• Rinzler
• Gameplay

Rinzler
Japanese	リンズラー
Rōmaji	Rinzurā
Type	Construct
Homeworld	The Grid
Origin	Tron: Legacy
Game	Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance
KH3D tracks Battle theme -Rinzler Recompiled

Rinzler
Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance
"Tron: Legacy" (2010) A hostile program formerly known as Tron. CLU wiped Tron's memory when he changed his code.

"That's the thing about programs. Mess with the code just a little, and their whole nature and memory can change."

—Kevin Flynn

Rinzler is an antagonist who appears inKingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance. A copy ofTron reprogrammed to be villainous, he serves as an enforcer forCLU and helps him keep his iron grip onThe Grid. He originated in the Disney filmTron: Legacy.

Development[edit]

According to Masaru Oka, scenario and cutscene director forKingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, Rinzler was originally intended to be a boss for Riku's side of the story.^[1]

Story[edit]

Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance[edit]

Side: Sora[edit]

CLU offers to exchange Rinzler for Sora's Keyblade.

Sora first encounters Rinzler on a bridge, where they prepare to fight. Hiding nearby,Kevin Flynn is shocked to see that Tron is still alive. However, Rinzler is contacted at that moment (evidence as he held his hand up as if answering a call) and immediately leaves the area without a fight. He returns to CLU, who then views the data on the new User that Rinzler has obtained. Among the images is Sora opening aTreasure Chest with theKeyblade, whereupon CLU hands the disk back to Rinzler, musing about the weapon's potential.

Soon, Sora andQuorra encounter Rinzler in CLU's headquarters. Sora decides to try a heart-to-heart to help jog Rinzler'smemory of his time as Tron; however, he fails. Rinzler sends his disks towards Sora, but Quorra manages to block the attack for him. Quorra quips that Rinzler isn't quite the friend Sora remembers, but he's sure that Rinzler just needs some time to remember. Quorra proceeds to engage Rinzler, but is defeated and seemingly captured. Sora attempts running to stop Rinzler, but the doors snap shut before he can do anything. Sora is later taken to the Disk Wars stadium, where Rinzler and CLU wait; CLU offers to release Rinzler in exchange for the Keyblade (which he wants to open the Portal to the User world). However, when Sora refuses, CLU orders Rinzler to take him down. However, Quorra reappears and assures Sora that he can get through to Tron as Rinzler hesitated to finish her off, allowing her to escape.

Rinzler falls through the floor just as he regained his memories.

Sora defeats Rinzler and uses the Keyblade to reboot Rinzler's memory system, reverting him back to Tron and allowing him to remember his meeting with Sora back inSpace Paranoids. While Sora tends to Tron, an enraged CLU sneaks in behind him and attempts to derezz Sora with his disk. However, Tron quickly springs to his feet and deflects the disk with his own. The disk bounces off the walls and lands in front of Tron, destroying the floor. As he falls, Tron responds to Sora's voice and tries reaching for his hand. However, it proved too late as he falls into the abyss below the arena. An annoyed CLU heads off to retrieve him. Sora uses Tron's predicament to come to the answerXemnas posed to him.

Side: Riku[edit]

After finding themselves at the Solar Sailer dock,Sam Flynn, Kevin, Quorra andRiku noticed Rinzler patrolling the area with Quorra allowing herself to be captured by him and taking her to the Rectifier. Sam and Riku knowing that they can't leave her behind insists that they should rescue Quorra and steal back Kevin's disc, as they both head off to the throneship.

After they managed to steal back Kevin's disc, they are interrupted by Rinzler who pushes Quorra aside, and prepares to fight them, but Riku performs aFlowmotion leap and knocks him off in a nearby ledge, leaving his fate unknown.

Design[edit]

Rinzler wears black body armor with orange circuitry. He bears Tron's signature chest pattern of four squares arranged in the shape of a "T", but recolored orange, and he has lines on his fore and middle fingers. His face is covered by a black helmet similar in structure to the one worn byVanitas. He wields twinIdentity Disks, black chakram-like weapons with a white outer border and an orange inner border, that can merge into one.

Despite wielding both disks, Rinzler's model still has a disk attached to his back during the battle with him.

Personality[edit]

After his reprogramming, Rinzler is obedient to CLU, carrying out his orders. He is also reserved, never speaking unless necessary. When he sees something of unique that CLU may take an interest in, Rinzler immediately makes informing him top priority; this is evident when he sees the Keyblade and reports back to CLU. Once regaining his memories from his time as Tron, he is very courageous and protective of his friends, specificallySora, whom he protected from CLU. As such, he is willing to accept help from his friends, such as when Sora held out his hand to prevent him from falling.

Origin[edit]

Rinzler inTRON: Legacy.

"I...fight for the Users!"

—Rinzler defies CLU 2

While Tron himself debuted in the 1982 filmTron, the Rinzler persona debuted in its 2010 sequel,Tron: Legacy, portrayed by martial artist/stuntman Anis Cheurfa and voiced by Tron's actorBruce Boxleitner. Following the events of the firstTron, Kevin Flynn transferred Tron from the ENCOM server onto his new Grid as its guardian while recreating CLU 2 to oversee its maintenance. One day, however, while Tron was escorting Flynn to the portal to the real world, they were ambushed by CLU 2 and four Black Guards. Tron fended off the Black Guards while ordering Flynn to escape, but was ultimately defeated and repurposed into Rinzler, CLU's top enforcer.

InTron: Legacy, Rinzler makes his first appearance as the final opponent of the Disk Wars, fighting Sam Flynn until he bleeds, identifying him as a User. Throughout the rest of the film, he is brought into conflict with Sam and Quorra, alongside the elder Flynn. Ultimately, during a high-speed Light Jet battle, Tron overcomes CLU 2's programming and flies straight into his former master. The attack fails, however, and Tron falls into the sea of simulation, where his circuitry reverts to white.

Gallery[edit]

• 

  R+ Power card featuring Rinzler inKingdom Hearts χ[chi].

• 

  Rinzler on the Memory and Heart Trophy inKingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance HD.

• 

  Rinzler's Identity Disk.

Notes and references[edit]

• Construct
• The Grid
• Disney characters
• Disney bosses
• Antagonists