique, and that there's plenty to suggest this change won't be permanent for Akechi. There are a handful of moments where he's a little softer with the rest of the party, like when he's (relatively) patient with Yoshizawa's efforts to adapt to the Metaverse and mentors her, thanks the Phantom Thieves for taking care of Shido, or even just engages in casual conversation with the rest of the group. It's not like his desire to be wanted and seen as a valuable member of society has gone away, and while he'll be angry about being brought back to life again he'll also realize that Deer Country is less of an undo button and more of a next step.

In short, Akechi is currently in the middle of a transitional period. He's realized several important things about himself and the world, but hasn't had time to completely process them just yet. It'll take a long time for him to undo the damage caused by his various traumas and a decade of isolation, and whether or not he even can has yet to be seen.

Deer Country Attributes

• Canon Powers:
• Persona: Akechi has the ability to summon the a Persona, a supernatural manifestation of his personality. Even among other Persona users Akechi is somewhat unique in that he has the Wildcard ability, meaning he can summon multiple Persona instead of just one. While in theory this allows him to obtain well over a hundred Persona and keep a dozen of them on hand, Akechi is only ever shown to have three: Loki, Robin Hood, and eventually Hereward. Both are capable of using physical and magical attacks, but these skills still put a strain on Akechi himself so he can't use them over and over again without wearing himself out.

• Berserk: This is a non-combat skill unique to Loki (and presumably Hereward). Akechi is able to put someone (himself included) into a berserk state, causing the target to abandon all inhibitions and go on a rampage. While the actual results of this vary according to the target (Akechi himself went on a traditional berserker rampage, complete with enhanced speed, endurance, and power, whereas a different target simply stripped off all his clothes in the middle of his shift and continued working the grill) the effects aren't permanent. The berserk state seems to last a few hours at most, though the targets can be snapped out of it sooner than that.

• Outfit Change: Persona users that gained their Personas via the Metaverse (as opposed to other methods shown in the series, like the Midnight Hour or Midnight Channel) have an unusual skill to go along with it: they undergo temporary outfit changes when summoning their Persona. This grants Akechi no extra skills but (debatably) looks cool. Robin Hood and Loki/Hereward each come with their own outfit.

• Blood Type: Warmblood
• Omen: Cat; a big fluffy grey and black one named Maurice
• Blessed Day: December 16th (date of death)
• Patron Pthumerian: Dorothea | Akechi is not the religious sort and doesn't put much stock in gods, but he'll warm up to Dorothea quickly. The use of intelligence and cleverness to survive and her emphasis on adaptability and resourcefulness will resonate with him. Plus, his Persona takes the form of Loki, the god of mischief, so he'll be amused by how on-the-nose their matchup is.
• Blood Power Manifestation: None; Akechi will keep his canon powers and only gain the universal Sleeper blood advantages

Writing Samples

TDM top level; subthreads one and two

The Player

• Player Name: Kei
• Player Age: 33
• Player Contact:

begleiter
• Permissions: Here.

Link to your reserve for this character: Here.

Other Characters

No AC yet, but I'm also apping Ford Pines this round.

( deer country | application )