The wait for more news is still ongoing, butKingdom Hearts 4promises to be worth it. Described as the “beginning of the end” forKingdom Hearts’ ongoing storyline, this action-RPG was announced duringKingdom Hearts’ 20th anniversary celebration in April 2022. That remains its last sighting, and withKingdom Hearts: Missing Linkskipping 2024, it could still be a while before the spotlight shines onKingdom Hearts 4. In spite of that, the next major entry in Square Enix and Disney’s iconic crossover franchise still has reasons to be on fans' radar.
AsKH4takes place deep in theKingdom Heartstimeline, it is bound to have plenty of answers and new questions, albeit with that aforementioned “beginning of the end” status quickening its pace.Kingdom Hearts 4will also formally debut the Lost Master Arc, replacing the Dark Seeker Saga that has been running since the series began. AnewKingdom Heartsera also means new worlds, and the unreality of Quadratum already looks like a promising start. It’s just a shame that one of the last story arc’s biggest players probably won’t get much more screen time going forward.
Xehanort Has Been A Driving Force For Kingdom Hearts So Far
Whereas debates are still raging as to theidentity ofKingdom Hearts 4’s “Lost Master,”the identity of the “Dark Seeker” is well-known in the player base. Referencing the “Ansem, Seeker of Darkness” name that Xehanort’s Heartless used inKH1, the first saga’s title refers to Xehanort and his near-omnipresent incarnations across theKingdom Heartsgames. There’s a good reason why that large chunk of the series is informally called the “Xehanort Saga,” as its various adventures would be nothing without their main antagonist. With few exceptions, likeChain of MemoriesandCoded, Xehanort and his many selves are almost always pulling the strings.
Kingdom Hearts 3 Wrapped Up Xehanort’s Tale
Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory’s brief glimpse into the Lost Master Arc also paid Xehanort some lip service, but that may be the end of it for a while. The dark Keyblade Master’s story came to a definitive end inKingdom Hearts 3through his final confrontation with Sora, after which Xehanort and Eraqus’ souls ascended to Kingdom Hearts on-screen. Even in this family-friendly franchise, and withDark RoadandMoMfilling in the gaps in Xehanort’s lifesince then, a character can’t feel much more retired than that. Despite the necessity of Xehanort’s defeat, however, his abdication of the main villain’s throne is still bittersweet.
Kingdom Hearts 4 Leaves Little Room For Xehanort
There’s no doubt thatKingdom Hearts 4and whatever comes after it should try to develop their own identity, set apart from the many games that came before them. Even while theoverarchingKingdom Heartsstory pulls into its final years,Kingdom Hearts 4still represents a soft reset that can pull in some new players this late in its life. Sadly, fresh and veteranKingdom Heartsfans will likely have to revisit the old games to experience Xehanort’s reign again, as he doesn’t have an obvious place in the story threads remaining.
Unfortunately, Kingdom Hearts’ First Villain May Have To Miss Its Ending
Xehanort has givenKingdom Heartsplayers plenty of grief, but he’ll still leave a noticeable absence when he’s gone. Abandoning such an iconic villain may be necessary to reach whatever conclusion Square Enix and Disney have in mind forKingdom Hearts, but it will feel strange to lack a key player at the end of the franchise’s conclusion. It’s possible that Xehanort could reappear in small roles, like being the person thatDonald and Goofy are searching for inKingdom Hearts 4’s teaser, but his time as a living participant has been spent. For all the trouble Xehanort has caused, he’ll still be fondly remembered asKingdom Hearts 4boldly ventures into new worlds.
