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Kingdom Hearts Insider have been busy translating content from the book, and so far, they have translated two interviews and an explanation of the game's Secret Reports. You can read the first interview here, and the other pieces below.
At the same time as giving us the answers to riddles previously talked about, 358/2 Days raised countless points of foreshadowing about Birth by Sleep. Looking at the scenario itself, and the whole "plan", we asked Mr. Nomura about the more difficult parts of the story. (Interviewer: Yuuko Oono)
-- The "Replica Plan" that was the key to this game, was it begun with Roxas' entry into the Organisation?
Nomura: No, earlier than that. Originally Vexen was working privately to advance the research on Replicas, but for the Organisation's goal of completing "Kingdom Hearts of people's hearts" they needed to use the Keyblade to recover hearts, so they switched to this plan of copying the Keyblade hero. As for who was or wasn't told about the "Replica Plan", that depended only on their different missions.
-- Xigbar wasn't told about it, but he seems to have found out on his own.
Nomura: Even in Final Mix+, Xigbar was probing Zexion about the "Room of Awakening" - he was investigating various things on his own. He will be talked about again in Birth by Sleep.
-- Xion looked like "him" in Xigbar's eyes (see here), so why did he also treat her as a girl?
Nomura: First of all, Xigbar didn't always see Xion as "him", it's more like he appeared just at that moment. He always sees Roxas treating her as a girl, so he just goes along with that. There's no need to give Roxas doubts, and the way he called her "Puu-chan (Doll)" from the start was just joking around, typical for a guy like him.
-- Roxas and Xion collapse several times in the story, is this because of Sora's influence?
Nomura: Roxas has been existing closely with Sora from the start, and directly feels the influence of Sora's present conditions. Afterwards that tendency appears in Xion too. The two of them are sharing Sora's power, so if on the one hand one of them gains a lot of power, the other's body weakens and they collapse. It's a relationship that is only practical if kept perfectly in balance. (See box below.)
Roxas and Xion's incidents
Day 26: Roxas faints
-- In order for the changes in Sora's memories to progress.
Day 74: Xion becomes unable to use the Keyblade
-- As a counterbalance to the power absorbed when Roxas awakens.
Day 193: Xion, having been defeated by Heartless and gone to sleep, wakes up, then during a mission collapses, but soon gets up again.
-- While she was asleep Sora's memories continued to flow into Roxas. Due to the memories being reconnected.
Day 297: Roxas faints
-- A result of going to Castle Oblivion, where Sora is sleeping, and getting too close to his "true form".
-- Why does Xion become able to use the Keyblade again on day 96?
Nomura: This was less due to her doing missions together with Roxas every day, and more due to using his Keyblade. She was able to once again copy his power. At this moment, the two of them were perfectly in balance.
-- Xion is in a similar position to the Riku Replica of Chain of Memories, but unlike him, she is unaware that she was artificially created, and the path she finally chooses is completely different.
Nomura: The Riku Replica was modelled on Riku. With Xion, she becomes like the Kairi of Sora's memories. But rather than saying she was initially created to imitate something, it's more like she was a special case, born primarily to absorb Roxas' powers and evolve. It was intended right from the beginning of development that Xion and Roxas would eventually fight, but we had wondered about how to depict the conflict with Xion that would lead to this. At first I came up with the plot that would go like that of the Riku Replica, where Xion would insist that she was the real person and fight with Roxas. But many of the staff were of the opinion that Xion should stay as a nice girl, so when we were changing the scenario I rewrote it into its current form.
-- On day 356, after Axel brought Xion back, Xemnas took her away. Did something happen to her that caused her to attack Roxas the next day?
Nomura: No, because of what she had learned, she already knew what Xemnas expected of her. But because she had no choice but to go along with his plans, she knew she had no choice but to be defeated by Roxas. The reason why Xemnas took her away was so that he could give her a more powerful “body”.
-- On day 322 Saix says, “In a few days the three machines will be in operation.” Was he talking about the machines that appear in the fight with Xion?
Nomura: Yes. They used them to absorb the memories from the places Sora had visited. These memories were sent to the “body” that Xemnas gave Xion, and amplified her power.
-- The last thing that Xion asked Roxas was to “Set free Kingdom Hearts.” Was this due to Sora and Kairi’s memories?
Nomura: Yes. At Xion’s core are Sora’s memories. And so what he felt, that the world’s order should be maintained, she also felt. But Sora doesn’t know anything about the Organization’s plans yet, so strictly speaking this is not exactly Sora’s feelings. The hearts freed from Heartless must return to where they came from, but if they are captured by the Organization they will not return to the body they are supposed to, so it is the same as if the Heartless took them. And that is what we saw in Kingdom Hearts II. Xion knew this, but she didn’t have time to explain it to Roxas.
-- When Roxas tries to do what Xion has asked of him, Riku hears Xion’s voice asking him to stop Roxas. Why?
Nomura: First he have to look at things in order. First, the reason why Roxas throws a keyblade to Riku, and we then see a vision of Xion, is that there is a small remaining part of Xion in Roxas that wants to stop him, and makes him take those actions. The name of the keyblade that is given to Riku suggests that it has something to do with Xion. Xion wants Roxas to set Kingdom Hearts free, but doesn’t want him to face Xemnas right now. She sees that he would most likely lose. So she begs Riku to stop him.
-- She also had asked Axel to protect Roxas. What was her aim in doing that?
Nomura: Even though in the end both of their fates was to return Sora’s memories and disappear forever, on day 356 she said to Namine “I think things will soon be difficult for Roxas.” Until that time came, she wanted Axel to protect him from Xemnas.
-- Namine tells Riku that in order for Sora’s memories to be restored, both Sora’s Nobody and Xion must no longer exist. So he takes it on himself to defeat them, but when he and Roxas fought, was that the first time he had realized that Roxas was that Nobody?
Nomura: Riku only realizes it when Roxas takes off his hood and he can see his face, and he responds to his call. Until then he only half believed. When he first met Xion, he didn’t think that she was Sora or Kairi’s Nobody, and it was the same with Roxas. When he first saw Roxas, he had no proof of who he was. So that’s why he lost to Roxas, he was surprised at him using a real keyblade rather than an imitation like Xion's, and he called out to him. Part of Riku didn’t really want to believe that his best friend really had a Nobody.
-- So at the start of the Replica Project they didn’t have plans to get rid of Roxas?
Nomura: That's right. Originally the plan was to keep their power in balance. If it had been maintained, there would have been no need to get rid of one of them. But in the end Xion began absorbing too much power, and so they no longer needed Roxas. Xemnas had nothing to do with the plan, however, and only the people below him were concerned with it. Xemnas only cared that Kingdom Hearts be completed. Originally the Castle Oblivion plan was to use both Roxas and Sora, but since that changed it would be equally convenient to wait until Sora woke up in Kingdom Hearts II and use him then.
-- In the end Roxas is able use two keyblades. Is this because he now has Xion’s?
Nomura: Well, it isn’t that Roxas has physically inherited Xion’s keyblade, but more that Xion has awakened it within Roxas. In the KH series there are a lot of complex reasons why someone can use a keyblade, but basically you need a “heart” to be able to wield one. So strictly speaking, they are being influenced by Sora. At the present I can’t say more than that, since it would go into whether or not Roxas has a heart. And there is also a part that has to do with Xehanort’s memories. This time there were connections to the Kingdom Hearts secret movie, and the time will come when this will have a clear connection as well. You’ll just have to ask me then.
-- The "Replica Plan" that was the key to this game, was it begun with Roxas' entry into the Organisation?
Nomura: No, earlier than that. Originally Vexen was working privately to advance the research on Replicas, but for the Organisation's goal of completing "Kingdom Hearts of people's hearts" they needed to use the Keyblade to recover hearts, so they switched to this plan of copying the Keyblade hero. As for who was or wasn't told about the "Replica Plan", that depended only on their different missions.
-- Xigbar wasn't told about it, but he seems to have found out on his own.
Nomura: Even in Final Mix+, Xigbar was probing Zexion about the "Room of Awakening" - he was investigating various things on his own. He will be talked about again in Birth by Sleep.
-- Xion looked like "him" in Xigbar's eyes (see here), so why did he also treat her as a girl?
Nomura: First of all, Xigbar didn't always see Xion as "him", it's more like he appeared just at that moment. He always sees Roxas treating her as a girl, so he just goes along with that. There's no need to give Roxas doubts, and the way he called her "Puu-chan (Doll)" from the start was just joking around, typical for a guy like him.
-- Roxas and Xion collapse several times in the story, is this because of Sora's influence?
Nomura: Roxas has been existing closely with Sora from the start, and directly feels the influence of Sora's present conditions. Afterwards that tendency appears in Xion too. The two of them are sharing Sora's power, so if on the one hand one of them gains a lot of power, the other's body weakens and they collapse. It's a relationship that is only practical if kept perfectly in balance. (See box below.)
Roxas and Xion's incidents
Day 26: Roxas faints
-- In order for the changes in Sora's memories to progress.
Day 74: Xion becomes unable to use the Keyblade
-- As a counterbalance to the power absorbed when Roxas awakens.
Day 193: Xion, having been defeated by Heartless and gone to sleep, wakes up, then during a mission collapses, but soon gets up again.
-- While she was asleep Sora's memories continued to flow into Roxas. Due to the memories being reconnected.
Day 297: Roxas faints
-- A result of going to Castle Oblivion, where Sora is sleeping, and getting too close to his "true form".
-- Why does Xion become able to use the Keyblade again on day 96?
Nomura: This was less due to her doing missions together with Roxas every day, and more due to using his Keyblade. She was able to once again copy his power. At this moment, the two of them were perfectly in balance.
-- Xion is in a similar position to the Riku Replica of Chain of Memories, but unlike him, she is unaware that she was artificially created, and the path she finally chooses is completely different.
Nomura: The Riku Replica was modelled on Riku. With Xion, she becomes like the Kairi of Sora's memories. But rather than saying she was initially created to imitate something, it's more like she was a special case, born primarily to absorb Roxas' powers and evolve. It was intended right from the beginning of development that Xion and Roxas would eventually fight, but we had wondered about how to depict the conflict with Xion that would lead to this. At first I came up with the plot that would go like that of the Riku Replica, where Xion would insist that she was the real person and fight with Roxas. But many of the staff were of the opinion that Xion should stay as a nice girl, so when we were changing the scenario I rewrote it into its current form.
-- On day 356, after Axel brought Xion back, Xemnas took her away. Did something happen to her that caused her to attack Roxas the next day?
Nomura: No, because of what she had learned, she already knew what Xemnas expected of her. But because she had no choice but to go along with his plans, she knew she had no choice but to be defeated by Roxas. The reason why Xemnas took her away was so that he could give her a more powerful “body”.
-- On day 322 Saix says, “In a few days the three machines will be in operation.” Was he talking about the machines that appear in the fight with Xion?
Nomura: Yes. They used them to absorb the memories from the places Sora had visited. These memories were sent to the “body” that Xemnas gave Xion, and amplified her power.
-- The last thing that Xion asked Roxas was to “Set free Kingdom Hearts.” Was this due to Sora and Kairi’s memories?
Nomura: Yes. At Xion’s core are Sora’s memories. And so what he felt, that the world’s order should be maintained, she also felt. But Sora doesn’t know anything about the Organization’s plans yet, so strictly speaking this is not exactly Sora’s feelings. The hearts freed from Heartless must return to where they came from, but if they are captured by the Organization they will not return to the body they are supposed to, so it is the same as if the Heartless took them. And that is what we saw in Kingdom Hearts II. Xion knew this, but she didn’t have time to explain it to Roxas.
-- When Roxas tries to do what Xion has asked of him, Riku hears Xion’s voice asking him to stop Roxas. Why?
Nomura: First he have to look at things in order. First, the reason why Roxas throws a keyblade to Riku, and we then see a vision of Xion, is that there is a small remaining part of Xion in Roxas that wants to stop him, and makes him take those actions. The name of the keyblade that is given to Riku suggests that it has something to do with Xion. Xion wants Roxas to set Kingdom Hearts free, but doesn’t want him to face Xemnas right now. She sees that he would most likely lose. So she begs Riku to stop him.
-- She also had asked Axel to protect Roxas. What was her aim in doing that?
Nomura: Even though in the end both of their fates was to return Sora’s memories and disappear forever, on day 356 she said to Namine “I think things will soon be difficult for Roxas.” Until that time came, she wanted Axel to protect him from Xemnas.
-- Namine tells Riku that in order for Sora’s memories to be restored, both Sora’s Nobody and Xion must no longer exist. So he takes it on himself to defeat them, but when he and Roxas fought, was that the first time he had realized that Roxas was that Nobody?
Nomura: Riku only realizes it when Roxas takes off his hood and he can see his face, and he responds to his call. Until then he only half believed. When he first met Xion, he didn’t think that she was Sora or Kairi’s Nobody, and it was the same with Roxas. When he first saw Roxas, he had no proof of who he was. So that’s why he lost to Roxas, he was surprised at him using a real keyblade rather than an imitation like Xion's, and he called out to him. Part of Riku didn’t really want to believe that his best friend really had a Nobody.
-- So at the start of the Replica Project they didn’t have plans to get rid of Roxas?
Nomura: That's right. Originally the plan was to keep their power in balance. If it had been maintained, there would have been no need to get rid of one of them. But in the end Xion began absorbing too much power, and so they no longer needed Roxas. Xemnas had nothing to do with the plan, however, and only the people below him were concerned with it. Xemnas only cared that Kingdom Hearts be completed. Originally the Castle Oblivion plan was to use both Roxas and Sora, but since that changed it would be equally convenient to wait until Sora woke up in Kingdom Hearts II and use him then.
-- In the end Roxas is able use two keyblades. Is this because he now has Xion’s?
Nomura: Well, it isn’t that Roxas has physically inherited Xion’s keyblade, but more that Xion has awakened it within Roxas. In the KH series there are a lot of complex reasons why someone can use a keyblade, but basically you need a “heart” to be able to wield one. So strictly speaking, they are being influenced by Sora. At the present I can’t say more than that, since it would go into whether or not Roxas has a heart. And there is also a part that has to do with Xehanort’s memories. This time there were connections to the Kingdom Hearts secret movie, and the time will come when this will have a clear connection as well. You’ll just have to ask me then.
The Secret Reports introduce essential new information. Consult these in order to better interpret the storyline of the KH series.
Day 7
Written about the beginning of the Replica Plan. "No.i" is Xion's former name, and including an "X" as proof of her heresy, she is renamed "Xion".
Day 23
A note by Vexen, who created Xion. The "other" person is the Riku Replica that stands in the way of Sora and his friends in Chain of Memories.
Day 24
From the time that Sora arrived at Castle Oblivion in Chain of Memories. Marluxia, Axel and Zexion each reveal and hide their intentions in their own ways.
Day 27
More content connected to Chain of Memories. Part of the meaning behind Marluxia's intent to manipulate Sora using Naminé's power was also to oppose the Replica Plan.
Day 74
Description of the first day Axel saw Xion's face. From this day, due to Roxas' influence, Axel is also able to see Xion as a young girl with black hair.
Day 151
Xion's state of absorbing Sora's memories through her connection to Roxas changes. The dream of drowning in the ocean is the scene from the opening of Kingdom Hearts I.
Day 194
Written by Axel, who has learned Xion's true nature from the data left at Castle Oblivion. Axel hides the fact that Xion has gained a will of her own from the Organisation - these details are foreshadowing for Axel's appearance at the meeting on Day 354.
Day 256
The fact that Xion reflects varying appearances depending on who's looking at her is written here. We can see that she appears as someone else to Xemnas and Xigbar.
Day 321
Having seen the poor state Roxas is in with her own eyes, Xion once again thinks about her own existence. These details are based on how during the mission to Agrabah she saw Sora's form, locking the keyhole, and on her discussion with Axel after returning home.
Day 356
One of the reports showing that Axel and Saix once had a close relationship. The fact that they joined the organisation together is revealed.
Day 7
Written about the beginning of the Replica Plan. "No.i" is Xion's former name, and including an "X" as proof of her heresy, she is renamed "Xion".
Day 23
A note by Vexen, who created Xion. The "other" person is the Riku Replica that stands in the way of Sora and his friends in Chain of Memories.
Day 24
From the time that Sora arrived at Castle Oblivion in Chain of Memories. Marluxia, Axel and Zexion each reveal and hide their intentions in their own ways.
Day 27
More content connected to Chain of Memories. Part of the meaning behind Marluxia's intent to manipulate Sora using Naminé's power was also to oppose the Replica Plan.
Day 74
Description of the first day Axel saw Xion's face. From this day, due to Roxas' influence, Axel is also able to see Xion as a young girl with black hair.
Day 151
Xion's state of absorbing Sora's memories through her connection to Roxas changes. The dream of drowning in the ocean is the scene from the opening of Kingdom Hearts I.
Day 194
Written by Axel, who has learned Xion's true nature from the data left at Castle Oblivion. Axel hides the fact that Xion has gained a will of her own from the Organisation - these details are foreshadowing for Axel's appearance at the meeting on Day 354.
Day 256
The fact that Xion reflects varying appearances depending on who's looking at her is written here. We can see that she appears as someone else to Xemnas and Xigbar.
Day 321
Having seen the poor state Roxas is in with her own eyes, Xion once again thinks about her own existence. These details are based on how during the mission to Agrabah she saw Sora's form, locking the keyhole, and on her discussion with Axel after returning home.
Day 356
One of the reports showing that Axel and Saix once had a close relationship. The fact that they joined the organisation together is revealed.
Even after the interview with Nomura on the previous pages, there are still some riddles left for Birth by Sleep.
The connection between Roxas and Ventus
On Day 353, Xigbar looks at Xion, who's showing her face, and sees a main character from BbS, the boy Ventus who looks just like Roxas. Does the fact that Xion, who's drawing on Roxas' power, looks like Ventus mean there's some kind of deep connection between them?
Xigbar asks why "Ven" always glares at him.
Is the 'him' that always glares at Xigbar Ventus, rather than Roxas?
The "room" Xemnas is searching for
Xemnas is searching for The Room of Awakening which seems to be in Castle Oblivion, something that Saix and Xigbar know about too. What could be the secret of this room, where it is said that 'one more friend' is sleeping, as opposed to the Room of Sleep in KH2FM?
In KH2FM, Xemnas calls the armour in the Room of Sleep that resembles Aqua, "friend."
What about Xemnas' murmur, "So you're still sleeping…" while looking over the unconscious Roxas on Day 27?
The principle behind being able to use the Keyblade
In this game, Roxas learns to dual wield on Day 358. Previously he'd been one of those able to use Keyblades. When you consider that he fought and defeated Xion, you may think that afterwards he was able to use Xion's too, but it seems there is another reason. Nomura has said that "The ability to use the Keyblade will be made clear in BbS" - what could it be...?
Roxas, dual wielding at the end of the game. It seems in BbS we'll also understand how Kairi could use the Keyblade.
The names of the remaining five Organization members
This time, Axel's real name was revealed, but the names of Saix and numbers IX to XII remain a mystery. How will the names of these remaining five Organization members be revealed?
Apart from the six people who created the Organization, Roxas, Axel and Xion, real names remain unclear.
Axel and Saďx's "plan"?
That Axel and Saďx are old friends, and that Axel dealt with senior members of the Organization in order to move Saďx "up", were revealed in this game. So, just what was their plan?
The two oppose each other in KH2, but it seems like they were working towards the same plan in the past.
Roxas' "heart"
Roxas, who exhibits emotions like a human, is even asked by Axel if he actually has a heart. The other Organization members show many times through their behaviour that they have nothing but the appearance of emotions. Roxas is a Nobody, a "being without a heart", but do he and the other Organization members really not have hearts? Will hints about this be revealed in BbS too?
Roxas cries as he watches Xion disappear. Is it because he has a heart that he's able to cry...?
The connection between Roxas and Ventus
On Day 353, Xigbar looks at Xion, who's showing her face, and sees a main character from BbS, the boy Ventus who looks just like Roxas. Does the fact that Xion, who's drawing on Roxas' power, looks like Ventus mean there's some kind of deep connection between them?
Xigbar asks why "Ven" always glares at him.
Is the 'him' that always glares at Xigbar Ventus, rather than Roxas?
The "room" Xemnas is searching for
Xemnas is searching for The Room of Awakening which seems to be in Castle Oblivion, something that Saix and Xigbar know about too. What could be the secret of this room, where it is said that 'one more friend' is sleeping, as opposed to the Room of Sleep in KH2FM?
In KH2FM, Xemnas calls the armour in the Room of Sleep that resembles Aqua, "friend."
What about Xemnas' murmur, "So you're still sleeping…" while looking over the unconscious Roxas on Day 27?
The principle behind being able to use the Keyblade
In this game, Roxas learns to dual wield on Day 358. Previously he'd been one of those able to use Keyblades. When you consider that he fought and defeated Xion, you may think that afterwards he was able to use Xion's too, but it seems there is another reason. Nomura has said that "The ability to use the Keyblade will be made clear in BbS" - what could it be...?
Roxas, dual wielding at the end of the game. It seems in BbS we'll also understand how Kairi could use the Keyblade.
The names of the remaining five Organization members
This time, Axel's real name was revealed, but the names of Saix and numbers IX to XII remain a mystery. How will the names of these remaining five Organization members be revealed?
Apart from the six people who created the Organization, Roxas, Axel and Xion, real names remain unclear.
Axel and Saďx's "plan"?
That Axel and Saďx are old friends, and that Axel dealt with senior members of the Organization in order to move Saďx "up", were revealed in this game. So, just what was their plan?
The two oppose each other in KH2, but it seems like they were working towards the same plan in the past.
Roxas' "heart"
Roxas, who exhibits emotions like a human, is even asked by Axel if he actually has a heart. The other Organization members show many times through their behaviour that they have nothing but the appearance of emotions. Roxas is a Nobody, a "being without a heart", but do he and the other Organization members really not have hearts? Will hints about this be revealed in BbS too?
Roxas cries as he watches Xion disappear. Is it because he has a heart that he's able to cry...?
Daniel Chiuchiarelli