#They started with a chess match between Xehanort and Eraqus which I’m assuming was the kh3 intro

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Things I never knew I needed in my life: Radiant Garden crew dancing to Counting Stars

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Another Origin for the Black Box

So there are a lot of theories going around that have connected MoM’s Black Box with the computational/theoretical term “black box”, which in very basic terms describes a device which receives information (an input) and then produces a response (an output). A lot of things can be a black box, like your TV remote that responds to the input of you clicking the power button and responds by turning on your TV. The human brain (kinda like Brain in KHUX *cough, cough*) can even be considered a black box, as it similarly receives signals and then reacts accordingly. 

While I do believe a lot can come from considering this connection, I want to suggest another inspiration for MoM’s black box, one that actually comes from Christianity…

Before I delve further into this theory, I want to note that Christian symbolism seems to be something Nomura has always been interested in for developing KH’s story. For instance, there is a big emphasis on 3 or a trinity of persons (as in the Holy Trinity). There is also the importance of the numbers 7 and 13, two numbers that are largely important in the Bible and Christianity in general (I’ll talk more about these numbers later). There may also be other religious symbolism in KH, but examining those symbols deserve their own posts.

Then, of course, there is the Book of Prophecies, whose name and purpose seems very similar to the infamous Book of Revelations contained in the Chrisitian Bible. 

As the name suggests, the Book of Revelations details how the apocalypse will come about, including how and what will trigger Jesus’ second coming.

It is said in the Book of Revelations that Jesus will appear after the Seven Seals secure the book or scroll that contains knowledge only known by God. It is said that only the “Lion of Judah” and the “Lamb having seven horns and seven eyes” will be able to unseal the scroll and read its contents.

Each seal triggers a different event. The first 4 trigger the arrival of the 4 horsemen of the apocalypse, the 5th the arrival of martyrs dressed in white robes, the 6th natural disasters,  and the 7th bring about the 7 angels with trumpets which signal the end of the world and the arrival of Jesus.

Ok… So what does this scroll have anything to do with Kingdom Hearts? Or the Black Box for that matter?

Well, the first thing we should consider are the seven seals which must first be opened to access the scroll. Does that sound kinda familiar?

Well that’s because the scroll may be reminding you of the notches on the Black Box (13 in total) which need to be unlocked before the contents of the box can be accessed. It should also be noted that in KH 3, the Black Box is connected with Pandora’s Box (Remember that this happens early on in Olympus. For more context, you can look at my theory on this connection here), which is said to bring about havoc and destruction to the world when it is opened, similar to how breaking the seals of the scroll will cause devastation.

Of course, one major difference between the Black Box and the scroll is the difference in the number of barriers; one has 13 while the other has 7 and these numbers are each other's stark opposites in Christianity and KH.

I would like to remind everyone that in Kingdom Hearts it seems that the symbolism behind the numbers 7 and 13 has been switched. Let’s remember that in the epilogue, when Eraqus starts the new chess game, he gives Xehanort 7 gold pieces (the “dark” pieces) and himself 13 white pieces (the “light” pieces).

Thus because of this change, I would suggest that the 13 notches then can be synonymous with the 7 seals.

Another noteworthy thing is that the seven seals will be opened by a “lion” and a “lamb”. The lion symbolism in KH has been important since the introduction of No Name, which features a chimera figure which is both a lion and a goat. Moreover, people speculate that MoM’s animal will be a lion based on this keyblade and the fact that MoM’s suggested sin, Pride (or Superbia like the “Super-X” on the Black Box), is represented by the lion.

Ok, so we’ve figured out who this lion could bo. So who’s the lamb?

To answer that question we’ll have to turn to another keyblade, principally one that is only featured in DDD, End of Pain.

As you can see, End of Pain is structurally very similar to No Name. Indeed, much like No Name, End of Pain is one of the few keyblades with the Gazing Eye. End of Pain even has an animal on it, although it is more obscured than the chimera on No Name.

Blowingoffsteam2 wrote a theory comparing these two keyblades here and they suggest how the animal may in fact be a ram. They analyze the meaning of this animal in terms of the zodiac (the ram represents the first sign in the zodiac, Aires. Curiously, Sora, who’s birthday is March 28th, is an Aires) and greek mythology.

I’d like to, however, also consider that a ram is just a sheep. And well.. A lamb is also just a sheep…

(also *cough, cough* RAM as in random access memory has to do with computing language, similar to the concept of a the black box just saying)

Also in Christianity, the lamb is meant to symbolize Jesus, who sacrificed himself for the sins of mankind. You could even say that Jesus died to “End” the “Pain” of our sins…’’

With all of this in mind, if MoM is the Lion and the original wielder of No Name, then the Lamb would need to be the wielder of End of Pain.

This is where it gets tricky because End of Pain is a keyblade that both Sora and Riku can wield, so it is hard to say which one of them is truly the Lamb. I suppose we can assume that its Sora since, ya know, he’s the main character, but it could also be a fusion of both Sora and Riku (for instance, look at the butterfly charm on End of Pain. Butterflies represents two halves working in symmetry, almost like a heart. Moreover, the butterfly is made of both purple and orange, two colors making one form.) 

With all of this context in mind, my hypothesis is that the black box can only be opened through a combined effort between MoM and Sora (or MoM and Riku… or MoM and some Sora/Riku hybrid *cough,* Yozora). Moreover, if and when this box is opened, it will bring about disastrous omens and possibly even some sort of rebirth, like Jesus’ second coming.

I’m offering this as mere speculation since there isn’t very hard evidence to suggest I’m right, but it’s strange how much things from the Christian ideology of the 7 seals seems to match up with KH lore. Guess we gotta wait until DDD 2 for some real answers.

[nyctospoilers]

 notes of characters in KH3 and how they connect to the next saga

((mainly written for myself, sorry if sentences don’t make sense))

Braig/Xigbar/Luxu:

Coded’s secret ending

kh3 explains how everyone was able to time travel, they left their bodies behind and their hearts were inserted in replicas created by Vexen.

however, that does not explain Braig having his BbS appearance during Coded’s secret ending (DDD’s timeframe), when having a replica for him would show his Luxu self, since his Braig/Xigbar body is a vessel in and of itself.

Sora and Riku only appeared to retain their bodies in DDD, their real bodies were in the Mysterious Tower, while their bodies were projected in the dreams of worlds. We know this from Sora changing appearances in TWTNW later in DDD, as well as his actual sleeping body in the Mysterious Tower

However, Radiant Garden is not a sleeping world, there is no currently known way Braig should appear the way he does in Coded’s secret ending

I don’t think this is a plot HOLE, just something yet to be explained

A connection to Saix (and Axel)

Braig states in during Coded’s secret ending, “So, which poor soul will it be?” when Young Xehanort is cut off after making a ‘S’ sound. The only other character in the room during that time with a name that starts with S is Saix.

Assuming YX tells Braig Saix is a member of the new Organization, then when Braig travels BACK to BbS time. After which, Lea and Isa as teens attempt to become apprentices to help The Girl, who is later removed from the cells by Braig. It’s possible Braig knew that taking away The Girl will spur Saix into becoming a member.

Others

The delicious irony of Braig being stabbed by No Name in DDD’s initial cutscene.

the delicious irony of YX explaining to Braig the importance of the No Name keyblade

Luxu did NOT travel to the current world we know by any loophole like data or dreams. He’s an ancient being who has genuinely existed for all these years.

We know Ephemer did not survive like Ven, Lauriam, and Elrena, but spiritually remained in the Keyblade Graveyard.

It is unknown if he passed away before or after the dandelions escaped to the current world

Braig wears a ragged red scarf like Ephemers (though admittedly it does not have a swirl pattern)

If it is Ephemer’s, does Braig wear is it a token of victory from a battle, or as a token of grief?

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Eraqus:

knowledge of KHX

during the chess match: YX “then you’ve heard of the lost masters?” eraqus: “never heard of them... where did you hear about that?” [said with suspicion] *couple lines later* YX: “You can drop the facade.”

Eraqus also foreshadowed/planned Sora using the ancient fallen keyblade wielders power during the final battle, saying “some light comes from the past”

his possible connection to Brain in KHX

Brain in KHUX: “Right now we’re still walking the path of a ruined destiny... I’m going to rewrite it.” “I’m going to become the virus that rewrites the program that is this destiny”

Luxu in KH3 report 11: “One of the Five is an impostor, someone the Master did not choose. They represent a virus in the program he so carefully wrote.”

YX AND Master of Masters: Darkness will prevail, and light expire. YX: the future, it’s already been written

Eraqus: “Who’s to stay I can’t change it, and maybe light will prevail?”

KH3 report 2: ‘Eraqus is a blueblood descended from the very first masters in the age of fairy tales.”

Luxu acknowledges Brain as an impostor, yet still let’s him carry the others to the current world we know (or else Ven Marluxia and Larxene would not exist). Luxu also still gives someone the No Name as they leave. Eraqus resembles Brain, and eraqus’s lineage received No Name.

It’s possible that Eraqus is either Brain himself, or a descendant of him, sharing the same will

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“The Girl”

Probably Skuld, evidence is as follows:

Secret Report 1: “May my heart be my guiding key” knows saying from age of fairy tales

“Four friends, and a key…that is the sum total of my memory.” the ONE girl union leader, with 4 boys. And No Name passed down to one of them, not known who yet

she was carried away by Braig (luxu) at one point, destination unknown

Report 1 was written years after the time of it’s contents, as she says “even now, years on”

if she was 15 (Secret Report 3), she would be marluxia’s age by now unless something has stunted her growth (like ven).

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Sora

The possibility of Sora leading the Keyblade wielders

I’ve said before Sora will possibly become a king, since he is associated heavily with crowns, and Scala ad Caelum was once a seat of power.

This theory was only strengthened by Xehanort stating his desire to be the leader for keyblade wielders, and Sora stating he wasn’t fit. The glare between the two, while not hard evidence, could be seen as written foreshadowing that Sora is the one fit to be the leader.

EDIT! I forgot to mention in BbS’s xehanort report 4, “And when Kingdom Hearts is complete, it is said the one who opens its door will bring about the creation of the Next World. ... whoever opens that door will be reborn as something far greater than human.”

Sora was told in KH1 that he is the one who will open the door by the voice in the Station of Awakening.

In KH3 Xehanort opens the door of Kingdom Hearts, but is interrupted when Sora activates the portal within him. Sora then closes it with the X-blade and with everyone’s help. We don’t know what happened to the X-blade afterwards but it’s not a jump to assume Sora will be able to use it again in the future if he ever needs to open Kingdom Hearts again fully this time.

Sora changed destiny like Eraqus planned

In the scene of Sora telling Xehanort he isn’t fit to lead the keyblade wielders, Sora states that one must accept the fact that they cannot control destiny, however, we know that Sora did change destiny:

At first, everyone was wiped by terra-xehanort and the demon tide in the Keyblade Graveyard. But when Sora returned from the Final World, he first returned just a moment before the demon tide killed him, but when he restored everyone else as well, he returned a handful of minutes before, and changed the course of everyone’s fate. There’s even moments of deja vu, with terra/xehanort, the only difference of the Lingering Will stopping him. It’s possible that the Lingering Will was summoned by Eraqus as well, seeing as he’s been in Terra’s heart. kitsoa reminded me that Namine mentions Terra and his strong will in the Final World! Still, I am confident in a weird shift of destiny.

Sora’s ability to visit the Final Place

Chirithy reveals Sora has visited The Final World multiple times, when sleeping so deeply he will wonder over from the Station of Awakening

The Final World is a place where persistent hearts gather after death, similar to Kingdom Hearts (it wouldn’t surprise me if they were one in the same)

Others

We’ve still yet to know what Sora did during his time away between DDD and KH 2.9 other then play with dream eaters. Though it’s possible that’s all he did (though why keep it a secret from Donald and Goofy?)