Who doesn’t love Kingdom Hearts? A lot of people actually! It’s the ultimate marmite of video games, you either love it or you hate it since I discovered it during a sick day from school when I was 13 Square Enix’s and Disney’s brain child, it’s sequel and it’s assortment of prequels and handheld games have become one of my favorite franchises, I remember seeing the first screenshots and seeing beloved Disney characters mingling with familiar Final Fantasy characters, I was sold! And I’ve had all sorts of questions thrown my way since then ‘isn’t it for kids?’ ‘Why is Merlin hanging out with Squall from FF8?’ and ‘what’s with the giant key!?!’ It’s a unique and whimsical franchise with an intricate and sometimes insanely confusing story and since Kingdom Heart 2 release in 2006 I’ve been anxiously waiting for Kingdom Hearts 3 for the past decade, so in this article we will be covering the more sombre moments in the games lore. Keep in mind this is all my own personal opinion and of course – SPOILERS AHEAD!
Hayner, Pence and Olette bid Sora farewell – Kingdom Hearts 2
After KH2’s three hour tutorial (you read right) Roxas’ heart is now back with Sora who has now awakened and continues with his journey. Whilst exploring Twilight Town Sora and Co come across Roxas’ close friends Hayner, Pence and Olette and are met with some animosity, however upon leaving the town the three friends somehow felt the urge to bid the trio farewell causing Sora to shed a single tear, letting us no that though they have now merged together, Roxas is still there inside of Sora and is overwhelmed with bidding farewell to the best friends he will ever have. With no idea as to where this outburst has come from Sora pulls himself together and boards the train.
Ventus vs. Vanitas – Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep
There are plenty of people that battle with their inner demons but none more literally than Ventus from prequel Birth by Sleep. At the end of his story he finds himself in one more battle with the embodiment with the darkness in his heart, Vanitas.
With Vanitas warning him that if he should strike him down Ventus’ heart will be shattered and he would become a shell of his former self with Ventus assuring him that if that was the price to pay in order to insure his friends safety then he was willing to pay it defeating his foe and entering a state of permanent sleep.
Aqua and Ansem in The Realm of Darkness – Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep
In the secret ending to Birth by Sleep, Aqua, who has been trapped in the Realm of Darkness for quite some time she eventually finds Ansem the Wise. During their conversation Ansem tells Aqua stories of a young man wielding a keyblade who has saved worlds from descending into darkness. Thinking he is talking about Terra or Ventus her hopes are dashed when Ansem insists that it is someone else. With tears in her eyes Aqua realises who he is talking about and saying to herself with hope in her heart ‘Sora…..’ who she met as a young boy seeing something special in him.
Closing the door to darkness – Kingdom Hearts
The conclusion to the original game finds the trio defeating Ansem and beginning their attempt to close the door to darkness. Sora, Donald and Goofy’s efforts fall short with the mass of heartless flooding through from the other until help arrives from an unlikely source. A reformed Riku and King Mickey Mouse (first of his name) appear helping them pull the door shut from the other side trapping themselves in the realm of darkness in the process, before the door closes Riku gives Sora a simple request, to take care of Kairi however Sora can’t do this as he stays behind in order to begin his search for his missing comrades. This is an extremely bittersweet ending because Sora’s quest for the entire game was in part to find Riku and Kairi coming so close and losing them again.
Sora sacrifices himself for Kairi – Kingdom Hearts
After doing battle with best friend and rival Riku, Sora finally rescues love interest Kairi, in a comatose state and devoid of a heart Sora finds only one way to wake her up, with Kairi’s heart resting inside him the whole time (Daw) Sora takes up Riku’s keyblade and plunges it into his own heart releasing Kairi’s in the process. With Kairi waking up, the first thing she sees is her best friend and love disappear and possibly never to be seen again. The only thing that stops this moment being anymore of a tear jerker is Donald Duck’s cries of ‘COME BACK, SORA!’ because you try keeping a straight face when you hear that voice!
Sora finds Riku – Kingdom Hearts 2
While hacking and slashing their way through the World that Never Was and reuniting with Kairi (AGAIN!) Sora and Co come across what seems to be the previous entries antagonist Ansem the Seeker of Darkness, however upon taking his hand he quickly realises that it is in fact his lost friend Riku, who’s appearance changed when he gave into the darkness dwelling in his heart. At this point Sora drops to his knees in a flood of tears telling him ‘I looked everywhere for you’ a line so simple but drives the point home in epic fashion and leaves a lump in my throat everytime.
Honourable Mentions:
Terra’s ending – Birth by Sleep
Sora sees Namine and Xion – Dream Drop Distance
Xion’s Death – 358/2 days
Agree with my choices? Or is there something I missed that you think deserves mentioning? Feel free to sound off in the comment section below.
