Roxas, the Fight for Identity - Kingdom Hearts

Roxas's story of finding his own identity and his relationship with Xion and Axel has always been one that has resonated deeply with me in Kingdom Hearts, especially the impact it left on me after KH2. After Kingdom Hearts 3, I wasn't so sure what to think of his story anymore, as it seemingly "ruined" or undermined his arc. But after reflecting on it in this analysis, I've realised that it's thematically consistent with both his and the overarching story of the series, and I've come to like it a lot. I hope you all enjoy it.
Twitter: x.com/gearvang...
Songs used from the Kingdom Hearts series:
Dearly Beloved (358/2 Days vers)
At Dusk I'll Think of You
Vector to the Heavens Memoria Orchestral
Another Side
Missing You
Lazy Afternoon
Roxas (Re:Coded vers)
Treasured Memories
Aqua's Theme
Xion and Roxas medley (Re:Mind vers) • Kingdom Hearts III Re ...
Kairi and Dearly Beloved medley (Re:Mind vers) • Kingdom Hearts III Re ...
#KingdomHearts #Roxas

[@Sjono]

1:08 Axel didn’t start out seeing Roxas as a friend. The hidden reports imply Axel treated Roxas just like when he acted like a “friend” to Marluxia, Larxene and Zexion before he betrayed them. Axel's initial promise of friendship to Roxas was a lie and that he didn't really feel anything toward him (even down to him initially hating sea-salt ice cream, as revealed in the opening scenes of Days in 1.5). But when he was getting ready to go to Castle Oblivion, he is surprised to realize that he's actually going to miss hanging out with Roxas, which makes him deeply curious in Sora's heart. After he comes back from the events at Castle Oblivion, that’s when he became a real friend to Roxas.

[@gearvanguard]

That’s a really great pickup, thanks for the correction! I will remember this for the future.

[@lindsay8538]

Beautiful analysis and editing, I think you perfectly explained how and why the sea salt trio story arc can be so relatable and meaningful. It’s videos like this that reminds me why I like KH in the first place. Keep it up!

[@gearvanguard]

Thank you so much for the kind words :) If you asked me when KH3 first came out, I would've said I disliked that all the sea salt trio returned because it's "fan service". But luckily time away from all the criticism has given me a new perspective when reading into the story thematically, it's consistent, moving and very meaningful. I kind of made this video to prove something to my old self haha

[@Militia_Captain]

@@gearvanguard Todo el mundo es crítico, ignora lo político.

[@christhechilled]

No lie, “ My Summer Vacation is over! “ is one of the best lines in Kingdom Hearts ever!

[@MrScaryPasta]

Roxas is truly one of the most tragic characters since Player and Xehanort. Roxas was used and abused. He was a slave to the Organization and a prisoner to Ansem/Diz. He was nothing more than a blank vessel, a puppet, an object to be controlled by both sides of Dark and Light. Roxas fought for purpose. He fought for his very existence. He suffered twice in one life time. Lost his friends, identity, and home. The broken child. The lost soul. The innocent one. The tragic hero. All Roxas wanted in life was to be happy. All he wanted was to be normal, but fate played him a cruel hand more than once. Roxas once again found himself a prisoner of his own heart, trapped within Sora and unable to escape. The only company and the only thing keeping him sane are the painful memories of those he loved and lost, the home he once knew, and the mixed memories of data and reality. While KHIII finally gave him what he desired, I am still ticked off with how poor Roxas was treated. 😢

[@voiceofthelegion578]

I refuse to believe Roxas would be an okay or well adjusted person after being used by the organization, killing his friend, getting kidnapped and memory wiped, then being absolutely gaslit and abused by Diz while his former friend he can't remember tries to kill him until he can't take it anymore, gives up and disappears into Sora. I hope canon doesn't ignore all this.

[@kamuixl346]

This deserves more view's easily the best KH analysis I've seen great work.

[@gearvanguard]

Wow thank you so much, I really appreciate it! I hope to make a lot more on the series soon.

[@Silverman160Zero]

Thank you. This made me remember why I loved Roxas so much back then. "As bright and brief as the setting sun."

[@gearvanguard]

Glad to share the Roxas appreciation with you! Wonderfully put also :)

[@Ashtrodude-mv6eo]

Man I still remember playing that 2nd game as a kid and being shocked you start out as roxas but by the end of his short story In that game has been the best character in all of kingdom hearts since

[@Lapis_Pylosiphorum]

Truly a beautiful story And a breath taking narration & animation by yourself I might add

[@gearvanguard]

Thank you very much, makes me very happy to hear! I don't usually get compliments for my narration (the opposite if anything) and it made me smile that you liked the animation, you're the first person to mention it haha

[@maxhall4766]

I’ve been a fan of kingdom hearts from the very beginning. First piece of media to ever make me cry. Ever. Titanic couldn’t even do that. Your video forcing me to reminisce made me tear up especially with how beautifully you paired the editing with the music. You’ve earned my subscribe sir

[@gearvanguard]

I'm glad you could feel more connected to the series through my video, there's no greater pleasure. Thank you for sharing your experience and for your support, I'm glad you liked my editing :)

[@zexian9750]

The reason i think he returned to Sora is because that was the end of the road for him, he finally has all the facts laid out in front of him, and having lost his friends, his identity, and being denied of his own life, wouldn't you give up too? He truly had nothing else left for him..........

[@JabamiLain]

Yes he did. In "Days" notes, we find out Kingdom Hearts itself saw him and Xion as its parents, and was ready to power thwm, should they ask. If during 2, he had only bidden his time instead of attacking Sora over Axel...He was so close ! Gaining himself ! Instead, he settled for the depressed suicidal Witch. Kingdom Hearts could probably help her too.

[@anotherinternetnerd]

This video is severely overlooked, great job. I especially liked the edits at 8:58 and 11:18.

[@gearvanguard]

Thank you! Glad you enjoyed the edits :)

[@RPRJack21]

Roxas is amazing, and this video makes me appreciate Namine even more than I already did. Love her.

[@gearvanguard]

They are awesome indeed, glad you could find something out of this video. I actually made a video on Namine semi-recently! She's become my favourite in fact!

[@DLxxx]

This was easily the best character analysis I've ever seen for Roxas (my favorite KH character). Thank you so much for taking the time to make this, and giving his narrative the deep dive it deserves 💚 Though I will say, I have some SERIOUS grievances over how his character was handled in KH3. I mean, the entire story in that game was a mess, but with Roxas specifically, it only gave him the absolute _bare minimum,_ and failed to properly flesh out and bring closure to several of his key conflicts and relationships in the story (not to mention the rather underwhelming, contrived, and utilitarian way he came back). For example, his history with Ansem The Wise. Rather than address it in a natural, believable way, and give them the chance to reconcile properly, the writers just made it so that Roxas, the MOMENT he returned, inexplicably knew everything about the circumstances of his ressurection, and Ansem the Wise's direct involvement in it (even though no one in the entire cast, aside from Aqua-- who told nobody anything, the apprentices, and Ansem SoD, knew he was alive, let alone invloved with any of that). It was such a contradictive, scuffed way of throwing that history under the rug. Same issue with Riku (my second favorite character). The two's relationship consisted of nothing more than antagonism, with Riku continuously perpetuating the same lie and mentality that DiZ had assaulted Roxas with later on. In fact, Roxas _hated_ Riku as much he had DiZ during 358 and KH2 (to the point where he tried to kill him at Memory Skyscraper during their duel). Yet what do we see in KH3's ending? Roxas is casually hanging out with Riku, of all people, despite the fact that he would've held more resentment toward him than anyone else on that beach. You COULD handwave this as apologizies and reconciliation happening off-screen, but that would be insultingly dismissive and shallow for a character who deserved better closure. These topics were central to his story and development, as they connected directly with the lie and struggle his narrative was based around. When Roxas talks to his former superior at the end of KH3, did you notice how, rather than address ANY of his specific feelings toward or conflicts with Xemnas, or reflect on what his current purpose & motivations are (now that he's been brought back and is reunited with his friends), instead, almost all of his diologue centered around giving exposition about the replicas, the people who helped him return from the background, and how Xehanort was using the replicas to hold the hearts of the "true" Org (all things that he could not have POSSIBLY known)? It ends with Xemnas calling everyone "worthless pawns," and never once acknowledging the trio's growth. Nor did RAX actually strike him down, or get closure on their history with him (SORA gets better closure with Xemnas, for some reason, despite the latter admitting that he took his old companions for granted, and felt "lonely" without them). It just... feels hollow, and a waste of a VERY IMPORTANT interaction. Compare this to when Riku talks with Ansem SoD at the end of DDD: the diologue hones in on Riku's personal journey, how his promise with Terra helped him start it all, the mistakes he made in the past, how he'd been trying to deal with his inner demons the wrong way, that he was now going to own his history with Ansem SoD, and ultimately, coming to his final answer. That scene was cathartic because it was all about giving this character the closure he deserved, and didn't waste a second on empty exposition or throw away lines that unnaturally undermined his past conflicts. He even got a moment with Ansem the Wise not long afterward, where he finally told him his real name, and the two became honest friends, rather than just partners. The writers didn't NEED to do that, but they understood the importance of this character's growth, and chose to give it the pay off it deserved. Could we not, for example, have gotten this same kind of meaningful insight into Roxas' newfound friendship with the real Hayner, Pence, and Olette, instead of another worldless _glimpse_ of a moment? In the end, KH3 did Roxas dirty. It didn't feel like a proper culmination of the themes and elements that were unique to his story (making you feel like it was the only way this could've happened), so much as it felt like a plot contrivance that Re: Mind was forced to retroactively explain... with stiff, clunky dialogue to boot. Disjointed, unpredictable things that had NOTHING to do with him or his history just.. happened, and suddenly now he can come back. It's to the point where many people feel his story isn't nearly as complete as it should have been. Which is a shame, considering how well written and developed he was throughout the series. Apologies for the long comment! I really didn't intend for it to go this far 🙏🏾 I just.. have some passionate feelings about this character, and I wish his conclusion could've been handled better. It wasn’t _ruined_ by any means, but it's potential was squandered IMO.

[@Lapis_Pylosiphorum]

I do whole heartedly agree for the most part & the only lines I’d say where my ideas differ are on the fact that both Roxas & Xion kinda didn’t exist for a long portion of time I honestly believe either of em would feel a lot less resentment & just be content with the miracle that they are alive, I mean especially Xion, her fate was arguably worse then death until sora had intervened & I honestly don’t think Roxas was trying to eliminate Riku at the memorial sky scraper as much as he was just trying to get him to submit & pass him cuz if he was he probably could’ve did so before Riku had awakened the darkness in his heart I mean even Roxas said himself, how many times do I have to beat you, if he beat him at least 1 or twice then why didn’t he finish the job when riku was at his knees, just saying Also Xehanort was trying to establish any 13 darknesses, there was no true organization, all of them where kinda candidates for Xehanort’s plan with more the a dozen contingency plans Honestly if anyone owed Roxas any for of apologies it would of had to been Ansem the wise as Diz used Roxas only as a tool to tie up his loss ends however one thing is most certain about your take on the whole ordeal More dialogue & story could have most defiantly been required as there where a lot of moving parts at the end of KH3 & ReMind with a lot of loose ends being tied up in an awfully short finally Oh well, Numora & Square Enix where working on FF7 remaster & Crisis core at the same time too & who knows what else they had in development works that took so much of their attention away form a much needed project, the only reason I strongly agree with your ideas because it feels like the over a decade long wait had a level of hype that no finally could’ve lived up to

[@Lapis_Pylosiphorum]

& on a side note, but that combo Reversal Roxas had in KH3 ReMind😁love that they added that as a combo reaction opposed to the reaction command variation cuz you can use it more often and kinda spam it too Wish there was more opportunities to use the other character officially opposed to mods but at least mods are better then nothing The Mod communities always picking up the slack where the devs fall short but I do hear your pain about the storyline cuz there ain’t much to anything they can do about that

[@JapanFreak2595]

@@Lapis_PylosiphorumI can see those kinds of loose end and interactions being brought up in early on in the next saga. That way they have the time to let the moments play out and breath.

[@GeorgiaAndrea]

I honestly think the kh3 plot just doesn’t make quite much of a sense with tying the knot for Roxas’s story. His dialogue with Xemnas, him meeting Ventus, and them all hanging all with Riku just makes me go hmmmm…

[@DLxxx]

​​​@@Lapis_PylosiphorumHey! Sorry for the late reply (KZbin doesn't notify me of when people respond to my comments, so I have to see them by chance). Ok, so to start with, it doesn't matter that Roxas and Xion weren't present till the end of the game. Because the story of KH3 should have been structured differently from the start. Nomura CONSCIOUSLY chose to push all of the important ot plot points to the end, which forced him to rush through them all (he admitted to this mistake in an interview not long after the game released, although it was plain to see already). There was nothing stopping him from bringing Roxas back earlier, or structuring his involvement differently. He just had to make a story that would allow that to happen (same with the other returning characters). Moreover, there's no reason to think Roxas and Xion's resentment for other characters would just magically dissappear because they were comatose inside Sora. They had no OPPORTUNITY to get over their grudges, and no insentive. Riku and DiZ are literally the reason Roxas was forced to join with Sora to begin with, and Namine STILL brainwashed him to make it happen. These horrible experiences aren't something you can just get over at the drop of a hat. That's cheap, unrealistic, and unsatisfying. Roxas tried to strike him down when he told Riku to "SHUT UP!" He only didn't because he was deflected. You can interpret it differently if you want, but the Organization in KH2 believed Roxas beat Riku so badly he died. The series treats it like he was trying to be lethal, and Roxas saying "How many times do I have to beat you?", is in response to Riku repeatedly pushing back at his attempts to (as you put it) make him submit. Riku was losing, but still fighting back. Roxas was getting annoyed by it. Now, if it's ok with you, allow me to ask a different question: If Roxas HAD still been shown to hold a grudge against Riku/Ansem the Wise in KH3, would it feel unnatural or forced to you? IS IT that you think they're are capable of burying the hatchet without a word, or is it that you simply enjoyed the game and don't mind that this issue was dropped? I don't see why you brought up Xehanort. "True Organization" is what they're called by YX in DDD, and it's how the fandom differentiates them from the original Organization. Those semantics aren't relevant to the point at hand. Nomura had several years prior to the start of KH3's development to come up with a decent outline for the the story (he was building up to that game using several previous titles after all, and HE was the one who personally set up all of the subplots), there's no reason for it to have come out the way it did. Worst case scenario, he could've hired Co writers or continuity editors to assist him in completing it. Furthermore, the decision to waste valuable screentime on setting up the next game was a conscious choice that simply DID NOT have to be made, and no one in the fanbase was asking for it either (i.e. Yazora, the new princesses of heart, teasing the black box, Xemnas talking about the Org members forgotten past, Ansem kidnapping DiZ to tell him about some mysterious girl, etc). ALL of that could've been cut out to give themselves more resources, time, and money to better construct the finale of the Xehanort Saga. Everything setting up the next game should've been saved for the Secret Ending. That way, the game can give the audience some satisfying closure instead of stringing them along (ex. by "killing off" Sora). "Hype" has nothing to do with my issues. I simply think KH3 failed at many basic aspects of it's storytelling, and I don't think any of what I said is unreasonable or can be attributed to overhyping the game. I wasn't expecting EVERYTHING I listed here to be done for Roxas, but I _also_ wasn't expecting him to get almost NONE of that either. Anyway, that concludes my response. Sorry about it being a bit lengthy, I just wanted to address all your main points. Honestly, I love the KH modding scene (it'sbeen a joy watching people play Nobody May Cry), but I've deliberately stayed away from anything related to KH3 for the past few years. The sheer amount of ways that game let me down just did too emotional much damage for me to tolerate talking about it for long (it doesn't help that it also came out during an already rough period in my life, so I can't help but associate with with those additional negative feelings). That said, I'm glad you were able to move past it. I hope you enjoy whatever the future of the series has in store 🙏🏾 For me though, I can't get back on a ride I don't trust, lol.

[@ladygabes5558]

Ah, yes, the best character of the franchise.

[@jabrowney]

IDK how I just now pieced this together but KH3 ending is so good because YES, everyone FINALLY got to go to the beach!

[@gearvanguard]

It's so sweet and neat how Roxas is able to fulfill something he daydreamed with his friends both in the organization and data world

[@jabrowney]

@@gearvanguard RIGHT?! haha honestly made me boot KH1 back up and start another run xD

[@thirteenthhour370]

playing KH2 in 2007 or whatever I had all these pent up emotions about Roxas's character and plotline that I didn't have the words to explain, and would have to wait years and eventually a freaking DECADE to have addressed, let alone resolved! As an adult I do have the words and the literary analysis skills to describe those feelings. But I don't, because there's something about formative experiences of narratives that just overwhelm you. I can't move past those old feelings, I think about Roxas and it hits my feelings as hard as when I was like 12, and all my fancy words and literary skills I use at my job literally every day just fail me. I don't talk about Roxas. I don't think about Roxas. It messes me up. I've written research papers on Chaucer that messed me up less than Roxas does. So thanks for doing us all a favor and putting the words to those feelings for us. I've been eyeing this video for literally 2 years because I knew it would be good, but I knew I couldn't handle it. I can't say my feelings are resolved, but it's better to have listened to someone talk who GETS it. I feel like The Roxas Experience is just this collective gaming trauma for millenials & Gen Z haha. Like the Mass Effect 3 ending. If you know you know!

[@gearvanguard]

Thank you for both the kind words and for sharing your experience, I found it very moving and I could feel how special Roxas's story is to you. There's always been something indescribable about it that really hits home which makes it difficult to accurately share in words (maybe even impossible), so being able to talk a bit about it was really nice, in the video, with others and you! I do have a lot of new points I'm hoping to revisit in a new video. At the time I thought I had put everything I had into this, so it surprised me to realise how many more connections in Roxas's story I hadn't considered as time passed; truly a testament to how beautiful his journey is. I can only hope that I can do half the justice it deserves. Thanks again for your wonderful comment, humbled me to know you had been eyeing this video for so long!

[@spacecaptain7447]

I’ve been a long time fan of this series and I can say you did perfect. You perfectly explained everything in some way I’ve never even thought before. Can’t believe you don’t even have a 1000 subs man that was so well made in terms of the topic and the video itself 10/10. Sorry I’m 2 years late to tell you but thanks for the video and you get a well earned sub. Have a good one.

[@gearvanguard]

Thank you so much :) Don't be sorry, your kind words made my day, there will be more to come soon!

[@spacecaptain7447]

@@gearvanguard Im so glad to hear and i can’t wait👍

[@lightningman5094]

he made a new one recently

[@spacecaptain7447]

@@lightningman5094 thank you now I will watch it.

[@sonoxas7176]

8:56 These transitions are so unnecessarily seamless XD

[@gearvanguard]

The amv editor in me that I never knew I had couldn't resist bahaha

[@Rixec2]

Very deep and thoughtful, really getting to the heart of Roxas and his connections.

[@saxenart]

This made me cry, Roxas is my favorite character and I think I would’ve done the same thing even though it may not have been the best decisions he made sometimes, I know what it feels like to be confused about everything and even yourself. I think it’s impossible to make the right decisions if you don’t even know what’s going on and like Roxas, I have a strong sense of justice as well and wouldn’t just give up my life just because everyone around me tells me to. So much trauma and pain.

[@ghostfox13]

This is interesting, kingdom hearts originally had a very different ending planned compared to the ending we actually saw in the storyline. The ending had to be changed retroactively due to time constraints. In the original ending ansem was supposed to kill sora, then stand over his corpse and say "now i will become sora." Then he would transform into sora.

[@JabamiLain]

...Jesus Christ !

[@ElijahW2003]

I'mmmmm guessing that's just a weird joke.

[@djultima6169]

This was powerful! Great vid ❤

[@gearvanguard]

Thank you, appreciate it! :)

[@Sanimatez7865]

I know this was made 2 yrs ago but I have to say 8:59, that was a smooth transition👌

[@gearvanguard]

Thank you! The sentiment is appreciated :)

[@supermac8619]

I found this game in the bargain bin at Walmart in 2016. One of the best treasures i ever found, I don't have the game anymore but Roxas impacted me as a kid. One of the best sequels ever ❤❤❤❤❤

[@soloknight7197]

Roxas is Sora without the support system. They are way too similar to be considered different people. Sora is that bright 3pm Sun while Roxas is the twilight Also, Axel/Lea being treated as the same ruins the message

[@jeannepucelle]

Thank you, someone finally said it! There are also similarities Roxas to Ventus's personality too. Strip each personality trait from Roxas and he is a carbon copy of both Ven and Sora who have a natural real personality. Ventus had his own personality in two places with his first life in Daybreak town in Union Cross with his fellow keyblade friends that were facing destruction (he was quiet too back then and faced a lot of problems from being accused of actual murder, accidentally being possessed and murdered Strelizia, having to come to terms with being a keyblade leader which his quiet side wasn't ready for yet showed bravery when things got heated like Roxas was showing) and with Aqua and Terra in his second life in BBS (where he opened up a bit more and his bravery and boldness shown more than in Union Cross next to his kindness). No matter how many 'real' experiences you have, what matters is the personality of your soul or in this case the heart- who is the real you, the real personality. A experience may shape you in some ways but it's not the entire core of you. Sora and Ven have traits to their own personality but Roxas is just a fusion of them having no personality except for his experiences being with Axel, Xion and Namine, how he felt in the organization and his fake digital life with digital Hayne, Pence Olette and co. It also seemed when Roxas was brought back or looking to be brought back, Sora lost his bravery and boldness he had in KH2 and Roxas took that for himself leaving Sora very naive and dimwitted like in Dream Drop. He seemed to regain a bit of his KH2 side back in 3 but he still had damage from his silly side in DDD. When Roxas was back in KH2, he had that boldness and bravery than Sora originally had. Having Roxas 'be his own person' now breaks the plotline of having Sora be whole in KH2. When Roxas fused with Sora at the end in 2, Sora was complete again but if they are separate now, Sora isn't complete. His personality was rather weak and dull in DDD compared to his KH1, 2 and his brave/bold half in a part of 3. People just like Roxas based off his struggles with existence and coming to terms with it while Sora didn't go through that drama bs. I get it but if people compared and did a full analysis of Roxas from Union Cross and BBS to Sora in KH1, 2 and bit of 3, Roxas seems more like a mirror of the two. NOW Xion on the other hand, I felt sorry for and wondered if she was the same Xion from Days after she was brought back in 3 or was she a copy of Xion from Days thinking she was Days Xion? She may be a copy of Sora and Kairi but she was the one I felt for. Namine has traits from Kairi too which I am also upset about. Is Kairi a full complete person without Namine within her?

[@soloknight7197]

@jeannepucelle I would say they are complete. The only thing I hate is they expect us to see Roxas as separate from Sora, but Lea/Axel as the same person. All members of Org 13 needed to have that dilemma Like, Lea calling Sora "Roxas" everytime Sora mixed the cue. Remind did a positive thing by having Sora and Roxas swap places while in the replica In fact, it makes me wonder why we didn't see more Terra in Xemnas

[@kealintheknight9420]

Thats my boi. He deserves the world

[@offbrandheaven]

really good analysis man, wow.

[@gearvanguard]

Thank you, glad you enjoyed it :)

[@rox4945]

Roxas easily my favorite kh character and is one of my favorite game characters of all time

[@Platina_Leaf]

Roxas is my favorite and always will be

[@kingleonidas2182]

8:56 This transition is so fire

[@gearvanguard]

Thanks!

[@galakkun6071]

It was the power of the fandom that wanted Roxas back. And we succeeded 🎉

[@thatdangerguy5542]

Great analysis!

[@gearvanguard]

Thank you :D

[@treymykel]

I'm not going to lie while this analyst is so beautiful. I think Kingdom Hearts mistake was bringing back Xion Roxas and Nanime as their own bodies I would have just love to keep those characters inside of Sora and Kyrie since they are they're nobodies because it felt like Kingdom Hearts 2 understood the reunion of whole now what I would have loved if Roxas and Sora you know talk to each other on the spiritual plane and figure out how to release ventus from sora's heart that would have been more of an incredible journey than oh look we need Roxas and them back just because.

[@PikaboyDupainCheng]

Hey, gearvanguard, can you PWETTY PLEASE make a Ventus, Terra and Aqua analysis?!! I think I need it... Seeing how good your analysis are, I'm sure you can take so many things from there... PLEASE!!

[@gearvanguard]

Hey! Very flattered by your enthusiasm! I do have a lot to say about the wayfinder trio and hope to talk about them eventually! Unfortunately, it won't be anytime soon due to health issues and other projects, but once I get things sorted I hope I can deliver!

[@PikaboyDupainCheng]

@@gearvanguard ok, I can get the waiting behind those factors... Wish you well!!

[@ElijahW2003]

16:42 Isa: "I'm here too. :("

[@rajpatil3808]

I started Kingdom heart by playing 358/2 day first so like roxas far more than sora

[@ysabellarivera8166]

I JUST WANTED TO LISTEN TO SOMETHING WHILE SCRAPBOOKING, WHY AM I CRYINGGGGGGGGGG

[@gearvanguard]

My bad...

[@ysabellarivera8166]

@@gearvanguard its a great essay, man, you really did roxas and his friends justice, this is amazing

[@gearvanguard]

Thank you!! Makes me happy to hear :)

[@JabamiLain]

In "Days" notes, we find out Kingdom Hearts itself saw him and Xion as its parents, and was ready to power thwm, should they ask. If during 2, he had only bidden his time instead of attacking Sora over Axel...He was so close ! Gaining himself ! Instead, he settled for the depressed suicidal Witch. Kingdom Hearts could probably help her too.

[@nobleokami9746]

Relatable.

[@runemaster8656]

Genuinely bumped KH from a 9 in my book to a 12 holy shit

[@gearvanguard]

Glad to hear this!! Always happy to see people find new appreciation for a series I enjoy :) Thanks for checking my other stuff out. I do have some new thoughts on Roxas's story which I hope to revisit eventually.

[@runemaster8656]

@@gearvanguard I'll be there when you cook, king.

[@nekogamer2508]

7 weeks after Xion's "death" Lea Roxas and Xion reunite

[@IchiroSuzuki97]

Nomura n team really decided to put us through 2.5 hours of emotional damage to start off Kh2 like….. my mans WHY

[@Zxaparts]

i started playing all kingdom hearts games before kh3 was release back in 2018 i think i was able to finish all game and gotta say roxas really is the best character for me who has such a great story, not only that i also cried when the 3 gets united in kh3

[@TheUltimateNatural]

10:35 Is that treasured memories from Kingdom Hearts 2.5?

[@mikeyday6697]

The sea salt trio are a tragic sad group😢

[@yamisartstudio.7362]

❤

[@jackngo9338]

Still confusing axel went bacl to being human but still kept his name. Should not it apply to roxas and sora accepting that was roxas..

[@ghostfox13]

He developed a heart as a nobody and whenever he regains his original heart he probably identified with his time as a nobody, axel, on a more personal level so he kept his nobody name

[@rickyhuynh4641]

Quick question: Is Roxas like a son of Sora or brother of Sora? who is the mom? This gives me vibes of keyblade wielders like the Skywalker family.

[@paleopotato736]

Would it technically be Ventus since he's kinda the oldest and Roxas shares a lot of his physical traits?

[@elipticalecliptic481]

brother, I think; kinda like some sort of twin? Roxas's and Sora's relationship is a bit too complicated to be just labeled as fraternal imo

[@dreqdreck7531]

To Sora, "brother" would be the closest equivalent. To Ventus, "cousin" would be the closest equivalent, despite their identical appearance.

[@gamerxxgaming7075]

Son bc he spawned from sora

[@gamerxxgaming7075]

Kiri the mom and naminane is the sibling

[@jesserey6966]

9:04 TO!?

[@Ncholasbloom]

good video do you think kh3 kinda hurt his growth his arc in kh2 was about accepting himself as sora's other half however kh3 gives him a body of his own

[@gearvanguard]

I'm planning to make a video revisiting all this but in short, I don't think it hurt his growth personally. Yes, much of the story does deny the notion of Roxas being his own person, from Diz's rejection of his humanity, his nature as a "nobody", his artificial experiences in data twilight town to his acceptance at the end of KH2. But in 358/2, DDD, KH3 and even KH2, we see how flawed/incomplete these ideas are. Roxas is his own person, with his own memories and feelings that are some of the most emotional moments in the series, but the world rejected that, because "data" which we know doesn't tell the full story when it comes to the heart; look at Halloween Town KH1, Ansem SoD's defeat in KH1 and Diz's change of heart at the end of KH2. Sora eventually overcomes his dismissiveness of nobodies by understanding Roxas through the organization 13's misidentifying of him, the tears he shed but didn't know why and learning Roxas's backstory in DDD. Roxas and Xion gave into the flawed ideas and pressure of the world around them, accepting themselves as pieces of Sora, Sora showed them that they could be their own people as equal pieces of each other's lives.

[@sleepytime_analyst]

Roxas - X Sora

[@xblade149]

Do one about vanitas

[@gearvanguard]

If something comes to my mind I might (slowly going through the series at the moment). I'll likely wait and see since I believe we'll get more story moments with Ven and Vanitas in the future. No promises though!

[@tenderquirkydragon8643]

Oh, and Saïx is there too, I think. But we don't care about him

[@spritefroggy]

I just want to offer some criticism and suggest to practice your enunciation. You tend to slur certain words, and it can prevent some enjoyment.

[@gearvanguard]

Thank you for the polite criticism and suggestion, the thought of practicing hasn't crossed my mind. Hopefully I am able to improve.

[@maxsteel4934]

Honestly great video but honestly i think Roxas was a waste of character I'm sorry but i can't like him shion or Axel the idea of Nobody's growing hearts just sounds dumb to me again great video but i personally disagree Edit: Spelling

[@gearvanguard]

Fair enough, we can all have our own opinions, thanks for the kind words!

[@maxsteel4934]

@@theprincessofmultifandomhearts i don't think I will and yes they deserve the hate plus he's not a tragic hero he's a waist of space and time

[@CavemanNo.12]

"waste of a character" Bro he's literally the fan favorite character