So this has been bothering me for quite some time. In KH1 when Sora is in the little cave, the man with the brown robe comes and talks trash to him, we later find out that this was Xehanort ( or was it Ansem Seeker of Darkness?) time traveling in his "heart only" form as described in dream drop distance. We also see this character speaking to young Xehanort when he's explaining the whole thing. Anyways, it is later explained that you can only time travel to a location where a version of yourself already exists, and you cannot manipulate anything during that time you have traveled forward/back to. Later in DDD we find out Sora was "selected" to be one of the new vessels for Xehanort but it wasn't completed, also Master Xehanort explained he could not see what would happen beyond that point in time. SO after all that my question is, how was he there on the Destiny Islands in KH1 when neither Sora, or anyone else has a part of Xehanort in their heart? The only way I can think this can work is if either Ansem Seeker of Darkness or one of the already turned XIII members were just chillin in the background which would be kinda lame. The only other way I can think this happened is if Xemnas somehow found Ventus in Castle Oblivion and forced his heart onto his body and it affected the part of his heart in Sora's, but at the same time that also doesn't make sense since no one went there until Chain of Memories. Sorry for the long post but I hope you guys can understand my question. 

The robed figure is Ansem SoD and he was there because that's his original time period.

And the Ansem you fought with a creepy maniacal monster in the end, is the robed figure possessing riku's body

You can only go back to a time where a version of yourself exists, that's exactly what he did, we went back to a time where a version of himself existed, his younger self, when he lived in Destiny Islands, you actually see this event in one of the games, 3D I believe, he went there with one purpose only, to teach his younger self how to move trough time, he couldn't move trought time again so he actually had to wait the normal passage of time, until the time where he met Sora. From one of Nomura's interviews.

 

Oh and that was Ansem SoD's Heartless, the same one that possesed Riku and you fight at the end of the game.

The robed figure is Ansem SoD and he was there because that's his original time period.

Yep, that's the right answer.

It's his original time period, so there was no need for Ansem SoD to go back in time. He just had to travel to Destiny Islands when the time was right.

The Robed Figure IS Ansem, he was able to travel there because his original self, Young Xehanort, was already living there in that time. Once he traveled there he passed his newfound time travel abilities to Xehanort while he remained on the island for all of those years until the events of KH1 eventually took place. It's as simple as that.

Once he traveled there he passed his newfound time travel abilities to Xehanort while he remained on the island for all of those years until the events of KH1 eventually took place. It's as simple as that.

About this, I just don't think Ansem really had to wait 70 years to be "aligned" with the present again, it is jusy unnecessaryI think that when he gave the time travel powers to YX he simply returned to the present, it is just easier

About this, I just don't think Ansem really had to wait 70 years to be "aligned" with the present again, it is jusy unnecessaryI think that when he gave the time travel powers to YX he simply returned to the present, it is just easier

If you travel to an earlier point in time in KH, you can't go back to the present. You're stuck there and you can only move forward like normal.

If you travel to an earlier point in time in KH, you can't go back to the present. You're stuck there and you can only move forward like normal.

I understand what you are referring to, however I interpret that "you can only move forward as per the laws of time" differently, to me it implicitly says that you can go whenever you want with time travel BUT if you arrive in the present you can't go further in the future because the future just isn't there yet, you have to wait for the present to become future (don't know if I managed to express this idea well)of course this is just a theory, but as I said it is so unnecessary that Ansem had to wait like 70 years in a parallel universe waiting to return to the present, I just think he returned to the present in the moment he gave up his powers (thus ending his time travel "adventure")

About this, I just don't think Ansem really had to wait 70 years to be "aligned" with the present again, it is jusy unnecessaryI think that when he gave the time travel powers to YX he simply returned to the present, it is just easier

Um, no, he GAVE him is own powers, that means he can't return. You see you have to give up something in order to attain great power, and in the case of time travel that is your own body (save for whatever special exception Yen Sid arranged for Sora and Riku..."magic" I guess). Yet he was able to transfer this power to Young Xehanort without him having to give up his body. But you can't get something for nothing. The cost in this case was that Ansem had to remain on the island until the day finally arrived, because odds are he just can't generate his own "knock-off brand" of time travel, and giving only a fraction of it would not be enough for YX to fulfill his role. So he had no other choice but to stay behind while YX was allowed to travel forward in time, he was simply patient enough to wait all those years for the exact day to happen when his side of the plan finally kicked into action. It isn't "unnecessary" when they have to stick with the rules that they created for it. As confusing as the time travel logic is in this game they at least do a decent job of staying within their own rules. If Ansem was allowed to keep his time travel abilities while YX is simultaneously allowed to keep using time travel without giving up his body they would have seriously been breaking and contradicting the strict rules that they had written up for the time travel concept in this game. And really what difference does it make if he stayed or "cheated ahead"? Point is that he was there the whole time, he had to be in order to observe Riku and the Door long enough to factor them into his grand plan. If anything it's more satisfying that he waited there for 70-ish years, it shows the dedication and sheer patience and fortitude the guy has as an antagonist in order to achieve what he wants. It wouldn't be nearly as impressive if he simply cheated forward just because he didn't want to be bored. So from a lore-establishing standpoint AND a storytelling standpoint, it works much better that he relinquished all of his powers to YX and remained on the island for years until KH1 started.

I understand what you are referring to, however I interpret that "you can only move forward as per the laws of time" differently, to me it implicitly says that you can go whenever you want with time travel BUT if you arrive in the present you can't go further in the future because the future just isn't there yet, you have to wait for the present to become future (don't know if I managed to express this idea well)of course this is just a theory, but as I said it is so unnecessary that Ansem had to wait like 70 years in a parallel universe waiting to return to the present, I just think he returned to the present in the moment he gave up his powers (thus ending his time travel "adventure")

I believe the way he meant that was you could travel back in time at least ONCE, but upon doing that you can't go back further in time. Since time naturally moves forward anyway, then that is the only course of action left to you. However, that's not to say you couldn't travel forward in time. If you still hold the power after going back, you could either move through time the "average way" and just live in the "present" as it naturally becomes the future the slow way, or use time travel to skip ahead in time. You can probably do this as many times as you want, though it could be assumed that eventually you will have to return to the time you originally came from. If you're stranded in the past you could either just jump ahead towards the present or wait it out the old-fashioned way like Ansem did, but if you are stuck in the future it's possible that you have some kind of invisible timer that will pull you back to your original time once it's ran out. I'm at least assuming that's what happened with all of the new Organization XIII that appeared at the end of DDD, they were all pulled from various points in time, presumably the past in respect to DDD. So odds are their "time was up" and they all had to be reeled back to the points in time they originated from. The characters we already know of likely were brought forward at some point prior to their demises, the most present versions of themselves before they were eliminated (although I am unsure of Braig's status. He still appears to be Xigbar in DDD, yet in the 2.5 cutscene taking place just before it he is revived as Braig, with practically no signs of aging whatsoever, you'd think he'd at least still have the pony tail...). A lot of this is conjecture, but it's all based on things that were clearly established in DDD, particularly that you can go back in time at least once, you can only go forward after that, YX continually moves through time so based on what he says it can be assumed that he carefully moved forward towards the points in time where the candidates existed while only advancing forward towards the future, and once YX's mission and the new XIII meeting was done they all were forced back to their proper points in time (since Master Xehanort was reforming on the spot he likely just disappeared towards wherever his base of operations is in the present).

Um, no, he GAVE him is own powers, that means he can't return. You see you have to give up something in order to attain great power, and in the case of time travel that is your own body (save for whatever special exception Yen Sid arranged for Sora and Riku..."magic" I guess). Yet he was able to transfer this power to Young Xehanort without him having to give up his body. But you can't get something for nothing. The cost in this case was that Ansem had to remain on the island until the day finally arrived, because odds are he just can't generate his own "knock-off brand" of time travel, and giving only a fraction of it would not be enough for YX to fulfill his role. So he had no other choice but to stay behind while YX was allowed to travel forward in time, he was simply patient enough to wait all those years for the exact day to happen when his side of the plan finally kicked into action. It isn't "unnecessary" when they have to stick with the rules that they created for it. As confusing as the time travel logic is in this game they at least do a decent job of staying within their own rules. If Ansem was allowed to keep his time travel abilities while YX is simultaneously allowed to keep using time travel without giving up his body they would have seriously been breaking and contradicting the strict rules that they had written up for the time travel concept in this game. And really what difference does it make if he stayed or "cheated ahead"? Point is that he was there the whole time, he had to be in order to observe Riku and the Door long enough to factor them into his grand plan. If anything it's more satisfying that he waited there for 70-ish years, it shows the dedication and sheer patience and fortitude the guy has as an antagonist in order to achieve what he wants. It wouldn't be nearly as impressive if he simply cheated forward just because he didn't want to be bored. So from a lore-establishing standpoint AND a storytelling standpoint, it works much better that he relinquished all of his powers to YX and remained on the island for years until KH1 started.

I'm not saying he kept his time travel abilities, what I'm saying it's that jus after he gave YX the abilities (loosing the ability to time travel of course) he just returned to his era just as in KH3D each xehanort vessel returned to his time, I'm not saying he time travelled to the present but that the KH universe laws brought him back to his proper timeand yes it is unnecessary because since he time travelled to the past he actually created a temporary parallel universe that is actually NOT the same the main KH story is set (this happened because you can't change past events) and in this parallel universe YX just disappears (because he goes to the present) so the whole alternative future is changed by this important event and this mean Ansem had no need to stay there, and btw if he really had to observe riku he could have done that in the normal time flow since he Ansem was "born" when riku was 6 (he had 9 years to observe him, until KH1 happened)and in conclusion I just realised that even IF the KH laws didn't bring him to the present, he could have just returned easily to his time being picked up by YX, that now possess time travel abilities and apparently has the power to pick-up xehanort versions in his travels trough time

Um, no, he GAVE him is own powers, that means he can't return. You see you have to give up something in order to attain great power, and in the case of time travel that is your own body (save for whatever special exception Yen Sid arranged for Sora and Riku..."magic" I guess). Yet he was able to transfer this power to Young Xehanort without him having to give up his body. But you can't get something for nothing. The cost in this case was that Ansem had to remain on the island until the day finally arrived, because odds are he just can't generate his own "knock-off brand" of time travel, and giving only a fraction of it would not be enough for YX to fulfill his role. So he had no other choice but to stay behind while YX was allowed to travel forward in time, he was simply patient enough to wait all those years for the exact day to happen when his side of the plan finally kicked into action. It isn't "unnecessary" when they have to stick with the rules that they created for it. As confusing as the time travel logic is in this game they at least do a decent job of staying within their own rules. If Ansem was allowed to keep his time travel abilities while YX is simultaneously allowed to keep using time travel without giving up his body they would have seriously been breaking and contradicting the strict rules that they had written up for the time travel concept in this game. And really what difference does it make if he stayed or "cheated ahead"? Point is that he was there the whole time, he had to be in order to observe Riku and the Door long enough to factor them into his grand plan. If anything it's more satisfying that he waited there for 70-ish years, it shows the dedication and sheer patience and fortitude the guy has as an antagonist in order to achieve what he wants. It wouldn't be nearly as impressive if he simply cheated forward just because he didn't want to be bored. So from a lore-establishing standpoint AND a storytelling standpoint, it works much better that he relinquished all of his powers to YX and remained on the island for years until KH1 started.I believe the way he meant that was you could travel back in time at least ONCE, but upon doing that you can't go back further in time. Since time naturally moves forward anyway, then that is the only course of action left to you. However, that's not to say you couldn't travel forward in time. If you still hold the power after going back, you could either move through time the "average way" and just live in the "present" as it naturally becomes the future the slow way, or use time travel to skip ahead in time. You can probably do this as many times as you want, though it could be assumed that eventually you will have to return to the time you originally came from. If you're stranded in the past you could either just jump ahead towards the present or wait it out the old-fashioned way like Ansem did, but if you are stuck in the future it's possible that you have some kind of invisible timer that will pull you back to your original time once it's ran out. I'm at least assuming that's what happened with all of the new Organization XIII that appeared at the end of DDD, they were all pulled from various points in time, presumably the past in respect to DDD. So odds are their "time was up" and they all had to be reeled back to the points in time they originated from. The characters we already know of likely were brought forward at some point prior to their demises, the most present versions of themselves before they were eliminated (although I am unsure of Braig's status. He still appears to be Xigbar in DDD, yet in the 2.5 cutscene taking place just before it he is revived as Braig, with practically no signs of aging whatsoever, you'd think he'd at least still have the pony tail...). A lot of this is conjecture, but it's all based on things that were clearly established in DDD, particularly that you can go back in time at least once, you can only go forward after that, YX continually moves through time so based on what he says it can be assumed that he carefully moved forward towards the points in time where the candidates existed while only advancing forward towards the future, and once YX's mission and the new XIII meeting was done they all were forced back to their proper points in time (since Master Xehanort was reforming on the spot he likely just disappeared towards wherever his base of operations is in the present).

about this I think you can only go in the past in the KH universe because the future just isn't there, it has yet to be created so the only thing to do if you want to go in the future is simply wait and move ALONG with time, which naturally transforms the present in the past and trasforms the future in the presentI dint know if I am able to express this idea in a proper way, I'm probably making a post about this sooner or later...PS: if young xehanort could really go back and forth between past, present and future then KH3D would be pointless or even paradoxical since he could have directly gone to the point where xehanort will try to create the keyblade in KH3

Edited March 11, 20169 yr by MasterLorX

Ugh, KH time travel can literally be described as either go back once and stay there, or go forward as many times as you want until your time is up and you have to go back. You can only go to places where a version of you is. You can't change anything that is destined to happen. There are no parallel universes.

 

KH time travel is basically heavily restricted time travel.

So this has been bothering me for quite some time. In KH1 when Sora is in the little cave, the man with the brown robe comes and talks trash to him, we later find out that this was Xehanort ( or was it Ansem Seeker of Darkness?) time traveling in his "heart only" form as described in dream drop distance. We also see this character speaking to young Xehanort when he's explaining the whole thing. Anyways, it is later explained that you can only time travel to a location where a version of yourself already exists, and you cannot manipulate anything during that time you have traveled forward/back to. Later in DDD we find out Sora was "selected" to be one of the new vessels for Xehanort but it wasn't completed, also Master Xehanort explained he could not see what would happen beyond that point in time. SO after all that my question is, how was he there on the Destiny Islands in KH1 when neither Sora, or anyone else has a part of Xehanort in their heart? The only way I can think this can work is if either Ansem Seeker of Darkness or one of the already turned XIII members were just chillin in the background which would be kinda lame. The only other way I can think this happened is if Xemnas somehow found Ventus in Castle Oblivion and forced his heart onto his body and it affected the part of his heart in Sora's, but at the same time that also doesn't make sense since no one went there until Chain of Memories. Sorry for the long post but I hope you guys can understand my question. 

 

When the Robed Figure was on Destiny Islands in KH1, he was there because that's his time period. He did not time travel to get there.

 

By the way, the Robed Figure is Xehanort's disembodied heart. Terra-Xehanort extracted it from himself. People refer to him as Xehanort's Heartless because he is practically the same person as Xehanort's Heartless (Ansem, Seeker of Darkness). In KH1, he is a disembodied heart, then when his plans are foiled and Sora approaches him on the broken Destiny Islands, he the succumbs to the darkness and becomes an actual Heartless (which is the human form we all know and love).

I'm not saying he kept his time travel abilities, what I'm saying it's that jus after he gave YX the abilities (loosing the ability to time travel of course) he just returned to his era just as in KH3D each xehanort vessel returned to his time, I'm not saying he time travelled to the present but that the KH universe laws brought him back to his proper timeand yes it is unnecessary because since he time travelled to the past he actually created a temporary parallel universe that is actually NOT the same the main KH story is set (this happened because you can't change past events) and in this parallel universe YX just disappears (because he goes to the present) so the whole alternative future is changed by this important event and this mean Ansem had no need to stay there, and btw if he really had to observe riku he could have done that in the normal time flow since he Ansem was "born" when riku was 6 (he had 9 years to observe him, until KH1 happened)and in conclusion I just realised that even IF the KH laws didn't bring him to the present, he could have just returned easily to his time being picked up by YX, that now possess time travel abilities and apparently has the power to pick-up xehanort versions in his travels trough timeabout this I think you can only go in the past in the KH universe because the future just isn't there, it has yet to be created so the only thing to do if you want to go in the future is simply wait and move ALONG with time, which naturally transforms the present in the past and trasforms the future in the presentI dint know if I am able to express this idea in a proper way, I'm probably making a post about this sooner or later...PS: if young xehanort could really go back and forth between past, present and future then KH3D would be pointless or even paradoxical since he could have directly gone to the point where xehanort will try to create the keyblade in KH3

He likely didn't because the only time we've ever seen someone get dragged back to their proper time was someone from the past. Ansem came from the future, and YX said you could only move forward after traveling back once, that means either he moved ahead by just naturally existing in that time until it eventually became the time he departed from or he traveled forward through time travel (whether through the aid of another or some kind of default). So far there has been nothing to suggest that a person from the future can be reeled back in from the past since there is still the possibility of moving forward the old fashioned way. And there is nothing stated in-game that suggests that Ansem returned to his own time after his encounter with YX. The fact that he had to meet him on Destiny Islands and the fact that he had been on Destiny Islands at the right time in order to be able to act as an anchor for YX to enter the Realm of Sleep are pretty fair ground to assume that he had just taken permanent residence there.

 

KH has yet to fully explain how it's time travel works, but there is nothing shown so far to suggest alternate universe theory (unless you're willing to argue that all of the Mysterious Figure battles in BBS are cannon instead of just one of them). From what is said by YX, you can not change things that are "destined to happen". It's probable that Xehanort was always fated to go down the path that he did, whether he had interfered with his own timeline or not. In fact, the laws of KH timetravel seem to clean up after themselves anyway by wiping the memories of all those who have traveled once they return to their time of origin. With that logic no paradoxes or universe splits would happen because fate would have deemed those events acceptable and once everyone's memories are wiped they just carry on oblivious as to what life has in store for them. Even if his adventure didn't etch his destiny into his heart, there are probably lots of circumstances that would have led him to taking the same steps he would in his later years anyway. Xehanort was probably always destined to meddle with his own timeline, that's why fate had allowed him to do as much as he did within those limitations. And again, whether Ansem "needed" an excuse to stick around or not, it doesn't necessarily suggest that he had the choice to instantly return back to his time of origin. Unless an official source says otherwise, there is plenty of ground to believe that he could have just remained there the whole time. It's not like he needed to go anywhere else, Master Xehanort had already started Maleficent down her path towards pursuing Kingdom Hearts and the 7 Princesses, Xemnas was already preparing an organization of potential vessels in the present, and YX can only travel FORWARD in time anyway so it would be a waste to simply bring him back to his time first because then YX would miss any opportunities to pick up any members from in-between. So unless the time-reel-thingy works for future denizens stuck in the past too, Ansem likely had no choice but to remain behind. on the islands.

 

I never said that YX can travel back and forth freely through time with no restrictions, nor does the game. As I have said, YX can only move forward in time since it is the same power that Ansem had used. The past trip was a one-way ticket and the trip was already used up in getting Ansem to YX, so YX has no other choice but to move forward in time. With this in mind, he was likely traveling very carefully and methodically, possibly given intel by Ansem as to who the candidates should be so that he knows how far forward to travel each time. He has to be very careful otherwise he risks missing something and not being able to go back to correct that mistake. So even though he can move forward in time, he can't jump around haphazzardly, he needs to be sure of what he is doing, because he knows he can't just go back and pick up anyone he missed. He's sticking to the knowledge that his older self gave him, and by the time events were starting to reach the end of his prior knowledge he knew that he was coming to the end of his mission and would have to be pulled back eventually. By all means he has been doing a very good job in staying within the rules of KH time travel, being the primary user of it in that game. He only did the things that he needed to do and there would be no point in trying to risk anything like going into Master Xehanort's future because that time is uncertain. MX's plan only works so well because he used his knowledge of the past to guide YX, meaning that anything that happens after MX returns would be completely new and uncertain territory for everyone. If YX even tried going to the X-Blade forging climax in KH3 he would risk throwing a wrench into his own plan, dooming his future to failure. He knew that he had no place going off and doing his own thing, as soon as he was convinced of Xehanort's plan he stuck with it to the letter, doing his best not to deviate or take unnecessary risks. So even though he may have had the possibility to go forward in the events of KH3 before they happened, he likely would have decided against it anyway. So no paradoxes.

Ugh, KH time travel can literally be described as either go back once and stay there, or go forward as many times as you want until your time is up and you have to go back. You can only go to places where a version of you is. You can't change anything that is destined to happen. There are no parallel universes.KH time travel is basically heavily restricted time travel.

Or literally just this. ^^^^

Sometimes I forget that there are simpler ways to explain things.

There's no need to discuss this or create theories, what i said before is how it is, it was answered by Nomura himself, word of God and all that, the reason he wasn't able to return to his own time was not because he gave up his powers to his younger self, he never could, it's the rules Nomura put in this universe and it's how they work.

 

In order to gain the ability to time travel you have to give up your body, Xehanort did this by turning himself into an Heartless, not a disembodied Heart, but alas one that somehow retained an human appearance, at least one that can pass by one with the robes on, he then had to chose a time period where a version of himself already existed, past or future, he chose his younger self back when he lived on Destiny Islands, then he gave the powers to travel through time to himself, because of this his younger self doesn't need to lose his own body, he then could've move trough time again, but only backwards, he couldn't move forward so he just stayed right there because he already acomplished what he went back for, so he waited for time to move forward normally, until he met Sora and the timeline resumed.

 

Now his younger self could move through time, so he chose to go forward, he picked the first time period that would work for him, probably the time you meet him during BBS, then he kept moving forward in the timeline stoping along the way to gather his future selfs, he then brought them all with him until the time we saw in DDD, they will all move forwards at least one more time for whatever they have in store for KH3, after all that they'll all go back to their own time, to the exact moment from where they left, with no memories of what they all went through and they'll live their lives exactly as they're intended to because time is imovable and can't be changed, so Ansem SoD and Xemnas will always be defeated by Sora, Young Xehanort will always train with Master Eraqus, etc.

 

Also the way Riku and Sora traveled through time is completely different, other then not being able to change anything the rules for them are different as well.

 

Again, all this was told to us by Nomura himself so it's how it works, no buts, nor ifs, nor maybes.

Edited March 11, 20169 yr by DevilSpooky

There's no need to discuss this or create theories, what i said before is how it is, it was answered by Nomura himself, word of God and all that, the reason he wasn't able to return to his own time was not because he gave up his powers to his younger self, he never could, it's the rules Nomura put in this universe and it's how they work.In order to gain the ability to time travel you have to give up your body, Xehanort did this by turning himself into an Heartless, not a disembodied Heart, but alas one that somehow retained an human appearance, at least one that can pass by one with the robes on, he then had to chose a time period where a version of himself already existed, past or future, he chose his younger self back when he lived on Destiny Islands, then he gave the powers to travel through time to himself, because of this his younger self doesn't need to lose his own body, he then could've move trough time again, but only backwards, he couldn't move forward so he just stayed right there because he already acomplished what he went back for, so he waited for time to move forward normally, until he met Sora and the timeline resumed.Now his younger self could move through time, so he chose to go forward, he picked the first time period that would work for him, probably the time you meet him during BBS, then he kept moving forward in the timeline stoping along the way to gather his future selfs, he then brought them all with him until the time we saw in DDD, they will all move forwards at least one more time for whatever they have in store for KH3, after all that they'll all go back to their own time, to the exact moment from where they left, with no memories of what they all went through and they'll live their lives exactly as they're intended to because time is imovable and can't be changed, so Ansem SoD and Xemnas will always be defeated by Sora, Young Xehanort will always train with Master Eraqus, etc.Also the way Riku and Sora traveled through time is completely different, other then not being able to change anything the rules for them are different as well.Again, all this was told to us by Nomura himself so it's how it works, no buts, nor ifs, nor maybes.

where did Nomura confirm all of this?

He likely didn't because the only time we've ever seen someone get dragged back to their proper time was someone from the past. Ansem came from the future, and YX said you could only move forward after traveling back once, that means either he moved ahead by just naturally existing in that time until it eventually became the time he departed from or he traveled forward through time travel (whether through the aid of another or some kind of default). So far there has been nothing to suggest that a person from the future can be reeled back in from the past since there is still the possibility of moving forward the old fashioned way. And there is nothing stated in-game that suggests that Ansem returned to his own time after his encounter with YX. The fact that he had to meet him on Destiny Islands and the fact that he had been on Destiny Islands at the right time in order to be able to act as an anchor for YX to enter the Realm of Sleep are pretty fair ground to assume that he had just taken permanent residence there.KH has yet to fully explain how it's time travel works, but there is nothing shown so far to suggest alternate universe theory (unless you're willing to argue that all of the Mysterious Figure battles in BBS are cannon instead of just one of them). From what is said by YX, you can not change things that are "destined to happen". It's probable that Xehanort was always fated to go down the path that he did, whether he had interfered with his own timeline or not. In fact, the laws of KH timetravel seem to clean up after themselves anyway by wiping the memories of all those who have traveled once they return to their time of origin. With that logic no paradoxes or universe splits would happen because fate would have deemed those events acceptable and once everyone's memories are wiped they just carry on oblivious as to what life has in store for them. Even if his adventure didn't etch his destiny into his heart, there are probably lots of circumstances that would have led him to taking the same steps he would in his later years anyway. Xehanort was probably always destined to meddle with his own timeline, that's why fate had allowed him to do as much as he did within those limitations. And again, whether Ansem "needed" an excuse to stick around or not, it doesn't necessarily suggest that he had the choice to instantly return back to his time of origin. Unless an official source says otherwise, there is plenty of ground to believe that he could have just remained there the whole time. It's not like he needed to go anywhere else, Master Xehanort had already started Maleficent down her path towards pursuing Kingdom Hearts and the 7 Princesses, Xemnas was already preparing an organization of potential vessels in the present, and YX can only travel FORWARD in time anyway so it would be a waste to simply bring him back to his time first because then YX would miss any opportunities to pick up any members from in-between. So unless the time-reel-thingy works for future denizens stuck in the past too, Ansem likely had no choice but to remain behind. on the islands.I never said that YX can travel back and forth freely through time with no restrictions, nor does the game. As I have said, YX can only move forward in time since it is the same power that Ansem had used. The past trip was a one-way ticket and the trip was already used up in getting Ansem to YX, so YX has no other choice but to move forward in time. With this in mind, he was likely traveling very carefully and methodically, possibly given intel by Ansem as to who the candidates should be so that he knows how far forward to travel each time. He has to be very careful otherwise he risks missing something and not being able to go back to correct that mistake. So even though he can move forward in time, he can't jump around haphazzardly, he needs to be sure of what he is doing, because he knows he can't just go back and pick up anyone he missed. He's sticking to the knowledge that his older self gave him, and by the time events were starting to reach the end of his prior knowledge he knew that he was coming to the end of his mission and would have to be pulled back eventually. By all means he has been doing a very good job in staying within the rules of KH time travel, being the primary user of it in that game. He only did the things that he needed to do and there would be no point in trying to risk anything like going into Master Xehanort's future because that time is uncertain. MX's plan only works so well because he used his knowledge of the past to guide YX, meaning that anything that happens after MX returns would be completely new and uncertain territory for everyone. If YX even tried going to the X-Blade forging climax in KH3 he would risk throwing a wrench into his own plan, dooming his future to failure. He knew that he had no place going off and doing his own thing, as soon as he was convinced of Xehanort's plan he stuck with it to the letter, doing his best not to deviate or take unnecessary risks. So even though he may have had the possibility to go forward in the events of KH3 before they happened, he likely would have decided against it anyway. So no paradoxes.Or literally just this. ^^^^Sometimes I forget that there are simpler ways to explain things.

to me introducing this idea of "parallel universe" is needed to make time travel make sense, here's why:YX says in 3D that time itself can't be changed so this means that since Ansem went interfering with the past he didn't arrive in the original time flow of KH (the only one truly existing) instead what happened is that from the moment he arrived he changed the past of a parallel universe, in this universe xehanort didn't leave destiny island and did never become the old MX because he left using his new time travel powers (and used them to arrive in the REAL present time)Here's why I think the scene of YX and Ansem meeting is set in a parallel universe, because if not that would mean Ansem managed to change the original flow of events (which as YX said is impossible)I'm not saying there have always been multiple universe in KH, I just think that whenever you go in the past you create a temporary parallel universe which is actually destroyed when you return to the present (in fact if you think about that, this scene I'm talk about has never happened in the original story of KH)Now, the thing you said about YX, that he can only go in the future unable to go back in time, is it just a theory of yours or did I missed it has been confirmed?

Edited March 11, 20169 yr by MasterLorX

where did Nomura confirm all of this?to me introducing this idea of "parallel universe" is needed to make time travel make sense, here's why:YX says in 3D that time itself can't be changed so this means that since Ansem went interfering with the past he didn't arrive in the original time flow of KH (the only one truly existing) instead what happened is that from the moment he arrived he changed the past of a parallel universe, in this universe xehanort didn't leave destiny island and did never become the old MX because he left using his new time travel powers (and used them to arrive in the REAL present time)Here's why I think the scene of YX and Ansem meeting is set in a parallel universe, because if not that would mean Ansem managed to change the original flow of events (which as YX said is impossible)I'm not saying there have always been multiple universe in KH, I just think that whenever you go in the past you create a temporary parallel universe which is actually destroyed when you return to the present (in fact if you think about that, this scene I'm talk about has never happened in the original story of KH)Now, the thing you said about YX, that he can only go in the future unable to go back in time, is it just a theory of yours or did I missed it has been confirmed?

Except you're forgetting that the same YX DID return to the islands to live out the rest of his life, leaving the islands, training with Eraqus, and became old Master Xehanort. You're completely ignoring the fact that they literally said in game that they all have to return to the times they came from to live out the paths that destiny had in store for them, with no memory of what they have done with time travel. As far as the universe is concerned there is no need to "split itself" or "correct" anything because with no memory of the events that he made happen he can still live his life as it was meant to be.

 

And again, it is called "parallel universe THEORY" for a reason. Not all shows, movies, games, etc. choose to adopt the theory into their concepts of time travel, sometimes it is as simple as "time is different now" with no new universes being created. In the universe of Kingdom Hearts it is stated in-game that "time is immovable". It is like a mountain, you can chip off a few areas, change some features of it, but in the end it isn't going to look or behave that differently. So YX and MX may have meddled with their own timeline to put the ultimate battle to come more in their favor, but it does nothing to change the fact that the ultimate battle will still happen no matter what. As far as the universe is concerned the battle was always meant to happen, it's very likely that same battle that is being referenced in the Book of Prophesies and the story of YX and Eraqus' master (it could also be telling of the Keyblade War, but its safe to say that they are also alluding to the final battle). Who wins or has the advantage isn't as important to destiny as the battle itself happening, for whatever reason, if any at all, fate has decided that the ultimate battle for light and dark MUST take place, how it happens or who has the advantage and wins in the end is irrelevant. So even though Xehanort couldn't make it so that he had the power he was looking for without the need to fight anyone ("moving" the battle out of the way), time was moldable enough for him to take whatever steps he could to contribute his part to the battle, insure his advantages and victory even. KH's concept of time isn't something that has to correct itself by splitting into alternate timelines and universes to compensate for people's constant meddling, it's something that strictly limits and allots certain conditions and wiggle room for all those who attempt to use it in any way. That's why no matter what he does Xehanort won't ever prevent what destiny has planed, intentionally or otherwise. He understood this and was able to work within the rules in a way that benefited himself without causing any damage to any timelines. It's a strict form of time that prevents any paradoxes from happening by pretty much not allowing enough room for them to happen in the first place. As long as huge things like battles remain, little details like what started them and who wins is insignificant.

 

That's not to say that Multiple Universe Theory doesn't apply in other works, but KH so far has shown no signs of adhering to that theory, being a very simple and strictly self-contained form of time travel in which only small details are changeable while the bigger pictures remain unmovable. In KH you can't move a mountain, but you can change some of it's finer details slightly.

 

NO, it's not a theory that YX can't go back in time, HE LITERALLY SAID THAT HE CAN ONLY MOVE FORWARD IN TIME. I can even bring up the cutscene he says this in if you don't remember.

 

There's no need to discuss this or create theories, what i said before is how it is, it was answered by Nomura himself, word of God and all that, the reason he wasn't able to return to his own time was not because he gave up his powers to his younger self, he never could, it's the rules Nomura put in this universe and it's how they work.

 

In order to gain the ability to time travel you have to give up your body, Xehanort did this by turning himself into an Heartless, not a disembodied Heart, but alas one that somehow retained an human appearance, at least one that can pass by one with the robes on, he then had to chose a time period where a version of himself already existed, past or future, he chose his younger self back when he lived on Destiny Islands, then he gave the powers to travel through time to himself, because of this his younger self doesn't need to lose his own body, he then could've move trough time again, but only backwards, he couldn't move forward so he just stayed right there because he already acomplished what he went back for, so he waited for time to move forward normally, until he met Sora and the timeline resumed.

 

Now his younger self could move through time, so he chose to go forward, he picked the first time period that would work for him, probably the time you meet him during BBS, then he kept moving forward in the timeline stoping along the way to gather his future selfs, he then brought them all with him until the time we saw in DDD, they will all move forwards at least one more time for whatever they have in store for KH3, after all that they'll all go back to their own time, to the exact moment from where they left, with no memories of what they all went through and they'll live their lives exactly as they're intended to because time is imovable and can't be changed, so Ansem SoD and Xemnas will always be defeated by Sora, Young Xehanort will always train with Master Eraqus, etc.

 

Also the way Riku and Sora traveled through time is completely different, other then not being able to change anything the rules for them are different as well.

 

Again, all this was told to us by Nomura himself so it's how it works, no buts, nor ifs, nor maybes.

Would that not suggest that he literally transferred his power to Young Xehanort though? I mean if he just can't move forward in time when that is literally the only thing you are allowed to do after going back once, then that would suggest that he gave up his only way of traveling forward. The logic just adds up that he gave away his ability to time travel to YX, he can't exactly teach something that he essentially borrowed, he can only pass it on to someone else. The fact that YX doesn't have to give up his body suggests that it is the SAME time travel ability, the one that has already been paid for. And since you can't get anything new for nothing, that means that in order to make sure that YX pays no fee for that ability he had to relinquish the already paid for one, meaning he gave up his fast means of returning home. It's not simply because it's "against the rules" for him to move forward after doing that, it's because he literally has no means to go forward anymore. It feels like we are closer to being on the same page here, but I too would like to see the interview you are citing just to make sure we aren't contradicting each other here.

All I know is

 

1. Xehanort(any xehanort) could not remain outside his own time for long. Don't know if that is accelerated when they are all gathered or not.

 

2. Ansem in KH1 was entirely in his own time. He gained a physical body by possessing Riku, a fact that goes hand in hand with events and theories regarding Terra.

where did Nomura confirm all of this?to me introducing this idea of "parallel universe" is needed to make time travel make sense, here's why:YX says in 3D that time itself can't be changed so this means that since Ansem went interfering with the past he didn't arrive in the original time flow of KH (the only one truly existing) instead what happened is that from the moment he arrived he changed the past of a parallel universe, in this universe xehanort didn't leave destiny island and did never become the old MX because he left using his new time travel powers (and used them to arrive in the REAL present time)Here's why I think the scene of YX and Ansem meeting is set in a parallel universe, because if not that would mean Ansem managed to change the original flow of events (which as YX said is impossible)I'm not saying there have always been multiple universe in KH, I just think that whenever you go in the past you create a temporary parallel universe which is actually destroyed when you return to the present (in fact if you think about that, this scene I'm talk about has never happened in the original story of KH)Now, the thing you said about YX, that he can only go in the future unable to go back in time, is it just a theory of yours or did I missed it has been confirmed?

 

It's already explained bellow your post, once you go back you forget everything, and you actually go back to the exact same time as you left so nothing changed and no alternate reality is created, everything will happen like it was meant to.

 

Except you're forgetting that the same YX DID return to the islands to live out the rest of his life, leaving the islands, training with Eraqus, and became old Master Xehanort. You're completely ignoring the fact that they literally said in game that they all have to return to the times they came from to live out the paths that destiny had in store for them, with no memory of what they have done with time travel. As far as the universe is concerned there is no need to "split itself" or "correct" anything because with no memory of the events that he made happen he can still live his life as it was meant to be.

 

And again, it is called "parallel universe THEORY" for a reason. Not all shows, movies, games, etc. choose to adopt the theory into their concepts of time travel, sometimes it is as simple as "time is different now" with no new universes being created. In the universe of Kingdom Hearts it is stated in-game that "time is immovable". It is like a mountain, you can chip off a few areas, change some features of it, but in the end it isn't going to look or behave that differently. So YX and MX may have meddled with their own timeline to put the ultimate battle to come more in their favor, but it does nothing to change the fact that the ultimate battle will still happen no matter what. As far as the universe is concerned the battle was always meant to happen, it's very likely that same battle that is being referenced in the Book of Prophesies and the story of YX and Eraqus' master (it could also be telling of the Keyblade War, but its safe to say that they are also alluding to the final battle). Who wins or has the advantage isn't as important to destiny as the battle itself happening, for whatever reason, if any at all, fate has decided that the ultimate battle for light and dark MUST take place, how it happens or who has the advantage and wins in the end is irrelevant. So even though Xehanort couldn't make it so that he had the power he was looking for without the need to fight anyone ("moving" the battle out of the way), time was moldable enough for him to take whatever steps he could to contribute his part to the battle, insure his advantages and victory even. KH's concept of time isn't something that has to correct itself by splitting into alternate timelines and universes to compensate for people's constant meddling, it's something that strictly limits and allots certain conditions and wiggle room for all those who attempt to use it in any way. That's why no matter what he does Xehanort won't ever prevent what destiny has planed, intentionally or otherwise. He understood this and was able to work within the rules in a way that benefited himself without causing any damage to any timelines. It's a strict form of time that prevents any paradoxes from happening by pretty much not allowing enough room for them to happen in the first place. As long as huge things like battles remain, little details like what started them and who wins is insignificant.

 

That's not to say that Multiple Universe Theory doesn't apply in other works, but KH so far has shown no signs of adhering to that theory, being a very simple and strictly self-contained form of time travel in which only small details are changeable while the bigger pictures remain unmovable. In KH you can't move a mountain, but you can change some of it's finer details slightly.

 

NO, it's not a theory that YX can't go back in time, HE LITERALLY SAID THAT HE CAN ONLY MOVE FORWARD IN TIME. I can even bring up the cutscene he says this in if you don't remember.

 

Would that not suggest that he literally transferred his power to Young Xehanort though? I mean if he just can't move forward in time when that is literally the only thing you are allowed to do after going back once, then that would suggest that he gave up his only way of traveling forward. The logic just adds up that he gave away his ability to time travel to YX, he can't exactly teach something that he essentially borrowed, he can only pass it on to someone else. The fact that YX doesn't have to give up his body suggests that it is the SAME time travel ability, the one that has already been paid for. And since you can't get anything new for nothing, that means that in order to make sure that YX pays no fee for that ability he had to relinquish the already paid for one, meaning he gave up his fast means of returning home. It's not simply because it's "against the rules" for him to move forward after doing that, it's because he literally has no means to go forward anymore. It feels like we are closer to being on the same page here, but I too would like to see the interview you are citing just to make sure we aren't contradicting each other here.

 

Basically the reason YX has the ability is because they're essentially the same person, the same Heart. Although I don't recall Nomura going too deep into that question so I guess that's one we can actually discuss.

 

About Nomura talking about it, I seriously don't remember, it was during some interviews, almost sure it was for one of the Ultimanias or maybe for Famitsu but I can't seem to track it down, the guy gives way to many of those

All I know is1. Xehanort(any xehanort) could not remain outside his own time for long. Don't know if that is accelerated when they are all gathered or not.2. Ansem in KH1 was entirely in his own time. He gained a physical body by possessing Riku, a fact that goes hand in hand with events and theories regarding Terra.

 

Nomura stated that The Garden of Assembly was special and things worked differently while they where in there, they all left because YX left, and since he was the one that took them there they would all leave with him.

 

Ansem SoD was not in his own time exactly, he has been "living" there ever since he went back in time. The rest is correct, he possessed Riku and gained a new body.

What I find funny is that people couldn't figure out it was Ansem SoD in the cave until DDD when the very first game straight up tells this to us!

It's already explained bellow your post, once you go back you forget everything, and you actually go back to the exact same time as you left so nothing changed and no alternate reality is created, everything will happen like it was meant to.

 

 

Basically the reason YX has the ability is because they're essentially the same person, the same Heart. Although I don't recall Nomura going too deep into that question so I guess that's one we can actually discuss.

 

About Nomura talking about it, I seriously don't remember, it was during some interviews, almost sure it was for one of the Ultimanias or maybe for Famitsu but I can't seem to track it down, the guy gives way to many of those

 

Nomura stated that The Garden of Assembly was special and things worked differently while they where in there, they all left because YX left, and since he was the one that took them there they would all leave with him.

 

Ansem SoD was not in his own time exactly, he has been "living" there ever since he went back in time. The rest is correct, he possessed Riku and gained a new body.

I think the whole "same heart" thing goes only as far as being able to possibly transfer time travel powers to another person, like it's easier to if they share the same heart or something. But it's all hypothesis until Nomura actually starts talking straight.

 

Now that I think of it, he said that YX was acting as the "anchor" that was keeping all of the Norts there displaced from time, so I guess any "guests" that are moved through time by the "user" end up getting pulled back to their original points as well once the user is forced back to his or her point of origin. So when YX left, they all left, but I'm still not sure about Master Xehanort, as he was clearly forming right in front of everyone within that space. He had no need to leave that spot, if anything that was the proper time and place for him to exist in. My guess is that he likely just used a corridor of Darkness or what have you to transport to wherever his backup base of operations is to think of his next scheme. I know he disappeared in the same manner as everyone else, but there have been lots of times where characters have used the same trick but it looks different each time. Sometimes people have a huge plume of darkness appear around them, and then other times they'l just straight up fade-out in an instant. 

 

Unless by some technicality he was supposed to have reformed in the Keyblade Graveyard, that being the last place he was ever Master Xehanort, and the instant time return thing was also trying to move him through space back to that spot or he simply used it as a short cut to that spot or something along those lines. Either way it's hard to say why he disappeared with everyone else at the same time when he was the only person who was in the correct part of the timeline. But maybe that just adds to the mystery of where he is and what he's currently planning now.

 

BTW, the "Garden of Assemblage" is the part of the Cavern of Remembrance where you fight the Data Organization XIII members, it's in Radiant Garden where some rising falls are. The place you're thinking of is called "The Place Where Nothing Gathers" or "The Round Room", the meeting room where all of the Organization's meetings take place and where the most recent confrontation with Xehanort took place.

I think the whole "same heart" thing goes only as far as being able to possibly transfer time travel powers to another person, like it's easier to if they share the same heart or something. But it's all hypothesis until Nomura actually starts talking straight.

 

Now that I think of it, he said that YX was acting as the "anchor" that was keeping all of the Norts there displaced from time, so I guess any "guests" that are moved through time by the "user" end up getting pulled back to their original points as well once the user is forced back to his or her point of origin. So when YX left, they all left, but I'm still not sure about Master Xehanort, as he was clearly forming right in front of everyone within that space. He had no need to leave that spot, if anything that was the proper time and place for him to exist in. My guess is that he likely just used a corridor of Darkness or what have you to transport to wherever his backup base of operations is to think of his next scheme. I know he disappeared in the same manner as everyone else, but there have been lots of times where characters have used the same trick but it looks different each time. Sometimes people have a huge plume of darkness appear around them, and then other times they'l just straight up fade-out in an instant. 

 

Unless by some technicality he was supposed to have reformed in the Keyblade Graveyard, that being the last place he was ever Master Xehanort, and the instant time return thing was also trying to move him through space back to that spot or he simply used it as a short cut to that spot or something along those lines. Either way it's hard to say why he disappeared with everyone else at the same time when he was the only person who was in the correct part of the timeline. But maybe that just adds to the mystery of where he is and what he's currently planning now.

 

BTW, the "Garden of Assemblage" is the part of the Cavern of Remembrance where you fight the Data Organization XIII members, it's in Radiant Garden where some rising falls are. The place you're thinking of is called "The Place Where Nothing Gathers" or "The Round Room", the meeting room where all of the Organization's meetings take place and where the most recent confrontation with Xehanort took place.

 

Yeah, Master Xehanort is the only known one to be on the right place, Braig and Isa as well if there are indeed 2 of them (counting Xigbar and Saix) everyone else was from the past and where there because of YX, so as soon as he went back so did them.

 

He reformed where ever he was when he got turned into an Heartless, probably under the castle on Radiant Garden with the rest, or at least somewhere around the labs. Although since his return is so clouded in mystery he might not even be "there", for all we know he's just a projection from all the little pieces of his Heart that where there with him.

 

Oh right, I'm terrible with names lol sorry about that one

Yeah, Master Xehanort is the only known one to be on the right place, Braig and Isa as well if there are indeed 2 of them (counting Xigbar and Saix) everyone else was from the past and where there because of YX, so as soon as he went back so did them.

 

He reformed where ever he was when he got turned into an Heartless, probably under the castle on Radiant Garden with the rest, or at least somewhere around the labs. Although since his return is so clouded in mystery he might not even be "there", for all we know he's just a projection from all the little pieces of his Heart that where there with him.

 

Oh right, I'm terrible with names lol sorry about that one

Yes, but since he reformed as Master Xehanort and not Apprentice Xehanort/Terra-Nort it makes me wonder if there are any sort of exceptional circumstances to his reformation. I mean, maybe he still reformed in the castle with everyone else and left early or maybe he and Terra reformed separately. Either way I guess it's just supposed to add more mystery as to the fate of Terra in KH3, supposedly Xehnaort already has him in his grasp, to what extent though has yet to be seen.

Yes, but since he reformed as Master Xehanort and not Apprentice Xehanort/Terra-Nort it makes me wonder if there are any sort of exceptional circumstances to his reformation. I mean, maybe he still reformed in the castle with everyone else and left early or maybe he and Terra reformed separately. Either way I guess it's just supposed to add more mystery as to the fate of Terra in KH3, supposedly Xehnaort already has him in his grasp, to what extent though has yet to be seen.

 

Another possibility is that he reformed exactly as he was when he separated, as in Terra-Xehanort, and he just looks like Xehanort because his Heart finally took over, in other words he's still Terra's body, he just looks like Xehanort, kinda like Riku's body tooking the appearence of Ansem SoD. If that's the case then Terra's Heart is somewhere else and in worse condition then we thought.

Another possibility is that he reformed exactly as he was when he separated, as in Terra-Xehanort, and he just looks like Xehanort because his Heart finally took over, in other words he's still Terra's body, he just looks like Xehanort, kinda like Riku's body tooking the appearence of Ansem SoD. If that's the case then Terra's Heart is somewhere else and in worse condition then we thought.

I'm not so sure about that. I mean the whole point of Xehanort possessing Terra was to make sure he was young and fit enough to live to see his plan come to fruition, as well as the added bonus of gaining more power along the way. Why would he just choose to make his body old and frail again when he could just as easily stay young and ahead of the game? Given the choice, I'm pretty sure he would have preferred his younger appearance, so it's likely that the form that he took was beyond his control. That or he knew that he would appear that way and kept it in consideration, but my point is that I'm pretty sure that his form is his original body prior to possessing Terra, but there is a chance that Terra and his body were restored simultaneously. I mean, the rules of Heartless/Nobody reformation never took into consideration the body of a person possessed by two hearts, maybe that means that both people are restored fully to their original states prior to being forced together. It's likely that Xehanort's original body disappeared to wherever Nobodies go when they are eliminated when he gave it up willingly, and his and Terra's hearts both perished when Ansem and Xemnas where eliminated, so in a way they were both given the correct conditions to be restored. Perhaps that means that they were restored separately rather than as Terra-Nort. However Terra could still be under Xehanort's control, even if he is separate, he could have always used the same trick he tried to use on Sora, just putting a piece of his heart inside his Darkness-ridden body. Either way we'll just have to see.

It's already explained bellow your post, once you go back you forget everything, and you actually go back to the exact same time as you left so nothing changed and no alternate reality is created, everything will happen like it was meant to.  Basically the reason YX has the ability is because they're essentially the same person, the same Heart. Although I don't recall Nomura going too deep into that question so I guess that's one we can actually discuss. About Nomura talking about it, I seriously don't remember, it was during some interviews, almost sure it was for one of the Ultimanias or maybe for Famitsu but I can't seem to track it down, the guy gives way to many of those  Nomura stated that The Garden of Assembly was special and things worked differently while they where in there, they all left because YX left, and since he was the one that took them there they would all leave with him. Ansem SoD was not in his own time exactly, he has been "living" there ever since he went back in time. The rest is correct, he possessed Riku and gained a new body.

I think you a mean "Where Nothing Gathers". The Garden of Assembly is where the data org is.

I'm not so sure about that. I mean the whole point of Xehanort possessing Terra was to make sure he was young and fit enough to live to see his plan come to fruition, as well as the added bonus of gaining more power along the way. Why would he just choose to make his body old and frail again when he could just as easily stay young and ahead of the game? Given the choice, I'm pretty sure he would have preferred his younger appearance, so it's likely that the form that he took was beyond his control. That or he knew that he would appear that way and kept it in consideration, but my point is that I'm pretty sure that his form is his original body prior to possessing Terra, but there is a chance that Terra and his body were restored simultaneously. I mean, the rules of Heartless/Nobody reformation never took into consideration the body of a person possessed by two hearts, maybe that means that both people are restored fully to their original states prior to being forced together. It's likely that Xehanort's original body disappeared to wherever Nobodies go when they are eliminated when he gave it up willingly, and his and Terra's hearts both perished when Ansem and Xemnas where eliminated, so in a way they were both given the correct conditions to be restored. Perhaps that means that they were restored separately rather than as Terra-Nort. However Terra could still be under Xehanort's control, even if he is separate, he could have always used the same trick he tried to use on Sora, just putting a piece of his heart inside his Darkness-ridden body. Either way we'll just have to see.

It's just his appearance, So jis physical ability may not be affected. and he wouldn't choose to make it that way. It seems to be a natural occurrence in the KH universe.