Summary
TheKingdom Heartsfranchise may have been built on the premise of a crossover between Disney and Square Enix’sFinal Fantasy, but the series’ growing cast of original characters has only become more central over the course of more than two decades. Though it’s unknown whenKingdom Hearts 4will eventually arrive, there have been several hints indicating that this initial entry in a newKingdom Heartssagacould bring about the biggest shift in style that the series has seen yet. A largely new set of characters is likely to come with this change that follows the resolution of what was the major conflict up untilKH3, but there’s still one dynamic that fans didn’t ever get to see play out with the original cast.
Following an ever-expanding web of games that have come in between the proper numbered titles,Kingdom Hearts4is set to be far more complex than where everything started back in 2002. A convoluted narrative supported by prequels and non-numbered sequels alike culminated in the series’ ensemble cast all gathering for the finale ofKingdom Hearts 3, with many of the story’s loose ends being tied up through giving many important characters their own time to shine. Sora, Riku, and Kairi, however, while each receiving their own closure to some extent, still have yet to share a pivotal gameplay moment between just the three of them.
The Original Trio of Kingdom Hearts Hasn’t Been a Main Focus
Sora, Riku, and Kairi’s Inconsistent Roles
No matter how complicated the subsequent plot of the franchise would become,Kingdom Heartshas an iconic beginning on Destiny Islands between its three main characters. The simplistic times these three kids shared represent the friendship that would go on to drive them through their darkest struggles, and they were originally at the core ofKH’s story as a whole. Despite the emotional impact of the multiple scenes in which they reunite, it’s also undeniable that Sora and Riku have always been the more active of the trio. While they have each been playable on multiple occasions over the years, Kairi only earned this status in theKingdom Hearts 3’s ReMind DLC.
The Emphasis on Kingdom Hearts’ Other Trios
The concept of being able to play as several main characters, or at least have them as party members, isn’t something thatKingdom Heartsis a stranger to.Birth by Sleepis known for featuring three separate campaigns as each of its respective protagonists, while358/2 Daysfeatures its own main trio as a party, and even as playable options outside the main story. It may seem strange that Sora and his friends have been mostly omitted from this style as they’ve each grown over time, but anIGNinterview with Tetsuya Nomura from the period leading up toKH3provides some insight:
“{Kingdom Hearts is] not too realistic, but I do want my players to grasp a sense of reality from it as well…For example, I’m sure you had friends when you were young, a good group of friends, but as you grow older things change and it doesn’t always stay the same…”
Kingdom Hearts 4 Has the Chance to Unite the Destiny Islands Trio for a New Era
The Destiny Islands Trio is Already Poised to be Relevant in Kingdom Hearts 4
There’s not necessarily a solid foundation for the three characters uniting inKH4’s Quadratum, but each has their own individual potential significance to the upcoming mainline title after completing their previous arcs. Riku has been able to enter a portal into the fictional world after seeing it in a dream, making him almost guaranteed to appear as he searches for Sora.
There’s precedent for that pair joining together in gameplay, butKairi’s playable status inKingdom Hearts 4is far more ambiguous due to her apparently still training with Aqua. After her hyped playable appearance alongside Sora against Xehanort in ReMind, however, there would be a lot of wasted potential in not having a similar moment between all three friends in the next game.
