Vexen: Difference between revisions

When Marluxia and Larxene begin manipulating [[Sora]] through [[Naminé]]'s ability, Vexen, Lexaeus, and Zexion decide to try use [[Riku]], who has appeared in the castle's basements, to counter Marluxia's plot. Vexen engages Riku in battle, hinting towards the nature of Nobodies and the existence of [[Xemnas]] and taunting Riku about his nature as a being between darkness and light. Sensing a formidable darkness growing within Riku, Vexen decides that he has gathered enough data and returns to program it into his second Replica. Once completed, the [[Riku Replica]] is sent to challenge the real Riku to test its powers. Despite freely using the darkness, the replica loses to the original Riku due to being recently finished and thus having less control over its abilities.

Meanwhile, Marluxia, Larxene, and Axel note that Vexen is jeopardizing their plans to overthrow the Organization; the scientist intends to reveal the existence of Roxas as well as Marluxia's plan to rewrite Sora's memories to turn him into his puppet. As a result, Axel is sent by Marluxia and Larxene to assassinate Vexen, not only to prevent Vexen from revealing their plan, but also to gain their trust.

Vexen is again defeated, surprised that Sora has such strength even with his memory confused. Upon being told to restore Riku to what he was before, Vexen tells Sora that the replica is fated to sink into the darkness, and that Sora will share that fate if he continues to seek out Naminé. However, right before Vexen can give proper warning about Marluxia messing with Sora's memories, Vexen is knocked down by Axel's chakram. Axel explains that he came to keep Vexen from talking to much by eliminating him, claiming that he can now be nothing instead of a Nobody. Despite Vexen's pleas for mercy, Axel snaps his fingers and incinerates Vexen.

After Vexen's destruction, Even's body and soul were swallowed by darkness to await his heart.<ref>'''''[[Director's Secret Report XIII]]''''', p. 29; '''Tetsuya Nomura''': "When a Nobody is defeated, it's a little complicated. If the heart has been released they will return to their original form as mentioned above, but if the heart is still dispossessed by a Heartless, the Nobody will be swallowed by darkness. If their heart, wherever it is in the realm, could be taken back perhaps they could return to their original human form." Translation via Goldpanner.</ref> At some point, Sora and his friends slayed Even's Heartless,{{?}}<!--cite to journal--><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20120220120211/http://sqex.info/2012/01/famitsu-weekly-nomura-interview-on-kh3d '''''Famitsu Weekly''''': "Nomura Interview on KH3D"], '''Interviewer''': "So their Heartless, you're saying they were defeated somewhere along the line?" / '''Tetsuya Nomura''': "Well Sora has defeated many Heartless before now, hasn't he? To say that they returned to being human, their Heartless was probably included among those, huh? Even when Sora became a Heartless, he was a normal Shadow type. The details of their Heartless aren't really that important."</ref> allowing Even to be reborn at the [[Heartless Manufactory]].<ref>'''''[[Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance]]''''', '''Ienzo''': " When someone who's lost their heart is recompleted, they should return to the place where it happened."</ref>

To Even's surprise, [[Saïx]] gives him the chance to return to being a Nobody to complete his research on the [[Replica Program]]. Seeing it as his chance to atone for all the harm he caused others in the past, Even accepts and becomes Vexen again, becoming a reserve member of the [[real Organization XIII]]. At the [[Keyblade Graveyard]], Saïx questions the scientist's decision to abandon his humanity a second time; he adds that [[Axel]] gave him a second lease on life. Vexen lies that his research in completing the perfect vessel is all that matters to him. However, he does add that with some more time, they "will replace, not just replicate", becoming true people once hearts are given to them.  <!--not sure how to storylink, Ultimania makes it clear Vexen made the new Dark Riku prior to KH3D ending--> Due to the fact [[Xehanort]]'s younger incarnation, [[Ansem, Seeker of Darkness|Heartless]] and [[Xemnas|Nobody]] cannot coexistence at the same time with the present day version, Vexen had to make replicas to house their hearts in the present day, while also providing replicas for the hearts of [[Vanitas]] and [[Dark Riku|Riku Replica]]. Along with [[Demyx]], Vexen was designated a back-up member by Xehanort, leaving the group without thirteen members.

Vexen is one of the most prolific Organization members in battles, appearing as an opponent three times during ''Chain of Memories''. He fights with a large blue shield, which he uses to fend off frontal attacks, making it necessary to attack him from behind. He is also able to use the shield offensively, akin to [[Goofy]], but further enhances the style with the spikes lining the edge of his shield. He can use his cryokinetic abilities to blast his enemy with ice from his hand, and can call forth large chunks of ice from the ground to freeze his opponent solid. He also has the power to create slippery ice patches on the ground, or summon icicles that rise from the ground and follow their target for several seconds. Finally, he can create an unavoidable blizzard that can be resisted only with a [[card break]]. In the remake, Vexen can conjure up a sword out of ice and whack his opponent several times with it before performing a final shockwave which destroys the sword and ends the sleight. Like several other members of Organization XIII in ''Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories'', Vexen moves by levitating, sometimes several feet into the air.

In ''[[Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix]]'', Vexen, as well as other members of the Organization that have already been eliminated, can be fought. Vexen's shield makes him completely invincible in this game, but the shield has an [[HP]] bar of its own and can be temporarily destroyed, allowing Sora to attack Vexen directly. Vexen has the additional power in this battle to create a copy of Sora's [[AntiForm]] to aid him in battle. Vexen still has his "freeze" attack when a blizzard freezes Sora, immobilizing Sora while Vexen gains data, but it can be stopped by a [[Reaction Command]]. He also has the icicle attack from before, but also returns with a new attack when he makes two spinning blades of ice and throws them at Sora. In the data battle against Vexen, he has a new attack when he throws giant chunks of ice at Sora.

Vexen also has the ability to collect and manipulate Data. This ability allows Vexen to create Replicas, such as the Riku Replica, and his numerous Vexen Replicas. Not much else is known about this ability.  It can be assumed that he uses his shield, Frozen Pride, to absorb attacks, and collect data simultaneously.   

Vexen, like Goofy, carries a shield into battle. His shield [[Frozen Pride]] is pointed, and is colored blue and silver. He can use it to block attacks, but it is also used to slash foes. If turned upside down, the shield has the vague shape of the Nobody symbol. In ''Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories'' it can be changed during the sleight "Slide Break," where he freezes ice onto the shield to form a gigantic ice sword that he wildly slashes with before smashing the blade onto the foe. However, his Absent Silhouette does not use it to attack, instead relying on his data replicas and ice magic for his offense, and uses his shield to block any attacks during battle. However, the Silhouette's shield has its own small health bar, and breaks after a while, and leaves him vulnerable until another shield is summoned. In ''Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix'', Goofy can obtain a similar shield through synthesis.