Editing Ansem the Wise

{{Game|COM|REC|KH2|FM2|358|BBS|FMB|DDD|DHD|AFP|KH3|FA}}

{{cleanup|Cite inter-game synopsis to Secret Ansem Reports using storylink; tone down script regurgitation in KH3 section}}

|enva2n=<br>(''Re:CoM'', ''BbS'', ''DDD'', ''Days'' (1.5), ''KHIII'')

'''Ansem the Wise''', referred to as '''Master Ansem''', '''Lord''', or '''His Lordship''' by his apprentices, is the sage-king of [[Radiant Garden]] during ''[[Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep]]''. In order to protect his people from the [[darkness]], he spent much of his time studying the heart with his apprentices, [[Braig]], [[Dilan]], [[Even]], [[Aeleus]], [[Ienzo]], and [[Terra-Xehanort|Xehanort]], but was eventually exiled to the [[Realm of Darkness]] when they were corrupted by that same darkness. He himself gained dark powers, renaming himself '''DiZ''', short for "Darkness in Zero", and setting out on a quest to avenge himself against his apprentices.

From a time before the [[Unversed]] began invading the Realm of Light, Ansem was the king of Radiant Garden, the "city of light". He governed the Radiant Garden in peace and studied ways to make it safer with his five apprentices, Braig, Dilan, Even, Aeleus, and the orphan Ienzo.

In the aftermath of the battle between [[Eraqus]]'s pupils and [[Xehanort]], Braig led Ansem and Dilan to an amnesiac young man who introduced himself as "Xehanort". Ansem took the young man in, as well as the Keyblade and armor lying next to him, and worked to help him regain his lost memories. Later, on a walk with Ienzo, Ansem spots Xehanort and Braig deep in conversation.

As the years went on, Ansem the Wise became worried that the darkness of people's hearts would one day swallow his beloved home. In order to understand and counter it, Ansem began conducting simple psychological tests on Xehanort as a start. Ansem also hoped that this would unlock Xehanort's hidden memories, and his apprentice showed interest in the plan. However, the more he probed, the more he became worried about Xehanort's well-being and his possibly superhuman abilities. Even so, Ansem eventually constructed a large laboratory in the basement of his castle, encouraged by Ienzo. {{fact}} One of Ansem's experiment subjects was known as [[Subject X]], an imprisoned amnesiac girl who could only recall three facts of her life. Unknown to him, [[Braig]] secretly released Subject X, {{fact}} making Ansem order all experiments cease, as he feared that they had caused her disappearance {{fact}} due to the experimentation snowballing out of control. {{fact}} Unknown to Ansem, Xehanort believed that he had hidden Subject X from him. {{fact}} Still, Ansem sank into despair over his error in experimenting on Xehanort.

[[File:The King's Memory 02 KHII.png|thumb|right|Ansem discusses with Mickey the stability of the worlds.]]

[[Gummi Ship]] travel was now possible, thanks to Xehanort opening the door in Ansem's basement, and a ruler of another world, King [[Mickey Mouse]], soon arrived. The two rulers became great friends, conversing over many subjects, and their companionship began to heal Ansem's heart. {{fact}} Around this time, Xehanort had continued the experiments in secret, accidentally creating [[Heartless]] {{fact}} and presented his work in the hopes of praise. However, Ansem forbade an further experimentation with the Heartless as they threatened the stability of the worlds. {{fact}} Ansem even accepted the boys [[Isa]] and [[Lea]] on as new apprentices. {{fact}} King Mickey eventually advised Ansem the Wise to review the research data; Ansem discovered the [[Ansem Reports]], penned under his name, but written by Xehanort. Ansem began to see that the damage he had done had become irreversible.

Using the [[Corridors of Darkness]], DiZ found [[Twilight Town]], and took refuge in an abandoned mansion on the outskirts of the town. There, he began researching the Nobodies and the Heartless, as well as watching [[Sora]] and King Mickey's efforts to defeat Ansem, Seeker of Darkness, from the sidelines. He also learned of [[Organization XIII|the Organization]], whose membership consisted of the Nobodies of his former apprentices as its core members.

Once Riku is reunited with King Mickey, DiZ uses the simulation of [[Twilight Town]] to briefly separate them. Riku then reveals that he's learned to tell the odor of darkness emanating from its users apart; DiZ does not smell like the real Heartless, which has a foul odor of darkness. His ruse revealed, DiZ introduces himself and instructs Riku to meet Naminé to help decide his fate. Meanwhile, DiZ reunites with Mickey, but keeps his identity concealed, wanting his old friend to dissuade him from revenge.

[[File:Where the Road Leads 03 KHRECOM.png|thumb|right|DiZ asks Riku which road he intends to take next.]]

DiZ soon returns to Naminé to aid her in the task to restore Sora's memories, after they were broken apart in Castle Oblivion. Since the castle is still under control of Organization XIII, DiZ convinces Naminé to move Sora, [[Donald Duck|Donald]], and [[Goofy]] to his lab in Twilight Town, in order to keep them safe.

However, Sora is taking too long to awaken, and DiZ convinces Riku to retrieve [[Roxas]], the Nobody of Sora. Riku has no choice but to take on the form of [[Riku-Ansem|Ansem, Seeker of Darkness]] in order to defeat Roxas. Seeing the evidence of Riku's devotion to Sora, DiZ slowly begins to lose his lust for revenge, hiding his shame behind laughter. Still, DiZ continues with the plan, placing Roxas into [[Simulated Twilight Town|a digital copy of Twilight Town]] where he can live out his days under observation, until it is time for him to reunite with Sora.

[[File:The End is Near 01 KHII.png|thumb|right|DiZ talks about his true goal.]]

DiZ eventually infiltrates Organization XIII's home world, [[The World That Never Was]]. He takes it upon himself to stop [[Xemnas]] by using his [[Kingdom Hearts Encoder|machine]] to digitally encode [[Kingdom Hearts]], which Xemnas had been feeding human hearts in order to cause it to mature, so that he could extract its power for himself. However, as Ansem ascends the Organization's castle, he is attacked by Nobodies and Heartless, but is then saved by his old friend King Mickey. Mickey helps him to his feet, and, seeing no more reason to hide his identity, DiZ unmasks himself as Ansem. King Mickey asks Ansem why he didn't come to him before the situation got as bad as it did, but Ansem feels that the task of defeating Organization XIII was his because their leader Xemnas is the Nobody of his apprentice Xehanort. He also explains to King Mickey his part in causing Riku to take on his "Ansem" form, and the regrets he had concealed with his true identity. Ansem and King Mickey then set off to seal away Kingdom Hearts.

[[File:Blank Points 02 KHBBS.png|thumb|right|Ansem speaks to Aqua in the Realm of Darkness.]]

After Riku frees Sora's heart from Ventus's possessed Keyblade Armor, he ends up on a projection of [[Destiny Islands]] within his heart. There, after meeting projections of Roxas, Ventus, and Xion and finding a bottle in the surf, Riku encounters a data projection of Ansem. He tells Riku about [[Ansem's Code]], research data contained in the bottle that he had hid inside Sora while he was asleep. He muses on Sora's ability to connect with others' hearts, and how it may be able to bring back those that have been lost or no longer exist.

Ansem and Aqua's peace is interrupted by [[Xehanort's Heartless]], who demands the location of [[Subject X]]. Ansem denies knowing her whereabouts, resulting in the Keyblade-less Aqua coming to his defense when Xehanort attempts to kidnap him. Aqua is imbued with darkness by Xehanort and tossed into the ocean.

[[File:Atonement 04 KHIII.png|thumb|right|Xehanort's Heartless demands to know the location of Subject X.]]

Vexen convinces [[Demyx]] to assist them; Ansem is safely chauffeured back into his old lab. Ansem greets [[Ienzo]], whom makes amends with him. Demyx interrupts the reunion to remind Ansem of the [[replica]] Vexen gave them. Ansem and Ienzo transfer Roxas's data into the replica.

Through Demyx, Riku later provides Ansem with the now-blank replica that once held [[Dark Riku]]'s heart. Together with Ienzo, and recompleted [[Even]], Ansem is able to add his data on [[Naminé]] to it, allowing her lost heart to reside in it. With both her and Roxas revived, Ansem succeeds in atoning for his past misdeeds towards them.

In ''Kingdom Hearts III'', Ansem remains deeply remorseful over the sacrifices that were made for his research, such as the numerous children who became his victims. Yet, he remains determined to atone for such mistakes. Ansem showed he was unwilling to let others suffer in his defense as he complied with Xehanort's Heartless to come quietly if he spared Aqua. Ansem was further able to put his past grievances with his apprentices, Even, Dilan, Aeleus and Ienzo, behind and make peace with them, rekindling the bond they once shared.

Ansem the Wise has no combat abilities to speak of, but since gaining the power of darkness during his banishment, he has been shown to be able to do at least three things. In one of his reports, Ansem stated that after he discovered his new-found powers, he gained the ability to use Corridors of Darkness for travel, though he admits that it was difficult to control initially. This was shown after Riku defeats Roxas; Ansem arrives shortly to take Roxas with him. To avoid being recognized, Ansem has also displayed the ability to change his outward appearance to conceal his identity. In ''Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories'' and ''Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories'', he uses this ability to become Xehanort's Heartless to guide Riku.  

Ansem also shows the ability to use darkness to repel would-be attackers; while testing Riku in his disguise as Xehanort's Heartless, he merely had to raise a hand to create a small force to push back Riku. He also demonstrated the ability to craft World Cards from Riku's memory, although altered to only show the [[Villains]] and [[Heartless]] i.e. "dark beings". After his Encoder explosion sent him to the Dark Margin, Ansem lost his dark powers, or at least the memory of how to use them.