#kh parallels

[mythicalartistx]

Riku parallels various Disney World Characters while being Ansem

Riku in kh2 appears as Ansem which can be seen as monstrous and doesn't want those he cares for to see him in that state because he views himself as a monster and is in a forceful disguise where most do not recognize him.

Beast is seen as monster and doesn't believe anyone can love him like that: a monster

Mulan who is seen as different by society disguises as a boy: Ping.

Ariel who treasures human things and loves Eric becomes someone different to be able to be with him: a human

Note: to other mermaids a human can be seen as a monster so she becomes a human "monster" for him and it's also like how Riku had to become this monster to overcome Roxas.

Simba hides away while ashamed to face the people he once cared about; Riku hides away ashamed to face Sora after how he looks/ what he has done.

In Port Royal, the pirates are cursed as a different form unable to feel or eat as Riku is in a different form that isn't his original body.

Hercules loses his strength differently to how he usually is with full strength and makes him "not himself" just like how Riku is as Ansem. He also feels guilt from not being able to stop the hydra just like Riku's guilt from his past actions.

But despite everything to Sora it doesn't matter and he is still Riku to him and is able to love him despite how he looks. Riku eventually overcomes his guilt and is able to still be accepted even if it's more expanded on in future games.

Belle can still love Beast, Eric doesn't care that she is a mermaid, Mulan is able to be accepted as herself, Simba overcomes his shame and is able to face who he cares for, Hercules regains his strength and overcomes his guilt.

[starlightwayfinder]

credit to @autumn-may-main for helping me flesh out this one. I think we’re really onto something here

[imminent-danger-came]

RIGHT. AM I RIGHT.

[solelii]

Sora's fatal flaw is what led to his banishment to Quadratum.

Sora’s defining trait is prioritizing his friends above all else, was his most powerful asset throughout the series. It eventually became his fatal flaw at the end of KHIII. He was willing to recklessly break the rules of the universe to save them, even if it meant condemning himself to an ambiguous fate. This ultimately led him to Quadratum despite being warned by YX, Chirithy, and King Mickey.

All characters in KH have flaws and Xehanort’s fatal flaw was his superiority complex.

The irony of Sora’s most powerful asset turned out to be his greatest weakness towards the end of KHIII.

What if Sora’s impulsiveness and recklessness is addressed in Phase 2 of the KH series. In KH1, Riku was similar to Sora. If Sora hadn’t been there for him, Riku would have been a lost cause and his body would have been permanently taken over by Ansem. Despite Riku’s actions in the first game, he had a lot of time to reflect and grow because he was manipulated by Maleficent and by extension the all Disney villains and the Heartless of the main villain. He wanted to atone for the pain he caused, which is why KH358/2 days is such a great game. For most of KHII, Riku avoided Sora because he was ashamed of what he had become. He became Ansem and embraced the Darkness only to help Sora wake up. He only gave Sora hints of where to go/what to do next until they finally met in the World that Never Was. 

I’m curious to see if Sora will receive the same treatment Riku did in Reverse Rebirth, which would create a compelling parallel. Strelitzia will likely play a pivotal role in helping Sora confront the emotions he kept to himself and his low self-esteem, as she understands how to address hers and isn’t as oblivious to her self-doubt as Sora. Additionally, it would be meaningful if Sora takes the time to reflect on the negative consequences his actions have had on himself and learns from his mistakes, similar to how Riku did, and grows from it.

[fin-al-mix]

I need someone else to be torn up about the fact that Riku met Xion twice and chose to wake Sora up both times

[a-crack-in-the-universe]

BBS: Ventus saves Aqua from Vanitas | KHUX: Ephemer saves Skuld from Player.

[fennysstuff]

KH3's ending parallels Ansem's Death?

[fragmentsofsorrow]

Aqua and Riku Parallels

1. Aqua and Riku are both Keyblade Masters.

They were the first (and so far the only) members of their respective trios to attain Mastery. They both passed their Mark of Mastery exam after taking it alongside a friend of theirs who failed because of Xehanort influencing the exam.

2. Aqua and Riku have both fallen to darkness and managed to overcome it.

Both of them overcame it with Sora’s help, though in both cases Sora also had to fight them before they did.

3. Aqua and Riku have both been trapped in the Realm of Darkness.

They both ended up stuck there at the end of the game in which they were introduced. Both of them also willingly returned to the Realm of Darkness with the intention of saving someone else.

4. Aqua and Riku both have multiple canonical keyblades (i.e. not just as a gameplay element).

They both went from using their original weapon to a different (upgraded) version of that weapon. They both then lost access to their keyblade while in the Realm of Darkness and ultimately switched to using their current keyblade.

Aqua has Rainfell at first, but when she sends her armor and keyblade back to the Realm of Light, it's Stormfall that shows up in Radiant Garden. Without access to Stormfall, she uses Master's Defender while in the Realm of Darkness. Riku uses Soul Eater at first, but by KH2 it’s transformed into Way to the Dawn. Way to the Dawn then breaks in the Realm of Darkness, and Riku gets Braveheart as a replacement afterwards.

5. Aqua and Riku both share part of their moveset.

Much of Riku’s Dream Drop Distance moveset is taken straight out of Aqua’s from Birth By Sleep. Both of them have a barrier guard (and were the only members of their respective trios to have one at the time) and both have Doubleflight (which at the time was also exclusive to the two of them). Two of Riku’s dream links are Aqua’s command styles from Birth By Sleep (Bladecharge and Ghost Drive), one of which is Aqua-exclusive (Ghost Drive).

They also have the only two multi-input shotlocks in KH3.

And although it’s not technically part of their movesets, Aqua and Riku both spin their keyblade before opening large treasure chests. They’re the only two characters to do this; everyone else either tosses their keyblade in the air (Sora, Ventus) or doesn't do a flourish at all (Terra).