Editing Lingering Will

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'''Lingering Will''' is a collection of thoughts and desires of the Keyblade wielder [[Terra]]. It took control over Terra's discarded [[Keyblade Armor]] after his body was possessed by [[Master Xehanort]]. Lingering Will is playable for a short time at the end of Terra's scenario in ''[[Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep]]''; it made its debut appearance in the ''{{c|Kingdom Hearts|series}}'' series as a secret boss in ''[[Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix]]''.

When Master Xehanort extracts his heart in an attempt to possess Terra, Terra summons his Keyblade Armor in a desperate attempt to defend himself. The Keyblade wielder is just a moment too late, however; his body emanates darkness, symbolizing Xehanort has won. The newly born [[Terra-Xehanort]] discards the Keyblade Armor, as he doesn't desire its protection from the darkness. With the [[No Name]] in hand, Terra-Xehanort walks off in triumph, only to become trapped in [[Will's Cage]]. Terra-Xehanort turns in shock to see Terra's Keyblade Armor reassembled and standing before him; Terra's rage towards Xehanort and his desire to protect his friends has given life to his discarded armor. Determined to stop Master Xehanort at all costs and get back its body, Terra's "lingering will" challenges Terra-Xehanort to a battle. Angered by Terra's continued resistance, Terra-Xehanort readily engages it.

In the end, Lingering Will is victorious in battle, but although Terra-Xehanort is knocked unconscious, it fails to expel Xehanort from Terra's body. The armored figure plunges its [[Ends of the Earth]] into the ground and slumps down, as Terra-Xehanort is consumed by the lightstorm created by the destruction of the [[χ-blade]] via [[Aqua]] and [[Ventus]]. The clouds that have masked the [[Keyblade Graveyard]] in darkness cover Kingdom Hearts in the sky above, and Lingering Will is left alone. It silently promises Aqua and Ventus that someday, it will set things right.

 

[[File:Encounter with Lingering Will 01 KHIIFM.png|thumb|right|Sora prepares to fight Lingering Will.]]

Eleven years later, a portal to the Badlands appears in [[Disney Castle]]. [[Sora]], [[Donald]], and [[Goofy]] enter it and find themselves standing before the kneeling Lingering Will. The animated Keyblade Armor mentions Aqua and Ventus before sensing Sora's Keyblade, and it mistakes Sora for the one it had chosen, [[Riku]]. Realizing its mistake, Lingering Will asks why Sora is not him; it then wonders if Sora is Xehanort, slowly pronouncing the latter's name. Determined to fulfill the promise it made long ago to avenge itself and its friends, Lingering Will rises to its feet and picks up its Keyblade. Sora and friends draw their weapons in preparation for the upcoming fight, and after an intense struggle, they eventually defeat their silent attacker. Upon its loss, Lingering Will senses Ventus's presence within Sora and kneels back down. If Sora returns to battle Lingering Will after this, it accepts his challenge, but it states that it has nothing left to give the young Keyblade wielder other than its contempt for Xehanort.

{{Q|Got you, Xehanort. How I've waited for this moment.|Lingering Will responds to Terra-Xehanort's frustration to know its identity.}}

When [[Sora]] arrives in [[The Final World]] after being consumed by the [[Demon Tide]], he encounters [[Naminé]]'s heart, who tells him that she found a connection to Terra's "strong will" through his memories. Naminé explains if she makes contact with Terra's will, it could tip the scales in the [[Seven Guardians of Light|guardians of light]]'s favor.

Soon after Sora restores the guardians of light to the point in time before their defeat in the [[Keyblade Graveyard]], they are confronted by [[Terra-Xehanort]]. Unlike the previous encounter, where Terra-Xehanort strikes [[Ventus]], Lingering Will arrives and blocks the attack. Ventus and [[Aqua]] recognize Lingering Will as Terra's [[Keyblade Armor]], while Terra-Xehanort appears to have no memory of their last clash. Lingering Will tells Terra-Xehanort about its wait for their rematch and begins fighting him. The fight soon gets further away from the guardians; while the Lingering Will holds the upper-hand, its status afterward is unknown as Terra-Xehanort reappears along with the rest of the [[real Organization XIII]]. After Sora frees Terra's heart from Xehanort's [[The One Behind|guardian]] and transfers it back to his body, Lingering Will ceases to exist.<ref>'''''[[Kingdom Hearts Ultimania|Kingdom Hearts III Ultimania]]''''', '''Interviewer''': "What happened to the Lingering Will after the battle?" / '''Tetsuya Nomura''': "When Terra was revived it caused the Will to vanish, and the armor disappeared. But a Keyblade wielder's armor is like a Keyblade in that even if it disappears, it can be summoned again so long as the wearer is in their usual condition." [https://www.khinsider.com/news/Kingdom-Hearts-3-Ultimania-Scenario-Mysteries-Interview-Translated-14746 Translation via Goldpanner].</ref>

In the opening credits of ''Kingdom Hearts Re:coded'', the Lingering Will is seen kneeling down after the defeat of Terra-Xehanort.

Lingering Will is an animated suit of Keyblade Armor. Its helmet is mostly gold, except for its black visor, and it sports two red prongs (one on either side of the helmet) that point upwards. The arms, legs, and ribs of the Keyblade Armor are black and have orange patterns decorating them. Its knee guards, gauntlets, breast plate, and armored boots are gold, and there are other, smaller pieces of gold armor on its legs. The Lingering Will wears black pauldrons with gold edges. The front of the armor on its torso is red, as are small pieces of armor on its lower legs and gauntlets. Lingering Will also wears gold anklets with red spikes on the back that curve upward sharply.

In ''Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix'', the Will's armor is much darker in coloration, possibly due to rust. It also wears a cape that is gold on the outside and dark blue on the inside. This cape was removed from the  Lingering Will's design in ''Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep'' in order to avoid framerate issues.<ref>'''''{{w|Famitsu}} PSP+PS3''''', '''Interviewer''': "I was very surprised to hear that in VS Arena Mode you could play with six other people." / '''Tetsuya Nomura''': "We wanted to make it so that as many people could play together as possible, but in the end we could only do six. By the way, in the ''Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix'' secret movie you can see Terra in his armor with a cape, but we took off the cape in this game. It was to make processing easier when you're playing with six people. Processing of moving fabric can be slow, so the speed it runs at is completely different if he has a cape or not." [https://www.khinsider.com/news/Famitsu-Interview-Nomura-New-1269 Translation via Lissar].</ref> However, it was reintegrated in the cutscene after the Lingering Will defeated Terra-Xehanort at the end of Terra's scenario in ''Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMIX''.

As the Lingering Will is not truly a living being, it cannot feel or possess a personality of its own. It was brought to life by the thoughts and emotions that Terra left behind when Xehanort took his body, so while it feels some connection to Aqua, Ventus, and Riku, its driving focus is to revenge itself on Xehanort. It is able to speak, but due to its single-minded purpose its words are terse, dispassionate, and to-the-point.

[[File:Lingering Will Fighting Styles KHIIFM.png|thumb|right|250px|The many different forms of Lingering Will's Keyblade.]]

Lingering Will, like ''Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix''<nowiki>'</nowiki>s other secret bosses, is difficult to defeat. Its most basic move is a three-hit Keyblade combo almost identical to Sora's. The difference, however, is that the Lingering Will transforms its Keyblade into a drill-like object for the forward thrust that serves as the combo finisher. This is just one of many forms the Lingering Will's Keyblade assumes during the battle against it; another form it can assume is a whip that deals less damage than its blade form in exchange for greater speed and range. Lingering Will can also fly at high speeds and use Terra's [[Ultima Cannon]] [[Shotlock]]. Unlike when Terra's Shotlock is used, however, the resulting blast can be deflected via a well-timed Guard to damage the Lingering Will instead. This leaves it vulnerable to further attacks. The Lingering Will can also transform its Keyblade into a [[Keyblade Glider]] or cog-like object to perform extremely quick attacks.

Under Lingering Will's influence, the Ends of the Earth is able to assume different forms. Lingering Will shares Terra's ability to summon a Keyblade Glider, using what was once a form of transportation for the lost hero as an offensive technique. Other forms the Ends of the Earth may take through the Lingering Will's influence include a chain whip, the massive cannon-like form used in Terra's Ultima Cannon Shotlock, a drilling gauntlet, and a harken-like weapon. Save for the Keyblade Glider and Ultima Cannon, these forms are all unique to the Ends of the Earth when it is wielded by Lingering Will. Lingering Will also holds the weapon in a different fashion in ''Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix'' than in ''Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep''; the latter's version is identical to that of Terra.