Summary
Kingdom Hearts 4is one of gaming’s most anticipated JRPG titles, as it begins a new saga in the long-running franchise.Kingdom Hearts 3brought the series’Dark Seeker Sagato a close, with its final events giving rise toKingdom Hearts 4and the beginning of the Lost Master Arc. Many believe the next saga to be setting up the Master of Masters as its big bad, but with the Lost Master arc delivering the first major shift in theKingdom Heartsfranchise, its trajectory and narrative are completely unknown. This has left fans guessing as to how and when the villain will make their grand entrance. If the series’ next era is anything like the Dark Seeker Saga, the big bad of the Lost Master Arc likely won’t be revealed inKingdom Hearts 4.
Kingdom Hearts 4will be a fresh start for the series, with the events ofKingdom Hearts 3 ReMindplacing both Sora and the Master of Masters in Quadratum. The series’ most recent entry,Melody of Memory, sees Kairi and Riku venture to a land called the Final World, searching for his location. When it is revealed to be Quadratum, Riku enters the world to find him, putting him on a collision course with his friend and the arc’s major villain. However, that is likely not the first villain the pair will come up against, asKingdom Heartshas a history of saving its true big bad for later entries in the series.
The Dark Seeker Saga’s Xehanort Took Over a Decade to Join the Fray
Kingdom Hearts’ Dark Seeker Saga culminated in a narrative that spanned nearly 20 years, but its main antagonist didn’t appear until seven years after its first entry. The originalKingdom Heartssees Sora, Riku, and Kairi’s home,Destiny Islands, cast into darkness after a mysterious hooded figure appears to Sora, heralding its connection to other worlds. The title’s villain, Ansem, is hellbent on openingKingdom Hearts,which he believes would cast all worlds into darkness.Kingdom Hearts 2sees Sora face off against Xemnas, a Nobody linked to Ansem by a mysterious figure, Xehanort.Birth By Sleepthen reveals the story of three lost keyblade wielders and a villainous former-wielder, Xehanort, who seeks to forge the key to Kingdom Hearts, the X-Blade.
In 2012,Dream Drop Distanceput all the pieces together, revealing that Xehanort, the series' true villain, was splintered across various vessels. These vessels included the hooded figure from Destiny Islands, Ansem, Xemnas, and various members ofKingdom Hearts 2’sOrganization 13. Having manipulated every event and character to meet at a fateful gathering in The World That Never Was, the true Xehanort is revived, introducing the Saga’s true villain and their master plan seven games into the series. The title’s follow-up,Kingdom Hearts 3,saw Xehanort’s plan fall into place, leading to the fateful events that set into motion the upcoming Lost Master Arc.
While the Master of Masters is expected to bethe Lost Masters Arc’s primary antagonist,Kingdom Hearts 4will likely feature another villain. Much like Xehanort, the Master of Masters plan is sure to be more complicated than a frontal assault, opening the door for various original and returning antagonists to fill the role in the series’ next title. The Master of Masters was last seen in Quadratum, but the character has long been known to let others do his dirty work. What’s more,Kingdom Hearts’lore has already revealed a number of potential vessels and apprentices for the Master of Masters that could take center stage inKingdom Hearts 4.
Xigbar/Braig, and by extensionthe Master of Masters’ apprentice Luxu, is one of the more compelling options forKingdom Hearts 4’s lead villain. The character has been present in nearly every title since the originalKingdom Hearts, and had a major hand in setting up the events of the Dark Seeker Saga. However, the series could just as easily introduce a new antagonist in Quadratum. With a whole new world and narrative to explore,Kingdom Hearts 4can go a variety of routes in introducing its big bad. Until more details are confirmed, fans can only speculate as to how the Master of Masters will make his long-awaited debut in the Lost Master Arc, and wait patiently for news surrounding the release ofKingdom Hearts 4.
Kingdom Hearts 4
Kingdom Hearts 4 is an action RPG developed by Square Enix and represents the fifteenth installment in the franchise. Players once again are put in the shoes of Sora who is suddenly trapped in a more realistic world called Quadratum, with companions like Donald and Goofy attempting to rescue him. Kingdom Hearts 4 is a direct sequel to Kingdom Hearts 3 and Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory.
