With its official announcement last year,Kingdom Hearts 4is set to be a bold change for the Square Enix series. In the wake of the hype forKingdom Hearts 3coming to an end, the classic action RPG franchise has been more of an influence on modernFinal Fantasythan an actual presence in the industry. Taking place in the new world of Quadratum,Kingdom Hearts 4seems to be aiming to push the series forward with a realistic art style that subverts the look of the previous games. If the massive shift in aesthetic is a sign of the broader concept behind the upcoming game, it has the opportunity to depart from the core franchise in other major ways.
TheKingdom Heartsfranchise has become prolific due in large part to its iconic cast of characters who bring a wholesome twist to the typical Square Enix fare.Character arcs like those of Sora and Rikuhave caused the characters to become legends in their own right among casts of countless famous Disney movie characters, but the upcoming sequel seems to be distancing itself from these past precedents. With the trailer featuring Sora fighting alone,Kingdom Hearts 4presents itself as the perfect opportunity to shed some of the franchise’s past and finally move on from characters that have already made their mark.
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Winnie the Pooh
After having a version of his 100 Acre Wood world in all the mainlineKingdom Heartsentries, theinfamously censored Winnie the Poohand his other cute animal friends have always provided nothing much beyond a cute set of diversions compared to the fully realized levels that other Disney movies bring. If Square Enix doesn’t bring some kind of signature conflict and excitement to this area of the franchise, Winnie the Pooh is better left in the past.
Yen Sid
The wise master of Sora and other keyblade wielders throughout the series, Master Yen Sid has guided the heroes ofKingdom Heartsthrough major parts of their development. Serving as the mentor to both Sora and Riku inDream Drop Distance, the wizard marks a point in the series where the validity of the main characters' skills with the keyblade is challenged.
With Sora being an example of a keyblade user that has adopted an unorthodox style, he is forced to unlearn his flawed improvisation and passKingdom Hearts' Mark of Mastery examto become a certified keyblade master. If Kingdom Hearts 4 is truly set to progress the series, it needs to acknowledge Sora’s veteran status and allow him to thrive without retroactive changes to the continuity like Yen Sid’s teachings.
Ventus/Terra/Aqua
The three playable protagonists ofBirth by Sleepcemented themselves as legendary figures in the history of theKingdom Heartsseries, but they have hardly had the same impact ever since. With their follow-up appearance inKingdom Hearts 3coming nearly an entire decade after the release ofBirth by Sleep, the lack of development the trio received dampened the impact of their triumphant returns.
While great characters with their own story arcs, their un-aged appearances after so much advancement in thetimeline ofKingdom Heartsare indicative of how the substance of their characters has hardly shifted since the ending of their original game. Unless Square Enix takes these keyblade veterans into the actual future of their development, they’re better left in the Xehanort Saga.
Every Form of Xehanort
After having all the previous Kingdom Hearts games as a part of the “Xehanort Saga”, this villainous keyblade master wormed his way into the plot of the entire franchise prior to the upcoming next installment.Master Xehanort’s return inKingdom Hearts 4, in any of his multiple forms, would only serve to undermine the legacy of Sora defeating the archvillain.
Kingdom Hearts 4is in development.
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