My penultimate countdown for Kingdom Hearts Month was probably the hardest to figure out of the entire bunch I set up. The soundtracks to the KH games are considered to be among their very best attributes, and perhaps some of the greatest music found in gaming, especially of their respective genre. Surprisingly, however, I don’t see a lot of lists devoted to one specific element of that music: the boss themes. In a combat-centered game series, with a LOT of boss fights and mini-bosses spread across its many titles, it stands to reason we’d have quite a lot of different pieces of music specifically dedicated to boss battles. Some work for various bosses together, others are specifically set up for a particular battle or character, but virtually all of them are great. I don’t think there’s a single KH boss theme that ISN’T good.
And maybe that is the exact reason why this topic is so rarely broached. It’s not that the boss themes for Kingdom Hearts aren’t worthy of attention, it’s that it is so absolutely and insanely DIFFICULT figuring out what one’s favorites are and how to rank them all. It was certainly a challenge to me: I had to listen and re-listen to different boss themes over and over again, trying to determine not just which ones stuck out the most to me, but why they did, and then figure out how to stack them all up. I even asked a friend (you know who you are, if you’re reading this) to give a sort of “blind listen” to the tracks and rank them equally blindly, just so I could get a second opinion to bounce off of; finding opinions I felt were valuable beyond that was next to impossible.
As a result, this is the list I feel the most uncertain about, in terms of what tracks I chose and where they all sit. It’s almost a sad joke for me that, anytime I make some sort of countdown, my opinions tend to change on it within a very short span of time; sometimes by the time I post them, my opinions are already changed. This, I am certain, is going to be one of those cases…but even if my opinions do change drastically in the future, I think most of these tracks would still be among those I’d count as my absolute faves, and several of them probably won’t be going away anytime soon.
One quick disclaimer: I’m not going to include the themes “One Winged Angel” and “Night on Bald Mountain,” because I think that’s unfair; they came from prior sources and KH essentially just did their own takes on them. I also won’t be including combat themes that are used for Worlds or for multiple non-boss situations, such as “Terra” or “To Our Surprise.” I feel like that’s also cheating: they aren’t SPECIFICALLY designated to boss battles, even if some bosses might use such themes. With that said…let’s go through some memories of melodies. (Heh. See what I did there, KH fans?) These are My Top 15 Boss Themes from Kingdom Hearts.
15. Hunter of the Dark.
I think players of KH sometimes take the Heartless for granted, as enemies. We’ve seen so many other monsters show up in the series since, some considered more powerful, that we sometimes forget the Heartless ARE meant to be a threat, and they can, in fact, be quite frightening under the right circumstances. The optional boss fight against the Dark Hide is a battle that really does play up the Heartless as a menacing and scary creature. The Dark Hide is a vaguely feline Heartless that preys upon Aqua in a secret chapter of “Birth By Sleep” (originally only available in Japan, though it has since been internationally released); the creature pounces on Aqua and confronts her as she wanders through the Realm of Darkness. It is nimble, fierce, and enjoys hiding in the shadows before jumping out to attack. Throughout the fight, we occasionally shift perspective to the Dark Hide itself, seeing the world through its evil eyes, which is both disorienting and rather unsettling. The creature’s theme, “Hunter of the Dark,” adds to its unnerving presence: the music’s almost music-box-like center theme, mingled with pounding, fast rhythms, and the occasional sprinkling of piano chords creates an eerie sort of tune that still matches the intensity of the battle. I’ve never actually faced this boss, full disclosure, which is one of the reasons I put this theme so low, but the piece of music that accompanies it holds up on its own and has always stood out to me. It’s rare you get a theme this…well…creepy, for lack of a better word in a Kingdom Hearts game, while still matching the overall style and tone of the music throughout the series.
14. Lord of the Castle.
“Re:Chain of Memories” - the 3D animated remake of the original portable title for the series, “Chain of Memories” - is one of the few Kingdom Hearts games where the final boss/main villain ISN’T some random form of Xehanort. The final boss of the game is a three-stage battle against Marluxia: a rebellious member of Organization XIII with his own unique designs against Sora & Co. A lot of these multi-stage battles in KH have different themes to accompany each separate form of the character, and Marluxia’s three separate duels are no exception. “Lord of the Castle” accompanies Marluxia’s final stage - where he takes control of a mysterious Idol that resembles the Angel of Death. This boss actually didn’t exist in the original portable version of CoM, and composer Yoko Shimomura intended its theme to be the most grandiose and powerful final boss theme up to that time. It’s a strong and delightfully Gothic-sounding theme, befitting its title, and it makes the final battle against Marluxia stand out in a series with tons of dangerous and powerful final bosses. The only reason it ranks so low is that I simply don’t recall it as frequently as other themes in the series.
13. Vim & Vigor.
“Vim & Vigor” is different from all the other tracks on this list. It isn’t specifically used to accompany one particular character or group of characters, but instead is one of those “general boss themes” you’ll find in games: a repeated and recurring piece of music that accompanies multiple characters in the series. It got its start in Kingdom Hearts II, and has since reappeared in multiple games for multiple situations; it’s been the theme for several Disney Villain bosses (such as the Magic Mirror, pictured here), as well as some sort of “monster bosses,” and even a few unconventional battle situations, such as the run of Final Fantasy characters against the Heartless in KHII. While the theme definitely fits its title - with a sense of strength, determination, and even a fiery quickness that almost sounds like a tango - what stands out to me, and perhaps it’s something only I’VE noticed, is that there’s something almost…melancholy about the track. The tune seems to have this vibe to it of “there’s no choice but to fight;” a sort of regretful, bitter strain that runs through its notes. It’s something I’ve never noticed anyone else bring up when this theme is discussed in video comments, nor was it something my second opinion I mentioned brought up at any point. For me, however, it’s part of what makes it so memorable. It only sits so low because, as a sort of “general theme,” it doesn’t have the same story-based or emotional impact as others that are above it.
12. Dismiss.
This is the first of several themes on this list that effectively takes two or more previously existing pieces of music, and meshes them together with some original twists to create something new. In the case of “Dismiss,” the theme combines two very different tunes together: first, there is “Destati,” a theme that recurs throughout the KH franchise, and is essentially an “anthem of darkness.” It is a Gothic piece, almost like a Satanic hymn, and is typically found incorporated into tracks related to the character of Ansem the Seeker of Darkness: the Heartless form of Xehanort. Contrasting this are the strains of the theme simply entitled “Terra,” which is…well…Terra’s theme, found in various cutscenes and combat sections throughout “Birth By Sleep,” the game where this boss battle theme originates. That theme is a sort of tragically heroic tune, with a lightness and a sadness combined in its strings and beats. “Dismiss” does not combine these two elements idly, as it acts as the theme for the duel between Aqua and “Terranort”: the result of Master Xehanort effectively taking over Terra’s body as part of his mad, elaborate scheme to first gain youth, and then seek out the power of Kingdom Hearts. The battle is highly reminiscent of the fights with Ansem in other games of the series, and not coincidentally so. The combination of these themes not only speaks to the combination of characters themselves, but also to the mission Aqua has in this battle: to beat out the darkness possessing Terra and try to save her friend. The only reason this track doesn’t rank higher is simply because I tend to think of other pieces of music in the series more.
11. Black Powder.
Another “Birth By Sleep” alumni, this tune accompanies the penultimate boss battle from Terra’s side of the story. In the first stage, Terra is pitted against the two main villains of the story: Master Xehanort and Vanitas. In the second stage, after a cutscene interruption, Xehanort takes center stage as the singular target. This is one of my favorite bosses in the whole Kingdom Hearts series, for a lot of reasons. I love the deceptiveness of Xehanort present in the battle: how he goes from moving at a slow and careful place to darting about and slashing wildly. I also love Leonard Nimoy’s voicework in the role, as he’s clearly having a blast in the part of the mad villain, cackling away with greatest glee throughout this battle. And, of course, I love the music. When I hear Black Powder, the word that comes to mind is “operatic.” There’s just this sense of grand, glorious melodrama to it, which is hard to describe: it is the sound of combating “the grand evil,” and going at it full force, both heroic and yet filled with dark power. It’s the perfect theme to fit this duel and all that is going on in it, contextually. I should point out that the theme also accompanies a completely different boss during Terra’s story, against Braig - the human form of Xigbar. And while it works there, and that battle is fine, I think it fits the final double-battle so much better, and is a big part of what makes it great.
10. Another Side - Battle Ver.
This is yet another theme that takes already existing music and revamps it in a new way. In this case, as the title implies, the theme is a combat-savvy rendition of the tune “Another Side.” This theme is sort of an anthem for Organization XIII, and has both a sorrowful and sinister sound to it, hinting at both the venomous presence of the Organization and the sadness and emptiness behind so many of those involved. At the end of “358/2 Days” - a game told from the perspective of Roxas, a member of the Organization who ultimately goes rogue - this battle-ready version of the tune acts as the final boss theme, between Roxas and Riku. This is a great battle, on an emotional level: each of the duelers involved wants to find Sora, but for totally different reasons, and they find themselves at crossed paths as a result. It’s fitting that this theme acts as the final battle theme for Roxas, as it almost serves a symbolic purpose: he casts aside the darkness and melancholy of the Organization as he becomes his own person, ready to fight anyone who gets in his way, and determined to take on any world. It’s a theme that not only shows where Roxas came from, but more importantly, where he’s going and what he’s leaving behind. The theme isn’t necessarily tragic, but there is a strong, emotional center to it, as both of the characters featured are headstrong and persistent, each eager to see their ends met. It’s not so much a theme that fits a battle against your ultimate evil in the story, more a tale of two good people who can’t quite connect.
9. The 13th Struggle.
This theme first showed up in “Chain of Memories,” where it served the purpose of acting as a sort of boss anthem for the members of Organization XIII. In later games, it effectively became a theme for Axel, in particular, although it does still accompany some other members (most notably Luxord, Larxene, and Vexen). This theme is a wild rollercoaster of music; it’s easy to see why it was connected with Axel, in particular, because there’s a kind of “controlled chaos” to it. It’s fast-paced, frenetically energized, and yet also very cunningly organized, taking a bunch of musical elements that honestly shouldn’t work well together and arranging them so brilliantly that it creates one of the most memorable battle leitmotifs in the history of the series. That matches Axel pretty much perfectly, especially in his first couple of appearances: he’s a character who has a lot of layers, not quite a villain and not quite a hero. And with a title like “the Flurry of Dancing Flames,” a theme that is so off-the-rails and yet so precise at the same time is absolutely a perfect match. It works well for other characters, too, of course, as there’s a sort of mysterious and even slightly sad quality to the music at points, which matches Organization XIII in general. And considering some of the characters it accompanies aside from Axel include a roguish gambler, a sadistically playful mean girl, and a classic mad scientist, that sort of wild-but-not-out-of-control vibe can fit things pretty well. It feels as if the struggle the title refers to is a struggle for control, for order, for sanity, and that’s always a compelling element to find in a battle theme for any game.
8. The Other Promise.
This theme is not only a direct contrast to our previous pick, with a completely different tone, but is also unique in that it acts as a complete contrast to the battle itself. In the Final Mix version of KHII, Sora is forced to battle Roxas: his other self, his Nobody. It is one of the most grueling and intense fights in the entire KH series; many consider it the single hardest battle in KHII, in particular. (I should add that I have actually never fought this boss myself; when I played KHII, it was before Final Mix was available in the USA, so I have never endured the pain of having my arse kicked by Roxas…you can decide if that makes me a wise fellow or a cowardly fool. XD ) You’d expect a theme for such a rowdy brawl to be one of the most harsh and aggressive, but it isn't. Keep in mind, we spent the entire prologue of the game - and it wasn’t short - playing AS Roxas, we’ve come to know about him and care for him a lot. So now, we essentially have to fight the guy we were rooting for, who we wanted to help and protect, and Sora has no idea it’s even happening, since he’s not totally aware of what’s really going on or who his opponent actually is. “The Other Promise,” therefore, goes in a subtle, sentimental, soft direction: if you heard it on its own, and didn’t know about the battle it accompanies, you would probably never guess it’s for a fight scene, basically. It is a nostalgic, heartbreaking tune, as the player is forced to fight someone they care about, Sora is forced to fight something he doesn’t understand, and Roxas is forced to fight not only against his other self, but to fight for his very existence as it stands. It’s a beautiful piece, but because a.) I haven’t actually fought Roxas myself, and b.) I do think I typically prefer more “epic” sounding themes over more “gentle” sounding ones, I didn’t feel I could place it too highly. Still, Top 10 ain’t bad.
7. Rinzler Recompiled.
It’s very rare that the Disney Villains in KH get a singular theme all to themselves. By which I mean, yes, there are themes that accompany the Disney Villains AS A WHOLE - such as “Vim & Vigor” or “The Encounter” - but with the exception of Chernabog being given “Night on Bald Mountain,” you usually don’t get specific themes for one specific villain. This is part of what makes this theme from “Dream Drop Distance” so extraordinary. In DDD, our heroes travel to “The Grid” - a revamped version of “Space Paranoids” from KHII, based on the film “Tron: Legacy.” In KHII, the titular Tron was a Party Member and major character in the game, as he and his story affected two different Worlds at the same time. We got to know him pretty well, and he became a good friend and valued ally. In “The Grid,” however, we find that Tron has been brainwashed and transformed into the malevolent Rinzler: a strong and nimble blackguard for the villainous CLU. He’s basically gone from one of our dearest companions to a mindless killing machine. You can tell that Yoko Shimomura - the main composer of the franchise - saw the potential in this fact, because the theme she created for Rinzler’s boss fight reflects that dilemma. It carries all the emotional weight you’d expect in what is essentially a battle for your enemy’s soul, all the menace that facing what is basically a murderous puppet would entail, and also has a sense of musical style that honestly feels more like something out of a Tron movie than a typical Kingdom Hearts track, which certainly makes it unique. It’s a major part of what makes Rinzler so impactful in the game, both as a character and a boss.
6. Vector to the Heavens.
Just like “The Other Promise,” this tune from the original “358/2 Days” goes in a softer, less aggressive direction, and the situation it fits with is equally emotional. The whole plot of “358/2 Days” focuses on the relationship between Roxas, Axel, and Xion. All three become friends, and as the game goes on, that friendship is quickly tested and becomes increasingly hard to maintain. Xion’s great struggle is that she is an artificial Replica, imperfectly formed from Roxas and Sora’s memories. She lives through a constant identity crisis, unsure of her own self and her own reality, which comes to a head in the climax of the story: Xion is compelled by the evil Xemnas to destroy Roxas, and absorb his consciousness, so she can become whole and complete. The only way Roxas can save himself is to destroy Xion first. Neither of our two protagonists want to fight, but they really have no choice. After chasing Xion across several Worlds they visited - with her changing forms in each World, and with a different boss theme accompanying each setup - the final stage sees the two in their favorite World, Twilight Town, as Xion turns into an armored giant standing before the mighty Clock Tower, and Roxas must battle the titan. “Vector to the Heavens” is the theme accompanying this final duel, and like “The Other Promise,” you wouldn’t guess this sad, sweet song is a battle theme if you heard it out of context. However, I think it works a bit better than “The Other Promise,” as the grand visuals and the fact it accompanies the final stage of a particularly heartbreaking showdown feel like they match the music a bit more. It’s also worth pointing out that a Metal-style remix of the song accompanies the battle with “Data Xion” in KHIII, so if you want something more typically aggressive, that version is good, too.
5. Squirming Evil.
This is definitely a theme I imagine would NOT rank this highly for most fans, especially when compared to such soulful pieces as “Vector to the Heavens” or “The Other Promise.” It’s the only track on this list exclusive to the first and original Kingdom Hearts. While the original game’s soundtrack is still pretty strong overall, the music only got better as the games went on and they were able to do more with what they had, involving more elements of orchestration and more varied tones. Having said that, this theme was a highlight for me, and remains important for one simple reason: it’s the theme that accompanies ALL the main battles with the big Disney Villains (with the exception of Chernabog). What I love about this theme, on that front, is really summed up with two words: consistency and tone. In later games, the Disney Villains seem to be treated somewhat as an afterthought, and the music reflects this: there is no one, wrote “Disney Villain Theme” in most of the other games. Instead we get a variety of themes that are used for multiple bosses. I loved how, in the first Kingdom Hearts game, the theme for the Disney Villains was so consistent: every time you faced one of them, you got this piece of music, and it made the tune special. It was sort of a “Disney Villain Boss Anthem,” and I really enjoyed listening to it while I fought them. I also like how this theme - unlike basically every other theme that came after for these bosses - really seems to take itself seriously; there’s a real sense of danger to this track, something truly sinister and wicked, that you shouldn’t take for granted. At the same time, there’s still sort of “whimsical” quality to it, for lack of a better word, that fits what you’d expect from a battle against characters like Oogie Boogie, Captain Hook, Jafar, and so on. Being such a major Disney Villain fanboy, I really appreciate both of these things about this track, and while I doubt ANYBODY else would put this one so high up, it more than earns a place in my personal Top 5.
4. Disappeared.
While themes like “Vector to the Heavens” and “Lord of the Castle” accompany the final stages/battles against the climatic bosses of their respective titles, “Disappeared” actually accompanies the FIRST stage/battle against the main antagonist of KHII, Xemnas. While the themes that accompanied the later Xemnas battles (and the battles themselves) were nothing to scoff at, this first battle and its musical accompaniment honestly hit me the hardest. This theme is eerie, haunting, and deeply unnerving; it is a gloomy and ghostly ballad accompanying a similar sort of fight, as the setting sees Sora facing Xemnas in a surreal, vaguely film-noir-esque arena, surrounded by mist and rain. The theme is slow and dangerous, with a looming sense of evil; as if you’re facing a phantom more than a person, and only adds to the ominous atmosphere. It builds steadily, with greater emotion and a sort of bitter intensity, while never losing its forbidding aura. This was my favorite part of the set of final battles in the game, and I think this spooky, sinister boss theme was part of what made it so much more memorable than the more grandiose battles that came after it. Again, make no mistake, the whole slew of Xemnas battles, and their music, are great…but if the game had ended with simply this singular fight and all that goes into it, I personally would have been more than satisfied. This theme still gives me chills.
3. Hearts as One.
Just like “Dismiss,” this theme combines multiple pre-existing tunes into one to create something new. “Hearts as One” accompanies, in my opinion, one of the absolute most epic parts of KHIII. I’ll keep the full context to myself (because…well…it would take FOREVER to explain it all), but the short version of what happens is this: after Axel gets wounded by Saix, all three versions of Sora - himself, his Nobody (Roxas), and his Replica (Xion) - all band together to topple the moon-crazed villain and defend their friend. Fittingly, the music combines tracks related to all four of the major characters involved in the battle: Roxas’ titular character theme, Sora’s titular character theme, and the aforementioned pieces “Vector to the Heavens” and “Another Side” - the themes for Xion’s original boss fight and Organization XIII respectively. The four tunes are expertly stirred together into a triumphant, powerful medley that both pumps the player up and almost brings them to tears. This, to me, feels like it was what KHIII was building up to beyond all else; seeing these three characters, all fragments of the same story and the same mind, working together not just to save the universe, but to protect one of their dearest friends. You can feel Saix’s rage pulsing through the beat, but it’s overwhelmed by the power, love, and determination of these three heroes, even in the music. It is the culmination of their pasts, and while Saix is not the final boss of the game, he DOES come in pretty late into the running, and is still a prominent antagonist in the series and all of these heroes’ stories. The music, like the battle itself, is a magnificent example of payoff incarnate.
2. Oscurita di Xehanort (Forza Finale).
Just like the previous track, this is a “boss theme medley” from KHIII, and it follows hot on the heels of the events that “Hearts as One” accompanies. If there was one bit of payoff even cooler than seeing Sora’s three selves face Saix in defense of Axel, it was seeing Sora, Riku, and King Mickey against not one, not two, but THREE different versions of the main villain of the whole franchise: Xehanort. Throughout the series, Xehanort takes on many different identities, personas, and faces, and in the penultimate boss of the game, three of those identities all rally together to halt our heroes’ progress in a last stand. Working first together, and then separately, the trio includes Ansem the Seeker of Darkness (Xehanort’s Heartless, the main villain of KHI), Xemnas (Xehanort’s Nobody, the main villain of KHII), and Young Xehanort (whose name explains itself; the main villain of “Dream Drop Distance”). The theme combines the final boss tunes for each of these antagonists we’ve faced before into one grand, Gothic, ghoulish conglomeration. Like “Black Powder,” it is a theme embodying the ultimate evil, and as satisfying as the final battle with Master Xehanort later was (and as great as the theme accompanying that battle was, in turn), this triple-header somehow got me even better. This is the history of villainy in KH, essentially, ramping up to the final duel, and the music reflects that, reminding us of the terror these rogues - all fractions of the same twisted heart - have inflicted over the course of the series. It has a similar sense of “controlled chaos” as “The 13th Struggle,” matching the disorienting feeling facing three such powerful foes at once naturally brings to the player, but it goes in a totally different direction. All three of the themes that make up this singular piece are great on their own terms, but brought together, they create something breathtaking. I was very, VERY tempted to name this as my number one choice, for a lot of reasons…but after some consideration, I decided another theme was more fitting.
1. Unbreakable Chains.
In “Birth By Sleep,” our secondary villain - and the main antagonist of Ventus’ story, in particular - is the villainous Vanitas. Formed from all the darkness in Ven’s heart, and with the likeness of Sora, he is essentially a being of pure evil, who only desires to become a complete being in his own right for completion’s sake. Throughout the game, all three of our heroes face Vanitas multiple times, each time to the tune of a theme entitled “Enter the Darkness.” Now…Enter the Darkness is an amazing theme on its own. It’s got a different sound to the rest of the KH soundtrack, and is one of the darkest themes in the whole series, in my opinion. “Unbreakable Chains” essentially takes that track, which we’ve heard so many times, and “ups” it for the final battle between Vanitas and Ven. With the evil keyslinger unmasked, wielding the fabled X-Blade in his hands, Ven must fight to save his soul and find his friends. The music starts off as a slower, heavier, darker-than-ever take on “Enter the Darkness,” then - as it goes on - gains more strings of triumph and hope, matching Ven’s own side of the story. It’s more than just Vanitas’ theme now, but also Ven’s, and fits this final battle insanely well. I think the reason I placed this one at the top of the heap is simply because, of all the final boss themes in the series, this is the most memorable to me. I remember the tune itself better than any of the others, and of the three final battles in BBS, this one was the battle that had the most impact on me. The theme got an orchestral-style update in KHIII, and while that one is pretty good too, it’s the original version from BBS that hits hardest for me.
Again, this was an INTENSELY difficult list to rank and sort out. So difficult, I can’t even say if this choice is the right one. But…when all is said and done…I don’t see any reason NOT to name “Unbreakable Chains” as My Favorite Kingdom Hearts Boss Theme. Even if my opinions change in the future, it will always be one of the greatest.
YouTube decided it doesn't want to play with my adblocker anymore so now I'm sitting on Tumblr throwing random asks into blogs' mailboxes like playing cards into a hat.
Anyway, what song would you say if your Boss Music? I personally like "Beginning Of The End" by Spineshank, "Nightmare" by Avenged Sevenfold, or "Not Of This Earth" by Dance With The Dead, for mine.
I imagine my boss fight to be equal parts gross, weird, and cosmically horrifying.
Oh. Hmm...well...never really found any particular song to be my boss theme. But if I had to choose:
Either "Thunderhorse" by Dethklok, because I would only be a boss fight if I was seeking revenge for someone (or myself). Also I'd certainly hope a horse is involved in my boss fight.
Or "I'm Not An Animal" by The Blind Shake, because....eh....I just like listening to it. Also I am mean to myself, so hearing "I'm not incredible" has me like '....yeah. Lol Same. I suck.'
But in all seriousness, as a nerdy gamer, my boss themes would be:
"Fighting Against a Somewhat Stronger Monster" from Super Mario RPG (original and remake). Totally not me getting hyped about its release coming next week.
Or this badass mix. (All of the Amanecidas themes from Blasphemous mixed into one.)
"hey what's your favorite genre?" "why, insanely catchy and hard-hitting video game boss themes that play during your second encounter with a robotic villain that loves money and is a darker, more intense reprise of their previous boss theme, of course!"
