Stroke of Midnight



The Stroke of Midnight is a Keychain for Terra's, Ventus's, Aqua's, and the Player's Keyblades that appears in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep and Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ.

Design
In Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, the base of the Stroke of Midnight's blade is designed to resemble the white and blue castle tiers from the namesake of the Castle of Dreams world. The thin shaft is made of a particularly long castle tower. A violet and cyan, eight-pointed, crystalline snowflake or star is embedded in the tip of the blade, creating the teeth of the Keyblade. The handle and inner edge of the guard are polished gold. The guard's base sports curled, cyan wheels, causing it to resemble Cinderella's enchanted carriage. The Keychain has three white links that connect to the token, one of Cinderella's glass slippers.

In Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ, the Stroke of Midnight's appearance varies depending on the upgrade. The default Stroke of Midnight has a more beige color scheme around the guard and the blade. The handle and the inside of the guard is a dull brown, and there are three towers instead of seven. The blade is smaller, as are the teeth. The snowflake has a cyan color scheme, as are the wheels, the Keychain's links, and the slipper.

The first upgrade resembles the Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep iteration. The second, though, features a cobalt color scheme for the guard and blade. The handle and the inside of the guard are now golden, while the wheels are also lavender. Two of the towers on the guard are now taller and feature miniature flags. There are two snowflakes, both lavender and violet, on the blade, as well as sparkles. The Keychain features a golden hook, with the links and slipper cobalt.

The Stroke of Midnight's name references the exact time when the Fairy Godmother's magic would wear off for Cinderella. "Crystal Works" may reference the crystalline appearance of some sections of the Keyblade, as well as Cinderella's glass slippers.