Villains of a Sort

"Villains of a Sort" is a musical composition by Yoko Shimomura that appears in the Kingdom Hearts series.

Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep
"Villains of a Sort" is used during cutscenes pertaining to Darkness. It also plays as the field theme in the Magic Mirror Chamber during Terra's visit to the Dwarf Woodlands, after The Queen orders him to bring back Snow White's heart.

Terra's Story

 * Enchanted Dominion: "Darkness Within"
 * Dwarf Woodlands: "Who is the fairest of them all?," "The Shadows Lengthen"
 * Olympus Coliseum: "How to Conquer the Darkness," "Registration"

Ventus's Story

 * Neverland: "Tinker Bell is Pixie-napped"

Kingdom Hearts
"Villains of a Sort" is used during cutscenes pertaining to either villains or Darkness.

Cutscenes

 * Traverse Town: "Meeting of Villains," "Replaced with New Companions"
 * Olympus Coliseum: "Perfectly Infuriating"
 * Deep Jungle: "Falling into Our Hands"
 * Agrabah: "Riku Helping Maleficent"
 * Monstro: "Riku Still Cares," "Lifeless Puppet" (shortened version 1)
 * Atlantica: "Ursula" (shortened version 2), "Ariel and Her Father," "Stealing the Trident," "Triton Hurt"
 * Neverland: "Seven Chosen Ones," "Walk the Plank," "Riku's Power"
 * Hollow Bastion: "My Friends Are My Power!," "Fighting Maleficent"

Kingdom Hearts II
In Kingdom Hearts II, "Villains of a Sort" returns as an ominous theme for villains and Darkness.

Cutscenes

 * Twilight Town (1st visit): "The Evil Fairy Returns"
 * Land of Dragons (1st visit): "Shan-Yu Lives"
 * Olympus Coliseum (1st visit): "Hades' Power," "Kidnapped!"
 * Disney Castle: "Maleficent's Return," "The Cornerstone of Light"
 * Agrabah (2nd visit): "Loathsome Jafar"
 * Halloween Town (1st visit): "An Evil Shadow," "The Mastermind"

Kingdom Hearts Re:coded
In Kingdom Hearts Re:coded, "Villains of a Sort" is used for cutscenes pertaining to Darkness.

Cutscenes

 * Disney Castle: "A Shady Character"
 * Olympus Coliseum: "Hades on Fire," ""Buy a clue,"" "Meet Hades," "Hades Complains," "Loose Ends"
 * Agrabah: "Pete and the Lamp," "Let the City Go!," "Reminder of Maleficent's Power"

Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance
In Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, "Villains of a Sort" is used for cutscenes pertaining to Darkness.

Cutscenes

 * Prologue/Mysterious Tower: "Minnie is Kidnapped," "The Worlds' Data"

Kingdom Hearts III
In Kingdom Hearts III, "Villains of a Sort" returns as an ominous theme for villains and Darkness.

Cutscenes

 * Chapter 1: Olympus: "Return of the Titans", "Maleficent's Desire"

Composition
"Villains of a Sort" is approximately one minute and thirty-two seconds long in Kingdom Hearts. In the HD remake of Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, the piece is one minute and thirty-three seconds long. In Kingdom Hearts II, the piece is fifty-three seconds. However, in the HD remake of Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix, the piece is one minute and fourteen seconds long. The piece lacks an introduction or proper conclusion, allowing for a smooth transition between loops.

In the original Kingdom Hearts version, the instrumentation includes: a complete strings section- violin, viola, cellos, and stringed bass, flute, piano, For Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, the instrumentation is the same, but with the addition of a clarinet. For Kingdom Hearts II and Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, the clarinet joins the flute with its short theme. In Kingdom Hearts Re:coded, the instrumentation resembles that used in Kingdom Hearts II. However, the piano and lower string parts are more dominant and pressing. This new dynamic and slight rhythm change helps create a new variation and level of uneasiness. For Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance and Kingdom Hearts III, the instrumentation resembles the original Kingdom Hearts version.

The underlying "villain" tone is immediately established by the chords played in the strings section. This underlying chord progression serves to heighten the tension and foreboding tone. The flute's entrance seems a bit out of place, with it's short "flighty" flourish. This brief moment of uncertainty is answered with the piano. Playing in the lower bass clef register, the piano plays an equally brief motif that accents more of the rhythmic subdivision- almost like an irregular heartbeat or misplaced footsteps.

For the HD remake of Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, the instrumentation includes that shown in Kingdom Hearts II, now with the addition of the French horn. Unique to this arrangement, however, is the shrill vibrato played in the higher register of the violins. The French horn part mirrors that of the mid and lower pitched voices of the strings section, adding another layer to the chord progression. For the HD remake of Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix, the instrumentation includes that shown in Kingdom Hearts II, but adds multiple bass drums. The addition of percussion adds a unique tone to the piece- one that closely resembles the rumbling of thunder.