Few narratives are as confusing asKingdom Hearts.There are many plot points and characters to follow here, after all. But the truth is that Kingdom Hearts' plot isn’t that hard to understand. The actual problem lies in how scattered each piece of information is across many different games that used to be on entirely different consoles.
Still, playing that many games in sequence would require a lot of time, so it helps to read a bit about the more confusing aspects of the story that are partially explained across games. Though the more hardcore fans might already be aware of the details from our list, we’re here to help keep track of the gigantic lore this series has.
13Dual-Wielding Keyblades
How Many Hearts Do You Have?
Most keyblade wielders only use one of them at a time because your weapon is, in a way, connected to your heart. Other keyblade wielders can wield your weapon - or even take it from you - but they’re still personal.
That said, there are cases of people wielding two keyblades simultaneously, such as Sora and Roxas. When someone wields more than one keyblade, it usually means they have more than one heart inside or from their connections to others.
12You Have To Earn A Keyblade
It’s More Than Skill
Speaking of this iconic weapon, just being a skilled fighter doesn’t earn you a keyblade, and neither does being good - villains have them, too. The idea of being chosen to wield one is literal, as someone who can wield a keyblade has to choose whoever will inherit one.
We’ve seen it with Terra passing it on to Riku, and Aqua accidentally passing it on to Kairi. Sora cheated the system, inheriting it through his connection with Ventus. Either that or he is The Chosen One™.
11The Recusant’s Sigil
Xehanort Wants To Know Your Location
Kingdom Hearts explains to us theRecusant’s Sigil- the X every member of Organization XIII has in their name. At first, it seems like a stylistic choice and a ritual to enter the group.
Later games show us that Xehanort can have some control over the people with the Sigil and their locations, and even the Master of Masters might be aware of this power, like having one of his key apprentices be named Luxu.
10Time Travel Goes Deep
Time Is An Illusion
Kingdom Hearts 3 has a big scene where Sora travels through time, but this is a trick villains have been pulling for a while. Many members of the organization in that game come from different periods, after all. But it goes deeper.
Dream Drop Distance’s plot revolves around young Xehanort seeing his future. Maleficent has been to the past, in the events of Union X. Even the Master of Masters may have thrown characters into the future.
9Data Worlds Are More Complex Than They Seem
Is An Imitation Fake?
Data plays a big role in the series. In theory, they’re just recreations of people, places, and memories, but it didn’t take long for data beings to become as complex as ‘real’ people, starting an interesting debate about how real they are.
Data worlds have also been used in many entries, even as far back as Union X, and the use of Data and Replicas has already brought people back from the dead, such as Xion.
8Sora’s Power Of Waking
The Power of Waking allows the user to go into another person’s heart or go from one person to another. You can even go through time by using the hearts connected to you, a power Sora misuses to change fate.
Though this power is a recent-ish concept within the series, many past moments can be attributed to Sora instinctively using this power, like when he saves Kairi in the very first game.
7Ventus Is Old
Among Others
Union X shows us thetime of the Keyblade War,which happened in the distant past. This war has had many consequences, setting the stage for the franchise’s main confrontation with Xehanort.
Still, a key aspect of this period is that it’s where Ventus is from before being tossed into the future and found by Xehanort. The same applies to characters like Marluxia, Demyx, Larxene, and Luxord (before they became Nobodies).
6Hearts Are Complicated
They Work Like Souls
When playing the game, it doesn’t take long to realize that the heart here is more than an organ. And though the series establishes mind, soul, and heart as separate things, hearts work a lot like what we would consider a soul.
They’re the source of emotions, memories, and connection to light and darkness. It’s also an actual, metaphysical thing that can be passed on, stolen, and even grown, as Nobodies have grown hearts of their own.
5Kingdom Hearts Is Still A Mystery
One We May Never Uncover
Kingdom Hearts isn’t just the name of the series but also the heart of all worlds and the source of all light. Xehanort even tries to reach it and control it with the X-Blade. But what is it?
That’s the thing, we don’t know. It’s kept vague on purpose, and it’s unlikely the series would give us a concrete answer. It’ll likely be summoned or have artificial versions of it made again, but don’t expect a concrete explanation. Or do, who knows - we’re not the game’s developers.
4Darkness Is Sentient
More Than A Source Of Heartless
The fight between light and darkness is a staple of the series. However, later games expanded on such concepts, and Darkness was presented as more than a force, but as someone.
The fact that Darkness is sentient alters what has happened throughout the series and implies that Darkness might have an endgame. It’s unclear what that is or if Darkness will ever be the game’s main villain, but it’s still a daunting thought.
