SPOILERS:
I feel like watching these scenes has made me more okay with them. At least we got a nice cutscene of Kairi kicking Xehanort's butt and gliding... before it ended like it did. Xehanort even complimented her... before it ended like it did. But pfft. Merlin trained Kairi, Xehanort. Not Yen Sid. As a part of Kairi's heart, you should know this.
Also, it's interesting that Xehanort--someone who causes Kairi suffering, as was said--is part of her heart. I think there's something meta there, but meh.
Riku and Kairi's interactions were cute. I wish the Fairy Godmother hadn't gotten in the way, when they were getting closer to each other.
And Alyson does a good job voicing Kairi here.
The Verum Rex characters are totally the upperclassmen. And Xehanort thought Kairi might end up there when he put her in the ark. It's cool that we finally know the name of this world, too.
I oddly enjoyed the scenes with Nameless Star, and her interacting with Riku and Kairi and caring about Sora. I could be down for a game with those three, but it'll probably never happen. But Stella being referred to "the last key" reminds me of how Kairi was called that in DDD's ending. It'd be cool if we could get some Kairi and Stella bonding, but we'll see.
And Xehanort said he killed Kairi so Sora would disappear, basically. And that he changed her fate. So Kairi wasn't meant to die, then? And Xehanort saying it was for "hope" makes me think that Sora is in the black box. Or, rather, the world of Verum Rex is.
Sora's voice not being able to reach the Final World makes me think of, "His voice always used to be there. But now it's gone."
God help me... but I have hope for Kairi again. She and Stella are still apparently keys to save Sora, after all. But I suppose Nomura could make it so it doesn't matter in the end, since it hardly matters right now and both girls are getting shafted for the time being. But I'm still amazed that Nomura is even giving Kairi lines... or animating her emoting, or having her actually know what's going on and interact with the main cast, and somewhat do things. It seems like maybe he IS trying harder than he used to (maybe because of the outcry for Kairi?), even if he still kind of sucks at it. Time will tell if this will amount to anything, I suppose. Hopefully it will...
But yeah, I'm there with you, I don't understand what the idea of one button mode is if you can't use it in the mode that unlocks the songs.
Spoiler
