Kairi's Revelation in the Series & Future

[Chuman]

Re: Kairi's Revelation in the Series & Future

She's only an terrible character because she lacks development. Also, DDD was 40+ hours with four hours of cutscenes and I can guarantee III will be a hell of a lot longer. They also have the journal and reports to flesh out the back-stories, and they can have interludes and breaks from the actin to focus on what's happening elsewhere. Segments where you can play as kairi and other characters (at the same level and moveset as sora though, to not deter you from progressing) can go leagues in the right direction, especially if they implement background dialogue like in FFXV.

I used to hate kairi too, but only because she is so underdeveloped. She has potential to be an amazing character, but she needs to be taken advantage of (not like that).

 

[Antifa Lockhart]

Re: Kairi's Revelation in the Series & Future

Do you honestly think the whole ~30 hours of the game is going to be story? Like you said, it's a game, not a movie, 2 hours worth of cutscenes is being generous. Is that enough time to show off Kairi? Yes, but then again we have ~10 OTHER main characters who need development and I'd rather see that time used for these other more interesting characters. You just explained why she's a horrible character lol, she isn't relevant because of what she does, she's "important" because of what she is. She's a plot device, a macguffin, a deus ex machina, not what I'd call "main heroine".

I'm not sure I understand, which characters deserve more screen time than Kairi? Sora and Riku, fine that'll happen. Then who is more pressing than Kairi? Terra's probably not coming around until later, Lea had a lot of development in 3D and doesn't need to hog the screen now. Ven's a bit impaired, as are Roxas and Xion. When KH III starts, you've got a limited set of characters straight out the gate who are ready for screen time, and the way 3D ended set Kairi up the most for her spotlight.

 

[Chuman]

Re: Kairi's Revelation in the Series & Future

^this post right here. Kairi needs screen time, she is sorely under displayed for such an important character, and arguing that she shouldn't get any because she is a useless character is contradictory of itself.

 

[Zephyr]

Re: Kairi's Revelation in the Series & Future

Beats me, I would choose Vanitas as her arch enemy/rival:

He's connected to Sora and Ven

A possible 13th Darkness

Cryptic and would put anyone even Kairi astray from trust even to the final seat (Sora(?)

Someone close to her novice age (her age, not skill age)

Unless Braig took Kairi from her grandma during the day the Heartless invadeded her home, he's no relation to her story wise,

This would be really interesting especially since Vanitas takes on the appearance of Sora.

 

[Zephyr]

Re: Kairi's Revelation in the Series & Future

^this post right here. Kairi needs screen time, she is sorely under displayed for such an important character, and arguing that she shouldn't get any because she is a useless character is contradictory of itself.

I'm curious to see what kind of fighting style Kairi will use in combat. We sort of saw her fighting stance in KH3D where she was holding her Keyblade in both hands.

 

[Chuman]

Re: Kairi's Revelation in the Series & Future

Well she was still inexperienced after all, so maybe she will become more comfortable and wield it in only one hand, or it might be her fighting style. It'll be interesting to see nonetheless, and if she fights more like another wielder.

 

[Kaijuguy19]

Re: Kairi's Revelation in the Series & Future

I wonder if we'll get to play as her as a sort of a beginning chapter like with Roxas in KH2?

 

[Zettaflare]

Re: Kairi's Revelation in the Series & Future

I wouldn't worry too much about Kairi's limited fighting experiance hindering her. I came up with a theory once that Yen Sid would have Kairi train in the time compressed room that Lea trained in. It makes way too much sense for her to use it since she could get years worth of training in the span of a few days. She'll catch up with Sora and Riku in no time

 

[Xagzan]

Re: Kairi's Revelation in the Series & Future

Do you honestly think the whole ~30 hours of the game is going to be story? Like you said, it's a game, not a movie, 2 hours worth of cutscenes is being generous.

A quick google search reveals the total length of KH2's cutscenes to be over 10 hours, so no. It's ample time. Also, you have in game dialogues, and even gameplay itself to advance character.

You just explained why she's a horrible character lol, she isn't relevant because of what she does, she's "important" because of what she is. She's a plot device, a macguffin, a deus ex machina, not what I'd call "main heroine".

Then she's a poorly utilized main heroine but a main heroine all the same. That's how she was presented in the first game and no one else has taken that role from her since. She may have been mostly a plot device in the past, but I sure don't want the game to settle for that crap anymore. Like chuman alluded to, not with her potential.

I'm not sure I understand, which characters deserve more screen time than Kairi? Sora and Riku, fine that'll happen. Then who is more pressing than Kairi? Terra's probably not coming around until later, Lea had a lot of development in 3D and doesn't need to hog the screen now. Ven's a bit impaired, as are Roxas and Xion. When KH III starts, you've got a limited set of characters straight out the gate who are ready for screen time, and the way 3D ended set Kairi up the most for her spotlight.

Yup.

I wouldn't worry too much about Kairi's limited fighting experiance hindering her. I came up with a theory once that Yen Sid would have Kairi train in the time compressed room that Lea trained in. It makes way too much sense for her to use it since she could get years worth of training in the span of a few days. She'll catch up with Sora and Riku in no time

Why years? Sora and Riku have had one year of all this, not multiple. And people don't seem to consider that KH1 Sora took out a giant Darkside at the very beginning of the game. No one worried themselves about his lack of combat experience being unrealistic back then, not even a short time later when he was defeating much more lethal Disney and Heartless enemies.

At the very least, with the offscreen training Kairi apparently did between KH1 and 2, she should already have no trouble with a Darkside or similar foes.

 

[Chuman]

Re: Kairi's Revelation in the Series & Future

Well technically sora has done a year of sleeping while riku has done a year of fighting, lol, but yeah, kairi should be more than sufficient for battle. And as unrealistic as it is, the trio did do lots of practice fighting and training on destiny islands, whether or not they showed kairi fighting I almost guarantee she did. And there is that theory that experience is passed down from keyblade to keyblade so maybe the one she wielded in kh2 that aqua had beforehand gave her mad skills.

 

[SephirothZ]

Re: Kairi's Revelation in the Series & Future

I know the conversation is mostly about Kairi being a "valuable character," but I want to keep things simple. I personally want to see a little bit of romance with her and Sora. I am not talking about the game focusing on it by any means, but some quick lines and cute scenes between the two of them. Kairi trying to give subtle hints and Sora whiffing on them completely could give some chuckles.

I also want Kairi to be more important like this conversation is about, but I would like to see some romance with her as well.

 

[Zephyr]

Re: Kairi's Revelation in the Series & Future

Here are the transcriptions for Kairi's Grandmother's story, Yen Sid's dialogue, and the conversation between Young Xehanort and Young Eraqus. I've highlighted parts that seem similar. I'm not really sure if the divided χ-blade and divided worlds are connected to each other but it could be.

Long ago, people lived in peace,
bathed in the warmth of light.
Everyone loved the light.
Then people began to fight over it.
They wanted to keep it for themselves.
And darkness was born in their hearts.
The darkness spread, swallowing the light and many people’s hearts.
It covered everything,
and the world disappeared.
But small fragments of light survived…
in the hearts of children.With these fragments of light,
children rebuilt the lost world.
It’s the world we live in now.
But the true light sleeps, deep within the darkness.
That’s why the worlds are still scattered,
divided from each other.
But someday, a door to the innermost darkness will open.
And the true light will return.
So, listen, child,
Even in the deepest darkness,
there will always be a light to guide you.
Believe in the light, and
the darkness will never defeat you.
Your heart will shine with its power and push the darkness away.
Do you understand, Kairi?

The darkness awakens
the light in the darkness
leads to the last key.

Yen Sid: The Keyblade Wars of yore plunged the true Kingdom Hearts into darkness, and the χ-blade was shattered. But the light still shining in the hearts of children rebuilt the world that we know today. And the light from the broken x-blade was then divided into seven to protect the number of pure hearts in the world.

Mickey: Seven pure lights. They’re… the princesses of heart.

Yen Sid: Indeed. Those seven pure hearts form the very source of all light in the world. If they are lost, the world again give way to shadow. Thus, even if we deliberately avoid finding our seven lights to avert another Keyblade War, Xehanort will sill target the seven princesses in order to forge the x-blade

Mickey: So… there’s gonna be a clash between seven lights and thirteen darknesses… and there’s nothing we can do to avoid triggering the Keyblade War?

Yen Sid: To protect the seven pure hearts, we will need seven lights strong enough to stand against the thirteen darknesses.

Mickey: So we’re missing one guardian of light. Riku! You’re back!

Riku: That’s right. Master Yen Sid, I brought you the “guest” you asked for but… you never said why.

Mickey: Huh? Wow!

Yen Sid: I have come to learn that you, too, can wield a Keyblade. I am glad you are here.

The next act opens—
KINGDOM HEARTS III

Young Xehanort: Have you heard of the ancient Keyblade War?

Young Xehanort: Many years ago, Keyblade wielders started a war over the ownership of light.

Young Eraqus: Yep, the Master loves telling that story.

Young Xehanort: Then I take it you also know of the “lost masters”?

Young Eraqus: Nope, where’d you hear about that?

Young Xehanort: “On that land shall darkness prevail and light expire.”

Young Xehanort: But you knew that, didn’t you?

 

[Chuman]

Re: Kairi's Revelation in the Series & Future

Here are the transcriptions for Kairi's Grandmother's story, Yen Sid's dialogue, and the conversation between Young Xehanort and Young Eraqus. I've highlighted parts that seem similar. I'm not really sure if the divided χ-blade and divided worlds are connected to each other but it could be.

Wow. There sure is a lot of accidental foreshadowing here. Good work zephi! This almost makes me wonder if Nomura may have had some idea of where he wanted to take the keyblade war backstory, or if he just made some foreshadowing and said "I can go somewhere with this, *laughs*"

probably the latter.

 

[Zephyr]

Re: Kairi's Revelation in the Series & Future

Wow. There sure is a lot of accidental foreshadowing here. Good work zephi! This almost makes me wonder if Nomura may have had some idea of where he wanted to take the keyblade war backstory, or if he just made some foreshadowing and said "I can go somewhere with this, *laughs*"

probably the latter.

Yeah, it looks like he was building off of the story and slowly adding more details that wasn't mentioned before. I think the sentence that stood out to me the most was:

"Your heart will shine with its power and push the darkness away."

And Kairi's heart is pure light and not just any kind of normal heart.

 

[Jack-Pumpkinhead]

Re: Kairi's Revelation in the Series & Future

I know the conversation is mostly about Kairi being a "valuable character," but I want to keep things simple. I personally want to see a little bit of romance with her and Sora. I am not talking about the game focusing on it by any means, but some quick lines and cute scenes between the two of them. Kairi trying to give subtle hints and Sora whiffing on them completely could give some chuckles.

I also want Kairi to be more important like this conversation is about, but I would like to see some romance with her as well.

Yes, this. Absolutely this. Please let kairi try to flirt with sora & him totally missing it.

 

[OathkeeperRoxas XIII]

Re: Kairi's Revelation in the Series & Future

Yes, this. Absolutely this. Please let kairi try to flirt with sora & him totally missing it.

No, I don't want that, besides, getting tired of the oblivious card in guys or people forcing the card.

 

[Sephiroth0812]

Re: Kairi's Revelation in the Series & Future

No, I don't want that, besides, getting tired of the oblivious card in guys or people forcing the card.

Oh, so I am not the only one who noticed that apparently every thread/topic that is predominantly about Kairi has to somehow teeter back into the romance/shipping territory!?

It does really not cast a favorable light on Kairi's overall role in the series if the most prominent, and most often brought back topic about her is her being the supposed "love interest" of the main male protagonist...

 

[OathkeeperRoxas XIII]

Re: Kairi's Revelation in the Series & Future

Oh, so I am not the only one who noticed that apparently every thread/topic that is predominantly about Kairi has to somehow teeter back into the romance/shipping territory!?

It does really not cast a favorable light on Kairi's overall role in the series if the most prominent, and most often brought back topic about her is her being the supposed "love interest" of the main male protagonist...

You're not the only one, it won't help Kairi's character if she's romantically involved or Sora and Kairi are a thing. I know people want that and I've seen it, multiple times, but no, unless their interaction is strong, their relationship would just be be forced and make Kairi even more hated, and we're not just talking about how people viewed her character, but the pairings.

And I don't know why, but the idea of Sora thinking of Kairi's body just kills the relationship because Sora isn't like that at all. And Kairi might like Sora but as a friend or as a brother.

(If you want to know what I referring to, ask in PMs)

 

[LightUpTheSky452]

Re: Kairi's Revelation in the Series & Future

It would also be cool if Kairi could end up being the smart one of the trio, or something like that (and maybe even smarter than people like Roxas, for example, who never had the chance to go to school at all).

And it would make sense, imo, seeing as how she's the only one out of the main, original characters who's been going to school regularly. (She was also the one to take charge on who got what for the raft, and that sort of thing, and thinks that "Sora's completely hopeless without her and Riku", etc.)

It doesn't need to be anything over the top, like with Hermione or Topanga--as Riku, too, is obviously very intelligent (and it would be cool if the two of them could actually bond over something like that)--but maybe with subtle things, instead.

Maybe she knows the meanings to bigger words that someone like Sora doesn't.

Or maybe she just has the foresight to provide a first and last name for herself to someone like Neku Sakuraba (even if maybe she is making up the last name part), instead of freaking out about Neku's "mouthful of a name" like Sora did.

Maybe she'd be clever enough to blend into worlds and protect the World Order better than everyone else does, I mean.

 

[duchessa]

Re: Kairi's Revelation in the Series & Future

This would be really interesting especially since Vanitas takes on the appearance of Sora.

Now I really want to see Vanitas and Kairi interact. Kairi getting her feathers ruffled over him taunting her with her best friend's face would be interesting to see.


I agree with everyone so far who has said she has not been utilized properly but has potential. It would certainly feel forced if she suddenly gained major plot relevance/was in a romantic relationship without prior development. If she could get some sort of character development through interactions with Lea or the villains or whoever it is, her being much more important in these aspects might not feel so unnatural. Of course that's assuming any interactions with her are done right from the get-go, which I wouldn't put any money on. But I'm going to be optimistic and hope they push her character along before she does anything that has a large impact on the story. Her helping with (but not being the main instigator of) the saving that needs to be done could be beneficial to her, though unless it's a part of her training I don't know how she'll train at the same time.

Actually, her training with Lea could kill two birds with one stone. We could see how she reacts to an ex-Nobody and kidnapper and see her maybe better understand the plight of the "hurting," along with the fact that she looks like Xion. If Lea doesn't remember already, that could jumpstart his memory of her.