The power of Sora's heart

[Fortissimo]

Sora is a considerably powerful character and is seen as such by more seasoned characters (Mikey, Yen Sid etc) But is all of his strength due to his heart alone? Sora's heart currently contains Ventus, Roxas and Xions hearts. Which I believe is what is pushing the power behind him. However, in KHIII I feel like its safe to assume that Ventus will be awakened and Roxas and Xion will find a way out. Without the power of their hearts, just how strong is Sora's heart? Will he be weaker or more venerable to "dark forces" without the aid of the other 3?

Perhaps he could be more powerful after realeasing their hearts? Maybe their hearts are weighing him down a little? Idk the amount of light within Roxas and Xion's hearts but considering darkness lingers in every heart and they don't seem as...pure(?) as Sora. Maybe they were holding him back? The game doesn't really say anything about the strain that multiple hearts can put on a single person, probably because Sora is the only one we know of that has contained anyone's heart other than his/her own. Still...

 

[Gram]

Re: The power of Sora's heart.

As Sora has stated on several occasions his friends are his power, he gains strength through bonds its really just as simple as that.

That being said we know ven doesn't do anything but grant sora duel wielding as stated by nomura as for Roxas and Xion I doubt they do much either since they were the ones who got strength from Sora and his memories in days.

So when their released to be their own people again I dont see it affecting sora in the slightest. As for multiple hearts presenting a strain since it's never been said they do one could take that to mean they dont, at least in sora's case, since he merely harbors them without encroaching on them as Xehanort does his victims.

 

[Sephiroth0812]

Re: The power of Sora's heart.

As Sora has stated on several occasions his friends are his power, he gains strength through bonds its really just as simple as that really.
That being said we know ven doesn't do anything but grant sora duel wielding as stated by nomura as for Roxas and Xion I doubt they do much either since they were the ones who got strength from Sora and his memories in days.

So when their released to be their own people again I dont see it affecting sora in the slightest. As for multiple hearts presenting a strain since it's never been said they do one could take that to mean they dont, at least in sora's case, since he merely harbors them without encroaching on them as Xehanort does his victims.

This is the key element in here. It's Sora's connection to those hearts that grant him such power, the fact that he actually carries three hearts directly inside him does not have any effect on that.

Even if Ventus, Roxas and Xion are restored as their own entities, I doubt that they or Sora himself would sever the connections between their hearts, as it can be beneficial for both sides as we saw with Ven.

As for the putting strain on Sora, that also has nothing to do with him harboring them but the vast suffering and pain those three hearts endure as well as the other hearts connected to Sora, namely Aqua, Terra and Naminé
In Re: Coded Data-Naminé already warned that the combined pain of those people together could endanger Sora's heart if handled the wrong way.
Xehanort, Xigbar and Xemnas just knew that fact as well and used it deliberately against Sora in Dream Drop Distance.

One has to remember on that also that Sora harbored Ven's heart for ten years before that after the end of BBS where Ven was in an arguably worse state since his heart was nearly completely shattered.
Yet Sora didn't experience any ill effects during those years and also not during KH 1.

 

[Seighart]

Re: The power of Sora's heart.

I think they have an affect on him. Once Sora saw what Roxas went through he felt all that pain at once. With all of those hearts, he holds memories as well and maybe those could become tainted/seeded.

Got really off track but I think that them leaving Sora would essentially do little to nothing. Without there hearts, they would still be connected to Sora.

 

[Nayru's Love]

Re: The power of Sora's heart.

That being said we know ven doesn't do anything but grant sora duel wielding as stated by nomura as for Roxas and Xion I doubt they do much either since they were the ones who got strength from Sora and his memories in days.

Ven did protect Sora with his armor in DDD, though. So, I think it goes to show that Ven's influence goes beyond dual-wielding (at least in the RoS).

One has to remember on that also that Sora harbored Ven's heart for ten years before that after the end of BBS where Ven was in an arguably worse state since his heart was nearly completely shattered.
Yet Sora didn't experience any ill effects during those years and also not during KH 1.

Not to mention, he was baby growing up into a kid. Given the bright kid he ended up being, I doubt he went through a painful infancy of sorts, but that's probably looking too deep into it anyways. Point is that at least Ven couldn't have influenced Sora negatively (although Ven affecting Sora's appearance is always up for debate).

I think they have an affect on him. Once Sora saw what Roxas went through he felt all that pain at once. With all of those hearts, he holds memories as well and maybe those could become tainted/seeded.

He holds them, yes, but whether or not he gains/loses from them is questionable. In fact, it might be a purely symbiotic thing, where Sora helps the tormented ones by sharing the pain and getting nothing in return. All in all, it's questionable, but not a bad thought by any means.

Maybe even remnants of Xemnas' armor that he gave to Xion found its way into Sora through Xion's return to him.

As for my own thoughts:

Nomura has expressed that Sora is a normal boy with no particular special powers (at least during the beginning of KH1) (Ven's armor might be an exception, but I'll have to look into what effects it could have in the RoL as opposed to the RoS). It's true that Sora's power is drawn from others, but I think what Nomura is trying to say is that all of the hearts in Sora didn't make him the hero he is; it's his desire to be part of the lives of others that did that, it's his desire that's the ultimate source of Sora's power, and it's his desire that weaves all of the people in his life together. This is shown by how baby Sora was the one who initiated the connection with Ven, since Sora was the one who "found" him.

 

[Sephiroth0812]

Re: The power of Sora's heart.

This is shown by how baby Sora was the one who initiated the connection with Ven, since Sora was the one who "found" him.

That is actually the most crucial point.
In the Prologue of BBS when Ventus was standing on his broken heart platform he didn't dare to ask the newborn heart (Sora) for help, he only stated sadly in what miserable state his heart is now and that it will soon fade.

It was then Sora's heart which offered to help Ven of its own initiative, and I think that is one of the most defining traits of Sora and what in the end enables his power.

 

[Fortissimo]

Re: The power of Sora's heart.

Ven did protect Sora with his armor in DDD, though. So, I think it goes to show that Ven's influence goes beyond dual-wielding (at least in the RoS).

By that theory, when Sora returns Ven's heart, will he loose the ability to dual-wield? Or will the subconscious memory of Ven's heart be enough for him to keep that ability?

 

[Nayru's Love]

Re: The power of Sora's heart.

That is actually the most crucial point.
In the Prologue of BBS when Ventus was standing on his broken heart platform he didn't dare to ask the newborn heart (Sora) for help, he only stated sadly in what miserable state his heart is now and that it will soon fade.

It was then Sora's heart which offered to help Ven of its own initiative, and I think that is one of the most defining traits of Sora and what in the end enables his power.

When you word it like that, it makes you thinks of the differences between their first and second connection. As opposed to their first one, it was Ven who found Sora this time, following the warming light. However, they probably would not have had that Awakening, had Sora not tried to look into his own heart. You could say that it was desire from both ends that caused this phenomena.

It's pretty fascinating, though; it's as if Sora's meetings with Ven just keep on evolving, up until they finally meet, face to face.

By that theory, when Sora returns Ven's heart, will he loose the ability to dual-wield? Or will the subconscious memory of Ven's heart be enough for him to keep that ability?

Loss of dual-wielding is feasible. However, "Subconscious memory of Ven's heart" wasn't something that affected Sora. Theoretically, Sora could have told off Ven and not connected to him, and therefore nothing would've happened. It's not the memories, but the connection that they went through that meant anything.

 

[Kisame]

Re: The power of Sora's heart.

As stated by most of the people in this thread, "my friends are my power" miiiiiight have been tossed around a lot in this series. However it stands true of course.

I'll be negative for the sake of making a point.

Let's say all of his 'friends', died. There would still be a connection and they would still 'be' in his heart. Therefore his strength would of course still be there, not to mention the fact that over time these connections naturally make your heart stronger, one might say.

I don't really think what his heart would be like without these things is even something to worry about. It's because of all the people in his life, the connections made, and the strength despite the constant struggle, he is the way he is today. More or less. Same thing with the story.

 

[Gram]

Re: The power of Sora's heart.

Ven did protect Sora with his armor in DDD, though. So, I think it goes to show that Ven's influence goes beyond dual-wielding (at least in the RoS).

Ven rushing to protect Sora is more of a sign of their connection rather than a sign of any influence into Sora's power. I'm not saying he don't have a certain kind of influence but as far as power goes his only influence was duel-wielding.

 

[Sephiroth0812]

Re: The power of Sora's heart.

When you word it like that, it makes you thinks of the differences between their first and second connection. As opposed to their first one, it was Ven who found Sora this time, following the warming light. However, they probably would not have had that Awakening, had Sora not tried to look into his own heart. You could say that it was desire from both ends that caused this phenomena.

It's pretty fascinating, though; it's as if Sora's meetings with Ven just keep on evolving, up until they finally meet, face to face.

The question is however if there really is a difference, not to mention their connection was never severed, so second "connection" is probably not the right semantic, but rather "second contact" is.
Don't forget that Ven's heart could only follow Sora's light because Sora called out to him, which was in turn only possible because of their already existing connection through which little Sora felt Ven's pain.

The main difference comes only when they finally talk on Sora's awakening platform, as this time it is really Ventus who asks for help in contrary to their first meeting where Sora offered it first.

 

[Nayru's Love]

Re: The power of Sora's heart.

The question is however if there really is a difference, not to mention their connection was never severed, so second "connection" is probably not the right semantic, but rather "second contact" is.
Don't forget that Ven's heart could only follow Sora's light because Sora called out to him, which was in turn only possible because of their already existing connection through which little Sora felt Ven's pain.

It's noteworthy, though, that they were in Sora's Awakening this time. Whereas when they connected hearts in Ven's Awakening because Sora followed Ven's dying light, this would be something of a reciprocal, where the dying light finds refuge within a strong light (just like Kairi). Sora's tear could even be a sign of Ven's heart reaching out to him (although the tear can go both ways).

What I find particularly interesting, though, is that Ven's heart manifested in Sora's Awakening. While they obviously had to find a way to portray Sora harboring Ven's heart, you'd think that Sora's heart would've been present in Ven's Awakening if it weren't an important detail. As you've expressed with Ven asking for Sora's help this time, there really could be a difference that's defined by desire.

If I had to make a theme out of it, it'd probably be something along the lines of, "Helping a dying heart is instinctual (Sora and Ven, AtW and Xehanort), whereas helping a tormented heart is by choice (Sora and those in torment)." Sora would be someone who makes no difference between the two.