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fukaimetsu
Logos & Pneuma, the Male & Female Personas of Trinity Processor
Summary :
An analysis of the characterization and personality of Malos and Pyra-Mythra in Xenoblade 2, exploring how the male side of the Trinity Processor is surprisingly more feminine and emotional than expected, along with a different perspective on Pneuma.
Disclaimer: This analysis and meta discussion are based entirely on my personal opinions and observations. It is not intended as fact—I’m doing this purely for self-indulgence. Also, there are spoilers ahead, so please proceed with caution!
Christian Holy Trinity : The Son sit with the Father while Holy Spirit hovering above them
We already know that the Trinity Processor is based on the Christian Holy Trinity: the Father (Ontos), the Son (Logos), and the Holy Spirit (Pneuma). Additionally, the Trinity Processor incorporates elements of contemporary psychoanalysis, such as the Freudian model (Superego-Ego-Id) and Jungian archetypes (Anima-Animus-Syzygy).
In this essay, I want to present my analysis of Logos, the masculine aspect of the Trinity Processor, and explain why I believe Logos is actually very emotional and exhibits traces of a feminine personality and different interpretation of Pneuma.
First, we might wonder why the Trinity Processor in Xenoblade has gendered personas despite being a biocomputer. You might assume this is due to Takahashi’s tendency to incorporate Jungian archetypes into his works, which is also true. However, did you also know that it also draws inspiration from Gnostic elements? I read in an article about Gnosticism that, in the Holy Trinity, the Father is usually considered genderless because they represent God. The Holy Spirit, on the other hand, is derived from Sophia, a feminine figure who is analogous to the human soul while also embodying one of the feminine aspects of God. The Son is self-explanatory—Jesus was a man and a personified aspect of Christ. So, Xenoblade didn’t invent the idea of gendered aspects in the Trinity, it originates from Christian (or Gnosticism) theology itself.
I'm not going to delve too much into the Jungian aspect because, in this essay, I feel the Freudian aspect is more appropriate, as I will be discussing the "personality" aspect of Logos & also Pneuma. There is already a lot of analysis on Pneuma, but rarely on Logos. Even when there is, I find it frustrating that most analyses tend to focus solely on his "logic" and "reason" aspects, without acknowledging his emotional side. It feels as though people only approach Pneuma and Logos at a surface level, without recognizing that Takahashi is actually trying to subvert certain elements about them.
On paper, Pneuma represents emotion/soul, while Logos represents logic/reason. However, in the actual story, they are far more complex than just their symbolic/designated representations. I am using Xenoblade 2 as the foundation of this analysis because the game presents Pneuma (Pyra & Mythra) and Logos (Malos) as instantiated characters.
Now, let’s discuss the Freudian aspect. Most fans have already associated each member of the Trinity Processor with a component of the Freudian model:
Ontos – Ego
Logos – Id
Pneuma – Superego
Ego, or self, is to balance the aggressive/pleasure-seeking drives of the Id with the moral control of the Superego.
This interpretation is fairly accurate, Ontos being a moderator aligns well with the role of the Ego. However, the more interesting part is the relationship between Pneuma and Logos. Their roles seem somewhat reversed. While on paper Pneuma represents emotion/soul and Logos represents logic, associating Pneuma with the Superego doesn’t quite fit, because the Superego is more about morality (and a bit logical) than emotion. Likewise, Logos being linked to the Id—the most emotional aspect of the Freudian model—doesn’t suit him either. If we were to be strictly accurate, Logos should be the Ego. This raises the question: Did Takahashi make a mistake, or are we missing something?
The answer is neither—Takahashi is not wrong, and neither are we. This was intentional on his part. The Trinity Processor is also associated with biblical verses, and these references are not just for aesthetic purposes, they actually provide deeper insight into each entity. Here they are, in case anyone has forgotten:
Ontos
Proverbs 3:13: "Beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam et qui affluit prudentia."
("Blessed is the one who finds wisdom, and the one who gets understanding.")
Logos
Proverbs 10:12: "Odium suscitat rixas et universa delicta operit caritas."
("Hatred stirs up conflict, but love covers over all wrongs.")
Pneuma
Proverbs 4:18: "Iustorum autem semita quasi lux splendens procedit et crescit usque ad perfectam diem."
("The path of the righteous is like the morning sun, shining ever brighter till the full light of day.")
I feel that this Bible verse actually represents what the Trinity Processors truly are, rather than just what their names suggest. A key reminder of this is the scene between Malos and Klaus, where Klaus states, "It (the name) has no meaning, it only represents the ego of whoever named them (the Trinity Processor)." A lot of people seem to focus only on how the names of the Trinity Processors define them. While this interpretation is valid, isn’t there a deeper meaning beyond just their names? They are not solely defined by their names, their roles are far more complex. That’s why I believe we should examine them based on their actions and how they are portrayed, rather than focusing only on their names.
Logos Instantation—Malos—awakened by Amalthus.
So, I will touch this subject, starting with the middle child of the Trinity: Malos (Logos). Malos embodies the masculine aspect of the Trinity, the male persona. He is very muscular, tall, crass, and confident—essentially the embodiment of what humanity perceives as masculinity and the idealized vision of a man. However, beneath this exterior, he has certain traits that are not traditionally "manly." For instance, he is surprisingly emotional and childish. When Malos was first awakened, he was (unconsciously) driven by Amalthus's desires and emotions, leading him to seek the world's destruction. After his defeat in the Torna events, he was presumed dead—but he survived!
Pneuma Instantation—Mythra—awakened by Addam.
Meanwhile, we also see that Pneuma was awakened as Mythra. Interestingly, Mythra does not fit the stereotypical image of a "proper" woman. She is wild, highly confident, and quite bossy—challenging traditional feminine expectations. However, she also embodies the idealized vision of a woman, being beautiful, having feminine appearance, and possessing a well-endowed figure.
Alright, you’re probably wondering, "So what part of Malos is emotional?" We see that after Malos survives, he wanders all around Alrest, searching for self-reflection and a reason for his existence. This is quite ironic, considering his true name—Logos—suggests that he should embody reason, yet here he is, a supposed personification of Logos, struggling to find his purpose. After meeting Jin, he finally finds meaning in his existence, but we also see that his drive to fulfill his role or duty stems from his emotions. Malos is deeply emotional when he learns about what Jin has gone through. His actions are far from what you'd call a rational or logical—his goal, ambition, and sense of purpose are fueled by feelings of regret and empathy toward Jin.
Not only that, but Malos also exhibits rather childish behavior, he throws tantrums at Mythra and Klaus, much like a little boy angry at his parent or sibling. It is clear that, despite his outward appearance, Malos exhibits many traits that are traditionally considered unmanly, he is driven by emotion (a traditionally feminine trait) and behaves childishly (in contrast to traditional masculine ideals). Furthermore, most of the men Malos aligns with tend to be heartbroken and emotionally unstable, such as Amalthus, Jin, and N.
N vs Alpha! Na'el (Future Redeemed)
This is further emphasized in Xenoblade 3, where N’s sword—containing a fragment of Malos/Logos’s power—is directly fueled by emotion. N constantly emphasizes that he must show his strongest emotions to attune with the sword’s power. Additionally, even the Bible verse associated with Logos highlights love and empathy, which directly contradicts the meaning of his name (Logos, meaning word/logic/reason). Also, his association to the Id—the most emotional aspect of Freud’s psychoanalytic model. If you’re unfamiliar, the Id is the Child within Freud’s model, serving as the source of all innate needs, emotional impulses, desires, pleasure, and instinct. It is anything but logical. The same can also be said for Pneuma.
Despite Mythra and Pyra’s appearances, they are much more than what their name, Pneuma, represents. While Mythra constructs a new personality as a result of her trauma, Pyra is created based on Mythra’s trauma and insecurities. She is the complete opposite of what Mythra embodies. Pyra is gentle, sweet, and soft-spoken—fully embracing traditional feminine ideals. She strongly resembles the Yamato Nadeshiko (the Japanese ideal wife), skilled at cooking, and essentially the polar opposite of Mythra in personality. While Mythra exhibits many unwomanly traits with her untamed and wild nature, Pyra embodies the Superego far more better.
Pyra, a second personality created by Mythra's trauma
Why? Pyra is surprisingly self-critical as seen how she's always being critical on herself. Despite her gentle appearance, she carries a nagging adult vibe, as seen in the scene where she discovers Tora’s fetish cosplay wardrobe—she is visibly judgmental of Tora’s tastes. Even in Tora's Heart-to-Heart scenes, Pyra maintains a judgmental adult posture, subtly criticizing Tora’s weird interests. Another example is when Klaus tests Rex when after he receive a lot vision he got backlash form his party (stemmed from his insecurities & fear) & he end up eating with Pyra-Mythra , Pyra immediately instructs Rex to wash his hands first, displaying her domineering nature. In many ways, she personifies the Superego (to some extent, Mythra does as well).
Now, looking at Xenoblade 2, we see that, despite being emotional, Pneuma’s instantiation—Mythra and Pyra—is not driven by emotion. It’s difficult to explain because of my ESL, but their goal of reaching Elysium is actually more rooted in rational and logical thinking rather than pure emotion. As powerful weapons capable of sinking Titans, it is logical for them to remove themselves from human affairs or erasing themselves rather than risk causing destruction, right?. Ironically, despite their name Pneuma, which means soul or spirit, they seem to lack both due to their trauma (they're mentally broken, hence, lack of spirit).
Additionally, they are often more rational than Rex. For example, in the scene on Morytha Cliff, when Rex is fighting Malos, Pyra and Mythra tell him not to try saving them because he still has a chance to reach Elysium. Another instance is when Mythra gets angry at Rex for refusing to retreat in Uraya after Vandham’s sacrifice—his emotional decision nearly endangers everyone, including Pyra. When Haze is killed and Rex mourns her, Nia asks Mythra why she doesn’t comfort him, to which Mythra replies that it was Pyra’s suggestion to leave him alone. Finally, at the end of the final battle, when the orbital station is about to be destroyed, Pneuma accepts her sacrifice with grace, while she is sad, but she doesn’t break down in tears, showing emotional maturity.
You can also see in Pneuma's Bible verse that her scripture emphasizes righteousness, which aligns heavily with morality (Superego). It's really amazing how Takahashi includes so many details, making them perfectly fit the inspirations they are meant to draw from. I believe many people overlook the fact that Pneuma is far more rational and logical than they give her credit for.
From this essay, I have concluded that Takahashi subverts the roles of Logos and Pneuma, along with their elemental and gender roles, in ways that defy people's expectations. It is clear that they are far more than their designated stereotypical representations—they are much more complex. In many ways, they embody the idea of "don’t judge a book by its cover."
This is not the first time Takahashi has subverted these kinds of themes. For example, in Xenosaga, the Anima power is associated with males side, while the Animus is linked to females side, yet their personalities also do not align with traditional masculinity and femininity. chaos, the manifestation of Anima, is gentle, caring, and soft-spoken, while KOS-MOS, the manifestation of Animus, is logical, rational, and emotionally reserved. I know Xenosaga fans might come at me for this take, but hey, I don’t want to spoil too much, okay? lol
The same pattern appears in Xenogears, Fei is a much bigger emotional mess compared to Elly.
I really like how Xenoblade handles Anima and Animus. The game represents the same themes present in Xenosaga and Xenogears, but in a more subtle and nuanced way. I also appreciate how Takahashi incorporates both Freudian and Jungian elements while simultaneously subverting them, staying close to their original concepts while offering a fresh reinterpretation. It feels like he wants to explore these subjects from a different perspective.
Moreover, the incorporation of these elements is not just for aesthetics or because they look cool, he actually does something meaningful with them. He often blends similar themes from different mediums and terminologies, but they always derive from the same core sources.
I can't wait to see more Trinity Processor shenanigans! As for Ontos, I’ll discuss them in the future. Hopefully, in the next game, Logos will receive more spotlight because, compared to the other two, he feels somewhat underdeveloped. Truly a Middle Child Syndrome, lmao
Author's Notes:
Thank you, everyone, for reading! It took me a while to put this together. Initially, I just wanted to analyze the male persona/Malos, but I ended up delving into Pneuma as well to make a better comparison and prove my point. I’m glad I did because through re-examining their characters, I see Mythra and Pyra in a different perspective.
I also did a lot of research, though my brain is pretty fried from all the psychological terminology, theological theories, and even reading academic journals—it really did a number on me. On top of that, I tried to make this more digestible for everyone, which was another challenge since English is my second language (so it felt like my brain was working twice as hard LMAO).
I hope you all enjoyed reading this, and I hope my points were clear enough! Apologies for any mistakes.
PS: I love Tora & his freaky robot girl fetish. my boy!
Again, this is just my interpretation! you don’t have to agree, and I don’t expect everyone to. I wrote this simply because I wanted to and because I enjoyed it! I especially love the Trinity Processors so much!
Anyway, I cannot wait for a Xenoblade X remake, and I really hope we get a Xenoblade 4 announcement when the Switch 2 is revealed!
Thanks for reading! :)
no subject
Date: 2025-03-14 07:11 pm (UTC)When you said [exhibits rather childish behavior, he throws tantrums at Mythra and Klaus, much like a little boy angry at his parent or sibling.] I never really thought about that before, but it makes a lot of sense that he's acting out to get someone to notice him, even Amalthus abandoned him iirc (it's been a while since I played). After Torna he changes from being cracked by her.
no subject
Date: 2025-03-14 10:49 pm (UTC)Which is really interesting & I feel that's intentional on Takahashi's part, Malos really embody the Id (the Child)