Keyblade War

"In ancient times, people believed that light was a gift from an unseen land by the name of Kingdom Hearts. But Kingdom Hearts was safeguarded by its counterpart, the χ-blade. Warriors vied for that precious light, thus beginning the "Keyblade War." The violent clash shattered the χ-blade into twenty pieces—seven of light, and thirteen of darkness. And the only real Kingdom Hearts was swallowed by the darkness, never to surface again."

—Master Xehanort

The aftermath of the Keyblade War.

The Keyblade War (キーブレード戦争, Kīburēdo Sensō), also known as the Keyblade Wars, is a legendary conflict that occurred more than a century before Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep. It is a major driving force behind the events of the Dark Seeker Saga.

The conflict

In the "age of fairy tales", the World was whole and full of light. People believed the light came from Kingdom Hearts, the heart of all worlds, which was protected by its counterpart, the χ-blade. Due to the secret manipulations of the Master of Masters, his students, the five Foretellers tasked with protecting the light, began to mistrust each other after receiving a prophecy of the coming war. They began competing over the world's Lux, believing it would give them the power to push back the oncoming darkness, but in the end, their efforts collapsed into internecine conflict that embroiled the entire World. Kingdom Hearts χ

Eventually, darkness covered the World, the χ-blade was shattered into twenty pieces, seven of pure light and thirteen of pure darkness, and the "true" Kingdom Hearts disappeared into the darkness. However, the World was restored by the light within the hearts of children, but as many individual worlds separated from each other. The remnants of the battlefield on which the Keyblade War took place became the Keyblade Graveyard, a scarred wasteland filled with the Keyblades of fallen warriors. The remaining Keyblade wielders resolved to protect the World from further destruction, becoming guardians of the World order.

The story of the Keyblade War passed into legend, and the Keyblade was depicted both as a bringer of chaos and destruction and as a weapon to save the World. The cause of the war, however, was distorted through the ages until it was eventually believed that over time, many people came to desire the power of Kingdom Hearts, introducing darkness into the World, and that they had forged Keyblades in the image of the original χ-blade in order to take control of Kingdom Hearts.

Xehanort's interest

Generations later, a Keyblade Master named Xehanort researched the Keyblade War and decided to unlock the mysteries of what took place at the Keyblade War's end through creating the χ-blade, summoning Kingdom Hearts, and setting off another Keyblade War. His motivation was to recreate the World as a balance between light and darkness, a balance he believed was lost in the current World. Xehanort discussed his interest with his colleague and fellow former student, Eraqus, but Eraqus tried to stop him, believing Xehanort to be giving himself over to darkness.

Years later, Master Xehanort attempts to forge the χ-blade by pitting a heart of pure light and a heart of pure darkness against each other. To that end, he forcibly removes the darkness from the heart of his pupil, Ventus, creating Vanitas. When Ventus barely survives the process, Xehanort leaves Ventus in the care of Master Eraqus, hoping that his light would become strong enough for him to face Vanitas. Eventually, he manipulates Ventus into fighting Vanitas at the Keyblade Graveyard, and the two fuse, creating the χ-blade. However, the union is imperfect, and the χ-blade is destroyed by the combined efforts of Ventus and Aqua.

As a secondary plan, Ansem, Seeker of Darkness, prior to obtaining Riku's body as a vessel, travels back in time and meets with Master Xehanort's younger self, sending him on a mission to create an organization of thirteen different incarnations of Xehanort, thirteen darknesses for Master Xehanort to pit against seven lights, as the true method of recreating the χ-blade and starting another Keyblade War. The new Organization XIII comes to include Master Xehanort, Young Xehanort, Ansem, Xemnas, Xigbar, Saïx and six more hooded figures. Master Xehanort's plan to make Sora into the final vessel for his essence is foiled when Riku, Mickey, Lea, Donald and Goofy intervene, and the twelve current members disappear, returning to their proper points in time for the time being.

Gallery

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  Aqua viewing the aftermath of the War.

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  Scars left in the Keyblade Graveyard by the Keyblade War.

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  Another crater left by the War.