Hey everyone. I got Dantès today, and while I was leveling him up I couldn't help but think his ascension arts have some kind of symbolism behind it. Maybe I've been playing too much Persona 4 Golden™, and I most certainly don't want to sound like those old literature teachers that see symbolism and hidden meanings everywhere, but hear me out.
In his first ascension art he is smiling confidently, donning a stylish outfit and a long red tie. The color (also present in his eyes) symbolizes love (it's interesting to note that he was getting married), but at the same time, danger (subtle, in the form of the dark flames surrounding him.). It could refer to his loving, caring personality from before he was framed for a crime he didn't commit, as well as his love for danger and adventure from being a marine.
Then, in his second ascension art, his smile is gone. His eyes have a different color- yellow. It can symbolize caution and decay, which is an accurate description of what happened to him. His red tie is now an oppressive dark blue; a color that represents power, seriousness. The tie is considerably longer, and for some reason it latches itself on Dantès's whole body like a parasite. His arms are almost completely enveloped by it, and looking closely, his right hand looks a lot like some vicious beast. It could represent Dantès being slowly consumed by revenge, the loving trait of his personality vanishing completely from his being. It's also reinforced by the dark aura that surrounds him, which gets visibly more intense and maybe violent.
Finally, on his third ascension he is smiling again, but it's nothing like the first one. It's the smile of a madman, his face clearly exhibiting a menacing, sadistic vibe. His tie is no longer, though it is replaced by a cloak of the same color. It is possible, however, that the cloak IS the tie, having fully wrapped itself into his body and morphing. This could represent Dantès being completely consumed by revenge and thus becoming a completely different person, which is supported by his glowing yellow eye (again, representing decay) and the oppressing, intense aura surrounding him, which even features electricity this time. Even his hat changes it's color this time, matching the blue from his coat.
Well, I guess that's it. Maybe I'm going too far, but I like to think there's some meaning behind this. What do you guys think?
