Prometheus
Arcana: Hermit
Wielder: Futaba Sakura
Found: Found at the end of Futaba’s social link
Hush now traveller, for we are approaching the place of the Gods. Here we follow the footsteps of the champion of mankind who was sentenced to pay for his trickery for all eternity. Taking the place of the gothic Necronomicon, Prometheus is a being of infinite knowledge, wile and wisdom aand forever an ally of humanity who seeks to laugh in the face of the Gods. Authority means naught to him, befitting the ever-curious and mischievous Futaba whose own experiences with those who sought to twist the truth causes her to strike back against them with all her power.
First Appearance and Design
Futaba’s goal in her social link is to improve her social skills after her many years of self-imposed solitude, but her journey is long and hard, fraught with difficulties. To do so, she concocts a promise list of goals or quests to achieve. The first is that she wants to visit places in the outside world that have her attention but her first attempt goes poorly with her having a less than successful run in with a police officer. Futaba’s anxiety gets the better of her and it’s up to Joker to save her from the situation. Later she apologises and decides to try it again, with the player accompanying her the whole way, crossing off the first part of her list and adding a new goal in response. When she goes to school with Joker, she uncovers a bad memory of being teased and treated like a freak by her peers when she memorised the titles of all the books on the shelf. Later, she discovers that Kana, her only friend from school, another girl who was an outcast like her, is being abused by her parent’s in horrible ways. To settle their own debts, they have been selling obscene pictures of their own daughter. Kana submits a request to the thieves to force her parent’s to stop and after they are forced to stop, Futaba and Kana make up.
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Finally, to complete the last task on her list, Futaba resolves to go around Akibahara without Joker. When she’s able to weather the storm of such a crowded place, she resolves to return to school, knowing that it will be a growing experience but now she’s prepared to tackle it. At that moment, Necronomicon’s form transforms into an enormous globe, adorned with a series of rainbows lining the shape, forcing a great grinning face and surrounded by blazing flames.
Inspiration
Prometheus traces his sources back to Ancient Greece and is said to be the father of mankind. Brother of the titans who remained on the side of the Gods during the Titanomachy and so retained their father. He sculpted the first humans from clay and and taught them a great many things, including respect and worship for the Gods. However, he believed his little creations to be worthy of all the God’s gifts. However, the Gods demanded their tribute and so Prometheus sought to prove the flaws in their divinity. He produced two offerings and hid a fine selection of beef inside of an Ox’s stomach, which disguised the best meat within an unappetising exterior and the Ox’s bones were wrapped inside a layer of fat, which disguised the inedible interior within a more appealing container.
Zeus was fooled and took the bones for the Gods, whilst man would keep the meat. Enraged at being tricked, Zeus declared that man would have his meat but that they would be forced to eat it raw. He stole and hid Fire from humans, leaving them in the dark and the cold. Prometheus, upon hearing the cries of his little creation’s, stole up to Olympus and, with his friend Athena’s help, he took fire from the chariot of the sun and carried it back to humanity within a fennel stalk. Further enraged that he had been disobeyed, Zeus declared that Prometheus would be punished instead of humanity this time. He ordered Hephaestus to forge chains, with which Prometheus was bound to the side of a mountain and every day, an eagle, Zeus symbol, would consume his liver, where the ancient Greeks believed emotions to come from. This would continue on and on, with Prometheus regrowing his liver each day, until the Greek Hero Heracles would arrive, kill the eagle with Zeus’ permission and Prometheus would be freed.
Of course, those who know the story of his family are aware that these are far from the end of his troubles.
Final Thoughts
I wouldn’t be the first or the last person to believe that Futaba is on the autistic spectrum. Even her own voice actress says that she based on her performance on the assumption that she was. Her behaviour, habits and coping mechanisms are undeniably coded that way. Though Japan doesn’t have the best track record of portraying neurodivergent individuals but Futaba is an excellent example of an autistic person who is recovering from not only trauma but prolonged social interaction. It’s incredibly difficult at first but with the right support system and loyal friends, great steps can be made towards recovery. But the importance is finding a strategy that suits the individual. As for her persona, Prometheus is one of the best choices that could have been made for Futaba. He’s famously known for his intelligence and wiles, and when Futaba’s brains are put to use, she’s damn near unstoppable.
Next time, we’ll be paying a visit to another figure who’s crossed boundaries and borders.
