Theory about Aqua's role and theme in the KH series

[Kaijuguy19]

I've enjoyed Aqua's story and character in the BBS game in the remix 2.5 a good deal and I do love how unlike most of the other females in the series she had a major role. I can also see how she can represent Kairi too. However after playing through the game I can't help but wonder about this. What if Aqua in a way is meant to evoke a lot about Sora as well in terms of character,theme,etc too? While not being showing outward joy much she like Sora goes out of her way to make sure she keeps the ones who are close to her safe,has some awkward moments mainly with Zack and that she never gave up on Terra and did her best to rescue him at the cost of her being stuck in the realm of Darkness like how Sora never gave up on Riku when he was in the Darkness influences and how he briefly became a heartless after giving Kairi back her heart in KH1. Even the KH Wiki site noted the similarities. It also helps that she did became somewhat more of the main character during the end of the BBS story with the final episode.

Then again it could just that Nomura wanted to give a female character more of a larger role and can stand on her own for a change so it could be just coincidence. Still what if it's true and it plays a role later on in the KH 2.8 and KH3 games when she does meet Sora and the others again eventually? I'd like to hear your thoughts.

 

[Muke]

Re: Theory about Aqua's role and theme in the KH series.

They do share some similarities, yeah.
Doesn't fit here, but I want their meeting to be emotional. Aqua be like "Sora... I finally wound you" or something. Don't know~

 

[Audo]

Re: Theory about Aqua's role and theme in the KH series.

I mean there are similarities but I think that's more just due to the nature of Kingdom Hearts and its themes. The bonds of friendship are so integral to the story and characters that pretty much any main character never gives up on their friends, is willing to sacrifice stuff to protect them, etc. So like looking at the base plot there is a lot in common, but she also has a lot in common with a lot of characters in that way. When you look at who they are as people though, they are pretty different.

 

[MegaWallflower]

Aqua has some similarities to Sora, yes, but I don't think we should expect that to mean that her journey going forward will be very similar to how Sora's journey has been, even if she still does have to find Terra. They could go down that route for the parallel that the whole "If Riku goes down a dark path, Sora, make sure you lead him back to the light" line was trying to set up. But then again, you also have Ventus sharing a lot of similarities to Kairi in his role, and as of 3D, if you wanted, you could compare Riku to Aqua and Sora to Terra. The similarities were there for BBS, but as the series continues they kind of fall apart since the point is that Sora, Riku, and Kairi can't make the same mistakes that TAV did.

 

[Anagram]

Then again it could just that Nomura wanted to give a female character more of a larger role

On the contrary if I remember right there's some quote stating he's shocked she became as popular as she did. lol
Though that may very well make him want to give a bigger role.

 

[Audo]

He was shocked, but the reason he stated wasn't because she was a female character or a female character having a larger role. He was shocked she was so popular when she didn't have any connections to existing characters like Ventus/Sora, Terra/Riku, Roxas/Sora, Xion/Sora etc.

 

[Antifa Lockhart]

On the contrary if I remember right there's some quote stating he's shocked she became as popular as she did. lol
Though that may very well make him want to give a bigger role.

Yeah, Nomura said that because she was a totally original character who didn't become another one in the series he thought that might mean the audience wouldn't accept her-

HAHAHAHA, OH HOW LITTLE DID HE KNOW.

Anyway, I'm so glad you brought this up BECAUSE I've been wanting to talk about the subtle parallels the two share for some time.

Firstly, I believe it's 100% intentional. Aqua and Sora are supposed to be similar. And make no mistake about it, Aqua is the true protagonist of Birth By Sleep, and in that way alone there is a parallel between the two but of course it goes deeper than that.

People are quick to write off Ven = Sora, Terra = Riku, and Aqua = Kairi and there are ties, but in terms of narrative, Aqua's role is far closer to Sora's and Ven's is more similar to Kairi's.

Sora is kind of the idealized version of how Aqua wishes she could be. In Birth by Sleep she puts her duty and mission above all, but still cares very deeply for her friends. Eventually she throws herself into the Realm of Darkness and abandons her teachings to let the Darkness die. If Aqua and Terra had taken the time to voice their concerns, it would have saved them both a world of grief.

Aqua, when she meets Sora, already sees him as her successor and the 3D Chronicles confirm that Aqua thought of Sora as a kindred spirit- but makes the active choice not to give Sora a Keyblade so he won't be distracted and driven away from Riku by his duty or rivalry. (This comes to pass anyway, but not without Aqua making Sora promise that he will always stick by Riku)

 

[Anagram]

He was shocked, but the reason he stated wasn't because she was a female character or a female character having a larger role. He was shocked she was so popular when she didn't have any connections to existing characters like Ventus/Sora, Terra/Riku, Roxas/Sora, Xion/Sora etc.

To be honest I find that way worse. Does he honestly think every character has to be some clone/hybrid/derivative of an existing one?

 

[Audo]

To be honest I find that way worse. Does he honestly think every character has to be some clone/hybrid/derivative of an existing one?

You find that way worse than sexism?
And apparently. He perceives one of the things people like most about KH to be its mythos and plot and thus thinks people are interested in characters that are tied in somehow with existing ones. I kind of think he's more just insecure about making new characters and having people like them, so he finds ways to tie them into characters he already knows people like. But eh. I'm just hoping Aqua taught him that people do like truly original characters going forward.

 

[Antifa Lockhart]

*points at Ephemera* You better be original, dandylion.

 

[Anagram]

You find that way worse than sexism?
And apparently. He perceives one of the things people like most about KH to be its mythos and plot and thus thinks people are interested in characters that are tied in somehow with existing ones. I kind of think he's more just insecure about making new characters and having people like them, so he finds ways to tie them into characters he already knows people like. But eh. I'm just hoping Aqua taught him that people do like truly original characters going forward.

To be honest I was considering them two parts of the same problem in this case. =P
He wouldn't be entirely wrong but it also gives the impression he's unaware of annoyance at all the "clones" as well. Meh.
Hopefully it did teach him.

 

[Audo]

*points at Ephemera* You better be original, dandylion.

Honestly, I'd prefer it if the entire X cast were original. The reincarnation theory is neatish, but I'd much rather have a cast of actual original and not-at-all-linked-to-the-current-cast characters.

 

[Divine Past]

Aqua was weird in that I felt her moment with Kairi seem like it was written just for the writers to show how she is connected with the main cast.

So I guess I can see Nomura point in worrying Aqua will fall through the crack because she doesn't have the built in fandom that Ven&Terra had. Though I do wonder if Aqua and Ven switch gender or whatnot, if the Aqua charachter will maintain the same fandom support. Not my role to determine if it's true but it's an interesting thought experiment at least for me.

 

[LightUpTheSky452]

Dang, you guys ninja'd everything I wanted to say in this thread. LOL.

I'll just wrap up by saying I agree with Tinny completely about the Aqua/Sora thing (and also Ephemera, but that's neither here nor there) and mention that Ansem the Wise also talked about Aqua's similarity to Sora.

 

[BlackOsprey]

He was shocked, but the reason he stated wasn't because she was a female character or a female character having a larger role. He was shocked she was so popular when she didn't have any connections to existing characters like Ventus/Sora, Terra/Riku, Roxas/Sora, Xion/Sora etc.

The ironic thing is that Nomura's dealt with Axel, a character so popular amongst both the staff and the fandom that he's pretty much KH fanservis incarnate now, yet wasn't a clone/derivative/connected person when he got introduced. Axel's only real connections are friendships with Xion and Roxas, which are far more mundane than the kinds of relations Audo listed.

 

[Audo]

The ironic thing is that Nomura's dealt with Axel, a character so popular amongst both the staff and the fandom that he's pretty much KH fanservis incarnate now, yet wasn't a clone/derivative/connected person when he got introduced. Axel's only real connections are friendships with Xion and Roxas, which are far more mundane than the kinds of relations Audo listed.

so far anyway

dun dun dunnnnn

 

[BlackOsprey]

so far anyway

dun dun dunnnnn

Oh right, I better not give them any ideas. XD

 

[Divine Past]

so far anyway

dun dun dunnnnn

They still have time to revive the old legendary fan theory that Axel is Riku's nobody. Nomura don't let your dreams just be dreams.

 

[BlackOsprey]

They still have time to revive the old legendary fan theory that Axel is Riku's nobody. Nomura don't let your dreams just be dreams.

Pfft, what? People actually thought that? The two have almost nothing in common other than a strong attachment to some form of Sora... ha, I don't even.

 

[Absent]

They still have time to revive the old legendary fan theory that Axel is Riku's nobody. Nomura don't let your dreams just be dreams.

In my circle of friends we have an inside joke/crack theory that Axel/Lea is Sora's mother. Its funnier than it sounds.