At the very least I want them to give an explanation for their absence.
Also have Riku, Ienzo, and Aeleus acknowledge their previous encounter with each other. It's so weird having them act like nothing happened previously, or Aeleus apparently feeling bad about him epically pimp slapping Roxas but not for trying to turn Riku into a ceiling fan.
Yeah. If not a cameo, then some level of an explanation for their absence is definitely in order. I find it hard to believe they would just... leave the castle empty/unguarded, or just hand it over to the newly restored apprentices, considering what they've done in the past. Weren't they essentially the ones leading RG in AtW's absence? Honestly, that's a whole discussion all on it's own, but is all the more reason they really shouldn't have been entirely absent from KH3. Regardless of how Nomura feels about there being "too many" characters in the game as it is (even if most of them were barely in it, barely said anything, didn't do anything, or in some cases
didn't even say anything), it damages the believability of the story if you just go cutting out entire important groups of people without a trace like that. I doubt he fully thought out how such a decision would affect the story, so much as he just looked at the numbers and went like: "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Don't we have enough already?! Besides, the fans care more about the original characters anyway, right?" Gotta work smarter and not harder I guess..
An extended interaction between Riku and the apprentices would definitely be in order too. This might also give an opportunity for Dolan and Aeleus to speak and actually
voice their own thoughts for once in the game. I'll never get over how they kept entirely mute, despite
clearly being in emotional shock at their Master's return. Aeleus' Nobody may be the "Silent Hero," but he's not so closed he doesn't speak when spoken too, or when prompted. Even moreso with Dilan.
Also, Lexeaus knocking Riku out cold is one of the most brutal moments in the series, and is probably the only time I legitimately thought a character might've gotten their bones shattered, lol. I wonder.. is it even
possible for Riku to forget something like that?
True. And it's hard to tell if what we've seen of Re:Mind is a new worldline thing or if they're seriously rewriting parts. The latter being preferable.
KH3 as a whole needs a rewrite....
I still don't even fully understand what a worldline
is in it's most basic definition, so I hope that's not shoved into KH3, lest it's narrative become
more cluttered with nonsense than it already is. I'm not expecting much at this point, but if nothing else, please just let it be some sort of rewrite.
Not to change the topic, but this is kinda why I would be hesitate for a "playable Kairi training segment in the time-forest" it would accomplish nothing other then the people who want to play as her to play as her, and maybe for some that is enough. But battle wise Kairi accomplishes nothing at the Keyblade Graveyard, we know she doesn't win any fights herself, gets kidnapped and killed. Why play as a character who's fate you know is going to suck? Unless they really are going to rewrite the plot of KH3, I'd wait for another game to have playable Kairi personally. One where she's not limited to what KH3 established for her.
Well, you're not wrong. Being playable during her training (which the game, more specifically the journal entries, treat as ineffective anyway) doesn't make Kairi's performance or use in the story any better. It doesn't suddenly make her more capable, or help round out her "arc", so what would be the point?
I'd imagine it's just catharsis for a lot of people who've really been rooting for Kairi to be playable. While it doesn't exactly give her more agency, or undue her treatment in this game by itself, it does at least allow for people who may still be on the fence about Kairi to get some level of interest in seeing her as a future playable protagonist.