To me, the ending where you didn't rank up quick enough is better than this ending here. The original ending just fits the tone of the story perfectly, setting up the emotional stage for the rest of the story. I always come back to this to experience the feeling of playing Persona 3 again. The later entries while being better in their own ways, never quite hit that emotional tone that resonates with me as much as 3 did. While the SMT main lines and other spin-offs are always much more exciting and challenging to play than Persona, Persona became popular precisely because it decided to tell a more personal, emotional focus story that moved people rather than making them questioning the world. I hope Atlus would go back to their root a little more in newer titles, not afraid to hit that dark note to put a memorable touch onto the players mind.