[OOC: The Magatama and You]
The Magatama and You
I thought I'd take a little time to write about the magatama (pictured above!). For those of you not familiar with Phoenix Wright canon, the magatama can be best described as a charm used by spirit mediums to unlock the secrets in people’s hearts. WHY a spirit medium needs that kind of ability I have no clue, but ignoring logistics… Maya entrusted her magatama to Phoenix early in the second game and he’s carried it with him ever since. Charged with energy thanks to Pearl, the magatama allows Phoenix an edge while conducting investigations and gives him a little insight into the human psyche.
Why am I bringing this up all of a sudden? Well, I’ve always wanted to do something with the magatama, but it’s not a plot device you can just throw into an RL without warning. Realistically, if your character is actively keeping a secret from Phoenix, he would be able to tell. That’s not to say he would do anything about it, however.
The games never mention whether he takes advantage of it outside of investigations, but I’ve established that he doesn’t unless he feels it’s necessary, otherwise he’d be using it, like, several times a day, seven days a week. I’m sure there have been times that he was tempted to take advantage of it (which I touched on in an RL with Edgeworth-he actually did take advantage of it then, but to no avail; his only reward was an overwhelming sense of guilt and some emotional drainage), but for the most part, Phoenix is a smart guy and realizes that everyone has their secrets and their reasons for keeping them.
How does the magatama work, exactly? There have been a few contradictions in-game, but from what I’ve been able to gather, it’s activated when a person is actively keeping a secret, either by lying or being avoidant. When that happens, Phoenix is able to see it-the secret manifests itself as ‘psyche locks’ that only the holder of the magatama is able to perceive. The deeper the secret is buried, the more psyche locks appear.
For a better understanding, see this video. (at around 1:35)
The way Phoenix gets rid of these psyche locks is similar to the way he drags the truth out of people in court: presenting evidence that contradicts their claims. If he uses it for too long, however, and doesn’t have any evidence to present, the magatama can be physically and emotionally draining to the point of being harmful. Like Pearl said to him in the second game:
Pearl:
You must be careful, though,
Mr. Nick. If you make a
mistake, it will hurt you.
Pearl:
If you don't think you have
the proof you need, you must
have the courage to stop.
It’s worth noting, though, that the magatama does not work online. It will only work in person.
SO! With all that in mind… Does anyone wanna plot with me? :3
I thought I'd take a little time to write about the magatama (pictured above!). For those of you not familiar with Phoenix Wright canon, the magatama can be best described as a charm used by spirit mediums to unlock the secrets in people’s hearts. WHY a spirit medium needs that kind of ability I have no clue, but ignoring logistics… Maya entrusted her magatama to Phoenix early in the second game and he’s carried it with him ever since. Charged with energy thanks to Pearl, the magatama allows Phoenix an edge while conducting investigations and gives him a little insight into the human psyche.
Why am I bringing this up all of a sudden? Well, I’ve always wanted to do something with the magatama, but it’s not a plot device you can just throw into an RL without warning. Realistically, if your character is actively keeping a secret from Phoenix, he would be able to tell. That’s not to say he would do anything about it, however.
The games never mention whether he takes advantage of it outside of investigations, but I’ve established that he doesn’t unless he feels it’s necessary, otherwise he’d be using it, like, several times a day, seven days a week. I’m sure there have been times that he was tempted to take advantage of it (which I touched on in an RL with Edgeworth-he actually did take advantage of it then, but to no avail; his only reward was an overwhelming sense of guilt and some emotional drainage), but for the most part, Phoenix is a smart guy and realizes that everyone has their secrets and their reasons for keeping them.
How does the magatama work, exactly? There have been a few contradictions in-game, but from what I’ve been able to gather, it’s activated when a person is actively keeping a secret, either by lying or being avoidant. When that happens, Phoenix is able to see it-the secret manifests itself as ‘psyche locks’ that only the holder of the magatama is able to perceive. The deeper the secret is buried, the more psyche locks appear.
For a better understanding, see this video. (at around 1:35)
The way Phoenix gets rid of these psyche locks is similar to the way he drags the truth out of people in court: presenting evidence that contradicts their claims. If he uses it for too long, however, and doesn’t have any evidence to present, the magatama can be physically and emotionally draining to the point of being harmful. Like Pearl said to him in the second game:
Pearl:
You must be careful, though,
Mr. Nick. If you make a
mistake, it will hurt you.
Pearl:
If you don't think you have
the proof you need, you must
have the courage to stop.
It’s worth noting, though, that the magatama does not work online. It will only work in person.
SO! With all that in mind… Does anyone wanna plot with me? :3