Major spoilers for Metaphor: Refantazio
Will’s Ultimate Weapon, by unlocking all Archetypes on him, is called the King’s Sovereignty: a weapon that negates anxiety for all allies. It’s the ultimate weapon of the Seeker and by extension the Prince (only Will can use) Archetype. And its ability to negate anxiety for all allies is invaluable for the final fight.
However, what if I were to tell you that this weapon is actually a reference to the Bible? In the Japanese Version, this sword is called “King of Kings.” This term has been used to describe Jesus Christ and God within a few Bible verses such as this one:
“In the sight of God, who gives life to everything, and of Christ Jesus, who while testifying before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, I charge you to keep this command without spot or blame until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which God will bring about in his own time—God, the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of Lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one has seen or can see. To him be honor and might forever. Amen.” 1 Timothy 6:13-16 NIV
Each of the verses that reference the term “King of Kings” and the story of the verses matches up with the events of Metaphor: Refantazio perfectly. The main reason being comes with the fact that Will is the Magla form of the Prince. Will going through a death and revival, living as a poor Elda while being reborn as the Prince who died ties back to Jesus Christ, the god, the lord, the savior.
It also serves to contrast this game’s version of Lucifer: Louis Guiabern; his allies and followers. Despite Louis’s promises for a free country where people of all tribes can strive under their own merits; many who follow Louis follow him for their own protection or survival. And even more than that, they trust in the idea of power that will grant that freedom.
Little do people know or care about it; Louis’s actions will eventually show that this thinking is leading people to destruction out of hubris. This matches up with Louis’s role as a Satanic Archetype. The “Fantasy is Ruined” ending is proof of the fact that Louis’s charisma allows him to convince people to follow his trail of thinking.
Since Will plays the Jesus Christ role, he has a duty to fight against Louis’s temptation and proves his BS wrong. And as the word of Timothy suggests, the true followers of Christ need to value what they have. Will must believe in his own ideals; the ones he shared with the Prince. He must believe that a world where everyone has a right to their future.
For this next verse I will focus on, it will pertain to the Sanctist Church’s role in the story. The ones that persecute the Elda as Heretics. As well as Forden’s actions against the Prince and Louis.
“They will wage war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will triumph over them because he is Lord of Lords and King of kings—and with him will be his called, chosen and faithful followers.”” Revelation 17:14 NIV
For this verse, I want to use the Sanctist Church’s role in how their actions ultimately undermine the “lesser tribes” of Euchronia and are the root cause of their misfortune. This applies to the Paripus, Eugief, Mustari and Elda (the tribes of Basilio, Heismay, Eupha and Will respectively, all of my favorite characters). Each of them are victims of the Sanctist Church’s abuse in their authority of power.
For Basilio, he and his older brother Fidelio, were victims of Igniter Experiments that affected their bodies for years to come. Basilio nearly died from the experiments, and Fidelio had worked with Louis to secure him and his brother a better future. Hence why it takes a long time for him to see the folly in Louis’s ideals.
Soeaking of the Igniter Experiments, Heismay proves to be an indirect victim of this. The Paripus that killed his son was implied to be a victim of those experiments. This adds more tragedy to the death his son, to say nothing of how he lost his knighthood and was framed as a child kidnapper.
While Eupha may have been a direct victim of the abuse the Mustari are treated with, her religion is still treated as a threat to the Sanctist Faith. And it’s ironically because the truth within the Mustari’s Dragon God contains the truths of the Old World that Sanctism wanted to bury. While there was in fact good intent behind it, it ultimately is the reason the Mustari and Elda are dealt with a poor hand.
And finally, the Prince prior to Will’s birth lost his mother to a Fire Forden caused. And out of sheer racism against an Elda (and a hybrid besides), he blackmails Saint Rella with Junah’s life to curse the Prince and scapegoat Louis. However, through the Prince’s strong desire to change the world, our protagonist has been born from material Magla.
Each of the aforementioned characters and their respective arcs resolve around learning, exposing or realizing the folly behind the world around them. Heismay clearing his name, Basilio helping Fidelio see the flaw in Louis’s mindset, and Will and Eupha’s respective homes uncovered the truth about the world that was hidden by Forden or was not given the full story. Heck, Eupha needed to learn the truth of her own faith.
For the last verse, it speaks more on one of the four horseman that severed Jesus Christ: or in fact was Jesus Christ himself. Very fitting because Will’s character design and Archetype coloring was associated with white. And this was even before Will became the Prince.
“I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.” He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: king of kings and Lord of Lords.” Revelation 19:11-16 NIV
This verse represent Will’s resolve to fight Louis and his promise to his people to overcome any obstacle for their sake. And more accurately, this whole verse represents Jesus’s return to battle. Which fits with Will “losing” the fight against Louis on 9/24, but being “revived” as the Prince and is revived with new power that will eventually defeat Louis.
At the end of the game, Louis becomes the Human knows as Destroyer Charadrius. A form that finalizes Louis’s Lucifer/Satan Parallels because he takes after his incarnation in the Divine Comedy. After awakening the King Archetype, Will successfully defeats and kill Louis once and for all.
Final Thoughts
I had already sensed Christ symbolism within Metaphor long before the game released. But after playing the game, the comparisons became more obvious. And having learned of such an obscure reference to the Bible in the Japanese version, it further demonstrates the themes of this game parallels perfectly with Christ Symbolism and Will’s role as the Prince.