Editing Squall Leonhart

{{Game|KH1|FM1|COM|REC|KH2|FM2|RCO|UCX|3RM|FA}}

{{youmay|the character|the [[Leon (Gummi Ship)|Gummi Ship Blueprint]]}}

|name=Squall Leonhart

|alias={{Nihongo|Leon|レオン|Reon}}

|image=[[File:Leon KHIIIRM.png|350x400px]]

|game2=Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories

|katakana=スコール・レオンハート

|romaji=Sukōru Reonhāto

|fr=Léon  

|enva2n={{KHII}}, {{RM}}

'''Squall Leonhart''' is a supporting character in the ''{{c|Kingdom Hearts|series}}'' series and leader of both the Heartless Resistance and the [[Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee]]. After the destruction of his world by the [[Heartless]], he changed his name to "'''Leon'''" in an attempt to amend for his mistakes.

Squall was the main character of ''{{ff|Final Fantasy VIII}}'', in which he wields the notorious Gunblade.

Leon, Aerith, Yuffie, and Cid were originally set to appear in ''Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep''. They were ultimately removed from the game because, according to Nomura, there were already too many plot lines, and it would have become confusing.<ref>'''''[[Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Ultimania]]''''', '''Interviewer''': "Zack appears at the Coliseum, but was there a reason why he is the only ''Final Fantasy'' character this time around?" / '''Tetsuya Nomura''': "We wanted to have Cid and the gang in Radiant Garden, but that would have made the story go too far off track. The main story of ''Birth by Sleep'' is complicated enough as it is, so instead of making a lot of side roads, we concentrated on the main story. Which resulted in having no other ''Final Fantasy'' character but Zack make an appearance." [https://www.khinsider.com/news/Full-Nomura-Interview-20-KH-Mysteries-Solved-1366 Translation via Lissar].</ref> Similarly, a model for Leon was partially completed for ''Kingdom Hearts III'', but was scrapped before being finished because the inclusion of the ''Final Fantasy'' characters on top of the already large cast would have been too many characters.{{fact}}

Also, Tetsuya Nomura has stated in an interview that the main reason he had Squall change his name to "Leon" was in order to avoid spoiling the revelation of Squall's big role in Mickey's first letter to Donald.{{fact}} Also, Leon is shown to have the wings of Rinoa Heartilly, his lover from ''Final Fantasy VIII'', on the back of his jacket, implying that something which specifically happened to her was a major factor in Leon changing his name.

[[File:The Start of an Adventure 02 KH.png|thumb|left|Leon advises Sora to join Donald and Goofy.]]

Nine years after the fall of Radiant Garden, now named Hollow Bastion, when the wielder of the [[Keyblade]] was revealed, King Mickey ordered [[Goofy]] and [[Donald Duck]] to find Leon, trusting that Leon would inform them of the circumstance and help them find the wielder, [[Sora]]. It turned out, however, that Leon had already found Sora within the safe First District of Traverse Town, challenging and defeating Sora before dragging him to a room in one of Traverse Town's motels. There, Leon and Yuffie explained to Sora about the Heartless and his destiny as the Keyblade's chosen one. Uniting Sora with the newly arrived Donald and Goofy, Leon then sent them on their way.

When Sora, Donald, and Goofy returned to Traverse Town again seeking Leon's help, they find him in the Secret Waterway, underneath [[Merlin]]'s house, training. Here he offers information about the [[Keyhole]]s of each world that lead to the heart of the world. He explains that the Heartless are drawn to the heart's power and would corrupt it, thus causing the world to disappear. This is why Sora's Keyblade is so important, because it has the power to seal them from the Heartless.

 

Leon also gives Sora the [[Earthshine Gem]], which contained the spirit of [[Simba]], for luck. Later, after they move to the newly accommodated base, a previously abandoned house deep in Heartless territory, Leon and company tells Sora about Maleficent and about [[Ansem, Seeker of Darkness|Ansem]] and his journal before once again, seeing Sora, Donald, and Goofy off.

After escaping from Hollow Bastion, Sora, Donald, Goofy, and [[Kairi]] sought shelter with Leon's group in Traverse Town. Sora informs Leon of everything that had happened, prompting him to follow Sora and company when they left for the final battle with Maleficent in Hollow Bastion.

===''Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories''===

After the defeat of Ansem, while skirmishing through [[Castle Oblivion]], Sora, Donald, and Goofy later meet Leon and his friends in a memory-based version of Traverse Town. However, like the town itself, little did Sora and his party realize that Leon and his friends were actually the product of Sora's memories that were being manipulated by Naminé. Due to that, the Leon and his friends that Sora encounter have no memories of ever meeting Sora, but somehow know his name, which they could not explain how. Like the Leon from the first game, he nonetheless decides to help Sora and company, such as by teaching Sora the card-based system as well as providing the Simba and the Key of Guidance cards in order for Sora to proceed. Before Sora leaves, Leon ensures him that he will be okay; no matter what shape reality takes, and that while he may not remember Sora, he knows that he is in his heart.

===Between ''Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories'' and ''Kingdom Hearts II''===

After the lost parts of Radiant Garden were liberated from the End of the World, Leon and his friends formed the Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee to restore their world to its former glory. During the course of their work, they rebuilt much of the town and began reconstruction of [[Hollow Bastion|Ansem the Wise's castle]], removing much of the modified machinery that was added to it.{{fact}} Also, due to [[Naminé]] tampering with Sora's memory, Leon lost his memories of his former friend.

During the [[Battle of the 1000 Heartless]], he, along with the rest of the Committee, helps Sora fight the Heartless on the Ravine Trail. He and Cloud are later seen back to back, surrounded by Heartless. They briefly exchange banter before charging at their enemies. The two later return to Hollow Bastion's outer wall and witness Sora's escape at the end of the battle.

By the time Sora, Donald, and Goofy visit again, the town is infested with Heartless from [[Space Paranoids]]. While Sora, Donald, and Goofy set off to Space Paranoids to help [[Tron]], Leon goes to pick up the eradicator program that Cid has been working on to defeat the [[Master Control Program]] for good. With the help of Leon and Aerith in relaying the program to Tron, Sora's group eventually succeeds, and Tron is able to remind everyone of the town's true name: Radiant Garden.

After Sora and Riku return to Destiny Islands, he is seen in Merlin's house reading a letter that produces a pair of glowing wings, which then float towards the ceiling and vanish.

===''[[Kingdom Hearts III Re Mind]]''===

 

 

 

 

==Design==

 

In ''Kingdom Hearts'', Leon's appearance is similar to his original appearance in ''Final Fantasy VIII'', but with several differences. He bears some resemblance to Tetsuya Nomura's original design for Squall Leonhart, sporting long, brown hair as opposed to the short hair he had in his original game. Leon retains the black gloves, black, zipper-lined shoes, a silver {{ff|Griever}} necklace, and a white undershirt that his ''Final Fantasy VIII'' incarnation had, and his short, black jacket is similar. Leon's jacket, however, lacks the fur collar, is short-sleeved, whereas Squall's sleeves were quite baggy, bears red wings on the back, presumably similar to {{ff|Rinoa Heartilly|Rinoa}}'s duster, and has a red Griever symbol on each shoulder.  

When Sora first meets Leon, his personality is that of a withdrawn and quiet loner. Eventually, he opens up to become a more caring person, as seen as when he is worrying about Sora, Donald, and Goofy's safety in the aftermath of the Battle of the 1000 Heartless. Although appearing as sullen and brooding in ''Kingdom Hearts'', after returning home to Hollow Bastion in ''Kingdom Hearts II'', he seems to be more cheerful, is seen to be smiling more often, and also has a friendly rivalry with Cloud. Leon has also good leadership qualities which he displays throughout both games, as he leads the Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee and is the only ''Final Fantasy'' character in the group to have originated in ''Final Fantasy VIII''.

Leon may be mild-mannered outside of battle, but all gloves are off when faced with a tough opponent. Utilizing his gunblade to deal massive damage with various cutting combos, he wields the element of fire to some degree, able to shoot Firaga spells from his fingertips. When his HP dwindles, he can infuse his gunblade with energy, increasing his range and power.

 

Leon has access to several techniques originating from ''{{ff|Final Fantasy VIII}}'', including '''{{ff|Renzokuken}}''', a combo attack with his gunblade, '''{{ff|Rough Divide}}''', a jumping attack, and '''{{ff|Blasting Zone}}''', which infuses his gunblade with energy.

 

{{frm-abi|n=*|{{nihongo|'''[[Zone of Ruin]]'''|ブラスティングゾーン|<br>Burasutingu Zōn|lit. "Blasting Zone"}}|Leon makes his gunblade larger by infusing it with fighting spirit, and blows enemies away.}}

[[File:Squall FFVIII.png|left|130px]]

Leon originated as {{ff|Squall Leonhart}}, the main protagonist in ''Final Fantasy VIII''. He is studying to become a full-fledged member of the mercenary force known as {{ff|SeeD}}, and specializes in the Gunblade, one of only two current cadets to do so. Ordinarily introverted to the point of seeming rude to others, he is forced to take a role of leadership as the world moves toward conflict, similar to his taking on leadership of the ''Final Fantasy'' characters in ''Kingdom Hearts'' after the fall of Radiant Garden. His scar still remains slashed across his face just as it did in ''Final Fantasy VIII'', but he is unaware of [[Seifer]] in [[Twilight Town]].  

"Leon" shares his pseudonym with the English name of the ''Final Fantasy II'' character {{ff|Leon}}, whose original Japanese name is shared with Squall's surname, Leonhart.