Labrys

Overview

Labrys is an android and anti-Shadow weapon developed by the Kirijo Group that appears in Persona 4 Arena. The character was first mentioned in the Persona 3 radio drama "Moonlight". She is the self-proclaimed student council president of Yasogami High School and she fights in the P-1 Grand Prix using a giant axe; her name is likely a reference to her weapon, as "labrys" is an ancient Greek word for a type of large, double-bladed axe. Labrys is a Generation 5 Anti-Shadow weapon whereas Aigis, another Kirijo Group android, is a later Generation 7. This in a sense makes Labrys Aigis's older sister. Initially, Labrys was not a playable character in the arcade version of the game, however she was added on March 22, 2012. Her voice actress in the Japanese version of Persona 4 Arena is Ayana Taketatsu. Her voice actress in the English version is Cindy Robinson.

History

Labrys began life in 1999 as Unit #031, a test android created during the development of the Generation 5 series. Like the other test units, she was designed with the capacity to grow both mentally and emotionally so that she might develop an ego, and eventually a Persona. She is an unusual model, as her voice is inflected with a Kansai accent (represented by Northeastern U.S. accent in the English language version), but this is written off by the researchers as the likely result of another researcher or technician from the Kansai region putting a bit of their personality into their work during her creation. She has also been outfitted with an unusually large Plume of Dusk, the special component that is key to the development of an ego in the Generation 5 series.

Unit #031's daily routine involves daily combat exercises, in which she is tasked with defeating other models like herself, and then having the data from those defeated models uploaded into her as the research staff pour over her combat data. In the evenings, she and the other units roam the exterior grounds of the research facility, where they are allowed to do as they like. The idea behind this exercise is at first confusing to #031, but on her first night out, she is greeted by a fellow android, Unit #024, who has already shown significant development of an ego. As the days go by, #031 meets with #024 again and again, and eventually comes to realize that she is in fact actively seeking her out. She comes to regard #024 as a friend, and though she doesn't yet understand the emotion, begins to worry about what life would be like without her. #024 eventually tells her of her greatest desire; there is someone, a girl, that she wishes to meet.

Eventually, the research staff, pleased with #031's development, choose to use her as the official Generation 5 prototype and rename her Labrys. They also inform her that the combat exercises are over. Filled with joy, Labrys meets with #024 again that night, where #024 uploads a special file into her, but asks that she not open it until it is all over. Confused, Labrys doesn't understand why #024 would ask this of her, but acquiesces.

The next day, Labrys is horrified to learn that the combat training exercises are not, in fact, over. The training has only progressed to a new stage, where the researchers have tasked her with a new objective; the destruction of the remaining Generation 5 test models. Her first opponent is none other than her friend, #024. Labrys protests and refuses to go through with it, but the researchers only react with glee at the development of her ego and become all the more eager to continue with their research. Crushed, Labrys realizes that through it all, she and the other units were only considered machines by the staff, regardless of the hearts that they were given and meant to develop. Unit #024, unable to mount a protest of her own, tells Labrys to fight back, or that she would be destroyed.

Though it causes her great pain, Labrys defends herself from #024's assault and is forced to destroy her. She then blacks out, only to awaken in a cage; the researchers are apparently aware of the greater risk that Labrys now poses as they go over the data and upload #024's memories into her. Included among these memories are the recollections of a young, hospitalized girl with a Kansai accent. This girl apparently wished to do some good, and chose to donate herself for research. She was used as the base of the development of the Generation 5 series. The reason that #024 wished to meet her was because, in a way, this girl was their mother. Labrys then opens the special file that #024 had given to her, and finds that it is a message from her. Unit #024 recorded the message under the presumption that it would be viewed after her destruction. She asks that Labrys not feel guilt for what she has done, and that, just like their "mother," she wishes for Labrys to be happy.

The message drives Labrys to tears, and when the researchers notice this, they elect to delete her memories, as there is no need for a weapon to feel sentimentality. When Labrys hears of this plan, she becomes enraged for the first time in her life, and despite the restraints placed on her is able to break free of the lab. During her escape from the facility, she begins to manifest a Persona, forcing the researchers and soldiers pursuing her to act with caution. Labrys now desires to meet the girl that #024 wished to meet, but not long after she escapes the walls of the facility, she realizes that she is on Yakushima, a small island in southern Japan. Escape is therefore impossible. Knowing that her capture is inevitable, Labrys chooses not to fight, and instead safeguards her memories in her heart before she is deactivated and put in storage. The equipment that would have been used to delete her memories was completely destroyed, and so she is left as she is for thirteen years.

For the first time, Labrys dreams, and a mysterious voice communicates with her. When she states her wish that she could know what it's like to be a student, to be a student council president, as the bedridden girl that was her "mother" desired to be, the voice imparts her with visions of Yasogami High School and several of its students; namely, the members of the Investigation Team.

Eventually, someone steals Labrys away, and drops her into the TV world. When she awakens, she has lost all memory of her life as a test android and believes that she is in fact a normal human girl attending Yasogami High School whom had just days before become student council president. She lives her life happily at the school until coming across a strange woman dressed in blue, who briefly reveals Labrys's true nature as an android. Frightened, she fights the woman. After the fight is over, the illusion retakes hold, and Labrys wonders if it had been a daydream.

The P-1 Grand Prix

The TV world incarnation of Yasogami High School is actually the dungeon manifested by Labrys's desire to be a normal student leading a normal school life. However, her Shadow, angry that Labrys has locked her memories away and burning with the desire for others to suffer as Labrys was forced to, concocts the P-1 Grand Prix. The participants she chooses for the competition are none other than the students that Labrys had been shown in her dream.

Labrys, still operating under the belief that she's the student council president, tries to put a stop to the tournament, only to be confronted by her Shadow. When she is once again made aware of her true nature as an android, she panics and rejects her Shadow, but when the others step in and save her, she is finally able to come to terms with herself, and what the entity represents to her. Upon accepting it, she obtains the Persona Ariadne.

However, just as everyone is about to leave the TV world, an unknown figure takes control of Labrys and taunts the others through her. This unknown person is in actuality the true mastermind behind the events of the game, and was the one that threw Labrys into the TV world. The culprit admits that he or she does not have a Persona, but was able to throw Labrys in the TV because she had a developing Persona of her own. Forced to fight Labrys, the others manage to stop her, and the interloper taunts them all once more before relinquishing control over her. After Labrys returns to her senses, she leaves Inaba along with Mitsuru, Aigis, and Akihiko, but promises to see all of her new friends again some day.

Move Lists

Both Labrys and Shadow Labrys are playable fighters in Persona 4 Arena. Though they share some of the same basic attacks, their styles are mostly different. Also, while Shadow Labrys cannot wield a Persona of her own, she has control over another Shadow, Asterius. It is also possible to encounter Labrys as an opponent in the story mode before she has awakened to her Persona, in which case she is only able to fight using non-Persona abilities.

Labrys

Furious Action

• 5th Gen Axe Slash (B + D): Labrys performs a large upwards swing with her axe which launches the opponent away.

Skills

• [1] Chain Knuckle (236A or B) [SB]: Labrys stretches her arm across the screen.
• [2] Winch Dash (During [1]: 6): Labrys drags herself towards the opponent.
• Brake (During [2]: 4): While sliding towards her opponent, Labrys halts the movement.
• Extra Attack (During [2]: A or B) [SB]: After sliding towards the opponent, Labrys jumps and swings her axe.
• Guillotine Axe (214A or B) [SB / AIR]: Labrys performs a large downward strike with her axe.
• Weaver's Art: Sword (22A or B or C or D): Ariadne summons a sword from the ground that hits the opponent and traps them after impact. The distance of the skill varies based on the button pressed.

SP Skills

• Weaver's Art: Beast (236236C or D) [P]: Labrys charges towards her opponent and then strikes them upwards after impact.

Awakaned SP Skills

• Weaver's Art: Breaking Wheel (214214C or D) [P]: Ariadne summons three gears on the ground in front of Labrys.
• Brutal Impact (214214A or B): A skill with a slow startup, Labrys charges at her opponent with her axe and performs an unblockable swing.

Instant Kill

• Weaver's Art: Inquisition (222C + D) [P]: After Ariadne traps the opponent in a web, Labrys swings madly at them with her axe and performs a final, downwards swing.

Shadow Labrys

Furious Action

• 5th Gen Axe Slash (B + D): Labrys performs a large upwards swing with her axe which launches the opponent away.

Skills

• Guillotine Axe (214A or B) [SB / AIR]: Labrys performs a large downward strike with her axe.
• Flame of Hades (236C or D) [SB / P]: Asterius unleashes a powerful blast of energy towards the opponent which ends with a column of fire.
• Buffalo Hammer (214C or D) [SB / P]: Asterius smashes the ground with both of its fists.
• Massive Slaughter (charge 4 then 6C or D): Asterius grabs the opponent, brings them through the ground, attacks them and launches them back to the surface.

SP Skills

• Challenge Authority (236236C or D) [P]: Asterius throws his fist towards the screen, hitting the opponent and breaking the fourth wall.

Awakened SP Skills

• Brutal Impact (214214A or B): A skill with a slow startup, Labrys charges at her opponent with her axe and performs an unblockable swing.
• Titanomachia (214214C or D) [P]: After inputting a string of commands for Asterius to perform while he is charging, Asterius will unleash a full screen attack. If no commands are given to Asterius, it will immediately perform the full screen attack.

Instant Kill

• [1] Labyrinthos Gate (222A + B) [P]: Dark flames envelop Shadow Labrys.
• Additional attack (after [1], near opponent: 222A + B) [P]: Before the dark flames from Labyrinthos Gate dissipate, Shadow Labrys can perform this command grab where she throws the opponent into the abyss, where Asterius lies and traps them forever.

Trivia

• Labrys's name is similar to the word "labyrinth", which is the maze in the story of Theseus. In the story, Theseus must overcome and kill the minotaur. To do so, Theseus was given a sword and a ball of red wool by Ariadne. Ariadne is Labrys's Persona. Shadow Labrys, who cannot wield a Persona, instead controls a Shadow; Asterius the minotaur.