Maruki’s Ending
After the Phantom Thieves succeed at changing Maruki’s heart, they save the doctor from his crumbling palace and fly back home in the Morgana-copter. The reality goes back to normal, and Joker spends his last months in Tokyo spending time with his friends, who all retain the memories of Maruki’s world. In the month between Joker’s release from juvenile hall and his departure back home, Maruki is nowhere to be found.
That is, until the day Joker’s scheduled to go back home. The doctor makes a surprise appearance as a taxi driver, who offers to take Joker to the train station after some government agents spot him. While in the car, Maruki reminds Joker that anyone can start over if they find themselves struggling, acknowledging his own fresh start. He then wishes Joker good luck and drives off, never to be seen again (at least, for now).
A Bad Ending
There’s no other way around it – Maruki’s ending was pretty bad. After 130 hours of getting to know this character inside and out, all Atlus gave us was this?
Firstly, it was very rushed. Why did Atlus choose to wait until right before Joker left Tokyo for Maruki to make an appearance? Gameplay-wise, Joker gets out of juvie in February and doesn’t depart home until March. You’re telling me that Maruki, the man who made a casual visit to Leblanc Café when he was in Yongen-Jaya just because he knew that Joker lived there, the man who was willing to buy Joker an entire buffet meal as thanks for helping him write his paper, the man who literally brought Joker’s friend back from the dead because he knew how deeply he cared for him wouldn’t have – at any point during that time – thought to head to Leblanc for a quick cup of coffee just to say thank you to Joker for saving his life when he was about to fall to his death?
And it’s not like Atlus was against adding additional moments to pad the time between Maruki’s palace and Joker’s departure. Royal added a number of additional scenes in that interim; namely, Joker’s White Day date and the scene where the Phantom Thieves discuss their plans for the future. Why couldn’t they have added one more scene where Joker and Maruki talk about Akechi and their future plans? Oh, and have Maruki give an actual reason as to why he’s suddenly a taxi driver?
Secondly, the taxi driver. Really? I get that Atlus wanted the doctor to make a final appearance in the last cutscene of the game, but was there really no other way to do it than randomly making Maruki – a licensed counselor whose ambitions involve helping others through improving their mental health – a taxi driver?
How They Could’ve Fixed It
Atlus should’ve added an additional scene sometime during February-March featuring Maruki and his plans post-palace. The even game sets up what could’ve been a perfect segue into a separate scene with Maruki, during the day before Joker’s departure when he runs around Tokyo to say goodbye to everyone.
While in Kichijoji, Joker can talk to Maruki’s friend Shibusawa. If Joker decides to talk to him, Shibusawa will talk about Maruki and his whereabouts. This could’ve been the perfect lead-in to a separate moment between Joker and Maruki that would’ve given the doctor a chance to thank Joker for saving his life, talk about what he’s currently been up to since the collapse of his palace, and even discuss his revised future goals.
It’s frustrating to build up a character who had so much going for him, only to throw away his last moments with two vague lines and no explanation whatsoever. In the last thirty hours of the game, players are thrown so much information about Maruki, and all of those loose threads deserved to be wrapped up. Is Maruki going to continue helping others as a counselor? Has he finally forgiven himself and let go of Rumi? Is the poor man going to start going to therapy himself?
We don’t know the answer to any of these questions because Atlus prioritized adding a weak surprise at the end of the game (as well as leaving the potential for a Royal sequel), rather than actually giving a character the ending he deserved. Royal players deserve an actual reason as to why Maruki randomly decided to trade in his counseling hours for driving people around Tokyo.
Takuto Maruki deserved a proper ending. At the very least, Atlus could’ve given him a proper send-off and not a quick two lines to Joker to wrap up his entire storyline at the end.
Persona 5 Royal is available now, exclusively for the PlayStation 4.
