The 2 True Endings of Persona 5 Royal - An Analysis

I've seen a lot of debate on which ending is better, so I've decided to thoroughly examine each of them and compare their subtle differences to determine which one is more impactful!

𝐓𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐦𝐩𝐬:
0:00 Intro
0:19 Part 1: Vanilla Persona 5
2:06 Part 2: Persona 5 Royal
5:32 Part 3: Final Verdict
6:46 SUBSCRIBE!!!
Is this really necessary? Probably not! ;3

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𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚 𝟓 𝐌𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐜 𝐔𝐬𝐞𝐝:
Song 1: Royal Days
Song 2: Our Beginning
Song 3: Swear to My Bones
Song 4: So Happy World
Song 5: Out Of Kindness
Song 6: I Believe (Instrumental)
Song 7: Our Light (Instrumental)
Song 8: Royal Days (Another Version)

Wow, a lot of songs for a 6 minute video, huh?
#Persona5 #Persona5Royal #P5R

[Nexon]

"You don't need superpowers to alter the world, everyone has the potential to do so." - Gamaxp420
What a legend.

[randoontheinternet]

I personally like Royal’s ending, Sure riding into the sunset with the rest of the thieves is cool but I like endings that leave you thinking more about what they mean

[ChessMate-febm]

I prefer Royal’s ending.

In Vanilla’s, the game shows the Phantom Thieves in a van. They are wishing the MC doesn’t go, but they accept it. Then it portrays the Phantom Thieves as free people which can do whatever they want, and giving one final ride to Ren for him to enjoy his moments, while also embracing his new freedom and new restart as a free man. I don’t remember if the credits had anything relevant though. I think not. Just the ending theme Hoshi To Bokura To.

Royal’s is pretty different though. Your friends don’t drive you this time, it’s actually Maruki, with the feelings of redemption, calmness and acceptance for his restart, bringing new life for this once desperate man who just wanted happiness and better lives for everybody at some point. He drives you off to the train station as a taxi driver, and tells you he’s restarting, that being said with a fond meaning behind, connected to their bond shared throughout the game. Then you encounter the happy looking Phantom Thieves in the van at the station, trying to chase off the shady men in black, like in Vanilla, but with them actually chasing the van. After that, you encounter Sumire, which spoke little but precise and cute words, ones that meant she’s grown from fearful to hopeful. Then they exchange smiles. After that, Royal Days - Another Version starts playing, theme which reminds the game of its bittersweetness. Finally, Ren goes to the train, ready to end his journey. There’s also a silhouette of someone that Akechi, which is showed to be with men in black. Then, there’s seen the MC is ripping his mask off once again: his fake glasses. This time to restart his journey. Finally, the other Phantom Thieves are shown doing their new careers in the credits, with an extended version of Royal Days - Another Version, ending with a beautiful art credit with Our Light’s theme.

Overall, Vanilla’s has a cute ending, showcasing the relationships the Phantom Thieves had created and deepened throughout the year, and with hope towards the future. As for Royal’s, it just feels more right. It is rather cruel, ending the game without the van’s farewell, but showcasing two broken characters which recovered themselves and now are living with hope too. Also giving messages to Ren, for him not to be down with unexpected events and keep on, even if things get too hard. Additionally, he too gives the game a message, breaking his chains from the past and accepting the future with hope. Finally, the game showcases a great farewell for the Phantom Thieves for the mainline Persona 5 Royal, with the rest of the Phantom Thieves living their lives with their own hope and happiness, not the ones inserted into their world. That’s what makes me love Royal’s much more than the Vanilla’s.

[akai]

I like the original one more because I feel like it shows they actually did something and then going with each other instead which I like more and joker felt free from his criminal record

[ygkoz]

I actually prefer Royals ending and I actually think this ending is much much more meaningful then the original .

I know it can be seen as bitter sweet but you see everyone fighting for there future . Maruki being a taxi driver says everything you need to know .

The Phantom thieves journey helped them all mature, they want to have a future they can create each members learning how to fight for there true dream and taking that one extra step .
I absolutely love this ending and its meaning
It showed True Growth and a true sense of taking back control of each of there lives .

[TobiDyLetsPlay]

The P5 Vanilla Ending was perfect as it is, they broke out of the shackles of control,

but the Royal Ending,
after Christmas eve with Futaba there was something off,
Akechi back from the dead,
i had a bad feeling

the ''Third Semester'', its like running against a Boulder that pushes you down a slope,

the gentle Madman wants to grant the good but is to blind to see that he is causing the bad,
its a mindgame, seeing your Teammates happy with every wish fullfilled:
- Wakaba still alive, living with Sojiro and Futaba as a happy little family Futaba always wished for
- Ryuijis leg was never broken, he's fit aF and he's the leader of the new reformed trackteam of Shujin
- The Nijima Sisters Makoto and Sae having a tight sisterly Bond and their father back alive
- Madarame reformed back from Prison living with his Protege Yusuke again, exhibiting the original ''Sayuri'' together
- Mister Okumura back alive as a caring Father for Haru, no more the cruel and political influenced Businessman he was
- Ann has Shiho back who was never molested by Kamoshida and is transferring back to Shujin, becoming a Volleyball Ace
- Morgana as a real boy

even Joker was affected:
-> Akechi is back from the dead, being the companion Joker always saw in him, not the ice cold and cruel killer he really was

it makes you think about your choices, its a really tough road to walk,

it hurts to shatter all the dreams of your friends, pulling them back into the harsh reality hurts my heart everytime Dx

and getting to know Marukis past, what a broken shell of a man he really is, is not easy to bear either, this poor soul, he really lost everything,

but in the end -> its so effing satisfying to beat the poop out of Maruki in the End and the Mona-copter is awesome as hell <3

[guilotalbert]

The red pill x blue pill motif is strong with this game.

[nexgen]

I like the orignal ending more since they actually care for each other since they been from having no place where they belong to being each others place where they belong and live like a family and care for each other where in royal's ending it feels just like " yea alright bye now, Oh the time we spend together ? who care. "

[SlavKnightVlad]

Tbh i would gladly live in Maruki's reality, i dint enjoy my life so thst would be perfect for me

[xoney-pl]

5:42 is when your own subtitles bully you

[chuushuumaru]

I just finished playing p5r today so I was looking for any other endings on yt. Was actually expecting the royal ending is something similar to p4g's golden ending where they have a reunion.

[Temmie_on_smash]

First off "we are free until the events of p5 strikers" second off, as much as I like all the new stuff, it's no surprise that the palace you see and is giving off mysterious vibes. Maruki is not the bad guy. He really wants everyone to be happy. The option to accept Marukis reality goes against everything you were doing. But nobody can blame you if you do. Just like in the base game, most of these people are waiting for the PT to take care of the problems. What if there were no problems in the first place? Pancakes reaction to if you decided to accept it is totally understandable. He wanted to be (not sexually you dingus) with the person who was going to make the world truly free. No matter the problems. However if I was given the option to pick between this hate filled world or one where people are always happy, I would pick the latter

[esotilinz]

Jesus Joker smug smile in the bad ending is just... Wow

[marcel]

I like the Character Development in the 3rd Semester and the resolve to go in Life. But the Final Cutscene is really dumb.

Where in the Original the Gang didn´t care if they where followed because as Makoto said: "What they think doesn´t really matter", the Royal Ending just makes them all concerned just to introduce Maruki into the Ending.

So best Ending is all the Royal Content but with the Vanilla Final Cutscene.
Because as it is now the Royal Ending is an awesome Ending for the 3rd Semester but a really poor one for the rest of the Game

[Pduarte]

Is the only case, that I prefer Vanilla P5 and "Star and us" more than Royal's true ending and final credit music.
I've nothing against "follow your dreams" ending, but the Freedom ending fits more the main theme of the game and I like, how by the end, the cast felt like P4 cast/friendship when taking us home. In P5R, they each went their ways and easily discarder the friendship after the last Phantom thieves battle, giving me early Sees vibes, reinforcing that in the ending scene and not mentioning, if not mistaken we don't get the Maruki and Kasumi item, after completing their social link. 😅
At least Sees and Investigation team are still friends without the Persona stuff. In Vanilla P5 their friendship is more believable in the end, than in Royal. 😅

[mildcartoonviolence]

I haven’t finish strikers yet but, from what I’ve heard, it doesn’t contradict anything from P5R, so it can take place in the royal timeline just as it can exist in the vanilla timeline

[fandomaddict]

If nothing else, i think Royal’s bad ending (where you accept Maruki’s reality) is more horrifying than anything there was in vanilla, personally. The last snapshot especially, with all of the phantom thieves goofing off and seeming happy except for Joker and Akechi, who look directly into the camera as if blaming you for trapping them there? Absolutely chilling. And while im usually a sucker for a feel good ending, something about Royal’s feels more fulfilling to me. All of the thieves are going their separate ways, yes, but its to chase their own dreams and get the life they want for themselves. They’re still friends, theyre just also following their aspirations, which i find very inspiring.

[Reihmoto]

Honestly... I have no clue mate. But I would say original persona 5 cuz that's the one I played and I was too broke to play Royal. But I do believe both convey the say message of free will

[superrando]

I honestly really agree with the things you said! I also think Yoshidora should've used more of his power to drestroy Mr. Mentos, but hey, that's just me

[haridojamaru]

persona 5 royal ending is a mix for me i think the original was perfect