Axel

Axel (アクセル), the "Flurry of Dancing Flames", is the eighth member of Organization XIII. His distinguishing features include his spiky red hair, aquamarine eyes, and his twin purple reverse teardrop shaped markings under each eye (one per eye).

Axel wields red and silver weapons called chakrams, and utilizes the element of fire. He also controls the group of lesser Nobodies known as the Assassins.

Traitors in Castle Oblivion
While Sora and Riku are wandering around in Castle Oblivion, Axel is working for the two parties of the already divided Organization in the castle. One side is Larxene and Marluxia, who seek to use Sora's powers to ursurp Xemnas and the rest of the Organization using Naminé to alter Sora's memories. On another side is Vexen, Lexaeus, and Zexion, three of the original members of Organization XIII. Those three realized Marluxia's ambitions and try to counteract by using Riku to destroy Sora. At first, Axel joins the rebel group, though his intentions at this point are unclear.

Axel fights Sora to test him; Sora defeats him and Axel gladly gives up a card for Sora to progress further in the castle. In his conversation with Larxene, he professes a interest in the fact that Sora retains his form even after becoming a Heartless.

After Vexen nearly reveals the existence of Roxas to Sora, Axel is ordered by Marluxia to dispose of Vexen. Axel does so effortlessly, and is accepted by Marluxia and Larxene into their conspiracy. Using this to his advantage, Axel allows Naminé to escape and contact Sora. Later on, Axel confronts Marluxia, allowing him to figure out the fact that Axel is actually a double agent. Citing his previous order to rid the Organization of traitors, Axel is about to attack Marluxia even at the cost of Naminé's life but is interrupted by Sora, whom he then fights. At the end of the battle, Axel disappears, giving Sora the impression that he dies.

After his battle with Sora, Axel meets with Zexion, who discusses Riku and requests data on Destiny Islands. Despite their previous collaboration, Axel later offers Riku Replica the honor of killing Zexion, promising the duplicate that he would gain new powers and be able to defeat the real Riku. Axel's intent in engineering Zexion's death is left unsettlingly ambiguous as the senior member appeared to be perfectly loyal. While Axel claims that it's to allow the two Riku's to fight, the act still seems uncharacteristically excessive in comparison to his portrayal in Sora's game and KHII. This mystery is never given an answer and only serves to demonstrate Axel's mercurial nature.

Roxas's leave and imprisonment
Plagued with questions as to why he had a Keyblade, but subconsciously seeking out Sora, Roxas leaves the Organization. Axel, who found companionship in Roxas, is distraught by this decision.

Later on, Roxas is captured by Riku and put in Ansem the Wise's Digital Twilight Town where his memory is wiped by Naminé. Axel is sent to the simulated town to recover Roxas for the Organization. However, his first effort fails due to DiZ's appearance and restarting of the Twilight Town program. Roxas is also dumbfounded by Axel's appearance and comments, lacking any memories of him and awareness of what is going on. Axel again tries to get Roxas, but is frozen in place by DiZ with his control over the program. Disappointed by Roxas' decision to run, he accepts the Organization's order: if Roxas refused to come, he would have to be eliminated. The two meet again, for the last time. Despite Roxas recovering his memories, Axel states that it was too late and fights Roxas and his dual Keyblades. Axel loses the fight and disappears away in sadness.

A second chance with Sora
During Sora's exploits to the different worlds, Axel appears before Kairi, intending to kidnap her to draw Sora out. Axel realizes that, if he could transform Sora into a Heartless, Roxas would be born again. However, Kairi escapes through a corridor of darkness, landing in Twilight Town and staying there for some time in wait of Sora. However, Axel comes to fetch her once more, but not long afterwards she is taken captive by Saïx instead.

After the invasion of the Radiant Garden by the Heartless, Sora confronts Xemnas, the leader of Organization XIII. Xemnas decides to take his leave, and Axel is there to greet Sora. Axel hints that the Keyblade causes the hearts that composed the Heartless to flee, but refuses to say what Organization XIII would do with those hearts. Axel also apologizes for losing Kairi, but flees when Saïx arrives at the scene.

Death
On the way to The World That Never Was, Sora and his friends are trapped in Betwixt and Between by Nobodies, but Axel arrives to help, though most of his energy had already been spent. Sora and Axel battle the Nobodies, but seeing no other choice, Axel decides to put every bit of his energy into one massive attack to destroy the Nobodies. His body beginning to fade, Axel opens the passageway to the World That Never Was. As he dies, he expresses that Roxas made him feel like he had a heart, and that Sora makes him feel the same way.

Battle Style
As the Flurry of Dancing Flames, Axel uses two uniquely shaped weapons called chakrams, and commands fire.

Axel is very quick on his feet, and attacks with deadly precision and aim. One of his techniques is to launch his weapons at his opponent, and return to Axel's hand with a boomerang-like effect. He can also coat them in fire and launch a formidable mid-ranged offensive assault for a short time as well as launch them as homing fireballs, glide along the ground with fire blazing behind him, or move next to his opponent with impressive speed and unleash a horizontal spiral of flame. And, like his elemental opposite Demyx, Axel can send pillars of flame at his opponent.

In serious one-on-one battles, Axel can create a ring of fire, blocking off any escape route. In this ring, he can hide behind the fire and attack at a moment's notice. The ring itself can also harm opponents when they get too close. He can also turn the floor into a burning surface that slowly chips away at a person's health.

Interestingly enough, Axel never battles with the intent to kill in any of the four confrontations he has with a keyblade bearer. In CoM he tests Sora once before faking his own demise and in KHII his final conversation with Roxas reveals that he was not quite so incenced as he had lead his friend to beleive. Keeping with his nature as a schemer and a sneak, Axel's true strength is never definitely expressed, however it can be assumed that he is weaker than Roxas and equal to or slightly below Marluxia, both extremely powerful nobodies.

Videos
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Axel (Chain of Memories)

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Axel (KHII)