| “ | And a monster is what I see... when I look upon the world! The people are beasts of fear and superstition. Murderers without remorse. I have done nothing they've not done to me. Abominations... They are the unnatural... They deserve to die. They should all be so glad to nourish my child. My dear... sweet... child. | „ |
| ~ Joanna, justifying her actions |
| “ | Day 53. The child is growing up healthy. He's eaten a lot of food today, too! What a big eater, finishing his food in one bite! Ahh, my darling's the most precious baby in the world! | „ |
| ~ Joanna's diary, expressing her thoughts towards the human |
Joanna Tarar Calendula is a major antagonist in the 2024 JRPG Metaphor: ReFantazio . She is of the Rhoag tribe and a Sactoress of the Sanctist Church and the Governor of the town Martira. She is also the true culprit behind the Martira kidnappings and the main antagonist of the second arc of the game.
In Japanese, she was portrayed by Rie Tanaka and in English by Tracy Wiles.
Biography[]
Past[]
In the past, she was a well respected leader in Martira. However, she fell in love with a man from another tribe. Due to the racial prejudices she was pressured by her family to abort the baby, and the man was forced to flee. Despite this, Joanna kept the baby and gave birth anyway. Unfortuntely, after this birth was around when the Human attack began. Because of this, the baby's nanny decided to take matters into her own hands and killed the baby by smothering him in his crib, doing this believing that the half breed child had brought on a curse.
Following this, because of said racial predjudice, the whole incident was covered up, and thus began Joanna's downfall into villainy. She fell into a deep depression and built resentment towards the world for what had happened to her.
Eventually, Joanna found a human resembling a baby., and because of her depression and the effects of Melancholia, she believed this human was a reincarnation of her baby, and she kept it underneath Kreigante Castle. Alongside some of her guards, she was able to start kidnapping children from the town as food for the human.
Metaphor Refantazio[]
Seeking a head for the Exhibition of the Brave, the main party head to Martira seeking a bounty for Heismay, supposed child kidnapper. When the party arrives in Martira, the whole town is in fear of the kidnappings, demonstrating that Joanna had been doing this for a decent while before the story. When the party find Heismay, they quickly discover that he is not the true culprit behind the kidnappings, and instead believe it's Morris, a guard for Joanna, who had previously given them false information about a sandworm which almost got the party killed. However, after chasing Morris through the undergrounds of Kriegante Castle, the party discovers that Joanna, who had been thought missing, was the true orchestrator of the events.
Joanna explains her history to the party, and then she discovers that Morris failed in making food out of the party. Angry at his failure, she summons the human to eat Morris and then the party, beginning the battle.
Once the human is killed, the Melancholia clears and Joanna returns to her previous state of mind. Heismay tells her his story, and convinces her to admit her guilt. She then agrees to be the "head" for the bounty.
She travels to Port Brilehaven for the Exhibition, where she confesses her crimes and is executed by the churches leader, Sanctifex Forden.