Destati

"Destati" is a musical composition by Yoko Shimomura that appears in the. It is a major theme that represents darkness and its eternal conflict with light. Although the piece itself rarely appears in the series, the motifs of "Destati" are featured in many other compositions that appear in nearly every Kingdom Hearts installment.

Development
"Destati" was the very first song composed for the Kingdom Hearts series. Despite that, the full song did not appear in a game until Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory eighteen years later (as its Kingdom Hearts Orchestra -World Tour- incarnation), while the full original recording made for  did not appear in a game until Super Smash Bros. Ultimate another year later. Additionally, according to Yoko Shimomura, "Destati" is somewhat of a "cursed song". The chorus is often used in other pieces, but whenever the chorus was loaded by Square Enix staff during the development of Kingdom Hearts, something bad would happen, an example being the entire building's electricity getting cut off.

Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix

 * "A Fragmentary Passage"

Kingdom Hearts III

 * Memory Archive Episode 5: Darkness

Composition
"Destati" is approximately two minutes and fifty-five seconds in Kingdom Hearts. In the HD remake of Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, the piece is slightly shortened to two minutes and fifty-three seconds. In the Drammatica album, the piece is three minutes and twenty-one seconds.

The motifs introduced in "Destati" appear in many tracks throughout the Kingdom Hearts series, most commonly boss themes of those with close ties to darkness.

Variations
Elements of "Destati" are incorporated in many tracks throughout the Kingdom Hearts series. Numerous pieces are derived, in part or in whole, from the melodies of "Destati":
 * "Dive into the Heart -Destati-"
 * "Fragments of Sorrow"
 * "Guardando nel buio"
 * "Dismiss"
 * "L'Eminenza Oscura I"
 * "L'Eminenza Oscura II"
 * "My Heart's Descent"
 * "The Eye of Darkness"
 * "Dark Domination"
 * "Dark Domination"
 * "Dark Domination"

There are also many tracks that are not based on "Destati", but still incorporate certain features of the song. The phrase featured in the introduction of "Destati" is briefly quoted in "Darkness of the Unknown". The ascending five-note ostinato that repeats throughout the song appears in the foundation of several tracks, namely "Another Side", "Graceful Assassin", "Showdown at Hollow Bastion", and "Deep Drop". Similarly, the thumping baseline rhythm appears in "Blast Away! -Gummi Ship III-" and "Forgotten Challenge", with a more upbeat variation appearing in "Results and Rewards". Finally, the medleys "Fantasia alla marcia for piano, chorus and orchestra" and "Rhapsody in Tres for Piano, Chorus and Orchestra" include sections based on songs that incorporate pieces of "Destati".

Lyrics
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Original Italian lyrics
Destati! Tendi la mano!

È giunta l'ora, Destati Le porte verranno schiuse Destati, Destati, Destati

Su rimembra tu trepida! Su sveglia! Ehi ricorda!

Destati! Destati! Forza, tendi la mano! Destati! Destati! È giunta l'ora!

E ancora una volta Apriranno le porte!

Su rimembra tu trepida! Su sveglia! Ehi ricorda!

Eh? Come? Non lo vuoi!? Tuttavia t'appartiene Ciò che hai perduto Diventerà uno solo!
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English translation
Awaken! Hold out your hand!

The time has come, Awaken The doors will be parted Awaken, Awaken, Awaken

Come on, remember, you who tremble! Come on, wake up! Oh, remember!

Awaken! Awaken! Come on, hold out your hand! Awaken! Awaken! The time has come!

And once again They will open the doors!

Come on, remember, you who tremble! Come on, wake up! Oh, remember!

Eh? What? You do not want it!? Still it belongs to you What you have lost Will become one!
 * }

Official websites
"Destati" plays as the background music for the Kingdom Hearts coded page on the Square Enix website.

Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
In , “Destati” is a used in stages. It is also heard during the  video presentation on Sora, where it is played while plays as Sora, when battling  and  in Sora's. It is also the track used in the DLC Spirit Board for the Kingdom Hearts series.

Notes and references
Destati