Universe of Kingdom Hearts: Difference between revisions

Legend has it that long ago, there was one single world that was constantly bathed in the warmth of the [[light]] of [[Kingdom Hearts]]. In the "age of fairy tales", the world was whole and full of light, which was believed to come from [[Kingdom Hearts]], which was protected by its counterpart, the [[χ-blade]]. Over time, people came to desire the power of Kingdom Hearts, introducing darkness into the World.

In order to take control of Kingdom Hearts, many people forged [[Keyblade]]s in the image of the χ-blade, and they clashed together in a far-reaching conflict that embroiled the entire World. This event became known as the [[Keyblade War]]. In the end, darkness covered the World, the χ-blade was shattered into twenty pieces, [[Princesses of Heart|seven of light]] and thirteen of darkness, and the "true" Kingdom Hearts disappeared into the darkness.

However, the world was restored by the light within the hearts of children, as many individual [[world]]s separated from each other. The remnants of the battlefield on which the Keyblade War took place became the [[Keyblade Graveyard]], a scarred wasteland filled with the Keyblades of fallen warriors. The remaining Keyblade wielders resolved to protect the World from further destruction, becoming guardians of the world order.{{storylink|Kingdom Hearts (game)}}{{storylink|Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep}}{{storylink|Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance}}

Each world that was recreated following the Keyblade War has its own time flow,<ref>'''''Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance''''', '''Riku:''' "Their world would be running on its own time axis."</ref> but as a result, their rebooting is left at random paces. During the reboot, Heartless run rampant and have to be slain by Keyblade wielder to prepare the world for the inhabitants' return.{{Storylink|Kingdom Hearts Dark Road}}

 

Prior to the release of the Heartless, the worlds were surrounded by barriers to prevent outside interference, making it impossible for different worlds to have contact. However, the arrival of the [[Heartless]] caused the barriers between the worlds to crumble and disappear, and some worlds were consumed by the eldritch horde. [[Gummi Blocks]] are pieces of these broken barriers.

 

Those who travel between worlds are advised to avoid meddling in the affairs of other worlds and informing their inhabitants of the existence of other worlds. In order to maintain a balance of separation, several characters, notably [[Sora]], [[Donald Duck|Donald]], and [[Goofy]], magically alter their physical appearances in certain worlds to avoid standing out. For example, they take the forms of sea creatures in [[Atlantica]], monsters in [[Halloween Town]], jungle animals in [[Pride Lands]], and computer A.I.s in [[Space Paranoids]] and [[The Grid]].

The '''Ocean Between''',<ref>{{storylink|Xehanort's Report II}}: "The World is vast—and the worlds within the greater World, uncountable. Like little islands, they dot a great Ocean Between which keeps them ignorant of each other, uncorrupted."</ref> also known as the {{nihongo|"'''ocean of stars/interspace'''"|星の大海|Hoshi no Taikai}}<ref>'''''[[Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix]]'', [[Monstro]]'s report entry''': "An enormous whale that dwells in the ocean of stars."</ref><ref>'''''[[Kingdom Hearts]]'', [[Cid]]''': "Interspace ain't no playground."</ref> and {{nihongo|"'''sea between worlds/Other Sky'''"|異空の海|Ikū no Umi|lit. "Sea of Other Skies<!--poss. "Sea of Another Dimension"-->"}},<ref>'''''[[Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance]]'', [[Prankster's Paradise]]—Side:Sora''': "After this, Pinocchio and Jiminy's world gets dragged into darkness, and they end up cast into the sea between worlds, along with Monstro."</ref><ref>'''''[[Kingdom Hearts: The Novel]]'', [[Ansem's Report 11]]''': "I have chosen a particular girl to send off into the Other Sky and observe."</ref> is a vast space between the worlds. It is threaded by the Gummi routes and [[#Lanes between|lanes between]], which serve as paths between worlds for those with the knowledge to use them.<ref name="DSRXIII-1">'''''[[Director's Secret Report XIII#Part 1 - About the KH Worlds|Director's Secret Report XIII]]''''' p. 26; '''Tetsuya Nomura''': "There are two ways to travel, one of which is to use a Gummi Ship like Sora and his friends do to move through the "Ocean Between", the space studded with all the worlds." Translation via Goldpanner.</ref>