Young Xehanort and Young Eraqus' Game of Chess

[EternalDream]

E3 Trailer hype aside for a moment, let's look for story hints!

There seem to be some very strong hints in this chess game as to who the Seekers of Darkness and the Guardians of Light are.

For starters, the final clip shows Master Xehanort's piece (Goat symbol) against Sora's piece (Crown symbol), with Riku's piece (empty Heartless symbol) in the back.

The same scene has what looks like a Fox piece, but it may just be Braig or even a filler piece, as it's clear there's not a perfect 13/7 pieces here.

Other symbols include Vanitas' piece (Void Gear symbol) and Isa's piece (crescent moon with spikes around it), as well as either Kairi, Aqua, or Namine's piece (Wayfinder)

What other icons can you spot?

 

[ShardofTruth]

Xehanort uses also pieces with the head of the Guardian on top (you can clearly see them in the first scene) along with an hour glass, two crossed swords and falling dices. Eraqus also has pieces with the Mickey Mouse head.

 

[Sephiroth0812]

In the very first scene, two of the black pieces definitely have a pair of dices (could stand for Luxord) and one of Axel's chakrams on the top.
One of the white pieces has the Mark of Mastery-emblem (which could stand for Eraqus himself, Terra, Aqua or Ven all the same).

I'm anot completely sure, but I do think I spotted a Hidden Mickey (possibly for Mickey himself), a five-pointed star (like Naminé's goodluck charm) and the Keychain of Ven's Keyblade (two feathers wrapped around a gem) among the white pieces while another black piece might have Xigbar's arrowgun.

 

[Absent]

I went crazy when I noticed the vanitas emblem the 50th time watching the trailer. Very clever.

 

[Xblade13]

I wonder if the pieces they take from one another have significance?

 

[Antifa Lockhart]

I wonder if the pieces they take from one another have significance?

I think so, towards the end there are only 7 light pieces left and the two that were taken before were probably Eraqus and Terra. Sora and Xehanort were definitely the last two, with the Goat horns/guardian and Sora's crown.

 

[Beardman]

I wonder if the pieces they take from one another have significance?

I had an epiphany, in that, the chess game they play, could actually lay symbolism throughout the game, such as, if a light would defeat a dark, a chess scene would play showing Eraqus taking one of Xehanort's pieces. Just a thought I had that I think would be cool.

 

[hemmoheikkinen]

I loved that scene. The possibility of it having hints about the story is amazing. I just love when Nomura decides to hide things like these in trailers. I have to look it more closely to see the pieces.

 

[12kez90]

I think I saw what looked to be a nobody symbol in the back. So for all you Roxas fans, here you go. Or it just could've been a heart.

 

[EternalDream]

I think I saw what looked to be a nobody symbol in the back. So for all you Roxas fans, here you go. Or it just could've been a heart.

Roxas would more likely be his signature cross though, not the nobody symbol.

 

[Sephiroth0812]

When looking at chess in general though, it is worth to note some things as i.e. that in the game, both sides start out with equal forces.
In order to truly forge the X-blade it is said a clash between equal poles of light and dark is necessary.

In chess you have 16 pieces overall, of which several have the same function (and thus should carry the same symbol):
- 8 pawns
- 2 castles
- 2 bishops
- 2 knights
- 1 Queen
- 1 King

In chess, the Queen is the most powerful and versatile piece, so it may stand to reason that Xehanort symbolizes the Black Queen and Sora the White Queen respectively.
The King however is the most valuable piece that needs to be protected, so on the white side the King might either be Kairi or the seven Princesses as a whole (as they're essential for the universe's stability). It makes one wonder though who would the Black King be.

Next in line are the Castles, second most powerful pieces, which on the black side might be represented by Ansem and Xemnas and on the white side by Riku and Mickey.
After that come the bishops and knights, whose relative power can fluctuate depending on how the game plays out (in some situations bishops are more powerful than knights and vice-versa). Thus these pieces could be assigned to the "middle-gorund" fighters and main protectors of the main pieces (King and Queen).
There are four overall of those, so on the black side, I'd place Isa, Braig/Xigbar, Young Xehanort and Vanitas in those roles while on the white side Eraqus, Aqua, Terra and Ven fill these roles.

Now the most iffy thing are the pawns, which can be powerful if used wisely but are also the very first to be sacrificed. On the black side I'd say the pawns are either the Heartless, monsters like the Guardian or people used by Xehanort against their will, but I've no idea who the pawns on the white side would be. Roxas, Xion, Lea, Naminé, Donald, Goofy, Ansem the Wise and Yen Sid are exactly eight people, but I dunno if they can really be casted as pawns.

 

[ShardofTruth]

I made a chart:

Xehanort:

1. Goat/Dragon (Xehnort's Keyblade)
2. Eclipse (Sun & Moon, Saïx/Isa?)
3. ?
4. Dice (Luxord?)
5. Xehanort's Guardian
6. Void Gear Keyblade token (Vanitas)
7. ?
8. Six-pointed star, unusual since most stars in Kingdom Hearts are only five-pointed
9. ?
10. Two crossed swords
11. Hourglass (Young Xehanort)

Eraqus:

1. Crown (Sora)
2. Empty Heartless symbol (Riku), although the lower part resembles Eraqus'/Terra'/Ventus'/Aqua's symbol
3. Ends of Earth Keyblade token (Terra)
4. Mickey head
5. Wayfinder (Naminé's star charm)
6. Stormfall Keyblade token (Aqua)?
7. Wayward Wind Keyblade token (Ventus)
8. ?

 

[Sephiroth0812]

Piece 3 of Xehanort looks like Maleficent's horns and collar while piece 7 of Eraqus (it's incredibly small though) is the one I think I recognized the keychain of Ven's keyblade in.

Edit:
This also means that this game cannot be traditional chess, as in normal chess there are only six different pieces yet Xehanort has already 12 different ones and Eraqus at least seven.

 

[Antar]

Check out AustralianRiku's analysis thread. He delves into the chess game which looks really stylized, with raised platforms and the checkerboard is angled.

 

[king_mickey rule]

I made a chart:

Xehanort:

1. Goat/Dragon (Xehnort's Keyblade)
2. Ecplise (Sun & Moon, Axel/Lea & Saïx/Isa?)
3. ?
4. Dices
5. Xehanort's Guardian
6. Vanitas
7. ?
8. Six pointed star, unusual since most stars in Kingdom Hearts are only five pointed
9. ?
10. Two crossed swords
11. hour glass
12. ?

Eraqus:

1. Crown (Sora)
2. Empty Heartless symbol (Riku), although the lower part resembles Eraqus'/Terra'/Ventus'/Aqua's symbol
3. ?
4. Mickey head
5. Wayfinder (Naminé's star charm)
6. ?
7. ?

Seeing how there are more chess pieces left on Xehanort's side at the end, I'd like to point out the following:

"There's more Light than meets the eye"
"Oh, I hope so"

 

[gosoxtim]

Seeing how there are more chess pieces left on Xehanort's side at the end, I'd like to point out the following:

"There's more Light than meets the eye"
"Oh, I hope so"

could he talking about the princesss of light with kairi lead the princess

 

[Neo_]

Forgive me if this is a stupid question, but is Mickey the only Disney character in the KH franchise that matters?

 

[Sephiroth0812]

Mickey, Maleficent, Pete and Yen Sid are the only Disney characters that are heavily involved with the overaching plot, yes.
Donald and Goofy too, but to a lesser extent than the other four.

 

[hemmoheikkinen]

I think we have come to this conclusion already, but Xehanort kinda confirmed that the Foretellers will end up fighting against each other, and causing the war. If we run on assumption, that faction leaders are the so called lost masters.

 

[rawpower]

Mickey, Maleficent, Pete and Yen Sid are the only Disney characters that are heavily involved with the overaching plot, yes.
Donald and Goofy too, but to a lesser extent than the other four.

How in the hell could you forget about Pluto?! Forget the other guys, Pluto is probably the most crucial to the entire series. Probably has more of an impact on the universe than Sora.