Squall Leonhart

File:Kh-squall.jpg

Squall in the original Kingdom Hearts

"...they’ll keep on coming at you, as long as you continue to wield the

Keyblade. But why? Why would it choose a kid like you?"

—Leon

Leon (レオン) is a supporting character and leader of the Heartless Resistance and the Radiant Garden Restoration Commitee from the Kingdom Hearts games but, as one of the Final Fantasy 'guest' characters, his first appearance was in Final Fantasy VIII.
His original and real name is Squall Leonhart although most of the Kingdom Hearts cast know him as Leon bar Yuffie, Aeris, Cid and possibly Cloud, Tifa, Ansem and Sephiroth.

Appearance

Leon's physical appearance consists of longer medium-length brown hair and cold grey-blue eyes. A small scar runs diagonally across the bridge of Leon's nose, which he receives at the beginning of Final Fantasy 8 in a training duel against his rival Seifer. When confronted, he uses his well known Gunblade, Revolver, to do some slow but strong attacks, however, only for a limited time. He counterattacks with powerful and agile combos. When enraged, he transform his Gunblade in what it seems a grand form of Lionheart, his most powerful weapon in FFVIII, and develops more agility and power.

Kingdom Hearts

A survivor from the world Hollow Bastion Squall Leonhart assumes the name of Leon because he was unable to protect those he cared about from the Heartless when Hollow Bastion was consumed in darkness.
Awakening in Traverse Town along with fellow Hallow Bastion refugees Yuffie, Aeris and Cid Leon formed the Resistance against the Heartless, effectively keeping an area of Traverse Town safe against Maleficent and the growing tide of Heartless. He was also known to travel between Worlds in his gummie ship, assisting other refugees in peril and relocate them to Traverse Town. His actions did not go unnoticed, eventually gaining the attention and confidence of King Mickey who was watching the growing battle warily.

Nine years later, when the Wielder of the Keyblade was revealed King Mickey sent Goofy and Donald to find Leon, trusting that Leon would inform them of the circumstance and help them find the Wielder; Sora. It turned out however that Leon had already found Sora, challenging and defeating him in a duel before dragging him back to the resistance's hideout; a room in one of Traverse Town's motels. There Leon informed Sora of his roll in the battle and what he must do, uniting him with newly arrived Donald and Goofy before sending them on their way.

When Sora and co. returned to Traverse Town again seeking Leon's help they find him in the Secret Waterway underneath Merlin's house training. Here he offers information on the World Keyholes and also gives Sora the Earthshine Gem which contained Simba, for luck. Later after they move to the newly accommodated base; a previously abandoned house deep in Heartless territory, Leon and co. tells Sora about Maleficent and about Ansem and his journal before once again seeing Sora, Donald and Goofy off.

Escaping to Traverse Town from Hollow Bastion Sora, Donald, Goofy and Kairi sought shelter with Leon's group. Sora informed Leon of everything that had happened prompting him to follow Sora and co. when they left for the final battle with Maleficent in Hollow Bastion.
When Maleficent is defeated Leon, Yuffie and Aeris can be seen wondering the Hollow Bastion Library, reading the books. Leon gives Sora the remaining pieces of Ansem's Journal expressing his disappointment in the man. Later, in the Grand Hall after Sora seals the World's keyhole Leon and co. stands waiting to bid their farewells for after Sora seals the keyhole at World's End the two groups may never see each other again.

His role in Kingdom Hearts was to help guide Sora on his battle with the Heartless alongside various other Final Fantasy characters.

Kingdom Hearts II

Here, Leon is seen to be slightly more cheerful than he is seen in the original Kingdom Hearts, as he and others are rebuilding their home with Leon seemingly to be the leader of the "Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee," which is composed of the returning Final Fantasy cameos from the first Kingdom Hearts and Merlin. He actually fights alongside Sora in one of the fights near the beginning of the game. Sleeping Lion, a Keyblade in Kingdom Hearts II, is another reference to Squall. He also, along with many other characters, including Tifa and Cloud, help Sora fight the Heartless on the Ravine Trail in the Hollow Bastion (later named, the Radiant Garden). Leon also plays the largest role for any Final Fantasy character in Kingdom Hearts II storywise, the only Final Fantasy character that has relations to King Mickey, and works very close to Sora and company. Leon is also the only Final Fantasy character in the game to come face to face with the Organization and fight the Nobodies. He seems to be a good friend to both Cloud Strife and Aerith Gainsborough.

Personality

KH 1

While his appearance and age are different from his original appearance in FFVIII (in Kingdom Hearts he is 25, whereas in Final Fantasy VIII he is 17), his personality remained essentially the same.

Trivia

• In the japanese version, Leon was voiced by popular seiyuu Hideo Ishikawa, whose other involvements with SquareEnix were voicing Cait Sith of FF7 and Auron of FFX, who later appeared in KH2. In the English version of Kingdom Hearts, Leon was voiced by David Boreanaz, known for his role as Angel in the Buffy/Angel shows. In the English version of Kingdom Hearts 2, however, Leon was voiced by Doug Erholtz, who voiced TK in Digimon 02.
• While his first outfit was original, Leon's attire in KH2 is more similar to his jacket in Final Fantasy VIII. Both versions share the red wings on the back, resembling the ones in Rinoa's back, the Greiver emblem on the shoulders, and the Griever necklace.
• In the ending credits of KH2, Leon recieves a letter, presumely from Rinoa by the insigna emerging from said letter.
• Leon is the only character that has been confirmed to have beaten Sora. He appears as a boss early in Kingdom Hearts, although he's beatable, Sora appears to lose the fight regardless of the outcome (this makes the fight a "scripted encounter" that the player is supposed to lose).