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blowingoffsteam2 · 24 days

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Kingdom Key D and Sora's Heart

Gonna paste some thoughts about Kingdom Key D that struck me last night:

Ok so on the topic of KKD being Sora’s true keyblade aka the one made from his heart (as KKL is made from Riku’s) it just struck me that in kh3 Mickey tells Yen Sid that his keyblade-kkd- was damaged in the realm of darkness along with Way to Dawn breaking in half.

Now we already know the theory that Way to Dawn actually broke during Riku’s sacrifice in the first unseen timeline, lining up with the “drop point” when Riku gets swallowed up by the demon tide in the RoD… but if kkd is made of Sora’s heart and what I suspect about Sora’s heart breaking or being damaged in some way during Riku’s sacrifice in the first timeline…That would perfectly explain why kkd randomly gets “damaged” despite them not even showing it to us and quickly glossing over it!

Think about it. Before kh3 we never even knew keyblades getting broken or damaged was a possibility- because keyblades are extensions of a person’s heart not a truly “physical” object. The only other time we’ve seen a keyblade actually be broken was in recoded when Maleficent breaks data Sora’s keyblade. And the ONLY reason she is able to do this, as explained, is because that keyblade was just a data imitation, it wasn’t tied to a real heart. Until Data Sora gets a heart of his own.

Keyblades don’t just break or get damaged because they get hit by a strong heartless. Sora and Riku have faced stronger enemies that small demon tide plenty of times. No. Keyblades only become damaged if the heart they are extension of become damaged. That has to be it.

The way Mickey says this and it’s just completely glossed over. Why would they even bother having KKD getting damaged and replaced when it’s an iconic keyblade and they don’t even SHOW the damage. It makes no sense... unless it’s planting a seed. Something to come back to with new context. Rather than getting a full replacement Mickey seemingly fuses KKD with Star Seeker, his bbs keyblade, in order to repair it.

This is also the first time we’ve seen this type of fusion of keyblades, again with zero explanation or showing it happening on screen. Star Seeker also happens to be the keyblade Sora gets with his first drive form, Valor form…

The fusion keyblade is called Star Cluster, and also apparently in jp it is “Kingdom Key W” (what does the W stand for??) The Star/Galaxy aesthetic also reminds me of that starry space in ReMind where Sora connects constellations…

Other things:

Apparently in Japanese the letter W is very commonly used as an idiogram for "Double" or "Two". This would make sense for a fusion keyblade like Kingdom Key W. Other ideas that were suggested: W for Waking, W for the "Win" timeline (as the previous timeline was fated to be lost to darkness). It's possible it has multiple meanings.

2. “Only King Mickey can open a door to the realm of darkness. It’s because he has a special Keyblade of Darkness. He figured out how to make it open the way.”

As stated in the kh3 glossary there are only three ways to enter the realm of darkness voluntarily: Beings of darkness have the power to open paths to it, a special keyblade of darkness (of which I believe KKD is the only known example- Nomura has explained that it doesn't mean that the keyblade's nature is dark or evil, only that it's a key that works on doors to/from the RoD), and the power of waking (which Sora uses to reach Riku).

I just think it's interesting if KKD is made from Sora's heart it just so happens to be this special keyblade of darkness. It's a complete mystery as to why KKD was just sitting there on the dark side of Destiny Islands. Mickey seems to know that it's a counterpart to KKL and that it would appear where KKL appeared....but how did he know that? What does it mean? Another interesting connection- during the fall of Destiny Islands notice how the door from Sora's dive to the heart appears in front of the Secret Place, and how the door within the cave only blasts wide open when Sora gets near.

Anyway, I've always thought KKD getting damaged was wierd and suspected it had something to do with what happened in the first timeline but assumed it had to do with Mickey's heart getting damaged somehow. But this makes so much more sense to me- after all we know KKD isn't made from Mickey's heart, it was just a keyblade he found. For both Way to Dawn and KKD to have become damaged as a result of Riku's sacrifice, due to whatever happened to Sora and Riku's hearts....it just makes sense. Sora's heart was damaged, so of course the keyblade made from him would be too.

#soriku #kh theories #Riku's sacrifice #kkd

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holleighgram · 7 months

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Can I just go off about this for a minute? Like, it cuts me to my core how @projectdestati incorporates character themes into relevant songs. This is my favorite so much because it's so subtle, but fits so perfectly.

This version of Treasured Memories solemnly incorporates Rikus theme in a way that is just so beautiful and perfect that it might outshine Rikus theme as a stand alone peice because if how much more weight it carries in the context of Treasured Memories.

It works because Treasured Memories is meant to play when Sora is reflecting on someone he misses- we see that mostly when he thinks of Riku.

We also know that Riku is a deep comfort and grounding presence in Soras life-- a constant in his most precious memories of childhood. We see this in Dream Drop where memories with him and Riku are featured most prominently in the Dive to Sora's sleeping heart.

Green Requiem has a phenomenal series on YouTube discussing the nuances of the KH Music, but I'd really love to do a mini series in the vein of @violethowler's Constructing Kingdoms series mixed with @tennelleflowers 's speculative video essays and @nikutsuneart 's Sleeping Realm theories.

I wonder how much foreshadowing we can uncover from the musically score alone... My music theory is shit, but I feel like there is a lot of hidden evidence to be uncovered and speculated upon regarding the series.

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hollowwhisperings · 3 months

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Naminé & Roxas Are Twins

(this meta was inspired by @violethowler's Constructing Kingdoms series on YT)

In KH2, the relationship between Sora & Roxas is seemingly paralleled with that of Naminé & Kairi. It is explained by characters in-game that Naminé, a Nobody, must have been created by Kairi's presence in Sora's Heart during KH1. Thusly is it concluded that Naminé must be the Nobody of Kairi, another facet of that Princess of Heart.

Except... Kairi is a Princess of Heart: a being of pure light, without any Darkness of her own. It is physically impossible for Naminé to be Kairi's Nobody.

At no point has Kairi exhibited the capacity to hold Darkness. Kairi's lack of Darkness is, arguably, one of the major reasons for her lack of combat prowess: without "darkness" of her own, Kairi is unable to feel the selfishness needed to hurt others. This is a small, fundamental kind of Darkness that all living things carry: without it, a Princess of Heart is all too essily incapacitated by selflessness.

Naminé isn't (can't) be Kairi's Nobody: she, like Roxas, is a Nobody of Sora & Ventus. Naminé and Roxas are twins.

Roxas and Naminé are unlike any other Nobody within the KH setting: they alone were capable of developing "selfhood", independently from their Hearts of origin. This is due to the many unique circumstances of their birth: Sora's self-sacrifice in KH1. That event featured multiple oddities likely to affect Sora's Heart, Heartless & the Nobodies created: self-sacrifice (love); heartlessness via keyblade; the specific keyblade used (the Keyblade of [People's] Hearts); the origin of said keyblade (Riku the ???, the person Sora likely loved most at the time); the presence of Kairi, a Princess of Heart, within Sora's Heart; the presence of Ventus, an artificial "Princess of Heart"; the location of the sacrifice (Ansem's Lab in Hollow Bastion, a World fallen to Darkness)... and likely even more factors, known & as yet unaddressed.

As twin Nobodies to Sora's Heartless, Roxas & Naminé were affected by all variables noted above. Sora has been the Host of several Hearts for his entire life: that makes him special, even before Riku chose Sora to be a keyblade wielder. I venture that the Heart most relevant to Naminé's birth was not Kairi's but Ven's: for where Roxas most resembles Sora in disposition, Naminé resembles Ventus-without-Vanitas. Kairi's presence within Sora's Heart had effects, yes, but less than perhaps understood.

The misunderstanding, I argue, comes largely from Kairi's longterm role of "Designated Female": as the lone KH-original female for much of KH's early development (& popularity), Kairi is often considered a "default option" with regards to all things feminine. This feeds not only into assumptions of a Kairi-focused love triangle but also into an overinflation of Kairi's presence in the story.

As with Xion, Naminé's true identity is obscured, in-game & within fandom, by her gender: "Xion & Naminé are female; the only female in proximity to this plotline is Kairi: Xion & Naminé must therefors be derivative personas of Kairi".

Here, as always, Kairi serves as a convenient "default" of femininity, misdirecting players and characters from the queer potential within KH. It is wholly believed, by Sora & the girls in question, that Naminé was Kairi's Nobody. Yet, it is never Kairi whose story and character is most expanded by Naminé's involvement: Naminé's story is, instead, a follow-up to that of BBS's Ventus.

Kairi struggles with a forgotten past, loss & a resistance to change (of "growing up"). Naminé, in parallel & in contrast, experiences the kind of life that Kairi has forgotten: [medical abuse], extortion & isolation. Naminé's time with Organization XIII & with DiZ mirrors that of VEN's with Master Xehanort (&, to a lesser degree, with Master Eraqus).

Kairi's history as a test subject of Xehanort &, possibly, of Ansem the Wise? She's forgotten it and, outside of Melody of Memories, we never get to see how it affected her. Kairi's Ambiguously Traumatic Past is only ever used for her in her role as "MacGuffin" (i.e. an object of plot importance & no other story-relevant function, one that is ultimately interchangeable with). Kairi's story barely affects Naminé's & Naminé's doesn't affect Kairi's either: the characters most changed by Naminé's character arc were Sora & Riku. This further alludes to Naminé not truly originating from Kairi's Darkness but from Sora-Ven.

The duality of Sora-Ven is reflected in Sora's producing two distinct ("twin") Nobodies during KH1. Roxas is most reflective of Sora but physically looks like Ventus; Naminé is most reminiscent of Ventus-without-Vanitas but (allegedly) "looks like Kairi": this does not occur in the Nobodies of other hybrid-beings, as evident in Xemnas (Terra & Xehanort) & Xigbar (Braig & Luxu). In this way, Naminé & Roxas are more akin to Xion than most every other Nobody.

Ignoring the gender binaries (canonically used & assumed in-universe), the characters that Naminé actually resembles are Ventus (who I propose as Naminé's "primary" origin) & Xion (another artificial being with Sora Origins).

Narratively & thematically, Naminé's arc from CoM to KH2 was a continuation of Ven's story in Birth By Sleep. Both characters are strongly tied to themes of isolation, abusive authority figures, and artificial life. While other characters - Xion, Repliku & Terra-Xehanort - also explore these themes, Kairi notably does not.

I will note that Naminé does not NEED to be Kairi's Nobody to act as her narrative foil: I just find that identifying Naminé with Kairi is buying into the very same (false) Binaric Gender Roles that CoM, Days & (to a lesser extent) BBS sought to poke holes in. Tiny, easily mistranslated-into-nonexistence holes but holes nonetheless. Attempting to conflate Naminé with Kairi is to give the latter character more narrative presence than she truly has, in an effort to reconcile the two together beyond "similarly aged females in proximity to KH's plot".

#kh meta #kh nobodies #naminé #naminé and roxas are twins #naminé is ven's nobody #kairi the character #kairi the designated female #female characters in kingdom hearts #princesses of heart #sora's heart hotel #kairi & naminé #ventus & naminé #kh theories #queer readings #this is two different essays/theories merged into two: “quality” shifts notably #edit later

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inconsistentracoon · 10 months

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Can anyone point me to an explanation or discussion about how Riku's sacrifice also contributed to Sora making it to the Final World instead of dying in the Keyblade Graveyard?

I know in game it is stated Kairi saved his heart from fading away (which I am in no way disputing) but I know I read a bunch of theory a while back about how it was BOTH Riku and Kairi who saved him and for the life of me I can't find it anymore.

#kingdom hearts #sora #riku #kairi #kh theories #keyblade graveyard #soriku #kh3 spoilers

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mythicalartistx · 9 months

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Soriku Reunion in Quadratum

The reunion of Sora and Riku finding each other in the Quadratum should be a reversed Kh2 scene but a bit different and go like this:

First crying isn't Riku's style, so he's not going to go on his knees like Sora did in KH2

Riku would run up to Sora and just show some smiles and laughter. Sora is the one who can always make him laugh.

Riku would call for Sora's name as well.

Then Sora will run to Riku too and he will be grinning and telling Riku that he has missed him.

Sora will then probably make a silly joke or expression and Riku would laugh.

(he needs the laughter he hasn't smiled or laughed over a year since Sora went missing)

They're just going to have a cute moment where they're laughing, smiling, hugging, and holding each other's hands in a totally not gay manner at all...

#kh #sora #riku #Quadratum #kingdom hearts #kingdom hearts iv #kh4 #kh4 speculation #kh theories #soriku #kh riku #kh sora #kh2 #chain of memories #dream drop distance

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clankythecranky · 1 year

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Hey it’s me again I have another crack theory that might have some actual standing. It’s about the foretellers this time.

Sora is Superbia, because pride is either represented by a peacock or a lion. Sora was originally meant to be part lion and there has been some comparisons between Gula and Sora when the whole reincarnation theory was going around. There’s also the fact of one of the pieces representing the lost masters is the emblem of the book of prophecy and not an animal making it seem more separate and like that piece is not meant to be a vessel of darkness.

With Sora now in Quadradum with the MoM, who may or may not have planned this all along, and with Sora and Riku swapping places with Riku now belonging more to the light and Sora literally turning into a heartless sometimes.

So that’s my theory that Sora is meant to be Superbia and that the MoM will be trying to manipulate him like the Organization did in kh3d.

#kh #kingdom hearts #kh theories #kh theory #kh ddd #khux #kh4 #kh sora #kh riku #kh mom

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keykidpilipili · 5 months

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I have been looking at the Astral Plane map and I can pick up some interesting things on both the horizontal and vertical view.

First off the Wind rose on the bottom right of the horizontal picture confirms the use of cardinal directions which is repeated on 4 side of the globe. Two fragments are repeated and not linked to a special imagery(as far as I know) and just floating here and there.

For the vertical picture we can deduce the top and bottom fragments of the globe are North and South respectively. I also do not recognize the symbol which stands for the R since it's very tiny. The Sun is well that is very much a sun and the moon next to it leaves little room for confusion. Unsure if it happened before but we have instances of two symbols for one letter(soUth and sUn, North and suN). This means there may be doubles for the entire roman alphabet.

Last but not least I am very unsure about the W _ N _ on the left: it could be Wind bt the drawing around it is ambiguous, could be wane as in the verb?

#kingdom hearts #khml #khml spoilers #kh missing link #scala script #pili rambles #kh theory #kh theories #kingdom hearts missing link

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localcryptideli · 2 years

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... folks I think I know why Yozora needed to "save" sora in re:Mind and how that could fit with both the good and the bad ending.

#kh theories #kingdom hearts

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eternal-reverie · 1 year

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I still need to do my khdr rewatch but I just wanna say ever since I first saw Baldr, I had a nagging feeling that he was someone potentially chaotic and then that came true…

but uh I just going to put this out there; I think there’s some potential he’s the Master of Masters.

OK HEAR ME OUT

Upon learning Baldr had a missing sister, my mind went immediately to the only other pair of siblings we know in the overall story: Lauriam and Strelitzia. Missing sisters meeting their tragic demises, which then torment their brothers into yielding into their dark impulses; thematic parallels done very much on purpose between khux and khdr.

Then I thought of how exactly siblings were involved in these circumstances. So Lauriam and Strelitzia were chosen as union leaders. Who decided that? MoM, when he gave the list to Ava. And it’s such a choice??? Like I spent hours thinking of why in the first place, and MoM probably had a good idea that darkness was going to infiltrate the dandelions (since it was looking over his shoulder while he wrote the book) so why did he choose to involve these family members other than to guarantee future events down the road? And honestly before Dark Road released, I thought that one of the reasons he brought them together for the task was cause…it would be a touching family reunion! Just a kind gesture. Perhaps something he wished would have been granted for him….He could never separate siblings after what he went through…as Baldr.

So if Baldr is the MoM, where he’s calmed down after the darkness possessing him vanquished, and with foresight about the events that led him to his end, he somehow becomes this master figure with a unique hatred and fear towards darkness, then leads his other fallen classmates as the foretellers.

My large leap in this logic is that kh is not the type of series to let characters go that easily. And with so many new characters introduced in Dark Road, I simply cannot believe that we saw the last of them. I think the most likely way we’ll see a lot of them again is when the foretellers are inevitably unmasked; a restoration to their original identities that were obscured by the abstract aspects and roles that only served to the seal darknesses away within themselves (similar to how defeated organization members were restored their humanity and original names.)

and you know!!!! we would be so shocked if we point out Urd, Hermod, or whoever on the screen after a foreteller’s true identity is revealed in kh4?!? “False lights” and all, I think it makes sense that Baldr, named for the Norse mythology god of light, who’s such a character driven to extremes, could have his moral pendulum swung so hard the opposite way to enact all of this. This whole risky plan is just his attempt at redemption and saving everyone he hurt in the most drawn out way possible so much suffering for literally everyone in the story so far like holy crap I hope it’s worth it??? Sora help

tl;dr Baldr could be MoM because of the cinematic parallels between the pairs of siblings in khuxdr; speculating why the MoM had both Strelitzia and Lauriam chosen as union leaders and if he has a soft spot for family???

#kingdom hearts #khux #khdr #kh #kh baldr #kh theories #this theory has festered in my head for like a year or two #has anyone else said this???#I feel crazy about this but I had this thought ever since his introduction to the story #there’s a bunch a holes in this I know. but it’s a hunch #watch it be vali or something lol the only character in khdr that has a matching eye color with the gazing eye #i was going to make an argument that baldr has similar color eyes but they’re pretty grey #baldr

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freckledhylian · 1 year

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Dear sir Nomura, why do you keep hiding Riku’s left wrist?

There’s no past of having marks on your body in Kh but idk I just think about it, and it weirdly doesn’t seem impossible for some reasons.

#to think that without the injuries we could’ve seen what both his writs were like and finally didn’t get to is too Nomura-like to be normal #kh #riku #kingdom hearts #sora #kh theories

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pauputoot · 10 months

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Oh. Oh. Stations of Awakening/Dives to the Heart and The Final World are opposites.

Birth/death

Night/day

Man made stained glass / natural salt pillars and water

And it’s so weird that water and day are associated with DEATH. There was a post on here a while ago where someone showed how kh treats water as darkness and now I’m thinking about that

And NOW I’m thinking about how the destiny islands are surrounded by clear blue skies and WATER.

And how DAYbreak town has water features flowing through it. And ends up underwater.

I don’t know what any of this means I’m just Charlie day talking about the mail

#kh theories #kh theory #kingdom hearts #final world #qwopping thru life

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blowingoffsteam2 · 6 months

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not to be that person, but to be that person - do we think there’s a potential for Riku to end up being a “prince of light”? sort of like how the disney princess’ + kairi are referred to as the princesses of light? Basing this off of the “riku is the light” theory as well as the potential discussion of his lineage in kh4….maybe he’s really royalty? OR maybe he’s Sora’s prince of light since Sora pretty much ended up becoming a child of destiny via touching Riku’s light and that’s why Aqua told Sora to take care of Riku when they were kids ? Idk it’s very much giving a prince ( Riku ) and knight and shining armor ( Sora ) vibe. What do you think ?

Oh absolutely there’s potential for something like that. I don’t know if it would be exactly the same as the princesses of heart (could they even use darkness like Riku can?) but I definitely think he’s /something/ special. Seeing as the crown necklace was almost definitely Riku’s- and the Kingdom Key- him being some kind of royalty wouldn’t be surprising at all. It’s just a question of what exactly the sort of royalty are we talking about here? On one hand I think there’s a strong possibility Riku is a descendant of Ephemer, and according to what we know about missing link, his descendants are basically treated as royalty or an upper class at least. But I also think there’s more going on with Riku than just that. His body might be descended from Ephemer but what about his heart? Well there are theories that he is “the True Dandelion”, the child of destiny, even the avatar of Kingdom Hearts itself analogous to Data Riku being the avatar of Jiminy’s Journal. Honestly he could be all of these things.

One mystery that I think could be connected too is the “seven crowns” that were brought up only once in khux. Could it just be a gender neutral term for princesses/princes of heart? Maybe. I’ve also theorized it is referring to the seven pieces of light that were shattered from the original x-blade which iirc are what the 7 hearts of light protect

#kh theories #Riku is the light

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holleighgram · 3 months

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Pardon me, gentlemen, but what if Riku really is an avatar of Kingdom Hearts and Ansem SOD was trying to turn it kingdom hearts to darkness in order to use its power- much like tried to entice riku towards the darkness in order to use his body/power.

Riku then appears to be condemned to Darkness and must surely believe himself to be darkness,

And when Sora declares kingdom hearts to be light, it's like he's saying he still believes in riku. And that one moment of faith-- of Sora believing in him is enough to help him fight back the darkness rather than succumbing to it.

#kingdom hearts #riku #riku kh #kh #kh riku #sora kh #kh1 #ansem sod #riku is the child of destiny #riku is the light #kh meta #kh theories #kh theory #kh thoughts

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hollowwhisperings · 9 months

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Kairi the Character: The Future of a Grounded Star

The creators of the KH series have emphasized that, going forward, the series will focus on Sora and Riku. They also repeated that KH3 was the story of "childhood friends who drift apart as they grow up" & that change can be sad but is necessary, that people can always re-conect in new ways.

Essentially, the KH team marks KH3 as the "end" of Kairi's Story with Sora & Riku: the end of an age of Childhood Promises, of resisting "Change"... and of growing up "together".

Going forth, the "Destiny Trio" hyped up in marketing & the fandom consciousness is firmly "retired": KH3 ends with Riku's connection to Sora is stronger than ever, Sora on the cusp of a Realization pertaining to Riku being Sora's "Light"... and, as of Melody of Memory, Kairi knows that "following" her two childhood friends is not conducive to helping them nor to herself.

This post will examine the many ways Kairi has "functioned" within the greater narrative of Kingdom Hearts & its themes. It dips into Kairi's Resistance to Change being her greatest inhibitor in taking an active role within the series, how and why her first attempts were met with failure (spoiler: copying your friend's homework can only ever get you so far), why Kairi's "Staying Behind" (Home) is where her own story begins & the importance of Kairi's Distancing herself from the main story of Kingdom Hearts. Kairi's Story has never been the one shared by Sora & Riku: Kairi's Story is found in the wide cast of characters, "crossed-over" and original, and interwoven with the setting's many Mysteries. Kairi, independently of either of KH's protagonists, but together with Others "Left Behind" is a crucial lynchpin to unravelling so many spools of thread: threads held separately by many hands... each confused, in their isolation. Kairi can play a Key Part in "sorting" these threads, in enabling Different Characters to Meet (& so see their Common Threads), and in doing so "consolidate" them all within a "Wider Picture". Mostly, however, I'll be contextualizing Kairi in Themes of "Home" and as "Light".

Kairi the "Starcrossed"

Kairi has spent the KH series thus far in a pattern of "staying behind" and "chasing after her friends". While the former is not actually a bad thing (indeed, it was a Key Element in games past & likely in future too), the latter has lead to immense "disappointment".

Disappointment in fans of Kairi, who believe Kairi is suffering from "Chickification" (demoting a female character to love interest & subsequently removing every aspect of her character to better enable "romance" that better resembles a female acting as an Emotional Support Human). Disappointment from fans of the mysteries in KH's worldbuilding & lore, who find Kairi an inherently Mysterious Character connected to most every Subplot on either side of "Reality".

Disappointment from Kairi herself, who initially mimicked her friend in footstels both literal & figurative only to find that what "strengthens" Sora (or Riku) does not strengthen her. Kairi's desperate efforts to cling to childhood has greatly hindered her personal growth, as most harshly evidenced by her almost-death in KH3 & Sora's disappeatance thereafter. In Melody of Memory, Kairi takes her self-growth more seriously: she wants to reunite with Sora, to renew the closeness they had so recently (for her) yet so seemingly long ago (for us, for Sora himself). By the end of Melody, Kairi "fails" again: this failure was not for naught. Kairi's Failure "demoted" her from the Assumed Role she has long held (in & out-of-universe) of "Designated Love Interest [to Sora]" & Sora's Hypothetical "Prince[ss] Charming".

At the end of Melody, Kairi makes her first true act of personal agency in the series: she requests to train under Master Aqua, a woman who rescued her once in childhood (though Kairi may not remember) & who acted as the "Lynchpin" to the safe returns of the "Wayfinder Trio".

With Master Aqua as Kairi's new mentor, let us return to the subject of "Home" & how "staying behind" (as Kairi consistently chooses to do) is not actually a bad thing.

Kairi's "Homes"

"Home" can be different things to different people. To Sora, homes can be made whenever he connects with new places & friends. Sora also considers the Destiny Islands, especially the "play island" where he spent so many years growing up with Riku & Kairi, to be a "home". To Riku, "home" is wherever Sora is. To Kairi? Home is a much more complicated creature to an amnesiac girl who became a Literal Shooting Star.

The first "home" (that we know of) Kairi had is one she claims to no longer remember: Radiant Garden. This is where Kairi lived prior to the Destiny Islands, the place where the errant Master Aqua met a 4th Princess of Heart and bestowed upon her a [protective blessing/charm] (likely enabling Kairi's safely ending up at the Destiny Islands rather than Traverse Town or even Quadratum). Radiant Garden is also where we met Kairi's Mysteriously Well-Informed "Grandmother", someone whose Stories Kairi remembers even when she (claims) to be otherwise amnesiac of her life prior to "The Meteor Shower".

Other characters from Radiant Garden include Cid, Squall Leonhart, Aerith, Yuffie & Merlin (whom Kairi first met in KH1, in Traverse Town, and who seem Mutually Oblivious as to their Shared Heritage). It was also the home of characters Foreshadowed to be Involved with the "Bloodlines" plotlines of Phase 2 of KH: Ansem, Ienzo (a character whose origins are possibly More Mysterious than Kairi's), Apprentice Xehanort ("Terra-Nort"), "Braig" (the latest Host of Master Luxu), Isa & Axel (friends of the Mysterious "Subject X".

In studying with Master Aqua, Kairi will take her first step in acknowledging her Past & seeking to recover it: that step was made easier, perhaps, by Kairi's befriending fellow keyblade wielder Axel. Axel, like Kairi, is originally from Radiant Garden but has found a "new" Home. Axel's Home is with Isa, Roxas & Xion in Twilight Town: Kairi's Home has long embraced the Destiny Islands as her Home.

Kairi's continued, sometimes stubborn attachment to the Destiny Islands makes Sense: whether she Remembered it or not, the memories immediately prior to her "debut" as a Literal Shooting Star would have been of her being the latest Test Subject of Xehanort. If her memories of Xehanort were not stolen safely away by her young age, Repression or the traumas of Crashlanding into an ocean (possibly featuring a bit of Drowning? between Aqua's Magic & Kairi's Own, hopefully this was one trauma young Kairi was Spared from)... Kairi has Good Reason to disassociate with Radiant Garden & its labs. That Kairi willingly submitted herself to be studied in sleep by Ansem & his reformed Apprentices for a year? That in itself was an act of Remarkable Bravery and True Desperation. "Survivor's Guilt" is one of many potential "Darknesses" that Kairi, a Princess of Light, may need to Accept into herself to "grow" beyond that role & into young adulthood (as all other Original Princesses of Heart did). It is a subject Familiar to Kairi's Peers, the Princesses & those "left behind".

Yet Kairi is not someone "left behind" by the narrative: Kairi is someone who Chooses to Stay Home. This "passive" choice of Kairi's, to be a person to Return To and a Representation of "Home" has been the most plot-relevant aspect of her character since KH1 & continued to be her Key Narrative Function... right until "the power of childhood promises" was brutally, thoroughly Proven Insufficent. Childhood Promises were Kairi's "theme": with each timeskip, each near-death experience, Kairi's friends had Grown Up & Apart from her. "Promises" could not be as carelessly, made as meaningfully fulfilled in the Stakes of young adulthood & War: KH3 forces Sora, Kairi & players to recognise that "promises are for children"¹.

That is not to say that Kairi's Choices to "Stay Home" are bad: Kairi is not weaker for seeking the security of a fixed "home". Kairi has lost every Home she has ever had. That she clung to the "idea" of the Destiny Islands, once the world was restored, is consistent with how Kairi has been shaped by her own Traumas (well before & then in opposition to Sora and Riku, who found "Home" in each other more than once).

Kairi & "Safe Return"

Recall now the Wayfinding Charm Kairi made for herself & her friends as her "contribution" to their Raft Project: thalassa shells set in a starfruit's shape, a Sailor's Promise of "finding their way home". Unlike Riku "the Reverse-Little Mermaid" or Sora "the Adventurer", Kairi only worked on the Raft so her friends wouldn't leave her behind. Kairi was genuinely worried of being lost at sea, something she was miraculously spared from when she crashed into the waters of Destiny Islands.

In KH2, Kairi sends a "message in a bottle": while how sizable its role really was in providing a "Door to Light" for the stranded Sora & Riku is ~vague~ due to its "Timing" (right after a Heart-to-Heart between two uniquely "bright" Keyblade wielders), Kairi's "wish" in bottle-form certainly helped in said Door's directly opening to the Destiny Islands specifically.

Kairi & "Geography"

Then there is KH3's "Tunnel of Light" sequence. While players may Expect that the Abrupt Deus Ex Machina as "GPS Princess Kairi Saves The Day Offscreen, Again"... the sequence is Deliberately Misleading.

Sora's initial recognition of his "Light" as Riku's Light is correct: Riku, now and always, is the "Light" Sora knows best. Riku is also Found At The Tunnel's End: Kairi, however, was with Sora the whole time. Kairi was Geographically Incapable of being Sora's "Light" because she was right next to him, following Sora as he was lead by Riku's Light.

The entire "Light Tunnel" scene in KH3 is referential to the Infamous Meteor Shower event recalled by Sora & Riku in CoM.

Sora and Riku both recall watching a Meteor Shower with Someone Very Important to Their Heart(s). During this Meteor Shower, the person Naminé replaces feared that a Meteor (a Shooting Star) would strike the Destiny Islands: Sora or Riku then promised to [always protect] the Person Naminé Replaces in this Shared Memory. It is Naminé's placing herself within This Memory that prompts the Drastic Increase in [Devotion] from both Sora AND Riku['s Replica]. Due to Naminé's previously inserting herself into either boy's memories in Kairi's place, players "expected" that the True Memory & the Promises of Protection must have "also" been With Kairi.

...except that Kairi could not have exchanged anything with anyone during That Meteor Shower: Kairi was the Meteor Shower, one of its meteors & its most Significant Shooting Star. The promises that both boys recall making were made to each other: they exchanged tokens by the light of a Shooting Star.

Ascertaining Kairi's "Relative Geography" is the Vital Clue to many of her Weirder Moments throughout the series: in Sora & Riku's Shared Memory of a Meteor Shower, Kairi was a Meteor; in the Tunnel of Light sequence, Kairi was inside the Tunnel & not at its End; when Sora & Riku find themselves stranded in Another Side of Reality, as they once were in the depths of the Realm of Darkness, Kairi will be their Connection Home.

Kairi the "Lighthouse Keeper"

Kairi, through imagery & Choices, has made herself into a "Guiding Star". She is no longer a "starcrossed meteor" of Sora's: Kairi is the Fixed Point of "Home", her Home.

Kairi has become not a Lighthouse but its Keeper: she "tends the hearth" that is her own Heart, one that shines its light from the Destiny Islands where she "stays behind". As a Princess of Light, Kairi can act as the "Keeper" of her own Light: she can determine where it shines brightest ("home" in the Destiny Islands), who it guides (those Lost in Darkness, friends)... amongst other things.

This role of "Hearthkeeper" or "Lighthouse" will not give Kairi any dramatic rise in martial prowess, magical or otherwise. Kairi is Not Sora & she's Not Riku either: their strengths are theirs and Kairi has yet to even consider that her own strengths could be entirely different (& helpful for entirely separate situations). Narratively, making Kairi a "magical powerhouse" is unproductive: other characters are Experienced Battle Mages, their skills & prowess Well Established as Terrifying Extremely Competent.

Rather tham becoming Yet Another War Mage, I would speculate that Kairi's role is something more "unique" to her person & something sorely needed on This Side of Reality: an "Illuminator" not only of pressing dangers and safer shores but of the setting's Mysteries, old and "new". Kairi is already capable of acting in this role: she just hasn't had the opportunity to realise it yet.

Kairi the "Illuminator"

As a Princess of Light, Kairi connects any & all Disney princess past or future: the Princesses are "Torchbearers", their Hearts host to the still-burning remnants of the Ancient X-Blade's Light. These seven individuals are essential to the stability of the Realm of Light, in the absence of Kingdom Hearts. Their endangerment in KH1 was apocalyptic for all Known Worlds: finding the successors of Kairi's Peers in KH3 was a subplot "dropped" upon the miraculous recovering of Master Aqua & her lost friends thereafter. By "staying behind", Kairi's story as a Princess is possible to explore without the risk of her being assumed to be Sora's Princess (or, heavens forbid, Riku's).

As her Grandmother's [lorekeeper] & as a keyblade wielder herself, Kairi is connected to the mythology of the Keyblade Wars of the Ancient Past: the Master of Masters, the Foretellers & how history has seemed Doomed to Repeat. Kairi's placement as "student of Aqua" puts her (& her grandmother's stories) in proximity to Ventus, an amnesiac whose history lies hidden within such stories. That Ven too is "pure of heart" (albeit artificially) is another means of consolidating story threads: how similar is Ven, post-Xehanort, to Kairi the Princess of Heart? How are their Hearts different from each other's & why was Riku's ability to meld his Darkness to his Light so seemingly unprecedented? Is "lack of darkness" holding Kairi back, as a keyblade wielder? Or will Kairi (& Ven) be used by the likes of the Foretellers as "precedent" for all to follow?

As a Wayward Daughter of Radiant Garden, any explorations into Kairi's Life prior to her stint as a Shooting Star opens the world's history to Other Interested Parties: Kairi's hypothetical birth family, for one, and the Concerned Friends of "Subject X". It also requires an Addressing of Xehanort's Time apprenticed to Ansem the Wise... and Questions on how, exactly, he & Ansem "acquired" their Test Subjects in the first place. The technology used to send Kairi from Radiant Garden bears Remarkable Resemblance (in function, if not "form") to that used by the Dandelions. Was there, perhaps, some "reverse-engineering" in play? From Whomst couldst Xehanort Possibly Findeth Such An Arc, one of So Very Few?

Oh, Hi There, Ventus the Secret Dandelion: have you seen the Other, Long-term Human Test Subject? No, not Kairi. One escaped from [our setting]'s Other Resident [Evil] Scientist? Ansem the Wise?

...I May or May Not Harbour Deep Mistrust & Plentiful Suspicions regarding the man formerly known as "DiZ" (for example: did Master Yen Sid ever hear about Ansem's misappropriating his name, just as Xehanort did with Ansem's own?).

That aside, let us continue exploring how Kairi's "staying behind" is much more interesting than putting her back into Sora's Coming Of Age Story for No Actual Narrative Purpose (except to continue in her past role of "Being Conveniently Female"?).

Kairi the "Supporting Character"

Kairi's "Potential" has been Unexplored for nearly the entire series: her resistance to Change, to "leaving Home" & her Seeking Security in Familiar Things has kept Kairi from involving herself in anything "unrelated" to Sora & Riku. Being the series' protagonists, Sora & Riku have been Out Of The Loop on the wider mysteries of their setting: mysteries that Kairi (willingly or otherwise) is intrinsically connected to.

By again Choosing to "Stay", Kairi is able to act as the Fixed Point of Reality's "worldbuilding": Kairi is the connecting character for keyblade wielders to Disney Princesses, the point of reference to clarify "past" from "present" (this is more speculative, contingent to Kairi or Any of the Seven Lights existing as "fixed points" in Reality), and the Meeting Ground of characters (& plot points) old & "new".

Kairi's adjacency to Every Worldbuilding Subplot on This Side of "Reality" makes her an extremely useful Supporting Character. By departing from the "main" story of KH (that of Sora & Riku's "Comimg Of Age"), Kairi is free to support characters in their "shared" stories. Many of these "shared stories" all end up featuring Kairi, as a reference point or otherwise "Key" figure.

As a Supporting Character to Literally Anyone Other than Sora or Riku, Kairi is in great demand (see Speculations Above).

To her Childhood Friends, as they enter Their Arc on Sora's Darkness & the Continued Explorations of the many ways Hearts "Combine"?

The best way that Kairi can help her friends is by doing what she always has (now with other characters supporting her): being a "Fixed Point" in their Reality.

Kairi is no longer Sora's "Starcrossed" Meteor: her role, in his story & Riku's, is to now be that Beacon that Guides Travelers in Dark Seas, the "Lighthouse Keeper" keeping ships mindful of the shoreline & directing sailors to Safe Harbour. When Sora & Riku, weary from whatever Quadratum demands of them, would seek passage through death & dream to Another Side of Reality? Kairi will be There for them, a friend whose life has continued in their absence, ready to welcome them "home".

Conclusion

Kairi was a Reluctant Protagonist and an Absent Love Interest: that was Intentional, as evidenced by the Thematic (& Literal) "Geography" of Key Points in Sora & Riku's Coming of Age story being impossible for Kairi to have actually been "there" to fulfil such roles. Kairi's biggest strength, thus far, was her Faith & Innocent Love enabling her Friends to Find Their Way Home.

Kairi is strong: Sora tells her as much, in the Actual Text of the Tunnel Sequence. Kairi has, however, been "stagnant" in her strength. She can only truly become "stronger" when she needs not constantly compare herself to Riku or Sora (whose strengths are their own, not Kairi's: she has ever been mimicking their footsteps, never able to fill their shoes nor willing to consider getting different shoes for herself to wear instead).

As Kairi grows up & apart from "Childhood", Kairi can make new friends & find new "purpose". Rather than finding herself a "poor subsitute" for Riku or Sora, Kairi can seek the training they never had an opportunity to have & do so in ways neither boy may have "preferred" but Kairi would. Limiting herself to "one-of-three" (a Destiny "Trio") has never made Kairi Stronger, not in the way it has for Other Trios in the series: the "Destiny Trio" was never of the same nature as subsequent trios, the recurring & contrastingly "equilateral" dynamics being KH's means of indicating that, often in life, the friend groups you start out with aren't meant to last. People change and so does the ways they can or would want to relate to each other: is KH to is the story's method of showing the different friendships we can or "used to" have, some friendships remaining unchanged for life & others changing along with its members. to truly grow up, Kairi had to let go the "forever friends" of her childhood. They have been growing up: now Kairi will too.

Footnotes

¹An existing exploration of KH3's distinctions between "childhood promises" & "Oaths" can be found here, on Youtube. It includes a line-by-line analysis of KH's "thesis" on this Theme, Utada Hikaru's "Chikai". My only addition to said video essay is on how its structure acts as a Callback to KH3's immediately preceding title, Dream Drop Distance.

"Chikai" exists distinctly & complementary to the song that shares its melody, "Don't Think Twice". The songs, like the entire premise of Dream Drop, are two perspectives of a shared experience: this is Foreshadowing, specifically pertaining to the concepts of Mirrored Realities & the different ways Hearts can be Combined.

That last theme is especially pertinent given the Various Ways that artificially "combining hearts" has already been used to form or summon the eponymous Kingdom Hearts. This will be the Bloodlines Arc, afterall: "blood" will be Explored, in ways both Literal (ancestry, familial inheritance, generational keyblade violence) & Figurative (keyblades as a concept, Darkness as the "bleeding" of a Heart, the "oldblood" versus the "new"). That any & all depictions of blood will be censored into Water or as "Darkness" is par for the course.

²Kairi, Sora & Riku were never "a family" [trauma-bonded] to each other in the ways of the "Wayfinder" or "Seasalt" Trios. Kairi & Sora are only one (1) year younger than Riku: that means a lot, as a kid, but matters less & less the older you become. Axel's success in his role as "life coach" & "cool older brother" to the [newborn] teens Roxas & Xion highlights the difference that Age & aging has in one's friendship dynamics: Axel was the age of his friends when he "joined" Organization XIII and can thusly prepare them for what they will experience. Upon Isa's "resurrection", Axel keeps his childhood best friend with him: the changes this would prompt in the "Seasalt Trio" have inspired many an "Axel the No Longer Single Dad" joke, if not with that specific wording.

My Elaboration on Relative Age in the Dynamics of KH's Iconic Trios got, uh, Longer Than intended: its elaborated form has been Squirrel'd Away for "Later, Maybe".

#kh meta #kh kairi #kairi meta #kairi the character #kh4 speculation #kairi is a light but she is not THE light #varyingly helpful puns regarding the worldbuilding of the kh series #i tried to be tactful about how kairi is shipped but one does not simply ignore a giant rainbow sword set to a waltz #riku is the light #kairi is a star #princesses of heart #the new seven lights #radiant garden #kairi the worldbuilder #necklace theory #kairi's life as a retired red herring #kh theories

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nadziejastar · 1 year

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Do you think the the black box contents were originally supposed to be revealed in KH3? Do you see a place it would have fit into the story? I thought maybe as a way to defeat the darknesses in their final form since that would be a reason for MoM to want it available in the future. Like if it was pandora's box and now the darkness has to go back inside.

Do you think the black box contents were originally supposed to be revealed in KH3?

Yes, I do. There was an interview with Nomura (Famitsu January 2017) that implied that, too. Here is an excerpt:

Famitsu: The Master appears to be quite the important character, will we find out the reason for his disappearance in [KHIII]?

Nomura: Some of the story developments from [KHxBC] will be touched upon in some way or shape in [KHIII], but the Master won’t make an appearance. As for his “surprise” on the other hand…

Famitsu: By that are you talking about the box that the Master called a “Suprii~se!” and entrusted to Luxu along with the Keyblade? There was also something written on it…

Nomura: The perceptive fan may have already worked it out but, it still remains a secret. In [KHIII], a certain person is looking for that box…

Famitsu: So the box’s contents will be revealed in [KHIII]…

At the time KH Back Cover was released, I think we were supposed to learn what the big "surprise" was inside the black box in KH3, but the story was changed later on. Like with FFXV, the development of KH3 seemed to be a mess and the story was constantly being rewritten late into development.

After reading the Character Files book, I believe there are enough clues to ascertain what was inside the black box. Here is an excerpt from the official localization of Xigbar's short story, entitled, "The Fool":

"Now, as for that box, do you want to know why it's gone? You want to ask something? But there are limits to what I can say right now. It's that difference between knowing and understanding. And, of course, there's the possibility of secrets that no one knows, like the contents of the box. You could say it's a surprise."

"Say, if someone told you the world would end tomorrow, what would you do? Would you think there's nothing you can do about it, or would you try to do something about it? Remember what I said about that black box. No one knows what shade of black it is."

The card that Luxord gives to Sora is the wild card. In the tarot, this is The Fool arcana. In the tarot, The Fool can be placed either at the beginning of the Major Arcana or at the end. It represents new beginnings and is the number 0. It is empty, yet signifies infinite possibilities. Because of this, I believe the box WAS EMPTY. Luxord was told that it contains "hope". And figuratively speaking, it does, because there are infinite possibilities about what's inside. IMO, Xigbar knew that it was empty. But Luxord was desperate for a way to change fate, so he used the black box as a way to convince him to join the New Organization XIII.

Do you see a place it would have fit into the story?

Yes, I think it could have fit. Perhaps Xigbar, bereft of all hope of acquiring the Keyblade, realizes that he had been played for a fool. And with nothing left to lose, he would tell Sora and Riku about the empty box before taking his own life. (Yes, I think Xigbar was actually supposed to die during that scene and his role in the story was done). That is one possibility. Or it could have been shown in a flashback.

At the very least, narratively, I absolutely think it would have made the most sense for the box's contents to be revealed in KH3, and here's why. The box was a red herring. Sora is actually "The Fool". He was the child of destiny, able to change fate, even when the Book of Prophecies had predicted Light would expire.

I thought maybe as a way to defeat the darknesses in their final form since that would be a reason for MoM to want it available in the future. Like if it was pandora's box and now the darkness has to go back inside.

I think that is the right idea. The black box was definitely meant to be a parallel to Pandora's Box. In the myth, all the evils of the world had been let out into the world and all that was left inside the Pandora's Box was hope.

On the black box was written "Xsuper". Superbia=Pride, the deadliest sin/darkness. IMO, the ending of KH3 was meant to convey a certain idea. Eraqus was sure he had won when he confronted Xehanort with the words:

"There’s more to light than meets the eye. As I told you."

It was a reference to the chess game from their childhood where Eraqus told him:

"There’s more to light than meets the eye. You might be surprised".

Eraqus beat him at their chess game, and Xehanort admitted defeat. He told Eraqus that when the world needed a defender, it would choose him. Xehanort probably thought that Eraqus was the child of prophecy. And child Eraqus acts surprised. Now, consider this exchange between Sora and Xehanort:

"The world needs someone to stand up and lead. Someone strong to stop the weak from polluting the world with their endless darkness. Someone to dictate their destiny."

"If so…you’re not that person, Xehanort. A real leader knows destiny is beyond his control…and accepts that."

"You…make me think of an old friend."

How did Sora react when he realized destiny was beyond his control?

"Without them… I… All my strength came from them. They gave me all of it. Alone, I’m worthless. We’ve lost… It’s over."

He GAVE UP!

"What do you think the power of waking is? It’s for traversing hearts to reach worlds. Not for traversing worlds to reach hearts. There’s a high price to pay for wielding such power foolishly."

Objectively speaking, Sora was A FOOL! Vexen's short story really drives this idea home.

The popular idea in the fandom is that Xehanort surrendered because he had been backed into a corner and had no choice but to admit defeat. I disagree. Xehanort had won. He chose to give the X-blade to Sora because he was able to admit defeat. Sora gave Xehanort more hope than Kingdom hearts did. He genuinely believed that Sora deserved to be the world's defender more than himself, because Sora was the person Eraqus was as a child. This action humiliates Eraqus, who then goes on to say:

"Terra, Aqua, Ven. Forgive your foolish teacher."

There's that "Fool" symbolism again.

"The world began in darkness. And from that darkness came light. From the light came the people, and the people had hearts. Evil burgeoned in those hearts, begetting more darkness. And that darkness spread across the world like a plague. The light, the symbol of the world’s hope, was devoured by shadow, leaving nothing but ruin… An utter failure. But the first light—the light of Kingdom Hearts—it can give us a new start. An empty world, pure and bright…"

And here it is again, too. Kingdom Hearts was the world's hope. It is empty, but represents infinite possibilities. It is like the number 0. Just like The Fool. And just like the black box. Ergo, the black box was a key part of KH3's narrative.

Sora would not defeat Xehanort outright; rather he would defeat the pride of Xehanort. A "surprise" ending. I think this idea was not realized because there was too much necessary groundwork for KH3 to cover for this ending to make sense. The stuff with the seven deadly sins/darknesses, the child of destiny, Scala ad Caelum's history, Xehanort's backstory and his relationship with Eraqus, Luxord's backstory and how he knew of the Book of Prophecies, etc.

In August 2016. Nomura said KH3's story was "overwhelmingly big". The KH3 team didn't have time to incorporate all of this plot into the game. I suspect that there was an internal decision at Square-Enix for the KH3 team to just focus on the "bare necessities" like bringing back Roxas and company and to save all of the rest of the main plot for a new story arc. Unfortunately, this left KH3 an unfinished product and not much of a finale.

#kingdom hearts3 #kh meta #kh theories

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