#because the ending of kingdom hearts iii made it seem like fate is literally constantly tearing them apart for some reason

[oveliagirlhaditright]

I was thinking the other night, that for some reason I could see Kingdom Hearts ending this way:

The entire story wrapped up (somehow) and everyone finally getting their happy ending. And we actually get to see Sora and the gang finally fully living out their lives and dying happily (think the beginning of Up). And that's the last thing we see before a black screen.

Nomura said once that he was trying to think of a way to end the series so no one could ever continue it, which I get. It's his baby that he's been working on for a large number of years now. I could understand why he wouldn't want someone coming in someday to continue it and potentially ruin it in his eyes.

But then we get some after credits scene where it becomes clear that Sora's been reincarnated into a new life, now that reincarnation is a thing in this series. (But, like, this wouldn't be a way to continue the story. Because things have so very much been wrapped up--like there are no Keyblades, Heartless, Nobodies, Unversed, Dream Eaters or what have you anymore; and this is a new Sora in a new life, and who knows how much like old!Sora he is. He's exactly like old!Sora, but shh. If you were to continue the story--and really, you shouldn't--you'd have to come up with a completely new premise, pretty much.) And you just know that he's going to find his friends, who have been reincarnated into new lives, too.

That way the series ends with a sense of hope and a new beginning, almost.

Not that the ending itself wouldn't have had that sense of hope, in a sense. It would have been a happy ending, at least (however, I can see people being sad that we see the crew die, even though we got to see them living the happy, full lives they'd more than earned).

But Sakaguchi when he created Final Fantasy said that one of the most important things to him with the series, was that whatever happened in the hours before, he always wanted Final Fantasy games to end with a sense of hope for the future: where it seemed like things could always get better. And that's something that Nomura carried over to the Kingdom Hearts series when he created it.

And I feel like such an ending might have that kind of feeling, and might be something he would do. And this does seem to tick off all his boxes of what he's going for with the ending (that we know so far) to me. -shrugs-

[the-blue-sandglass]

A SophBot’s Thoughts: Kingdom Hearts III - Why Yen Sid is Human Trash

Ah, we’ve been here before. 

But yes, as of kH3, I’ve grown to dislike this asshat. Here’s why! :D

So, how do we stop Xehanort? DO EXACTLY AS HE SAYS!

Now, this one isn’t as bothersome to me - though I do question it. I could be wrong and it might have been stated somewhere why exactly the heroes had to form the Seven Keyblade Wielders of Light to begin with, but none that I could recall - but if there is, feel free to correct me. I’m just going off what I know and remember.

Why did they have to be formed with that specific number? Why in story did they have to go as that group against that group? It’s doing exactly what Xehanort wants them to, and sure enough, how does everyone react when doing as he was wanting them to means he only needs one key left to forge the X-blade?

Who thought that was a good idea!? There were other ways of dealing with Xehanort, at least at the time. Why not go after one at a time? Why not have some people (LEA) use non-Keyblade weapons so that the ‘fated clash’ doesn’t occur? 

Granted, Xehanort being Xehanort, likely would and could have ended up turning the tides so that there was no other choice but to fight him under those circumstances. But when he hasn’t done that yet, why make it easier for him to complete his plans?

Technically this could have went for all of the main heroes, but I’m looking at Yen Sid specifically for this because he’s meant to be the one guiding them. He should know that doing this has a high risk, if not an 100% chance of helping Xehanort’s plans! 

Thanks for the reminder! Not like he went through it...oh WAIT.

Now, I could discuss quite heavily whether or not Sora should have been failed for his Mark of Mastery, and there’s arguments for both sides. So that’ll be a discussion for another day. But my issue doesn’t lie there, even though holding something so important like a Mark of Mastery with a separate conflict while not making sure there wasn’t outer factors kicking in is sketchy to me, but again, I don’t know how it all works so I can’t say for sure he had a way of knowing.

My issue lies with how Yen Sid speaks to Sora about the events of DDD.

Take this one here, as I'm gonna tear it apart.

“Your Mark of Mastery exam was conducted in the hopes you would acquire the power to wake them. However, the darkness nearly took control of you, and your grasp of your new abilities leaves much to be desired. Furthermore, Xehanort nearly made you his vessel, and in the process stripped you of most of the power you had gained by then. I suspect you have already noticed this, correct?”

Sora already knows all of this. I’d get telling somebody like Kairi this, as she wasn’t there for the exam and wouldn’t have known about it until someone told her about it.

Of course he’s noticed this! It would be impossible for him not to. So why the hell would you reinforce it, it’s like rubbing salt in a wound that’s still open.

And I get telling new players about this - but one...why would a new player start with what’s labelled as at least the third game? Especially since the PS4 (which a majority of players are likely to have) has a game that offers the first game, Chain of Memories, what’s basically a cutscene compilation of 385/2 Days, Kingdom Hearts II, Birth by Sleep, what’s basically a cutscene compilation of Re:coded, and the same console also has 2.8, which offers Dream Drop Distance, A Fragmentary Passage and a movie of X Back Cover. It’s not that difficult to figure out what happened last time, especially when KH3′s been hyped enough to be the grand finale of the Dark Seekers arc. 

But, that aside, why does Yen Sid have to remind someone who went through the traumatic experience about what he went through and how it’s impacted him as if he’s an outsider who had little involvement with it? Story-wise, how in god’s name is that remotely helpful!?

Speaking of not being too helpful...

Did Yen Sid get amnesia about who Terra was?

Like, I don’t want to offend anyone who’s a fan of Lea. I really don’t. I like the guy too! He’s funny, he’s cool, he’s got some great lines, I’m fond of his friendship with Kairi in the game, his interactions with Isa in this game are also wonderful. Butttt...I feel he was sort of forced into this role that he wasn’t really made for to begin with. Something tells me between DDD and III they swapped some roles about...namely because of this line that I mentioned before.

Those three missing friends being, as I've said, Ven, Aqua and Terra. And yet...most people just kinda ignore the latter exists in this game, and as someone who’s actually quite fond of him, it’s quite sad. He’s namely spoken of by Aqua and Ventus when they come back, and Sora for a brief moment. If Mickey does, I can’t remember when.

But to an extent, I can sort of understand, Lea being around and having a Keyblade as well as the help he’s offered so far, he’s an easier option to have at the time of the game’s events. I just feel Terra would have fitted better thematically - what a better way to conclude his character arc by having him return to the side of the light to help fight against the man who hurt so many and wronged him so much? Alas, we don’t get to see...well, much of any of that. I know that’s more of a general writing problem, but I thought I'd note it here as very few in this game seem to really care about the guy anymore, Yen Sid included, especially since it’s not the first time he does something like that, and the fact that he didn’t really bother to state outright that Xehanort could be up to something suspicious (all he says is that he may be linked to the Unversed, and in that case, you could say Ven is too, say what you mean!) And as for not caring about him in general, see the scene in Birth by Sleep when Aqua is in the Mysterious Tower after Ven’s heart shatters and Terra disappears.

Amateur Hour

Onto something in a similar vein - why send two Keyblade warriors in when they have all the time in the world to train and become powerful, and when they’re clearly not ready and one of them has next to no serious battle experience? Xehanort’s relying on the heroes to fall into the seven lights category, so why not get everyone as powerful as possible? That way even if the X-blade ends up forged, everyone will be equipped to send Xehanort packing and destroy the X-blade again. Hell, at least give the pair of them some battle experience so that when a true threat pops up, Kairi doesn’t freeze up. It’s not her fault - she’s only fought Shadows before, she’s not been in a situation like that before.

Her first proper battle with a Keyblade...is the final battle. Who thought that was a good idea!?

And what happens? As you’ll have seen - Lea’s Keyblade gets broken, and Kairi gets kidnapped...again, and later killed.

That plan turned out great. And now, my biggest issue with this guy...

The Power of Waking

There’s a reason why I left this to last. Namely because it’s probably the worst thing this guy’s done - all through inaction. 

I think this is something you’ve all noticed - throughout the game, Yen Sid is constantly pounding in that Sora has to get the Power of Waking, over and over again. What is one thing he doesn’t do?

MENTION OVERUSE OF THE DAMN THING COULD KILL HIM.

And there’s not even any physical side effects from what I’ve seen, so the only thing Sora had that told him there was danger in the Power of Waking was Young Xehanort telling him about it. That guy he literally has no reason to trust! Yet he tells you more about the dangers than Yen Sid does.

Combined with literally falling into Xehanort’s plans, sending out someone who was still learning into the final battle (as her first battle as well) and pushing for this power to be found without explaining the responsibilities of it, all of this is why I blame him a lot for what happens to Sora at the end. They still could have had this ending without changing too much. There’s an awesome video by SirSkyward on YouTube called Kingdom Hearts 3 Re:Written that shows a way you can do it, which actually addresses quite a few of these problems of mine. But that’s alas not what happened in canon. Not only does this lead to Sora getting caught up in another of Xehanort’s traps, AGAIN, not only does him sending in Kairi too early lead to her not being ready and getting killed to ‘motivate’ Sora (I’ll get to that shitshow when I talk about her, don’t you worry-) thus causing the boy to sacrifice himself just to save her life.

Thanks for that, Yen Sid.