He then promises that he will come back to her someday as the two are separated. As the beach starts coming back into view, a gap grows between Kairi and Sora. Only this time, the catchy beat felt a bit more despondent than before. In the game's closing video, Kairi appears and Destiny Islands starts reforming around her as Simple and Clean once more starts playing. Meanwhile, the previously destroyed worlds, including Sora's homeworld, start piecing themselves back together. Once more Shimomura's thoughtful piano notes drift in playing the score Always on My Mind, which incorporates Dearly Beloved's somber-yet-hopeful notes with a happier music box tune while Sora thinks about his childhood memories of Riku and the sacrifice his friend just made. A veritable concoction of sentiments filled my teen heart at this moment. This moment gives Riku his redemption through personal sacrifice and heals the broken friendship between him and Sora, but also separates them indefinitely. The recently-saved Riku works to pull the door shut while Sora, Donald, and Goofy push it closed, sealing Riku inside. After defeating Ansem, Sora attempts to close the door to Kingdom Hearts since several Heartless are trying to come through. He then turns his attention to freeing Riku who has been possessed by an evil man known as Ansem. Kingdom Hearts Closing The Door Riku Sora (Image credit: iMore)Īfter traveling through several Disney worlds and locking their magical Keyholes to prevent Heartless from being able to appear on said worlds, Sora engages in several elaborate battles and sacrifices himself temporarily to save Kairi. Variations on the Dearly Beloved theme are used throughout the story's more serious moments, highlighting the intense sadness and/or the hope felt by the characters at different parts. In so doing, he works with Disney villains to kidnap the Princesses of Heart who together can open Kingdom Hearts, an incredibly powerful entity formed from countless hearts. Seeing Sora's focus on others as indifference to his childhood friends, Riku inevitably decides to align himself with Darkness in order to save Kairi by himself. But he is torn between helping everyone and helping his friends. He just discovered with Donald and Goofy's help that he is a Keyblade wielder with the power to seal Heartless away and save worlds. One of these friends, Kairi, has been captured by Disney villains and is in a comatose state. In this adventure, Sora is on a mission to find his friends after their world, Destiny Islands, was destroyed by Heartless. The music only proved this point further as I made my way through the story. Kingdom Hearts Riku Kairi Sora Destiny Island (Image credit: Disney / Square Enix) You watch Sora's relationships with his best friends, Kairi and Riku, get pulled apart, unsure if it'll come back together.īefore I'd even properly gotten to control Sora for the first time, I'd been hit with two songs that perfectly encompass the duality of happiness and sadness that exists in us all. But then, why does the music on the first listen sound so happy? The music is, of course, accompanied by what was then some of the best video game graphics of the time. The song seems to be singing about insecurity - uncertainty in a relationship, fear of the unknown, or even the inevitable loss of innocence as we grow up. "Regardless of warnings / the future doesn't scare me at all / Nothing's like before." At first, it seemed like a basic love song, but as I listened closely to the lyrics I noticed there were tones indicating something darker on the horizon. Upon starting a new file, Kingdom Hearts launched into the opening video accompanied by Simple and Clean's catchy beat. What sad experience is this lone boy on the screen thinking about as he gazes into the ocean? What has he lost? Wasn't this supposed to be an upbeat Disney game? I knew I had to start the adventure and find out what was in store. The notes filled me with sonder, pulled me out of my body, and made me wonder about the complicated lives of others. In a feat that's nearly impossible to achieve, the intense sadness is equally balanced with feelings of hope masterfully weaved into those simple piano chords and soft crashing waves.Īs eager as I was to get playing, I couldn't help but stop and listen to this haunting-yet-hopeful score for several minutes before I actually decided to start a new file. The keys filled me with bittersweet emotions, like I'd just said goodbye forever to my best friend knowing they'll be happier somewhere else. Sorta makes ya wonder why we are scared of the dark."- Mickey MouseĪfter inserting the disc, I landed on the opening menu and the piano chords from Shimomura's Dearly Beloved took my hand, guiding me to a more somber head space.
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