Theory: Yozora is Ephemer

[Alpha Baymax]

Yeah, it's another "person A is person B" theory, but hear me out here, this makes sense.

First off, we know that Ephemer did not survive into the present day. That's evident when his spirit was in the Keyblade Graveyard helping Sora. So what does Ephemer have to do with Yozora? Here's where things get interesting. Ephemer name is derived from Ephemera which means that something should "exist or be used or enjoyed for only a short time".

So, what if Ephemer as a character is in a perpetual state of reincarnation? Seems crazy right? until you realise that we have another character that's been doing something along the lines of that, Xigbar/Luxu. So what if Ephemer faded and reincarnated into Yozora? Yozora knows that his form and name is not who he really is. There's also the link between Ephemer and Yozora dabbling with data and being affiliated with computer games so it's not a complete stretch.

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

 

[Zettaflare]

Dont think so. I'd have an easier time believing that Yozora is a descendant from a Dandelion like Eraqus is then being a reincarnation of one.

 

[Kimmy1980]

I actually posted something earlier in the month regarding this. Title of post was Crazy theories in my head. I would link to it, but typing this out on my kindle.

Didn't get too much feedback on the yozora/ephemer connection.

I'll back you up on this theory. The meaning behind his name can only mean he becomes someone else.

 

[AmaryllisMoth]

I don't know about Ephemer, but maybe at the end of UX our player character gets turned into Yozora instead. Then they can have "player" being a character without having to address the fact that player is customizable. Just throw in a few lines about how Yozora used to look different. (But the more I think about it, it probably doesn't actually work, honestly, but hey it's fun to think about)

 

[Henryp]

I don't know about Ephemer, but maybe at the end of UX our player character gets turned into Yozora instead. Then they can have "player" being a character without having to address the fact that player is customizable. Just throw in a few lines about how Yozora used to look different. (But the more I think about it, it probably doesn't actually work, honestly, but hey it's fun to think about)

I got that exact feeling when playing ReMind. I don't know why, but for me it fits somehow? I do believe the player character from UX will get some representation in Sora's time...

 

[Deleted member 252753]

Just throw in a few lines about how Yozora used to look different.

Yozora already has said that his appearance in ReMind isn't what he really looks like. I like the idea of him being Player but who knows.

 

[LoneFox]

I'm a little bit reluctant to theorize on Yozora, because I don't think we have all the information required to know the full truth yet, but since I don't currently have anything better to do...

First, it is clear that Yozora is a combination of multiple characters. Both the thing about his heart having been replaced and the differently colored eyes tell this.

We can do a systematic analysis on all the information about him we have: those eye colors, who he looks like, the meaning of his name, connections to the Nameless Star and to Luxord, and his abilities. I'm not going to write it out, because it is quite long and because it is good for people to do some thinking themselves, but I'll give you the result I got: Yozora is partially Ephemer, partially Vanitas, and probably partially Riku. This is the minimal set of characters that explains everything we know about him. This is assuming that un-norted Vanitas has red eyes like beings of darkness normally do, and that the Star really is a known character, meaning she must be either Ava, Skuld, or Strelitzia, since those are the only female characters whose current situation is unknown.

The Wikipedia article on Ephemera begins with "Ephemera are any transitory written or printed matters that are not meant to be retained or preserved." But they sometimes do get preserved, because people like to collect them. So maybe the meaning of Ephemer's name is that he preserves things that were not supposed to be preserved, like the memories of the Keyblade War. So, I believe that Ephemer is the key for restoring the memories of the other leaders.

Speaking of meaningful names, I've been told that Ludor is Latin for Player. If this is true, and if the Player Character really is in the modern timeline, then we know exactly who he is.

Then there is this, from quest #425, where Ava talks about Ephemer and the Player Character:
Ava: He's fallen into an unchained state and now finds himself in a different realm. From that realm, I believe he tried reaching out to him.
Ava: If they connected, even in a dream, that means he's getting closer to that realm too.
Ava: Whether he continues down that path is up to his own heart.

Unchained Mode X is a reference to an old VGA programming trick. I don't know exactly what it means, or how literally we should take it, but existing in multiple planes (or realms) sounds like what Ephemer is doing. What makes this really interesting and relevant here is that Ephemer was showing a dream to the Player, and in ReMind we have someone doing the same to both Yozora and Riku. Did Ludor the Player continue down that path like Ava said?

So, what has happened to Ephemer? I don't think "did not survive" is quite right, but he seems to have some existential problems. Maybe he travelled in the ark, lost his body, and then there was no-one able to re-summon him. We know Maleficent returned to her own time using the ark, but would she do so voluntarily? She learned about the box and the book inside it, why would she leave without it? I think she was defeated and forced into the ark, and that means someone else must have been piloting it. It could have been Ephemer. And now we have a chicken-and-egg problem: Ephemer is needed to restore the memories of the other leaders, but for that someone must first remember him.

 

[Zettaflare]

I'll be pleasently surprised if uncorrupted Yozora is his own person. As in an new OC separate from the others

 

[Alpha Baymax]

I don't know about Ephemer, but maybe at the end of UX our player character gets turned into Yozora instead. Then they can have "player" being a character without having to address the fact that player is customizable. Just throw in a few lines about how Yozora used to look different. (But the more I think about it, it probably doesn't actually work, honestly, but hey it's fun to think about)

You know what, this totally feels like a Nomura move. The player character isn't exactly a passive character either so it works.

 

[Dreq the Dreck]

Yes, partly because I'm insanely biased to agree with you. My mental gymnastics can apply to your theory too.

I have a, to me, rather crackpot theory that:

yozora- khux MC
magia- ephemer
aegis- brain

yozora is "special", yozora's appearance has changed, verum rex may be a data world like game central station or data-DT itself, and nomura is reusing a lot of characters (marluxia, larxene, etc.). He might as well since the living roster is so bloated now. Anyway, this allows people to self-insert even more into the avatar, whom is this super cool, important, special guy! ... *baby-barfs*

Though really, any name combination will do.

Now the real beauty is that they can be trapped there at any point in their lives. Data changes your appearance after all. As for lineages, brain/ephemer hit in 'n quit it, got trapped in some datascape again, then centuries later eraqus was born.