So, here's my theory (since we're been arguing about it here for quite a while). I've broken it down in parts, and it'll answer the following questions:
We know that in KH1, Riku's body was possessed by Ansem SoD, and his heart was ejected from his body, into the Realm of Darkness.
Mickey: Your heart has overcome the darkness' date=' but you couldn't take back your body. So only your heart was left behind, in this dark side where stolen hearts are gathered.[/quote']
Yet what became of Ansem SoD when he was defeated by Sora? Instead of releasing a heart and fading away like other Heartless, he disappeared in a flash of light. Ansem, who had taken over Riku's body and manipulated it to resemble his former self, wasn't like other Heartless, with a body of darkness. He had shell, something to contain his heart. And somehow, by the events of CoM, Riku had become whole again; he had regained his stolen body.
Here's what I'm saying: the light that came out when the Door to Darkness opened in KH1 didn't fully eradicate Ansem SoD, as shown in the scene. One minute he was there, then he was gone when the light faded. This light greatly weakened him, and made it possible for Riku to reclaim what was stolen from him. However, because Ansem's heart had not been released, it simply remained in Riku's body, similar to how Ven's heart remained in Sora's body when Sora's own heart was released.
Riku: It's still here. It's really faint' date=' but I can sense him. So I think his darkness may still have a hold on me.[/quote']
Keep in mind that Ansem wasn't just a being of darkness; he was a Heartless, the heart of Apprentice Xehanort. And where does darkness lie? In hearts.
And darkness was born in their hearts.
It wasn't just a mere fragment of Ansem that remained in Riku' date=' it was his heart. Hearts basically hold the identity of a person: it's what shapes the body, what makes you "you", as shown in the case of Roxas, who takes on Ven's appearance because he has his heart.
I have to release the power in my heart. The dark power that I've been holding back.
We see throughout Days that he's been struggling to keep control of Ansem's darkness within him. But when he accepted and released this dark power, he took on Ansem's form.
So the answer is yes, Riku did have two hearts, at least until the explosion happened in KH2: his own, and the heart of Apprentice Xehanort. It's debatable whether or not the explosion completely expelled AX, but as usual, we have to use our imagination :
-- Is that to say that there's a possibility that within Xehanort's Heartless' date=' the darkness that sleeps in Riku's heart, there might remain something of Terra...?
Nomura: That's also a riddle connected to the next story,* so everyone please use your imagination.
If you haven't read the above, it basically explains how Riku has two hearts within him: his own heart, and the heart of Xehanort the Apprentice. We see in BBS that Xehanort the Apprentice's heart is made up of Terra's, Eraqus', and Master Xehanort's, though seeing as how he produced only one Heartless, it implies that at some point, all three of them merged together.
3 Keyblade wielders' hearts becoming a single Keyblade wielder's heart. We learn in KH1 that Apprentice Xehanort opened the a strange door in RG with a Keyhole on it; a Keyhole. Behind that door was a "strange core of energy", which has been confirmed to be the heart of the world. How could he do this?
Q5: Why was Riku chosen as the original wielder of the keyblade?
A: Because he was chosen by Terra to inherit.
To use a keyblade you must have been chosen to inherit as well as been chosen by the keyblade itself. In BbS you could see that Terra performed the ceremony with Riku' date=' and that is why Riku was able to take the keyblade that Sora used.
[picture: Little Riku and Terra']
Terra looks at Riku as he performs the inheritance ceremony.
[picture: Little Riku looks at a door with a keyhole.]
Because he has been chosen to inherit, Riku can see the keyholes of the world.
Keyblade wielders, and their successors, can see the Keyhole. Apprentice Xehanort could see the Keyhole because he has the hearts of wielders. He was able to unlock the Keyhole, because he has a Keyblade.
Again, Riku has two hearts: his own and Apprentice Xehanort's.
Riku managed to awaken his Keyblade sometime after CoM; Way to Dawn, which used Soul Eater as a base to come into existence. Novels, which are canon if the information they provide don't contradict the game, states that as Riku was thinking of his home, Destiny Islands, Destiny Place appeared for him. And who's also from DI? Master Xehanort.
I've heard people argue that Riku took Aqua's Keyblade, which we see in BBS, can take the form of Destiny Place after her meeting with Kairi. Here's the thing: if they did meet in the Realm of Darkness, which I doubt, why wasn't she able to escape as well? Logically, because the two never met. Riku could not have taken Aqua's Keyblade because it remains in the Chamber of Repose, which he has no access to.
As of this moment, not yet. Do I believe she will get one in the future. Yes, I do. This part of the theory always causes conflict between Kairi fans, and pretty much everyone else.
The fans use this excerpt from the Another Report interview included as a preorder bonus with KH2FM+:
VI - Could you please give an explanation for the new keyblade "Way to the Dawn" that Riku obtained and the keyblade Kairi has as well as what the conditions for using a keyblade are?
There isn't necessarily one keyblade for the dark side and one for the light side' date=' just as many as there exist people with qualified hearts. Concerning the conditions to wield one, at this stage, "Those with strong hearts" is the only obvious one. However, less obvious conditions still exist and there are still plans for an opportunity to reveal those. Riku's "Way to the Dawn" and Kairi's keyblade are naturally the same type of keyblade as Sora's. However there is no particular explanation for the Soul Eater's transfer and occurence, as well as Riku's handing it to Kairi. When there isn't a normal process of acquisition, I think its ok to think there is some deeper meaning there.
[/quote']
The rest of us use this excerpt from the much more recent interview in the BBS Ultimania:
So, here's my theory (since we're been arguing about it here for quite a while). I've broken it down in parts, and it'll answer the following questions:
- Did Riku have two hearts?
- Why does Riku have two Keyblades?
- Why is his second Keyblade Destiny Place?
- Does Kairi have a Keyblade?
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1. Did Riku have two hearts?
We know that in KH1, Riku's body was possessed by Ansem SoD, and his heart was ejected from his body, into the Realm of Darkness.