My question is about Riku's battle with Ansem SOD.  Before I ask my question, I want you guys to understand where I am coming from.  I was able to play through both KHFM and ReCOM for the first time ever thanks to the hd remix.  I have played through and watched the hd cutscene movie of 358/2 Days, and I have seen some of the cutscenes from KH2.  I have seen the one where the heart machine thing blows up and Riku returns to his normal self.  Also in the beginning of 3D Riku says that the darkness still had a hold over his heart.  Also at the end before  the first phase of the battle with Ansem, Riku says, "Even after locking you away, here you are haunting me again." and right before the second phase he says, "Ansem! You're a part of my heart now, part of the light!" 

 

Another thing is the time travel.  The first time we see Ansem SOD is when he is tagging along with YMX.  There is also the Ansem in the brown robe, and then there is the young Riku in the organization cloak we saw in Monstro.  Assuming he is the Riku from KH1 and has been possessed by Ansem already, and assuming the Riku of the present (the one we play as in 3D) still has Ansem locked away in his heart, that would make four versions of Ansem SOD and two versions of Riku.

 

So, if you were able to follow what I have said up till now, I guess I have two questions: Is Ansem SOD still inside Riku's heart, and if so, which one did Riku fight, the one that was brought from the past, or the one inside his heart?  And if you can, please tell me why you think one or the other.

Hmph...

 

To me I see it as if that was the real Ansem. Darkness Calling, and some other place was where Riku fought Ansem. So where is this "Darkness Calling and--------" is. No one knows (and if someone does please tell me ), but back to the topic, that would most likely be like Ansem in the flesh fighting against Riku, cuz as you said, 

 

  Also at the end before  the first phase of the battle with Ansem, Riku says, "Even after locking you away, here you are haunting me again." and right before the second phase he says, "Ansem! You're a part of my heart now, part of the light!" 

 

 

Riku had said Ansem is hunting him. Now take that litterally. Ansem is hunting Riku, in his heart (?). He would most likely hunt Riku, after all he is/was in his heart. Now to answer your question, I'm going to say, that's the one in his heart.

 

 

 

I think it's the one in the flesh.

See you agree with me. (The magic of quota.  )

Ansem SOD is still inside Riku but I'm pretty sure he fights an Ansem SOD from another time because Xehnaort has been formed as Ansem SOD and Xemnas have been defeated and returned to there original form, the same condition Lea is in atm. Thus Ansem SOD, being defeated, can't exist because MX is alive. only time travel allows him to be in the same room as Xemnas, YX, MX ect 

It doesn't matter if Ansem is in Riku's heart anymore, since Riku developed a resistance to darkness.  So even if Ansem enters Riku's heart, he won't be able to control Riku anymore.

The Ansem that Riku fought in DDD was possesing the young Riku from the past.  Ansem's true appearance is the brown robe(someone please correct me if I'm wrong).

Edited May 6, 201411 yr by BlazingSoul

Ansem has always been the represented as the manifestation of Riku's darkness and showed up in different forms with that being said. I think that Ansem we see in Riku's final battle is actually the part of Ansem left behind after the events ReCoM. There was definitely symbolism it Riku vanquishing the final holds of darkness within his hard. I believe that fight could have been the last attempt to bring Riku over to the thirteen darknesses. The Ansem we see with Young Xehanort and in the gathering of the thirteen were brought forward by time travel. I'm basing this on Nomura's suggestion that time travel is not necessarily the only way Xemnas and Ansem could exist in TWTNW despite being repeatedly destroyed.

Ansem has always been the represented as the manifestation of Riku's darkness and showed up in different forms with that being said. I think that Ansem we see in Riku's final battle is actually the part of Ansem left behind after the events ReCoM. There was definitely symbolism it Riku vanquishing the final holds of darkness within his hard. I believe that fight could have been the last attempt to bring Riku over to the thirteen darknesses. The Ansem we see with Young Xehanort and in the gathering of the thirteen were brought forward by time travel. I'm basing this on Nomura's suggestion that time travel is not necessarily the only way Xemnas and Ansem could exist in TWTNW despite being repeatedly destroyed.

 

This ... Nomura addresses this very thing actually 

 

In other words, Ansem and Xemnas were, at the same time, existing in the time and space of KH3D as well as having returned to their true human form after being destroyed?

Nomura: Yes, it does turn out that way. However, as I said before, ‘The World That Never Was’, where the thirteen all met, is a special space. The mechanics behind how they were all able to exist at the same time is a mystery. From KH1 on, Ansem has returned no matter how many times he has been defeated, perhaps the same sort of thing happened.

 

What about Xemnas and Ansem, essentially they weren’t inside anyone, was it due to circumstances of the worlds of sleep?

Nomura: First off, when Young Xehanort made contact with the Brown Robed Figure, that is to say, the Xehanort who called himself Ansem, his abilities were transferred to him. As a result of Master Xehanort tossing his physical body, he was able to exceed time, and this power was carried into the Brown Robed Figure. Thus when Young Xehanort made contact with him, he gained this power. Possessing this power. Young Xehanort functioned as a “portal”, summoning Xemnas and Ansem each time they appeared. That’s why Young Xehanort was there whenever they appeared. Additionally, when Sora and Riku dropped into the worlds of sleep, simultaneously Young Xehanort himself goes into the world of sleep.

 

 

Basically Nomura himself hints we are seeing both Ansem from the past via time travel and the piece of Ansem Riku supresses and has learned to keep under control..Once Riku was able to control this side of him Ansem didn't have a hold on him .The org was no longer able to use him as a darkness bc he had learned to control it and not let consume him ..

Also, the scene in Monstro with that certain version of Riku is explained by Riku himself as him confronting his darkness and past choices and obstacles he overcame.. It was him facing his mistakes . It is the dream realm . Remember ,as Nomura said , this game was about Riku and his journey :

 

This title is the first KH game in a while to feature Sora and Riku as protagonists.

Nomura: I heard from many fans that they wanted to play as Sora again soon, and I felt I wanted to answer them. However, the true protagonist in plot for this title isn’t Sora, it’s Riku. The story depicted in this title is of Riku’s growth as he changes stance and makes the darkness he had been locking inside himself up until now into his own power. This is symbolised by Riku being chosen as a Keyblade Master at the end.

I would wait for Kingdom Hearts III to solve this dilemma, it's one of Nomura's mysteries that he doesn't solve for us until the end.