Kingdom Hearts III Ending Theory

[Lea]

I'm making another thread on here lol, as you can tell I'm very interested in theories right now and seeing some other theories haha.

Well I found a theory somewhere on the computer about the ending for KHIII and it was interesting. The person who made the theory said it could happen but they don't want it because the ending would have been a tragic one, but I think that their theory had some holes in it and patching up these holes could make for a satisfying ending.

Basically, their theory was that in the climax of the game, Xehanort forges the X-Blade and then opens up the true Kingdom Hearts and the light from it reunites all of the worlds under one sky again and they're all connected, but the worlds are still in ruin. Now, the seven guardians of light clash with the thirteen darknesses (or they've been defeated already throughout the course of the game and all that's left is Xehanort or something) and defeat them, but Xehanorts final words is that he will be back in some shape or form, which wouldn't be so hard to believe considering how many times Xehanort has cheated death. Sora then decides that the only way he could truly defeat Xehanort is to travel back in time and defeat Young Xehanort. (Now the rest of this theory is what the person thinks, not what I think) With traveling back in time, Sora would have to say goodbye to the connections and friendships he's made along his journey, and he has to make a sacrifice for the greater good, sort of like Xion had to. Sora accepts this, goes back in time, defeats Young Xehanort, and when he comes back, he's back at Destiny Island as if nothing had happened.

Now this is where my thought process comes in. After Sora defeats Xehanort in present time and comes to the realization that the only way to truly defeat Xehanort is to go back in time and destroy Young Xehanort, Sora does still believe that him doing this means he'll lose the connections he's made with people, but it won't. Young Xehanort says in DDD that in regards to time travel, "You cannot re-write destiny". Now him saying that could mean a few things.

1. Xehanort's return yet again is inevitable. While I think this would make sense, I don't see this happening bcuz Nomura logic.
2. Sora's connections and friendships are still in tact because that was Sora's destiny.

I want to go with the second one. So when Sora figures out that the only way to defeat Xehanort is to travel in time, defeat Young Xehanort, and forgetting what Young Xehanort says, Sora accepts the fact that he will lose all of his new friends even though he won't, and it makes for a sad goodbye from Sora to Donald, Goofy, Mickey, etc. When he goes back in time, defeats Young Xehanort, he comes back to present time and finds that his connections are still in tact and it could make for a nice ending.

What are your thoughts on this? This is a very rough theory considering the whole time travel stuff does still confuse me a bit, so I could have a lot of holes in this theory. Also, what are some of your theories? I just want to know if maybe I'm onto something or not honestly.

 

[Zettaflare]

This is an interesting theory, and could make for a powerful climax. But for some reason, I can't see Sora going back in time to assassinate Young Xehanort.


Something tells me that upon Xehanort's final defeat, he will just be reincarnated.

 

[Draxem]

How would Sora just appear back at Destiny Islands with no knowledge of what's happened? He would have had to have been time travelling the entire series. You can't change events that are destined to happen, that's the rules. So much of Sora's (not to mention Riku's and all his other friends and connections) journey has been destined to happen, shit, even Xehanort's journey was destined to happen. Without Xehanort, Ventus would have never met Aqua or Terra.

This theory is bullshit and I will lose entire faith in this series if it came out to be true.
Fortunately I can't see it happening.

 

[Sephiroth0812]

Without even taking into account all the friendships that wouldn't be created, that "destined events" cannot be changed or that everything that ever happened during all KH games would be completely discarded, there is one simple reason that sinks this theory immediately.

Sora cannot go back in time to assassinate/kill Young Xehanort due to the fact that any time period anyone wants to travel to there needs to be a version of yourself to welcome you.
Sora was born the night Xehanort decided to dump Ventus on Destiny Islands shortly after the creation of Vanitas, which was four years before BBS started and Xehanort was already old by that time.
Every time period before that night is inaccessible to Sora via time travel because he didn't exist yet.

 

[Zettaflare]

Also, now that I think about it, I don't like the idea of Sora killing Xehanort when he will have no memory of anything he did in DDD and KH3. It just seems wrong and immoral.

 

[Lea]

This theory is bullshit and I will lose entire faith in this series if it came out to be true.
Fortunately I can't see it happening.

Yikes, you must be fun at parties. I'd like to ask that you keep your snark comments to yourself, I come on here to have intelligible discussion with people, not get ridiculed for my ideas. Don't like my theory? That's cool, that's totally your opinion and you're entitled to it, but don't call my ideas bullshit.

Sora cannot go back in time to assassinate/kill Young Xehanort due to the fact that any time period anyone wants to travel to there needs to be a version of yourself to welcome you.
Sora was born the night Xehanort decided to dump Ventus on Destiny Islands shortly after the creation of Vanitas, which was four years before BBS started and Xehanort was already old by that time.
Every time period before that night is inaccessible to Sora via time travel because he didn't exist yet.

Aha all this time travel stuff confuses me. What about during the time of BBS then since Ventus is a version of Sora who was present during that time period? Maybe Sora could intervene before Xehanort uses Terra as his vessel?

 

[Solo]

Aha all this time travel stuff confuses me. What about during the time of BBS then since Ventus is a version of Sora who was present during that time period? Maybe Sora could intervene before Xehanort uses Terra as his vessel?

Technically, Ventus isn't a version of Sora. They are two different people. It isn't like Sora possessed Ventus, took over his body, and stole his entire being like Xehanort did with Terra and a few others within his ranks; instead, Sora sheltered Ventus and kept him safe as his fractured heart healed.

 

[The_Echo]

Without even taking into account all the friendships that wouldn't be created, that "destined events" cannot be changed or that everything that ever happened during all KH games would be completely discarded, there is one simple reason that sinks this theory immediately.

Sora cannot go back in time to assassinate/kill Young Xehanort due to the fact that any time period anyone wants to travel to there needs to be a version of yourself to welcome you.
Sora was born the night Xehanort decided to dump Ventus on Destiny Islands shortly after the creation of Vanitas, which was four years before BBS started and Xehanort was already old by that time.
Every time period before that night is inaccessible to Sora via time travel because he didn't exist yet.

Couldn't have said it better myself.

There's also the fact that Young Xehanort as he is in the proper flow of time, at that point, has no knowledge of his role in the bigger picture, and certainly doesn't have any means to fight back.

It doesn't seem in-character for Sora to strike down a defenseless kid who only wishes to see what lies beyond his shores. Not to mention it'd be a piss-poor final boss.

 

[Gram]

Aha all this time travel stuff confuses me. What about during the time of BBS then since Ventus is a version of Sora who was present during that time period? Maybe Sora could intervene before Xehanort uses Terra as his vessel?

As Solosis pointed out Sora and Ven are different people just connected deeply.
Even then though it's an established fact that time can't be altered or rather that "events meant to happen" can't be altered. (no matter what form of time travel you use)
If you could alter history Xehanort would've done did so with his time travel.

 

[Sephiroth0812]

Aha all this time travel stuff confuses me. What about during the time of BBS then since Ventus is a version of Sora who was present during that time period? Maybe Sora could intervene before Xehanort uses Terra as his vessel?

I won't say that including all this time travel mumbo-jumbo was a great idea to include, on the contrary as I think it is pretty stupid. Not to mention that with the "everything can grow a heart"-fact they could have given an easier explanation as to why Ansem and Xemnas (and possibly Vanitas) are back alongside Master Xehanort.

That falls already flat on the face because, as Solosis and Anagram pointed out, Ventus is not a version of Sora. From where do you get the notion that Ventus is suddenly "a version" of Sora? Ventus existed already ten years before Sora was even an idea for his parents.
If you want to get really technical, Sora is actually a version of Ventus because when his newborn heart contacted Ven, it is possible that Sora's "brand new heart" (his own words) took some impressions of Ven and incorporated them in his own development.
Or as Aqua points out when she meets Sora during BBS: "He's the spitting image of Ven."
This however already gives the answer to the original question. Theoretically Sora could time travel to the period of BBS because a version of him exists there: His four-year-old self!
He still couldn't do anything to prevent Xehanort possessing Terra though as that event is already history and thus unchangeable.

 

[Launchpad]

I agree with Sephiroth... The series lacks any weight or consequence, when there are canonically explained ways to bring ANY main character back.

 

[Draxem]

Yikes, you must be fun at parties. I'd like to ask that you keep your snark comments to yourself, I come on here to have intelligible discussion with people, not get ridiculed for my ideas. Don't like my theory? That's cool, that's totally your opinion and you're entitled to it, but don't call my ideas bullshit.

My apologies it was late at night I definitely didn't realize how rude that came across, I notice people don't swear on here as frequently as I do in my head.

Basically there is enough already in canon to completely disprove the possibility of this theory, and just for a moment considering that any of this could happen, for me personally it would be poor writing on Nomura's behalf to just have Sora appear back at Destiny Islands with no knowledge of any of it. Even if Sora could time travel because Ventus was there (which he's really only travelling to the moment he was born and connected with him, it would be impossible to go any further), Xehanort is still a decrepit old bastard at this point. The Young Xehanort we see in DDD has been heavily influenced by his future self and is not necessarily the same person as the one we are familiar with, sure he's open to exploring the worlds, but darkness has not quite corrupted him just yet (his future self makes sure of that in DDD though). The theory that sits in my head is that something distinguishing happened to Xehanort at some point in his life prior to Birth By Sleep causing his heart to change. The reasoning for this is that YX states a "version" of you has to be at the destination, notice that all the different incarnations of Xehanort are well... different incarnations (lets not get into the heart fragments discussion here, only the ones we currently are 100% CERTAIN are time travelling), defined by being a heartless, a nobody, the complete being (somehow back in his own body) and then there's just himself as a teenager without the ability to wield by himself. I have just answered my own question though because you could count the moment Xehanorts heart proved itself strong enough to wield a keyblade the defining moment it changed and he became a different "incarnation" capable of being distinguished from his former self in terms of time travel. Aside from the reasons that Sora can't physically time travel to that moment because no version of himself (or possibly even his parents) exists there, there are countless events destined to happen, and not even Xehanort can change that no matter "what road he chooses to take".

I hope this was a more appropriate response for you.

 

[Sephiroth0812]

I agree with Sephiroth... The series lacks any weight or consequence, when there are canonically explained ways to bring ANY main character back.

Do not put words in my mouth I never said please.
I never stated that the series lacks "any weight or consequence" and I in fact fervently oppose that notion.
The only thing I stated was that introducing the time-travel plot point in order to explain Ansem SoD and Xemnas being back alongside Master Xehanort is an overcomplicated issue not necessary because there exists an easier explanation for that already in the established canon that could have been used.

 

[Lea]

As Solosis pointed out Sora and Ven are different people just connected deeply.
Even then though it's an established fact that time can't be altered or rather that "events meant to happen" can't be altered. (no matter what form of time travel you use)
If you could alter history Xehanort would've done did so with his time travel.

Not saying Ventus is a version of Sora, I misquoted myself. I meant to say that they share a heart. Is anything said in DDD about someone who shares a heart? It could work the same way, and either way Sora has his young self at Destiny Island anyway. What if Sora's destiny is to ultimately defeat Xehanort and Xehanort couldn't change history because it would have interfered with Sora's destiny, but since Sora's destiny is to defeat him he's able to go back in time and alter this?

 

[blksabbath74]

Not saying Ventus is a version of Sora, I misquoted myself. I meant to say that they share a heart. Is anything said in DDD about someone who shares a heart? It could work the same way, and either way Sora has his young self at Destiny Island anyway. What if Sora's destiny is to ultimately defeat Xehanort and Xehanort couldn't change history because it would have interfered with Sora's destiny, but since Sora's destiny is to defeat him he's able to go back in time and alter this?

The Fairy Godmother's wand DOES have the power to literally wind time back though...although that wouldn't necessarily be helpful if Sora was unborn.

My Dark Horse ending is that Young Xehanort realizes what a toolbag Master Xehanort is, and takes him out himself, in such a way that he sacrifices himself nobly to erase MX.

 

[Lea]

The Fairy Godmother's wand DOES have the power to literally wind time back though...although that wouldn't necessarily be helpful if Sora was unborn.

Didn't know that, I have to brush up on my Disney classics. Also, how did Timeless River work? Didn't that involve time travel? Time travel is a pain.

 

[Antifa Lockhart]

The Fairy Godmother's wand DOES have the power to literally wind time back though...although that wouldn't necessarily be helpful if Sora was unborn.

Fairy Godmother's wand can rewind time, but you inhabit the body you were in at that time, so no. That option isn't available, and we don't know if Cinderella III is canon in Kingdom Hearts.

There's the magic door method, but that may only be for Disney Castle, and all those events work themselves out.

(I don't think time travel is going to be used as much as it was 3D, or at least not as prevalently)

 

[Lea]

(I don't think time travel is going to be used as much as it was 3D, or at least not as prevalently)

Honestly I hope not, it would just add to the confusion. This was just something I thought might work.

 

[kuraudoVII]

My Dark Horse ending is that Young Xehanort realizes what a toolbag Master Xehanort is, and takes him out himself, in such a way that he sacrifices himself nobly to erase MX.

Honestly, I'm half expecting this to happen regardless. Young Xehanort is an enigma - we have no idea what as to what he could be really plotting while all of this is going on.

As to the theory in the OP, there are just too many holes in it for me to really consider it plausible. It's certainly not the one that I would want considering that the whole "Everyone forgets everything that happened throughout the entire series" is something that I hate seeing in most works of fiction. *looks at Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia and Tales of Destiny 2*

Also, for some reason, the theory in the OP is reminding me of the ending for Final Fantasy X. I guess it's because I've been playing that game and VII whenever I've had what little spare time I've had for the past couple of weeks, but it seems to have some parallels with how Yuna was meant to sacrifice herself to temporarily protect Spira from Sin, but ends up with Tidus going away in the end after eliminating the Final Aeon (Jecht) and defeating Yu Yevon. Which is weird since I should be thinking more about the ending of Final Fantasy I than X considering what happens at the end of that game...

 

[blksabbath74]

Honestly, I'm half expecting this to happen regardless. Young Xehanort is an enigma - we have no idea what as to what he could be really plotting while all of this is going on.

As to the theory in the OP, there are just too many holes in it for me to really consider it plausible. It's certainly not the one that I would want considering that the whole "Everyone forgets everything that happened throughout the entire series" is something that I hate seeing in most works of fiction. *looks at Castlevania: Order of Ecclesia and Tales of Destiny 2*

Also, for some reason, the theory in the OP is reminding me of the ending for Final Fantasy X. I guess it's because I've been playing that game and VII whenever I've had what little spare time I've had for the past couple of weeks, but it seems to have some parallels with how Yuna was meant to sacrifice herself to temporarily protect Spira from Sin, but ends up with Tidus going away in the end after eliminating the Final Aeon (Jecht) and defeating Yu Yevon. Which is weird since I should be thinking more about the ending of Final Fantasy I than X considering what happens at the end of that game...

Yeah, that WAS the ending of FF1, albeit, the heores themselves remembered who they were...

Would it be so bad if the reset button was pushed, as long as they provided for the continuing friendships of the characters we've grown to love?

The universe could return to normal, but with them as an organization of protectors, once again traveling from world to world more or less incognito (because Sora, Donald and Goofy always blended right in).