Most fans doubted from the beginning that Kingdom Hearts 3 would be the end of the series, thanks to the massive amount of extended and spin-off content that the game couldn’t hope to cover. So, when questions about the events of Kingdom Hearts Union Cross seemed to be going mostly unanswered throughout the game, most players assumed that Kingdom Hearts 4 was on its way.
Following the cliffhanger ending of Kingdom Hearts 3, Square Enix also released a DLC titled Re:Mind that many assumed might clear up the story and lead into the next game. What fans got was a series of brutally hard bosses and the reintroduction of the character Yozora, who had originally been dangled in front of fans as a jokey reference to the original Noctis from Final Fantasy Versus 13.
The introduction of this character Yozora is, without a doubt, the biggest mystery that Square Enix has set up for the future of the Kingdom Hearts series. However, the developer now has an opportunity to tackle a difficult storytelling device that has most recently been implemented in The Last of Us 2 to mixed results. Specifically, Naughty Dog’s use of Abby as a secondary main character who players control that is at odds with the primary character, Ellie, as both protagonists embark on quests for revenge.
One major complaint that players had against the way that The Last of Us 2 utilized this split in the narrative comes from the way that it started Abby off as unlikable and set her up to be hated as a villain. Yozora, on the other hand, isn’t quite as set as a villain just yet, with his original introduction scene almost making him out to be a throwaway joke, and then his inclusion in Re:Mind seeming much more ambiguous. In this case, setting this new character up as an enemy, like he appears to be when Sora first meets him and he immediately starts a fight, wouldn’t be to difficult at this point in his development.
While there are many things that players have begun to theorize about Yozora, it isn’t exactly clear which side of the fight he is on, or what his end goals might be. So, it’s entirely possible that when the character’s intentions are revealed and players find out why he wants to seal Sora in crystal, it may not be for the familiar protagonist’s own good. Then on the other side of that same coin, the series is no stranger to characters like Riku being tricked or switching sides, meaning Yozora could start as a villain and turn good towards the end of his storyline.
Yozora’s signature move set, displayed in his fight that completely overshadows the previously hardest Kingdom Hearts 3 boss, doesn’t seem like it was initially designed for an AI character. He can copy abilities, is given both a ranged and melee weapon, can summon helpers to fight alongside him, and has the capability of scanning and stealing items from Sora. These skills are the type of mechanics that are often given to the protagonist of an action title like Kingdom Hearts, not a one-off villain who’s only use in a series is as a random boss fight.
Two of these in particular seem like they could work wonderfully in the Kingdom Hearts series: the ability to steal weapons and fighting styles, and the ability to steal items. The second ability could completely change how players hunt down synthesis materials, especially for Kingdom Hearts‘ strongest keyblade, Ultima Weapon. At the same time, with the wide variety of Heartless, Nobodies, and Unversed to fight, the ability to steal these enemies’ weapons could make Yozora one of the most unique characters to play as in the series.
Of the countless spin-off titles that all feed into the complicated narrative of the Kingdom Hearts series, three of the games have had players split the narrative between two or more protagonists. Two of the highest regarded titles, Birth By Sleep and Dream Drop Distance, along with the mix reviewed Chain of Memories, all had story segments that revolved around characters other than Sora. So, it wouldn’t be to strange to think that if future Kingdom Hearts games rely on Yozora, he might become a playable character, either in his own spin-off or in Kingdom Hearts 4.
Considering how much time players have already spent with Sora at this point, splitting the attention might be the best thing Square Enix can do to keep the series fresh as it approaches the end of its second decade. This could even be the best way for Kingdom Hearts 4 to pass the torch, with Sora’s quest to stop Xehanort finished, Yozora can take over as the series protagonist after being set up here. Given the series’ history, if this is the case, it may end up happening in another spin-off title, but a dual adventure ending in Yozora taking on the reigns as Keyblade Master after Sora may be the best way forward.
Looking back at trying to use The Last of Us 2 as an influence or teaching moment for Kingdom Hearts 4, one of the main morals Naughty Dog tried to relay may be better explored by Square Enix. Specifically, this theme is seen in the way that playing as Abby is meant to make players feel for the perceived villain and understand the good and evil in both her and Last of Us 2‘s imperfect hero, Ellie. While the nuance is there, some of Abby’s early actions and her reputation among the Wolves make it hard for some players to root for her, especially after spending hours trying to hunt her down.
One way that Kingdom Hearts 4 can get past this issue is by leaving Yozora’s motivations and the results of his actions ambiguous until an eventual reveal at his turning point in the story. This already seems to be the intention, considering that Yozora is a mystery in Re:Mind, and it’s entirely likely that Square Enix intends to lean on this. So, from there, Kingdom Hearts 4 already has a head start on making the pseudo hero-villain character into someone that players would be at least interested in enough to see his story through.
Kingdom Hearts 4 is not confirmed to be in development.
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