Air Soldier

The Air Soldier is an Emblem Heartless introduced in .

Design
A cousin of the Soldier, bearing the same shadowed face and jagged visage, the dark-skinned Air Soldier is kitted out for aerial battle in an modified aviator cap that covers the upper half of the face and boasts a pair of shiny-rimmed goggles; the propeller on the top of the cap presumably assists it in hovering in battle, though its bat-like wings seem to do most of the flying work. The Air Soldier also wears thick black pants with an inverted brown Heartless-symbol silhouette at the knees and bulky brown boots with blue and gold toes. It fights with black elbow-length gloves featuring metal bands at the top and sharp red claws that allow for painful attacks.

In Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, the Air Soldier and Soldier had their palettes switched, with the Air Soldier now shaded using the Soldier's bright blue and purple colors. The Final Mix wing membrane is also curved, rather than straight as in the original Kingdom Hearts.

The Air Soldier's design was changed in Kingdom Hearts III to reflect a more Grecian look, due to its primary appearance in the world of Olympus.

The Air Soldier's name highlights its ability to fly, and could also be a reference to serving the Air Force.

Kingdom Hearts
For the majority of the time, the Air Soldier will hover just out of reach, then dash in to attack Sora. Fighting large groups of these enemies can be dangerous because of their high strength and quick attacks. When fighting a single Air Soldier, Sora should use magic to stun it, then close the distance with his Keyblade to finish it off.

When fighting large groups, it's a good idea to cast Thunder first off, then finish off the nearest Air Soldier. Cast Thunder again, and repeat. Be sure to heal when necessary.

If timed correctly, Sora can earn technical points for blocking the Air Soldier's attacks.

Kingdom Hearts III
Air Soldiers gain distance from their opponents first before attacking, so closing in on them can prevent them from taking the initiative. Once they're at a range watch for any sudden movements and be prepared to guard for when they dive down. Since Air Soldiers have a tendency to snipe the party while they're dealing with other enemies, alongside flying high up enough to safely attack without intervention from ground enemies' attacks, it's best to take these Heartless out first.

In certain areas of Olympus as well as in Battlegate 1, Air Soldiers will appear carrying Bizarre Archers with their feet. Attacking the Air Soldier will cause it to drop the Bizarre Archer.