| Xehanort | |
|---|---|
| Kingdom Hearts character | |
 Kingdom Hearts III screenshot featuring from left to right: Ansem, Xehanort (young and old), and Xemnas. | |
| First game | Kingdom Hearts (as Ansem) (2002) |
| Created by | Tetsuya Nomura |
| Designed by | Tetsuya Nomura |
| Voiced by |
|
| In-universe information | |
| Weapon | Keyblade |
| Home | Scala ad Caelum |
Xehanort (Japanese:ゼアノート,Hepburn:Zeanōto,English:/ˈzeɪ.ənɔːrt/) is a fictional character who is themain antagonist of the Dark Seeker Saga, the first phase in theKingdom Hearts series bySquare Enix. He was introduced as the original form of the sentientHeartless "Ansem, Seeker of Darkness" in thefirst game and theNobodyXemnas inKingdom Hearts II.[1]Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep reveals the human elder Xehanort who, like his alter-egos, wishes to recreate the mythical Kingdom Hearts to gain the power to recreate the universe in his image. WhileKingdom Hearts III is the last major installment focusing on Xehanort, the 2020 mobile gameDark Road explores his childhood and descent into villainy.
Xehanort was created byKingdom Hearts director and designer,Tetsuya Nomura, who decided to revise elements of the character when Square Enix greenlightedKingdom Hearts II. Critical response to Xehanort was originally mixed as a result of his multiple alter-egos with different names potentially being confusing to the audience. His further exploration inBirth by Sleep and his boss battles were the subject of praise.
Xehanort was originally conceptualized byTetsuya Nomura as a villain who would only appear in the video gameKingdom Hearts. However, whenSquare Enix got the approval to make the sequelKingdom Hearts II, Nomura put together an outline for the character. He was often told by themanga artist that they felt "the characters come alive however they want," and some parts did change from their original conceptualization. Nomura conceived Xehanort as a character which the players study throughout each installment of the series. Ansem symbolizes the heart while Xemnas symbolizes the body, leading to the focus of the original Xehanort in the future titles. In retrospect, Nomura believes this was properly explored, as each game builds up Xehanort's character until his full introduction.[2]
The biggest change to Xehanort's character inKingdom Hearts II is how his doppelganger, the Heartless Ansem Seeker of Darkness, was revised to feel more like an imposter of the real Ansem the Wise, with more villainous traits.[3]Kingdom Hearts II features another Xehanort doppelganger, the Nobody Xemnas, who is the leader of Organization XIII. The concept of Organization XIII began with Xemnas as the first member and Roxas, Sora's Nobody, as the last. Each of the original members' name is an anagram of their original name prior to becoming a Nobody, with the addition of the letter "X", which is revealed inKingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep to be derived from theχ-blade.
The organization's members wear black, hooded coats that shield them from the corrosive effect of prolonged use of the Corridors of Darkness, portals they use to traverse among worlds.[4] Following the release ofKingdom Hearts II Final Mix, Nomura revealed a connection between the cameo characters and Xemnas, but wanted to leave it up to people's imagination, as he still could not reveal their identities. This was done through the fight sequence between Sora's predecessors and the unnamed elder, who is later revealed to be Master Xehanort, and his apprentice Vanitas.[5]
Nomura explained that Master Xehanort wishes to bring back the Keyblade War and see what happens afterward with his own eyes. However, by the time he finds a way to accomplish this, he will only have a few years left to live. Since he wants to become young again, he finds Terra and defeats him with darkness so he can take his body. This is the Xehanort that Ansem the Wise takes in and makes his number one apprentice. In response to rumors saying that Sora's story would end inKingdom Hearts III, Nomura answered that Sora is the protagonist of the series and that Xehanort's arc would end in such a title.[6] In retrospect, Nomura said it was difficult to enjoy Sora's side of the story and instead like Xehanort's character when making the narrative.[7]
Billy Zane voiced Ansem in the first game. He was replaced byRichard Epcar for the later titles. Reflecting on his work, Epcar enjoyed his works in theKingdom Hearts franchise due to all the people he met.[8] Xemnas was voiced byNorio Wakamoto in Japanese andPaul St. Peter in English. Peter felt that the quick audition led to a positive response from the staff. He came to enjoy voicing Xemnas alongside Wormmon fromDigimon Adventure 02. He found the role challenging as he had to work as carefully as Wakamoto.[9]
For the eventual release ofBirth by Sleep,Ryōtarō Okiayu was chosen as Terra's Japanese voice as the staff wanted an actor who sounded similar toChikao Ōtsuka, Xehanort's original voice, andAkio Ōtsuka, Xehanort's later voice who also voiced the villain while using Terra's body. The staff found Chikao's to be a dry sort of voice, and Akio's a deep, resonating sort of voice, and liked how Okiayu bore elements from both actors. This eventually led to the possession of Terra's body in the prequel by Xehanort and how they would become the villains from the main games. Nomura claims a hidden message in Xehanort's last lines when he hints that somebody else is in Terra's heart. Chikao Ōtsuka died during the development ofKingdom Hears III. While Square was compiling Ansem's voice, in the same scene they could hear Master Xehanort's line. At the time, no substitute voice actor had been chosen, so the staff thought that maybe some line they had recorded previously was playing, but it turned out that Akio Otsuka, the voice actor for Ansem that took Xehanort's identity, was playing the part. The staff, surprised by how uncomfortable they felt, decided to ask him to play the role.[10] Master Xehanort was voiced in English byLeonard Nimoy inBirth by Sleep andDream Drop Distance.[11] This was an intentional casting call from Nomura, a huge fan ofStar Trek andStar Wars, as Xehanort's rival,Master Eraqus, is voiced byMark Hamill. Following Nimoy's death in 2015,Rutger Hauer assumed the role inKingdom Hearts III, later to be replaced byChristopher Lloyd in theRe:Mind DLC andMelody of Memory following Hauer's own passing.
Meanwhile, the youthful Xehanort was voiced by Takanori Okuda andBenjamin Diskin. Diskin commented he had to manage his pitch to sound as young as Okuda. As a result, Diskin was afraid about his performance due to how the early trailers ofKingdom Hearts III could be received. Diskin had played the numbered titles of the franchise and thus had little knowledge about his character since Xehanort's identity was primarily explored in the non-numbered games. Throughout the recording ofKingdom Hearts 3D, no one told him what his character was going through, or what his motivations were. As a result, the actor had little understanding of the narrative.[12]
Xehanort is re-established as an elderly Keyblade Master from the Destiny Islands who acquired the means to transplant a piece of his heart into the bodies of others, which he uses to orchestrate the events up toKingdom Hearts III to suit his agenda. Throughout the series, Xehanort is driven by an obsessive interest in the Keyblade War, a historic cataclysm that produced the universe's present, fragmented state.[13] InKingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, he attempts to use the hearts of his pupilsVentus and Vanitas to forge the χ-blade and unlock Kingdom Hearts to incite another war and create a new world where light and darkness exist in perfect balance.[14][15] He transfers his heart intoTerra's body to prolong his own life,[16] but is defeated through the combined efforts of Ventus, Terra, andAqua, gaining amnesia in the process.[17] InKingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, Xehanort returns to his original form following the destruction of Ansem and Xemnas, who are revealed to have been created to re-enact his original plan. He intends to gather seven "guardians of light" and thirteen "seekers of darkness" in the form of thePrincesses of Heart andOrganization XIII, respectively. He usestime travel to assemble Ansem, Xemnas, and other versions of himself from across time into a new Organization, sending their hearts into replica bodies to co-exist with their present selves.[18] InKingdom Hearts III, after he is defeated and his past selves are eliminated during a showdown againstSora's group, he surrenders and allows his heart to pass on together with his former friend Eraqus.[19] The mobile gameKingdom Hearts: Dark Road explores the character's backstory, during his time training with Eraqus in his youth, and reveals him to be the descendant ofEphemer.
USGamer praised Xehanort's debut in the series for giving the narrative a major impact as he takes over the role of the Disney villains and corrupts and possesses Riku's body. The scene is noted to expand the series' lore little by little, not only through Riku's actions but also because it explores the ruined Hollow Bastion, which is a former lively place now ruled by Xehanort.[23] In the bookKingdom Hearts II (Boss Fight Books Book 16), Alexa Ray Corriea describes Ansem as a mad scientist whose multiple personalities would confuse the audience. Xemnas' early characterization was described as the "gray area" of the series since, duringKingdom Hearts II, the character and his group were not related to darkness or light.[24]Comic Book Resources enjoyed Riku's handling of Xehanort's powers, as he managed to use them to overcome his inner darkness in bothChain of Memories andDream Drop Distance. The same was said with how Riku once again used Ansem's power for justice inKingdom Hearts II and358/2 Days to defeat Roxas and help in Sora's awakening in the former game, as Roxas was needed to awaken the comatose teenager. The site listed Sora's and Riku's fight against Xemnas's as one of Riku's best action sequences.[25] Xehanort manipulating Riku into using the darkness has been compared toQueer Lens due to parallels seen in his journey with self-acceptance and real-life experiences of accepting one's sexual identity, according toTheGamer.[26]GamesRadar enjoyed the final boss fight from the game. The site noted that Ansem still manages to further corrupt Riku, labeling his resulting personality as unwilling to reunite with Sora. His next form Xemnas' handling inKingdom Hearts II was called predictable. This led to more criticism as Ansem's and Xemnas' destructions led to the return of the original Xehanort, rendering the heroes' actions meaningless.[27] William Humberto Huber from theUniversity of California, San Diego, compared Xehanort's multiple identities and antagonism to the rehabilitation ofEmperor Hirohito during the American occupation of Japan after the Pacific War.[28] Tiago Clariano from theUniversity of Lisbon notes that the multiple Xehanorts have a tendency to contradict each other's goals, but even in his final defeat, the villains are being played by an unknown force, Luxu, who will also replace him in upcoming games.[29]
CinemaBlend praised how the prequel explores Xehanort's character while highlighting how he nearly succeeds in defeating all the protagonists from the game.[30]Comic Book Resources noted that several of Xehanort's actions contribute to the heroes' downfall.[31] Another aspect ofBirth by Sleep touched on by3DJuegos was the relationship between Xehanort and Eraqus.[32] In "How Kingdom Hearts Reframed Darkness",Fanbyte writes that Xehanort is the foil of Eraqus based on his research from his diaries and how their values of light and darkness contrast with each other. Xehanort's further exploration of darkness and light was compared with the writing ofHayao Miyazaki's work as well asClamp's, especiallyX. Xehanort constantly performs experiments on the main characters to further develop his studies.[33]GamesRadar claimed thatKingdom Hearts III further developed Xehanort in the ending when Eraqus' spirit contacts his dying friend in regards to how there is "more to light than meets the eye", referring to the chess game they played as children. Giving up, Xehanort fully yields, sees the power of the light, and entrusts the χ-blade to Sora before dying.[34] The chess game was replicated in real life, withGamesRadar finding it ridiculously expensive.[35] Despite calling him a mystery,HardcoreGamer said thatKingdom Hearts Union X - Dark Road further explores Xehanort's origins as it further examines the origins of the Keyblade weapons and their wielders.[36]Comic Book Resources listed his alter egos as the sixth most challenging boss ever in the game, while his true persona ranked second behind Yozora.[37]
MeriStation referred to the character in general as complex and manipulative, while at the same time redeeming in his final moments, he accepts his defeat to Sora and gives him the χ-blade to the youth as he moves to the afterlife with Eraqus.[38] Fanbyte noted that there were several theories about Xehanort's character within the fandom that could become true inKingdom Hearts III. The two of them are whether or not enigmatic Luxu was his true identity or whether Sora's replica Xion became another vessel carrying Xehanort's heart.[39]GameDeveloper lamented that Xehanort's role inKingdom Hearts III was poorly developed as Square Enix was more focused on developing the Disney properties, with Xehanort and his underlings having little screen time until Sora ends most of his journey. This further gave the ending an arc fatigue as the player has to face all of Xehanort's incarnations in a single row without breaks.[40]
In retrospect,Inverse claims that Xehanort was a villain shrouded in mystery due to his early appearances as a man possessing Terra until his proper introduction as Master Xehanort inBirth by Sleep. With Xehanort's eventual death inKingdom Hearts III,Inverse believes that creator Tetsuya Nomura is aiming to create a proper successor to Xehanort, as seen in extra cutscenes revealing that one of the villain's comrades, Luxu, turned out to have his own proper agenda and is seen busy aiming his new plans with other warriors.[41] Nevertheless, the same website found Xehanort to be one of the most incoherent characters ever seen in gaming due to the multiple plans he carries across the franchise.[42] InLa Légende Kingdom Hearts, Xehanort's multiple alter egos are noted to having too many mysteries. His relationship with Luxord is never addressed whereas Xemnas is interested in finding Ventus. When Xehanort possessed Terra, the writer gave such form the nickname of "Terranort" who becomes one of the biggest culprits behind several lost across the franchise until Sora reaches him in the Keyblade Graveyard fromKingdom Hearts III. Meanwhile, The Nameless One, Xehanort's own Keyblade remains as one of the oldest weapons in the narrative especially when it is revealed it was passed on from the Masters of the Masters and was forged from the x-Keyblade itself with the writer claiming it was given its own distinctive name on purpose.[43]
Zane's work as Xehanort (Ansem) was noted byKotaku in an article involving "cheesy video game voice acting", as the writer claimed "Zane's performance is a combination of rocky growlings and deep bass utterances" as a result of how many taunts he makes during the cutscenes, making the villain stand out.[44] CinemaBlend enjoyed Nimoy's performance.[30] Hauer's portrayal was praised byMeriStation, who noted that Xehanort was one of the actor's final works before his death.[45]Christopher Lloyd's performance in the DLC was praised byTheGamer, as they believed he fit the character.[46]
Axel: He became a Heartless, Larxene—and you know what happens to people who do. /Larxene: People who lose their hearts also lose their minds, their feelings... They're consumed by the darkness. /Axel: Right. But that didn't happen to Sora. He held on to his feelings, even as a Heartless. Only one other man ever managed to do that.
Yen Sid: As a Keyblade Master, Xehanort had a gift like few others. But such great minds are often plagued by a single great question. What is the essence of the human heart that weakens us, or empowers us? The answer, he believed, would be found in the "Keyblade War."
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)Xehanort: Light and darkness, they are a balance—one that must always be maintained. /.../ You and I can do the worlds much greater good, by wielding light and darkness in equal shares.
Xehanort's Report 8: I believe a balance of light and darkness is what sustains our World, but too much of the darkness has been stamped out, disrupting that balance. Someone must tear down this tyranny of light and reorganize the World around the darkness which then creeps back in.
Xehanort: At last, our moment is here. Out with the old and brittle vessel, and in with a younger, stronger new one! I swore I would survive...and be there to see what awaited beyond the Keyblade War! And now it is your darkness that shall be the ark that sustains me!
Braig: Oh c'mon, you don't even know your pal? Please tell me the amnesia was just a sick joke. Boy, this is some cliché.
Young Xehanort: I am Xehanort from the most distant past. My future self gave me a task—to visit the splintered versions of myself in many worlds and ensure they gathered here today.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)Ansem: So, I shall release you now, Princess. Complete the Keyhole with your power. Open the door, lead me into everlasting darkness!
Mickey: Well, the man in the picture is definitely the one who tried to take over Kingdom Hearts—the one you fellas defeated. But, what you actually fought was his Heartless. Ya see he wasn't really Ansem. He just went around telling everybody that he was. /.../Sora: We went through all that trouble to defeat an impostor? /Mickey: Yep. A fake. But he still had to be stopped.
Young Xehanort: I will return to my own time, and grow into the man who becomes all these others. While I know this future now that I have lived it, returning to my own time will erase the memories and experiences I have gained here. Still, my appointed path is now etched in my heart, which will first lead me to seek the outside world.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)| Media |
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