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Firaga

KH1 Donald Almost Ruined The SDG Dynamic

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Eh, it's a overthinking it a little if you ask me. I mean, yeah it was still a jerk move, but at that point I think Riku was already given the impression that Donald and Goofy where standing between him and Sora. Even if Donald had said that he can come, Riku still could have just pulled his disappearing act. I mean, Sora was still defending Riku while he was talking to Donald, there's no way Riku wouldn't have caught that while he did his little Batman stunt. Maleficent clearly already planted the idea that Riku was being replaced before he was reunited with Sora, he just had to see things with his own eyes before he started to let that doubt convince him. Donald's little disagreement probably just struck enough of a nerve for Riku to make an unceremonious exit, but I doubt it was as huge of a contributing factor to the growing rift between Sora and Riku as Maleficent's meddling. That, and I kind of picked up on a bit of salt in his voice when he was tossing the Keyblade back to Sora, as if he were kind of put off by the fact that Sora had it at all, likely another result of Maleficent's manipulation. Maleficent made Riku bad, not Donald. That's how I see it though, I can understand why you would see it that way, but I don't see it as much of a big deal, especially how nobody holds it over anyone's head afterwards (any teasing Riku does at Donald and Goofy's expense is just kind of in general, not about anything specific).

Edited by Hero of Light XIV

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Maleficent made Riku bad, not Donald.

Okay, so I don't actually believe that Donald did what the title says.

 

*whoosh* Over your head, man. Seriously.

 

Still: I don't believe Maleficent immediately turned Riku to her side when they first met. He was barely on her side to begin with even after he started sinking into darkness. At the very least, we know he agreed to help her find the PoH in return for Kairi, and spilled the beans about the whole situation regarding Kairi and her heart too. But there's no evidence that she made him turn away from Sora right away. Why else would he just randomly pop up to meet with Sora if he had already decided he was an enemy. He seemed genuinely happy to see him and was probably about to convince Sora to help Maleficent too (unknowing of her true nature) before Donald opened his bill. Following that, It makes more sense for Riku's and Sora's encounter to be that triggering point for when Riku decides that he is against Sora. He has the proof in front of him, Sora hanging around Donald and Goofy, not focused on finding Kairi or any of their previous ambitions, with Maleficent influencing him directly as this all unfolds.

 

Also, part of my point was that Donald got off scot-free for what he said, and yeah, he still kinda did. 

Edited by Firaga Sensei

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Throughout Donald's involvement in the entire KH series, I've always thought Donald to be quite rude, terse, ill-tempered and insensitive tbh. Although you do raise an interesting point in that 'did Riku take offense at Donald's comment and therefore precipitate his eventual descent into darkness'.

 

Goofy was a little dense but he was more friendlier a character.

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*whoosh* Over your head, man. Seriously.

 

Still: I don't believe Maleficent immediately turned Riku to her side when they first met. He was barely on her side to begin with even after he started sinking into darkness. At the very least, we know he agreed to help her find the PoH in return for Kairi, and spilled the beans about the whole situation regarding Kairi and her heart too. But there's no evidence that she made him turn away from Sora right away. Why else would he just randomly pop up to meet with Sora if he had already decided he was an enemy. He seemed genuinely happy to see him and was probably about to convince Sora to help Maleficent too (unknowing of her true nature) before Donald opened his bill. Following that, It makes more sense for Riku's and Sora's encounter to be that triggering point for when Riku decides that he is against Sora. He has the proof in front of him, Sora hanging around Donald and Goofy, not focused on finding Kairi or any of their previous ambitions, with Maleficent influencing him directly as this all unfolds.

 

Also, part of my point was that Donald got off scot-free for what he said, and yeah, he still kinda did. 

Okay well now it's my turn to clarify.

 

I wasn't suggesting that Maleficent completely convinced Riku over to her side before he reunited with Sora. What I meant was that she planted that initial seed of doubt in his mind, suggested that Sora already made new friends. "See? It's just as I told you. While you toiled away to find your dear friend, he simply replaced you with his new companions." This implies that during the time he was with Maleficent before meeting up with Sora again, she fed him doubts of Sora's faithfulness to him and Kairi. Of course, Riku likely denied that possibility outright, but considering Riku's personality it wouldn't be that surprising that that doubt still lingered in his head, regardless of what his heart told him. That moment with Sora and Donald was likely just what confirmed those doubts, not what formed them in the first place. It's as I said, Maleficent is the one who planted the idea in Riku's head, Donald's actions didn't really create anything that wasn't already there to begin with, just strengthened it.

 

As for Donald getting away with his instance of being a jerk just this once (the getting away with it part, not the jerk part), yeah I'll admit nothing ever comes of it ever again, but to be honest it still doesn't feel that unnatural to me. Sometimes people do or say something that offends somebody, but nothing is done to either rectify or answer for it, and then it's just forgotten by that point and no longer matters anymore, and nobody cares. Heck, things like that happen in my group of friends all the time. I just didn't think much of it after it was all said and done, since the characters never brought it up for discussion again I never saw it as that big of a deal.

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Not really, Riku was already angsty as hell. You can already see him getting jealous the moment Sora strikes that Heartless with his Keyblade. Now that I look back, this cutscene is kinda weird.

 

I don't like Riku at all in KH1, kinda weird considering he is my fav character in the series.

Edited by Sorarocks93

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22:24 Is the sudden realisation that Donald was indeed a Jackamule to Riku in Kingdom Hearts 1.

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Okay well now it's my turn to clarify.

 

I wasn't suggesting that Maleficent completely convinced Riku over to her side before he reunited with Sora. What I meant was that she planted that initial seed of doubt in his mind, suggested that Sora already made new friends. "See? It's just as I told you. While you toiled away to find your dear friend, he simply replaced you with his new companions." This implies that during the time he was with Maleficent before meeting up with Sora again, she fed him doubts of Sora's faithfulness to him and Kairi. Of course, Riku likely denied that possibility outright, but considering Riku's personality it wouldn't be that surprising that that doubt still lingered in his head, regardless of what his heart told him. That moment with Sora and Donald was likely just what confirmed those doubts, not what formed them in the first place. It's as I said, Maleficent is the one who planted the idea in Riku's head, Donald's actions didn't really create anything that wasn't already there to begin with, just strengthened it.

 

Well, now I'm just wondering what "toiled away" in this instance translates to. It's been barely half the game, where's he's been? One step behind us the whole way? xD

 

But see, I view that line as confirming that she starting making him jealous right after the confrontation. Yes, at this point she's pretty much already confirmed to him that she's an evil witch with a dark agenda, but you don't have to hammer it that fast. You want your minion to still have some kind of pull towards so he doesn't go over the line and flat out betray you. I just don't think Riku, as messed as he was at this time, would go along with her if it was handled in that way. Look at the KH1FM scene with him arriving in Hollow Bastion. This was right after he dropped off from Destiny Islands, and though he had just accepted darkness, it wasn't portrayed as him turning evil, just having a euphoric and knee-jerk reaction to finally getting the Hell off his home world, and when he lands in Hollow Bastion, he's scared and confused. Then Maleficent comes along, and I would assume that after giving him some shelter, she explained as delicately as she could (if that's even possible) her situation just good enough to convince Riku to help her along. Then this whole thing happens and yadda yadda yadda, you get the idea.

 

As for Donald getting away with his instance of being a jerk just this once (the getting away with it part, not the jerk part), yeah I'll admit nothing ever comes of it ever again, but to be honest it still doesn't feel that unnatural to me. Sometimes people do or say something that offends somebody, but nothing is done to either rectify or answer for it, and then it's just forgotten by that point and no longer matters anymore, and nobody cares. Heck, things like that happen in my group of friends all the time. I just didn't think much of it after it was all said and done, since the characters never brought it up for discussion again I never saw it as that big of a deal.

 

It is that big of deal because Donald and Goofy's entire thing about their friendship comes straight out of nowhere if you follow the correlation of events that define the development of their friendship. They meet, Sora and Donald have their squabble in Deep Jungle, they make up, Donald acts like an asshole in Traverse Town Revisited, that gets dropped, and nothing even remotely related to that comes up again until they have their big friendship moments in Hollow Bastion. Again, Donald lied to Sora's face, then went back on his own lie and revealed his true nature, and Sora along with the narrative just shrugs it off. That's not something you just gloss over, and ignoring it doesn't make things better. He is deliberately treating Sora's goal, the entire reason he's bunking with them in the first place, like crap. It defies all emotional logic as well as logic in general.

 

Not really, Riku was already angsty as hell. You can already see him getting jealous the moment Sora strikes that Heartless with his Keyblade. Now that I look back, this cutscene is kinda weird.

 

I don't like Riku at all in KH1, kinda weird considering he is my fav character in the series.

 

How? He just looks surprised that Sora can defend himself in their new environment. Why would he even know about the Keyblade prior to this? Maleficent wouldn't have told him, she doesn't know jackshit about the Keyblade, she just wants her Princess hearts.

 

I'm having Donald Duck for lunch. & I'm sharing him with Riku. 

 

That's a bit harsh, don't you think? ._. And you know, Riku isn't exactly an angel in this scenario either.

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Well, now I'm just wondering what "toiled away" in this instance translates to. It's been barely half the game, where's he's been? One step behind us the whole way? xD

 

But see, I view that line as confirming that she starting making him jealous right after the confrontation. Yes, at this point she's pretty much already confirmed to him that she's an evil witch with a dark agenda, but you don't have to hammer it that fast. You want your minion to still have some kind of pull towards so he doesn't go over the line and flat out betray you. I just don't think Riku, as messed as he was at this time, would go along with her if it was handled in that way. Look at the KH1FM scene with him arriving in Hollow Bastion. This was right after he dropped off from Destiny Islands, and though he had just accepted darkness, it wasn't portrayed as him turning evil, just having a euphoric and knee-jerk reaction to finally getting the Hell off his home world, and when he lands in Hollow Bastion, he's scared and confused. Then Maleficent comes along, and I would assume that after giving him some shelter, she explained as delicately as she could (if that's even possible) her situation just good enough to convince Riku to help her along. Then this whole thing happens and yadda yadda yadda, you get the idea.

 

 

It is that big of deal because Donald and Goofy's entire thing about their friendship comes straight out of nowhere if you follow the correlation of events that define the development of their friendship. They meet, Sora and Donald have their squabble in Deep Jungle, they make up, Donald acts like an asshole in Traverse Town Revisited, that gets dropped, and nothing even remotely related to that comes up again until they have their big friendship moments in Hollow Bastion. Again, Donald lied to Sora's face, then went back on his own lie and revealed his true nature, and Sora along with the narrative just shrugs it off. That's not something you just gloss over, and ignoring it doesn't make things better. He is deliberately treating Sora's goal, the entire reason he's bunking with them in the first place, like crap. It defies all emotional logic as well as logic in general.

 

 

How? He just looks surprised that Sora can defend himself in their new environment. Why would he even know about the Keyblade prior to this? Maleficent wouldn't have told him, she doesn't know jackshit about the Keyblade, she just wants her Princess hearts.

 

 

That's a bit harsh, don't you think? ._. And you know, Riku isn't exactly an angel in this scenario either.

Most likely. At the very least if we're going to assume that it was him who took Alice, that would suggest that he was at least going around to some of the worlds Sora may or may not have been to yet, always missing or arriving before him until eventually coming across him in Traverse Town. If he was collecting at least just Alice before he started becoming more involved in Maleficent's plan, he probably could have been under the assumption that he was saving Alice from imprisonment and cruel punishment (likely couldn't see Sora fighting because of the veil on the cage). Considering how Birth by Sleep worked with it's scenarios, it's not too surprising that Sora and Riku may have just missed each other a few times before their scenes together.

 

Ok you're kind of making a huge assumption in saying that she didn't even at least suggest the idea to Riku that Sora maybe be moving on from him at all. Look, I'm not saying that right at the moment she took him in she went up to his face and said "Oh yeah that friend of yours? He straight up replaced you sucka." What I mean is that Maleficent is cold, calculating, manipulative. She saw the potential in Riku the very moment she found him in Hallow Bastion. She knew that she had to pull as many strings as it took to win him over, especially since Riku, despite his temptation into the Darkness, was a pretty decent judge of character. He knew that Maleficent had a fishy agenda, so she knew that she had to manipulate his emotions alone to drive him further into her grasp. Why then would she just wait until he found Sora again to convince him. Riku would have had no reason to just run off like that if he didn't have any sort of preconceived notion of Sora betraying him before entering. If he went in blind like you're suggesting, he probably would have applied more logic to the situation, he probably would have challenged Donald "Well why CAN'T I come along?". But no, he was already convinced, meaning that he had a doubt in the first place that needed convincing. Maleficent clearly said in her lines that she had already suggested to Riku that Sora may have moved on from him, and with her goal to win him over it only makes sense that she made at least the slightest suggestion that that was what Sora was doing so that when Riku found him he would be led astray by his own doubts. We've seen Riku act rational in other games, the only way such an emotional response could work was if he was already harboring some doubt before he reunited with Sora the first time around. You don't just suddenly turn on someone because some other guy isn't acting friendly (if you did, well you've probably got some issues then, cause that's pretty temperamental behavior). Maleficent most likely fed that lie to him before visiting Traverse Town, but that doesn't mean she wasn't subtle about it. I realize that's assuming a lot based on things we haven't seen, but again it's a lot to assume that what you see is the only thing that you're getting.

 

Not necessarily. The fact that the group went on so many adventures across other worlds together, coupled with the scene you unlock after completing the Hercules Cup (well, assuming you do that BEFORE Hallow Bastion's first visit anyway), it provides decent enough pacing for you to buy the idea that despite a few bumps on the road they still came pretty close together as a team and as friends. Plus, Donald and Goofy were pretty supportive by the time they realized Kairi was on Captain Hook's ship, so whatever "just the King and only the King" attitude Donald may have had prior to that was pretty much softened by that point, and it was only something as dramatic as the Keyblade switching masters that brought his primary objective back to his mind. One little mishap still in the early half of their forming relationship doesn't topple the whole thing altogether. It's more like stepping over a small gap in the road. You didn't do anything to repair or fill in the gap, but you got across and past it anyways so what does it matter?

 

Also, you do realize that "emotional logic" is kind of an oxymoron, right? Emotion and logic aren't exactly one and the same. Sometimes there can be a logic to follow that can lead to some emotions, but most emotions are pretty irrational and just happen on their own terms. As I said, Maleficent was manipulating Riku's emotions to cloud his sense of judgement. If he wasn't feeling so betrayed by Sora he would have caught on as to how despicable Maleficent's whole game was, way beyond just having an off feeling about Maleficent. Emotion blinded logic in this case, if logic was what Riku used to reach his emotions he could have easily used logic to reason himself away from those feelings of betrayal, yet that's not what happened.

 

Again, you're assuming a lot in saying that Maleficent didn't disclose ANYTHING to Riku to try and plant hooks in him. Aside from planting tiny seeds of doubt within him about Sora, she likely also brought the Keyblade into the conversation as well. He clearly knew of the term Keyblade before the meeting. "So, THIS is a Keyblade?" If that wasn't the case though, he probably heard the name just as Sora did right when he was about to claim it, since it was originally going to be his anyway. Riku and Sora have always had a bit of a rivalry, clearly established in the beginning of the game, they were always competing to see who's stronger, who's better. So as if doubt was enough to rile Riku's emotions up, there's also Sora and Riku's natural competition for strength that made him feel like Sora was moving on without him. Sora already got some kind of new power to go along with his new friends, Riku was just being given more and more reason to believe the lies that Maleficent was feeding him.

 

And BS, Maleficent DOES know about the Keyblade. Birth by Sleep, she literally says that MX told her of the Keyblade's powers and she then witnessed said powers through Terra, Aqua, and Ventus, plus Xehanort himself. He's the whole reason she was even doing the plan in the first place! Of course she was going to factor the Keyblade into the equation because the Keyblade would be what would help her in her quest. She even knew enough to figure out the connection between the dark Keyblade that Riku-Ansem conjures up and the 6 hearts of the Princesses, and how it wasn't responding to the Keyhole due to it's incomplete nature. She knew MORE than enough to both recognize Sora as a threat and manipulate Riku into a force for her own ends. "Jackshit" indeed. xP

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How? He just looks surprised that Sora can defend himself in their new environment. Why would he even know about the Keyblade prior to this? Maleficent wouldn't have told him, she doesn't know jackshit about the Keyblade, she just wants her Princess hearts.

But she does know, she knows the keyblade is the key (lol) to getting the hearts of the princesess. And she knows about the keyholes too. She has some knowledge atleast, how else would she convince Riku he is the true master of the keyblade?

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But she does know, she knows the keyblade is the key (lol) to getting the hearts of the princesess. And she knows about the keyholes too. She has some knowledge atleast, how else would she convince Riku he is the true master of the keyblade?

 

I honestly don't remember any indication that Maleficent actually told Riku that the Kingdom Key was supposed to be his, but maybe my memory is failing me. So you got me there.

 

See, this is how you make a proper response.

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Holy crap on a stick, dude.

 

Can I have the abridged version of that post?

Maleficent subtly hinted to Riku prior to Traverse Town that Sora gained new powers in the form of the Keyblade (which BBS shows she knew about). Riku doesn't buy it outright but still the doubt lies in him somewhere. As soon as he comes across Sora and notices how much stronger he's gotten from using the Keyblade, and sees that he's made new friends, Riku starts to feel as if those doubts he previously denied were being confirmed right then and there. As stated, Maleficent already knew of the Keyblade due to the events in BBS, and even ignoring that she still clearly has enough knowledge to know of it's connection to the Princesses of Heart and the Keyholes.

 

I only posted more as you seemed to keep missing my point.

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Maleficent subtly hinted to Riku prior to Traverse Town that Sora gained new powers in the form of the Keyblade (which BBS shows she knew about). Riku doesn't buy it outright but still the doubt lies in him somewhere. As soon as he comes across Sora and notices how much stronger he's gotten from using the Keyblade, and sees that he's made new friends, Riku starts to feel as if those doubts he previously denied were being confirmed right then and there. As stated, Maleficent already knew of the Keyblade due to the events in BBS, and even ignoring that she still clearly has enough knowledge to know of it's connection to the Princesses of Heart and the Keyholes.

 

I only posted more as you seemed to keep missing my point.

 

Like I said earlier, my memory's fuzzy, so I will admit that I may have forgotten details like this.

 

That doesn't mean you have to drop an essay on me.

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Like I said earlier, my memory's fuzzy, so I will admit that I may have forgotten details like this.

 

That doesn't mean you have to drop an essay on me.

I'd prefer not to- Ok seriously enough of the lines, I just prefer not to leave any facts out when they're relevant. I'm sorry if it's a bit much.

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I'd prefer not to- Ok seriously enough of the lines, I just prefer not to leave any facts out when they're relevant. I'm sorry if it's a bit much.

 

I still think this scenario should have handled differently. For me in general, KH1 isn't really all that good narrative wise.

Edited by Firaga Sensei

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I still think this scenario should have handled differently. KH1 isn't really all that good narrative wise.

Well they were just starting out. Personally I'd rather take it as awkward as it is rather than have it be remade entirely just for one scene (it's the black hole of no return...). Besides, it's decent enough for what it was at the time, Jurassic Park's first movie still had issues but it's still fondly remembered. Kingdom Hearts was fun in it's simplicity and it certainly acted as a good starting point for what was to come later. I will say though, most PS2 games really started getting their stories together as the years rolled by.

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Well they were just starting out. Personally I'd rather take it as awkward as it is rather than have it be remade entirely just for one scene (it's the black hole of no return...). Besides, it's decent enough for what it was at the time, Jurassic Park's first movie still had issues but it's still fondly remembered. Kingdom Hearts was fun in it's simplicity and it certainly acted as a good starting point for what was to come later. I will say though, most PS2 games really started getting their stories together as the years rolled by.

 

I didn't ask for a remake, I just wish that this instance in particular as well as a few others to were done differently because I agree that the narrative wasn't as well executed as it probably could have been. Now, I don't think the narrative is horrible by any means, but it is at the very least inconsistent. It was more focused on the Square/Disney crossover grandeur, the moral of "light is good, dark is bad" isn't nearly as complex as the stuff we get later on, plot threads like Pluto and the Ansem Reports are dropped as soon as they are introduced, Sora's a boring protagonist and barely has any character, gameplay-story segregation is probably at its worst, and a bunch of other things. It's really only at its strongest when you just take it as its own story, but even then, I have problems with it.

Edited by Firaga Sensei

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I didn't ask for a remake, I just wish that this instance in particular as well as a few others to were done differently because I agree that the narrative wasn't as well executed as it probably could have been. Now, I don't think the narrative is horrible by any means, but it is at the very least inconsistent. It was more focused on the Square/Disney crossover grandeur, the moral of "light is good, dark is bad" isn't nearly as complex as the stuff we get later on, plot threads like Pluto and the Ansem Reports are dropped as soon as they are introduced, Sora's a boring protagonist and barely has any character, gameplay-story segregation is probably at its worst, and a bunch of other things. It's really only at its strongest when you just take it as its own story, but even then, I have problems with it.

Feels like looking for problems if you ask me, but whatever. I think it's fine the way it is and I don't need to see it done any differently. :/

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Feels like looking for problems if you ask me, but whatever. I think it's fine the way it is and I don't need to see it done any differently. :/

 

I'm allowed to find fault in the narrative. I know that it's the first in the franchise, but that doesn't mean its devoid of criticism.

Edited by Firaga Sensei

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Eh, I don't know what else to tell ya. I'm allowed to not find fault in it I guess. :P

 

Why do I always get a condescending vibe out of all of your replies?

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Why do I always get a condescending vibe out of all of your replies?

What, no, I just honestly don't have much to gripe about with this game. I'm sorry if I come off that way. Sometimes I feel like I get that vibe from you myself, but I don't want to assume things like that.  :wacko:

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