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Some people have already discussed how the Master of Masters has become a clear author-figure. I won't repeat all of that here, but I think it's a pretty natural conclusion seeing as he wrote the story of the entire series both literally and figuratively (or perhaps they are one and the same). This only becomes more and more important the more time goes on - I will repeat some thoughts about the latest update here.
But. As much as I would enjoy that, there are alternative ideas too. I am beginning to see the Master of Masters as more of a demiurge than a god.
"Demiurge" has meant different things in different contexts and interpretations vary, but the general gnostic concept is thus: the demiurge is a lowly being in a false, material world. However, due to either A) his own ignorance or B) outright maliciousness, as well as his enormous arrogance, he A) believes himself to have created the world or B) lies to other people that he created the world. And thus the people know him as "God", when in truth he did not create this world. And he rules it from this position.
I submit that the Master of Masters perfectly fits this description (choosing the B options here), though we might interpret his dialogue differently than with the idea that he is a true creator. To start with, the biggest defining trait of the demiurge is his arrogance - pride - which is (we asssume) the Master's corresponding sin in his group. As for the Master's actions, what do we know? According to the most recent update, the MoM "set up shop" in this world (Daybreak Town or the whole world? I'm not sure)- it was there before he used it for his scenario. He didn't create it. Then, he presents himself as the "Master of Masters", and leads Keyblade society as if he created it, but admits to Luxu that he in fact did not - he presents himself as like a god and claims that all these things originate from him when they do not. And finally, he begins to write the story of this world he didn't actually make, fully usurping the position of god and author. He reformats the already existing world into a number of smaller worlds, floating in a void, setting the stage for a particular story to play out.
Who else has also done this?
If the Master is an author figure whose actions run alongside Nomura's, then Tetsuya Nomura would also be a demiurge. And in the context of a demiurge being not just an acting god but also an acting author, usurping the author role for works made by other people, then that is absolutely what Nomura is in Kingdom Hearts. The story of this world existed before MoM entered the picture, and so too did Disney films, Final Fantasy games, etc. exist before Nomura entered the picture. The result of both their entrances is to reframe these respective pre-existing stories in a new context (the Lanes Between): for Nomura, figuratively through writing new versions of the characters for this setting; for MoM, literally through the destruction of the pre-existing reality.
(Bonus: The Master sets particular people up to arrive in the future world at their proper place in the story; Nomura inserts his own OCs into the world wherever he thinks they are needed. You could probably do this all day, I don't know.)
(I never know how to end these posts! I don't have a clever cool thing to end it on, or need to predict the future of the story or anything, I just think of some neat stuff and write it down cause I think it's interesting.)
And in this respect we might see the Master as a "god" of sorts, albeit a cruel one. It has been suggested before that the MoM created the KH world and then entered his creation, an idea that I really like how it reads.
But. As much as I would enjoy that, there are alternative ideas too. I am beginning to see the Master of Masters as more of a demiurge than a god.
"Demiurge" has meant different things in different contexts and interpretations vary, but the general gnostic concept is thus: the demiurge is a lowly being in a false, material world. However, due to either A) his own ignorance or B) outright maliciousness, as well as his enormous arrogance, he A) believes himself to have created the world or B) lies to other people that he created the world. And thus the people know him as "God", when in truth he did not create this world. And he rules it from this position.
I submit that the Master of Masters perfectly fits this description (choosing the B options here), though we might interpret his dialogue differently than with the idea that he is a true creator. To start with, the biggest defining trait of the demiurge is his arrogance - pride - which is (we asssume) the Master's corresponding sin in his group. As for the Master's actions, what do we know? According to the most recent update, the MoM "set up shop" in this world (Daybreak Town or the whole world? I'm not sure)- it was there before he used it for his scenario. He didn't create it. Then, he presents himself as the "Master of Masters", and leads Keyblade society as if he created it, but admits to Luxu that he in fact did not - he presents himself as like a god and claims that all these things originate from him when they do not. And finally, he begins to write the story of this world he didn't actually make, fully usurping the position of god and author. He reformats the already existing world into a number of smaller worlds, floating in a void, setting the stage for a particular story to play out.
Who else has also done this?
If the Master is an author figure whose actions run alongside Nomura's, then Tetsuya Nomura would also be a demiurge. And in the context of a demiurge being not just an acting god but also an acting author, usurping the author role for works made by other people, then that is absolutely what Nomura is in Kingdom Hearts. The story of this world existed before MoM entered the picture, and so too did Disney films, Final Fantasy games, etc. exist before Nomura entered the picture. The result of both their entrances is to reframe these respective pre-existing stories in a new context (the Lanes Between): for Nomura, figuratively through writing new versions of the characters for this setting; for MoM, literally through the destruction of the pre-existing reality.
(Bonus: The Master sets particular people up to arrive in the future world at their proper place in the story; Nomura inserts his own OCs into the world wherever he thinks they are needed. You could probably do this all day, I don't know.)
(I never know how to end these posts! I don't have a clever cool thing to end it on, or need to predict the future of the story or anything, I just think of some neat stuff and write it down cause I think it's interesting.)
