Travels of Riku and Mickey (Major Connections)

[The Conquerer]

Am I on a role or what?

Obviously the main point of Kingdom Hearts Coded is the quote that's left inside Jiminy's Journal, "We must return to free them from their torment". Perhaps those words are major points that connects Riku and Mickey's previous journeys in the realm of darkness.

From this interview:

In the Jiminy Journal, it reads "We must return to free them from their torment". Who exactly is “them” referring to? Are they characters we've seen before in previous Kingdom Hearts games?
Nomura: I can’t tell you that yet. Actually, it's not even possible to really explain it yet, as it is about the true enemy of the game. Even though there are Heartless in the game that are made out of data, they are not the real cause of the trouble.

We can tell that something mysterious and big is going down and that quote connects everything.

Plot (what we know)

After the ending of Kingdom Hearts 2, Donald, Goofy, and the King made it back to their world, Jiminy returned as well. After Jiminy analyzed and ordered his journal entires, that quote presented it self, was it something he wrote? Well Jiminy ordered his journals from Castle Oblivion, so "Thank Namine" was already ordered, but this "We must return to free them from their torment" message was something Jiminy had no memory of even writing.Jiminy consulted the King and asked him to look over his journal. Mickey was shocked and surprised by the message (perhaps he's not so sure, but has a bad feeling about what had happened before he decided to help Sora). Mickey digitized the contents of the journal into data so that he could look through the entire history of the journal starting from the very first entry. We play as a data Sora, but he's just a figure head, not real character, so this digitized Sora looks through the digitized journal and solves the mystery of the data bugs. The heartless only appear as data, but who is this enemy, the true threat?

I have a feeling that its all connected to what Riku and the King experienced in the realm of darkness.

One year ago, Ansem The Seeker of Darkness appeared before Sora, Donald, and Goofy, he took on the form of Riku, seconds later he appeared in his original form, having cast out Riku's heart. From the quote "Don't bother, your voice can no longer reach him where he is, his heart belongs again to darkness," we can tell that Riku's heart ended up in the realm of darkness, where all lost hearts go.

Riku's body remained in the realm of light, in Ansem The Seeker of Darkness's hands. In the world of darkness, Riku managed to fight off the darkness but he could not take his body back, although he did not fade, his heart proved strong and Mickey's words got through to him and strengthened his resolve. Thanks to a member here, I always make great use of this video:

YouTube - Riku in the world of Darkness

Mickey said something very important "In this dark side, where all stolen hearts are gathered," I believe those are some very key and important words. Mickey than talks about how he found the Keyblade for the dark world. He says that the door of darkness will appear soon and they both can't go through it, most likely because they were inhabitants of darkness. Two Keys and two hearts are required to close the door, Mickey said it was fate that both Riku and he came to this world.

Obviously it was true. The door to darkness appeared after the defeat of Ansem The Seeker of Darkness, and Riku rejoined back up with his body. Sora and Riku's heart allowed the door to be closed. Sora's realm of light Keyblade and Mickey realm of darkness Keyblade, allowed the door to be locked.

But what happened inbetween? Obviously there were heartless, but of a different caliber, the Darkside. Perhaps Riku and after Mickey joined up with him, they finished fighting off those beings. After Riku and Mickey helped close the door, they discovered them. The ones in torment. Remember that important quote? "In this dark side, where all stolen hearts are gathered," well perhaps they were hiding when Mickey finished off the remaining darkside. These people, the troubled ones, managed to take their bodies with them after over coming the darkness, but that was not always the case.

I believe at one time, these people (one at a time) arrived in that world no different from how Riku arrived. I believe these inhabitants of darkness talked about how a strange dark power, over taken them at one point in their life, and they ended up in the realm of darkness with only their heart. Obviously these people did not arrive there at the same time. Riku can't help but feel that his time as a wandering heart was no different from what the inhabitants speak of. I believe the inhabitants talk about how all of a sudden (not recently), their bodies just returned but themselves remained trapped in the world of darkness, where the stolen hearts are gathered. These people could not stay here forever, when hearts are reborn here, they become heartless and before leaving and causing trouble to the other worlds, they may feast on the hearts of the darkness inhabitants, turning them into heartless. (We can pretty much assume who the true enemy is or was for that matter. The true enemy is not fought in the game, but talked about.

Xehanort's heartless, over time, caused the inhabitants to remain in the realm of darkness by casting off their hearts and taking over their bodies. That would cause the hearts to remain in the darkness realm, but after Xehanort grew tired or found some one stronger, he would caste off the vessels, which would later rejoin the hearts in the realm of darkness. But since these people were not as experienced as Diz, Mickey and Riku, they could not venture outside so easily.

Most of these inhabitants did not have weapons of their own, so they could not find a way to venture out without having become pray to the heartless. They were simply stuck, trapped forever in the darkness, scared of what might happened to their very lives. Riku and Mickey decided to help them escape, but first, defeating the heartless was a major priority. But the heartless proved very powerful, not even Riku could keep up, so he faded into the darkness yet again. Riku was than awakened by a voice, the voice of Diz (although he believed it to be Ansem The Seeker of Darkness at the time). This is where Riku's story in Chain of Memories begins. Diz helped Riku escape from the realm of darkness, probably through a darkness corridor or something.

But what of Mickey, did he keep up the good fight while he was still in the realm of darkness? I believe he did until Riku needed help again, so he had to leave behind some of the tormented ones, but I believe its possible that he helped some of them escape, although we can't be too sure that he went back into the realm of darkness that frequently in the story line leading up to Kingdom Hearts 2. But has Riku kept up his end of the bargain? Well if Riku had the form of Xehanort's Heartless, perhaps his time in the darkness was spent well, who knows?

But what about that quote in Jiminy's journal? Who put it there, well Riku did...

After defeating Xemnas for the first few times, Namine opened a darkness portal, Donald, Goofy, Mickey, Kairi, and perhaps Jiminy entered the portal to Destiny's Island. But Sora and Riku remained. But Sora held Jiminy's Jornal for the time being. After Sora and Riku defeated Xemnas, they appeared in the realm of darkness. Unsure if they would make it out, Riku talks about the realm of darkness and how the realm of light is safe now. And if its safe with the King and the others, both Riku and Sora should be the darkness and make the realm of darkness a nicer place.

Sora later sleeps (who knows for how long), during his sleep, perhaps Riku sneaked the journal and wrote "We must free them from their torment," he thought that they would remain in the darkness, so he already had a goal in mind, protect and help save the troubled ones, and make it a better place to live in the realm of darkness, or if push comes to shove, help them escape.

Mickey probably was side tracked and his goal came clear. Maybe the reason why Mickey sent off the letter to Sora, Kairi, and Riku after the ending of Kingdom Hearts 2, has something to do with the tormented ones, and how they could help... But than again, it may only be a small part of what is to come and the letter may have even more details surrounding the future of Kingdom Hearts.

Like always, I'm open to opinion and suggestions.

 

[Wehrmacht]

You know, that's a rather interesting idea. Let me see if I understood: basically these "tormented" ones are the people stuck in the dark realm due to Xehanort's Heartless' actions? That he is the true enemy?

 

[The Conquerer]

^Yep, that's the gist of it.

 

[Charlie K]

I liek this theory ALOT! Yea it would've been cool if Riku wrote it, that or somebody eles, maybe Ansem thw ise some how...I dunno, but I really like your thoery!

 

[Jaden007]

Thats a pretty interesting theory. Certainly got me thinking

 

[Wehrmacht]

^Yep, that's the gist of it.

Well, I'll have to admit I would have never thought of that, probably. It's a nice idea, on the whole.

 

[The Twilight Prince]

I love this. That would also explain why Riku was smiling at the end of Kh2 perhaps. Maybe because he was happy that Mickey got the Journal and replied. Nice theory. ^.^

 

[The Conquerer]

^That would make Riku such a nice guy hmm? I mean Sora did a lot for people, but this would just give off, Riku is really a decent guy to be friends with.lol I mean who admits jealously?

 

[Twilight93]

I really like this theory, very well done. So couldn't there also be like other torumented ones before Heartless Xehanort was born since the Heartless had to pray on something in order to live right? What if Master Xehanort could do the same and would trap more tourmented ones, liek during the Keyblade War? It would explain why they both share the same "special" name, maybe a special line of them like one for every generation? Just random thoughts and sorry to put em up here but just offering some suggests I guess.

 

[The Twilight Prince]

Haha. Shyeah good point. I dunno many people who'd do that.

 

[The Conquerer]

I really like this theory, very well done. So couldn't there also be like other torumented ones before Heartless Xehanort was born since the Heartless had to pray on something in order to live right? What if Master Xehanort could do the same and would trap more tourmented ones, liek during the Keyblade War? It would explain why they both share the same "special" name, maybe a special line of them like one for every generation? Just random thoughts and sorry to put em up here but just offering some suggests I guess.

Well that special name like thing was a discussion I brought up in my previous thread, (its funny how everything some how manages to link up) but normally, when a person looses (not on free will) their heart to darkness, the heart makes it to the realm of darkness, but is reborn as a heartless, but those who can over come the darkness, still keeps their sense of self, thus being a wandering presence, although if they did not become a heartless, I would assume the body would remain with the heart. But in the case with Riku and many others, their bodies did not return to them immediately, due to the fact that at one point in time, Xehanort's Heartless had control over the vessel. So to answer the question, yeah, its possible that other tormented ones existed, but they could have faded due to the weakening of the heart over time by the darkness, or being lost due to the fact that the heartless probably later fed on those in the darkness years later.

I'm not sure, but it would appear that Master Xehanort is a complete person, although we still can't be too sure for right now. We also don't know if Master Xehanort used the exact same methods as Xehanort's heartless, but I suppose its something to think about.

 

[Twilight93]

Ok makes sense. Wait, sorry another thought just hit me, so the reason why Heartless Xehanort did not become a wild, senseless creature like the other heartless was because he free willingly gave up his heart. Did not the other apprentices do the same by (if I remember correctly) walking into the door found in the basement? What if Heartless Xehanort became what he was because he lost his heart in the realm of darkness, thus still having a heart by no body? And wouldn't that mean the other 5 are still out there and doing the same thing Heartless Xehanort was doing?

 

[The Conquerer]

Ok makes sense. Wait, sorry another thought just hit me, so the reason why Heartless Xehanort did not become a wild, senseless creature like the other heartless was because he free willingly gave up his heart. Did not the other apprentices do the same by (if I remember correctly) walking into the door found in the basement? What if Heartless Xehanort became what he was because he lost his heart in the realm of darkness, thus still having a heart by no body? And wouldn't that mean the other 5 are still out there and doing the same thing Heartless Xehanort was doing?

Well Xehanort's heart was unreasonably powerful. Even Ansem The Wise said that he had superhuman talents, perhaps the other apprentices' hearts were not strong enough, or perhaps they just lacked the natural instinct for such feat. Ansem the Seeker of darkness talked about how after plunging into the darkness, he managed to keep his sense of self and did not become like the other heartless. He basically excepted the darkness. Although obviously, to cast off one's flesh is a very difficult task, and to keep your sense of self after that, would be considered impossible, except for Xehanort. Although Sora did not choose to be a heartless and did not except the darkness, perhaps that's why he remained but a weak heartless. Although he managed to keep his sense of self, which could mean that his heart is indeed powerful. To willing cast off the flesh is difficult, so maybe that's why the other apprentices failed to become a powerful heartless like Xehanort.

 

[Twilight93]

Alright thanks for answering Conquer. Again, great theory.

 

[Ultima Fenrir]

Amazing theory, I can't think of anything that could possibly prove any of your information wrong. Very solid and well thought.

 

[The Conquerer]

I wonder how Kingdom Hearts: Coded could link up to Kingdom Hearts: 358 1/2 days. I'm actually starting to speculate one special person...

 

[UrbanQuattrus]

This is a great idea. tormented "ghosts", so to speak, trapped because of Xehanort.

So maybe they turn evil themselves and want vengeance... or maybe they're being fed upon by something else evil (alleged TRUE enemy), and that's their torment?

 

[roxax_Xll]

wow,
you ARE on the role.
congratz for making a very interesting theory

 

[Koji]

Great theory. It would also make sense as the new enemy being an ancester of the heartless. I liked the whole theory, well at first I wasnt too sure about Riku sneaking out Jiminy's Journal and writing in it without Sora knowing, if he thought he would stay in the realm of Darkness forever. Now it does kinda make sense. Riku wouldnt remind Sora about it, because Sora knew nothing of it, and the note could only have been meant for Mickey because he was the only person (mouse) who would know what Riku was talking about. Anyone else would need further info.

 

[Twilight93]

I'm really sorry but I thought up of another thing We have seen the screenshots of the new enemy that is going to be fought in Birth By sleep, and they look like creatures from the darkness, similar to the heartless. Maybe those are tormented beings that found a way out or since the heartless were not unleashed into the worlds thus being very few, they did not try to stop the tormented ones to get out like what would happen in the near future. Or maybe master Xehanort unleashed them in order to keep Terra and the others accoupied while he continued on with his plan. Just some thoughts.....again.