#Kingdom hearts cards singles series#

There’s nothing wrong with seeding narrative elements that could potentially be used in a future game, or laying the groundwork for future narratives that have already been planned out, but these are not the ideas you want to be introducing in the opening hours of your game. However, once more, it never gets brought up again until the game’s epilogue – a cutscene which isn’t even on the disc, but instead requires a day-one patch. This is in reference to the mobile game, but it could have been an interesting thread to explore elsewhere in Kingdom Hearts III. Within the first five minutes of the game, a flashback with Xehanort brings up a group called “The Lost Masters” – the ones who started the original Keyblade War long ago. Unfortunately, the black box isn’t the only time that Kingdom Hearts III’s plot makes this mistake. In fact, we’re introduced to them before any villains from the Organisation, and Maleficent even tells Sora that they’ll meet again – even though they never do. And it’s the same with characters if Maleficent and Pete are established with a goal and subplot of their own, they should play some sort of active role in the narrative. It should go without saying, but if you introduce an overt plot point within the first 30 minutes of your story, it must be relevant to *that* particular story. But unfortunately, they don’t appear again – aside from a brief moment in the game’s epilogue, wherein the box also makes its first appearance in Kingdom Hearts III (albeit with no more context or explanation as to its purpose). Then in Maleficent’s final cutscene she tells Pete that the Keyblade War has begun and that it will reveal the black box, also stating that Pete will get his “big moment” and that their “real work” will begin – implying that they’ll play some role in the upcoming battle. A box with someone’s heart sealed inside seems like the perfect way to tie a Disney world into the greater Kingdom Hearts lore but the concept is only paid lip service, in favour of rigidly following the film’s original plot. He tells Sora that no one actually knows what’s inside the chest they’re looking for, but “.they did say the box contains “hope”.” This makes Sora aware of the plot point, but apart from momentarily questioning the notion that the Organisation are looking for hope, he never brings it up or considers it again. Then in the Pirates of the Carribean world, Luxord has been ordered to find the box as well believing it may be the one that contains Davy Jones’ heart. But all this amounts to is a gag about Pandora’s Box being the wrong one, as Maleficent and Pete move on. Hades assumes they’re talking about a box that Zeus hid long ago, which seems to immediately get this plot point off to a running start and implies this Disney world has an essential connection the main narrative. One of the earliest cutscenes in Kingdom Hearts III introduces Maleficent and Pete, who are searching for this same “distinctive” box in Hercules’ world. In the Kingdom Hearts ‘Back Cover’ film (which is related to the story of the mobile game), a mysterious black box is introduced as a plot point, and is implied to be very important for the future of the world. So many of the events that take place in Kingdom Hearts III seem arranged to set up future games, serving as awkward teases that seek to undermine the grand conclusion to the almost 20 year Dark Seeker Saga. Because in so many ways, Kingdom Hearts III is *not* a conclusion at least, certainly not as decisive a finale as it was implied to be. You see, my premise – even my title – contains a flaw. But in this final topic, I’m going to commit a cardinal sin of essay writing.

#Kingdom hearts cards singles series#

So far we’ve discussed love and loops, acts and omissions, motives and meanings and I believe the arguments I’ve made support the assertion that Kingdom Hearts III is, in effect, a conclusion to a series of games without a genuine story of its own to tell. “ You have surpassed nothing, only proved how little we both know…We're both ignorant, as oblivious as when we began.” – Ansem the Wise, Kingdom Hearts II PART SIX: Dreaming of the Future, Neglecting the Present PART FIVE: Missing Ingredients - What made Final Fantasy & Disney a Perfect Match?Ħ. PART FOUR: Motivation, Meaning and the Key Question: Why?ĥ. I wanna line the pieces up-yours and mine.” – Sora, Kingdom Hearts IIĤ. A far-off memory that's like a scattered dream. “ A scattered dream that's like a far-off memory.