Editing Eraqus

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'''Eraqus''', known to his students as '''Master Eraqus''', is a [[Keyblade Master]] who watches over the [[Land of Departure]]. He is the master of [[Terra]] and [[Aqua]], and he also serves as the second master of [[Ventus]]. In his youth, Eraqus studied with his friend [[Xehanort]] in [[Scala ad Caelum]]. Eraqus was introduced in ''[[Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep]]'' and is the main supporting protagonist of ''[[Kingdom Hearts Dark Road]]''.

Master Eraqus was conceived as a ''Final Fantasy''-esque counterpart to Disney's Master Yen Sid, given that his name is an anagram of "Square", a reference to Square Enix, the developers of the ''Kingdom Hearts'' series, and his resemblance to Hironobu Sakaguchi, the creator of ''Final Fantasy'' mirrors Yen Sid's name being an anagram of his creator's name, Walt Disney. Tetsuya Nomura once forgot the basis of Eraqus's name, and had to be reminded by an employee that it was an anagram of "Square".<ref>'''''[[Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Ultimania]]''''', '''Interviewer''': "Master Eraqus's name is an anagram of 'Square', right? / '''Tetsuya Nomura''': "Yes, but I didn't really think very hard on that name. Actually, I gave him that name while writing the original plot, but when I read through it later, I couldn't remember what it was supposed to mean. I asked around, but no one knew. Finally, the producer realized that it was supposed to be an anagram for Square and I thought, 'Oh yeah!' (laugh)." [https://www.khinsider.com/news/Full-Nomura-Interview-20-KH-Mysteries-Solved-1366 Translation via Lissar].</ref>

In the English version of the series, Eraqus is voiced by Mark Hamill, who was chosen specifically by Nomura because of his role as Luke Skywalker, his love of the ''Star Wars'' series, and his desire to pit ''Star Wars'' and ''Star Trek'' (a series that Nomura is also a fan of) against each other in a "dream match" by casting the late Leonard Nimoy of ''Star Trek'' fame as Master Xehanort, Eraqus's friend turned rival.<ref>'''The Making of ''Birth by Sleep'' - Addendum w/ Tetsuya Nomura''' - "Usually I choose actors whose voices are similar to the Japanese version, but this time around I focused more on candidates who were simply a good fit for the character. For Eraqus and Xehanort, I chose actors who I felt personified these characters best, but also wanted to be a bit playful in my decision-making."</ref><ref>'''Dengeki Magazine, July 7, 2010''' - '''Nomura:''' Mark Hamill will be voicing Master Eraqus, and the voice of Master Xehanort is Leonard Nimoy. It has become the dream battle between ''Star Wars'' and ''Star Trek''.--「スター・ウォーズ」と「スタートレック」の夢の競演になっています</ref>

===Before ''Kingdom Hearts Dark Road''===

Eraqus is one of Xehanort's fellow classmates in [[Scala ad Caelum]], alongside [[Vor]], [[Hermod]], [[Urd]], [[Bragi]], and Baldr. They train together under Master [[Odin]]. He would often spend his days playing [[Alba & Ater]] with Xehanort.

One day, Master Odin informs everyone that the upperclassmen of Keyblade wielders had gone missing, including the sister of his fellow classmate, Baldr, and that his apprentices are to split into two groups to search the worlds. Eraqus travels with Xehanort and another apprentice, heading to [[Agrabah]] first.

 

While talking with [[Baldr]], it is revealed that Eraqus's grandfather battled the darkness.

 

In [[Scala ad Caelum]], [[Xehanort]] questions Eraqus about his knowledge of the [[Keyblade War]] and the "Lost Masters" during a game of Alba & Ater. After the game, the two offer each other their support.

[[File:Mark of Mastery 01 KHBBS.png|thumb|200px|Master Eraqus starting the Mark of Mastery exam.]]

Upon seeing Ventus later returning, Eraqus welcomes him back home with open arms, only to find the boy confused and enraged as he questions him about the χ-blade and his role in its creation. Eraqus, realizing that Xehanort never intended to give up his agenda and revealing to the boy his role in the plot, sees killing Ventus to be the only way to put Xehanort's plot to an end for good. However, Xehanort arranged Terra to arrive to save Ventus from Eraqus. Sensing that Terra has indeed descended into darkness, the youth refusing to let him kill Ventus, Eraqus is left with no choice but to eliminate them both. However, after throwing Ventus into a portal leading to the Destiny Islands, Terra mortally wounds Eraqus. In the end, Terra regretting fighting him while he sees that turning his Keyblade on his own apprentices was an error on judgment, Eraqus is struck from behind by Xehanort and fades in Terra's arms.  

[[File:Checkmate 01 KHIII.png|thumb|Eraqus and Xehanort leave for The Final World together.]]

After Master Xehanort is defeated and mortally wounded by [[Sora]], Eraqus leaves the newly-freed Terra's body in spirit form and persuades Xehanort to stand down, despite Xehanort's final attempts to enact the purge with the χ-blade. As Xehanort respectfully hands the χ-blade to Sora to close Kingdom Hearts, Eraqus shares a warm reunion with his three apprentices and entrusts Aqua's and Ventus's care to Terra before joining Xehanort as the two fade away peacefully as friends once again.

Terra, Aqua, and Ventus later place Eraqus's Keyblade in the ground in the Land of Departure with their Wayfinders as a makeshift gravestone to honor their fallen master.

Master Eraqus has slightly tan skin. He has jagged scars over his right eye and left cheek inflicted by Master Xehanort's [[Dark Volley]], much like the wounds Braig received from Terra. Eraqus has dark grey eyes, and black hair tied into a short, high topknot, with one bang falling off to the right side of his face. He also has a short, triangular {{w|soul patch}} and a mustache.  

Like his pupils, Eraqus wears pieces of armor, in his case gold and black armored boots, and a dull blue-green section that covers his abdomen. This second piece of armor sports the same symbol worn by his students near the top. Eraqus's Keyblade Armor greatly resembles {{w|samurai}} armor<!--what is it called?-->, fitting in with his Japanese theme.

Master Eraqus is a strong Keyblade master, caring for Terra, Ventus, and Aqua as his own children. Stern and willing to instruct, one major goal he has in life appears to be preserving peace throughout the worlds, as he rashly attacks Ventus when Eraqus discovers that through his dark half, Vanitas, Ventus can create the [[χ-blade]]. Unlike Master Xehanort, Eraqus has a staunch and almost bigoted aversion to darkness and believes that it must be destroyed at all costs, a view that he has endeavored to ingrain into his apprentices. In his final moments, he even becomes concerned that his actions against Ventus and Terra were due to some darkness having snuck into his heart.

 

As a youth, Eraqus was the most laid-back of his peers and was tardy for class very often. He was also the life of his class, lightening the mood to make sure his friends still retained hope in finding their upper classmen. Even at young age, Eraqus held a one-sided view of light and darkness and believed that darkness must be eradicated. He believes that this was due to his lineage as his grandfather has also fought darkness in the past.  

Master Eraqus serves as a boss battle for Terra after Terra prevents him from executing Ventus. During the battle, Eraqus uses many quick lunging attacks and is able to land many hits before the combo finisher. He also has several desperation attacks, each based on the light element.

 

As an apprentice in Scala ad Caelum, he specializes in buffing his allies' physical attacks.

Master Eraqus wields a rather basic Keyblade named "Master's Defender", which is grey in coloration. It has the appearance of an old-fashioned skeleton key, and the teeth are shaped like an "E". Its [[Keychain]] is [[Terra's Mark]]. He summons his Keyblade in a fashion similar to Terra, shrouded in a series of golden blocks. In battle, he holds his Keyblade in the {{w|chūdan-no-kamae}} stance.

 

As an apprentice at [[Scala ad Caelum]], Eraqus wielded the {{c|Keyblade|KHDR}}, the same as his classmates.

File:Master's Defender KHBBSFM.png|[[Master's Defender]]