Xehanort: Difference between revisions

'''Xehanort''' is the main antagonist of the eponymous "[[Xehanort Saga]]".  

'''Young Xehanort''' acquired the ability to travel through time from his future self's Heartless, and he used it to manipulate events so that his future self's plans would come to fruition.

==Story==

===Before ''Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep''===

Xehanort grew up on the [[Destiny Islands]]. As a young man, he was paid a visit by his future self's Heartless, Ansem, who granted him the power to traverse time and tasked him with gathering twelve other incarnations of himself from across time.

After carrying out his duties in the future, Xehanort returned to his proper place in time and relinquished his memories of the future, while retaining the desire to travel to other worlds. He eventually found a way to depart his home world and arrived at the [[Land of Departure]], where he encountered a Keyblade Master. Under this master, he began training as a [[Keyblade]] wielder, along with his fellow pupil [[Eraqus]], who Xehanort eventually came to see as a brother. The Master taught the two the ways of the Keyblade and that their role as Keyblade wielders was to protect the worlds of [[light]] from [[darkness]]. However, this answer was unsatisfactory to Xehanort, and he often visited other worlds without permission to learn more. Initially, Xehanort wore [[Keyblade Armor]] during his travels, to protect himself from the darkness between worlds, but eventually he discarded it and sought to control the darkness, believing that if he succeeded, he would not need his armor for protection. Eventually, both Eraqus and Xehanort became [[Keyblade Master]]s, and Eraqus was chosen as the Master's successor. The newly titled Master Xehanort was free to take on apprentices of his own to train, and he traveled the worlds freely.

[[File:Flashback The Keyblade Masters 01 KHBBS.png|thumb|right|200px|Xehanort advocates the χ-blade to Eraqus.]]

As he journeyed, Xehanort obtained vast knowledge concerning Keyblade lore, the Heartless, and the mysteries of the [[Keyblade War]] and Kingdom Hearts. Xehanort came to believe that darkness and light were meant to be in balance, but the "tyranny" of light had destroyed much of the darkness and shifted that balance. He therefore resolved to obtain the power of Kingdom Hearts, so that he may create a World in balance. To that end, he sought to recreate the legendary [[χ-blade]] and begin a new Keyblade War. By this time, however, Xehanort had grown very old, and he devised a plan to use [[Master Xehanort's Keyblade|his Keyblade]] to extract his own heart and transfer it to a younger body to prolong his life until his ambitions were fulfilled.

At one point, Xehanort discussed his ideas about the Keyblade War with Eraqus, who attempted to dissuade him from risking a new apocalypse for the sake of gaining knowledge. When Eraqus tried to stop him by force, Xehanort used his power of darkness to easily fend him off, scarring his face in the process.

[[File:Flashback Vanitas's Making 02 KHBBS.png|thumb|left|200px|Master Xehanort creates Vanitas from Ventus.]]

Eventually, Xehanort encountered Ventus, who he took on as a pupil. Finding Ventus unsuitable as a vessel, he decided to use the boy in his plan to create the χ-blade. After failing to stimulate Ven's darkness during a training exercise in [[the Badlands]], Xehanort forcibly extracted the darkness from his heart, creating [[Vanitas]]. Ven's heart was badly damaged in the process, and Xehanort brought him to the Destiny Islands to die in peace, but Ven showed signs of recovery after his heart connected with that of the newly born Sora. In order to strengthen Ven's light and keep him separated from Vanitas, Xehanort brought him to Eraqus and requested that he take care of Ventus and train him as a Keyblade wielder. His hopes were that Eraqus's dedication to the light would nurture Ventus and make him equal in strength to Vanitas, so that they could one day fight each other, forging the χ-blade. Despite how they had parted ways, Eraqus readily accepts Xehanort's request, taking Ventus as an apprentice, to be trained along with Terra and Aqua. While there, Xehanort notices Terra's desire for power, and he decides to make Terra his new vessel.

===''Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep''===

{{Q|Seek out the darkness that upsets the balance. Find Vanitas and put an end to him... Master Terra.|Master Xehanort manipulates Terra.}}

A few years later, Master Eraqus invites Master Xehanort to the Land of Departure to witness Terra and Aqua becoming Keyblade Masters. Xehanort accepts, but he hints that Terra has the potential for darkness and suggests Eraqus administer a [[Mark of Mastery exam]] to the two apprentices. During the exam, Xehanort subtly uses darkness to affect the [[Orb of Light|Orbs of Light]] and nudge Terra's darkness during his spar with Aqua. At the end of the exam, Eraqus names Aqua as Master, telling Terra that he failed to keep his darkness in check. Meanwhile, Xehanort leaves the building, passing by Vanitas, who tells him that Terra is the key to luring Ventus away from home. Outside, Xehanort tells Terra that he should not fear his darkness, and that he should learn to channel it instead. He then leaves via a [[Corridor of Darkness]], making himself unavailable when Eraqus tries to contact him about the [[Unversed]] threat. Master Eraqus tasks Aqua and Terra with countering the Unversed and locating Master Xehanort, and Vanitas manipulates Ventus into following Terra.

[[File:What Darkness Can Do 01 KHBBS.png|thumb|left|200px|Master Xehanort offers to take Terra as his apprentice.]]

After Terra leaves Radiant Garden, an injured Braig attempts to gun Master Xehanort down, furious at being set up as "collateral damage", but Xehanort easily forces him to back down. When Braig remarks that a scarred face is better than a lost heart, Xehanort reveals that Terra is incapable of stealing a heart, implying that he himself was the one who stole [[Aurora]]'s heart.

[[File:Former Master 01 KHBBS.png|thumb|right|200px|Master Xehanort reveals his intentions to Ventus.]]

Later, Master Xehanort has Vanitas abduct [[Mickey Mouse]] to lure Ventus to the Keyblade Graveyard, where he reveals to Ventus the truth about his past and his plans to create the χ-blade. He adds that Master Eraqus has kept Ventus from venturing away from the Land of Departure in order to prevent the creation of the Keyblade, and that he never trusted Ventus enough to tell him the truth. Xehanort summons a dark vortex that sends Ven to the Land of Departure, expecting him to confront Eraqus. He then calls Terra to him, telling him that Ven went to confront Eraqus on his own, and that he fears for Ven's safety. He sends Terra after Ventus, and Terra arrives in time to protect Ven, throws him through a portal to safety, and defeats Eraqus in battle. Although Terra and Eraqus both regret their actions, Xehanort appears and delivers the final blow against Eraqus, who dissolves into light in Terra's arms. Revealing his true intentions to Terra, for him to succumb to darkness, Xehanort tells Terra to return to the Keyblade Graveyard, where he will see Ventus and Aqua meet their ends. He then summons his Keyblade and uses it to unleash darkness on the Land of Departure, completely destroying the world and leaving nothing but the castle's remains, before departing.

[[File:Terra Unknown KHBBS.png|thumb|left|200px|Young Xehanort faces Terra.]]

When Terra, Ventus, and Aqua travel to the remains of the Land of Departure again, they meet the time-displaced Young Xehanort, who hides his identity by keeping his hood up. After he is defeated, he departs again through time.

[[File:Kingdom Hearts 06 KHBBS.png|thumb|right|200px|Master Xehanort opens the way to Kingdom Hearts.]]

Terra returns to the top of the cliff and faces off against Xehanort and Vanitas, but Xehanort soon sends Vanitas to fight Ventus, leaving Xehanort and Terra to fight one-on-one. Xehanort goads Terra into tapping into his darkness, and Terra successfully defeats the elderly Master. While the battle between Ventus and Vanitas climaxes in the forging of the χ-blade, Xehanort uses his Keyblade to extract his own heart and implant it into Terra, declaring his vow to survive to see the results of the Keyblade War. Terra-Xehanort becomes the new incarnation of Xehanort, with his old body fading away in a shower of light with a triumphant smile.

====''[[Blank Points]]''====

{{Q|You are just one of many roads that I might choose to take.|Master Xehanort to Terra}}

Master Xehanort and Terra continue to dispute over internal dominance within the new Xehanort. Despite Xehanort's insistence that he will soon subsume Terra's heart into his own, Terra remains confident that he will win over and eventually expel Master Xehanort. Xehanort realizes that Terra is harboring the heart of Master Eraqus, which may allow him to resist his darkness for longer than he expected. However, Xehanort serenely points out that he has many other plans in the works should he lose control over Terra's body.

===Between ''Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep'' and ''Kingdom Hearts II''===

Meanwhile, in Radiant Garden, the time-traveling Young Xehanort meets up with the newly-revived Braig. Braig notes Terra-Xehanort's absence, meaning that the elderly Xehanort has already begun his master plan, and Xehanort's ability to see into others' minds. Recalling the legends of Keyblade inheritance, Young Xehanort expresses the importance of his elderly self's Keyblade, the most ancient of all Keyblades. Braig, despite knowing full well that Master Xehanort's Keyblade is connected to the Keyblade War, decides to advance in his own goals and ponders aloud which of Ansem's unconscious apprentices, along with Lea and Isa, to take along with him. At this, Young Xehanort begins to answer with something that starts with an "S."

===''Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance''===

Riku attempts to find Sora in The World That Never Was, eventually defeating Ansem and returning to the real world. He tracks Sora to the [[Castle That Never Was]], where he finds Sora in Where Nothing Gathers. Young Xehanort stops Riku from reaching Sora, and he tells him about the true purpose of Organization XIII as vessels for Xehanort, as well as his role in gathering the members from across time, and his choosing Sora as the thirteenth member. The current members appear, but before Master Xehanort fully materializes, Mickey arrives and freezes the area with a [[Stopza]] spell. However, Master Xehanort possesses the body of his younger incarnation, allowing him to move and to summon a Keyblade. Young Xehanort faces Riku in battle, but Riku finally prevails. The time freeze wears off, and Master Xehanort fully revives on the highest throne, while Young Xehanort takes his place on another.

[[File:Seven Lights, Thirteen Darknesses 05 KH3D.png|thumb|right|200px|Master Xehanort calls together his new Organization XIII.]]

Master Xehanort admits to his past endeavors and his failed attempt to create the χ-blade to Riku and Mickey, but also reveals that he has another way to create the χ-blade and restart the Keyblade War. Since the χ-blade was divided at the conclusion of the Keyblade War into thirteen darknesses and seven lights, he had orchestrated many previous events, including manipulating Maleficent into capturing the seven Princesses of Heart and the creation of Organization XIII as vessels of darkness, each meant to harbor a piece of his own heart. Due to Sora and Riku's interference and the unforeseen independence or weakness of a number of Organization members, the two-part plan had failed. However, having given Young Xehanort the ability to travel through time, Master Xehanort has brought about the creation of a new Organization XIII made up of himself, his other incarnations, and vessels that harbor pieces of his heart, which he intends to pit against the "Seven Lights".

Although Yen Sid and Mickey agree that they will be playing into Xehanort's hands, they resolve to gather seven Keyblade-wielding defenders of light, rather than endanger the Princesses of Heart.

==Other appearances==