Phantasy Star, between Ra and the C's

[AlgolSon]

The Algol star system is not fictional. It is the eye of Medusa in Perseus. I was born under this star system. The word 'ghoul' comes from Arabic. In Hebrew Semitic the star system is known as 'Satan's head'. It is known in the Far East as a star of death. It appears to be one star that is always blinking from the Earth.

There's the real Algol system, and the Phantasy Star version, where perhaps later, the detail about it being in Andromeda rather than the Milky Way was added because the stars don't look the same. (PS Algol is too much like our Sun.)

But at the level of personal symbolism, such details are less relevant. Personally, I mostly have a personal PS III "theme" going on.

Ok, I have just read over everything. The power of Megiddo was not included. This is a very important part of the Phantasy Star series.

The original post left PS III and IV only shortly summarized, but that ties into writing more fully about them.

Star Wars was part of the inspiration behind Phantasy Star, but the philosophy diverges on the point of anger. The heart of darkness is nihilistic hatred, in Phantasy Star, while anger can also manifest positively.

The name Megiddo comes from the Bible, and relates both to Armageddon (which is a variation of the name), and to an Old Testament battle preceding the fall of Jerusalem to the Egyptians.

This ties into the little note I made about the "Holy City of Lashute". I'm not all that much into the Bible, and think that Revelations sounds like a pre-sci-fi version of an alien invasion story in which humanity is defeated. In Revelations, all is destroyed except for a few who submit to the new order imposed by the "heavenly" crusaders, and associated with their heavenly city.

In PS III, what unfolds at the end is symbolically the reverse of Revelations. The demon of destruction extends its influence, temporarily, and the nature of the situation - perhaps as in a strong clash of conflicting natures - unlocks the potential of Megiddo. After the battles in the "Holy City", after its true nature is revealed, and the defeat of its demon, the hero looks at the place and cries out, "This city is too evil to leave standing!" The great angry anguish of the moment is transformed into waves of destructive energy, which tear the city apart.

In PS IV, such power only plays a minor role, entering the story when the protagonists are tested and trained by the spiritual beings of the mysterious fourth planet which has appeared, in preparation for the final battle to save the solar system from destruction.

The guardian of one of the towers offers the main protagonist the chance to learn "the ultimate technique of destruction", but this is a test. If the hero-to-be wishes to embrace such a thing, he is deemed spiritually corrupt and destroyed. But if he values what is good the most, then he is taught how to use such a power without losing the goodness inside. But that power does not manifest in any dramatic way after being gained, as it does in PS III.

Homie. You are so close. Damn. Palma?