Riku

Riku is the best friend of Sora, the main character of Kingdom Hearts. His name means 'land'. He is voiced by David Gallagher in the English versions and by Mamoru Miyano.

Kingdom Hearts
As revealed in Kingdom Hearts, Riku's story begins a number of years before the fateful night on Destiny Islands. One fateful night, there is a meteor shower and a mysterious girl, who would later become best friends with Riku and Sora appears on the islands. The next day, Riku and Sora go to the secret place. Sora finds it fascinating, but soon decides to take his leave. However, Riku catches sight of an enigmatic door. From this day on Riku became obsessed with finding out what lies beyond his tiny world. When he met Kairi, his fate was sealed.

When the first game begins, Riku appears as a cool and collected 15-year old, a year above his best friends Sora and Kairi, living on the Destiny Islands. The three spend their days constructing a raft and gathering supplies, so that one day they can set out and find other world. Also, Sora and Riku share a rivalry, competing over who is stronger in battle as well as over Kairi's affections. All three of them, as well as the other children that live in the archipelago, spend most of their time on the smallest island, acting as their own personal playground.

However, things take a drastic turn on the night before their journey. Riku, likly unable to leave the islands without knowing the truth, opens the door in the secret place and the Heartless, beings of darkness, invade the islands, seeking out the world's heart. Riku and Kairi are already on the play island, and Sora quickly follows. Sora finds Riku first, and asks about Kairi's whereabouts. Riku is not too concerned, as he says that Kairi is "coming with (them)", to other worlds, and that there is no turning back once they leave. It is evident that Riku has been seduced by the darkness, and it begins to surround him and Sora. Sora, however, refuses the darkness, but nonetheless tries to reach Riku. He fails, and Riku vanishes into the darkness, while Sora gains the Keyblade back on the island.

Riku eventually ends up in Hollow Bastion, separated from his friends. However, Maleficent arrives and offers him sanctuary.

Though Riku is provided a place to stay, Maleficent begins corrupting his mind, convincing him that Sora has replaced him and Kairi with Donald and Goofy. She claims that the only way to save Kairi, who has lost her heart to the darkness, is to go with her and her band of Disney villains, while abandoning Sora. After reuniting with Sora in Traverse Town, Riku agrees with Maleficent and goes with her.

As the days progress, Riku becomes increasingly dark, and gains a weapon called the Soul Eater, as well as gaining some dark powers.

With his mind corrupted, Riku again meets Sora in Monstro, intending to use Pinnochio to help him find out a way to save Kairi's heart. However, Pinnochio ends up captured by a giant Heartless called the Parasite Cage, forcing Sora and Riku to work together. But even so, Sora and Riku end up becoming enemies, though only Riku truly thinks so.

Riku later appears at Neverland, traveling on Captain Hook's, Kairi's body is held. Riku also happens to gain the power to control the Heartless, granted to him by Maleficent. He then goes to Sora, revealing Kairi to him, and blaming him for not taking more action. Sora argues that Riku is being foolish, for staying with the Heartless too long will only lead to his downfall. Riku shrugs Sora's claims off, believing his heart to be too strong for the Heartless. He proceeds to form Anti-Sora, a dark reflection of Sora formed from his shadow, to demonstrate the powers of darkness granted to him. He then makes his leave, but not before instructing Captain Hook that the captured Wendy is not a Princess of Heart. Riku takes Kairi and recklessly returns to Maleficent's castle without a vessel, a foolish act that strains even his powerful heart. While he is drained from the trip, Maleficent unlocks the last of Riku's power and the boy is plunged into the darkness of his heart.

At Hollow Bastion, Riku faces off against the Beast. Though Beast is valiant, Riku defeats and wounds the Beast with ease. But before Beast is defeated, Sora intervenes. This time, however, Riku does something shocking: he calls the Keyblade from Sora and to his own hands. Riku explains that the Keyblade had never chosen Sora--he was only a temporary recipient, and Riku is the real chosen one. Riku then tosses Sora a wooden toy sword mockingly, and leaves, Donald and Goofy going with him as per King Mickey's orders, though regretfully.

Though Sora is significantly weakened, he makes his way to the foyer of the castle, with the help of Beast. Riku, having taken on a new appearance with the increasing strength of his dark powers, tells him to quit, but Sora refuses to leave without Kairi. Riku tells Sora that the darkness will consume him, but Sora claims that the darkness can never touch his heart. But Riku intends to prove his side of the argument, and launches an orb of darkness at Sora. However, Goofy intervenes and blocks the attack, and he and Donald return to Sora. Sora proclaims that his heart is strong thanks to all his friends. The bond between Sora and his friends empowers his heart while Riku's careless decision to attack his friend simultaneously weakens his and the Keyblade, always drawn to the strongest purest heart, returns to Sora. The two then fight, but Riku is driven off.

Riku doesn't understand why the Keyblade went to Sora, but a mysterious figure, who appeared to Sora at the beginning of the game, explains that Sora's heart became stronger than Riku's, allowing him to regain the Keyblade. However, though Riku lost that battle, the mysterious figure tells Riku that he can grow even stronger, if he submits to the darkness. Riku does so, but ends up possessed by Xehanort's Heartless, claiming to be Ansem.

Xehanort's Heartless then arrives to Maleficent, having just been defeated by Sora. In his possession is a new, dark Keyblade created with six of the seven princesses of heart. But unlike Sora's Keyblade, this Keyblade possesses the ability to unlock a person's heart, and demonstrates by piercing Maleficent's, allowing the immense darkness that is attracted to her to overtake her heart, transforming her into a giant dragon.

Later, Xehanort's Heartless waits for Sora at the location of Hollow Bastion's keyhole. Kairi's body also rests nearby. Sora confronts him, though he is seperated from Donald and Goofy. Xehanort's Heartless reveals to Sora that Kairi's heart has been in Sora's heart all along, and that she is the seventh princess of heart required to unlock the way to Kingdom Hearts. And in order to release her heart, he intends to go through Sora's. But Sora is not willing, and fights back. His strength drives off Xehanort's Heartless, who leaves behind the dark Keyblade. Sora then sacrifices himself by impaling himself with the Keyblade, restoring Kairi. However, with Sora gone, Kairi is left with Donald and Goofy, who are not powerful enough to confront Xehanort's Heartless, who has taken on his own appearance while still occupying Riku's body. Before Xehanort's Heartless can attack though, Riku appears, using the last of his strength to hold Xehanort's Heartless back. Kairi and the others then make their escape. Xehanort's Heartless is not deterred, and simply heads towards Kingdom Hearts.

Riku's heart is also driven out of his body, leaving Xehanort's Heartless to completely take control. However, as Riku heads towards Kingdom Hearts, he ends up meeting King Mickey, who has gained the Keyblade of the Realm of Darkness

A newly restored Sora and Donald and Goofy then make their way to the End of the World, confronting Xehanort's Heartless and defeating him at the Door to Darkness. Riku is then restored, and appears on the other side of the Door to Darkness, aiding Sora in closing it, but unable to cross it, as only pure darkness can go back and forth through the door. In addition, their efforts to close the door aren't making progress, while countless Heartless are waiting to enter the Realm of Light. But King Mickey wards them off, and with his Keyblade and Sora's, they are able to seal the door. But before it is closed, Riku tells Sora to take care of Kairi.



Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories
Riku eventually wakes in a place of nothingness and as a dark card presents itself. A disembodied voice(DiZ) tells him that he is in a state of "sleep". Here, he is protected from all dangers. If he takes the card, he will take his first step towards the truth, but he won't be protected anymore if it is more then he can handle. Riku confidently takes it. He wakes up in what is supposedly Hollow Bastion, but the Voice tells him that what he sees is from his memories(similar too what Sora is going through). Riku asks if he will meet the people from his memories too, but all the voice says is "ordinarily...yes.". He makes his way to the bedroom he was given by Maleficent while he was allied with her. The Voice comments on how he cast away everything(his home, his friends) but at least he was given a nice room.

Riku finally angrily asks where the people from his memories are, but the Voice only tells him if he is sure he wants too see them. He cast away all his loved ones in the pursuit of darkness, and he eventually threw that away too. The Voice tells him the only thing his heart knows is throwing things away. That is why he's all alone in the castle. The Voice tells him the only thing he couldn't shake off was the darkness, when Riku says he threw that away too, The Voice asks "Ha ha ha...Did you really now?"

Riku finally meets someone, Maleficent! She tells him that his heart is steeped in darkness, and he can only meet people like him, people of darkness. She tells him too be grateful, if not for the darkness, he would be completely alone. Riku tells her that there was a time he wanted darkness, but all he did was empty himself. If he meets more people of darkness, he'll take them out one by one. Maleficent then reminds him too take himself out last then, and they fight.

Riku continues in Castle Oblivion(making his way from the basement floors to the main floor) and the Voice asks him why he rejects the darkness. Suddenly the voice changes and tells him that he must accept darkness if he is to become his slave again. The source of the Voice supposedly introduces himself:"Ansem". He commands Riku too bow too him and become his host just like before. Resistance is futile, as he couldn't beat Sora even with darkness on his side. A small light appears too help him, the first friend too reveal himself:King Mickey. He tells him that the light will never give up on him, but he has too believe! Rejuvenated, Riku and Ansem fight. Giving up, Ansem tells him that it's useless too resist, chasing the light will not distance him from the dark. He gives him more cards crafted from his memory and enhances his dark powers, whether or not he uses them is up too him.

Riku continues, noticing a strange scent. He realizes that he has the ability too detect the "smell" of darkness(Like Zexion). King Mickey appears(he is still in the realm of darkness) and tells him not too lose faith even though their is darkness inside him, just believe in the light. Meanwhile, Marluxia is putting forth his plan too use Sora too topple the Organization XIII. The elder members(Vexen, Lexaeus, Zexion) agree too use the "dark"(Riku) too counter Marluxia in Sora in a similar fashion, as his powers are similar too the "Superior".

Vexen independently appears before Riku and tells him he is not allied with "Ansem"(at least not the one he knows), as he walks the "Twilight" in-between. Riku angrily tells him that he is still his enemy for making the castle so full of darkness and they fight. Vexen gives up, but tells him that he got the "data" he needed anyway. Very quickly, Riku meets himself-- a "Riku Replica". The replica tells him that they are exactly the same, the only difference is that the replica "isn't afraid of anything" as he uses the darkness that Riku is terrified of. The two fight, and Riku wins. The replica asks him how he can be terrified of something so thrilling and says that the next time they fight, he won't be so lucky.

Soon, "Ansem" appears again and tells him that the replica is more of a model, a model of what Riku should be. He accepts the darkness just like he should. Riku tells him that he isn't afraid of darkness, but Ansem says otherwise, Riku fights the darkness because he's afraid of it. Laughing, He allows him too continue.

Passing through much of the castle(The bulk of Sora's story is complete, Larxene and Vexen are dead) Riku finds Lexaeus and, like the others, tells him that he should accept the darkness again, because if he doesn't, his journey will end here. The two fight, and Riku barely finishes the mighty brute. As a last move, Lexaeus covers the room in darkness as "Ansem" moves in too take his heart. Mickey saves him again and manages too bring him out.

Riku nearly makes it too the top, just as Marluxias scheme fails and Sora finishes him off. Riku meets Zexion who tells him that Sora has been in the castle all this time, but can he see him? Sora is the hero of light and defeats those of darkness, those like Riku. He gives him the card too his final memory world-His old home, Destiny Island.

He meets all his friends, but they are all silent and they eventually disappear, even Kairi.Zexion throws all his fears at him at once, telling him he's responsible for causing them too disappear, and that he belongs too the darkness now. He finally transforms an illusion of him into a Darkside Heartless, telling him this is what he has become! Riku beats back the heartless as Zexion disguises himself as Sora. He tells him that it's finally time too face the light.

Riku sinks back in the light as he begins fade, but Kairi appears and tells him that he can't. Light can't beat him, neither can darkness, so he should accept both, then he won't be afraid anymore. He awakens his dark power again, admitting that it's a part of him and not evil, beating back Zexion. He disappears but is quickly killed by the Riku Replica with Axel.

Riku nearly makes it too the main floor as "Ansem" appears too control him, but Mickey beats him back again and finally appears for real. Riku is relieved at finally having a real friend with him. Mickey tells him that he found a card which showed him Riku's heart and he followed it back to him. Riku uses the card and ends up in Twilight Town. "Ansem" appears but Riku tells him that he's not "Ansem", because his scent is not darkness but something else. The Voice finally introduces himself as DiZ. Riku asks him what he really wants from him, and he tells him he wants him too choose between Light and Darkness, because he lies in-between. The decision will be decided with Namine who Riku looks for. However, the Riku Replica finds him who powers up. He says he notices the change and that the real Riku must die if he is too be real too. They fight and the replica is finally killed.

Riku meets up with Namine who is with Sora in his memory cell. She explains everything that has happened. She tells him that "Ansem" is still in his heart and will soon overpower him. Before that happens, she offers too lock the darkness inside him, but he will sleep and lose the memory of it. Riku tells her that, on the island, Sora would always leave him with all the work but he can't tell him off if he were sleeping. He rejects her offer and says he'd rather defeat "Ansem" once and for all. Namine says that was the answer she was hoping for, because the only one who can make a difference is him.Riku gives his thanks for helping him earlier, the "Kairi" that appeared was her, because they "smelled the same"(showing the connection between the two) DiZ appears and Mickey says he thinks he met him before. He gives him a card that will draw out Ansem. Riku says that if he fails, Mickey must destroy him because Ansem will possess him. Mickey refuses because he promised he would always help him.

Riku faces Ansem for one final battle alone. Ansem asks why he still refuses him if he accepts darkness now, but Riku merely says "you really just stink". They fight and the last of Xenahort's Heartless is destroyed, but not before he says a part of him is still in Riku, and he shall return.

Riku and Mickey wait at the front entrance. Riku tells him that he can't go home yet as "Ansems" shadow still lingers in him, but Mickey says the darkness is a part of him. Darkness is not all bad, because Riku has a chosen a road he never thought of before, one of both Light AND Darkness. They leave and DiZ appears for one final question, if he shall take the "road to light" or the "road to darkness". Riku chooses neither, he'll take the middle road, "The Road to Dawn".

Kingdom Hearts II: Roxas' story
Riku and Mickey eventually make it out of the plains and separate. He allies himself with DiZ as they have a common goal:To help Sora return, though Riku wants no part in his revenge. DiZ asks him too kidnap Roxas, The Nobody of Sora who will speed up Soras recovery if he merges with him. He corners him in the World That Never Was but loses. He then realizes if he is too win in the realm of darkness, he must submerse himself in the same darkness. This act has the side effect of making him look like "Ansem"(or more accurately Xenahort's Heartless). He wins in their next encounter and traps him in the Digital Twilight Town. He watches over him(and Namine who becomes increasingly rebellious) until he eventually merges.



Kingdom Hearts II: Sora's Story
Sora first encounters Riku in Land of the Dragons while Riku is in Xenahort's Heartless' form, with the Organization XIII Cloak and the hood covering his face. Sora battles Riku, mistaking him for an Organization member. Later on it is revealed by the emperor that Riku came to warn him that the organization XIII had turned a dragon into a heartless and had sent it to attack the town. (Sora and Co. had just killed it by the way.) Riku appears again in Xeahnort's Heartless' form to save a kidnapped Kairi from Saix, an Organization member, and gave Kairi a keyblade. (He had one already.) Kairi joined forces with Riku and battled Heartless whilst Sora and Co., fought Xigbar, an Organization XIII member. Sora finally reached Riku and Kairi when Riku went to run off. Kairi stopped him from doing so and called him Riku in front of Sora. (Namine had already identified Riku to Kairi so she knew the secret.) Sora began crying and saying how much he missed him until Riku calmed him down saying he, 'didn't want to be found'. Riku went along with the others killing off the last surviving Organization members until they reached King Mickey and DiZ. (The Real Ansem and the mysterious man Riku had met in Chain of Memories.) Ansem the Wise had been using a machine to transfer Kingdom Hearts into data. Ansem was very sad and after a confrontation with Xemnas, the nobody of Xeahnort and the leader of Organization XIII, the machine he was using exploding, killing Ansem, as the man had wished it to. Riku suddenly appeared as Riku when he was blindfolded, and the reason he wore it was, 'because his eyes couldn't lie'. (His eyes were turning yellow, like Xenahorts's Heartless.) He took it off, revealing his regular eyes, which were bright blue and he took off the Organization XIII cloak. Though he looked much older, Riku still acted like himself and joined Sora in battle against Xemnas. Riku then explained about Roxas being Sora's nobody but, when Namine gave them a portal to leave, Riku and Sora did not make it in time, and it was revealed to them that they had not killed Xemnas. They immediately went to battle, and after finally killing Xemnas Riku came out of the battle severely wounded, and the two appeared on a dark island. The two agreed the realm of light was safe now and that they would now help free the realm of darkness. Suddenly on the beach they found a poem, from Kairi. (Kairi had sent it previously in the game.) Upon reading it, the door to light opened, the two walked through, appearing on the Destiny Islands.