@tyson.chemicalsora.moeAnother scene new to Final Mix: Riku's plunged deep into the darkness after Ansem completely took over his body. Regretful but determined, Riku wishes to see Sora & Kairi one more time.
Then, a voice calls out to him. Mickey.
The despairing teenager has a reason to fight once more.
@tyson.chemicalsora.moeAs confirmed by his journal entry once Ansem Riku is defeated, Riku was supposed to be the Keyblade master. This detail will become relevant in Dream Drop if I'm not misremembering key events in KH2...
@tyson.chemicalsora.moeSora's daredevil moment here with Ansem Riku's keyblade isn't really in character for him. You could say he's channeling Riku: doing whatever it takes to save Kairi.
@tyson.chemicalsora.moe"Come."
The Ansem Riku fight is far more forgiving in Final Mix versus the original. Several things in my favor: not playing on Proud Mode, running a defense build and I remembered Glide exists for that AoE attack he does.
Note how, unlike Dark Riku, Ansem Riku flinches after a combo...
@tyson.chemicalsora.moe... I could probably recite this scene from memory by this point.
See, the original PS2 release didn't had a skip cutscene option. So, every time you were defeated by Ansem Riku — and it was going to happen — you had to watch this entire scene over
and over
and over
and over again.
@tyson.chemicalsora.moeI had to think a bit about this one, even when I've played most of the KH games. What do you mean "the Heartless were using Maleficent from the beginning"?
Oh. Xehanort.
Interesting how Ansem didn't hint at who might be behind this, when he *definitely* knows.
@tyson.chemicalsora.moeI find curious how Maleficent didn't bat an eye when speaking to Ansem Riku, like something wasn't wrong. Given how prideful she is, surely she thought that he unlocked this power with her help...
@tyson.chemicalsora.moeAs Riku doubts his strength, Ansem shows up.
Yes, he's strong. Yes, he was supposed to be the Keyblade master. But his predisposition for darkness made it so that he'd be disqualified — both in the past battle and way back when.
Riku still isn't free — only the puppet master changed.
@tyson.chemicalsora.moe"I don't need a weapon. My friends are my power!"
Unlike Squall & Cloud, which seem to make a beeline for Sora, Dark Riku goes after Donald & Goofy first. That's smart. I'm surprised he doesn't flinch after being hit by a combo — I was waiting for that to outright pummel him.
@tyson.chemicalsora.moe"We've always been rivals, haven't we? You've always pushed me, as I've always pushed you. But it all ends here — there can't be two Keyblade masters."
Chills down my spine... unlike the sparring at Destiny Islands, this fall out has consequences, not bragging rights.
P.S. Fuck you, Donald.
@tyson.chemicalsora.moeShut UP Donald, geez!
@tyson.chemicalsora.moeA blue-tint version of this screenshot I've used as a phone background in my early iPhone days, Does my archive even have a screenshot of the home screen on it? I certainly still have the wallpaper...
@glitterynebulas.bsky.social“I should have…tried that paopu fruit thing”
#whumptober2026 day 2: stranded
#kingdomhearts #kh1 #Riku #drawtober
@tyson.chemicalsora.moeNot digging that mischievous look in Riku's face at Beast's roar, especially as Maleficent gives him further dark powers, presumably what enables Dark Mode.
@tyson.chemicalsora.moeI'm *so* Soriku-pilled, I forget Riku's devotion for Kairi is as strong, if not stronger, than Sora's.
@tyson.chemicalsora.moeOne of my old PFPs from way back when comes from the part where half of Riku is shown as he declares how he's a master over the Heartless. This is the closest I could get to it without the subtitles being in the way. It might even look a little different in PS2 footage.
@tyson.chemicalsora.moeGiven the events on Monstro, where Sora was willing to fight Riku to get Pinocchio back, that he now acts surprised seeing Riku join the enemy on Neverland is... something.
Riku believes he was abandoned, and that made it evident. Sure, Sora doesn't know what's on his heart, but...
@tyson.chemicalsora.moeAfter clearing Monstro and Atlantica (god, I hate that world), I thought Neverland was next... but nope, it's spoopy town. Fitting, as we're in spoopy month.
I always get the order between those two worlds wrong...
@tyson.chemicalsora.moeLooking closer at Riku's reaction as Maleficent grants him the power to control the Heartless, it seemed as if he was about to cackle... maybe I'm looking too much into it.
"Strength to protect what matters" might've meant something before it became a noteworthy quote in Birth by Sleep.
@tyson.chemicalsora.moeRiku can be so hot and cold. In front of others (Geppetto) he's dismissive when Sora strikes a nerve, but when they're alone? He tries to recruit Sora for his cause.
If only Riku wasn't walking the path of darkness, maybe the two boys would've joined forces.