#but for now I wanna wait and see or at least finish the analysises of the main cast first lol

[royalberryriku]

Adding a thing because this gets my brain Thinking™. So potential third option that I think may be a thing to consider? Kinda? Long thread ahead and, obvs, this isn't to discredit or argue against anything, just adding a potential option that may not have been considered/ a different interpretation.

So what if he goes through something similar to Repliku in the sense that he's not dead insomuch as just... in the Realm of Darkness? I've also had this thought for a while, and maybe it's a conclusion partly born of my own bias a bit speaking with seeing Darkness as more separate (imo it was left in the air as a red herring), but I digress; I think that Darkness may not be related to Vanitas as people may believe because we saw it inside post split Ventus talking to Sora and sending a Heartless to fight him. This could be quite literal interpretation wise, and I'm certainly not calling the other option incorrect at all, but I am saying that the answer to the question "did Darkness merge with Ventus" wasn't really answered since we didn't actually see Ventus wake up after the fact when he went unconscious in khux. We only really had various clues to piece together and KH as a series often does this to mess with us and get us to think about the whole conceptual narrative of "light and darkness in our hearts".

But into what I was saying before, I think it may be plausible that Vanitas is well and alive, influenced by Darkness, but not exactly merged per se. I think Darkness may eventually corrupt Ventus and Vanitas may be the one to save him, perhaps possessive of his body/ former self or "home" as he put it, and seeing Darkness as an invader to his home. I should also clarify, when I say corrupt I don't mean possess, I mean "sow discord", such as like it did with Lauriam and others, I could see it taking advantage of Ventus' fears and doubts which end up with Ventus no longer being pure of heart. This would make a lot of sense considering the thematic role Darkness is shown to have: origin of darkness/ sin/ guilt.

For Vanitas, I think since he is already seen as "just darkness" and feels so himself, Darkness may overlook him and not expect him to be a threat; which would also be great thematically (light within darkness, darkness within light) and just be such a classic KH-esque plot twist in the sense that we're constantly led to think one thing and then be blown away with another, like the reason why a lot of people assumed Lauriam as Strelitzia's killer at first because we expected it with the hints we had from Marluxia, only to have the least assuming character be it). I think, considering how KH1-3 had a huge theme of "light within darkness", I can see "darkness within light" being the next big step, which means I think it actually makes more sense that Darkness would be with Ventus, light split Ventus specifically, rather than Vanitas who isn't seen as necessary anymore; because he's already a being of darkness that doesn't need "corrupting". Rather, I think it would fit with the themes more if Vanitas (and maybe Repliku as well) became examples of "light within darkness" as they are left behind and return of their own volition depending on certain stakes (say, if Namine is in danger for Repliku or Ventus is in danger for Vanitas).

I really love your interpretation as well though, though I also wanted to share some thoughts that may not have been considered yet. I also do have more thoughts, but they're off the topic of Vanitas so I'll write them on a different post.

I can (mouth full) I can see this going two ways. Right. Either vanitas comes back or he doesn’t. And my hypothesis — here’s what I think, I think if he doesn’t come back he’s like a worse tragedy than usual. I don’t want this bc I want to see him but also it’s the best at keeping bbs lore interpretations intact, vanitas isn’t at his core Darkness vanitas is what happened when xehanort tried to pull all the darkness out of ven and since it was already too enmeshed and had Ancient Conscious Goo in it it came out stuck to a piece of vens heart that cracked off from the pressure. Vanitas is ven (partial) supplemented by a lot of darkness and Darkness and since he’s separate he’s his own person now and he hates it he knows he’s empty he wants the rest of him. That’s Him. that’s his he. When ven defeats him he stops existing because his piece returned to someone that isn’t even the og ven anymore despite walking and talking and having all vens pieces. wails alone at a Waffle House and all the servers give me a pitying pat on the head as they pass by me. The second possibility of Vanitas DOES return is dangerous ground but what I think happens is vanitas gets to have an existential crisis Again about how half of him is a dark force that always wanted this, always wanted his body, wants to spread throughout the world with his (?) kin? the rest of him? the darkness? And the other half is a person (was a boy is a new person) with a heart who doesn’t Want to go along with the strange and off putting darknesses. They won’t give him what he wants. The rest of him. To be whole. to be a person. The half of him that gained personhood and the half of him that’s an old cracked heart realize they don’t… He doesn’t want this. and (gestures forcefully causing part of my corndog to fly off) and then he turncoats and becomes our friend antihero dark pit and comes with us and he and ven have to wrestle with capital D darkness togehter