Everything you need to know for Kingdom Hearts 4 (probably)

Although Kingdom Hearts 4 is supposed to launch the series into a new era with the ‘Lost Masters’ arc, it’s clear from what few trailers we’ve seen so far that newcomers aren’t in for a smooth transition into the series. It might even be a bit of a rocky return for fans, considering how long it’s been since the last game entry.

So, I’ve decided to compile something of a big Kingdom Hearts lore FAQ, which will catch you up before the game lands. Some of these answers are going to be basic, some of them are going to be more complicated, and some of them will include spoilers up to the ending of Kingdom Hearts 3, but hopefully by the end of it you’re primed for the next Kingdom Hearts adventure.

Who is Sora?

Sora is the protagonist of Kingdom Hearts and the Chosen of the Keyblade. Usually, the ability to wield a Keyblade is bestowed as part of a ceremony, but that’s not the case for Sora. The Keyblade came to him by his own virtue, due to the power of his own heart, and thus, he is an anomaly.

Sora’s strength comes from himself, his friends and allies, and the connections he makes with people over the course of the game. During Kingdom Hearts, he is able to keep other hearts, such as those of his friend Kairi and Birth By Sleep protagonist Ventus, safe within his own heart. He is brash, loving, curious, and self-sacrificing to a fault.

He is quite frankly the ultimate Shounen protagonist, and never really gets the opportunity to reckon with just how much trauma and heartbreak he’s had to endure over the series.

What is Kingdom Hearts?

The titular Kingdom Hearts is a source of ultimate power and knowledge, and is considered the ‘heart of all worlds’. Once, all of the different worlds in the Kingdom Hearts series were one connected world, all sharing the same amorphous ‘heart’. However, those hearts were only kept together by their shared light.

As darkness crept into people’s hearts, so too did it creep into Kingdom Hearts, which caused the united world to separate. Over the course of the series, the main antagonist Xehanort has attempted to access Kingdom Hearts several times, ultimately in an attempt to reset the universe and to create a new balance of Light and Darkness according to his own beliefs and power.

What is Quadratum?

Quadratum is a strange world, not of the realms of light or darkness, but described in Melody of Memory as being of “the other side”. Quadratum can then be seen as a realm of the dead, or a kind of purgatory. In this way, it has some similar vibes to The World That Never Was, the land of the Nobodies in Kingdom Hearts 2.

Quadratum first showed up in Kingdom Hearts 3, as the setting for the fake in-universe game Verum Rex. The world has many similarities with real-world Tokyo, specifically Shibuya. It is also connected to The Final World, a world in Kingdom Hearts for those who have died but are unable to pass through to “the other side”.

Why is Sora in Quadratum?

In Kingdom Hearts 3, Sora and his allies faced off against a Heartless called The Lich. The Lich doesn’t consume hearts like other Heartless, but rather captures them and puts them into a dormant state. In order to save his friends’ hearts, Sora had to use the Power of Waking in order to restore them.

However, in Dream Drop Distance, Sora actually lost the ability to use the Power of Waking and never relearned how to use it properly. Ultimately, using the Power of Waking to save his friends would put too much strain on his being, causing him to fade away from reality entirely, passing through The Final World and waking up in Quadratum.

Why is Sora’s hair less spiky now?

This hasn’t been confirmed, but there’s a funny theory. When Sora was a child, he sheltered Ventus’ heart in his own heart until he was ready to be restored to his body. Ventus was restored in Kingdom Hearts 3, and it seems that this means that Sora’s hair will no longer be as spiky.

Why is Xehanort in Kingdom Hearts 4?

The last time we saw Xehanort, the main villain across most of the franchise, he was fully and finally defeated at the end of Kingdom Hearts 3. Yet, Xehanort is showing up in Quadratum in the Kingdom Hearts 4 trailers. It could be as simple as saying he’s passed on to “the other side” that Quadratum represents.

However, the Xehanort we’re seeing is a lot younger than when we last saw him. Xehanort’s younger self has been seen multiple times, sometimes in flashbacks, and Dream Drop Distance established that he had some limited ability to travel through time.

It’s possible that this Xehanort we’re seeing is simply his spirit passed on to the Quadratum afterlife, or this could be a younger version of Xehanort travelling across mysterious worlds through time-travel shenanigans. Either way, it’s not too much of a surprise to see him here.

Who is Xigbar?

Luxu is the apprentice to the Master of Masters, and one of the earliest known Keyblade wielders in the timeline, alongside the original Foretellers. Luxu’s role was to observe the events of Kingdom Hearts χ onwards, as the Master of Masters had given him a Keyblade with an eye embedded within it. This eye allowed the Master of Masters to see the future and inscribe the events into his Book of Prophecies.

Luxu would act in the background, allowing his Keyblade to eventually be passed down to Xehanort. During this time, Luxu would hop between different bodies, observing Xehanort as Braig and his Nobody, Xigbar.

After Xehanort instigated a new Keyblade War to summon Kingdom Hearts, Luxu’s role was complete, as this would allow for the return of the Foretellers and the Master of Masters. He currently uses the name Xigbar.

Who is the Master of Masters?

The Master of Masters is a mysterious figure who has more or less acted as a mastermind in the shadows. His overall goal seems to be to eliminate Darkness by binding it within the hearts of powerful Keyblade wielders.

He made the Foretellers his apprentices, gave them knowledge from the Book of Prophecies, and ultimately manipulated them into instigating and finishing the first Keyblade War.

He also orchestrated for one of the Foretellers, Ava, to found the Dandelions, a group of Keyblade wielders destined to survive the Keyblade War and rebuild to eliminate the remnants of Darkness. He has been mostly hands-off with his manipulations, only otherwise coming out of his exile to push Xehanort along his path.

Otherwise, it was stated that he would return only after the end of the Keyblade War instigated by Xehanort, along with the other Foretellers.

Who are the Foretellers?

The Foretellers were the five apprentices of the Master of Masters, each given the power of the Keyblade and told to lead five different Unions of Keyblade wielders to fight against Darkness. They were each given a part of the Book of Prophecies, which foretold a doom that would affect the worlds, and gave them a chance to avert it.

However, the Unions would inevitably come into conflict, destroying each other and finishing the First Keyblade War. Despite most Keyblade wielders being wiped out in this conflict, the Foretellers would survive, only re-emerging after Xehanort had successfully summoned Kingdom Hearts at the end of the Second Keyblade War.

The only Foreteller who did not return was Ava, as her role in the Master of Masters’ plan had already been fulfilled by her successful founding of the Dandelions.

What is the Book of Prophecies?

The Book of Prophecies was written by the Master of Masters, using information gained from the future via his Keyblade. The Master of Masters would bequeath parts of the Book of Prophecies to the Foretellers, telling them that it would be helpful to avoid different calamities.

However, the Master of Masters was actually trying to ensure the events of the Keyblade War would come to pass for his own unknown purposes. The Book of Prophecies is also capable of bestowing powers based upon the events of the future, as well as summoning powerful illusions based upon the events it witnesses.

Who are the Dandelions?

The Dandelions were a group founded by the Foreteller Ava as a group of powerful Keyblade wielders who would survive the First Keyblade War, in order to re-establish the Unions and train a new generation of Keyblade wielders. They were selected for their own purity of Heart, as Ava believed they would not give in to the Darkness.

The Dandelions would continue to be manipulated, however. One of their original number, Strelitzia, was eliminated, and her position was usurped. After their founding, they also discovered that they were trapped in a digital world as part of a wider plan to trap powerful forces of Darkness.

Only five Dandelions would manage to escape this digital trap, the rest of them becoming dormant, and their sleeping hearts becoming Dream Eaters. Of the surviving Dandelions, Ephemer would go on to found the next generation of Keyblade wielders, Ventus would become Xehanort’s apprentice, Elrena and Lauriam would become part of Xehanort’s Organisation XIII, and Brain would become a vessel for Luxu.

It appears that some of the Dandelions – such as Strelitzia – will be appearing in Quadratum, implying they’ve either passed on or Quadratum is in fact their digital prison.

What’s going on with Maleficent?

Maleficent has had a surprisingly long and complicated history in the Kingdom Hearts series, mostly seeking power over the forces of Darkness and Kingdom Hearts. After her defeat in the first Kingdom Hearts, her heart was able to travel into the past, where she gained knowledge of the Book of Prophecies and of the Dandelions.

She would spend her time in Kingdom Hearts 3 seeking the Book of Prophecies before coming to the conclusion that what she seeks is currently hidden from her. She observes the growing Keyblade War, in the knowledge that its end would reveal Luxu and the Book of Prophecies with it. She is seen at the end of Kingdom Hearts 3 observing the return of the Foretellers, and plots to strike against them.

What is a Heartless?

The Heartless are split into two different concepts. “Pureblood” Heartless are direct manifestations of Darkness and mindlessly work to corrupt and extract hearts from people. However, Xehanort managed to create a new version of Heartless with his experiments – the Emblem Heartless.

Emblem Heartless are created artificially from people’s hearts, and can take on more complicated and dangerous forms than the usual Pureblood Heartless. Emblem Heartless can only release the hearts they are made from if they are destroyed by a Keyblade, and otherwise, when they are defeated, will simply manifest again elsewhere.

What is a Nobody?

When someone has their heart taken from them, their body vanishes from the Realm of Light. If they have a particularly strong will, their body and soul will manifest again in a border world between those of Light and Darkness as a Nobody. Most Nobodies have strange, malformed existences, but those possessing a particularly powerful Will can retain their humanoid appearance.

Unlike Heartless, who act basically on instinct alone, Nobodies are able to organise together. Nobodies don’t possess hearts, and therefore supposedly cannot have emotions. However, over time, a new heart can emerge in a Nobody if they’re given a chance.

What is a Somebody?

A Somebody is a name for someone in possession of their heart, body, and soul. The important thing to note here is that if someone who has been separated into Heartless and Nobody has both of these parts of them destroyed, they will return as a Somebody. It is only when someone has their body, soul, and heart destroyed all at once that they die once and for all.

What is Scala ad Caelum?

Scala ad Caelum was once known as Daybreak Town, the main world of the Keyblade wielders in Kingdom Hearts χ. It was devastated in the events of the Keyblade War and the separation of the worlds, but it was rebuilt by the Dandelion Ephemer. This would be where the new generation of Keyblade wielders would be trained, including Xehanort and his peer Eraqus. It was the location of the final battle with Xehanort in Kingdom Hearts 3.

Why are Donald and Goofy here?

In the Kingdom Hearts series, Donald and Goofy are loyal followers of King Mickey Mouse. Donald is the Royal Magician, and Goofy is Captain of the Royal Knights. After King Mickey disappeared to investigate the growing power of Darkness in Kingdom Hearts, Donald and Goofy were told to seek out a Keyblade wielder, who would turn out to be Sora.

Sora, Donald, and Goofy were all but inseparable through most of the series, working together to fight against Xehanort and the forces of Darkness. Now that Sora has vanished from reality, it seems that Donald and Goofy are trying to find a way to reunite with him.

It’s also important to note that Donald is canonically the most powerful Mage in any Final Fantasy property.

What’s Mickey Mouse doing?

King Mickey is a Keyblade Master, and for a while post-Birth By Sleep was the only Keyblade wielder in the Realm of Light other than Xehanort. Mickey has been working to uncover the secrets of Darkness and battle against it, helping to guide Sora and his friends, as well as outright combating the forces of Darkness himself.

In Kingdom Hearts 4, King Mickey is looking for a way to save Sora from his fate by searching for knowledge in the now-accessible Scala ad Caelum, as well as investigating the ancient Keyblade masters, after its existence was revealed by Xehanort.

Who is Riku?

Riku is Sora’s childhood friend and rival, as well as a Keyblade wielder. He has had his own long journey and struggle with his own relationship with wielding Darkness, but has come out the other side a powerful and loyal friend. He is also, unlike Sora, officially a Keyblade Master, having succeeded the test that Sora failed in Dream Drop Distance.

In Melody of Memory, Riku visited The Final World and met with a disembodied spirit known only as The Nameless Star. Riku was able to pass through The Final World to Quadratum by using the Power of Waking on The Nameless Star, allowing him to appear in the Kingdom Hearts 4 trailers.

Who is Kairi?

Kairi is a childhood friend to Sora, a Keyblade wielder, and a Princess of Heart – a person who has no Darkness within her heart at all. She has one of the strongest connections with Sora, having had her heart sheltered within his when the forces of Darkness sought to use her to access Kingdom Hearts.

At the moment, she is still in training, having only recently awakened to her ability to wield the Keyblade, but her connection is an important part of being able to find Sora in Quadratum.

What are Keyblades?

Keyblades are unique weapons that have a variety of users in the series. In essence, they are weapons, but they also function as keys – able to unlock the pathways between the disparate worlds, allowing for travel between worlds usually not possible, and able to seal the ‘keyholes’ that lead to the heart of each world.

Their origin is unknown, but the ability to wield a Keyblade is usually passed down from one wielder to another via a small ceremony.

Sora is unique in that he was “chosen” by his Keyblade, even to the point that his Nobody, Roxas, was able to use a Keyblade, when Xehanort’s Nobody, Xemnas, was unable to.

What are Dream Eaters?

Dream Eaters are unique spirits that exist in “Sleeping Worlds”, dormant worlds that cannot be accessed by Heartless, or anyone but Keyblade wielders with the Power of Waking. The first Dream Eaters were the Chirithy, which were created by the Master of Masters to advise the Keyblade wielders trained by the Foretellers.

Those Dandelions who were stuck in the digital world had their hearts consumed by their Chirithy to keep them safe, becoming Dream Eaters themselves. In Kingdom Hearts 3, Sora encountered Ventus’ Chirithy in The Final World, which helped guide him on how to return to the Realm of Light.

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