As the wait finally ended, and Kingdom Hearts 3 came and went, fans didn’t exactly get a nicely wrapped up ending. Any hardcore fan knows that the overarching Kingdom Hearts story always has something else up its sleeve to make the narrative and worlds even more convoluted, to varying degrees of success. While Kingdom Hearts 3 marked the ending of Xehanort’s Dark Seeker Saga, Sora’s story continues beyond in what will ultimately lead to Kingdom Hearts 4.
Thanks to the secret ending(s) of Kingdom Hearts 3, coupled with the plot points in Kingdom Hearts 3 ReMind and Kingdom Hearts Union Cross crossover, there are still elements of the Kingdom Hearts story finally coming together. Whatever the next mainline Kingdom Hearts project is, whether it’s Kingdom Hearts 4 or a mainline-adjacent game like Dream Drop Distance, the game will likely feature plenty of familiar and new ideas. Those hoping for a less confusing storyline with the ending of Xehanort’s saga are probably in for a rude awakening.
There’s plenty of new elements coming into the Kingdom Hearts storyline with the beginning of a new saga. For fans, that’s obviously Yozora and his role in the new Kingdom Hearts canon. He brings with himself not only a new and unexpected story, but also an entirely new world, a potentially strange connection to Organization XIII, and an avenue for the reveal of the Master of Masters. Originally, Yozora was depicted in the Toy Story world as just another toy and reference to Final Fantasy Versus 13, but it seems his world holds far more importance than that. Several are theorizing Yozora’s world is a way to reinvent Final Fantasy Versus 13 as a Kingdom Hearts storyline instead.
Other than that, Yozora’s world could be an avenue to host a completely new focus on Final Fantasy characters in Kingdom Hearts. While initially the decision to keep Final Fantasy characters out of Kingdom Hearts 3 was contentious, game director Tetsuya Nomura had felt the story and fanbase had grown out from using Final Fantasy characters. Eventually they did return partially in ReMind, but there is a possibility they could return in the next Kingdom Hearts game. Some have even theorized that Yozora is actually a fake representation of Noctis and the world of Final Fantasy 15, bringing the previous Versus 13 theory full-circle.
That being said, there’s still plenty of existing Kingdom Hearts canon making its return in the next entry. All of the niche plot elements from Union Cross are almost certainly injecting themselves in the next Kingdom Hearts saga. That much is made clear in Kingdom Hearts 3‘s secret ending, where Xigbar (aka “Braig,” or “Luxu”) greets the Foretellers alongside the mysterious Black Box. The Foretellers, Luxu, the Book of Prophecies, and the Master of Masters have now entered the mainline Kingdom Hearts canon. Frankly, for any Kingdom Hearts fans who aren’t in the know, this is only going to make the story just as convoluted as it was previously.
Outside of the overarching Kingdom Hearts story, there’s likely going to be a lot of familiar elements returning as well. Other than the obvious nods like Sora still being alive and the protagonist of the story, it’s very possible Sora and Riku have entered another Dream Drop Distance scenario. Based on Kingdom Hearts 3 and ReMind‘s endings, Sora’s traveled back to Shibuya several times in pursuit of Yozora, while Riku explores the world of Verum Rex. There’s also the likelihood that several Disney worlds will return, like Frozen 2 or Pirates of the Caribbean, that still have explorable Disney stories.
Unfortunately, it’s going to be a while until fans learn more about the upcoming Kingdom Hearts project. There’s a 2022 release planned for Kingdom Hearts‘ 20th anniversary, but Square Enix or the development team hasn’t shared any more information other than that. However, based on what’s being teased, there’s going to be a whole lot of new and returning elements to Kingdom Hearts that will be just as endearing and convoluted as before.
The next Kingdom Hearts game is in development.
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