Riku Replica is the Seeker of Darkness

[Alpha Baymax]

It's been confusing to decipher as to whether the Riku that has sided with Xehanort is Replica Riku or Data Riku. A lot of people have fairly assumed it's Data Riku because of the Bug Blox present in San Fransokyo. Bug Blox were Heartless introduced in Coded, and so having a Re: Coded representative makes sense, right?

Except it doesn't. For those who don't know, Data Riku was a personification of Jiminy's Journal. He was an avatar used to help Mickey and Data Sora solve the mysteries planted by Data Namine in Jiminy's Journal, so to have Xehanort makes Jiminy's Journal a Seeker of Darkness in Kingdom Hearts just seems weird. Also, Data Riku was never directly associated with the bug blox, they were associated with Data Namine and Data Sora's Heartless. At best, Pete infected Data Riku with Bug Blox, but even then, he was cured.

So now we go onto Replica Riku. Narratively speaking, he makes more sense to be a Seeker of Darkness. Replica Riku was a character introduced in Chain of Memories, a creation of Vexen. He assumed that he was superior to Riku because he's not afraid of the darkness. And he's far easier to possess than Data Riku because Vexen cloned Riku whilst Ansem, Seeker of Darkness was lingering in his heart, thus potentially leaving remnants of Xehanort within the Replica.

But most people would argue that Replica Riku has nothing to do with the Bug Blox. Well, I assumed that too, until I looked at Re: Chain of Memories cutscenes for Replica Riku, and stumbled into this subtle revelation.

Riku Replica is made out of data. San Fransokyo is the world that is data and technology orientated. Riku Replica is a Replica just like Hiro's Baymax is a Replica of Tadashi's Baymax. The parallels just make too much sense, and in regards to the Bug Blox, who's to say that Replica Riku could not be control of them? he is made out of data.

So, what's everybody's thoughts on this?

 

[OathkeeperRoxas XIII]

You're not wrong

plus Sora wouldn't remember the replica and fits what Riku said about the othet me

 

[UltimaXOmega]

Riku Replika was at least an interesting character. Data Riku is completely irrelevant.

 

[Foxycian]

he could be data riku tho we can't be sure the obvious answer would be replica riku but the riku in the trailer gave me an impression of data riku plus we saw data riku in kh DDD before

 

[disney233]

he could be data riku tho we can't be sure the obvious answer would be replica riku but the riku in the trailer gave me an impression of data riku plus we saw data riku in kh DDD before

You're referring to the Riku in Monstro. What is your proof to back up that THAT Riku is the one made up of data from Jiminy's journal? Specifically what ties does THAT Riku have with the Organization. Vexen is already in the new Organization. Repliku seems to be the logical one out of the bunch. The Blox Bugs don't originate from ONLY Jimimy's journal.

 

[Hirokey123]

I agree totally with this but one other thing is that bug blox's aren't even really associated with Data Namine. The bug blox are just the physical manifestation of what "digital hurt" looks like. The pain Namine put into the journal turned into bug blocks when Mickey and co gave the contents physical form. Knowing this and given a few other things I think the bug bloxs aren't tied to any Riku, they are tied to Dark Baymax. Dark Baymax is a powder keg of digital hurt so he's probably the source of the bugs in that world which is why we don't see them in that shot with Riku vs Riku fighting. Riku Replica is likely just manipulating Dark Baymax's hurt for his own ends thus him controlling the bugs.

Riku Replica would also be the perfect person for this world because he could relate to Dark Baymax's pain. Dark Baymax was the original but he's been replaced, his heart chip or whatever was taken and put into a new body. The new Baymax is really the old Baymax and that leaves Dark Baymax a discarded shell that likely wants to be Baymax but can't, and Riku Replica preys on that because he shares that same pain.

 

[Alpha Baymax]

Riku Replika was at least an interesting character. Data Riku is completely irrelevant.

Exactly. Even if the physical manifestation of Jiminy's Journal grew a heart, it has no interest beyond what's part of the journal.

I agree totally with this but one other thing is that bug blox's aren't even really associated with Data Namine. The bug blox are just the physical manifestation of what "digital hurt" looks like. The pain Namine put into the journal turned into bug blocks when Mickey and co gave the contents physical form. Knowing this and given a few other things I think the bug bloxs aren't tied to any Riku, they are tied to Dark Baymax. Dark Baymax is a powder keg of digital hurt so he's probably the source of the bugs in that world which is why we don't see them in that shot with Riku vs Riku fighting. Riku Replica is likely just manipulating Dark Baymax's hurt for his own ends thus him controlling the bugs.

Riku Replica would also be the perfect person for this world because he could relate to Dark Baymax's pain. Dark Baymax was the original but he's been replaced, his heart chip or whatever was taken and put into a new body. The new Baymax is really the old Baymax and that leaves Dark Baymax a discarded shell that likely wants to be Baymax but can't, and Riku Replica preys on that because he shares that same pain.

I'm not the most knowledgeable with Re: Coded lore because it's still the most irrelevant title out of all of the entries thus far, so cheers for the further clarification of what the Bug Blox are, and their further relevance with Kingdom Hearts lore.

But man, your observation of Dark Baymax is amazing stuff. It's ironic because Baymax was designed as a robot that is technically emotionless, so to have Dark Baymax have its programming over-ridden by the Bug Blox (and to an extent by Replica Riku) means that Dark Baymax is the one with feelings. That's an ironic twist in a franchise where the good guys are full of personality and the bad guys are usually stoic.

Riku Replica could even make Hiro vulnerable by making Hiro question as to whether it was morally right to resurrect Baymax through a new body, thus, making him feel guilty of not trying to rescue the original Baymax.

 

[SweetYetSalty]

If it is the Riku Replica it makes sense. Xehanort originally wanted Riku as a vessel right? Well that's what Replicas are for. Seriously these things seem more valuable then Nobodies at this point. Just build a army of them and let them take over. Assuming this is Riku Replica. I just call him Rikunort until I know what he is. Still I find it hard to believe that old Replica can stand up to Keyblade Master Riku now.

 

[TruestSyn]

There's not a reason we couldn't see both even if one seems more plausible than the other. They did say we should see all the important/original characters in the series to date.

 

[Twilight Lumiair]

I kinda already figured this out back when people first brought up the possibility of that being Data-Riku (who is an interesting and well developed character despite what the blind haters say, much like everyone else introduced in Re:coded). I think most of the confusion started because when we first see Repliku in KH3 trailers he has his normal blue-green eyes, yet every other time we see him, he has yellow eyes. People were confused by this despite the fact that when we first saw Marluxia, he also had his normal blue eyes but nobody batted an when it was later corrected and he was given golden eyes; I'm assuming since there's only one Marluxia.

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The bug blocks coming from the dark Beymax? Confirmed, as we briefly see just that in the Big Hero Six trailer.
Link or screenshot will be edited in later.
Edit: 0:55 in this video; specifically when they're flying through the air
[video=youtube;LNzxgjIRXWk]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LNzxgjIRXWk[/video]
Or here's the direct timestamp: https://youtu.be/LNzxgjIRXWk?t=55

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Another point of confusion also comes from his interactions with Riku as shown in the trailers. In our first hint of Repliku being in the game, Riku addresses him very warmly (smiling) and presumably leaves behind his Way to Dawn for his "other self" to obtain (he claims to do this for the purpose of assistance). Next, when we first physically saw the copy in all his glory, he was shown having a very heartfelt conversation with Riku (the latter even giving the other a warm smile as he spoke). This is a stark contrast from everything we see of Repliku after this point. It came as personal shock to actually see him fighting Riku in the Final Battle Trailer (even more so than the obvious power discrepancy). However, we must also note that Isa did the very same thing from what we're shown: having a heart to heart with Lea on the Clock Tower, only to later be shown fighting him in Berserk Mode alongside Xemnas.

 

[UltimaXOmega]

I still would have much rather had Xion for the BH6 world Seeker, but Riku Replika is at least a fleshed out character. Data Riku would have been ridiculous and a waste.

 

[Alpha Baymax]

I still would have much rather had Xion for the BH6 world Seeker, but Riku Replika is at least a fleshed out character. Data Riku would have been ridiculous and a waste.

I was also under the impression that Xion would fit for San Fransokyo, but Replica Riku is actually more appropriate for this world for a variety of reasons...

• He's a Replica character like Dark Baymax. Yes, Xion is a replica, but she's technically a character that has formed her own identity. Riku Replica is literally a carbon copy of Riku. Just like Tadashi and Hiro's Baymax.
• The Riku scenes in The World that Never Was with Riku and Roxas can be replicated with Sora and Replica Riku.
• It's the perfect way to reintegrate the version of Riku that had a rivalry with Sora from Kingdom Hearts.
• The conflict between Replica Riku and Hiro would be more interesting than Xion and Hiro conflict.

 

[AayriSolassa]

There's also the additional tidbit in DDD where they change Repliku's data entry to say that he "seemingly vanished." Plus having your heart shattered or damaged makes you incredibly vulnerable (as we've seen from Ven), and he also took an emotionally taxing beating from the whole mess, which is exactly how Master Xehanort started with Terra, chipping away at his emotional defenses.

I'd genuinely be so thrilled if it was Repliku.