Riku, Aqua, and Destiny's Embrace

["Username".]

Something I've been meaning to talk about for quite awhile now really. Keychains as we know are formed by memories and/or passed down. As we already know, Aqua gained Destiny's Embrace in Radiant Garden after meeting Kairi. However, Riku was able to hand over an already transformed Destiny's Embrace over to Kairi. After Kingdom Hearts 1 and before Kingdom Hearts 2, he was in the Realm of Darkness. Was able to easily and freely navigate it in such a way he tracked down where Maleficent sent them. He has familiarity with this realm. It is very possible that Riku had met Aqua directly. Why hadn't he mentioned it? Same reason Mickey didn't mention Master Xehanort in KH2 or mention Terra. For god's sakes they already knew where she was. Mickey probably met her as well. Anyway, from what we can see, Aqua is interacting with the worlds. Worlds eaten by the Heartless. Was SoD's "death" and his army of heartless's deaths the reason so many came back? Possibly. Possibly not. Perhaps Aqua's action in RoD are repairing these worlds? As for why she didn't leave RoD with Mickey or Riku. Perhaps it is because she was repairing these worlds that kept her there.

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

Aqua obtained a keychain. That was merely an attachment for her Keyblade to change its form.
Kairi received a Keyblade. This is an independent weapon itself.

That is the difference. Riku, as far as it is known, did not meet Aqua in the RoD and obtain a Keyblade from her. It wouldn't fit into the narrative of his overarching story if he did. There are a few theories over where Kairi's Keyblade came from, though. Between it being Xehanort's Keyblade Riku could call upon and transformed, being Aqua's Keyblade that is in the Chamber of Repose under Radiant Garden Riku somehow got his hands on, or it being her own and Riku merely caught it before Kairi did like how Sora took Riku's at the beginning of Kingdom Hearts.

This is a pretty basic theory of how Kairi received her Keyblade you can check out if you are interested.

 

[TheAuronSavior]

Aqua obtained a keychain. That was merely an attachment for her Keyblade to change its form.
Kairi received a Keyblade. This is an independent weapon itself.

That is the difference. Riku, as far as it is known, did not meet Aqua in the RoD and obtain a Keyblade from her. It wouldn't fit into the narrative of his overarching story if he did. There are a few theories over where Kairi's Keyblade came from, though. Between it being Xehanort's Keyblade Riku could call upon and transformed, being Aqua's Keyblade that is in the Chamber of Repose under Radiant Garden Riku somehow got his hands on, or it being her own and Riku merely caught it before Kairi did like how Sora took Riku's at the beginning of Kingdom Hearts.

This is a pretty basic theory of how Kairi received her Keyblade you can check out if you are interested.

Wasn't it when Kairi placed her hand on Aqua's Keyblade that she got it? Or was it that she merely gained the potential to wield one?

 

[Sally-boiii]

Wasn't it when Kairi placed her hand on Aqua's Keyblade that she got it? Or was it that she merely gained the potential to wield one?

The inheritance ceremony happened accidentally, upon Kairi touching Aqau's keyblade in RG. As far as I can remember anyway.

 

[Chuuya]

If Riku had been there, wouldn't Aqua had been brought back to the RoL? I mean, she would want to get her friends back and not just sit around in the RoD. That's just my opinion.

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

Wasn't it when Kairi placed her hand on Aqua's Keyblade that she got it? Or was it that she merely gained the potential to wield one?

It is only the potential to wield that she gained from that touch. The person has to prove their strength of heart before a Keyblade will beacon their call, and when it does it is their own Keyblade.

It seems like there are exceptions. Sora earned what was to be Riku's Keyblade. Yen Sid gave Mickey the Star Seeker, and then Mickey went out and obtained Kingdom Key D. Eraqus' Keyblade was passed onto Aqua upon his death as she became the new Master of the Land of Departure.

 

["Username".]

Aqua obtained a keychain. That was merely an attachment for her Keyblade to change its form.
Kairi received a Keyblade. This is an independent weapon itself.

That is the difference. Riku, as far as it is known, did not meet Aqua in the RoD and obtain a Keyblade from her. It wouldn't fit into the narrative of his overarching story if he did. There are a few theories over where Kairi's Keyblade came from, though. Between it being Xehanort's Keyblade Riku could call upon and transformed, being Aqua's Keyblade that is in the Chamber of Repose under Radiant Garden Riku somehow got his hands on, or it being her own and Riku merely caught it before Kairi did like how Sora took Riku's at the beginning of Kingdom Hearts.

This is a pretty basic theory of how Kairi received her Keyblade you can check out if you are interested.

Riku was given the keychain and it was applied to his own perhaps? He fought empty handed after he handed it to her after all.

Aqua obtained a keychain. That was merely an attachment for her Keyblade to change its form.
Kairi received a Keyblade. This is an independent weapon itself.

That is the difference. Riku, as far as it is known, did not meet Aqua in the RoD and obtain a Keyblade from her. It wouldn't fit into the narrative of his overarching story if he did. There are a few theories over where Kairi's Keyblade came from, though. Between it being Xehanort's Keyblade Riku could call upon and transformed, being Aqua's Keyblade that is in the Chamber of Repose under Radiant Garden Riku somehow got his hands on, or it being her own and Riku merely caught it before Kairi did like how Sora took Riku's at the beginning of Kingdom Hearts.

This is a pretty basic theory of how Kairi received her Keyblade you can check out if you are interested.

I'm guessing you ignored the "already transformed" part of the post. It's very possible he was provided the keychain and transformed it for her specifically.