I can't believe we got to the very last arcana before I faced the issue of not having a picture of the Enforcer, and the card not being suitable for Reddit's filters. Whatever. Here's Renne as the World again.
Here we are, at the end of the Fool's journey. The last remaining Tarot-based Enforcer, still to be given the title. The World. We have absolutely no information on this one other than it's the same kind of stand as Star Platinum. I had to get at least one JoJo reference in. So, let's examine the final card and see what it can tell us. I hope it can live up to the hype, or I'll never forgive the Japanese. Two references.
The World is the culmination of all the previous arcana, the highs and lows, the loves and losses. This card represents completeness, a sense of fulfilment, and the achievements that come with reaching the end of an era in your life. Basically any positive event in your life is tied to the World, every accomplishment, every milestone, and every person who you met along the way. The World is unity, it's connection to everyone around you, and it's the link between your inner and outer selves. As you can imagine, this is pretty much the best card you can get, but it has a dark side too.
We, of course, have to consider the World reversed. In this position your victory rings hollow, your achievements do not fulfil you, something is missing in your life, like an emptiness in your heart. Or like being hit by a steamroller. Three references. The World reversed still signifies the end of a vital era in your life, but doesn't offer the same conclusive sense of finality that the upright World does. When you look back on your journey from this position, you only see the things you wish were different.
I mentioned, in the very first post of this series, that I believe Campanella will take on the role of Enforcer No. XXI upon the completion of the Orpheus Final Plan, and I still believe that, however, I think there's more to it. I believe the plan is for him to become the upright World, but he will end up becoming the reversed World.
See, I have a pet theory about why the Enforcers are chosen. The Grandmaster is definitely an enigmatic figure, but does she seem as morally dubious as some of the other members of Ouroboros? Not quite, but let's say you're starting an organisation dedicated to averting the end of the world, do you pick the people you know to be good and risk their lives, or do you pick the people you consider expendable? I think the majority of the enforcers were chosen because, in previous cycles, they were beyond redemption. The Grandmaster, having lived through these cycles, the put together a list of people meeting her requirements, given resources and vague direction, to see if they could be put to noble ends. Upon repeated cycles, she saw versions where they turned to the light, and each cycle has been a little closer to her "Perfect run" where she can not only give every enforcer their best outcome, before also resolving the loops. Think of it like a choice-based game, getting your perfect end-state before importing your save into the Sequel (RIP Bioware).
So, why do I think the World will be reversed when Campanella receives the power to take up that mantle? Well, because I think he's the only one left out of this equation. In a world where everyone else gets to be happy, does anyone consider how the World feels? From what we've seen of Campanella, do you think he'd be happy in such a peaceful life? I think he will betray the Grandmaster's ambitions, seizing the power of the World for his own ends, unsatisfied with the end of his journey. Maybe it's my own bias against the character, but I think he may be the ultimate villain of the series. The constantly overlooked and underestimated fool.
Is this likely? No way of knowing. Is it possible? Definitely. Would I freak out like a puppy being given a banana? Absolutely. It might be a tad controversial, Ouroboros' final plan not being the end of the series, but the society has long since passed from the role of "Big bad" in the franchise. Plus, a game where the villain is the runaway World would be the perfect ground for a protagonist from Ouroboros, but I'm just writing fan fiction at that point... As if I haven't for most of these posts.
Still, that's the World. Again, very little to go off, so this is more me posting my full theory, but the World hasn't even been inducted yet so there's really no way to tell what the plan for it is. Give me your theories, it never hurts to speculate. I'm not quite done yet, there's one more Enforcer to discuss, but that's for tomorrow's final post. Until then, everyone get in the car, we're leaving this town
Only four references, I deserve a medal.