If the City of Daybreak is out of commission, it seems likely, doesn't it? Not to mention the Mansion has many rooms (some blocked off from access in KH2), and at least 5 chairs in the dining room.... Is it possible? Perhaps we will know soon!
After meeting Union X's Lauriam, my imagination immediately took off with a myriad of ideas concerning the remaining Organization members. Demyx, Luxord, and Larxene have always had unknown backstories, but this recent Kingdom Hearts update has renewed my interest in their true origins and names. One thing that I really like to do while theorizing about names, is focus on the etymology and how it relates to the character in question. Meaningful names have always been a recurring characteristic of the Kingdom Hearts universe and its people. For example, Sora means "sky" which is fitting, because as the Sky connects many Worlds together, Sora connects many Hearts. Aqua means Water, Vanitas means Pride....And almost every other original character has a name that somehow reflects upon their own existence. Now, the reason I'm mention all of this is that, during my most recent research session, I came across an unusual factoid that could potentially mean something important in regards to the plot of Union X.
Out of mere curiosity, I choose the character Blaine and decided to look up the meaning of his name. It took a while to find, due to many resources not recognizing it as a commonly used name, but I finally came across a few resources that did. The name Blaine claims several points of origin, but the most prominent is that of Scottish root, and as I dug further, I found that there are two meanings for this name: thin, and yellow. In some translations, it can also be considered to mean "Little Yellow One". This stumped me. Not only did I not know how "thin" could relate to Blaine, but I didn't understand how a guy dressed in mostly black could be reflective of any bright colors at all, let alone Yellow. But, the more I thought about yellow, the more it struck me: What if black isn't really this guy's style? I mean, he has a trench-like coat, his face is covered by a hat, his hair is messily tucked into that hat...Sure, this could just be an intentionally messy style, but what if it's actually a disguise?
In my last article entitled Trouble in Paradise, I questioned the idea of Lauriam being Strelitzia's killer, and speculated over the possibility of it being someone else. Strelitzia was killed in a single strike. If Blaine is her killer, but is also Master Gula in disguise, then that would explain how the attack was fatal with just one strike. Fortellers are much, much stronger than the average Keyblade wielder, and when you fight them in-game, you require an incredible amount of experience just to survive their first attack. Due to her tendency to observe rather than engage, Strelitzia may not have had enough fighting experience to survive against someone like Gula, and he probably knew that. Also, when the "e" from Blaine is dropped, it interestingly enough becomes "blain" which is an animal disease.(link) The Foretellers all represent animals, so Blaine being a corrupt alter ego of the Leopard Gula also fits rather well.
But, there lies a lingering question....Exactly why would Gula do this? Before she is killed, Strelitzia is seen questioning the rules of the Union, and desperately wants to warn the Player about the oncoming War, despite Master Ava's wishes. If Gula somehow found out about such a thing, he could have seen this as a betrayal the Master of Master's word and killed her to shut her up. Another possibility is that Gula wasn't really satisfied with his performance as a Foreteller. The Master of Masters gave him the task of finding a supposed "traitor" hidden somewhere within the World of Daybreak, but Gula was unable to find one. This failure could have been an unacceptable defeat for a skeptic like Gula, so in order to continue his search, he could have gone undercover as an ordinary citizen. Now, Master Ava specifically stated that after the War, only Union leaders will have their memories of past events spared, but the rest of the Dandelions will be forced to forget. Undercover Gula couldn't risk this happening to him, or blow his cover, so he killed Strelitzia, and assumed her place as a Union member in order to preserve his mission. This could also explain why Blaine asked so many questions upon first meeting the others. He was underplaying his knowledge of Prophecies and rules in order to seem more authentic:
He was also assessing their personalities, as well as testing their integrity. His comparing of Skuld to Ava is a prime example.
Referring to her as "kid" could allude to him feeling older or more experienced than the rest of them...which would, once again, make perfect sense if he is indeed Master Gula.
And, that concludes my latest theory! There's still more yet to come, so stay tuned, stay hyped, and most of all, Stay Uncanny! ~
Well! Unless you’re utterly aloof, or blind from staring at the Eclipse, you might have caught wind of the internet’s recent reaction to the latest Union X update. I’d prefer to jump straight to the case this time around, but for a recap: Unchained Key/ Union X is a Kingdom Hearts mobile game that details the events of the great Keyblade War and it’s aftermath. Along the way, a group of special individuals called the Dandelions are spared from participating in the War, and among their number, 5 unique young people are selected to be the designated leaders of this new movement. The first four leaders were introduced as Skuld, Ephemera, Blaine, and Ventus ( who may be recognizable from Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep), and for the final leader we were given Strelitzia, whose shy personality, frilly white dress, and peachy pigtails earned her a few thousand Waifu points within the KH community. Yes, everything was going quite well, and for the following two weeks it seemed as if the true story of the 5 leaders was about to begin....
Upon the recent update however, it’s been revealed that this little chicklet’s involvement in the story of Union X was short lived...Not only was she brutally attacked by a hidden assailant, but she succumbed to the wounds and perished alongside her assisting Chirithy. If witnessing such an unexpected turn of events wasn’t shocking enough, we were met with her “replacement”, who appeared to be none other than the Graceful Assassin himself, Marluxia, in all of his teen-hood glory. Of course, in this state, he is in possession of his Somebody name, which is revealed to be Lauriam.
Now, the internet’s reaction to this reveal can be divided into two main reesponses:
Group A:
"How the@$#%is Marluxia’s Somebody in a setting that’s supposed to take place hundreds of years before he was even born?! That’s crazy!!!! "
Group B:
"OMG, DOES THIS MEAN THAT HE MURDERED STRELITZIA?! THAT FRILLY PINK &$%@#!!"
Since we still know nothing about the “Time-Rules” of Union X, (and I’d love to avoid the countless hours of mental torment, and broken windows that would result from trying to figure out Nomura’s end game here), I’m going to stick with reaction B, and compile a list of three reasons why Lauriam is most likely NOT Strelitzia’s murderer.
(1) It’s Just Too Obvious
This one speaks for itself. Throughout the series, Nomura has implemented a considerably healthy dose of twists and turns, and continues to do so, even with the mobile game of Union X. It’s never really been in his nature to be completely “forward” with important plot points, and if there’s an intentional secrecy surrounding a certain character or event, then the truth is almost NEVER what we think it will be. He always chooses the strangest option; such as Xion being a clone of Sora, when she actually looks like Kairi. The fact that Nomura intentionally kept Strelitzia’s murderer in shadow, and then revealed Lauriam literally moments later, feels too much like a red herring. He’s banking on the fact that we’ll immediately paint him to be the killer, just because of his reputation as Marluxia. In all actuality, it’s very possible that he could have been one of Master Ava’s chosen ones. How could we really know otherwise?
(2) The Motive is so Inclusive, That It Could Literally Be Anyone
Out of all the motives for this murder, there are four possibilities that stand out the most : Before she vanished, Master Ava stated that only Union leaders will have their memories of past events spared, but the rest of the Dandelions will be forced to forget. I'm thinking that one of these "common" Dandelions found out that they were going to lose their memories, and was angered by this. They then killed Strelitzia, took her book, and pretended to be a Union member in order to be spared. A second motive concerns the Book of Prophecies. Of all the members, only one child was to be specially selected to receive the Master of Master's original copy. If Strelitzia happened to be this chosen person, then an eavesdropping Dandelion would literally have every reason in the World to kill her. Become a Union Leader, AND the boss? Who wouldn't want that? A third could be that Strelitzia was killed by an existing member so that her Book could be given to someone else. Perhaps this person was deemed a more acceptable choice in the killer's eyes, and they felt a need to resolve Ava's "error" themselves. Or, the killer was being threatened or manipulated into doing the act.
(3) The Other Union Leaders Lack An Alibi
Anyone can be friendly, but even the most friendly of people can kill with proper motivation. Although we’ve come to know and even appreciate Ephemera, Skuld, Blaine, and Ventus, that doesn’t mean they’re completely ruled out. Despite how they act, or what they say, we didn’t actually see everyone speak to Ava or receive the book from her, so there’s plenty of suspects.
For me personally, Blaine is at the top of the list. This boy has had bad news written all over him from the get go. When he first meets up with the others, he's shocked to learn that there's another member arriving after him, since he assumed that he was the last one. The fact that he automatically assumed that he was the last one, and breathed a heavy sigh of relief upon learning that he wasn't, almost sounds like the fear of a guilty gonzo. It comes across as the kind of relief one would have if they barely miss the school tardy-bell after sleeping in, or dodge a ticket because the cops didn't see them intentionally run that red light. If you were specifically chosen to be a member, why does it matter if you're the last to arrive? It's not like the others can take off without you. However, if Blaine is the true killer, then he has a very good reason to be worried about being too late- Keeping the others waiting for too long would have made them question exactly what he was doing that whole time. (And let's be honest, murders aren't usually the quickest or easiest things in the world to pull off) But by him arriving as the 4th leader instead of the very last, it doesn't really make his arrival all that unusual. Killing Strelitzia quickly enough to arrive as the 4th person is a tricky task in itself, but Blaine got even luckier when the 5th member turned out to be a very late Lauriam (aka Marluxia). Most players were automatically going to assume that Lauriam was the culprit, due to their familiarity with his villainous Nobody. In other words, it's the perfect cover.
My second guess is Sculd. Her amber/ goldish eye color has always struck me as suspicious, due to it being a defining character trait of most Darkness-associating people. And with her equally dark attire, I've been almost begging for something wicked to come out of her- Just to validate the blatant coincidences. I also find it weird that after all the time they've spent together, Ephemera acts like he's genuinely shocked that she's a member. He even straight up tells her that he can't believe she is one. To be her friend, that's a very weird reaction to have, and implies that he knows something about her character that we don't. Even when Blaine compared her personality to the upright nature of Master Ava, Ephemera retorted that she isn't really like her at all, which is eventually implied to be only a joke. But, I can't help but wonder...what if he really wasn't joking?
Next on the list is Ven. He claims to have spoken to Ava, but we have no proof that he was actually given a Book by her. We don't even see a flashback of that. He's also still one with Vanitas at this point, so there's definitely a Dark side of him to look out for. I do give him a teeny-tiny benefit of a doubt, though, because I’m not sure if Nomura would suddenly paint him as a bad guy after portraying him as a protagonist for this long, but it's definitely not something I’d put past him.......
Now, the the least likely of all to be the killer may be Ephemera who, surprisingly, actually does have something of an alibi, since we actually saw him being appointed by Ava in a flashback. However, this doesn’t completely exclude him from suspicious activity….There’s still an earlier time in the events of Unchained X in which Ephemera is approached by a mysterious entity, and declared as “missing” for a long time afterwards, so there’s no telling what this creepy stranger could have blackmailed or coerced him into doing. This "Shadow Person" could have tasked Ephemera with the duty of killing Strelitzia, and giving the Book to them, so that THEY could become a Union member. He could also have been requested to steal it, and give it to a specific person. The Shadow might have even approached Strelitzia, and murdered her themselves.
Another thing that never sat well with me, is that Ephemera’s hair is white. Within this series, every boy with white or silver hair has turned out to be a traitor and/ or pawn of Darkness, so this being the point in which he betrays one of his own by killing her, and giving her book to another person wouldn't surprise me. Actually, the more I reallythink about it, the more I think that he should probably be higher up on this list....
Well, those are my thoughts! I intend to keep you all updated as more and more is revealed about this murderous scandal, and of course, I will be posting more juicy theories to go along with each revelation. Stay tuned, stay hyped, and most of all, Stay Uncanny! ~
So, upon discussion of various mechanics in KH3, Nomura has let it slip that not only will our adventurous young Sora be reprising his role as our heartful hero, but an additional second character will be controllable as well! Nomura has insisted on keeping it a secret for now, but after careful contemplation, I have devised five MOST likely candidates for this mysterious other:
(It's a bizarre format, I know, but the following list is ordered from "Most Likely" to "Least Likely." =^_^=)
(1.) Young Xehanort
Apparently, this prospect seems to be a likely one for many Kingdom Hearts fans, and I can understand why. All of the Kingdom Hearts games thus far have opened in a typical fashion, with a wide eyed hero or hero(es) ready to prove themselves capable of exploring the many many Worlds lying beyond their own...But, an opening that gives us a peek into the earlier, less maniacal days of our main antagonist would not only be a nice way to introduce a tutorial or two, but it could also explain to us exactly how Young Xehanort came to possess No Name, and show us the identity of he and Eraqus's mysterious "Master".
(2.) Young Eraqus
I think that he's a likely candidate for pretty much the same reasons Young Xehanort is. A spar match between the two "brothers" would be a great way to introduce a combat tutorial, and we could still gain answers to the questions I mentioned previously.
(3.) Kairi
It's high time this Princess of Light proves that she's just as capable of holding her own as the boys are. Also, this would be another way to introduce a combat tutorial at the beginning of the game. The tutorial could start off with her and Lea sparring together, as they learn the ways of the Keyblade.
(4.) Lea
This one I could imagine going a variety of ways. One way, is as a tutorial set up as a match between him and Kairi; another way is as a similarly constructed tutorial, showing the happier days between him and Isa. This could also give us insight into exactly how they became Nobodies.
(5.) Ventus
Now, this one seems like a stretch. Not an impossible stretch, but a stretch nevertheless. I could totally see Nomura surprising us, and having Ventus mysteriously awaken somehow. We could start playing as him while trying to figure out what's going on, what's happened to the World, etc. It's not super likely, but it would be an interesting surprise!
(5.) Xion
To be honest, I really, really hope Nomura doesn't go this route, but I could see it happening. Xion would find herself in a strange place, and arrive at the conclusion that she must somehow "fight" her way back into existence, and back into the memories and Hearts of her beloved. It's a bizarre idea, but perhaps, one that makes perfect sense to a certain abstract mind...
Well, there are my five guesses for the secret character! The reason I did not include choices such as Riku and Roxas, is because honestly, I don't want to see them as playable characters again. I feel like we've played as them enough, and it's time to have a few more creative options. However, speculations are always just speculations, and I'm still looking forward to seeing who the real choice will be!
Have you ever wondered why Ansem and Xemnas, despite being Xehanort's Heartless and Nobody, don't share his eye color? Everyone who's possessed by Master Xehanort seems to have the eyes of a distinct bright yellow: Saix, Xigbar, Terra after his body was taken, etc. But for whatever reason, Xemnas and Ansem's eyes are a complete, deep orange. In fact, they match Ansem the Wise's eyes more. But why? Is it just a coincidence? Is there even such thing as coincidences in this series? For my second inquiry, exactly WHY did Terranort's eyes turn brown? I know that many believe it's caused by memory loss, but why default to brown? Terra's eyes weren't even that color before possession, they were blue....I also question the idea that Xehanort somehow possesses the ability to hide his eye color. Even if that were true, why did he need to? It's not like he was on a watchlist or anything, so why go through the trouble of hiding his eyes? Is it really possible that Xehanort's eyes were once brown, and that they're current yellow hue is only a symptom of the Darkness? Further proof of this could be the fact that most creatures of Darkness possess the same eyes of bright yellow, such as various Heartless, and even Vanitas, who was created from the Darkness in Ventus's Heart. With this evidence, it it truly safe to say that Yellow Eyes are just a trait of Darkness?
It's certainly something to speculate...but in truth, it still doesn't really answer why Xemnas and Ansem SoD have eyes that resemble Ansem the Wise, and not Xehanort. Could this be the reason why we've yet to see a flashback of Terra-Xehanort attacking the apprentices in anything other than a first-person perspective? What is Nomura REALLY hiding from us?
Well! As you can see, Our beloved Nomura has revealed some savvy new art to commemorate the international release of 1.5+2.5 for the PS4! As per usual, the art is gorgeous, however, there are some rather interesting things to note about this new picture:
The first, and most obvious observation, is the reference to previous pictures of our beloved Sora on a throne. His posture has remained similar throughout the years, featuring Sora with his legs crossed, his right hand supporting his cheek in a carefree manner, and a crown placed on his head. The only major differences seem to be that Sora is now in his KH3 outfit, rather than his KH1 clothes, and his smile is slightly more mischievous. I guess you could say that it's a subtle combination of his....*ahem* rather pissed disposition in picture one, and a more content expression in picture two.
But of course, I wouldn't have made this post if I didn't have some speculations about this seemingly innocent art. What kind of speculations, you ask? Well, it's no secret that the creative Nomura will sometimes give his works bits of "extra" detail to baffle the observer, or give a hint of things to come, such as in the Unchained Key: 1st Anniversary sketch, in which he hinted at future involvement from BBS's Ventus. He strategically placed Ventus next to Ephemera and Skuld, but to tease the fans even more, he very loosely sketched two other individuals, whom he later stated will have relevance in Unchained Key's/ Union X's story.
He's done the same in another Unchained-related drawing, in which he featured old Kingdom Hearts characters along with Ephemera and Skuld. Two of the characters, Riku and Kairi, were drawn with outfits unseen in the currently released games, which were later confirmed to be their upcoming KH3 garments. Its not quite as subtle as other hints, but the rest of their outfits (from the waist down) have yet too be seen, due to being cut off by the picture's small size. This was, without a doubt, also intentional.
Now, lets take a look at the newest work once more:
I think it's safe to say that this just may be Nomura's most baffling sketch yet. There's little bits of mystery woven all throughout this picture, starting with Sora's lap. If you look closely, you can see that there is an animal of some kind in his lap, the face of the animal is hidden by the giant "15th" but the pointed ears would suggest that it is a canine of some sort. Possibly a fox. If this is true, then it is most likely a reference to Vulpes, the animal of Foreteller Ava from KH Chi. If that weren't all, there is the background. If you look at the other throne pictures of the past , backgrounds or objects surrounding the thrones were very easy to make out and see, but in this picture, everything has been intentionally blurred, not by pencil, but by a program after the picture was drawn. It's as if Nomura intentionally wanted to obscure the images...but why? Upon zooming in, the only images that can be slightly made out are the top left, which features the portrait of a person, and the bottom right, which features some kind of musical note. I can only guess that this drawing as a whole is somehow connecting Unchained Key/ Union X to KH3, but unless Nomura reveals the entire picture, I'm afraid it's just guesswork for now.
So as of this year, it's been announced that new extension for Kingdom Hearts: Unchained X is coming out soon, and that the game's name shall be changed to Union X [Cross]. There's also a teaser trailer that shows new information regarding the future of the Dandelions after the War. That can be seen here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yMp6O1iEfHE
Alright, so in this teaser, we see a flashback of MoM telling Forteller Ava that she has to choose five specific members of the Dandelions to be the new union leaders after the War is over. He also gives her a piece of paper that has all of these names written down, as well as one named circled. This person is to inherit the Book of Prophecies once MoM disappears. He said that this was top secret, and that bad things would happen if anyone except this chosen child saw the Book . Alright, sounds fair enough... but then I made this discovery in the "Secret Place" of Destiny Islands:
SOMEONE has clearly drawn 5 figures, each with X's, save for one chosen figure who has a circle drawn above them. Seems strange to just be a coincidence doesn't it? I find it curious how this secret info just so happens to end up exactly where our Main Hero and Villain are from. What could it all really mean? I, The UncannyVillager hope to know the answer soon...
