Editing Heartless

[[File:Heartless Emblem.png|200px|thumb|The Heartless Emblem]]

{{c|Darkness|character}} originally had physical forms, but cast them off in order to attack hearts directly. These original Darknesses infected people's hearts and preyed on their negative emotions, giving rise to the first Pureblood Heartless.

With the incoming Keyblade War, a Nightmare Chirithy manipulated Keyblade wielders in an attempt to prevent them from fighting over [[Lux]]. However, the Dream Eater's actions caused opposite reaction, leading to them giving into darkness and being turned into [[Darklings]]. They continued their pursuit of Lux eventually coming for Skuld and Player but fled after a fight. Later on, the trio are absorbed by Nightmare Chirithy to do battle again, but ends in defeat. The Darklings' pursuit continued after crossing the world line and following the Dandelions into the data world. Inside the Clock Tower as glitches appear Player, Ephemer and Ventus are soon are surrounded by a Darkling who utters "not you...", which confuses the trio. Then a lone Darkling was followed by Ephemer and Player while traversing through the mysterious tunnel, still muttering the same phrase it did before. They do battle, and the Darkling runs further into the tunnel, with the pair following.  

Ephemer continued to follow it through Game Central Station and into Hero's Duty, and once again reunites with Player despite defeating the Darkling for the third time; it still says "not you", leaving Ephemer perplexed about what it could mean. Before confronting it further, the Darkling gets eaten by a Cy-Bug, fusing them together then flies off as the pair chase after it and finally catching up to it, they manage to destroy it. Later, in Sugar Rush, after King Candy and the Cy-bugs are defeated, Player and Chirithy sensed that the Darkling is still around and sees that it has gotten much stronger since their last encounter. Finally, Chirithy asks the Darkling why it keeps following them if they are not the ones it wants but the creature doesn't answer and is destroyed once again. Remembering the Cy-Bugs behavior in Hero's Duty Chirithy wonders if the Darkling was drawn to the light of the Keyblade and was really after a Keyblade wielder.

===Between ''Kingdom Hearts Dark Road'' and ''Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep''===

[[File:Versus Dark Hide KHBBSFM.png|thumb|200px|left|Heartless living in the Realm of Darkness.]]

As [[Aqua]] wanders the [[Realm of Darkness]] following her battle with [[Terra-Xehanort]], she encounters a group of [[Darkside]]s. Although she initially summons [[Master's Defender]], she decides to let the Darksides come at her without resisting. However, Terra's and Ventus's Keyblades come to her rescue, a last symbol of hope from her old friends. Her spirit returning, and in hopes of returning to her home, Aqua presses on through the Realm of Darkness, along the way encountering many [[Pureblood Heartless]], including [[Shadow]]s, Neoshadows and [[Darkball]]s. During this time, she is stalked and attacked by the massive [[Dark Hide]], engaging it in combat and emerging victorious after a strenuous battle.

In the meantime, the Heartless consumed most of the world, leaving only [[Hollow Bastion]], and they began spreading to other worlds. Ansem began manipulating [[Maleficent]] and her allies to use the Heartless in their bid to conquer all worlds and take Kingdom Hearts. In this conquest, [[Enchanted Dominion]], [[Castle of Dreams]], [[Dwarf Woodlands]], [[The Land of Dragons]], [[Pride Lands]], [[Beast's Castle]], [[La Cité des Cloches]], [[Prankster's Paradise]], [[The Grid]], [[Country of the Musketeers]] and [[Symphony of Sorcery]] were destroyed by the Heartless, along with the homes of [[Bambi]], [[Dumbo]], [[Pongo and Perdita]], and the [[99 Puppies]].

[[File:Darkness Released 01 KHRECOM.png|200px|thumb|Xehanort's Heartless, Ansem, is one of the only ones to have a mind.]]

Digital representations of the Heartless appear within the  [[datascape]] of [[Jiminy Cricket|Jiminy]]'s [[Jiminy's Journal|Journal]], just as they had appeared in the real worlds. The bugs infecting the Journal also appear as various species of Heartless. The source of the bugs, the digital representation of [[Sora's Heartless]], absorbs the defeated Heartless in order to increase in power, but it is defeated by [[Data-Sora]] and King Mickey, and the journal is repaired.

Before beginning Sora and Riku's [[Mark of Mastery exam]], Yen Sid explains that the [[Dream Eater]]s are manifestations of darkness that serve as the [[Sleeping Worlds]]' counterpart to the Heartless.

[[File:Symbol Character - Riku.png|thumb|100px|A Heartless emblem variation.]]

As naturally occurring Heartless, Pureblood Heartless look more primitive and tend to use more chaotic fighting styles. When they are not possessing objects or using them as armor, Pureblood Heartless are predominantly dark-toned with eerily-colored veins, antennae, and tendrils on their bodies. In addition, they generally do not cast shadows onto the world. Some Pureblood Heartless have chains hanging off their bodies. Particularly strong Pureblood Heartless look somewhat humanoid and possess a heart-shaped hole in the center of their torso.

Emblem Heartless have more varied shapes and colors than their Pureblood cousins. They are branded with an emblem, which resembles a heart with a ''fleur-de-lis'' at the bottom and a spiky "X" crossing through the center. The physical appearance of Emblem Heartless is influenced by the world they appear in. Unlike Purebloods, these Heartless generally do have shadows.

Pureblood Heartless are natural Heartless, born from the darkness in people's hearts. They are native to the [[Realm of Darkness]], and they are more common in other places that are close to or saturated in darkness, such as [[End of the World]] and [[The World That Never Was]]. Upon their destruction, they simply disappear in puffs of darkness, without a heart leaving its body.<ref>'''''[[Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days]]''''', '''Marluxia:''' "The ones you just defeated are known as Purebloods. Purebloods don't release any hearts when you defeat them. In other words, don't bother with them."</ref> While Purebloods have less variety, they are far more numerous in quantity and often attack in swarms.

Emblem Heartless, on the other hand, are artificially created. They were first created from a machine designed to reproduce the process of a heart being consumed by darkness.<ref>'''''[[Secret Ansem Report 5]]''''': "The six traitors were operating a laboratory that churned out those cursed shadows. Not only did they generate "pureblood" Heartless from living hearts, but they then used those Heartless to synthesize artificial versions of the creatures as well. These synthetic Heartless bore insignias and were called "Emblems." Pureblood or Emblem, these Heartless act only to fulfill their instinctive needs. They single-mindedly detect hearts and swarm around them."</ref> They are more common in the worlds within the Realm of Light, and they can adapt their appearance to fit the world they are in, often mimicking the shape of creatures or objects within that world. Powerful Emblem Heartless can also be created directly from the influence of darkness on a creature or individual.<!--Storm Rider, Skoll, Grim Guardianess-->

Heartless – Emblem or Pureblood – are dark creatures that act on instinct alone. They will attack others to consume more hearts, and will target wielders of the Keyblade.<ref>'''''{{c|Kingdom Hearts|game}}''''', '''Leon:''' "The Heartless have great fear of the Keyblade. That's why they'll keep coming after you no matter what."</ref> However, a powerful user of darkness can summon or control Heartless.<ref>'''''[[Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Ultimania]]''''' "As Yen Sid says in ''Kingdom Hearts II'', the Heartless cannot be separated from the darkness in people's hearts, and have been around for a long time. Beings of darkness can draw out the darkness in the heart, so Master Xehanort could summon the Neoshadows with his own hands. In the same way, when Xehanort and Ansem the Wise's students begin to perform the first experiments on the darkness of the heart, artificial Heartless were created in large numbers."</ref> The Heartless will obey a powerful enough force, but they are only loyal as long as the leader remains strong-willed. <ref>'''''[[Kingdom Hearts II]]''''', '''Saïx:''' "The Heartless ally with whoever's the strongest."</ref><ref>'''''{{c|Kingdom Hearts|game}}''''', '''Maleficent:''' "Don't steep yourself in darkness too long. The Heartless consume the careless."</ref> Additionally, some Heartless are able to command fellow Heartless.

[[File:Sora, Donald, and Goofy 01 KH.png|thumb|200px|A Soldier, an Emblem Heartless.]]

Heartless possess the ability to travel between worlds using [[Corridors of Darkness]]. They naturally seek out the heart of the world to corrupt it with their darkness. A Keyblade can lock the heart of a world away from the Heartless; while this prevents the Heartless from destroying the world's heart, it does not keep Heartless out of the world itself.

If a Heartless is slain by a Keyblade, the heart will be freed and reunite with the body and soul it left behind (provided there is no corresponding Nobody). Magic and certain weapons can also destroy Heartless, but only temporarily.<ref>'''''[[Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days]]''''', '''Xion:''' "But if I don't defeat Heartless with the Keyblade... the hearts they release just find their way into other Heartless instead. I swat them in one place and they just pop up in another."</ref> No method of eliminating Heartless is capable of stopping them forever, for as long as darkness lingers in the hearts of individuals, Heartless will continue to form.<ref>'''''[[Kingdom Hearts II]]''''', '''Yen Sid:''' Your past endeavors did prevent an immense effusion of Heartless from the great darkness; make no mistake about that. However, the Heartless are darkness made real---and darkness lingers yet in every heart. The Heartless are fewer. But while darkness exists in a single heart, it will be difficult to eliminate them."</ref>

The strength of a Heartless is proportional to the depth of the darkness from which it was born: the darker the heart forming a Heartless, the more powerful and more monstrous the resulting being will be.<ref>'''''[[Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days]]''''', '''Pete:''' "I'll give that pirate somethin' he can reeeally be greedy about. Then I'll summon a great big whopper of a Heartless!"</ref> For those with no darkness within their hearts, such as the [[Princesses of Heart]], they cannot create Heartless. The process of creating Heartless occasionally also forms [[Nobodies]], which are born from the [[body]] and [[soul]] left behind when the heart is lost.<ref>'''''[[Kingdom Hearts II]]''''', '''Yen Sid:''' "At times, if someone with a strong heart and will---be they evil or good---becomes a Heartless, the empty shell they leave behind begins to act with a will of its own."</ref>

File:Shadow KHII.png|'''{{ns|Game|Sora's Heartless}}'''

File:AntiSora KH.png|'''[[AntiSora]]'''

File:Sora's Heartless - True Form KHREC.png|'''{{ns|Game|Sora's Heartless}}'''

File:Sora's Heartless - Neo Darkside KHREC.png|'''{{ns|Game|Sora's Heartless}}'''

File:Ifrit KHUX.png|'''{{c|Ifrit|Heartless}}'''

File:Leviathan KHUX.png|'''{{c|Leviathan|Heartless}}'''

File:Ansem, Seeker of Darkness (Cloaked) KH.png|[[Robed Figure]]

File:Ansem, Seeker of Darkness 02 KHIII.png|'''{{ns|Game|Ansem, Seeker of Darkness}}'''<ref>Ansem, Seeker of Darkness appears to have characteristics of both Emblem and Pureblood Heartless, in both his human and world forms. In both forms, he bears the Heartless emblem on his chest, though in human form it could possibly be an article of clothing. Notably, though, the otherwise identical outfit worn by [[Master Xehanort]] does not possess the emblem. Furthermore, the [[Dark Figure]] attached to him in both forms possesses the "hollow heart" shared by many other Pureblood Heartless. Though it is uncertain what Ansem's situation is, it is possible that this makes him both an Emblem and Pureblood Heartless.</ref>

File:Scar KHII.png|'''{{ns|Game|Scar}}'''<ref>'''''[[Kingdom Hearts II]]''''', '''Pete''': "Anger and jealousy turned the king of Pride Rock into a Heartless!"</ref>

File:Ghost KHII.png|[[Ghost]]

File:Ghoul KHII.png|[[Ghoul]]

File:Oogie Boogie's Manor KH.png|'''{{ns|Game|Oogie's Manor}}'''

File:Riku (Dark) KH.png|'''{{ns|Game|Riku}}'''

File:Cy-Bug (Darkling) KHUX.png|'''[[Cy-Bug]]'''

File:Cy-Bug (Darkling B) KHUX.png|'''[[Cy-Bug]]'''