Cornerstone of Light
The Cornerstone of Light (光のいしずえ Hikari no Ishizue) is a sacred relic of Disney Castle that appears in Kingdom Hearts II. It is a large crystal sphere filled with swirling lights that sits upon an ornate pedestal. The Cornerstone protects Disney Castle from worlds that are evil,[1] preventing villains such as Maleficent from entering the castle.[2] It can be found in the Hall of the Cornerstone, a hidden room under Mickey Mouse's throne, which is accessed by pressing a hidden switch under the arm of the throne.
Story[edit]
Kingdom Hearts II[edit]
Although the Cornerstone is a powerful artifact and heavily protected, Maleficent is able to negate its power by taking advantage of a door that appears into Disney Castle-exile Pete's past after he is made miserable by her constant abuse. Using the door, Pete is sent back in time to when the castle had yet to be built, and the Cornerstone sat unprotected on a hill.[3] There, he attempts to destroy the Cornerstone, weakening the defenses of the present Disney Castle and allowing Darkness to penetrate the castle; the Heartless then invade and attempt to take the castle and its inhabitants prisoner.[4] As Maleficent's trademark thorns surround the Cornerstone, she appears as an apparition to taunt Queen Minnie about her imminent victory.[5]
Sora, Donald, and Goofy receive a distress call and arrive just in time to help Queen Minnie raise a defense against the invaders. After a quick trip to Hollow Bastion to seek Merlin's help, they discover the time loophole that has allowed Pete and Maleficent to weaken the Cornerstone's protection. By taking a trip through a new door that appears in the Hall of the Cornerstone that leads to Timeless River, Sora and his party manage to thwart Pete and Maleficent's plans and restore the Cornerstone of the present to full power.[6]
Notes and references[edit]
- ^ Kingdom Hearts II, Minnie: "Our castle has always been safe from worlds that are evil...thanks to the Cornerstone of Light which we keep down there."
- ^ Kingdom Hearts II, Maleficent: "Yes! That cursed sphere is the very thing that prevents us from entering the castle."
- ^ Kingdom Hearts II, Maleficent: "On the other side of this portal, they're about to begin construction on that wretched castle. But until then, their treasured Cornerstone of Light lies unguarded, with all of its power still contained!"
- ^ Kingdom Hearts II, Timeless River - Pete: "As part of Maleficent's scheme to take over Disney Castle, Pete plans to destroy the Cornerstone of Light. Without the Cornerstone, Disney Castle will be defenseless."
- ^ Kingdom Hearts II, Minnie: "This is the castle's cherished Cornerstone. But look. The thorns...They must be the work of someone very evil. I wonder what this could mean..."
- ^ Kingdom Hearts II, Timeless River: "Sora's Keyblade sealed the door shut, so Pete wouldn't be able to come back to the past. The Cornerstone of Light was returned to its rightful home, banishing darkness from the castle for good."
