(SPOILERS) Union X: Confrontation

[Alpha Baymax]

Before cutting the discussion as to when Union Cross' story will end: take into consideration that Dark Road is tied to KHUx in terms of accessing the game. If anything, Ux will end alongside DR, meaning that Union could very well end during the last months of next year, seeing as how I don't think Dark Road will have that much of story content.

Honestly, I think the only reason why Dark Road is tied to the Union Cross application is because it keeps the existing UX playerbase as oppose to forming a new one with a new app. Dark Road was created because the UX developers wanted to work on another Kingdom Hearts project after UX, meaning, Union Cross is finally being finished.

 

[Ballad of Caius]

The name of the program would probably change to Dark Road to reflect this transition.

Probably, but I doubt they'll close the service. They can just outright say that the story is over, but still offer minimal updates. KHUx could close services 2022, perhaps.

I think the only reason why Dark Road is tied to the Union Cross application is because it keeps the existing UX playerbase as oppose to forming a new one with a new app.

It is. But it also isn't an issue of creating a new player base, but also of making sure that existing players try the product.

 

[Tobi]

Reading all this stuff about Xehanort being also possessed by one of the Darkness beings reminded me about somehting in MoM (the game)

Spoiler Show

AX is talking to Kairi and the last thing he tells her, that "you have to abandon the mission - we have failed".

I already wondered if AX is really talking to Kairi, which seems likely, because she was meant to find for him a Keyblade wielder and not someone/something else (another being which was placed into Kairi? Illusion-MX said to Kairi that there are memories not longer being there, which could be this now missing being) and now the "we" can also be interpretated like that. Darkness refers to itself or its kind as "we". A combination of Xehanort and Darkness can also be understood as a "we". But "we" as in AX and Kairi seemed off to me and could only fit if there was a talk between them beforehand left out.

And while its so much fun to speculate, lets do some more. The more simpler things first. The MoM scene happened likely before the beginning DDD scene, because in the former AX memories and personality seem intact and he knows more than Ansem SoD/Xemnas later. I can see both scenes happen at around the same day. AX wants to save Radiant Garden from being engulfed in Darkness atleast at that point. He may control the Heartless at that time, but maybe he knew things were already beginning to go out of his control. Either because he saw how the Heartless were multiplying or because he noticed, that his own "Darkness" was about to gain control.

After he sent Kairi/whoever of, Darkness took control out of nowhere and attacked, back at the computer room, AX's colleagues and ends this with stabbing Braig of all people. Luxu wondered before if Xehanort never lost his memories and is answered that "he" is not "Xehanort", but "Ansem", tying in to the thought of someone else, that "Ansem SoD" is Xehanorts darkness and "Darkness" somehow combined. If Darkness was involved in all this I see it as very likely, that Darkness targeted "Luxu" and not "Braig", gaining some time in order to do its own business for a small amount of time, before Luxu is able to watch again, because it doesnt want MoMs lackey to know that it was so close the entire time or what it's doing.

I also had a thought about Subject X's heart being placed into Kairi and being the actual one, who AX/the Darkness inside him talks to, but I neglected that idea... To a part. Its difficult for me and I think myself thats all one big strech... I just let others decide what they make from it.

His talk about finding a keyblade wielder suits Kairi more, but Subject X is likely to be someone who was/is a keyblade wielder too, regardless if its Skuld or Ava. AX could have hoped, that if Subject X would gain control of Kairi at some point that she could do the inheritance ceremony to someone and create this way atleast one more keyblade wielder.

 

[SweetYetSalty]

One thing I've been thinking about recently. I don't know if anyone has brought this up yet, but in the KH2FM, Xigbar states he was scouting someone to join the Organization. Mar...something, he called him. Obviously that has to be Marluxia. Given who Xigbar is now, this gives that statement so much more meaning if he's been watching him this whole time, similar to his relationship with Ventus.

Even though KH3 said Xemnas recruited him, maybe it was Xigbar who informed him about Marluxia, while still watching him all this time. I hope they bring this up in the future.

 

[Alpha Baymax]

Reading all this stuff about Xehanort being also possessed by one of the Darkness beings reminded me about somehting in MoM (the game)

Spoiler Show

AX is talking to Kairi and the last thing he tells her, that "you have to abandon the mission - we have failed".

I already wondered if AX is really talking to Kairi, which seems likely, because she was meant to find for him a Keyblade wielder and not someone/something else (another being which was placed into Kairi? Illusion-MX said to Kairi that there are memories not longer being there, which could be this now missing being) and now the "we" can also be interpretated like that. Darkness refers to itself or its kind as "we". A combination of Xehanort and Darkness can also be understood as a "we". But "we" as in AX and Kairi seemed off to me and could only fit if there was a talk between them beforehand left out.

And while its so much fun to speculate, lets do some more. The more simpler things first. The MoM scene happened likely before the beginning DDD scene, because in the former AX memories and personality seem intact and he knows more than Ansem SoD/Xemnas later. I can see both scenes happen at around the same day. AX wants to save Radiant Garden from being engulfed in Darkness atleast at that point. He may control the Heartless at that time, but maybe he knew things were already beginning to go out of his control. Either because he saw how the Heartless were multiplying or because he noticed, that his own "Darkness" was about to gain control.

After he sent Kairi/whoever of, Darkness took control out of nowhere and attacked, back at the computer room, AX's colleagues and ends this with stabbing Braig of all people. Luxu wondered before if Xehanort never lost his memories and is answered that "he" is not "Xehanort", but "Ansem", tying in to the thought of someone else, that "Ansem SoD" is Xehanorts darkness and "Darkness" somehow combined. If Darkness was involved in all this I see it as very likely, that Darkness targeted "Luxu" and not "Braig", gaining some time in order to do its own business for a small amount of time, before Luxu is able to watch again, because it doesnt want MoMs lackey to know that it was so close the entire time or what it's doing.

I also had a thought about Subject X's heart being placed into Kairi and being the actual one, who AX/the Darkness inside him talks to, but I neglected that idea... To a part. Its difficult for me and I think myself thats all one big strech... I just let others decide what they make from it.

His talk about finding a keyblade wielder suits Kairi more, but Subject X is likely to be someone who was/is a keyblade wielder too, regardless if its Skuld or Ava. AX could have hoped, that if Subject X would gain control of Kairi at some point that she could do the inheritance ceremony to someone and create this way atleast one more keyblade wielder.

You make a good point, the illusion of Xehanort isn't really explained and we know Nomura loves his explainations or foreshadowing. The Xehanort saga is over so there's not really much purpose in keeping him relevant beyond Dark Road.

 

[Ballad of Caius]

I'm a sucker for the idea of Apprentice Xehanort being utilized as a host for Darkness.

 

[SweetYetSalty]

I'm a sucker for the idea of Apprentice Xehanort being utilized as a host for Darkness.

They might as well. Apprentice Xehanort has no agency of his own anymore. Might as well go the extra mile and say on top of the fake/not fake amnesia, Darkness was using him too.

 

[Alpha Baymax]

They might as well. Apprentice Xehanort has no agency of his own anymore. Might as well go the extra mile and say on top of the fake/not fake amnesia, Darkness was using him too.

Darkness was using Terra during his Mark of Mastery exam so it'd be on brand.

 

[SweetYetSalty]

Darkness was using Terra during his Mark of Mastery exam so it'd be on brand.

Let's go! I want Darkness in on this story. So in addition to being half Terra and half old man Xehanort we got ourselves Darkness too. Can't forget Eraqus hiding in Terra's heart too. So that would bring us to 4 different beings inside whatever version of Xehanort. Too bad Apprentice Xehanort didn't have a split personality and have one of each version take over his body randomly at Radiant Garden, at different times of the day.