Tumgik
#dark data riku
dominicsorel · 6 months
Text
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
238 notes · View notes
donitkitt · 9 months
Text
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
kingdom hearts to cure my art block (mostly rikus)
240 notes · View notes
purpleshoenickelhuman · 6 months
Text
Gentle reminder:
The norted Riku in Kh3 is NOT data Riku from (Re:) Coded despite using bug blocks. He’s a time traveled version of Replica Riku from Chain of Memories.
13 notes · View notes
ok4ru · 1 year
Text
Tumblr media
Ah, yes the Riku heart hotel...
122 notes · View notes
jemtokall · 6 months
Note
Idk if you’ve seen it but I actually made a gifset for Past Darkness/Dark Data Riku :3 it’s in my dark data riku tag if you’re interested it’s so nice to see others loving this theory >:D
Im going to bring that post up whenever I get into this argument from now on thank you <333333
2 notes · View notes
minijenn · 2 years
Text
Keys to the Kingdom (Made in KH3): Organization XIII Special
MORE OF THIS SHIT I GUESS but seriously I’m starting to run out of things from Keys to the Kingdom I can tangibly do in data greeting because its so damn limited and annoying hhhhhh anyway I tried. This one is mostly scenes from more recent chapters, especially the Org. chapters because they’re my pride and joy. And also a few scenes that in the 9 chapters we have left, we’ve still yet to get to. Enjoy!
Keys in KH3 1  Keys in KH3 2 Keys in KH3 3 Keys in KH3 4 Keys in KH3 5 Keys in KH3 6 Keys in KH3 7
As always, these scenes are in the order by which they happen in the fic. enjoy!
Scene 1 (already happened)
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
Scene 2 (already happened)
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
Scene 3 (already happened in the fic) 
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
Scene 4 (already happened)
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
Scene 5 (already happened) 
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
Scene 6 (already happened) 
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
Scene 7
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
Scene 8
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
Scene 9 (sort of a continuation of scene 8)
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
33 notes · View notes
dawnled · 4 months
Text
tag post #2 ( character tags ) !
#the keyblade's chosen hero of light ; a precious friend that leads me home. / sora.#more than just a princess of heart ; a shining light that guides me home. / kairi.#a keyblade master of light and dark ; with strength to protect what matters. / riku.#a thief of body but not of mind ; my heart you cannot conquer.  /  ansem.#i'm me and you're you ; the same in body but different in heart and mind.  /  replica.#striving hard to become his own person ; in body heart mind and soul.  /  roxas.#more than the puppet they think you to be ; you are your own person.  /  xion.#a bright fire of burning protection ; not to be underestimated.  /  axel / lea.#more than the chains that bind you ; more than the memories you've made.  /  naminé.#an oath sworn and a promise made ; the strength to protect what matters.  /  terra.#kind and gentle like the ocean waves ; but also terrifying like its depths.  /  aqua.#a joyous youth who shines so bright ; as gentle and swift as the wind.  /  ventus.#the very embodiment of darkness ; a form given all new meaning.  /  vanitas.#a guiding hand during darkest times ; thank you for helping with my struggles.  /  mickey.#the darling queen of a kind mouse king ; a ruler of power and Light.  /  minnie.#disney castle's court magician ; with magical power unrivalled.  /  donald.#the captain of the royal knights ; with a shield ever-protecting.  /  goofy.#the protector of sora's documented 'ventures ; but also so much more.  /  data riku.#a digital copy of sora from his 'ventures ; but with heart beyond the data.  /  data sora.
0 notes
blowingoffsteam2 · 2 months
Text
Kingdom Key D and Sora's Heart
Gonna paste some thoughts about Kingdom Key D that struck me last night:
Ok so on the topic of KKD being Sora’s true keyblade aka the one made from his heart (as KKL is made from Riku’s) it just struck me that in kh3 Mickey tells Yen Sid that his keyblade-kkd- was damaged in the realm of darkness along with Way to Dawn breaking in half.
Now we already know the theory that Way to Dawn actually broke during Riku’s sacrifice in the first unseen timeline, lining up with the “drop point” when Riku gets swallowed up by the demon tide in the RoD… but if kkd is made of Sora’s heart and what I suspect about Sora’s heart breaking or being damaged in some way during Riku’s sacrifice in the first timeline…That would perfectly explain why kkd randomly gets “damaged” despite them not even showing it to us and quickly glossing over it!
Think about it. Before kh3 we never even knew keyblades getting broken or damaged was a possibility- because keyblades are extensions of a person’s heart not a truly “physical” object. The only other time we’ve seen a keyblade actually be broken was in recoded when Maleficent breaks data Sora’s keyblade. And the ONLY reason she is able to do this, as explained, is because that keyblade was just a data imitation, it wasn’t tied to a real heart. Until Data Sora gets a heart of his own.
Keyblades don’t just break or get damaged because they get hit by a strong heartless. Sora and Riku have faced stronger enemies that small demon tide plenty of times. No. Keyblades only become damaged if the heart they are extension of become damaged. That has to be it.
Tumblr media Tumblr media
The way Mickey says this and it’s just completely glossed over. Why would they even bother having KKD getting damaged and replaced when it’s an iconic keyblade and they don’t even SHOW the damage. It makes no sense... unless it’s planting a seed. Something to come back to with new context. Rather than getting a full replacement Mickey seemingly fuses KKD with Star Seeker, his bbs keyblade, in order to repair it.
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
This is also the first time we’ve seen this type of fusion of keyblades, again with zero explanation or showing it happening on screen. Star Seeker also happens to be the keyblade Sora gets with his first drive form, Valor form…
The fusion keyblade is called Star Cluster, and also apparently in jp it is “Kingdom Key W” (what does the W stand for??) The Star/Galaxy aesthetic also reminds me of that starry space in ReMind where Sora connects constellations…
Other things:
Apparently in Japanese the letter W is very commonly used as an idiogram for "Double" or "Two". This would make sense for a fusion keyblade like Kingdom Key W. Other ideas that were suggested: W for Waking, W for the "Win" timeline (as the previous timeline was fated to be lost to darkness). It's possible it has multiple meanings.
2. “Only King Mickey can open a door to the realm of darkness. It’s because he has a special Keyblade of Darkness. He figured out how to make it open the way.”
Tumblr media Tumblr media
As stated in the kh3 glossary there are only three ways to enter the realm of darkness voluntarily: Beings of darkness have the power to open paths to it, a special keyblade of darkness (of which I believe KKD is the only known example- Nomura has explained that it doesn't mean that the keyblade's nature is dark or evil, only that it's a key that works on doors to/from the RoD), and the power of waking (which Sora uses to reach Riku).
I just think it's interesting if KKD is made from Sora's heart it just so happens to be this special keyblade of darkness. It's a complete mystery as to why KKD was just sitting there on the dark side of Destiny Islands. Mickey seems to know that it's a counterpart to KKL and that it would appear where KKL appeared....but how did he know that? What does it mean? Another interesting connection- during the fall of Destiny Islands notice how the door from Sora's dive to the heart appears in front of the Secret Place, and how the door within the cave only blasts wide open when Sora gets near.
Anyway, I've always thought KKD getting damaged was wierd and suspected it had something to do with what happened in the first timeline but assumed it had to do with Mickey's heart getting damaged somehow. But this makes so much more sense to me- after all we know KKD isn't made from Mickey's heart, it was just a keyblade he found. For both Way to Dawn and KKD to have become damaged as a result of Riku's sacrifice, due to whatever happened to Sora and Riku's hearts....it just makes sense. Sora's heart was damaged, so of course the keyblade made from him would be too.
196 notes · View notes
mythicalartistx · 4 months
Text
How Riku has no idea that Riku means so much to Sora
An Analysis through mom
Riku has always been afraid of being forgotten and left behind by Sora. And this is how he is able get manipulated by Maleficent. She tells him his greatest fears, that Sora found new friends and doesn't care about him anymore. She gives him proof letting him watch Sora being silly and argue with Donald and Goofy.
But from day one as soon as Sora is separated, he wants to find Riku. All on his mind is finding Riku (and Kairi too) and when he finds Riku in Traverse Town he is happy and to make sure he isn't dreaming he goes up to him and pulls on his mouth.
Riku is glad he had found Sora and wants to continue to play the role of protector but when it seems Sora can handle himself he doesn't know where he is supposed to fit in. Sora has these new friends and now can handle himself, Riku is afraid of being forgotten.
But throughout kh1 Sora keeps trying to reason with Riku and it's important that his friend sees what's right. And when they close the door Riku tells Sora take care of Kairi.
Tumblr media
COM
He doesn't exactly do that.... The first thing he does is wanting to find Riku. That's on his mind. He ventures through castle oblivion in hopes he can find Riku. And when he faces Repliku he is so happy even though his thoughts of trying to find Riku is almost replaced with Naminé.
This Repliku is bitter about that and upset even saying how Sora never care about that or cared about him (being Repliku). But Riku hates how he feels towards his friend and how he wants his friend still even though he believes Sora has forgotten about him saying, You always have wormed your way into my heart," and Sora is confused by this statement.
And once Naminé tells Repliku to stop and he falls back Sora is completely overwhelmed by what happened to Repliku and what did Naminé do to him. This scene is especially good in the novel where it shows Sora holding Repliku.
Tumblr media
Later Repliku realizes how true Sora's feelings towards him are (how he cares for him as an individual not being a Riku) before leaving, still Sora is sad he is leaving and still wants to find him.
During Rebirth/Reverse when Repliku fades away into darkness he doesn't mind if he fades away but what he actually cares is that Sora remembers him. He doesn't want to get forgotten by Sora or get mixed up with the real Riku.
Kh2
Sora wakes up and forgets everything in Castle Oblivion and still has the same desire to find Riku. Throughout kh2 all on his mind is where is Riku, is he okay, I really miss him. And it's the most precious thing. He integrates Mickey about it and it isn't until Mickey accidentally slip up that Sora is so happy and jumps for joy.
Another time during land of the dragons when he finds out Riku been there he is excited because it meant he is okay and nearby. He didn't care that he might be with the organization, he just cares about Riku. During the novel, Sora talks about fighting Riku was so fun.
And finally when he actually sees him he goes on his knees crying because he misses him and is happy to finally be with Riku. In the novel he states how happy he is to be fighting by Riku's side and is just bashful about this.
Tumblr media
Riku doesn't care that much about himself and thinks less of himself on why anyone would actually care for him. And is surprised when Sora helps him up and brings him through the dark world. He admits in the novel, he is sad Sora is there and didn't want him to fade into the darkness but is glad he isn't alone. Sora seems to precious and important to Riku that he doesn't believe he deserves his friendship.
He is afraid of being forgotten but he accepts that he might not be worth it and as long as Sora is happy that is all that matters. He doesn't realize how much Sora truly cares about himself. They come to the conclusion they both will be okay because they're together.
Tumblr media
RC
Even though it's technically not them in recoded data Riku doesn't believe in his worth after how he messed up everything in the data worlds. Sora is sadden by how little he thinks of himself and thinks he is the only one trying to maintain their friendship.
When Data Sora hears him talking to him in the Olympus Coliseum worlds, he is glad to hear Riku's voice. Even when his keyblade gets destroyed Riku comes in and Sora is just happy that he is there. It means everything to him and he doesn't care that he has no way to fight, Sora was determined to save data Riku
Tumblr media
BBS
Even ten years prior when Terra gave Riku the ability to wield a keyblade, Sora immediately wants to know about Riku. He wants to know who that man was and if he knew him. In BBS it has them both care for each other. Riku admit how important Sora is to him and wishes to get stronger to protect him while Sora blatantly tells Aqua he likes Riku, he is his best friend. He seems to want to do everything with him and wouldn't hesitate to help him from darkness.
When Ven goes to Sora's heart, Riku notices something is wrong and knows how to help him. Without questioning it, he takes his advice even if it is strange.
Tumblr media
DDD
He goes through the exam because Riku felt like he needed to be tested, Sora didn't think either of them needed to. Sora really wanted to take the exam by his side and is a bit sad that Riku isn't there. However through his heart he feels connected to Riku and when things happen Sora knows Riku will be there.
Joshua asks Sora if he wants to give Riku a message, he tells him there's no need because he knows they will see each other soon. On Riku's side he goes through a personal journey of accepting himself despite everything he has done. He doesn't know if he deserves everyone but knows he is lucky to have Sora.
Tumblr media
KH3
Riku still doesn't see the full extent to how much Sora cares about him. Sora just wants to be with him through out the entire game. He is constantly worried about Riku especially going into the dark world. Sora wants to join him. And once they lose connection with Riku, Sora is sad and is like see this is why I should have gone.
And since discovering the Gummiphone being able to talk to Riku, Sora constantly thinks about calling Riku and just telling Riku about how cool this place is, when they went to Fransankyoto.
Riku is surprised when Sora comes in to save him the the dark realm. He's glad he is there but doesn't think much of it. At the pre battle Riku doesn't think he means that much to Sora, he's just like any of his other friends. He talks to Repliku and allows Sora to spent time with Kairi.
However Sora is questioning why Riku is alone there and seems to want to spend time with him. Then Riku and Sora are the only ones left. Sora breaks down. Riku wants Sora's happiness beyond anything else and reassures him with his words something only Riku can do. He feels better but still Riku doesn't think his life is that important and sacrifices himself. The expression Sora makes during this scene tells you everything. Sora is hurt that Riku is too doing this.
Tumblr media
Riku is extremely important to Sora that when trying to recover him, he is floating in Olympus like he is the most important person ever to Sora.
Riku doesn't believe he means much to Sora. He doesn't see how he's the one that Sora just wants to spend time with and searching for. He rather put Sora's happiness before his own and believes in Sora. He let him save Kairi because he believes in him and his own happiness.
Tumblr media
Mom
Riku thought it was Kairi who meant so much to Sora. He didn't believe it was him who was supposed to find Sora. That's why he was so shocked when the fairy godmother told him his dreams were the key and it was him who was supposed to dive to the Quadratum by following Sora's heart.
He didn't realize how important he was to Sora. He kept being selfishly selfless about this. Until he realizes it was him. He is the key. And Riku means so much to Sora, but he doesn't realize how much.
This could be a deep friendship or possibly something more, but he's very important to Sora and Riku just needs to realize it...
Tumblr media
237 notes · View notes
nam-naelle · 7 months
Text
THE CHARACTERS IN KINGDOM HEARTS (A.K.A. the reason why I can't introduce Kingdom Hearts to my friends)
1. VENTUS
2. SORA (The heart that Ventus' heart found refuge in)
3. VANITAS (The other half of Ventus who was born out of the darkness of Ventus' heart and who looks like Sora if Sora had dark hair and was evil)
4. DATA SORA (Sora but it's not actually Sora)
5. ROXAS (Sora's other half who looks like Ventus)
6. XION (The reflection of Sora's other half who looks like Sora but also like Sora's girlfriend)
7. NAMINÉ (Sora's girlfriend's other half who is also made out of Sora so that's why she can control Sora's memories)
8. KAIRI (Sora's girlfriend and also a princess of heart)
9. RIKU (Sora's dream-eater who is also Sora's childhood friend who is also Sora's rival who is also Sora's mentor who is also Sora's boyfriend)
10. DATA RIKU (Riku but it's not actually Riku, he's just here because he's Sora's - and by extension Data Sora's - most precious person)
11. REPLIKU (A fake Riku who looks like Riku when Riku was possessed by the bad guy in the first game)
12. RIKU-ANSEM (Riku when Riku was possessed by the bad guy, so not actually Riku even though he looks and sounds like Riku)
13. ANSEM (The king of Kairi's homeworld who everybody thought was the bad guy in the first game but who actually turns out to be a good guy because the bad guy was actually another guy who pretended to be Ansem)
14. DiZ (Ansem when Ansem didn't want to be Ansem anymore)
15. XEHANORT (Ansem's assistant who is the bad guy who pretended to be Ansem - there's a version of him who's an old fart and a version of him who's a little shit)
16. XEHANORT'S HEARTLESS (Xehanort but not actually Xehanort, but still the bad guy in the first game who pretended to be Ansem and ended up possessing Riku)
17. XEMNAS (Xehanort but without a heart, also the leader of Organization XIII and also a super hot villain with a super hot voice)
18. XIGBAR ("mE? i'M aLrEaDy HaLf XeHaNoRt!")
Obviously, this is FAR from the worst of it...
192 notes · View notes
daylighteclipsed · 7 months
Text
Tumblr media
@generatedreflection Hope you don’t mind if I respond to your tags this way, since my og post is already kind of long! So running on the assumption that KH is a video game, or at least fiction/a story, in-universe and the characters are waking up and changing when they’re not “supposed” to…
I guess it depends on when the initial divergence from fate/the narrative/the program happened and how much it affected. Was Riku supposed to be our player character? If so, did Sora and Riku only swap physical places/external roles, or did their writing or programming adjust their personalities to fit their new places in the story/game so as to keep the narrative from diverging too much? Is this the first run through the story, or have there been multiple past loops we’re not privy to and that the characters don’t consciously remember but which still affect their hearts?
I’m thinking of ReCoded specifically, when Data Sora and Data Riku go on this whole adventure that’s similar to KH1 but different enough to shape them into their own people. Even after they’re reset to follow what’s written in the Journal, we know those memories remain in their hearts and in the hearts of their newfound Disney friends from the ‘real’ world, Mickey, Donald, and Goofy. So data KH1 will never truly reflect KH1 as we know it.
If ReCoded is spelling the big picture out for us, do Sora and Riku only start awakening during the one run of KH1 that we play… or have they been waking up because of one or more resets before that we haven’t seen? Is fate, destiny, the narrative, the program trying really hard to make this story play out the way it’s “supposed” to, but the boys keep swerving, developing more awareness and free will with every reset? Or is this the first run where things are different because of something the Master of Masters most likely set in motion? Or maybe what he set in motion has taken all these resets to come to fruition?
It’s a lot to think about. And I don’t have any answers. Certainly it’s interesting to consider all the different ways the story could go/is maybe “supposed” to go… If Sora and Riku’s roles are supposed to be flipped, with Riku as the champion of light and Sora as the one who falls to darkness… then it’s kind of ironic that they seem to be circling back to that now. Like rather than completely changing or swapping destinies, they just took a detour. They took the long way around, but the road still leads to the same place. Fate is fighting to correct course.
But I also think, you know, Sora could’ve always been meant to be the Hero and embody that archetype even if the Keyblade was not “supposed” to be his. I don’t think the one who wields Kingdom Key Light is synonymous necessarily with the Hero of the story or even the main protagonist. It’s also possible for Riku to pass on the Keyblade to Sora without falling to darkness.
Either way, the idea of Riku giving his crown/destiny to Sora, rewriting the story and essentially acting as the narrative for Sora in this sense, usurping fate, is interesting. Especially when you compare this to Data Riku’s role in ReCoded. He’s the vessel for the Journals, for the entire digital universe they create, and he protects it. He protects Sora’s story, the one we see in the games, which plays out how it does because Riku gives Sora the Keyblade.
The one thing I feel for sure — a lot of this, the story changing and characters waking up/coming alive, comes back to Riku. From what we see of him as a little kid, Riku’s always been more “awake,” it seems, than his peers. Always questioning things and possessing a wisdom beyond his years. It’s like he almost knows (or remembers) things he shouldn’t. As Sora puts it, Riku says “some weird stuff sometimes.” And I think Riku is the one who starts waking Sora up. He encourages Sora to think about things that it doesn’t seem Sora would think about on his own. To ask questions. To see their world differently. And to consider worlds beyond their own.
I think he’s why Sora’s first line in the series is about awakening. “I’ve been having these weird thoughts lately. Like — Is any of this for real or not?” And I think Riku’s why Sora’s able to connect with and awaken/bring to life so many characters in the story. That might even be canon, actually, if Riku encouraging Sora to open his heart to Ventus when they’re little kids is what teaches Sora how to... By empowering Sora, Riku is the catalyst for a ripple effect of change that defies destiny and universal law. And it culminates in his KH3 sacrifice which allows Sora to rewrite how the Book of Prophecies ends.
I think that’s what Riku has always represented: Awakening. Truth. The outside world — whether that means adulthood, reality, new perspectives, or lands yet untraveled. He makes the darkness conscious by bringing it to light. Especially for Sora. Riku quite literally wakes Sora up after CoM and in DDD, and his light pulls forgotten/repressed memories up from the depths. Riku’s often associated with the sun — the kind of bright, harsh light that hurts to look at. That makes it hard, if not impossible, to fall back asleep.
Riku’s the sudden light in your eyes that has you groaning and rolling away when someone has to get you out of bed in the morning lol He’s the rude awakening. The truth is often not pleasant or easy. It often hurts. But inevitably, it becomes known. Inevitably, the sun rises and illuminates the dark. Dawn breaks, and the day and all its challenges must be faced. No slacking off. Chop, chop. It’s time to wake up, Sora. Destati!
Even Data Riku in ReCoded is the one who lifts the curtain for Data Sora and ‘reveals the matrix’ so to speak. “It’s time for you to learn the truth.” Riku offers the truth, perhaps quite literally sometimes if that’s what his iconic outstretched hand gesture represents — and it definitely seems to given how KH3’s tutorial/awakening parallels Sora’s dream in the KH1 opening. But it’s up to Sora to accept the truth. To face it. To take Riku’s hand and awaken. It’s Sora’s choice.
Anyway. Whether Riku is “supposed” to be the Hero or was always meant to be the Rival, he’s not supposed to love Sora as much as he does, and certainly not in the romantic way the games suggest he does… I understand your hesitation about gay intent in KH… But it really feels like the “missing”/unspoken piece here that makes so many people scratch their heads over Riku’s character arc. For Sora, it’s less clear (especially in English), but I do think Riku is in love with him. And I truly believe so much of “destiny” changing and characters awakening, Sora awakening, comes back to that.
Destiny in this case would be the typical formula of Disney fairy tales and the expectations of our heteronormative society. And awakening would be developing awareness of these limitations and smashing them… Perhaps reflected through Riku and Sora exposing the flaws in the Light and Dark binary that’s dictated Keyblade society and caused many of the problems their generation has to contend with.
Perhaps the door to the light, to truth, to awakening IS the closet door, then (insert joke here about Riku literally being the gay awakening)… But it’s a lot of other things as well. Awakening is discovering any truth. Every truth. It’s knowledge of the systems that limit and control you, of any unseen force that holds you back. It’s power to see through illusions and lies, distortions and distractions. It’s free will and independent thought. It’s self-actualization and true freedom. After all, you cannot break free of chains you don’t know are there.
That certainly makes the Master of Masters an interesting fellow… It seems like he wants change. He wants the characters to deviate from the script, to awaken, to develop free will… But at the same time, he’s pulling all the strings. He’s the eye always watching them... Does he truly want freedom, or does he want to be the one who decides what freedom looks like?
78 notes · View notes
dominicsorel · 9 months
Text
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
Our world still aches, and your next road still awaits.
100 notes · View notes
Text
The data characters in Coded are endlessly fascinating to me because like... they're so much like the originals. But everything is shifted just enough to the left that they feel different, and a little off if you think about it long enough.
Probably the main thing that stands out is that they all start out with different "base memories" from each other, if you will. The only thing Data Sora knows is that he grew up on the islands with his friends, but Data Riku has an encyclopedic knowledge of everything that happened in KH1. Data Namine knows what happened in CoM, and Data Roxas remembers up to the end of the KH2 prologue.
None of them are caught up to the present. The events of KH2 don't exist to them, because those events are written in a different journal.
But you can't even say that Data Sora is "just" Sora from before he started his journey, because almost as soon as the game starts, there's something wrong with that picture.
Tumblr media
It's a little hard to explain, but Sora seems... remarkably unconcerned with his surroundings. He accepts whatever Mickey tells him without a second thought, even if he admits (still much too casually) that he doesn't understand what's going on.
(Not to mention that the giant, eye-catching blocks around him are things he doesn't even acknowledge until prompted by Mickey to "look for anything odd.")
But probably the biggest difference between the two Soras when they're starting out is that the journey isn't personal for Data Sora. He doesn't dwell on the islands being lost, and more importantly, he isn't looking for his friends. He doesn't even think about his friends. The first time Riku's name comes out of his mouth is when he literally shows up in front of him.
Tumblr media
The early parts of Coded really make the "data" part of Data Sora apparent, I think. He's kind and brave like Sora, he has his mannerisms down, but he feels a bit hollow. There's nothing that's really important to him yet; he just goes along with things as they happen to him.
And then he loses the Keyblade and Riku at the same time, which is the first event to prompt genuine distress from him that he doesn't quickly bounce back from.
Tumblr media Tumblr media
This is when Data Sora goes from a passive protagonist to more of an active one - something that the original Sora was from the start. He finally disobeys a request from Mickey, going to Hollow Bastion by himself in order to save Riku.
It's only there that he finally starts to process what having friends means, though, courtesy of Donald and Goofy's guidance... which the original Sora had ever since Traverse Town, by the way. Mickey wasn't a bad mentor to Data Sora, necessarily, but he was a lot more objective-focused, and thus didn't do a lot to help foster a deeper understanding of certain things in him.
Another thing I find interesting - the original Sora lost his Keyblade before going through Hollow Bastion, too, but the way they each get them back is different. Sora makes a rousing speech about how his friends are his power, and his conviction in that summons it back:
Tumblr media
While Data Sora summons his back in a moment of fear, and a desire to protect his friends from being crushed:
Tumblr media Tumblr media
He even fights a possessed Riku like Sora did, but the dynamic between them is much different on both ends. Originally, Sora was really fed up with Riku, and didn't know the full extent that he was being manipulated. (Also Riku stole the Keyblade and his friends by extension from him, so he's understandably kind of mad about that)
Meanwhile, Riku's villainous sass was on full display, mocking Sora for having a weak heart and saying he would get destroyed by the darkness. This was probably the worst terms they've been on with each other.
In Coded, there's no bad blood between them, and Data Sora knows exactly how much Riku isn't acting of his own accord. So his tone becomes one of unambiguous concern, while Riku wants so much to not fight Sora that he asks to be destroyed instead.
Tumblr media Tumblr media
And because Ansem just... doesn't seem to exist in the datascape, Sora is able to bring Riku back with him much faster than the original could, so the motivation that made CoM and KH2 possible in the first place is gone entirely.
Data Sora's journey leads him to the same places as Sora's, and the story beats are similar, but his experiences are unmistakably different. Which is what makes the way Data Riku talks about things especially fascinating.
Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media Tumblr media
He makes a lot of references to the original events of KH1, and talks like he and Data Sora are inextricable from it. "I always seem to give in," "you once turned into a Heartless," "you would have saved us." He never completely separates the events of the datascape from those in the real world, treating Riku's failings as his own, saying that Data Sora lost his heart and doesn't remember it.
Data Roxas and Namine are the same way - it's actually Sora who's the odd one out, who doesn't give his original a second thought most of the time. It's only when other people attribute Sora's experiences to him that he, somewhat mistakenly, adopts that information into his worldview.
Tumblr media Tumblr media
(No, Sora, that's not your Heartless. No, you weren't on a journey to find Riku and Kairi. That was a different guy. You don't even know Kairi for some reason. Add him to the list of people that live in Sora's shadow along with Roxas and Xion)
I don't know what the conclusion is here exactly, just that there's something about the way the data characters are so different but similar at the same time to the people they're based on that's really engaging to me.
I mean, one of Sora's biggest fears seems to be turning into someone else, or just being a copy of another person, as we saw in DDD. Data Sora is a Sora who's a copy, and he's kind of just... fine with that. He's content with what he has. Even when his memories are a complete mess by the end of the game, he accepts the situation as it is and keeps moving forward.
Anyway I could keep going but for now I'll leave it at "and that's why the data characters should show up again in future games"
270 notes · View notes
vanibear · 1 year
Text
good lord .i think thats all of them (?)
165 notes · View notes
holleighgram · 11 months
Text
WAIT. IM HAVING A LITTLE THINK IN MY BRAIN JUICES.
If the theory of Riku and Sora corresponding to Kingdom Hearts and the X-Blade (still not sure who is who), then that would explain the Darkside and potential heartless showing up in Quadratum - a place that is neither of light or dark.
Because Kingdom Hearts is THERE and darkness is escaping into the real world.
JUST LIKE IN RECODED.
DATA Sora's heartless (also a Darkside) threatens to escape into the "real" world.
Also?? Anyone else interested to see what happens to their world once Sora AND Riku are gone?
I have a feeling it's gonna be no Bueno and they are going to have to start to peice the book of prophecies together to figure out what's going on, and realize they need to get Sora and Riku back because they still don't know which one is the "child of destiny".
This speculation went 0 to 111 real quick.
62 notes · View notes
dreamsy990 · 9 months
Text
kingdom hearts characters as chips
me and @whole-bilk-milk have used our incredible scientific technique for character to chip analysis, and here we present the data for your viewing pleasure
sora - lays wavy original OR sunchips roxas - lays barbecue xion - lays salt and vinegar ventus - lays sour cream and onion vanitas - lays dill pickle. because theres something wrong with him
jiminy - bug chips mickey - cheddar ruffles donald - cheddar cheese quackers goofy - scooby snacks
ansem the wise - unsalted saltines ansem seeker of darkness - slutty vegan maple bbq kettle chips xemnas - unsalted baked kettle chips xehanort - kettle lightly salted chips
kairi - cape cod sea salt and cracked pepper, because it sounds interesting and then you realize its not actually as flavorful as you expected. namine - cape cod sweet mesquite barbecue OR sour cream and onion
riku - ranch pringles. i refuse to explain this. repliku - suspicious stew minecraft pringles OR onion and cream prongles
aqua - takis blue heat. because she is blue, and she is not a corn chip. terra - terra sweet potato. self explanatory terranort - terra bloody mary. more self explanatory
cloud - chex mix, because you dont think that combination of flavors should work but it really does. aerith - cape cod pink himalayan salt and red wine vinegar
axel - takis fuego demyx - funyuns and a bottle of sprite. larxene - tangy pickle doritos marluxia - sal de ibiza la vie en rose (they had roses on the packaging and sound pretentious) vexen - a couple of ice cubes and some salt in a ziplock bag xigbar - krinkle cut salt and pepper chips luxord - a poker chip saix - fun keen moon chips
37 notes · View notes