Vanitas

Unreleased

Vanitas (ヴァニタス) is a mysterious character introduced in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, and seems to be one of the game's antagonists.

Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep
When Master Xehanort goes missing, he takes Vanitas with him. Terra, Aqua, and Ventus are sent in search of them, as the pair's disappearance foreshadowed a great disaster.

He talks to Ventus that Terra will no longer be Terra and the existence known as Terra will soon be gone.

At some point Terra meets with Master Xehanort and discusses Vanitas's possible fall into darkness. At another time, Master Xehanort beckoned to an unseen figure to "defeat the darkness" and "correct his mistake", while gesturing towards Vanitas.

He is with Master Xehanort when he confronts Terra, Aqua, and Ventus in The Gathering Place.

Appearance
Vanitas wears a black and red organic-looking bodysuit and a silver helmet covered with dark glass, hiding his face from view. The appearance's suit is quite similar to Riku's Dark Mode from Kingdom Hearts and Chain of Memories. He wields a currently unnamed Keyblade that is colored in red and black, also bearing two blue eyes that were previously unique to Riku's Soul Eater and Way to the Dawn.

Abilities
Vanitas is a skilled warrior with the Keyblade and with magic. He is seen casting thunder and blizzard magic, performing complicated acrobatics, and even rides the flying Keyblades that Master Xehanort sends out.

Etymology
"Vanitas" is Latin for "vanity", "worthlessness", "nothingness", and "emptiness."

Trivia
Apprenti Vanitas
 * It is shown in the TGS trailer that Vanitas has the same battle-stance as Riku, further implying a connection.