Estoria#4001

Tell me about it. Like I said in my post, there are many fans out there that try to justify the lack of FF characters at any moment, saying that they weren't that important to begin it - a sentiment I really disagree with. It makes me afraid because there's a risk that Nomura will see that and just think people never cared about FF in the first place, and thus he might be inclined to never bring any of them back again. Let's hope that's not the case.

I feel just as many others do in this thread: terribly conflicted. I supposed I should start by explaining why I like the FF characters in KH1 and KH2 so much. Just a warning, this may get long, so bear with me. I was never a Final Fantasy guy. Not because I didn't want to, but because I never had the appropriate conditions to play those games. The only one I got to play was FF6. So I'm not a FF savy guy. Still, I absolutely loved their inclusion in KH1. They really felt like part of the game's world rather than feeling like shoehorned-in cameos. I love their interactions with Sora, they just felt like great characters to hang out with. They were the ones who understood Sora, who also had their world taken by the darkness, and who were also on a mission to make things right again. They were the "cozy" part of KH1, everytime we finished the crazy Disney worlds, they were back there in Traverse Town, ready to help you out. Other characters like Cloud in Olympus Coliseum also helped make the world feel grander and more connected, seeing as how they were from the same place but scattered to different worlds. Things like that made KH1 feel more like and adventure rather than a movie sightseeing tour. In other words, the FF characters in KH1 felt like a sort of family to Sora, and, thus, to me as a player as well. I could relate to them, just as Sora could too. In KH2, they are relegated a bit more to the Radiant Garden Reconstruction Committee b-plot, and didn't have much involvement with the main plot. But the essence of what made me like them was still there. Even after Sora's 1 year absence, they still treated him like they had just seen him yesterday. And even though they were minding their own business most of the time, the reconstruction sub-plot was very interesting so it was still very entertaining. I, as a player, wanted to help them out, because they truly felt like a family, united by bonds, caring for each other. The newcomers like Tifa and Auron also helped with that. I also really appreciated everyone that was in Twilight Town. Sure, they were mostly cameos destined to pleading fans, but they still were somehow involved in the story, and that's what made it work. In other words, I guess what I am trying to say is that the Final Fantasy characters don't feel like just Final Fantasy characters. Their backstory, slightly different personalities, and involvement with the plot at different levels made them feel more like actual Kingdom Hearts characters to me. As for BBS, yes, Zack is awesome, but seeing as his dynamics with the TVA are very different from the other FF characters with Sora, he felt more like an actual cameo than all the others. This takes us to Kingdom Hearts 3. And this is where things get complicated. Look, I'm not gonna beat around the bush. The FF characters are not necessary to KH3. The plot could, and most likely will, work out just fine without them. But why do we only need things that are necessary? The Cloud subplot in KH1 wasn't necessary. His story with Tifa and Sephiroth weren't necessary. The inclusion of Seifer, Raijin, Fuujin, Setzer and Vivi in Twilight Town wasn't necessary. But it was still welcomed. They had their cool moments, they had some connection to Sora, and they all had their own little arcs that felt satisfying. That's why I wanted FF characters in KH3, more specifically the ones in Radiant Garden. They have that connection to Sora, they feel like home, they are likeable and they have their arcs that I wanted to see completed in KH3, the end of the Xehanort saga. To not see them in KH3 makes me sad because it'll feel as if one piece of what made me fall in love with the series has vanished. Those characters that made KH1 and KH2 even more special will probably not show up. Hell, we'll be lucky if they even get a mention. To see them just abandoned in KH3... it almost feels like downplaying the role they had in KH1 and KH2 - something you can see many fans doing already. Many are trying to justify the roles they played in KH1 and KH2 as to justify the fact that KH3 is almost removing them; something I think is really disingenuous. But oh well. I suppose that's the biggest take away from the situation. FF characters are like socks. Sure, you don't need them. But some people like using socks, and they'll miss using socks if they can't use them, while others won't mind. Weird comparison, I know, but it fits, I think. I'm the one who likes socks. Sure, I don't need socks. I can still walk, run and jump freely without them. But when I'm not using them, I feel a bit sad, uncomfortable and awkward. I'll still greatly enjoy Kingdom Hearts without FF characters - or at least without the Restoration Committee. But I can't help but think that my whole playthrough will be affected by a constant feeling that something is missing. KH3 will feel like home, but not the whole family will be there. And that makes a bit sad indeed. End of rant, I guess lol.