Something that occurred to me about the ending.

[Shazzanoire]

Of course, spoilers for KH3D's ending. I assume I'm in the right place to post, though.

As much as I loved KH3D's ending, a certain part of it did leave me wondering. Ansem the Wise talks to Riku, and before Riku leaves, Ansem states that he doesn't believe he ever told him his name. I thought then that that had to be wrong. Even though Riku called himself Ansem [having taken on his appearance after his defeat by Roxas in TWTNW], he'd been helping DiZ and Naminé throughout Days to help Sora awaken.

Then it came to me. In 'Riku's Resolve', DiZ utters these words: "Riku... I think you know what needs to be done." Ergo, he's told him his name.

Given that he questions Riku at the end of CoM (see: famous "Road to Dawn" line), it seems illogical that Ansem wouldn't recognise him for being slightly younger.

Either this is a bit of an oversight, or Ansem has developed something of a selective memory since returning to his original appearance. Or maybe the darkness has erased some of his memories, who knows?

If anyone has any theories other than this being a mistake, or if there's something I'm forgetting, I'd really love to hear it.

 

[king_mickey rule]

Nomura explained this in an interview. It's basically a clever joke of Ansem the Wise. He asked his name once and Riku answered his name was Ansem. Now he's asking it again and Riku answers that his name is Riku. This shows that he'sin fact proud of who he is, showing all the progress he made throughout this game.

 

[Shazzanoire]

Ohh, I see. Thanks for clarifying, I feel pretty dumb now. xD

 

[king_mickey rule]

Ohh, I see. Thanks for clarifying, I feel pretty dumb now. xD

Nah, it's okay! I didn't understand it either 'til I read that interview, no worries!

 

[Deleted member 34215]

Nomura explained this in an interview. It's basically a clever joke of Ansem the Wise. He asked his name once and Riku answered his name was Ansem. Now he's asking it again and Riku answers that his name is Riku. This shows that he has in fact proud of who he is, showing all the progress he made throughout this game.

Woah. I didn't think about this, but now it all makes sense.
These are the little touches that I love in this serie.

 

[SeaSalt]

i kinda figured this one out on my own, i mean it could be true that he's under one of those clauses where he doesn't know riku yet (see mickey in CotM or SoS)

but im pretty sure that scene occurs within sora, right? idk, thats what i thought.

 

[Shazzanoire]

Yeah, that's how I understand it, SeaSalt. I just derped and took things too logically.

 

[Got_it_Memorized]

I had never seen that scene or interview before but when i did in the game i giggled, one of m favorites, Ansem the wise you silly kupo.

 

[MegaWallflower]

Nomura explained this in an interview. It's basically a clever joke of Ansem the Wise. He asked his name once and Riku answered his name was Ansem. Now he's asking it again and Riku answers that his name is Riku. This shows that he'sin fact proud of who he is, showing all the progress he made throughout this game.

Oh, I can't believe I didn't get that at first. Thank you, king_mickey rule, that makes a lot of sense and really adds to it for me. c:

 

[skyfoxx]

Nomura explained this in an interview. It's basically a clever joke of Ansem the Wise. He asked his name once and Riku answered his name was Ansem. Now he's asking it again and Riku answers that his name is Riku. This shows that he'sin fact proud of who he is, showing all the progress he made throughout this game.

Can you send me a link to this interview? Now that I've beaten KH3D, I can now go all-out into KH researching without worrying about spoilers.

 

[Key Wielder]

— Ansem the Wise is an old acquaintance of Riku’s, why did he ask him his name in the end?

Nomura: That’s what you could call a “wise joke.” (Laughs.) He’s purposefully asking the same thing as he did in KH2 to a Riku who had changed into Ansem’s form.

— While at the time Riku lied and said his name was Ansem, this time he replies with a bright ‘Riku’, doesn’t he?

Nomura: Yes, because the main part of the plot in this title is Riku’s growth. The point that unlike before he can declare ‘I am me’ is intended to show that growth symbolically.

KH3D Ultimania Interviews Translated! - News - Kingdom Hearts Insider

This particular question is under "Scenario Mysteries."

 

[bladewarrior13]

That makes better sense. I actually thought it was because Ansem had spent so much time in the Realm of Darkness and it had affected his memory especially considering when he spoke to Aqua on the Dark Margin he couldn't remember Sora's name either.

 

[Mastermind]

Well I simply attributed to the fact that Riku was in dreamland where no one remembers anything about you. It didn't really seem strange to me.

 

[Sephiroth0812]

Well I simply attributed to the fact that Riku was in dreamland where no one remembers anything about you. It didn't really seem strange to me.

In that part however he wasn't in the Realm of Sleep directly anymore. He was inside Sora's heart. ;D

 

[Nutari]

Woah. I didn't think about this, but now it all makes sense.
These are the little touches that I love in this serie.

Yeah, those little fan service things, for people who truly appreciate stories, are what make a lot of game experiences for me.

 

[BagelBreath]

I understood it the first time I saw it, probably because I re-played KH2 recently.