Ever since the original’s release in 2002,the Kingdom Hearts serieshas been one of Square Enix’s most popular franchises. The combination ofFinal Fantasy, Disney, and its own unique charm has resulted in many memorable cutscenes.
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Over the course of its 20-year-long run, dozens of iconic scenes have made the series stand out from otherJapanese Role Playing Games. And this list will cover some of the most memorable parts of the series.
10Reveal Of The True Organization XIII (Dream Drop Distance)
The surprise reveal of Organization XIII’s return at the end of Dream Drop Distance greatly raised the stakes. If not for the help of a new ally, Xehanort possibly could’ve defeated the heroes.
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Sora’s powers being drained made it more clear that Dream Drop Distance was a game made to enhance Riku instead. It also gives a great reason for Sora’s abilities and power to be reset for the start of the next game in the series.
9Opening Cinematic (Kingdom Hearts 1)
Simple and clean is the way that the Kingdom Hearts universe is revealed to players. The opening cinematic perfectly captures the sense of mystery and charm of the story that is about to unfold.
Despite the direct translation of the intro song created by Hikaru Utada lacking some of the symbolism held within the Japanese lyrics, Simple And Clean is an incredible intro song that has touched the hearts of many players.
8Keyblade Graveyard Conflict (Birth By Sleep)
All three of Birth By Sleep’s routes end with the trio of heroes reaching the Keyblade Graveyard. This is where the pinnacle of the two protagonist storylines reach their peaks. Terra fights the man who deceived him, and Ventus overcomes his evil counterpart.
While Aqua’s storyline continues a bit further than the others, the events that took place at the Keyblade Graveyard still had a major impact on her storyline. The results of the skirmish also set up a conflict for the next main numbered installment.
7Entering The Memory Pod (Chain Of Memories)
At the end of Chain of Memories, Sora has to make the hard choice between keeping his new memories or reverting his mind to remember what he slowly forgot due to Namine’s powers. Sora ultimately chooses his old memories but makes a promise to come back for Namine.
This is an interesting conclusion to Chain of Memories and also a good way to set up the next main installment. Sora being asleep in the Memory Pod allows Roxas to be the protagonist during the tutorial of Kingdom Hearts 2.
6The Final Showdown (Kingdom Hearts 3)
The many smaller build-up games between Kingdom Hearts 2 and 3 resulted in 3’s finale being the most built-up event in the series. Sora, Riku, Lea, AKA Axel, and everyone on the side of good went through immense training to reach the strength required to defeat Xehanort’s army.
Teaming up with almost every playable character in the series to defeat Organization XIII in a gauntlet and a final fight between Sora and Xehanort make the final stretch of Kingdom Hearts 3 the most memorable part of the game.
5Sora VS Riku (Kingdom Hearts 1)
Ever since they were going kids, Sora and Riku have been friendly rivals. While Sora held strong to the light, Riku let himself fall deep into the darkness. Their fight was destined to happen from the very beginning.
Riku taking the Kingdom Key as soon as Sora reaches Hollow Bastion is an excellent build-up. It results in Sora needing to find his own inner strength to overcome the dungeon. Their fight at the end showcases Sora’s perseverance and willingness to always fight for what he loves.
4Final Fantasy Team Up Sequence (Kingdom Hearts 2)
Kingdom Hearts has taken a lot of inspiration from Final Fantasy, and multiple early entries in the series contain characters from that franchise. Kingdom Hearts 2 contains nearly a dozen legendary Final Fantasy characters.
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Partway through the game, Sora defends Hollow Bastion from thousands of Heartless while teaming up with Cloud, Tifa, Yuffie, and Squall, AKA Leon. Sephiroth also makes a quick cameo during this segment.
3Sora And Riku Team Up (Kingdom Hearts 2)
After their conflict in the original game, the relationship between Sora and Riku had an uncertain direction. Riku knew of Sora’s presence in Castle Oblivion in Chain of Memories, but the opposite wasn’t true. Sora hadn’t truly seen Riku since their fight.
Despite this, Sora confidently welcomed Riku back as one of his best friends. The boss fight against Xemnas allows players to take control of Riku briefly, and together the pair overcome the mighty leader of Organization XIII.
2Dive Into The Heart
Main numbered Kingdom Hearts games start with an early game realm where the protagonist stands on Stained Glass art that represents a character’s heart. 1 depicts many Disney princesses, while 2 gives a glimpse at what Sora holds most dear.
The Stained Glass has become a very recognizable art style for the series. It’s featured on a lot of merchandise and crossovers and has resulted in a wide array of fanart-depicted characters in its style.
1Locking The Door To Darkness (Kingdom Hearts 1)
After an extremely long boss fight against Ansem, the Door to Darkness and the Kingdom Hearts are finally within reach. Although Ansem suggests that Kingdom Hearts is a force of evil, its shining radiance proves it a power of good. Sora brings his original journey to an end by sealing the door with the help of king Mickey.
Disney was very hesitant with the concept of Kingdom Hearts at first, so they only allowed Mickey to be used once in the entire game. His last-second appearance to help bring the story to a close was an excellent use of the one opportunity available. This scene is one of the most memorable parts of the series. It even gets referenced by Sora’s Final Smash inSuper Smash Bros Ultimate.
