Sora...more of a plot device than character?

[WaveK89]

To me, it seems like Sora's heart is just a complete trainwreck with all the feelings, emotions, and memories inside that aren't just his own. Only reason why Sora is the happy go lucky kid is like Smile said about Donald ensuring Sora keeps a happy smile, and the idea he's not aware of most of what is going on. It's like there's a barrier in his heart just waiting to crack, and Sora better be ready for it or he's going down.

I'm imagining way outside the box, but I kind of get a feeling of that from Sora. It's like all the development is all hidden in his heart and not himself directly.

 

[Smile]

KH2 already showed all of it. It's not only the first game where he's really happy-go-lucky, but also where he's faking it the most and he's canonly faking it.
It's also where he broke the most. Him hissing with so much hatred at Xehanort's picture? Falling to the ground and punching it after Mickey and Xemnas disappeared? Going on his knees because Saix threw him a Kairi-shaped bone?
And then there're other moments where the people around him feel it and know it. Like Aladdin cheering Sora up about finding Riku, or Santa doing the same. All of a sudden the grin Sora had fades away and he lets himself show he's worried because he knows he's allowed to, even if for a short while.

 

[vnnk]

The reason people dont like happy go lucky characters: They are not realistic. Within my life any way i have never someone like that. sure when someone is like that during a bad time like sora in Kh2 then its believable.

 

[Smile]

I beg to differ. Happy-go-lucky are realistic. They're just more common amongst younger people. I personally consider myself happy-go-lucky and I hate sharing my aches and sadness unless it's with the closest people to me, and when they don't have issues of their own. It's just that in reality, most people aren't as extreme as most happy-go-lucky people tend to be.
Sora's not one of those extreme people though. Seriously, half the series is him being comforted. I mean it.

 

[TheArtisanHero]

The reason people dont like happy go lucky characters: They are not realistic. Within my life any way i have never someone like that. sure when someone is like that during a bad time like sora in Kh2 then its believable.

You then are a sheltered person. Sure they are rare but they are around, I myself would be a good example. I only let people extremely close to me know when I am upset. Even when I am sad I fake it for others even if they don't need it. One of the most popular happy-go-lucky person in history would be Walt Disney. The man had his characters stolen, his studio workers hired away, and he still comes out with Mickey Mouse, a mischievous young rascal who won the hearts of those who lived in the great depression. He showed the public and even his workers an unfazed face during WWII when the military forced him to make animation and symbols with little to no pay. Walt Continued to put on a front his entire life till the final days of his death.

 

[Maxyli138]

You then are a sheltered person. Sure they are rare but they are around, I myself would be a good example. I only let people extremely close to me know when I am upset. Even when I am sad I fake it for others even if they don't need it. One of the most popular happy-go-lucky person in history would be Walt Disney. The man had his characters stolen, his studio workers hired away, and he still comes out with Mickey Mouse, a mischievous young rascal who won the hearts of those who lived in the great depression. He showed the public and even his workers an unfazed face during WWII when the military forced him to make animation and symbols with little to no pay. Walt Continued to put on a front his entire life till the final days of his death.

Oh dear this made me feel sad...I grew up watching old Disney movies and shows. Mickey Mouse was especially my favorite. Now I can't stand going on Disney Channel to watch the crap they produce now. But I think there is a fine line between Walt Disney's inspirational positivity and Sora's...whatever he has going on. I see actual human personality different from the personality of a character created by people's attempt to seem realistic.

 

[Anna825]

Are people thread bumping?

If you haven't noticed, all the characters so far are purposefully underdeveloped. I consider Riku, Sora, and Kairi bland, underdeveloped plot devices more than Ven, Aqua, and Terra. Why do you think Nomura introduced Roxas, the Organization, and the BBS trio? Because Sora and the gang were kind of blah...

I don't know. Sora gets on my nerves. Riku won't shut up about the darkness. Kairi pisses me off. Sora's not just happy-go-lucky, he's as dynamic as a shoebox.

 

[Smile]

Are people thread bumping?

Noooo?

If you haven't noticed, all the characters so far are purposefully underdeveloped. I consider Riku, Sora, and Kairi bland, underdeveloped plot devices

...wot?
I understand Kairi being a bland, underdeveloped plot device. Hell a lot of her fans admit her to be such. I can also see where you're coming from with Sora, as much as I disagree.
But... Riku? When was he a plot device? He's one of the most active characters in the series. And underdeveloped? Wot? He showed up in every single installment (well, aside from Re:Coded but D-Riku goes a long way to reflect back at Riku), had every game contribute another side or concept to his character, and had Reverse-Rebirth be basically one whole scenario's worth of character development

more than Ven, Aqua, and Terra.

...how many games other than BBS didyou play? Just curious.

Why do you think Nomura introduced Roxas, the Organization, and the BBS trio? Because Sora and the gang were kind of blah...

Because he could only give out so many games with Disney villains at the center and no pretense of a proper series-long plot. And it's not like the BBS trio would mean all that much without SRK - ok so they ruined the universe and they all vanished. They'd be the pricks who ruined everything (Still are, actually) if it wasn't for Sora and Riku to fix their mess-ups, making them redemptionable.
And it's not like most of the Organization were such amazing plot drivers (oh yes, the series would be completely different without Lexaeus or Demyx...) or such deep, engaging characters, either.

 

[CaptainMarvelQ8]

Wow you guys sure take things way out of proportion
i doubt Namoura was thinking of all of what you're saying,sure maybe the crew implanted some scenes where Sora looks sad or wipes away his "sad look" and all just to make it more realistic.....,but you guys took these scenes to a whole different level

if the story was written so poorly;as most of you claim,then i doubt they even thought about what you're discussing right now

 

[Smile]

Wow you guys sure take things way out of proportion
i doubt Namoura was thinking of all of what you're saying,sure maybe the crew implanted some scenes where Sora looks sad or wipes away his "sad look" and all just to make it more realistic.....,but you guys took these scenes to a whole different level

Seeing how in KH1 and CoM Sora was not happy go lucky? And inside KH2 itself Sora had a moment where you see it with your own eyes it's a mask? We're just calling it out as we see it.
Also, while in some scenes you don't actually see tears, a lot of scenes were said to have tears in them, like when Sora lost Donald, Goofy and the Keyblade to Riku in KH1. Roxas cried when he dreamed of that Memory in Days because Sora cried over it in KH1.
So really. It's hardly over thinking it.

if the story was written so poorly;as most of you claim,then i doubt they even thought about what you're discussing right now

I think us debating over things which should've been obvious to everyone in the same way is partial proof of bad writing...

 

[.:Mega:.]

Sora was a character in KH1, even CoM. However, in KH2 he became very flat and lacked any conflict or development-- the fact that his Keyblade helped the Organization was a dilemma that was all too brief.

Heck, even Data Sora's characterization is better than KH2 Sora, in my opinion.

The main problem with Sora is that Nomura's making him too important. It shouldn't just be him who saves the day and frees all those characters from their torment. The way I see it, Nomura needs to stop making Sora so perfect and give him some actual flaws and development.

I dunno. I find TAV far more endearing and interesting than Sora as he is now. Riku, on the other hand, has actual development and depth.

 

[D.D.D]

The main problem with Sora is that Nomura's making him too important. It shouldn't just be him who saves the day and frees all those characters from their torment. The way I see it, Nomura needs to stop making Sora so perfect and give him some actual flaws and development.

Maybe Sora's undying optimism and happy-go-lucky-ness is a flaw, in Nomura's eyes. I mean, with a heart THAT trusting, he's just going to get himself strung around the neck, like Terra did. And Sora IS the main character. It won't just be Sora who saves the day; he's got Yen Sid, Riku, King Mickey, and probably Kairi backing him up. And if they save Aqua first, then she'll start to help, I'm sure. He's not doing this solo.
And I hope this doesn't annoy you, since it's been so repeated, but just remember;
Sora's friends are his power. Without Sora's friends, like D,G,Riku, etc..., he wouldn't be the strong Jesus kid he is today. So, story-wise, you can blame Sora's friends for that, lol.

 

[Smile]

he's got Yen Sid, Riku, King Mickey, and probably Kairi backing him up.

You're forgetting Donald and Goofy. And at times of moral and emotional crisis, Jiminy too.
Though BBS only named Sora and Riku as saviors, so. Kairi I think is more going to be someone Sora has to save, going by past experiences...

And if they save Aqua first, then she'll start to help, I'm sure. He's not doing this solo.

Iiiiiii donno, she did more harm than good when she was active, imo...

Sora's friends are his power. Without Sora's friends, like D,G,Riku, etc..., he wouldn't be the strong Jesus kid he is today. So, story-wise, you can blame Sora's friends for that, lol.

That's true, actually, specifically Donald and Goofy who kept his head above water by force if they had to xD;

 

[KairiNamineMix]

Idk if you meant it this way but maybe they wanted to keep him the classic way he is because he is the heart of the story and he is the pretty much one of the few characters who needs to learn a lesson and to develop in a story you have to learn something. but to me he teaches more people than learn :/
I don't know really what you meant by not developed.

 

[Orion]

to develop in a story you have to learn something.

Not necessarily.

I don't know really what you meant by not developed.

The core character of Sora has not grown or changed across all the games.

 

[Smile]

The core character of Sora has not grown or changed across all the games.

...and? So? How is that not developed? The core character doesn't need to change so long as the 'symptoms' do. Be it through Sora becoming happy-go-lucky in KH2, or starting CoM where he began displaying rage issues which also transferred in part to KH2, he has indeed changed. True, he won't become an angst boy like KH1 Riku but it's hard for me to say that even Riku's core character changed throughout the series either - he just lost the Darkness which is more of a role change, imo.
Change =\= development, is what I'm getting at. And it's not like Sora just shrugs at the universe at large, he's struggling to hold onto the way he used to be.

 

[Vanitas666]

Kairi:

Sora, don't ever change

isn't obvious, Nomura don't want Sora to change, he want that childish, godhearted boy to allways be there just the way he is and he even tells us this (Riku said something about Sora not changing in ReCoded too I think but I haven't gotten that far jet. I have no ds)

 

[Memory Master]

I'm just gonna add my opinion on this. I'll admit Sora didn't get much Character development in KH2 besides the whole dilemia with the keyblade aiding the organization's plans. KH1 and COM yes he got good character development.

And even in BBS it made me wonder more about Sora and become more interested in him when we learned that he is literaly the key that connects everything with his apparent power to connect to other people's hearts with his own.

Now I think Re:Coded set up things for some major Sora character development. The data Riku told Data Sora that he was like a sponge, he could soak up pain and let it out and make things better. He also told him he may have to go through alot of pain soon, so much that he may lose himself, but Data Riku believed he wouldn't lose himself (Using the sponge analogy)

So I think what we'll see in either KH3D or KH3 is Sora going through alot of pain and him coming to terms with his destiny as the Key that connects everything, and I think this opens up a great possibility for lots of character development. This is one reason I want the series to get back to Sora.

 

[Smile]

isn't obvious, Nomura don't want Sora to change, he want that childish, godhearted boy to allways be there just the way he is and he even tells us this (Riku said something about Sora not changing in ReCoded too I think but I haven't gotten that far jet. I have no ds)

The Darkness got to me too...

Sora did change. And I didn't look it up myself but I did hear rumors of Nomura saying that 3D Sora won't be the Sora we know. If this is true, it's further basis that Sora is indeed supposed to change, even if his motif won't - The person will.

Now I think Re:Coded set up things for some major Sora character development. The data Riku told Data Sora that he was like a sponge, he could soak up pain and let it out and make things better. He also told him he may have to go through alot of pain soon, so much that he may lose himself, but Data Riku believed he wouldn't lose himself (Using the sponge analogy)

Wasn't it Data-Roxas who said all those things in Castle Oblivion? '-'

So I think what we'll see in either KH3D or KH3 is Sora going through alot of pain and him coming to terms with his destiny as the Key that connects everything, and I think this opens up a great possibility for lots of character development. This is one reason I want the series to get back to Sora.

That's basically what they've been setting everything up for xD;

 

[Dowhax]

And it looks like we won't be seeing much Sora character development in 3d, due to Nomura saying that 'it won't be Sora you grow familiar with this time.'

Due that he could be developing more, since Nomura is now realizing he's underdeveloped?