Kingdom Hearts: Underrated Characters

As it’s the case with most long-running RPG franchises, Kingdom Hearts features a huge cast of characters. Not only are there iconic figures from the Final Fantasy games series and from several Disney properties, but there’s also the cast of original characters created exclusively for these games, like Sora, Riku, Xehanort and more.

Unfortunately, like most RPG franchises with big casts, there are a lot of Kingdom Hearts characters that feel extremely underrated. Whether it’s because they’re misjudged, misunderstood, or completely forgotten by the fan base, there’s a fair share of characters that truly deserve a second chance, and these are some of the most unfair examples.

8 Master Odin’s Students

Eraqus and Xehanort’s Friends

For obvious reasons, the mobile games in this franchise don’t get as much attention as the mainline titles. And, while the characters from Kingdom Hearts Union χ got a chance to shine in both Kingdom Hearts 3 and Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8; most fans are not even aware that the cast from Dark Road exists in the first place.

That’s a real shame, because the students of Master Odin are some of the most intriguing and complex characters in this franchise: There’s the tragedy of Baldr, the cunning personality of Bragi, the temper of Hermod, or the cheerfulness of Vor. All of them played key roles in the development of Xehanort, so they’re way too important for a group of characters that is often ignored.

7 Terra

A Complicated Character

Terra is definitely the least popular member of the Birth by Sleep trio. For several years, fans have complained about his story and his actions by stating that he’s way too unintelligent because he was easily manipulated by Master Xehanort, and that he was directly responsible for the death of Master Eraqus.

But the truth is that Terra is a misunderstood person who often gets blamed for Xehanort’s actions. It’s easy to forget that he’s actually a complex character who has both a lot of light and darkness in his heart. So, while he can be too trustworthy, and sometimes a bit aggressive, Terra is also an honorable warrior and a great friend who was sadly used as a tool by the biggest mastermind in the franchise.

6 Namine

A Victim Of Organization XIII

Namine is a character who sadly lives in the shadows of her more interesting counterparts, Kairi and Xion. This is in part because of her calm demeanor and soft-spoken personality, but Kingdom Hearts is a series that is filled to the brim with over-the-top characters, so having a more restrained one is greatly appreciated.

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Though Sora will always be the main protagonist of Kingdom Hearts, it would be nice to see some of the series’ side characters get a spin-off or two.

But Namine also gets a fair share of hate because of the events of Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories. Yes, she was responsible for erasing all of Sora’s memories while he was in Castle Oblivion, but she was being ordered to do so by Organization XIII. She was a brand-new nobody who was born there a few days before and was instantly manipulated without choice. Not to mention that she later tried to redeem herself by helping Sora regain his memories.

5 Kairi

A Romantic Interest With Personality

Most Kingdom Hearts fans agree that Kairi has been wasted and that she hasn’t had the time to truly shine yet. And while that’s not entirely false, it also doesn’t mean that she’s a bad character. There are a lot of great aspects about Kairi that deserve more praise.

Even before she ever got a Keyblade, she was way more interesting than most romantic interests in these types of stories.

Kairi was always cheerful, optimistic and knew how to help Sora out. She even tried to go find her beloved friend before she even knew how to wield a weapon, which is admirable. And, with time, Kairi turned into a very powerful Keyblade warrior that could even confront Master Xehanort. Kairi’s a charming character, but she still needs another opportunity to show how valuable she is.

4 Demyx

An Overhated Comic Relief

Most members of Organization XIII are quite popular, but there are a few of them who don’t get the praise they deserve, and Demyx is one such case. It seems most people tend to favor the members that are more complex or more powerful, which is unfair for characters that rely more on humor like he does.

Demyx is one of the most hilarious characters in the entire franchise. He’s laid-back, aloof, and sometimes it feels like he doesn’t even want to be part of Organization XIII. This is a clever concept for a character, especially since his undeniable charm makes up for his flaws. Luckily, with the theories of him being related to the Master of Masters becoming more common, maybe Demyx will get his chance to shine very soon.

3 Vexen

An Important Scientist

Right alongside Demyx, Vexen is one of the least popular members of Organization XIII. This is mainly because he’s not a young & attractive character with a striking personality. Vexen is an evil scientist, an intellectual who doesn’t trust anybody and can’t be trusted himself. He’s a unique character for this franchise.

Most fans often forget how important Vexen is to the plot of the entire series. As a founding member of Organization XIII, he was responsible for a lot of key plot points. With the biggest one being the Replica Program, which led to the creation of beloved characters like Xion and Riku Replica, and is pretty much the reason Xehanort could even recruit the true Organization XIII in Kingdom Hearts 3.

2 Larxene

A Necessary Evil

Larxene can be considered the most hated member in all of Organization XIII. She’s just too cruel, ruthless, and cold. She’s lways talking with a lot of sarcasm, which can irritate some players. Most members of the Organization have some redeeming quality to them, but the same cannot be said for Larxene.

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And that’s exactly what makes her such an interesting character. Kingdom Hearts has many kindhearted or tragic characters, so having someone that is so unapologetically evil is a breath of fresh air, and helps make things more entertaining. This great story wouldn’t be the same without someone as cynical as Larxene.

1 Donald & Goofy

Sora’s Loyal Companions

Weirdly enough, despite the crossover aspect of the Kingdom Hearts franchise, the Disney characters are often ignored by most fans, with King Mickey being arguably the only exception. In contrast, both Donald & Goofy are not taken as seriously as they deserve. While they are silly characters who add a lot of humor to the story, the truth is that they’re also Sora’s most loyal friends.

Donald & Goofy have been there from the very beginning, accompanying Sora to every world and helping him surpass any obstacle they encounter. They cheer up both him and the audience with their antics, but they have also proven to be extremely powerful and efficient in battle. In the climatic final battle of Kingdom Hearts 3, it wasn’t Riku or Roxas who helped Sora defeat Master Xehanort. It was Donald & Goofy, and they deserved that place more than anybody else.

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