Spoilers ► Ansem SOD feels inconsistent to me

[MasterOfMasterOfMasters]

When he is in the Brown Robe, he is very crypitc and you can tell he knows a lot. In Dark Road, we read some of his dialogue with Young Xehanort and he seems to be very well aware of who he is, time travelling and his overall goal. If i were to descibe him id say he is a Master Xehanort in disguise, seemingly omniscient, manipulative but low profile.

But as soon as he possesses Riku he starts talking about Darkness non stop and when he doesnt he is fixated on getting Riku to fall into the Darkness again. His character ins so different, he seems less sentient and more like a Heartless with the ability to speak. Consider this text from KH1 end of the world:

Ones born of the heart and darkness, devoid of hearts, ravage all worlds and bring desolation. Seize all Hearts and consummate the great heart. All hearts to be one, one heart to encompass all Realize the destiny: the realm of Kingdom Hearts The great darkness sealed within the great heart. Progeny of darkness, come back to the eternal darkness. For the heart of light shall unseal the path. Seven hearts, one keyhole, one key to the door. The door of darkness, tied by two keys The door to darkness to seal the light None shall pass but shadows, returning to the darkness Ones born of the Heart and darkness, hunger for every heart until the dark door opens

Assuming it was written by him, notice how depraved it sounds , its message being to basically destroy everything so that all hearts will return to Kingdom Hearts. Its like a Heartless' apprehnsive, to steal hearts, their instinct in written form. Nothing like his collected and crypitc attitude as a Brown Figure. In KH3, Ansem now calls Ansem the Wise, "Master", and is ok being called Xehanort even though Xemnas, in KH2, said that he has for long abandoned that name. But now Ansem SOD, identifies as an apprentice? Isnt he aware he is Master Xehanort?

My point is that Ansem SOD, when in human form, its hard to believe that he knows anything about time travel or about summoign the real Kingdom Hearts. In Brown Robe, yes, its mentioned even by Young Xhenaort that he knew what was up. Its so weird. And then in III, you got his death scene where he suddenly has a moment of weakness, and indication that he is his own person? His appearance is also inconsisten. In the orginal KH1, he looked like a grown up Riku with dark skin. From DDD and on, they changed him to look more like Terra. Then in 3, he doesnt look like anyone? MX says his and Xemnas' appearance took from Terra, but Riku implies that he looks like him. If he was Apprentice Xehnort then why doesnt he look exactly like Apprentice Xehanort?

 

[Soldier]

KH 3D clarified this when Young Xehanort takes Sora through time to various moments in his history and Sora's (which is one of my favorite moments in the series btw, I like thinking that it's a ghost of Christmas present kind of deal, Sora and YX are there, but they can't be seen or heard when they travel to those points in time. In KH, time travel rules dictates that you can only travel to a certain point so long as you have a version of yourself already present. Given that hooded Ansem (who is just a heart beneath the sheet at this point as he cast aside everything but that) appeared before YX to set him on his appointed path, it created a self fulfilling prophecy where it was always fated to happen. However as a consequence, Ansem SOD wouldn't remember the encounter, but "etched it into his heart" (whatever that means).

So in other words, the Ansem encountered in KH1 is so fixated on destruction because he simply doesn't know anything else other than that. All he knows is Kingdom Hearts, how to summon it, and how to control the heartless. Time travel doesn't interest him, and that actually works as a clever meta-narrative answer to why he doesn't dwell on it, he CAN'T remember it. (It also helps keep the games consistent because there was no discussion of time travel until at least BBS, so it allows the first 3 games to flow with little issue).

 

[MasterOfMasterOfMasters]

Ansem SOD wouldn't remember the encounter, but "etched it into his heart" (whatever that means).

wasnt he refering to Young Xehanort?

e Ansem encountered in KH1 is so fixated on destruction because he simply doesn't know anything else other than that. All he knows is Kingdom Hearts, how to summon it, and how to control the heartless. Time travel doesn't interest him, and that actually works as a clever meta-narrative answer to why he doesn't dwell on it, he CAN'T remember it. (It also helps keep the games consistent because there was no discussion of time travel until at least BBS, so it allows the first 3 games to flow with little issue).

i dont think the not rememmering applied t Ansem but to young xehanort. Ansem is a free heart which is why he is able to time travel in the first place. Maybe he forgets once he posseses Riku hence why Young Xehanort has to recruit him later?

 

[Soldier]

wasnt he refering to Young Xehanort?



i dont think the not rememmering applied t Ansem but to young xehanort. Ansem is a free heart which is why he is able to time travel in the first place. Maybe he forgets once he posseses Riku hence why Young Xehanort has to recruit him later?

My mistake, yeah, Young Xehanort was the one who would etch the encounter into his heart. As for your second point, perhaps Ansem SOD didn't care for time travel following his possession of Riku. All he needed to do was ensure his victory at that point.

 

[MasterOfMasterOfMasters]

As for your second point, perhaps Ansem SOD didn't care for time travel following his possession of Riku. All he needed to do was ensure his victory at that point.

I feel Nomura cant really decide if Ansem and Master Xehanort should be different characters or not. At some points, Ansem is treated like MX's heart at other points he is treat like Apprentice Xehanort with a unique identity and maybe amnesia

 

[Dreq the Dreck]

I feel Nomura cant really decide if Ansem and Master Xehanort should be different characters or not. At some points, Ansem is treated like MX's heart at other points he is treat like Apprentice Xehanort with a unique identity and maybe amnesia

THIS. Ansem-SoD's personality and personal motivations are by far the most inconsistent in the series.

 

[MasterOfMasterOfMasters]

THIS. Ansem-SoD's personality and personal motivations are by far the most inconsistent in the series.

its like he gets retconned within the same game or smth. his development history is kinda interesting, he was intended to be an old man who would frequently appear to sora, say some cryptic stuff and then go away. Also, his obsessive relationship with Riku post recom makes 0 sense because he has a replica body, he has no reason to go after Riku. Also what was in KH3 and those weird like "Nononono not one more step" or pointing his finger to Ansem TW and saying " you are wise"? He sounded like a comic relief villain in those.

 

[SweetYetSalty]

In all fairness most of the Xehanorts are inconsistent. Xemnas is just as messed up as Ansem. By trying to tie them altogether as part of Master Xehanort's goal they come across inconsistent. It felt like Apprentice Xehanort was nearly written out of the story by KH3 because he didn't fit the Xehanort/X-Blade goal. Xehanort use to be a scientist but you wouldn't know it looking at the Seekers of Darkness. Interestingly enough Young Xehanort feels the closest to Apprentice Xehanort's science side then either Xemnas or Ansem in KH3. And it showed with how dependent they were on Vexen, when the intellect of Apprentice Xehanort should be his equal or superior in smarts. By Melody of Memory Apprentice Xehanort is now being repackaged as a misguided savior to Kairi and Quadratum which didn't fit how he was previously.

It's not just Ansem, all of the Xehanorts have this problem in some form or another.

 

[MasterOfMasterOfMasters]

. Xemnas is just as messed up as Ansem.

True but his character was always more multiimensional so the plot changes didnt hurt him as much as Ansem. Xemans was always shown to be manipulative, creating backup plans, weel spoken, kept some cards to himself, bloodthristy and apathetic. So, he had more room for the new plot elements added.

It felt like Apprentice Xehanort was nearly written out of the story by KH3 because he didn't fit the Xehanort/X-Blade goal.

And they made him relevant again in MoM with the Ark cutscene where he mentions Unreality. its like they cant decide

terestingly enough Young Xehanort feels the closest to Apprentice Xehanort's science side then either Xemnas or Ansem in KH3. And it showed with how dependent they were on Vexen, when the intellect of Apprentice Xehanort should be his equal or superior in smarts.

Its so weird, like you would think Xemnas had picked up how to make replicas or something. But nope, gotta call old Vexen for the job.

By Melody of Memory Apprentice Xehanort is now being repackaged as a misguided savior to Kairi and Quadratum which didn't fit how he was previously.

I dont know what they are trying to show. Like, the way he talks, its so pretentious and manipulative, i cant see him actually having good motives. I always took it that he was using some suggestion thing on Kairi because she is asleep. Why tak to her if she cant reply? Perhaps putting messages in her subconscious?