#also I LOVE Naminé??????

[shibee-inu]

I wish that I knew / What makes you think I'm so special

[bitternace]

evil art style w/nams :)

[ID: a digital drawing of two busts of naminé, from kingdom hearts depicted in different styles, in a light yellow background. the one on the left with a dark lineart has detailed nose, mouth, shaggier hair, and soft shadowing. the other on the right has color lineart, detailed eyes with frontal lashes, a less prominent nose, thinner brows, harsher shadowing, and is slightly more cartoony in nature. naminé is depicted with sectional heterochromia on either eye, her left eye has a bigger brown section with the right eye has a bigger dark purple section. the left bust is pointed at with "regular style" in cursive and the right one with ""evil" art style" in capital block letters. /End ID.]

[starlightwayfinder]

Are there any fics you'd love to write but just haven't had time to yet? (Or characters you'd love to write about but haven't had the chance?)

On a slightly different note: I also really loved your Thor comic, and I didn't know if you had like...any additional thoughts on it you'd like to share, haha.

My writer’s block has been… bad (but not for lack of trying on my part!)

I wrote 3000 words of a Terra fic, but something was off and I never quite figured it out. It’s still a premise I might come back to eventually, so I won’t give too much away, but I will say it involves him meeting Ansem the Wise. (And now I’m wondering if I could find a way to work Tron into the story too..hmm)

I also have a (mostly-finished) fic about Naminé and Roxas spending time with Hayner, Pence, and Olette post-KH3, but I honestly forgot about it until now..oops. 

I want to write another Halloween story this year, but the inspiration hasn’t hit me yet. We’ll see.

(I hope whatever possessed me after Dark Road’s finale comes back when ML comes out, haha. I’d love to be writing lots of short stories again!)

Yes!! Thor may have started as a joke character, but I have so many thoughts about him and that comic.

Like the Master says, Thor’s existence doesn’t change things too much. He tries to help Baldr after learning Hoder died, but doesn’t understand enough to stop him in time. His death doesn’t change much either, since Baldr fails to take thirteen lives either way. So really there’s just… one more person now. It’s not something the Master has to interfere with, but it’s enough to pique his curiosity. 

As people pointed out, the comic was pretty “meta”. I wouldn’t say the Master knows about us specifically, but he’s figured out that ‘fictional’ and ‘real’ worlds impact each other. Fictional things create emotions in real people, real people create emotions in fictional people. But no one seriously considers that impact, or the consequences of it. (And of course, everyone likes to think their side is the “real” one… In this scenario, it’s relative.)

I also have some random headcanons about Thor:

He sits in the front row next to Hermod, diagonal from Baldr (who would’ve liked to sit next to him, but never found a way to ask.) 

He got Keyblade armor along with the others before departing. His is gold and orange.

Since they were told to go in groups of three, there were some jokes about leaving Eraqus behind. (Eraqus gets very distressed thinking they’re going to go to the outside worlds without him!)

Interestingly, Thor is the only character who never teases Eraqus. It’s a nod to his  kind nature.

Thor and Eraqus are typically the cheeriest characters. When you pick Thor as a party member, the story has a slightly different vibe. 

He’s well liked by all of the other students: Studious enough to get along with Hermod and Urd, but playful enough to be friends with Eraqus and Vor. (And sensitive enough that Baldr and Xehanort don’t mind spending time with him either.) 

Everyone expects the heir is most likely going to be Vidar, Thor, or Eraqus.

The upper classmen try to recruit him, but like Urd, he refuses.

As far as everyone knows (Thor included), he’s been there the whole time. Occasionally Xehanort gets a slightly “off” feeling around him, but it disappears like deja vu and he never thinks much of it.

[blue-eli]

Thinking about Kairi & Sora but mainly Kairi and going insane. Girl you have so many issues

[ajdrawshq]

@ your tags on my post, i am shaking you like a maraca and yelling "YESSSSS"

i wanna see how kh3 tackles that whole thing because it's so eerily similar to what happens in the manga. and in the manga, he is in so much pain and agony, AND HE'S STILL FIGHTING. ROXAS IS THERE WITH HIM, HIS ONLY COMPANION, and then kh3 just tripped and fell on the glass table.

also, i think about this constantly, i want them to do something with it so bad.

YEA i cant wait to see the rest of kh3 manga chapters and how they handle everything, i especially loved the manga versions for days and kh2 and the way their stories were told - even tho kh3 has a Lot going on that might be hard to show well.. amano's been good at it so far tho so i have faith :]

but yeah that whole thing with Roxas is just . oughh. im not gonna lie even i forgot that Roxas was like. still there with Sora when he perishes until i thought abt it writing those tags but now that ive realized that. why the hell did they not take advantage of that!!!! like ok i get that it was more focused on the destiny trio in the ways i talked abt in the tags but yknow. what happened to "he makes up the difference"?? that wouldve been a great moment for it to shine!! ik they already make an example of it during the Xemnas n Saïx fight but still!!

part of me wishes Roxas couldve have more outward influence on Sora the way Ven did. granted, he arguably had an affect on Sora back in kh2, and while i dont remember if it was canon or even intended, that could be applied to both his appearance (his lighter hair, mostly) and his behavior (his hostility towards the organization members; ive seen this argued both as smth Roxas had influence over and purely based on Soras experiences thus far, and i believe in both personally) but Ven in kh3 was literally able to speak and somewhat act through him. im pretty sure this was meant to show that Ven was fully ready to awaken or smth like that, and that wasnt sonething that was needed for Roxas; hes alright, just needed a body/vessel for himself. but i still think itd be a cool way to express the earlier sentiment. and it wouldnt necessarily have to be Roxas "taking over" either, the manga shows very well how Roxas gives Sora strength from within and that he definitely does make a difference

to be fair tho...... whether that wouldve helped Sora in the moment that he gives in to his despair, im not sure. in kh2, both manga and game, hes in a very different mindset than kh3. in that part of the manga especially, despite thinking everyone (except Roxas) is gone for good, he still has the belief that they can live on within him. and that, plus the literal strength hes getting from Roxas, is keeping him going despite it all. in kh3 his self confidence is beyond fucked, and he truly believes in that moment that hes lost Everything, not just his friends. thats hard to come back from

i wonder if he were to remember that Roxas were still there, if that wouldve helped. whether for comfort in the way that hes not really alone then, or for motive to keep living bc if he dies then Roxas is gone too, or whatever reason, i think it couldve changed something, even if its just a little bit. hell, itd have been great if something like that happened afterwards in the final world. id like to think Roxas had a hand in Sora surviving ..... not sure how but its a nice thought. either way i do wish Sora n Roxas' connection and that moment they have in san fransokyo had more....... More. in kh3. it was a great opportunity that they didnt use/forgot about n im now sad abt it forever

[happybunnykat]

I think Roxas and Xion deserve to beat the shit out of everyone ever with no consequences.

[allykakamatsu]

A Mondstat Wedding

"No I do not love the groom, in my heart, there is no room!"

"For I oh so love the groom, all my thoughts, he does consume!"

Since it's the Christmas season, thought now was as good of a time as any to explain what happens during the Dragonspine part of the AU. Well, the first part is mostly the same but the second, oh boy. So, long story short, instead of the original plot, we're doing a Canterlot wedding! (blame me having to watch my sisters while they were watching F.i.M and me getting ideas)

For me explaining this chaotic plotline, look under cut-

As for more specifics, basically Kaeya and Albedo, who have been engaged for a while, are finally tying the knot! (I am Kaebedo trash sue me-). Things are going well, however Albedo is acting pretty weird, and while most chalk it up to nerves, Rosaria decides something's up and asks Naminé for help. She agrees as Albedo did fill her in on the whole 'they could destroy Mondstat' thing so she checks their memories and realises this isn't the real Albedo, it's Whopperflower Albedo!

The two try to run back to Mondstat to warn everyone, however Whopperbedo caught on and tosses them both to the bottom of Starglow Cavern where the real Albedo is tied up. After Naminé makes sure this is the real one the trio has to race back to Mondstat to stop the wedding before Kaeya marries a killer plant. Fortunately they do, but less fortunately Whopperbedo is a sore looser so a fight breaks out, and while the group wins the church is kinda trashed. Still, the two loveable idiots still get married, Albedo tells Naminé and Rosaria about Subject 2 incase this ever happens again, and all is well for now. (Bennett caught the bouquet in case you were curious. Granted it caught on fire right after but it still counts-)

[aro-sora]

Do you have any opinions/ideas about aro Naminè?

She is a close character to my heart, and i always headcanoned as her being an aromantic type, but rarely ever see others having this interpretation (disclaimer that im not really in kh fandom circles tho)

Perhaps its partially because i see myself in her, as an aro/ace quiet person who'd rather be behind the scenes and likes to draw. But i always saw her as somebody who is not attracted or interested in romance, and cares deeply and intimately about her friends while beeing a big introvert.

I think you would be a nice blog to have headcanons or ideas about this interperetation of her! If you do not mind answering this ask- i would love to hear your thoughts! Ty and have a nice day, aros rule forever!!! 💚

Aro Naminé!!! Sadly I haven't seen much for this interpretation but it's a very good one! I wrote a drabble about her being aro! (it's angsty though)

I love exploring aromanticism with the Nobodies bc its such an interesting way to think about relationships and feelings when you don't have a heart and literally can't feel anything. I definitely see her as wanting platonic relationships above all else because of how lonely her life is (which she gets! thank you kh3 ending!)

For a more angsty angle I could see her wanting romance but also thinking she's incapable of love as a Nobody, but then after kh3 she meets more people who geninuely care for her and realizes there are more types of love than romantic. She's not a lesser person for not feeling romantic attraction!

She is a very quiet and introverted character so I'd think she'd have a smaller friend group that she is super close with (or maybe not so small based on the number of kh main characters there are and I want Nami to interact with them all 😅) I could see her confusing crushes and squishes or some other type of attraction. maybe aesthetic attraction since she's into art and she could end up liking figure drawing

For my aro headcanons I always have a difficult time deciding if I want them to be partnering or nonpartnering. Nonpartnering aro Naminé is great as she develops her own heart she knows she is a complete person all on her own! But I also really like queerplatonic relationships for her (qpr rokunamixi my beloved). Or since her origin as part of Kairi is so bizarre Naminé could have a strong qpr with her since its outside of what platonic relationships usually are (who else would care for you more deeply than yourself? I know a lot of people like them as sisters but there's so many ways their relationship could be interpreted. They're family, yes, but in a deeply queer way. Queerfamilial if you will. The only instance of soulmates that i'm interested in honestly)

Speaking of Kairi, KH makes for great opportunities for comparisons between characters. Like if Kairi isn't aro how does Naminé feel about originally being part of her but not anymore and also aro now. Or maybe Kairi is also aro so they bond over that

Besides aromantic I don't think I have a specific microlabel for her. Whether it's demiromantic, grayro, lithro, or anything you could convince me on it. I also like making headcanons out of what flag colors look good with a character so I also like pan Nami. Girl needs some color! Give her some garish yellows pinks and blues! She could be panalterous or pansexual but I also like aroace. So hard to choose sometimes 😭

Thank you for the ask! I am always happy to talk about aro headcanons!

[starfiresky]

you do requests?

Heck yeah! I am taking requests for a while :)

Won’t be drawing anything that makes me uncomfortable, though, just thought you should know! 😎

[gonguji]

already poked rae about it but!! i'm so happy to have wanlette on my team. wan does all the climbing, flying while his husband swims, kills stuff for him!!

[cloudofash]

The Ariel / Riku Parallel and the future of Sora and Riku

This is a parallel I see covered a lot of the time but when it's mentioned the comparison usually involves Naminé in place of Ursula.

The parallel typically follows:

Ariel is Riku. They both wanted to see the outside world.

Sora is Prince Eric.

Naminé is/was Ursula (Vanessa).

Naminé (Ursula) used witch like powers to place Sora (Eric) in a trance and blind him from his true light/the one, Riku (Ariel).

It's a direct parallel that needs little analysis or explanation.

I have also seen fellow Sorikus touch on this parallel with the Final World tunnel scene where Sora notices that the Light is Riku much like Eric notices "the one" who sang to him and saved him in the storm is Ariel.

My theory is that this parallel goes beyond just the tunnel scene. In fact, I believe that Nomura is following the KH2 Atlantica storyline for Sora and Riku's eventual romance later in the games. Walk with me here.

-

The KH2 Atlantica story begins with Ariel saving Eric after a storm. She immediately falls in love, and sings to him. He wakes up just enough to hear her singing, she goes back to Atlantica and her father breaks her statue of him, her heart breaks and Ursula makes her contract with her...you know the tale.

In the KH2 version of this tale however, Ariel falls into a deep depression because she knows she can't be with a human up on land as a mermaid. Not to mention her father's hatred of humans casted fear and doubt into her. When Ariel and Eric defeat Ursula, Ariel reveals to Eric that she is actually a mermaid. However in this scene, Ariel hangs her head in shame and tells him "goodbye" anticipating that he would not accept her as she was. To her surprise, he does accept her.

This scene always struck me because at no point in the original film is Ariel ever ashamed of being a mermaid, she simply knew as a mermaid she couldn't live on land with the one she loved. Why would shame and fear of not being accepted for who you are be added to this tale?

And it doesn't stop there. All throughout the Atlantica storyline, we're told that Ariel and Eric's love is a "forbidden love". A love that shouldn't happen between mermaid and human, sea and land. We're told how a "love struck" mermaid in the sea felt she could only love her human soulmate from afar, that they could never be together despite her wanting them to be.

Who, in the entire Kingdom Hearts cast, does this sound like? Who else, if confirmed that he truly is in love with Sora, would have a forbidden love?

There is no one else other than Riku. Kai*ri, as a cishet female, would not have a forbidden love with Sora. Riku, as a demi/gay male, would have the forbidden love.

Riku has spent a good portion of this series loving and protecting Sora from afar, most often than not, without Sora even being aware.

Who would be more likely to be "ashamed" for loving Sora, and fearful of rejection? Kai*ri, or Riku? In fact, just as Ariel was ashamed that she was originally a mermaid and had to transform into a human, Riku was ashamed that he had to borrow the powers of Ansem and transformed into Ansem.

--

Now why do I say this parallel is going to dictate the future of Sora and Riku's relationship? Because KH3 pretty much follows half of this parallel already.

We already know that Sora discovered that Riku was his true light in the tunnel. He then forgets all of this ever happened and forgets that he ever saved Riku.

And not only that, but Riku's light is blocked out and Sora ends up thinking that the light belongs to another character.

That's right. Sora (Prince Eric) has yet another haze over his eyes. And instead of Naminé, this time Kairi is Ursula.

This is an exact parallel of not only Atlantica, but of what happened in Chain of Memories with Naminé.

Naminé describes herself as a witch who controls the memories of Sora and everyone surrounding him.

Naminé is Ka*iri's Nobody, also described as her "alter ego". Vanessa is in a way Ursula's human alter ego, they're one in the same.

Ka*iri, most likely, has a similar power. She may not use it consciously, but whenever Sora turns his focus on Ka*iri, he forgets all about Riku. This has happened since KH1.

Ursula used her power to make Eric forget about Ariel, the girl who saved him and sang to him. Let's also not forget that Ursula made an appearance in Dream Drop Distance when Sora and Riku were building their dream raft.

We're following the Ariel parallel, just a bit out of order. We're past the point of Ariel's (Riku's) depression. We're past the point of Ariel makes a contract with Ursula to transform into a human / Riku making a contract with Ansem to transform into Ansem. We're at the point where Prince Eric is tricked by Ursula / Sora realized who his light is but forgot and is currently under the false impression that Kai*ri is his true light.

Memory of Melody aside, KH3 is the most recent major title in the series. KH2 happened way back in 2005 and Nomura is STILL referencing it. This tells me this parallel is not concluded nor going away, rather, it's building up. Which means, we will eventually reach the conclusion of this parallel.

Prince Eric finding the one. Sora finding his light.

Every Disney parallel thus far has either reached a conclusion, or is still ongoing (such as the Riku / Hercules and self sacrifice for love). I highly doubt this parallel will be dropped before its conclusion, unless Disney or some Square execs drop the hammer on it and either force Prince Sora to be with Kai*ri instead of Riku or force Sora into some "power of friendship" spiel. Or if Nomura's hands get sweaty and he remembers the pressures of homophobia in society and ends up fearing the anger of the fanbase for pushing an LGBTQ romance. So although I genuinely believe it's Nomura's intention to pair Sora and Riku given the buildup of their relationship over the longevity of this series, and the Disney couple parallels between the two, he may end up cracking and decide against pursuing it.

Given that Riku in the Novels all but confirmed Sora is his light and love and Nomura approved it, I'm hoping that he has the confidence in his tale to propel this love into the mainline titles. Nomura DID say that the series has taken a directional shift, this may be the shift he's referring to all along.

----

So what would a Soriku love look like in future titles? Well let's look at the portion of the Atlantica parallel not explored yet.

Ariel returned Prince Eric's pendant. The Crown Necklace theory and Shooting Star Memory has yet to be addressed. Perhaps at some point in Quadratum Sora loses his crown necklace, Riku finds it and returns it to him triggering the both of them to finally address the Crown Necklace with Sora remembering that Riku is the one who gave it to him in the first place. Sora remembering that Riku was the light in the darkness and not Kai*ri is now a new plot point needing to be addressed. Just as Eric realized Ariel was the one he was looking for all along, he declared his love for her. Sora will eventually realize Riku was the one he's been searching for all his life and will probably apologize for not realizing it sooner.

Not to mention the Hercules parallel of self sacrifice for true love has also yet to be addressed on Sora's end. He's still figuring out what love is and what love means. Both the Ariel-Eric and Hercules-Meg parallels end with a confession of love. That confession may just be how Kingdom Hearts ends.

Additional Note: Do I think there will be a Soriku kiss? Maybe, but it most likely won't happen in-game.

I instead believe that Soriku will be confirmed with a koibito tsunagi - an interlocking hand hold that roughly translates to "lover's connection". Nomura and other Square Enix devs have used this before, especially in FF7 Remake when Aerith takes Cloud's hand and interlocks his fingers with hers (on their date towards the end of the game), further confirming her feelings for him. It's a subtle way of showing a character's affection and I think it will be fitting for both Sora and Riku.

[xekutozoren]

Dumb Doodlepad

idk, ish pretty random ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 

Some ideas I had in an AU where KH3 wasn't a mess, Sora didn't disappear, and our heroes go on missions in their local team headed by Master Aqua. Lea slept in and Naminé is fixing something behind the scenes. That's the excuse I'm going with for them not being in the group shot. - 3- And Sephiroth's there. Bc this is the Aquaroth AU keke

I had originally planned to do fully coloured pieces for all of these but just lost motivation along the way and wasn't really enjoying it. But I also didn't want to just let them sit there so this is what you get.

This is Kairi admiring byootiful and graceful Master Aqua. Aqua deserves more in-verse recognition in general, the poor thing. Despite Kairi getting pretty much screwed over by the games, she was at least made out to be super important.

I don't know if anyone pointed this out but this was my first reaction to hearing Aqua's theme. I thought Square Enix was gonna do something cool and link the two characters somehow but they didn't even interact so... lost opportunity. Again. I also just realised Roxas is way too tall here. Ah well, he's standing on a rock or something, idk

And finally, the two coloured pieces. Why am I putting them at the very bottom where people are less likely to see if they don't expand the post, you ask? Well, frankly, I don't think it makes much of a difference given my low note counts. :P

Some Ven and Aqua appreciation! Because Ven loves his blueberry mamma and could stand to show it more. There's also very little artwork of the two together so I felt the need to do something about that. I'm imagining him being clingy to her here after she starts to get more attention.

Aaaand my favourite piece!

Xion being a sweetie and wanting to befriend Sephiroth after noticing he's a bit of a loner when Aqua's not present. Her two bodyguards are behind her being dorks.

Thank you for reading and viewing all the way to the end~ \(>w <)

Credits for MMD backgrounds:

edRevolutionnaire

Square Enix & Disney

Vianesta

Hallow

[aitsuheart]

When talking about Kairi I always thought she should interact with more characters because it could lead to some interesting interactions, but then I realized a lot of characters don't interact enough out of their small little groups.

Kairi only interacts with Sora mainly, sometimes with Riku, and then she is given some nice interactions with Axel which I really like.

Then we have Riku he mainly interacts with Sora, a tiny bit with Kairi, some with Mickey, and a bit with Terra but it's still not enough. Oh and he had a tiny conversation with Naminé in COM.

Ventus only interacts with Terra, Aqua, and Vanitas. Oh and somewhat with Sora too. It would be nice to see him interact with Roxas since they look alike or even Axel because they could have been friends like the interaction in BBS. Him and Kairi would also have good intentions because they are both only light.

Aqua doesn't interact outside her trio either, but she probably will interact with Kairi more. I hope we actually get to see her interact with Kairi along with some of the Twilight Town Trio.

Naminé actually interacts with a bit more characters however it's not that much. She talks with Roxas on nobodies, she talks to Xion, and then she talks a bit to Riku and Sora as well.

I'm just going to say most characters interact with Sora. Sora is the character that interacts with everyone and binds them all together besides the fact they have a common goal.

Even in organization 13, several of the members don't interact. I would have loved to see Vanitas interact with Dark Riku. It would be nice to see Vanitas interact with the other members of Organization 13. Marluxia and Larxene basically only interact with each other too.

There are so many other characters and examples but I would love a lot more interactions for more characters.

[phoenix-downer]

Leftover sales are open for @twosidesfanzine! Check out the store for a variety of bundle and à la carte options featuring SoKai and Rokunami.

I wrote this diary entry from Naminé’s POV about she and Roxas visiting Dwarf Woodlands and meeting Snow White and the seven dwarfs. Then I thought about what story Sora and Kairi might have in this world, and given how many times they have rescued each other from death, the two of them reflecting on that and comforting each other when they stumble upon Snow White’s glass coffin felt fitting.

A big thank you to @valiantmade and @amyhayanora for making the graphics, @scoobysnack1107 for doing the layout, and Callieopes for creating the apple dumplings recipe ❤️ I was also inspired by the art spread by Sakuraloid for the world visit 🍎🍏

Text of the diary entry is below the cut:

Dear Diary,

Today Roxas and I went to this lovely forested world called Dwarf Woodlands. It’s where Snow White and Prince Florian live. Her seven dwarf friends all live there too in this adorable cottage in the woods. They had us over for tea, and Snow White baked the most delicious apple dumplings for us to try. They had this tasty green pandan sauce drizzled over them. I can’t wait to make them again when we get home!

After that, we danced with Snow White, Prince Florian, the dwarfs, and a bunch of woodland animals! They adore Snow White and always come when she calls. Also, the dwarfs all cheered when Roxas and I danced together and showed us some new moves. We all had so much fun.

We met up with Sora and Kairi later on. They were in the woods exploring and found the glass coffin the dwarfs put Snow White in when the evil queen poisoned her. When we found them, it felt like we were interrupting a private moment. They were kneeling by the coffin and Sora was cupping Kairi’s face, and I think I saw tears in their eyes.

They both hide their grief so well that you wouldn’t know sometimes Sora died. But when they’re alone like that, I think they do take the time to grieve. I’m just glad they’re both back safe and sound. We almost lost Kairi for good, and then to lose Sora for so long? It was awful. Siri open Siri open photos

That’s why we’re going on this world tour though. To celebrate being alive and being together. I’m looking forward to the next world. We’ve made so many happy memories with each other, and I can’t wait to see what tomorrow has in store.

Naminé

[briefobservationdreamer]

The Beach

What I love most about the beach party at the end of KH3 is the fact that not only is everyone finally happy and having fun after so much hardship, but no-one is sticking rigidly to their previously defined friendship groups. Not only can that limit personal growth to define someone by their relationship with one or two people (especially notable for the trios), but it is also something that has hurt many of these characters in the past. Riku and Isa felt cut out and replaced when their friend joined a trio they were excluded from. The wayfinders had a limited perspective on life due to growing up in isolation and being raised and trained to be keyblade wielders under rigid dogmatic beliefs.

Here, there is none of that. Instead, people are branching out from their original friendship groups, expanding their horizons and building other connections on their own terms that they can grow and learn from.

Riku sees Terra again, is on friendlier terms with Roxas, and the three have a race together.

Xion and Naminé get to interact under much better circumstances and collect seashells.

Lea, Isa and Ven have fun together playing with Lea's frisbees after over a decade.

Before, they were a collection of friendship groups who were mostly personally concerned for the other members of their group and for the greater good, united only by the goal to defeat a common enemy.

Now they are a community.

I hope we get to see more unorthodox friendships in this big cast of characters, especially for characters like Aqua, Terra, Naminé, Isa and Ienzo who don't really have many friends and would likely have difficulty making them (especially Naminé, Isa and Ienzo). It would do them in particular a lot of good to expand their social circles. Just like how it was important for Riku to have friends besides Sora and found one with Mickey, or how its important for Roxas and Xion to have friends more their own age like Hayner, Pence and Olette.

[scouting4love]

Please talk about it so bad this tangent sounds so interesting

Omg... I will go on my bipolar, brain rot rant for you 🫵

I do think that Roxas & Riku are really good narrative foils for each other, especially at the end of Days, tragically so! I think it's also looked over and brushed off quite a bit, my reason being that, in the game, Roxas and Riku only interact once on a meaningful level and that's the fight at the end.

Days, as a game, is about the emotions that make us human. Throughout the game, Xion and Roxas see things like love (Beast's Castle), friendship (Aladdin), and experience those things along with sorrow, desperation, etc. On the flip side, Riku is "real", he was never split in half. He doesn't have to learn all of those things and he knows what he's feeling; e.g. when Xion tries to cut him deep and asks if Riku hates her and Riku answers with "No, I'm just sad." (He's so fucking emo during this game.)

Riku also has a purpose during this game and that is to wake Sora up. He's working with Naminé and DiZ to do so. Roxas is collecting hearts for "kingdom hearts" so everyone in the organization can be "complete again." Throughout the whole game, we read in his diary, hear him talk to his friends, and hear in his inner thoughts that he doesn't know what the fuck that means. He doesn't know what a heart is, he doesn't know what having a heart means, and he doesn't know why he's doing what he's doing. He just knows he was given an 8-8 blue collared job, a roof over his head, and he's part of a cult now.

Personality wise, during the game, Roxas is very curious and sweet. He wants to know more about having a heart, he's always concerned when his friends are hurt, and he's always trying to cheer them up. His temper does flare (especially concerning Saïx) and he's a shit talker. At the end of the game, he is fucking PISSED, as is his right! One of his friends has been lying through his teeth to him, the other is dead due to work place negligence, no one is telling him the truth, and he wants answers! Riku is in what I like to call his "Zoloft Era" because he needs it. Since he's gotten, basically groomed in the first game, dealt with all the shit in Castle Oblivion during CoM (watching his clone die and killing people), and now he has to put up with DiZ's grown ass throwing a hissy fit, he has mellowed out considerably. He makes level headed decisions, like giving Xion time to decide on what she wants to do and has confidence that she will do what's right and doesn't pressure her. He also doesn't shit talk like he does in the first game, he has learned his lesson.

So, at the end of the game, when it all comes to a head, it does so in the saddest fucking way. Roxas understandably upset because his best friend just fucking died and he's the only one who even remembers her (sound familiar?) is going to destroy "kingdom hearts". If he does that, he's gonna get his ass kicked! He's acting on sheer impulse and anger but can you blame him? He's 15. DiZ tells Riku that the only way to get Sora to wake up is to bring Roxas over so Riku leaves to do that and he stops Roxas before he gets to the castle where they fight. When Riku asks what Roxas is doing and he tells him, Riku can remember Xion but just barely like how he can remember Sora just barely but she's slipping away. Riku understands what Roxas is trying to do but he can't let him go through with it.

The end of the fight is the most important part, in my opinion. Roxas beats Riku's ass twice, breaks his fucking wrist, and is sick of his shit. He also shit talks Riku which Riku does not participate in. Riku knows what he has to do at this point and takes off his blindfold, accepting the darkness in his heart, and taking on the appearance of the man who possessed him in the first game. Doing this, allows Riku to win and they put Roxas in the VR Twilight Town. The whole reason Riku won is from taking off the blindfold, by resigning himself to looking like Ansem, Seeker of Darkness. He is willing to give up his sense of self, his identity, his existence, just to get his best friend to wake up. Roxas isn't willing to, isn't able to do that and that's why he lost.

Roxas' character is about identity, personhood, what makes a person a person. "I feel this, so surely I exist, so surely I am meant to be here." The things he is being told, i.e. you're not supposed to have a heart, you're not supposed to feel, don't line up with what he is experiencing and he has to find out what it means to "be" by himself. That's what being a person is, figuring things out, finding out things for yourself, finding out who you are, what you are supposed to be. It is inherently selfish and there is nothing wrong with that, I think it's good for his character. The problem is that it's a double edge sword, it is his ultimate downfall. "My heart belongs to me."

Riku's character is about sacrifice. We have seen it plenty of times throughout the whole game series. He puts himself in the realm of darkness, he spends a whole year trying to wake Sora up, he becomes Sora's dreameater, he sacrifices himself for Sora in KH3 (gay ass). The point is, he is a protector. He puts himself in harms way without a second thought for the sake of his friends. He doesn't want to look like his fucking groomer from the first game but if it'll help his friend, he's gonna fucking do it! "To protect the things that matter."

I think the line, "Forgive me, Roxas," is probably one of the most heartbreaking in Days and it's so so so so depressing that it's not in the game (it's in the manga). If they had put it in the game it would be more clear that they are narrative foils and give the audience more sympathy to Riku's character. In the end, both of them just want to save their best friends but Riku knows he has to take away what Roxas is fighting for not only himself but for Xion as well. He doesn't want to, he's fucking 16 but in the end, he is willing and able to give up is personhood to save the thing he cares about most. Even though Roxas wants to save Xion, he is unwilling to give up his agency and as an audience, technically as Roxas' friends (cause we have been playing the game and reading his diary, etc.), we understand that he had every reason to fight. We also understand that Sora needs to wake up and we understand why Riku needs to do what he needs to do. It's kind of a lose lose because both of them don't end up on top at the end of the game either. Riku may have won, yet he gave up the thing that Roxas was fighting for, his agency, his personhood, his sense of self and identity but he got his best friend back in the end. Roxas lost and had to go back to Sora but ended up keeping himself separated (as we see in kh2 and DDD) but he lost his best friend in the process. They are really good narrative foils and I don't think it is talked about enough..!!