"The 13th Struggle" Is a Perfect Boss Track

[@wicky7591]

The 13th Juggle.

[@ljeans531]

STOP ✋️

[@SnowheadBlitz]

This comment engaged my fight or flight response, *_c e a s e ._*

[@andrewhoff8782]

There are not many things I would declare deserve the death sentence, this however is one of them.

[@wicky7591]

​@@SnowheadBlitz Anger and hate are su-preme

[@thedrifter363]

Lol! Nooooo! Not the juggle!

[@Kaptain13x]

“So called because it has 13 members except for most of the time” made me literally laugh out loud. Shit was funny af😂👌🏼

[@Kamon181]

I had to pause and laugh for a minute, especially at the accompanying graph XD

[@darrienjones8917]

The thing is I don't think there is ever really a time that Organization 13 ever has just 13 members except, at the end of KH3 and that little bit of days before Xion shows up

[@GuardianAngelEatos]

@@darrienjones8917 Oh my goodness you're right! I never thought about that! How did I not notice that all these years?!

[@pippastrelle]

I love it because it shows it's not named after the 13 members they have but the 13 members they're aiming to collect as vessels for darkness!

[@lucasrojers336]

same. had to pause the video for a minute

[@kiryustrife7563]

"The first to run out of time is the loser." "I'm SO FLATTERED!" I love this soundtrack

[@Thechaosmaster1997]

"DANCE WATER DANCE!"

[@corgipants3840]

@@Thechaosmaster1997 "DAH DAH BEGONE!"

[@wiimaster54]

COME HERE I'll MAKE IT ALL STOP

[@kiryustrife7563]

@@wiimaster54 ¡Now BURN BABY!

[@yutosaki7771]

LIGHTNING

[@suena7288]

I had the pleasure of seeing/meeting Yoko Shimomura in person at Berklee when I attended, I got to ask her about this track during the Q&A and her response to my question about how hard it was to write was that it wasnt hard its just a lot of layers lol she's def a legend

[@JonathanBarouch]

Thanks so much for sharing, that's interesting and also hilarious

[@Bankai2169]

And that’s why she’s my favorite video game composer

[@maleksherif6196]

​@@Bankai2169 probably the best, too. She made the ost of super mario rpg, the whole mario and luigi series and all of the kh series

[@zesty4053]

"The piece isn't about feeling out of control, it's about having control taken from you" bro, that got me

[@CmogVT]

Yeah, I remember when I first fought Axel that's exactly how I felt. It was awesome.

[@ChaoGuy2006]

I think this is where the "evil clown" theory comes from. Clown music would emphasize (1) the subject is unpredictable, and (2) there's nothing that can stop it. Off-kilter and confident, the perfect formula for a "fool." Make it sinister, and it's less about a guy in baggy pants who's gonna trip, and more about someone that can cause a negative outcome to you and others. Depending what's added or changed then, and it can come across like a pack of vicious animals chasing prey, an army raiding a village- or a sinister group working from the shadows to bring about wide-spread chaos.

[@nebuvalon]

read this right when he said this wtf

[@philipmaclagan3024]

The clip of Axel’s “Two?!” Had my Cracking UP 🤣🤣🤣

[@reffa2858]

Its funny because Axel acts like he doesnt know Roxas has two keyblades when he saw them in 365/2 days.

[@yoseisovereign6728]

Did he? I thought he only used them in front of Riku

[@crazy13alex]

​@@reffa2858 No he didn't.

[@JonathanRiverafrickinnice555]

@@reffa2858 Roxas got two keyblades only AFTER he left the organization.

[@handsoaphandsoap]

@@reffa2858 Roxas' second keyblade only materializes after Xion's death scene whereas Axel sees Roxas for the last time right after he leaves the organization.

[@aidanisachair]

Never thought of the whole clown thing but I love it lol

[@skeletonking4119]

same!! hahaah

[@user-pv1qk4so6s]

I mean, the Nobody version of Darkside is a jester. You're pretty much queued up for that conclusion, on top of the first Organization member you encounter using a trick weapon (chakrams used like frisbees)

[@hctaz]

I think it absolutely makes sense. The Original Organization XIII felt like a group of clowns. Not in the “haha, they’re so funny” sense, but something about them always came across as… clown-like. Even down to their “fake” (retcon’d sorta?) emotions they portray. What do clowns often do? You’ll get sad clowns with tears under their eyes who pretend to be sad. Or overly happy clowns. A lot of clown makeup is basically designed to either look or allow the clown to exaggerate certain emotions and facial features. Big funny nose. Big colorful hair. Colorful clothing? Happy clown! Black and white makeup. No red nose. Bald clown. Tears under eyes? Sad clown. They were literally a diverse entourage of clowns masquerading their own fake emotions in different ways. They all put on extremely flashy shows as well based on their personalities and powers. Marluxia with his ominous scythe and classy roses. Axel with his hot temper and fiery aggression. Demyx and his like… I dunno he’s aggressive but damn if he doesn’t feel calm somehow. They’re all clowns.

[@fdmugen4724]

@J his hair us a hat. Youre a genius

[@devonm042690]

@@hctaz Which makes their Recusant's Sigil anagrams their stage names. ...Now I'm just left feeling off about Lea taking back the name Axel as a Somebody.

[@kokayinewsome9308]

I think the clown idea comes from the idea that most O13 members are TOYING with you. It's playful in a way because none of them take Sora seriously until it's too late. I see that happen in a lot of games. They mock you and you get melodies of creepy circus or playground music. Then it gets more dire and dark when they see you are literally a equal match for them.

[@JonathanBarouch]

I like that a lot. Yeah, a lot of comments have taken me out of the clown camp and into the theatrics camp.

[@kokayinewsome9308]

@@JonathanBarouch hah! I think if you consider people like Kefka or Zorn and Thorn in FF games it becomes clear who are literally psycho evil clowns. The O13 are villains but some aren't evil just for the hell of it. Dark. Cruel. Selfish. But not pure evil. More like arrogance and manipulative. Court Jesters, they are not.

[@DragonKingZero]

This could also be reflected in how when they DO take Sora seriously, it's usually accompanied by the more menacing "13th Dilemma".

[@kokayinewsome9308]

@@DragonKingZero exactly, I agree, near the end of the game, most of the O13 straight up fight to the death and music reflects that for sure. I hope In KH4 the new villains aren't as arrogant or heartless. Especially since they used to be the old master of the key blade war. I don't want them to be evil.

[@MystralThunder]

@@kokayinewsome9308Yeah no kidding! It's hard not to feel for the fellas who can no longer feel... their sacrifice was no small thing.

[@eorzeantours1565]

"Organization XIII, so called because it has XIII members except for most of the time..." is an underappreciate gem of a line and I cackled out loud.

[@MystralThunder]

Absolutely 100% for sure

[@kingstrojek9937]

The you know what nobody doesn’t mean is hilarious as well to me 😂

[@themagicalandmarvelousgeek6132]

I never thought clowns specifically, but I ALWAYS found them to be uncanny. The way they acted, the way they looked, and even they way they spoke “We have come for you my liege” . Heartless felt like your typical monster but Nobodies where eerie on a whole new level. With the Org. XIII, knowing what they are, it feels like the way they look is a facade and something truly horrifying is lurking underneath their skin. But that’s me though! Thank you for the amazing analysis!

[@killerqueenbitthedust]

Yeah they are surely humanoid but clearly aren’t humans yet they don’t act feral like heartlesses, it’s almost like they are trying to imitate what a human is like, like replicants

[@themagicalandmarvelousgeek6132]

@zachster2016 When I was a kid I thought he was funny and the exception up until I had to fight him in hollow bastion and he says “silence traitor” in a different tone. I didn’t see the next cutscene for a while lol. Even Sora thought the switch up was creepy or at the very least surprising. I really liked how they Handled Demyx.

[@kennethhubbard5963]

The "Two?!" cutaway gag at 9:16 had me CACKLING, excellent video.

[@Boomblox5896]

And the one at 9:20

[@Mariodash23]

Between Raiden and Axel, Quinton Flynn can never escaped being memed.

[@poketorr1517]

it definitely wasn't specifically "clowns" but I always did think this theme had a very playful theme! Especially larxene and luxord's takes on the theme in KH3! You can really tell the difference between their "playfulness" with the music: luxord's is organised and has a grand feel to it, meanwhile larxene's is even more frantic with the piano! Great video! :D

[@Cyfin]

My thoughts exactly! I was just about to comment that the vibe I always got off of the song was "playful" while still being menacing and overwhelming.

[@JonathanBarouch]

I totally agree! I love their arrangements, and definitely want to revisit them down the road. I like that... if not clowns, definitely playfulness.

[@beserkmaster]

I agree, especially with Luxord, since you're literally playing his own special mini-game within his fight. Larxene feels as if she's just toying with you, completely unaware that she's going to lose.

[@corrosive1376]

@@JonathanBarouch in a way I guess it's kinda how most of them are fools who are being tricked into getting norted. Buncha clowns indeed

[@3Balanced]

I was thinking something along the lines of putting on "acts" like clowns do, but instead of entertainment it's to pretend to have emotions again. They are quite playful acts though, which I suppose really fits this idea.

[@k.hizzle5376]

“It’s also called a semi tone…or a half step… or a minor second….music is fun” glad someone finally said something about the 500 different vocabulary words that mean the same thing in theory. It’s also very interesting how music can be used in reference to the mood surrounding something hence possibly foreshadowing it. “Pianos are just good at being sad” as a pianist I would have to agree. Great video all around.

[@JonathanBarouch]

In some cases, yeah, they're the same thing. But while you can say a perfect fifth = 7 semitones, it's not quiiiiiiiiite correct to say a perfect fifth = 7 half-steps. But they're interchangeable in a sentence like "The G moves down a semitone/half-step/chromatic interval, to an F#."

[@ariaofthe6strings230]

These things all share the same characteristic but the thing that defines them is different. Semi tones describe AUDIO Half steps describe note distance, in relation to audio A minor second describes the note distance (intervals, used to describe musical key note distance) in relation to the FIRST note in a chord. They all share a characteristic, but they’re genuinely DIFFERENT things. But yes, music is fun. It’s genuinely legos. You have your 1x1 starter brick, your 4x4 builder bricks, and the you get the 4x2 rectangle bricks. Eventually, you’ll get to a house or something (a song, if you will) but you have to know that each brick is different. They all share the same characteristic of being building legos, but each one is DIFFERENT! I hope I don’t sound like a jerk! I just wanted to clarify this as much as possible for anyone curious. I’m also not trying to assume and jump to conclusions! Cheers everyone!

[@emmaclarke9129]

Yoko Shimomura is an icon and a treasure.

[@SMCwasTaken]

We need her for the Pokemon series

[@syrelian]

"Its not about losing control, its about having control TAKEN AWAY" Honestly the moment you said that, I thought about all the Org 13 fights in KH2 and it Fits, each and every one of them controls the pace of their fight, not through being an impossible Force of Nature like say, Groundshaker or whatever the Mulan Heartless Boss was called again, but through constantly attempting to control the rhythm and pacing of the dance of battle Axel moves with a specific back and forth motion that is begging for you to misjudge spacing due to his painful close range attacks scaring you from a headlong charge, and get punished as he backsteps while launching his chakrams forwards, exaggerated in Axel 3 due to his ability to hide in the sea of flames for even more dramatic return swings Xaldin uses his long reach, wind barrier, and spear-constructed wyrm to force spacing control as well, albeit with a critical weakness due to Sora's agility Luxord literally rewrites the rules of battle to force Sora to play by His Rules, while he, as The House, can still just win normally by beating Sora to a pulp, and again, this intelligent control of space comes up with how he uses his cards as traps, shields, and weapons Saix forgoes some of this intelligent style, but still holds the pacing of the battle in his iron grip due to how much him going Berserk immediately forces you on the defensive till he opens himself up in his blind fury And of course, our favorite Sharpshooter Xigbar literally controls the shape of the battlefield, and only descends when Sora proves that taking potshots from his sniper nest isn't going to work, where he still toys with the pace of battle due to his dangerous charged bolts, his incredible offensive range both for having a goddamn gun, and for warping his position and the position of his weapon to strike from anywhere, as well as his disturbing resistance to letting Sora gain the momentum by flinching him, and his habit of hanging upside down above the ground, forcing Sora to leap into a more vulnerable state to strike him, while he retains his full abilities Oh and Demyx literally just tries to pester you with water clones till he can make his escape, and relies on a mobile harrying striking style if forced to actually engage, with lots of "get off me" movements (Not going to lie, I forgot who amongst them plays Dilemma instead but the dissonance and control echoes through still) The Organization is Powerful, Intelligent, and Strategic and those aspects create a sense of anxiety, fear, and Struggle that the dissonance embodies, the back and forth of trying to control the flow of battle creating a controlled chaos I could go into the other opponents, cause the Absent Silhouettes continue this domineering control, but they don't play Struggle anymore, they lost the Struggle at Castle Oblivion As for Organization Clownteen, I think while its not intentional, the resemblance is there, especially as you learn more about how fraught and nonsense their internal structure was getting, the hierarchy a pile of clowns held together by Xemnas' charisma and promises I think the part of reason it sounds Clownish is because of the way it uses dissonance to sound Unreal and Inhuman, a trait much more obvious when you add in 13th Dilemma and Tension Rising, and Clowns exist in that exact nadir of uncanny valley

[@handsoaphandsoap]

Struggle is mostly reserved for the Castle Oblivion crew, which is why we associate it the most with Axel. He's the first boss where the track plays in CoM and the only story boss in KH2 to use the track (with the exception of Luxord for some reason), since all the other CO members are dead at that point in the story. He's also the person who this track plays for the most; twice in CoM, twice in KH2's prologue, again in KH2 when you get him as a party member for that Nobody mob battle and then once again for his data battle. Dilemma is for the KH2 crew and then Reflection is, as far as I could tell, composed specifically for the CO crew data battles (aside from Axel's which, as I mentioned, uses Struggle).

[@muhammadamirraziqbinkamaro9576]

You drop this 👑

[@Lillymu961]

Axel's "Two?" will never not be iconic. Your discussion about modulation actually reminds me of this one song from Bleach called Alones by Aqua Timez. The song is a rock piece in a bright...I think C Major key and then right after the second chorus it randomly jumps to a Latin themed, almost sorrow inducing instrumental break in a totally different key then falls right back into the bright C key and rock feel with very little foreshadowing. While I love the song, the sudden shift is still bewildering to me. The clown section of this video was top tier comedy. I laughed a lot with this video in particular. It's definitely the funniest one so far. And it's still a really in-depth, thought provoking analysis too. Also Axel's purple tear marks could be a reference to clowns...maybe. It seems weird that he is the only organization member with a change to his face after becoming a Nobody. And him not having them was a minor plot beat in Dream Drop Distance and KH3, so...maybe Axel himself is a metaphor for a sad clown because of how easygoing and entertaining he is. He fights as if it's a performance, especially in Chain of Memories. He has a flair for the theatric but is still a highly emotional character with comedic flair. Never thought about any of that until today, but it makes sense. Since the theme is tied to Luxord and Larxene as well and they also have that flair for drama and gimmicks. Even Demnyx with his water clones... I could go on but I don't want to. The more I think about it the more it makes sense for practically every member of the Organization and I'm not emotionally prepared for that. What have you done, Jonathan! Great video. 10/10. Will watch again. God bless you!

[@JonathanBarouch]

Glad to throw your childhood memories into disarray! I just checked out that song, and yeah that's weird. Definitely takes a few measures to get back on track as a listener. Thank you for the good review! Interesting thoughts to think regarding Axel... I'm happy you liked it :)

[@hawtnspicyy]

Ngl that song been in my shuffle the past couple months, TYBW arc goin crazyyy and they brought back KON the star of the show!

[@ZeroX7649]

@@JonathanBarouch I think I can answer your Circus theory. The original GBA Chain of Memories was a very different game from RE:COM. The Organization was still fresh and new and in a way, yeah they did feel like a Dark Carnival. Mainly, Larxene, Vexen, Marluxia, and Axel all had a very significant amount of development and the dynamic these 4 had felt like a chaotic dark circus of sorts. There was no voice acting, so all Yoko had to go off of was loose designs and scripts and this is what she got from it. Chaotic and manipulative people who do things for their own purposes and nothing more. By KH2, the Organization is almost entirely different. None of the new members we get really have any development, Xaldin, Saix, Xigbar, and Luxord all kind of blend together with Demyx being the only stand out. They don't get as much focus, so we don't get those chaotic personalities showing anymore. They're completely robbed of their personalities and I think that's why 13th Struggle doesn't show up as much in KH2. RECOM has a similar problem with cutscenes being added and retooled. Both of these factors fundamentally change the organization. In my honest opinion, the Organization is NEVER as effective villains as they were in the original GBA Chain Of Memories. They simply aren't as interesting.

[@JonathanBarouch]

@@ZeroX7649 I didn't know there were changes between CoM and Re:CoM! But you're right, those four really do merge into one in KHII

[@ZeroX7649]

@@JonathanBarouch I think what added to it, as a kid I remember every single Organization fight being an absolute NIGHTMARE. The first ones were fine, but the second rounds? You simply didn't have enough tools at your disposal. Larxene could infinitely stun lock you. Vexen was harder to hit. Axel shredded through your hp. Marluxia was very difficult to avoid. Every time you fought an organization member, it was a daunting challenge and winning without over grinding wasn't easy. You just don't get that in KH2. The mechanics simply aren't the same. The KH2 group simply isn't as intimidating. This is also RECOMs biggest failings. The bosses are so trivial, the Organization doesn't stand out anymore.

[@TheCrimson44]

I didn't come to the "evil clown" conclusion, but I definitely felt that they were having a LOT of fun toying with Sora in Chain of Memories and that the song added to that feeling. It was like they never took him seriously, especially Larxene

[@ZeroX7649]

I think that's where this comes from. Especially the original COM when the song was written and scripts were all you could go off of. They all toy with their respective protagonists, so in a way, they do kind of feel like evil clowns. I'm sad Chain of Memories doesn't get the respect it deserves. I think it's plot is the strongest KH story we ever got.

[@Ramsey276one]

Unless they are clowns playing by the script of a certain someone…

[@ImBoyCryWolf]

I agree, it almost sounds like a corrupted melody from a musical toybox, and all of CoM is basically Sora losing his memories and effectively his childhood.

[@alexv0714]

@@ZeroX7649 I'm gonna need you to elaborate on "strongest plot we ever got"

[@ZeroX7649]

@@alexv0714 As far as narrative cohesion? Sure, the COM story is pretty clear start to finish. It never loses it's air of mystery until the end. The Organization is at it's best here. They're new and mysterious. You may not get this in the RE version because it doesn't have the same impact. The other games all are kind of an open ended narrative mess. The only one that comes close to a cohesive narrative is 365/2 Days. However, that all hinges on your ability to tolerate the game that long to get it.

[@Tornadith]

The line "...that give Axel and Roxas the two most compelling character arcs in the game, with no one in 3rd place." made me subscribe. Amazing video, most music analysis videos are bloated but this is amazingly well written and put together!

[@thundertwonk1090]

The song ALWAYS had that clown feeling since it always played during Axel fights and he (to me) has this "Crying Clown" motif with the bright red hair and teardrop* markings under his eyes. I always equate the song to hectic fights where there's just no visible rhythm and there's no sense of holding back or going all out, it's all pure instinct and it's wild and it's fun and it's stressful and insane and measured and it's all just pure violent bliss. It's the closest to match the wild, primitive feel of the Heartless themes.

[@royxeph_arcanex]

"This piece isn't about feeling out of control, it's about having control taken away from you". Goddamn this is surgical.

[@abrahamrendon6787]

Come to think of it, I could never put words into how a lot of Org XIII’s facial expressions seemed so much like they’re forcing emotion (ESPECIALLY XEMNAS’ in the final boss section) as uncanny valley until this video, thank you for giving me this realization

[@JonathanBarouch]

They're trying so hard to feel :(

[@robertmarsh5322]

Color me shocked you interpreted FORCED emotion from their faces. By lore this is correct as no nobody ever feels any emotion ever. All shown emotions are pageantry. I personally believe emotions or something similar can be cleaved from logic, thought, and agency. Always figured that was a direction org 13 was going it but never did. It was all about "nort"ing different people and then they all die.

[@ridleysomeliana-lauer5814]

@@robertmarsh5322nobodies DO feel emotion after a time, though. Not every nobody, obviously, but in canon if a Nobody discovers a sense of self and identity they regrow their hearts.

[@pixelbro99]

​@@ridleysomeliana-lauer5814Nothing makes a Nobody grow a heart like eating icecream together with their other Nobody companions. 😊👍🍡 Moral of the story: we may be the biggest nobodies of all; however, we can still share our lives with each other and thereby prevent ourselves from fading into darkness. 😊

[@adfeee9613]

@@robertmarsh5322 Bruh the comments in this KH video are absolutely savage why am I up at 4 in the morning

[@Skyehoppers]

Big fan of the colorful boxes, really helped me follow your points better than most music theory videos!

[@JonathanBarouch]

That's awesome to hear! I had fun making them, but wasn't sure how they would pan out. Thanks!

[@kaeleklund6728]

@@JonathanBarouch I second the above. This helps non-musicians follow along and grasp information being relayed pretty quickly.

[@andreavasile6388]

Same. When you where explaining it with the notes and lines, i was so lost. With the color boxes was easier understand it

[@ProjectDestati]

What an amazing breakdown. Thanks for this! Hope to hear more musical analyses from the KH series in the future

[@verylargemandarinslice8965]

Oh hey it’s you guys again, I’ve been wondering if you’re planning on making more music in the future or not, I also have no idea if you guys made more music analysis and connections like how darkness of the unknown sounds similar to Terra’s theme

[@JonathanBarouch]

Thank you!! Nothing on the calendar yet, but yes definitely more to come in the future.

[@red_haired_ken]

Just saying you have so many great lines in your script… 8:36 “this piece isn’t about loosing control, … it’s about having control taken from you.” 🥶🥶🥶coldest line in the video

[@Redamthe5th]

Im increasingly convinced that the reason i bought into caring about kh narritive for as long as i did was the genius of Yokos compositions. I think Kh as a series has always flourished off the imaginations of its fans. The music being one of the biggest contributors to this.

[@kylepgames3541]

I swear every KH fan got recommended this video LOL I can't wait for part 2!!!! Hopefully it's obvious how much we all loved this video, your narration, and over all vibes

[@kylepgames3541]

Also I felt the same with the clown thing, when I was younger I always thought of that whenever I saw Axel's teardrops

[@TheHardyboyz6197]

Fr thou (to the first part)

[@FriendofFantasy]

The 13th Struggle always made me feel like I was the boss' plaything. It always made me feel like I was on the back foot, and the boss knew something that I didn't. I was one wrong move away from disaster or one mistake away from them rolling me.

[@JonathanBarouch]

I love that!

[@No0wis]

When I heard the music I did definitely think "this is goofy and somewhat clown adjacent" but to me it was more of an addition to the chaos of the piece. The piece to me is very chaotic because of the way the tone is constantly changing. It feels like it's mashing a bunch of emotions together in a way that doesn't really make sense, almost as if a being with no emotions is trying to pretend that it has them. which fits really well with nobody's and org 13 in general. also "goofy and chaotic" fits axel very well, which is why I think a lot of fans have considered this his theme

[@JonathanBarouch]

Ohhhh I like that. That makes sense.

[@jedvalenciaa]

16:01 “CLOWNS don’t own the chromatic scale” took me out LMAO

[@megamillion5852]

I am so glad you never cut out that clown portion of the video, because that vibe was something I'd always subconsciously felt from the Organization! Even if it's an unintended coincidence, the feelings that come with the connection are art doing its damn job, and hearing you question it was tantalizing! Your analysis afterward was totally spot on. I'd like to add that the members' varied appearances and fighting styles contributes to the idea that they're a diverse circus act, performing in their own impressionable ways. They're framed as a sort of single unit underneath the cloaks, but that contrasts with their unabashed personalities when it's showtime. The 13th Struggle hammers this in by feeling like madness on a tightrope.

[@jimpachi98]

I totally get the evil circus thing. I've always gotten that feeling from 13th struggle. My theory is that it's just for the organization members with clown vibes: Demyx and Axel because they're doofuses and because Luxord plays card games (clownish behavior). Xemnas gets a little clowny during his second to last phase because deep down, he's the biggest clown of them all

[@YerbaMateo]

I appreciate that last sentence 😂 if you know you know

[@xacmashe3852]

Something very hilarious and fitting calling Xemnas a clown.

[@inrvrse_1xx0]

If anything, the clown/jester motif apply to Axel in a few different ways; Wikipedia describes clowns, jesters, etc. as characters who live in 'reverse' in relation to their surroundings. In comparison, he does embody this through his role in the narrative; Axel spent much of the plot from CoM and KH2 working against Organization XIII, masking his true intention from his colleagues and his feelings regarding the loss of basically all of his closest friends with charisma, a smile and a little bit of facepaint.

[@razorbow6803]

I’m so happy someone talks about this soundtrack and how complex it is, I’ve always loved this song more than any of the tracks but no one seemed to acknowledge it as much as other tracks.

[@TheFeriner]

oh wow I’m in love with the style of this video. perfect amounts of sarcasm, cynicism, informative graphics and distillations, all while delving thoroughly into a topic and not missing anything important. good shit

[@CelShadedMusicTheory]

It feels like this video was made for me specifically. I loved 13th Struggle so much as a kid that I would leave the game on pause during the first Axel battle and record the music on a cassette because our family wouldn't have internet for another, like, 6 years. I didn't know there was any other way to listen to video game music 😂 I liked KH1, but the moment I heard the melancholic piano section in this otherwise frenetic boss track, my perception of the emotional narrative changed and Axel became my favorite character. KH2 is still far and away my favorite game in the franchise for that reason, especially with the context of 358/2.

[@JonathanBarouch]

Axel is an AMAZING character :D

[@Sebb_Music]

This made me remember using my toy tape recorder when I was a kid to record my brother fighting Ansem (KH1), just to catch some of that sweet boss theme. I'm amazed I wasn't the only one with that idea haha. And same, even though KH2 was my first introduction to him because of skipping CoM, he instantly become my favorite (and so did 13th Struggle).

[@CelShadedMusicTheory]

@@Sebb_Music Omg, making me feel so validated rn haha. I listened to that grainy cassette so many times!

[@emashane7035]

God I love this game’s music

[@arrownaut]

I literally searched up the song to see this a little while down, posted 14 hours ago. I loved the video. A small detail with the multiple layers to the music also reminds me of the 'struggle' if you will, of the inner conflict of the organisation. I guess how Larxene uses clones could also reference the theme of multiple

[@JonathanBarouch]

Heeeey, serendipity! Glad you liked it. Yes that's true, the Organization members themselves are frantic, not just their victims!

[@aliceslab]

wow she is so talented. i cant even count the number of times her music was in my head for years. her spirit must be so beautiful.

[@rayekoehler7764]

I really enjoyed the comparison of Organization XIII to clowns!! I think you are onto something here!! Sora and gang do wear massively large clown shoes in comparison to the size of their bodies!! Although they’re not Organization XIII.

[@SamthePlayer]

Fucking thank you. 13th struggle has always been one of my favorite themes in all of KH, and I never hear people talk about it.

[@qurrywurst3915]

When i listened to the tracks i always thought "Evil Church". The thought of them actually being Evil Clowns is definitely a fun Idea

[@Fragmentsinfractals488]

Touched by the Sins of Darkness, and full of the Hallowing, the Heartless Juggalos doth Worship the Kingdom of the Hearts of Men. Separate become Whole, and One. Behold thy Heart , and Weep for it is not thine Heart , but the Heart of Darkness.

[@Lucerious92]

I mean the Organization could be considered a circus with everything Nomura uses them for. I’ll accept it haha. Great analysis though! I forgot the Final Mix soundtrack was different, I only played it once so I just have the original etched into my brain (it’s probably unhealthy how many times I played that game haha. I agree about the piano echoes. The chromatics of the whole thing just really make that sweet, sweet tension and a memorable melody. I’ll ask you more about it on the next stream!

[@jakeblonstein5894]

I used to work at a carousel, so I was having flashbacks to the loud calliope and its unique...charms. I definitely always got a sort of harlequin vibe from the nobodies specifically due to them moving around all wiggly like Voldo from SoulCalibur. Nobody lackeys are like the set dressing acrobats just contorting and doing flips on the side while the hooded members are the main act in the spotlight. Can't have too many main attraction divas in the same place though and that's where the infighting arises.

[@JonathanBarouch]

Damn it's been a while since I thought about Voldo! I totally agree with these observations

[@aidanklobuchar1798]

For the exact reasons you mentioned, I also always thought of this as carnival music. Probably why it ended up being so associated with Axel, who can be a bit mischievous and fiery. And why it works for Luxord as well.

[@spencer6030]

Oh please PLEASE do a deep dive on xemnas’ themes, the first two build soo well into one another, and the final one really makes it feel like the final struggle, « the end » of the adventure

[@RoseArcade]

I've always thought of the Org as a carnival of different people, not clowns specifically, but all of them are very much entertainers in their own ways

[@imlowkeybored]

lol its one of those things where "now that you metion it.." i def didnt want the vid to end tho gimme mooore!!

[@magicalmonoceros2407]

Every original Kingdom Hearts character is anime as hell. The way anime characters are written (particularly the melodramatic ones) draw an immense amount of influence in design, writing, and performance from kabuki theatre. The spirit of what Organization XIII is as a presentation is absolutely in the ballpark of clowndom.

[@ivvy1221]

Nicely done; my dissertation experiment (2022) engaged modal cadences and word associations, and we discovered that the concepts of awe and heroism come to mind with certain transformations (specifically by 4th, major to minor or minor to major) that are only found in Dorian and Mixolydian cadences*. Also, the power of chromatic action, as you propose here, in creating mystique and tension. It would be far too much to put in a comment congratulating you on such a great video. Topic Theory and music cognition and perception are awesome, and I hope to see more of your papers in the same fields, because there are certainly academics citing your videos out there ;) *Yes, all scales and chord systems can do this, but the specific transformation by 4th to a "tonic" or home sound is found only in the Dorian and Mixolydian cadences ( IV to i, and v to I respectively). Top tier analysis using common language without academic elitism! 100% recommending to my compatriots and colleagues.

[@fotnite_]

It's been YEARS since I've heard the "Two?" reference, and even longer since it originally got stuck in my head. Excellent video.

[@PegglesTube]

You deserve way more views- this is a fantastic video essay on an absolute banger of a song. I’m a Xemnas clown truther now

[@JonathanBarouch]

You just gave me a t-shirt idea if I ever have merch.

[@theargawalathing]

@@JonathanBarouch Do it! I want to politely antagonize people who like KH(please don't take this too seriously)

[@JonathanBarouch]

@@theargawalathing I also do tbf

[@GreenRequiem]

That was just a phenomenally detailed analysis, and very well-thought out!! There are so few musical analyses for the KH games on youtube, and this was exactly what I've wanted to listen to for years. Really glad you talked about the purposeful instrumentation--I'd never thought of the track as a clown-adjacent piece before hahah. Also very happy you brought up the musical references in the track--from the Sacred Moon choir, to the chromatic lines that litter many of the themes in CoM, to the presence of the Org XIII theme being newly inserted into the KH2 version of the piece when Sora finally learns who the antagonists for this arc of the story are. The commentary about the descending lines was really fun to listen to--this track always made me think the Org were just a bunch of loons who were losing their mind being told that they were in some perpetual state of nonexistence! The only fun new thing I'd add is that the bassline in blue at 19:57 is also referenced again in "Scythe of Petals", the final boss battle in original-CoM--which is such a cool way to tie the normal battle theme to the final boss theme and give both pieces this great feeling of consistency. This actually even extends further into KH2 where pieces of "The 13th Struggle" melody and bassline are used at the start of "Darkness of the Unknown"s second movement, wrapping everything together and giving "The 13th Struggle" this amazing sense of deep-rootedness to the identity of "organization battle". I really loved listening to this video. Hope you'll do more breakdowns like this in the future!

[@JonathanBarouch]

Oh you're totally right! I didn't notice because in 13th Struggle the line rises instead of staying level, but yeah same rhythm and voicing in all three tracks. Thanks for that! I would love to do more KH videos in the future. It's just a matter of time.

[@fchef8370]

I feel blown away hearing “13th Struggle” as one of the most overlooked songs. It is so god damn good.

[@Beeeeeyourself]

Okay but this analysis is stellar. So many soundtrack analyses on this website have either mediocre theory analysis, or mediocre plot theme analysis, often both. I expected to find that here and I'm so happy I was wrong please keep making shit

[@dylandevore9047]

I'm a simple man. You made a good video essay, I find it 9 months later, I subscribed. its that easy.

[@damnitsrj]

Love this analysis breakdown of The 13th Struggle! Would love to hear you talk about the other Org XIII tracks too!

[@JonathanBarouch]

I'm writing it down as an "eventually!"

[@riccardoromanelli98]

@@JonathanBarouch 13th Dilemma would be perfect, in case ❤

[@JonathanBarouch]

@@riccardoromanelli98 noted!

[@MasonicMafia]

@@JonathanBarouch Oscurita Di Xehanort is the ultimate KH boss track. Check it out

[@yoseisovereign6728]

The official name for that is Forza Finale :)

[@Sebb_Music]

I've always loved the emotional piano break since the very first moment I heard it, and it made this theme my favorite track out of the OST back then. Before KH2, you didn't get to know about Roxas' and Axel's story yet. All information the player had was Namine mentioning that the two were friends, which Roxas didn't even believe at first. But then you hear this piano break in the middle of their climactic fight and you instantly understand they had a deep bond. It's like listening into Roxas' feelings: First it's frantic from the shock of fighting a strong mysterious man in an arena of flames. Then it takes a second to breathe and reflect on obscured memories of a deep friendship. But soon the calm Organization motif representing these memories shifts and sounds like it's being "corrupted" in a way. Faint memories of Roxas turning on the organization, destroying the friendship and causing Xemnas to order Axel to take out his former best friend. Then it drops back into the energetic part, as in this life or death situation there wasn't any more room for getting distracted by feelings. I love pieces of music that are able to achieve so much emotional storytelling without words. It's perfect foreshadowing for KH Days where their story is explored.

[@KyleRavenborn]

Okay, about the clown thing, I didn't but a friend did. I wrote a song while deeeep in kh2 hype, and my friend said "wait wait, slow it down.... like hear me out slow the tempo... why are you writing evil clown music?" And I cannot unhear it.

[@Lehem_Drill]

13th struggle and tension rising are the best boss tracks I've heard in my life hands down

[@Xahnel]

I've always loved this song, I can't believe it's considered underrated. The entire Nobody section of the KH2 album is something I love. Sacred Moon is so beautiful and so tragic and so broken. I used to go to TWTNW and just hang out by the skyscraper, listening.

[@Cloud-zp2mv]

the clown assimilation was so funny, but makes so much sense! would love to see you cover other kh songs (i personally love the character themes, especially riku's and roxas')

[@JonathanBarouch]

I'll probably do Roxas sometime soon-ish! I've gotten a few requests for that one. So glad you liked the vid :)

[@Cloud-zp2mv]

@@JonathanBarouch looking forward to it!!

[@lolerbates]

Riku's and Roxas' themes are my favorite too. Also Xion.

[@JonathanBarouch]

@@lolerbates noted!

[@theboulderboulded5776]

damn, this is the best video essays on a battle theme from a 2000's JRPG that has you playing as a spiky haired anime boy with baggy pants who defeats edgelords in black cloaks I've ever seen. Fr tho this video is fire

[@Shingatsu279]

Like someone mentionned in the comments : the Clown thing maybe a thing about the deception from the Organization Members who use the theme. After KH3 Remind, I also think it's a forshadowing for the humans behind the Clown face/mask for those specific 3 members who use the Theme and that you show in the video : Axel was an enemy (the Clown) who is actually your friend (the human) Larxene is a bully throughout all the games (the Clown) but she has a big soft spot and is actually caring for someone (the Human) Luxord always took your friends away before a fight (KH2 & 3) but actually wants a fair game with a great opponent and maybe look for a partner for someone else (the Human). The fact that those 3 all have this duality gave them extra reasons to get the special versions (or the right on the first use in KH2 for Axel). I will end on this : Your Video was great and gave me another POV on one of my favorite tracks in the series :D Thank you very much :D Will look forward the next one :D

[@mistersnaxor5628]

Ugh I love your analysis of this, I’m a music teacher who grew up with kingdom hearts. So I just loved all the visuals and theory talk and how you tied it to the game.

[@sauceque_476]

God I haven't look at music in this way since like middle school, to have all of that knowledge rush back + learning a ton more tied in with kingdom hearts had me giddy the entire video. I couldn't stop audibly going "OHHHHHHHH THAT'S SO COOL". Great Job, I really hope to see more of this type of content again from you soon! I also really loved your editing as well and huge props on the color break down to help with visuals too!

[@bagelbagelwah5047]

Woah, thanks so much for this video! I've been trying to compose some indie game music for a while, but I never formally learned music theory due to it never being taught in a way I found interesting. It's really nice to hear an analysis on a song I already know, and presented in an easily digestible way! It inspires me and helps me think of ways I could improve. Good work!

[@JonathanBarouch]

The main reason I make these videos is to reach deeper listening experience, but understanding this stuff is absolutely a great study guide for original compositions as well! Good luck!

[@tobluetoblack]

Without question, one of best OST's from KH and my favorite battle music. It is so frenetic and hypes you up for a real fight.

[@GayRiku]

I'm a fan of Yoko Shimomura and the KH soundtracks, but this song is one I often overlook. I'm only 9 minutes in, and I'm already thoroughly convinced that this song is tight - there are so many things about it that I liked but didn't know how to properly put into words or understand. Thank you for this video and bringing this to my attention!

[@turobot8803]

The cadence of your delivery with the injection of the music gave me goosebumps. Wonderful video!

[@aurumarma5711]

3:35 "With no one in third place" You're roasting Sora harder than Axel's data fight.

[@noonespecial1333]

"A gaggle of Disney villains" isn't a quote i knew I needed.

[@goodie2shoes874]

Now I’ll never think hear this track and not think about brooding existential clowns

[@JonathanBarouch]

You're welcome

[@Magnymbus]

It's not that they're clowns, it's that they're puppets, and puppeteers of the protagonists. Puppet operas and old animatronic wagons used pipes and glockenspiels as well, specifically because they're way simpler to make mechanical players for. Hell, there's probably something with the whole mechanical\automaton thing.

[@couchpotato3197]

Nice connection. This makes more sense than clowns, but oddly enough Pinocchio was supposed to be in Days probably because of the puppet metaphor. But Pinocchio is a puppet who ends up in a giant circus too. So both work together. Too bad it couldn't be done in Days.

[@JonathanBarouch]

That's the first time someone's said that I think, I like it!

[@LevinSety]

Wow, absolute 10/10, had my full attention the entire time! Thank you for explaining music theory to me at a level that I never had the patience to understand it and also making me appreciate KH music even more

[@Mysticist]

As someone who is 100% convinced Sora and the Sortas are based on the God Hermes I mad respect you putting out your Organization 13 are clowns theory and while I won't say it's something that occured to me before I do see the idea you're going for. I mean Axel has literal clown makeup on.

[@xavierchavez5734]

Thank you for justifying my obsession with this song.

[@elena8953]

Yey I'm early today!! I can't watch the video right now, but I'm glad to see another update from you. I'll watch it with friends later, and hopefully we can discuss it in livestream later tonight!

[@nazumi012]

i was just playing Re:CoM and I swear I could not get enough of this track. It's just so good. also i didn't even notice the sacred moon motif there. honestly amazing how well thought out this track is

[@Photopassprincess]

This is literally one of my favorite videos. I keep coming back to it because it’s so interesting to remember each point when relistening to 13th struggle

[@couchpotato3197]

You might be onto something woth the circus theme. In KH3 Twilight Town actually has a circus if you look at posters on the wall. In Days a full Pinocchio level was planned, the mobie about a puppet going to Prankster's Paradise with a circus. (Instead we got it in DDD) The monster Nobodies are so acrobatic too with pale skin. It's really vague and subtle but it seems like something is there.

[@kdot105]

I never thought anyone else would get the “circus” vibe from these songs and IM SO GLAD YOU DID 😭 I FEEL SO VALIDATED

[@PhinSanders]

Funnily enough, I have also thought that the 13th Struggle sounded eerily playful, but to me it was more evocative of something like a marionette, or more accurately a puppet master. An entity that's pulling the strings from out of sight. And considering how Xemnas has literally referred to organization 13 members as “puppets”, I personally think the 13th Struggle reflects how those you encounter during the theme are merely the pawns or puppets of a greater threat. Equally, both Sora and Roxas are heavily manipulated by the organization during CoM and KH2 so the theme could also be suggesting that YOU are unknowingly having your strings pulled. The musical comparisons you've made and the ties to the uncanny valley are still absolutely correct, because puppet shows are also prevalent at the circus and marionettes are also often uncomfortably uncanny. Great video by the way! A real interesting watch!

[@Gryzeus]

Phenomenal video, the blocks are a fun way to follow the music. Only note would be that I wish you had referenced the music in the KH1 Final Mix secret ending as being the first place we heard the Organization 13 theme, it makes it tie into Roxas even deeper.

[@JonathanBarouch]

I had no idea, I've never seen that ending! Aw, darn. Fake Kingdom Hearts fan, confirmed. I'll show myself out.

[@MesserMusic]

@@JonathanBarouch yeah it also includes parts of 13th Dilemma and show down at hollow bastion

[@whitelioness87]

As a music junkie as well as being a proud owner of hard copy cds of BOTH KH and KH2, this video gives me more joy than you could ever know!!! Those three chromatic intervals you demonstrated on the piano…🤤🤤🤤…I could listen to just that section on loop for an hour straight! Bravo on your detailed breakdown of the brilliant composer’s efforts!! This track has always been my favorite…and thanks to you, I know why.

[@victorcastillo521]

Ok ok yes everything here in this video was great but I need to get off my chest YOU ARE AMAZING AT EVERYTHING U DO HERE. I wish u has more like this I love the humor the editing and the passion . U deserve more viewers keep it up brother

[@loregasmic]

I remember being so hype when this theme started playing when fighting Axel in Twilight Town.

[@ThyHarvesting]

Roxas' "was that supposed to be a joke? Cuz I'm not laughing!" quote just got a whole other meaning with that clown theory 🤔

[@ratkatattack2758]

This is such a fantastic analysis, I loved getting to hear the music theory behind the track explained! The clowniness of the theme is so true lol - I loved growing up with the game and as I gained more music education, this theme always fascinated me because of how different it was from other tracks that were motifs for the original worlds and main storyline. Organization XIII reminds me a little bit of The Phantom Troupe from Hunter X Hunter, another menacing but compelling group with a more direct connection to a circus troupe, and like many other people have mentioned, it's pretty fitting that this theme is used for the "performers" of the Organization, like Axel, Larxene, and Luxord!

[@JonathanBarouch]

It really is unique in the soundtrack! I'm not familiar with Hunter X Hunter, but yes, I think it's no coincidence which Organization members are linked with this track most often.

[@alexok37]

Just gonna comment to feed the youtube algorithm, seems like really incredible content. Music geek, KH geek, my kind of guy

[@IngoLingoAnimations]

This is my favorite KH song and I love the Organization boss fights. Thanks for covering it.

[@Numba003]

Thank you for this excellent analysis! It makes me happy to hear more Kingdom Hearts music too lol. That last fight between Axel and Roxas is always so sad to me. Axel is just so hurt by everything going on. Anywho, thanks again! God be with you out there everybody! ✝️ :)

[@jkdy84273]

First, this was awesome. Subbed. Second, I really like the clown angle. As I was watching, it struck me that the 13th Struggle is associated with the back-stabbing, more chaotic members of the Organization in Castle Oblivion (and Luxord). But those higher up in the Organization - your Saixes, Xaldins, and Xigbars - get the 13th Dilemma instead. That piece seems less chaotic, and perhaps the idea is that those Organization members are more in line with Xemnas's vision - the "organized" part of the Organization? Maybe I should dust off some of the old music theory books and take a look... Anyway, awesome job.

[@JonathanBarouch]

Yes, I totally agree with you! I don't think that's a coincidence at all.

[@bobbackwards8481]

I've always associated this theme most closely with Axel, as he's the first boss to use it in both CoM and 2. And with 4 encounters across both games, he is the org member you fight the most unless you count each Xemnas phase separately (and even then he uses different themes.) Axel has almost all of the characteristics of a clown: he's always cracking jokes, moving in erratic ways even during fights, has huge red hair, and even has those little tear drop marks on his cheeks which I've seen on a few clowns back in the day. He even fights by juggling chakrams, which bear some resemblance to those rings clowns will spin on their arms and do tricks with.

[@AyoubJezine1990]

"reminds of a carrousel?" maybe because KH plot is an endless cycle and the nobodies actually got back to where they started (like spinning on Nomura's hands) jokes aside, I never noticed that comparison, nice video, bro!

[@kyomuryuu]

the clown part caught me completely off-guard, lmao. and while i didn't ever think of the organization as an evil circus or something, i do remember thinking that they sometimes act very foolishly. more than clowns, i'd say they're a bunch of jesters or fools. also, i would like to say that i am in no way a musical expert, so when your explanations about the various part of this piece made sense to me, i was shocked. congratulations :)

[@JonathanBarouch]

I'm thrilled to hear that! Yes, comments about jesters and theatricality have definitely convinced me that that's the metaphor, not clowns.

[@Depth217]

Ever since 2008 I’ve been bumping The Thirteenth Anthology from Drammatica, especially the portion of Thirteenth Struggle. So in 2020 it really hit home to hear the epic orchestral version from Larxene’s Limit Cut fight. So much storytelling with one single boss track.

[@demp11]

This is by far my favourite boss theme, because if you know the history of roxas and axel and hearing that song in kh2 in the fight against him, makes it soo emotional

[@mochhhhee]

This video is superb. Your writing of the script is sharp and complicated musical terms are masterfully explained. You gave me more reasons to absolutely adore Yoko Shimomura. And, let's not forget, EVIL CLOWNS 🤣🤣🤣 Honestly I've thought of Axel as a clown, who hasn't, but they're all a circus lol. Not even in the mocking way! A circus is entertaining and chaotic but needs structure and planning to be work. What am I even saying! This is great 😂

[@astrisperspecto4130]

"A bunch of evil clowns in robes" is, at it's core, the *perfect* description of Organisation XIII

[@alexanderriku9716]

Listening to The 13th Struggle now and I ended up on your video, I can't express how great it feels to hear another person so passionate about KH music!