The Braig/Xigbar Situation Explained

[Elfdemon_ 695]

Note: Please read the entire post before commenting. Thanks!

(This is a part of my "Explained" series of posts. To view my "Time Travel Explained" post, click here, to view my "The Realm of Sleep Explained" post, click here, and to view my "Heartless, Nobodies, Unversed, and Dream Eaters Explained" post, click here.)

In the 2.5 Re:coded secret ending, we see the Organization XIII members who were residents of Radiant Garden lying on the floor after being recompleted as people again. We also see Braig, who is not lying on the floor like the rest of them. He presumably woke up before them. (We know this 2.5 secret ending takes place after Re:coded and before Dream Drop Distance because Ienzo is an adult in this cutscene. There is a cutscene in the beginning of Dream Drop Distance that shows Even and Ienzo on the floor turning into Heartless/Nobodies and Ienzo is a little kid in that cutscene, so we know the 2.5 secret ending takes place after Re:coded because we know Ienzo grew up as an adult while he was a Nobody.)

In Dream Drop Distance, we see Xigbar. It is implied that this is actually Braig, not Xigbar and he's just going by the name Xigbar for some reason (most likely because of the Recusant's Sigil in that name). If this is the same recompleted Braig that we saw in the 2.5 Re:coded secret ending, then how come he has long hair again, how come he has gray in his hair again? It would not make sense for him to just all of a sudden change appearance and grow hair that quickly. Is this actually Xigbar and not Braig, and they were just implying that it was Braig just to trick us? If it's Xigbar, then that can either mean that he was brought to the present day from time travel, or that can mean that Young Xehanort turned the recompleted Braig back into a Nobody for some reason (maybe he's stronger as a Nobody?).

Also, do people keep their appearances that they had as Nobodies when they turn back into people, or are they reverted to how they looked before they were turned into Nobodies? This is very unclear. It seems that some parts of them did keep their appearance and some parts of them didn't for some reason. Ienzo, Lea, and Isa aged as Nobodies and kept their ages when they turned back into people. Lea lost the markings under his eyes when he became a person again though for some reason.

From what we know, this is how it is: You are reverted back to how you looked before you became a Nobody, but you keep your age. For example, Lea was reverted to how he looked before he became a Nobody which is why he lost the markings under his eyes, but he still looks older because he kept his age.

There are some people who think that the 2.5 Re:coded secret ending takes place way back in-between BBS and KH1, but that is simply not true as proved above.

There are some people who think that the Xigbar in DDD is actually the recompleted Braig and the Braig in the 2.5 secret ending is the one who's a time traveler. That is simply not true. As stated above, it wouldn't make sense for the Xigbar in DDD to have long hair if he was actually Braig and it wouldn't make sense for the Braig in the 2.5 secret ending to be the time traveler because he's at the spot where he was just recompleted.

So, this is what we know so far and is so far the absolute truth: The Braig in the 2.5 Re:coded secret ending is Braig after he was just recompleted as a person again. The Xigbar we see in Dream Drop Distance is either one of these two things: He's either a time traveling Xigbar that Young Xehanort brought to the present time, or he is the recompleted Braig that Young Xehanort turned back into a Nobody for some reason. It is currently unconfirmed which of these two things is the answer. If he is a time traveling Xigbar, then that means that Xigbar and Braig are both alive and in the present day at the same time. If Braig was turned back into Xigbar, then that means Xigbar is the only one who is alive and in the present day. We also know that when you are recompleted as a person again, you are reverted to how you looked before you became a Nobody, which is why Lea lost the markings under his eyes, and is why Dilan's hairstyle was reverted back to how it was before he became a Nobody, and is why Braig's hair turned shorter again and lost the gray in it. We also know though that you age as a Nobody and you keep your age that you grew to when you turn back into a person.

I made this post to hopefully clear things up for some people because I have seen countless people who seem to be confused about this topic and who have been spreading false information. This was difficult to explain, so hopefully I explained it well and it makes sense. If you have any questions, I'd be happy to answer them.

EDIT: It has been confirmed in Kingdom Hearts III that Braig, Isa, etc. were in fact turned back into Nobodies again after being recompleted in order to be more suitable vessels.

Now that they have been destroyed once again though, they have all been recompleted once more. Except for Xigbar. He pretended to die during the Keyblade War in KH3, but he really just teleported away, and then shows up when the battle is over and reveals himself to be Luxu. So, he's still a Nobody currently.

Edited March 21, 2020 by Elfdemon_

[Nick Sideris 1,551]

I always thought that he was just a form of Xigbar that travelled through time to help confuse Sora and the fact that Braig had been reformed means he could travel in time .

Edited December 7, 2016 by Nick Sideris

[Doco56 52]

I think it's Braig who we saw in the 2.5 secret ending, and it may have just been a model malfunction to do with the hair. Isa was also in TWTNW and it was his reformed form.

[KingdomHearts3 2,591]

Glad you posted this. I mean I think it's clear who is Braig and who is Xigbar. Xigbar we see in HD3D and Braig we see in HD2.5 Re:coded secret episode. I am glad to finally hear someone say the HD2.5 Re:coded secret episode is between Re:coded and HD3D too.

[Ajexmi 446]

Things to consider in this argument, here's a video for reference: 

 

1) Nobodies as empty vessels can grow their own hearts - this may have happened with Braig as Roxas may have or has (I forget) developed his own in less time as a nobody.

 

2) He has been 'Nortified' (has a fragment/copy of Xehanort's own heart)- this process may have affected his appearance or the process of reverting to his previous form as his heart may not be the same any longer. This works in conjunction with point 1. Saix/Isa was also Nortified, and his appearance has not changed back either (face scars). Axel/Lea and Zexion/Ienzo had not been Nortified, and therefore reverted to their original appearances.

 

3) Only versions of Xehanort can time travel. There is no evidence to suggest he can 'move' any other party. If he could, I think Vanitas would have definitely made an appearance in DDD. Points 1 and 2 explain the difference in appearances - the question is when the Nortification process was applied.

 

4) Xigbar was struck by Terra's enraged darkness in BBS, which scarred his face and claimed an eye. I would think (and this may have been confirmed) that such marks left by darkness are permanent - however Riku's transformation to the form of Ansem SOD and then reverting does seem to contradict this theory, unless you accept that it was a 'miracle' performed by Ansem the Wise's Kingdom Hearts data explosion.

 

 

I think this is being overthought as a whole. Of course it's important to recognise character identities, but Braig/Xigbar in DDD is definitely Nortified and therefore 'part-Xehanort' - he is not a Nobody as he does have a heart, so may well be Braig, but has accepted his rebranded name with the 'X' sigil given to him by Xemnas/Xehanort - symbolic of his acceptance of Xehanort and his own fate.

 

Endgame is, there would only be a very small window of time between Braig and Xigbar being separate beings, and it's almost irrelevant to the story. We know what became of him, and who is is as a character now.

Edited December 7, 2016 by Ajexmi

[KeybladeMasterDeadpoolio 55]

As I've posted before, I'm of the impression that Braig and Xigbar were active simultaneously during the events of Dream Drop Distance: the Xigbar we see among the Seekers is time displaced like the others as part of an elaborate smokescreen to keep the heroes attention while Braig, Isa, and whoever else are out among the worlds preparing for the big day.