Persona 5 and Persona 5 Royal’s protagonist, Joker, may not be a man of many words, but he’s become an easily recognizable figure in the video game world thanks to his fluffy black hair, kind face, and signature black-rimmed glass.
Except… what if I told you that Joker’s glasses were ultimately nothing more than an accessory? That they’re just a facade? That they’re, well…fake.
That’s right – Joker doesn’t actually need to wear glasses.
Fans have debated this fact ever since Persona 5 first came out, pointing out that the black-haired teen doesn’t wear his glasses in the Metaverse. One could make the argument that the Metaverse is an alternate reality, so perhaps Joker’s eyesight is better while there. It’s the same principle that allows Ryuji to run freely, despite his broken leg that keeps him from doing so in the real world.
While that could be a possibility, others have drawn attention to several other moments in the real world, like the fireworks festival scene, where Joker can be seen without his glasses as well.
Again, one could make the claim that Joker’s just far-sighted, and therefore wouldn’t need to wear glasses to view a fireworks show.
However, a new line in Persona 5 Royal confirms that Joker’s glasses are merely an accessory.
Kichijoji, the new explorable area in Royal, features a number of new activities and stores, including a glasses shop. The shop mostly serves for decorative purposes (save for one confidant event with Kasumi where she takes you with her to go shopping for glasses for her father), though Joker can walk by it when exploring Kichijoji and “examine” it if he wants. Since there are no activities inside, many gamers are likely to walk past this shop without checking it out.
However, if you decide to give the shop a look while you’re walking around Kichijoji, you’ll unlock this line from Morgana, where he comments on Joker’s glasses:
Yup, Morgana, the one person who spends nearly every waking second with Joker, says, “Your glasses are fake, right? It’s hard to tell unless you look at ’em real closely…”
Combining this comment with all the other pieces of evidence fans have piled together over the years, it’s clear that Joker’s glasses are just for show.
So why even wear them? There’s no definitive answer to that question. Some fans have speculated that he does it to soften his appearance and blend into the background at Shujin in an attempt to reconcile his “criminal” image. Others have suggested that they’re his metaphorical “mask” in the real world, mirroring the black-and-white mask he wears as a Phantom Thief.
No matter the reason, at least we now have confirmation, thanks to Morgana, that Joker’s glasses are merely a fashion accessory.
Persona 5 Royal is available now, exclusively for the PlayStation 4.
