A new main story quest connecting the story of the mobile game Kingdom Hearts Union χ[cross] to the upcoming title Kingdom Hearts III was released in the Japanese version of the game on October 11th at 15:00 JST. In this story update, a mysterious figure sheds some light on the truth behind the presence of Maleficent in Union χ[cross].

 

The connection was teased shortly before the story update in-game, by the official Twitter account for the Japanese version of the game.

 

Translations of this story update can be viewed below, courtesy of Everglow:

 

 

What are your thoughts on this twist?

 

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I do, but I did have to give it a lot of thought first.

 

Basically Once Maleficent was stabbed by Riku in KH1 she remembered of the method MX once told her about to time travel. She went back in time to try and rewrite her failed ending but couldn't do it, that's where "Darkness" stepped out to tell her about those era events and how she was caught in a trap. Since ED didn't exist yet on that time the closest she could travel to a past version of herself was a digital ED created within the Realm of Dreams by the Master of Masters. Since he and the foretellers were gone the holograms created by the BoP could no longer be made so the MoM prepared in advance digital versions of the worlds so the Player and Dandelions could rewrite the sad memories from the war. This digital versions have a preset story so Maleficent couldn't change it and since the MoM knew she'd try this he prepared beforehand and trapped her in. "Darkness" tells her that they did this to protect the knowledge of events happening in one of the PoH's worlds which they lef out of the digital ones in order to stop Maleficent from taking such knowledge to the future, but they also need her back on her time axis, to which she replies she can't go back, but "Darkness" tells her there is a way to do it.

 

Many believe this leads to her sudden returning in KHII.

I think It's Young Xehanort that Maleficent is talking to.

The only question I have is who or what was that? Who is “darkness”?

The only question I have is who or what was that? Who is “darkness”?

Maybe, it's Luxu or The Masters of Masters.

Maybe, it's Luxu or The Masters of Masters.

I watched it and it is not the Master. He is mentioned in the third person in the conversation. I wonder if it is that mysterious figure in the Union Cross artwork wearing a coat and holding a bleeding heart flower. Heck it may be an “it” for all I know since it is basically shapeless.

Can UX be straight for once? Like, advance the plot instead of dropping another question without a nearby answer?

Can UX be straight for once? Like, advance the plot instead of dropping another question without a nearby answer?

I hope we get a new plot update soon.

I watched it and it is not the Master. He is mentioned in the third person in the conversation. I wonder if it is that mysterious figure in the Union Cross artwork wearing a coat and holding a bleeding heart flower. Heck it may be an “it” for all I know since it is basically shapeless.

Interesting. Indeed, "Darkness" mentions how "the Master knew, of course" in the third person. Or is it possible that the Master is referring to himself as "Master" in the third person purposefully?

 

The figure seems to know almost everything about the future including Maleficent and Xehanort (what happened between them as well as Maleficent's plans), and the only person that has that knowledge is supposedly the Master himself. I doubt that the Book of Prophecies alone contains that much information, considering the "last passage" is supposedly about the Keyblade War which has already occurred.

 

It cannot be Luxu as he doesn't possess any single detail about the future at all, to prevent temporal paradoxes.

 

And yup, there's also that figure in the Union Cross artwork which could be a new character but I feel that it's an unlikely case. I feel that there's no reason to have new characters at this point and Strelitzia and Lauriam should be the last ones. Even the members of the real Organization XIII are all existing characters based on analysis.

 

But I'm really curious who "Darkness" is, for someone to apparently have near complete knowledge of the future.

 

Can UX be straight for once? Like, advance the plot instead of dropping another question without a nearby answer?

Well, to be fair, the KH series has never been straight. 

 

This new cutscene alone actually answers questions more than introducing questions. It answers and confirms some of the things like:

1. How Maleficent was apparently "killed" in KH1 and "revived" later on in KH2.
2. Further confirming what Vexen said in Re:CoM where one cannot return from the realm of darkness of their own volition after being destroyed. Hence, Maleficent wasn't destroyed nor revived.
3. How she possesses the knowledge of the Book of Prophecies.
4. Why she said that the world of the "date escape" is familiar;
5. and how she tried to relate the "date escape" with the Book after her experience in the datascape in Re:coded.
6. The secret ending of χ[chi]; revealed to be her apparently "going back in time" again.
7. Further confirming the rules/restrictions of travelling through time (just a confirmation but helpful in case if what Young Xehanort said is inaccurate/incomplete).
8. Further explaining Union Cross: new experiences for the survivors of the Keyblade War; revealed to be similar to the datascape and everything in it was decided in advance).

New questions include:

1. Who is the figure "Darkness"?
2. How did Maleficent return to her own time (which will be explained next, very likely)?
3. Why did Master Xehanort tell Maleficent of the methods of time travelling as well, when he himself explained that he used her just to find the seven pure lights? Is it possible that he wanted her to move through time for that purpose? If so, why and how?
4. More background required for the Union Cross business, where even Ephemer find it suspicious or questionable and that the 5 new Union leaders were told to make it happen according to the rules.

 

Sources of videos to refresh your memory (by release order):

1. (Re:CoM) The Organization: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZCxTYkTxJQ
2. (Re:coded) A Fairy Tale?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLMoa5-yI28
3. (χ[chi]) Unchained 0[ZERO] (Part 1): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vU_CcgQFU8
4. (χ[chi]) Unchained 0[ZERO] (Part 2): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJM_EwWqvWs
5. (Union χ[cross]) Union Cross: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyXVpP7ZeIY

"Paintings are great..."

 

That's who that is, right?

My immediate assumption was that it was Luxu or Lauriam.

 

 

Interesting. Indeed, "Darkness" mentions how "the Master knew, of course" in the third person. Or is it possible that the Master is referring to himself as "Master" in the third person purposefully?

 

The figure seems to know almost everything about the future including Maleficent and Xehanort (what happened between them as well as Maleficent's plans), and the only person that has that knowledge is supposedly the Master himself. I doubt that the Book of Prophecies alone contains that much information, considering the "last passage" is supposedly about the Keyblade War which has already occurred.

 

It cannot be Luxu as he doesn't possess any single detail about the future at all, to prevent temporal paradoxes.

 

And yup, there's also that figure in the Union Cross artwork which could be a new character but I feel that it's an unlikely case. I feel that there's no reason to have new characters at this point and Strelitzia and Lauriam should be the last ones. Even the members of the real Organization XIII are all existing characters based on analysis.

 

But I'm really curious who "Darkness" is, for someone to apparently have near complete knowledge of the future.

 

Well, to be fair, the KH series has never been straight. 

 

This new cutscene alone actually answers questions more than introducing questions. It answers and confirms some of the things like:

1. How Maleficent was apparently "killed" in KH1 and "revived" later on in KH2.
2. Further confirming what Vexen said in Re:CoM where one cannot return from the realm of darkness of their own volition after being destroyed. Hence, Maleficent wasn't destroyed nor revived.
3. How she possesses the knowledge of the Book of Prophecies.
4. Why she said that the world of the "date escape" is familiar;
5. and how she tried to relate the "date escape" with the Book after her experience in the datascape in Re:coded.
6. The secret ending of χ[chi]; revealed to be her apparently "going back in time" again.
7. Further confirming the rules/restrictions of travelling through time (just a confirmation but helpful in case if what Young Xehanort said is inaccurate/incomplete).
8. Further explaining Union Cross: new experiences for the survivors of the Keyblade War; revealed to be similar to the datascape and everything in it was decided in advance).

New questions include:

1. Who is the figure "Darkness"?
2. How did Maleficent return to her own time (which will be explained next, very likely)?
3. Why did Master Xehanort tell Maleficent of the methods of time travelling as well, when he himself explained that he used her just to find the seven pure lights? Is it possible that he wanted her to move through time for that purpose? If so, why and how?
4. More background required for the Union Cross business, where even Ephemer find it suspicious or questionable and that the 5 new Union leaders were told to make it happen according to the rules.

 

Sources of videos to refresh your memory (by release order):

1. (Re:CoM) The Organization: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kZCxTYkTxJQ
2. (Re:coded) A Fairy Tale?: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wLMoa5-yI28
3. (χ[chi]) Unchained 0[ZERO] (Part 1): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2vU_CcgQFU8
4. (χ[chi]) Unchained 0[ZERO] (Part 2): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJM_EwWqvWs
5. (Union χ[cross]) Union Cross: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyXVpP7ZeIY

 

My immediate assumption was that it was Luxu or Lauriam. Luxu, because as far as we know, the Foretellers and Luxu were the only ones aware of a Master. Then again there's no real reason to believe this is actually taking place during the KHUX timeless, but since it's presented her it's a logical assumption. Still, Luxu would be the only one left alive, and the box is the only thing connecting Luxu and Maleficent so far. Perhaps he had to set this trap in order to send Maleficent home due to the Masters

orders. Luxu didn't have knowledge of the future, but may have knowledge of this event.

 

My argument for Lauriam is pretty weak. I present it as a possibility because since this certain event happened because Maleficent went back in time, who's to say no one else can do the same? We "thought" that rewritting history couldn't happen, but this confirms that it can, just not in certain worlds. We know why we can't also.

Perhaps Xehanort planned even farther ahead and sent Lauriam back in time after returning him into a nobody again just for the purpose of bring Ven to the present (BBS) while also tasking Lauriam to create the trap for Maleficent to make sure she can fulfill her duties in 3.

My immediate assumption was that it was Luxu or Lauriam.

 

My immediate assumption was that it was Luxu or Lauriam. Luxu, because as far as we know, the Foretellers and Luxu were the only ones aware of a Master. Then again there's no real reason to believe this is actually taking place during the KHUX timeless, but since it's presented her it's a logical assumption. Still, Luxu would be the only one left alive, and the box is the only thing connecting Luxu and Maleficent so far. Perhaps he had to set this trap in order to send Maleficent home due to the Masters

orders. Luxu didn't have knowledge of the future, but may have knowledge of this event.

 

My argument for Lauriam is pretty weak. I present it as a possibility because since this certain event happened because Maleficent went back in time, who's to say no one else can do the same? We "thought" that rewritting history couldn't happen, but this confirms that it can, just not in certain worlds. We know why we can't also.

Perhaps Xehanort planned even farther ahead and sent Lauriam back in time after returning him into a nobody again just for the purpose of bring Ven to the present (BBS) while also tasking Lauriam to create the trap for Maleficent to make sure she can fulfill her duties in 3.

What you said about Luxu are just speculations. The fact is still Luxu not knowing anything about the future at all. The role he's given is to pass down the Keyblade, and that's all. The Master didn't even give any specific order on what to do with the box other than not to open it ever. So that means to hide it and to never let it be opened by anyone including himself. He only told Luxu what's in the box. Basically, what Luxu was supposed to do was to watch (with the Keyblade), and pass down the Keyblade.

 

No Book of Prophecies and no other things. No order to deal with Maleficent or whatsoever. Note that the figure knows very specific details:

1. Maleficent being from the future and her plans on coming to the past.
2. Maleficent's scheme on changing the past and gathering the seven pure lights.
3. Maleficent manipulating Riku.
4. Riku piercing Maleficent with the Keyblade of heart.
5. Maleficent's own thoughts after being pierced, and her plan to time travel.
6. The interaction between Master Xehanort and Maleficent and what he specifically told her, including the method to move through time.
7. Not constructing Enchanted Dominion from the Book of Prophecies just to foil her plan; have a fixed data version of it instead.
8. Leaving out Kairi's world (either Radiant Garden or Destiny Islands) from data on purpose.
9. Preventing Maleficent's memories of the future to transcend time back here to the past.

Very specific details, right? This is my argument. Luxu was not allowed the Book and so was not supposed to know anything about the future. Hence, there's no point for the Master to tell him about all this. It's contradicting. Even if Luxu found out about this himself, there would be temporal paradoxes already regarding the Master's knowledge of the future as well as the Book, because the fact that the Book exists is due to Luxu following the Master's order to pass down the Keyblade without knowing anything.

 

Regarding Lauriam, it's a possibility. Considering that we know little to nothing about Lauriam's background, we can't rule it out.

What you said about Luxu are just speculations. The fact is still Luxu not knowing anything about the future at all. The role he's given is to pass down the Keyblade, and that's all. The Master didn't even give any specific order on what to do with the box other than not to open it ever. So that means to hide it and to never let it be opened by anyone including himself. He only told Luxu what's in the box. Basically, what Luxu was supposed to do was to watch (with the Keyblade), and pass down the Keyblade.

 

No Book of Prophecies and no other things. No order to deal with Maleficent or whatsoever. Note that the figure knows very specific details:

1. Maleficent being from the future and her plans on coming to the past.
2. Maleficent's scheme on changing the past and gathering the seven pure lights.
3. Maleficent manipulating Riku.
4. Riku piercing Maleficent with the Keyblade of heart.
5. Maleficent's own thoughts after being pierced, and her plan to time travel.
6. The interaction between Master Xehanort and Maleficent and what he specifically told her, including the method to move through time.
7. Not constructing Enchanted Dominion from the Book of Prophecies just to foil her plan; have a fixed data version of it instead.
8. Leaving out Kairi's world (either Radiant Garden or Destiny Islands) from data on purpose.
9. Preventing Maleficent's memories of the future to transcend time back here to the past.

Very specific details, right? This is my argument. Luxu was not allowed the Book and so was not supposed to know anything about the future. Hence, there's no point for the Master to tell him about all this. It's contradicting. Even if Luxu found out about this himself, there would be temporal paradoxes already regarding the Master's knowledge of the future as well as the Book, because the fact that the Book exists is due to Luxu following the Master's order to pass down the Keyblade without knowing anything.

 

Regarding Lauriam, it's a possibility. Considering that we know little to nothing about Lauriam's background, we can't rule it out.

My main reasoning behind Luxu is the little secret MoM told Luxu. There's a reason the audience couldnt hear it. Even the "You'll see" line bothers me because we don't know if that's actually for Luxu or us. I don't believe he opened the Box, but as far as getting information it isn't out of the question. If he's just watching then who's to say he wasn't told to watch because the MoM knew a certain event was coming that needed to be witnessed? Recorded even? Luxu has an important role to fulfill and i doubt it's just to watch. He will do more im sure of it.

 

wasnt that the central theme of the entire game?

My main reasoning behind Luxu is the little secret MoM told Luxu. There's a reason the audience couldnt hear it. Even the "You'll see" line bothers me because we don't know if that's actually for Luxu or us. I don't believe he opened the Box, but as far as getting information it isn't out of the question. If he's just watching then who's to say he wasn't told to watch because the MoM knew a certain event was coming that needed to be witnessed? Recorded even? Luxu has an important role to fulfill and i doubt it's just to watch. He will do more im sure of it.

That is true. There's the secret of the content of the box which only the Master and Luxu knew of. The Master's "you'll see" ("surprise" in the JP dub) is definitely towards Luxu. So what he's saying is that there's meant to be a surprising outcome on why having the content in the box.

 

Luxu was indeed told to watch both with his own eyes and the Gazing Eye "as things unfold between the others", referring to the Keyblade wielders until the Keyblade War. That is shown in the first cutscene of KH0.2. Then, after that, his role continues which is to pass down the Keyblade. There're also χ[chi]-exclusive cutscenes where Luxu himself admitted to Ava that his role/mission was to watch. I'll link them below.

 

Cutscenes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UAJZ7nJANmA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qhXT7Ju9QZ4

 

So from this, we can conclude that Luxu's role is basically what you said, to record events for the Book of Prophecies. Watching others up until the Keyblade War, and then pass down the Keyblade so that the Master would know the things that whatever the Gazing Eye observes, towards the far future. His job is literally to make the Book possible as well as to further the Master's own intentions and plans.

 

So I would doubt that he was also tasked to deal with Maleficent, when the figure "Darkness" shows to possess near complete knowledge of the future while Luxu wasn't permitted that knowledge. If he were told to just watch the event related to Maleficent, then knowledge isn't actually necessary, right? That figure was literally exposing Maleficent! 

If that's not the story of Kingdom Hearts in a nutshell, I don't know what is.

I hope we will have a second update of the story in this month. 

Thanks for informing us about this, Faemarch!

 

Holy dang, this revelation sets up a bold new direction in the story of Union X! With this information shed to light, this means that Maleficent's return in Kingdom Hearts II was then attributed to time travel! But what I'm most curious about here is about the "knowledge" that Maleficent possesses that made Darkness keep her in the Data version of Enchanted Dominion! Could what she know have to do with the Box or the Book Of Prophecies, or maybe something else entirely? It seems as though Maleficent will be a major threat again like she was in the first Kingdom Hearts, most intriguing!

 

What's funny though, is that when the mysterious entity revealed him/herself as Darkness, I immediately thought of Just A Pancake's videos. And I imagined Darkness being said in that robotic tone that Just A Pancake uses for his videos.

 

 

"Paintings are great..."

 

That's who that is, right?

 

O.O

 

That inkeeper from Traverse Town! How has no one commented on this!?

Edited October 14, 20187 yr by The Transcendent Key

All I know is that it will be much easier to speculate and interpret once either A) the USA version reaches this point of the story (though for all we know that may take another month or two. You'd really think they would be trying to get them closer to each other by now with KH3 on the horizon...), or B) the next story update comes soon and it reveals even more plot details that help put these ones into context. For right now even with these fanslations, it's still a bit tricky to nail down EXACTLY what they're talking about.