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Realm of Darkness: Difference between revisions

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{{cleanup|Reorganize story and areas listings to match other world articles; confirm that the scene with ice cream after Maleficent is not the Realm Between.}}
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{{World  
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|katakana=闇の世界
|katakana=闇の世界
|romaji=Yami no Sekai
|romaji=Yami no Sekai
|BBSimage=[[File:Realm of Darkness Profil.png|300px]]
|de=Reich der Dunkelheit
|BBSlogo=X
|AFPlogo=[[File:Dark World Logo KH0.2.png|300px]]
|game1=Kingdom Hearts
|game1=Kingdom Hearts
|game2=Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories
|game2=Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories
|game3=Kingdom Hearts II
|game3=Kingdom Hearts II
|game4=Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days
|game4=Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days
|game5=Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep
|game5=Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep
|game6=Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep -A fragmentary passage-
|game7=Kingdom Hearts III
|BBSnormalname=Night in the Dark Dream
|BBSnormalname=Night in the Dark Dream
|BBSnormalfile=Night in the Dark Dream KHBBSFM.ogg
|BBSnormalfile=Night in the Dark Dream KHBBSFM.ogg
|BBSbattlename=Night of Tragedy
|BBSbattlename=Night of Tragedy
|BBSbattlefile=Night of Tragedy KHBBSFM.ogg
|BBSbattlefile=Night of Tragedy KHBBSFM.ogg
|AFPnormalname=Night in the Dark Dream
|AFPnormalfile=Night in the Dark Dream KHBBSFM.ogg
|AFPnormalname2=The World Within
|AFPnormalfile2=The World Within KH0.2.ogg
|AFPnormalname3=Forest of Thorns
|AFPnormalfile3=Forest of Thorns KH0.2.ogg
|AFPbattlename=Night of Tragedy
|AFPbattlefile=Night of Tragedy KHBBSFM.ogg
}}
}}
The '''Realm of Darkness''' is a realm made up of Darkness in people in every world. As with the Realm of Light, this realm has a Keyblade, [[Kingdom Key D]], which chose King Mickey as its wielder. [[Kingdom Hearts]] is found here. This is also the home of all the Heartless, as this is where the most powerful ones can be found. Sora fought [[Ansem, Seeker of Darkness]] here in [[Kingdom Hearts (game)|Kingdom Hearts]].
The {{nihongo|'''Realm of Darkness'''|闇の世界|Yami no Sekai}}, also translated as '''Dark World''' in its playable incarnation in ''[[Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep -A fragmentary passage-]]'' and ''[[Kingdom Hearts III]]'', is a realm made up of [[darkness]]. It lies opposite to the [[Realm of Light]], and the normal passage of time does not exist there.


Sora, Donald, and Goofy visit the Realm of Darkness after being saved from [[Saïx]] by [[Maleficent]] in Hollow Bastion, where they encounter a man in a black coat, later revealed to be Riku. Riku leaves a box with a picture of [[Hayner]], [[Pence]], [[Olette]], and [[Roxas]] and a bar of [[sea-salt ice cream]]. In this same realm, the Keyblade reacts to the ice-cream and Sora opens a pathway. This is the first time that Sora, Donald, and Goofy are able to make their way to the Realm of Darkness in ''Kingdom Hearts II''.
The Realm of Darkness is the home of all [[Pureblood Heartless]]. It is an exceptionally dangerous place, and very few have survived a trip to the Realm of Darkness. The Realm of Darkness is also home to a special type of [[Keyblade]], Keyblades of darkness; the only known Keyblade of darkness is [[Mickey]]'s [[Kingdom Key D]].
 
When a world or its [[heart]] falls to darkness, it is swallowed into this realm. The Realm of Darkness also has its own natural landmasses, often stone-like with blue glowing cracks in them. Apart from falling into the darkness oneself, the only ways to reach the Realm of Darkness are by using a [[Corridor of Darkness]] or with the [[power of waking]].


==Settings and Areas==
==Settings and Areas==
=====Inner Areas=====
===''Kingdom Hearts''===
In ''[[A fragmentary passage]]'', the Realm of Darkness is explored further, though nothing notable is shown. The different areas are given names like '''Middle Zone''' and '''Lower Zone''', and each feature domes of darkness which sprout different kinds of Heartless which will vanish once all the Heartless have been defeated. Some of these domes form pillars which allow the player to advance through the world. A final, arena-like setting is where the battle between Aqua and the Unnamed Heartless takes place.
[[File:Closing the Door 03 KH.png|thumb|right|225px|The entrance to Realm of Darkness from End of the World.]]
The Realm of Darkness isn't playable in ''Kingdom Hearts'', but can be briefly seen through the doors of [[Door to Darkness]] located at the [[Final Door]] area deep within [[End of the World]]. The doors lead to a cave-like area covered with organic-looking rocks, shaped like cylinders, shooting out from all over the walls. The rocks are often covered with cracks, from which a bright blue light pierces through. At the far back is a white cold light slightly illuminating the area. The cave is also covered with hordes of [[Heartless]], with two [[Darkside]]s arising as well.
 
Riku can also be briefly seen trapped in another part of the realm, which consists of a narrow, free-hanging grey path, continuing on into the unknown, and surrounded by seemingly endless darkness.
 
===''Kingdom Hearts II''===
At the furthest reaches of the Realm of Darkness, on the border between it and the Realm Between<!--cite to Director's Secret Report XIII-->, is a moonlit shoreline called the {{nihongo|'''Dark Margin'''|闇の海岸|Yami no Kaigan}}. In ''Kingdom Hearts II'' [[Sora]] and [[Riku]] arrive at this area during the game's ending. Like the caverns, this beach is littered with strange, blue, and almost organic formations of rocks, with several huge arches stretching above and across the sea. The Dark Margin is also a part of the world known as [[End of Sea]].
 
===''Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep''===
[[File:Upper Zone KHBBS.png|thumb|225px|left|The Upper Zone area's exit.]]
In ''Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix'' the Realm of Darkness appears playable for the first time in the series during the game's {{c|Secret Episode|fmb}}. After defeating [[Terra-Xehanort]], [[Aqua]] awakes within an immense, eerie cavern known simply as the {{nihongo|'''{{a|Realm of Darkness}}'''|闇の世界|Yami no Sekai}}. Starting at the cavern's {{nihongo|'''{{a|Middle Zone}}'''|中層|Chūsō}}, she ventures through the {{nihongo|'''{{a|Lower Zone}}'''|下層|Kasō}} and {{nihongo|'''{{a|Upper Zone}}'''|上層|Jōsō}} before finally finding a way out. These caves are infested with Heartless and strange rock formations, as well as geysers and barriers formed from pure darkness. The various paths twist and wind and reconnect, and navigating the areas can be a struggle. The Upper Zone consists of many rocks hanging in the air, with risk of falling back down to Lower Zone. Towards the end of the Upper Zone is a path towards a spiraling purple and violet light, further leading out of the cavern and to the {{nihongo|'''{{a|Valley of the Dark}}'''|闇の狭間|Yami no Hazama}}, a twisted and decaying forest drenched in darkness.
 
After defeating the [[Dark Hide]] Aqua finds herself arriving from a gloomy forest where she discovers that [[Castle of Dreams]] has fallen to darkness at the area fittingly named {{nihongo|'''{{a|Dark Cinderella Castle}}'''|闇シンデレラ城|Yami Shinderera Shiro}}.
{{-}}
 
{|class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
!Area Map in ''Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep''
|-
|
[[File:Minimap (Realm of Darkness) KHBBS.png|400px]]
|}
{{-}}


<!--"Realm of Darkness" is the name of the area from BBS: http://i51.tinypic.com/ejbwww.jpg-->
===''Kingdom Hearts χ''===
=====Dark Margin=====
[[File:Realm of Darkness KHX.png|thumb|right|225px|One of the Dark Corridor Trails.]]
[[File:Deep Dive 02 KHFM.png|thumb|left|200px|The Dark Margin.]]
In ''Kingdom Hearts χ'' the Realm of Darkness appears during a few missions in the form of {{nihongo|'''{{a|Dark Corridor Trials}}'''|闇の回廊トライアル|Yami no Kairō Toraiaru?}}, with each area being simply called {{nihongo|'''{{a|Trial Area}}'''|トライアルエリア|Toraiaru Eria?}}. Within these corridors the ground is made of streams of darkness in the color of dark purple and magenta, and there's purple smoke and clouds passing by. Far off in the back is small portal of light, in which the darkness swirls towards. Within the game's files the world is simply known as as {{nihongo|'''{{a|Dungeon}}'''|ダンジョン|Danjon?}}.
The '''Dark Margin''' (referred to by Tetsuya Nomura as the '''Dark Coastline''') is a mysterious place in ''Kingdom Hearts''. It is first seen in ''[[Another Side, Another Story...]]'' (Deep Dive) video.


In ''Kingdom Hearts II'' and In ''[[Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days]]'', Roxas converses with Xemnas at the Dark Margin. He talks to Roxas, telling him how much he looks like Sora.
===''Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep -A fragmentary passage-''===
Past the valley is the '''Dark Cinderella Castle''' in the distance, which can be reached through a crumbling forested path sparsely lit with lanterns called the {{nihongo|'''{{a|Main Road}}'''|街道|Kaidō}}. Surrounding the castle is the {{nihongo|'''{{a|Castle Town}}'''|城下町|Jōkamachi}}, which is filled with empty houses, business stalls, and a fountain frozen in time in the center. Pieces of buildings float around the area. At the edges of the Castle Town, the remains of the world are crumbling into blue crystals. Beyond that is the remains of the seven Dwarfs' cottage from [[Dwarf Woodlands]], and a mirror leading to {{nihongo|'''{{a|The World Within}}'''|鏡の中世界|Kagami no Naka no Sekai|lit. "World Within the Mirror"}} the Magic Mirror, which resembles both the realm of the Spirit of the Magic Mirror and the Queen's dungeon. Past the mirror is the {{nihongo|'''{{a|Forest of Thorns}}'''|茨の森|Ibara no Mori}}, a corruption of the dark forest of [[Enchanted Dominion]] which ends at the Forbidden Mountain. The Forest of Thorns is divided in three parts: the {{nihongo|'''{{a|Uncertain Path}}'''|先の見えない道|Saki no Mienai Michi|lit. "Unseen Path Front"}}, the {{nihongo|'''{{a|Rocky Path}}'''|険しい道|Kewashī Michi|lit. "Rugged Path"}}, and the {{nihongo|'''{{a|Path's End}}'''|道の果て|Michi no Hate}}. From there, a portal leads to similar cavernous area known as the {{nihongo|'''Depths of Darkness'''|闇の深部|Yami no Shinbu}}. At the end of the path is a sandy terrain leading into a bright light; it leads to '''[[Homecoming]]''', where [[Kingdom Key D]] is hidden.


It reappears in the end of ''Kingdom Hearts II''. After defeating Xemnas, Riku and Sora end up on the Dark Margin. Suddenly, after Sora reads a letter from Kairi, a [[#Door to the Light|door]] appears leading them to Destiny Islands.
<gallery>
File:Minimap (Castle Town) KH0.2.png|Castle Town
File:Minimap (The World Within) KH0.2.png|The World Within
File:Minimap (Forest of Thorns) KH0.2.png|Forest of Thorns
File:Minimap (Depths of Darkness) KH0.2.png|Depths of Darkness
</gallery>
{{-}}


According to '''[[Director's Secret Report XIII|Another Report]]''', Nomura states that the Dark Margin is "the tip of a world", i.e. the boundary between Darkness and In Between. Sora and Riku were on the coast of the side of In Between, and were looking over the sea in the Realm of Darkness. Having said this, the Door to Light which appeared in the ending scene is reminiscent of a quote which recurs in the ''Kingdom Hearts'' series, albeit in different words: "No matter how deep the Darkness, a light shines within."
===''Kingdom Hearts III''===
{{Sec-stub}}


==Story==
==Story==
===''A fragmentary passage''===
===''Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep''===
While wandering lost through the Realm of Darkness, Aqua is confronted by a [[Darkside]]. She prepares to fight it, but two more Darksides join the fight and she loses hope. However, she is rescued by the [[Earthshaker]] and [[Wayward Wind]] Keyblades, which make quick work of the Darksides and renew her hope. She looks at her Wayfinder and remembers all the friends she has made throughout her journey across the worlds. Smiling, Aqua vows to escape the Realm of Darkness.
[[File:Realm of Darkness Gameplay (Aqua) 01 KHBBSFM.png|thumb|Aqua fighting Heartless in the Realm of Darkness.]]
While wandering lost through the Realm of Darkness, Aqua is confronted by a [[Darkside]]. She prepares to fight it, but three more Darksides join the fight and she loses hope. However, she is rescued by the [[Earthshaker]] and [[Wayward Wind]] Keyblades, which make quick work of the Darksides and renew her hope. She looks at her [[Wayfinder]] and remembers all the friends she has made throughout her journey across the worlds. Smiling, Aqua vows to escape the Realm of Darkness.
 
However, as she moves onward, a crack of [[light]] forms in the cavern's roof and a beam of darkness fires through it. Aqua's Wayfinder stops glowing and she senses something is wrong. Aqua ventures deeper in the Realm of Darkness and comes across the [[Heartless]], enemies she does not recognize. As residents of the Realm of Darkness, these enemies prove to be stronger than the [[Unversed]], but Aqua manages to fight her way through them until she reaches the [[Dark Hide]]. Although the beast is vicious and powerful, Aqua finally emerges victorious after a lengthy battle. Venturing forward, Aqua is horrified when she spots the destroyed [[Castle of Dreams]] jutting out of a sea of darkness in the distance.
 
===''Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep -A fragmentary passage-''===
Aqua continues her journey through the Realm of Darkness, passing through the remains of [[Castle of Dreams]], [[Dwarf Woodlands]] and [[Enchanted Dominion]]. Aqua questions what happens to the people who have lost their worlds to darkness, while finding herself thinking back to when she was with her friends. She is eventually confronted by [[Phantom Aqua]], an illusion created from the doubt in her heart by the darkness. Once it is defeated, Aqua finds manifestations of [[Terra]]'s and [[Ventus]]'s hearts; Terra is able to converse with her, while Ven remains comatose. However, [[Xehanort]] attempts to use this his link to [[Terra-Xehanort]] to find out where she hid Ven. Terra fights off Xehanort, who summons the [[Dark Figure]] to drag Aqua further into darkness.
 
Aqua is rescued by [[Mickey]], who informs that an entire decade has passed since the battle with Xehanort at the Keyblade Graveyard. Mickey informs her they need to find [[Kingdom Key D]], to help [[Sora]] and Riku seal the [[Door to Darkness]] to keep the [[Heartless]] from escaping and destroying the worlds. Upon finding the Keyblade they need, the duo finds a [[Demon Tide]] attempting to attack Riku; Aqua tethers it with her [[magic]], getting pulled into a secluded part of the Dark Realm. Mickey is left to focus on sealing the Door and hoping to find Aqua again. Once she defeats the Heartless, Aqua rests; she is content to wait for her rescue, knowing now that the Realm of Light is safe with Sora and Riku there.


But as she moves onwards, a crack of light forms in the Realm's ceiling and a beam of darkness fires through it. Aqua's Wayfinder stops glowing and she senses something is wrong. Aqua ventures deeper in the Realm of Darkness and comes across some [[Heartless|enemies she has never encountered before]]. As residents of the Realm of Darkness, these enemies prove to be stronger than the Unversed, but Aqua manages to fight her way through them until she reaches [[Unnamed Heartless|the leader]]. After a lengthy battle, with Aqua barely keeping up with the creature's speed and stealth tactics, Aqua finally emerges victorious and defeats her enemy.
===''Kingdom Hearts''===
When [[Riku]] continues to resist against his possession, [[Ansem, Seeker of Darkness|Ansem]] banishes the boy's [[heart]] to the Realm of Darkness. Riku's heart manifests as his former self, lamenting over his foolishness in abandoning his home and friends all for the sake of dark power. He hears Mickey call out for his help. Mickey lets him know that he has retrieved a [[Keyblade of darkness]], with which they can close the [[Door to Darkness]]. Riku agrees to help, and continues onward to find the door.


Venturing forward, Aqua stumbles across the [[Castle of Dreams]] jutting out of a sea of darkness in the distance.
Later, after Sora reaches the deepest depths of the [[End of the World]], he finds Ansem preparing to open the Door to Darkness, so that he can enter the Realm of Darkness and the [[Kingdom Hearts of Worlds' Hearts]] laying within it. Though Sora defeats Ansem, the door has already opened and darkness begins spilling out. As Sora and his friends struggle to shut the door, they see Mickey and a restored Riku on the other side, and together, they manage to close the door.


===''Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days''===
===''Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories''===
Six days after [[Roxas]]'s induction into [[Organization XIII]], Roxas visits [[Xemnas]] on the Dark Margin, where they briefly talk before Xemnas takes his leave.
Riku awakens from his slumber in the Realm of Darkness when an unseen presence, later revealed to be [[DiZ]], gifts him a magic [[world card]] and asks him to choose between slipping back into sleep, or taking the card and making his way toward the truth. Riku decides that going back to sleep would be boring, and confidently takes the card. He is taken by the card through a [[corridor of darkness]] to the lowest basement of [[Castle Oblivion]]. As Riku makes his way through the castle, he is contacted by Mickey, who is still trapped within the Realm of Darkness, but encourages Riku to persevere. As Riku reaches the top of the castle, Mickey finally finds a way out of the Realm of Darkness in the form of another card, which showed him Riku's heart and led him through a corridor of darkness constructed by [[Organization XIII]].<ref>{{storylink|Secret Ansem's Report 11}}: "It seems my friend, fighting in the realm of darkness, appeared in Castle Oblivion through a corridor of darkness constructed by Organization XIII. My new ally Riku also effected his return via one of these corridors."</ref>


===''Kingdom Hearts II''===
===''Kingdom Hearts II''===
In order to save them from [[Saïx]], [[Maleficent]] transports [[Sora]], [[Donald Duck|Donald]] and [[Goofy]] to the Realm of Darkness, where [[Riku]], his face hidden, leaves them a [[sea-salt ice cream]] bar and a photo of Roxas in [[Twilight Town]] as clues to get to [[The World That Never Was]], rescue [[Kairi]] and destroy Organization XIII.
When they encounter [[Saïx]] at the [[Battle of the 1000 Heartless]], Sora begs Saïx to let him into the Realm of Darkness, but the [[Nobody]] coldly refuses and prepares to attack. [[Maleficent]] begrudgingly rescues Sora and his friends by transporting them to the Realm of Darkness, where they run into a disguised [[Riku-Ansem]]. He leaves them a [[sea-salt ice cream]] bar and a photo of [[Roxas]] in [[Twilight Town]] as clues to get to [[The World That Never Was]], rescue [[Kairi]] and destroy Organization XIII. They follow the clues to the Old Mansion, hoping that [[The Other Twilight Town]] will have another path to the Realm of Darkness.


Following the defeat of Xemnas, Sora and Riku end up on the coastline and sit in front of the water for a while before a portal to the Realm of Light leads them back to Destiny Islands.
After defeating [[Xemnas]] within his "[[The World of Nothing]]", Sora and Riku end up at the [[Realm Between]]'s side of the Dark Margin.<ref>'''''[[Director's Secret Report XIII]]''''', p. 27-28; '''Interviewer''': "Is there a possibility that blank points in time and settings that haven't been shown in detail such as the "Realm of Darkness" etc will be depicted in the future? Was the beach that appeared at the beginning and end of ''KHII'' the "Realm of Darkness"?" / '''Tetsuya Nomura''': "At present, I think there are four broad stories you could say are blank: "King Mickey's period of absence", "Riku's period of absence", "Roxas's days with Organization XIII", and "Xehanort's past". In that case, "King Mickey's time of absence" would be a story set in the Realm of Darkness. I have been considering over and over how I ought to tell these four stories, so perhaps someday they will be told in some way. That place that appears at the beginning and end of ''KHII'', called the Dark Margin, is the tip of the cape of that world, and it is not strictly part of the Realm of Darkness but a boundary-like place between Darkness and Between. This means that in the ending Sora and Riku are looking at an ocean in the Realm of Darkness from a beach in the Realm Between. This also means that the scene of the door appearing in the ocean of darkness at the end was symbolic of Sora's "deep down, there's a light that never goes out" line from the first game." Translation via Goldpanner.</ref> They patiently wait there until [[Kairi's Letter]] washes up on the shore. The [[Door to Light]] appears as they read it, allowing them to return home to Destiny Islands.


===''Blank Points''===
===''Blank Points''===
Eventually, Aqua finds [[Ansem the Wise]] sitting on the coast of the side of darkness, having been sent there by the explosion of the [[Kingdom Hearts Encoder]] instead of being killed as previously believed, though he is slowly losing his memories again. Aqua and Ansem have a conversation about the worlds and how Ansem came to know Sora. This leads Aqua to shed tears of hope and say Sora's name, knowing that he will save her and her friends.<!--DiZ's "Realm of nothingness" is identified as this place in Blank Points, which fits Aqua calling it empty and eternal-->
Eventually, Aqua finds [[Ansem the Wise]] sitting on the coast of the side of darkness, having been sent there by the explosion of the [[Kingdom Hearts Encoder]], though he is slowly losing his memories again. Aqua and Ansem have a conversation about the worlds and how Ansem came to know Sora. This leads Aqua to shed tears of hope and say Sora's name, knowing that he will save her and her friends.<!--DiZ's "Realm of nothingness" is identified as this place in Blank Points, which fits Aqua calling it empty and eternal-->
<!--Ansem creates a facsimile of the Realm of Darkness in which to fight Riku in Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories and Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance-->
<!--Ansem Seeker of Darkness creates a facsimile of the Realm of Darkness in which to fight Riku in Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories and Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance-->


==Corridors of Darkness==
===''Kingdom Hearts III''===
[[File:Corridor of Darkness KHII.png|thumb|left|The Corridor of Darkness as it appears in ''Kingdom Hearts II''.]]
Later on, Ansem, Seeker of Darkness confronts Aqua and Ansem the Wise at the Dark Margin, seeking Ansem the Wise's hidden work. Aqua tries to defend against Ansem, Seeker of Darkness, but without her Keyblade, she is hit by a glob of darkness and thrown into the seas of the Dark Margin, where she is corrupted into [[Anti-Aqua]].
'''Corridors of Darkness''' are unpredictable pathways that interlink the worlds of the ''Kingdom Hearts'' universe. The Heartless use these extensively to reach other worlds, as do members of [[Organization XIII]], their subordinate [[Nobody|Nobodies]], and many other characters. These pathways are formed out of Darkness, so it is unsafe for a normal person to travel them, because the constant use of these corridors would corrupt one's heart. However, the Heartless, the Nobodies, and the Princesses of Heart don't have to worry about this, since the Heartless already have corrupted hearts, the Nobodies do not have hearts to corrupt, and the Princesses of Heart have hearts made out of pure light. An example of the Princesses of Heart's immunity would be, when Axel was kidnapping Kairi, he took her through a Corridor of Darkness. Kairi was wearing normal clothes, yet she wasn't affected by the Darkness, as her heart was made out of pure light. One upside to the Darkness in the Corridors is that it provides a faster means of travel than the Gummi Ships.


[[File:Corridor of Darkness KHD.png|thumb|Saïx opening a Corridor of Darkness for Roxas.]]
King Mickey and Riku arrive shortly afterwards, but are repelled by a [[Demon Tower]] that breaks Riku's [[Way to the Dawn]] and damages Mickey's Kingdom Key D; they retreat to better arm themselves. They later return after failing to find other leads, only for Anti-Aqua to imprison Mickey in a Demon Tower and steal his [[Star Cluster]], planning to trap them in her place. However, Sora is able to use the [[Master's Defender]] to reach them. Destroying the Demon Tower and freeing the King, Sora battles Aqua and liberates her from the darkness. The [[Keyblade wielders]] return to Destiny Islands.
Other characters who have used these corridors include Sora, Donald Duck, Goofy, King Mickey, [[Kairi]], Riku, [[Naminé]], [[Ansem the Wise|DiZ]], and even [[Pluto]]. Of these, only Riku, Naminé and DiZ have been responsible for summoning the portals, and only Heartless, Nobodies, and Princesses of Heart aren't affected, with two noted exceptions; according to Nomura in the [[Director's Secret Report XIII]], Riku and Mickey aren't affected by darkness at all, due to some "''secret similarities''". Ironically, in the first ''Kingdom Hearts'', after the face-off in Neverland, Riku's heart was significantly weakened as he carelessly used a Corridor of Darkness to return to Hollow Bastion. Nomura goes further to state that DiZ and the Beast can successfully use the Corridors of Darkness, and perhaps open them, due to their particularly strong feelings. Furthermore, despite Sora having used the Corridors of Darkness several times before, he has not used them frequently enough to allow the Darkness to stain his heart. The influential power of Darkness depends on the strength of a person's heart.


[[Maleficent]] also travels the Corridors, though she does not show the physical changes. This could be due to her trying to command the Darkness, instead of becoming one with it. It is also known that [[Pete]] travels the Corridors as well. He is known to be protected&nbsp;from the Darkness by Maleficent's magic.
After Xehanort's defeat, Terra, Ventus, and Aqua, each donning their [[Keyblade Armor]], entered the Realm of Darkness to find Sora, who had disappeared after the battle.
 
The [[Black Coat|black coats]] worn by Riku, King Mickey, and Organization XIII are said to protect wearers from the effects of darkness, and from detection by those who use darkness. Thus, those who wear these coats can traverse Corridors of Darkness without suffering the negative effects. The [[Keyblade Armor]] worn by [[Terra]], [[Ventus]], [[Aqua]], [[Master Eraqus]], and [[Master Xehanort]] functions in the same way as the black coats.


==Enemies==
==Enemies==
===Heartless===
===Heartless===
{|class="wikitable collapsible collapsed"
{|class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
!
!
|-
|-
Line 78: Line 122:
File:Darkball KH.png|[[Darkball]]
File:Darkball KH.png|[[Darkball]]
File:Neoshadow KHII.png|[[Neoshadow]]
File:Neoshadow KHII.png|[[Neoshadow]]
File:Darkside KH.png|[[Darkside]] (Cutscene only)
File:Fluttering KH0.2.png|[[Fluttering]]
File:Unnamed Heartless KHBBSFM.png|'''[[Unnamed Heartless]]'''
File:Flame Core KH0.2.png|[[Flame Core]]
File:Earth Core KH0.2.png|[[Earth Core]]
File:Water Core KH0.2.png|[[Water Core]]
File:Darkside KH.png|'''[[Darkside]]'''
File:Dark Hide KHBBSFM.png|'''[[Dark Hide]]'''
File:Demon Tower KH0.2.png|'''[[Demon Tower]]'''
File:Demon Tide KH0.2.png|'''[[Demon Tide]]'''
</gallery>
</gallery>
|}
|}


==Treasures==
===Other===
{|cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 align="center"
{|class="wikitable mw-collapsible mw-collapsed"
|
!
<div class="tabber" style="float:center; width:600px">
|-
<div class="tabbertab" title="Aqua" style="float:center; background-color:white">
{|border=1 cellpadding=2 cellspacing=0 class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" align="center" width=596px
|- bgcolor="#3A3A3A"
|style="background:#00bfff;"| Type
|style="background:#00bfff;"| Items Found
|style="background:#00bfff;" width="200pt"| Locations
|style="background:#00bfff;" width="200pt"| Notes
|-style="background:#afeeee;"
| rowspan="5"| '''[[Deck Command (KHBBS)|Command]]'''
|-style="background:#FFF8DC;"
|[[Zero Graviga]]
|[[Realm of Darkness#Middle Level|Middle Level]]
|
|-style="background:#FFF8DC;"
|[[Blackout]]
|[[Realm of Darkness#Lower Level|Lower Level]]
|
|-style="background:#FFF8DC;"
|[[Transcendence]]
|[[Realm of Darkness#Lower Level|Lower Level]]
|
|-style="background:#FFF8DC;"
|[[Triple Firaga]]
|[[Realm of Darkness#Upper Level|Upper Level]]
|
|-style="background:#afeeee;"
| rowspan="3"| '''Item'''
|-style="background:#FFF8DC;"
|[[Balloon Letter]]
|[[Realm of Darkness#Middle Level|Middle Level]]
|
|-style="background:#FFF8DC;"
|[[Megalixir]]
|[[Realm of Darkness#Upper Level|Upper Level]]
|
|-style="background:#afeeee;"
| rowspan="3"| '''Crystal'''
|-style="background:#FFF8DC;"
|[[Chaos Crystal]]
|[[Realm of Darkness#Lower Level|Lower Level]]
|
|-style="background:#FFF8DC;"
|[[Secret Gem]]
|[[Realm of Darkness#Lower Level|Lower Level]]
|
|
<gallery>
File:Anti-Aqua KHIII.png|'''[[Anti-Aqua]]'''
</gallery>
|}
|}
</div></div>
|}


{{BoxTop}}
==Trivia==
*According to the ''[[Director's Secret Report XIII]]'', the Dark Margin is the tip of a world in the Realm Between reaching into the Realm of Darkness. The ''Kingdom Hearts II'' game files and the official ''Kingdom Hearts'' website refer to this world as {{nihongo|'''End of Sea'''|エンド・オブ・シー|Endo obu Shī}}.
 
==Notes and References==
{{reflist}}
 
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{{COM}}
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Latest revision as of 03:07, 10 June 2024

Realm of Darkness

Dark World Logo KH0.2.png
Japanese 闇の世界

Romaji Yami no Sekai
Games Kingdom Hearts
Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories
Kingdom Hearts II
Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days
Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep
Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep -A fragmentary passage-
Kingdom Hearts III

Themes Header.png

KHBBS tracks
Field theme - Night in the Dark Dream
Battle theme - Night of Tragedy
KH0.2 tracks
Field theme - Night in the Dark Dream
Field theme - The World Within
Field theme - Forest of Thorns
Battle theme - Night of Tragedy
Other worlds
Introduced in Kingdom Hearts
Dive to the Heart | Destiny Islands | Disney Castle
Traverse Town | Wonderland | Olympus Coliseum
Deep Jungle | Agrabah | Monstro
Atlantica | Halloween Town | Neverland
100 Acre Wood | Hollow Bastion
End of the World | Realm of Darkness
Introduced in Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories
Castle Oblivion | Twilight Town
Introduced in Kingdom Hearts II
Mysterious Tower | Radiant Garden
The Land of Dragons | Beast's Castle | Timeless River
Port Royal | Pride Lands | Space Paranoids
The World That Never Was | End of Sea | Keyblade Graveyard
Introduced in Kingdom Hearts coded
Datascape
Introduced in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep
Land of Departure | Mirage Arena
Dwarf Woodlands | Enchanted Dominion | Castle of Dreams
Disney Town | Deep Space
Introduced in Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance
La Cité des Cloches | The Grid | Symphony of Sorcery
Country of the Musketeers | Prankster's Paradise
Introduced in Kingdom Hearts χ[chi]
Daybreak Town
Introduced in Kingdom Hearts Union χ[Cross]
Game Central Station | Niceland | Cy-Bug Sector | Candy Kingdom
Introduced in Kingdom Hearts III
The Final World | Secret Forest | Olympus
Toy Box | Kingdom of Corona | Monstropolis
Arendelle | The Caribbean | San Fransokyo
Scala ad Caelum | Quadratum

The Realm of Darkness (闇の世界 Yami no Sekai?), also translated as Dark World in its playable incarnation in Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep -A fragmentary passage- and Kingdom Hearts III, is a realm made up of darkness. It lies opposite to the Realm of Light, and the normal passage of time does not exist there.

The Realm of Darkness is the home of all Pureblood Heartless. It is an exceptionally dangerous place, and very few have survived a trip to the Realm of Darkness. The Realm of Darkness is also home to a special type of Keyblade, Keyblades of darkness; the only known Keyblade of darkness is Mickey's Kingdom Key D.

When a world or its heart falls to darkness, it is swallowed into this realm. The Realm of Darkness also has its own natural landmasses, often stone-like with blue glowing cracks in them. Apart from falling into the darkness oneself, the only ways to reach the Realm of Darkness are by using a Corridor of Darkness or with the power of waking.

Settings and Areas[edit]

Kingdom Hearts[edit]

The entrance to Realm of Darkness from End of the World.

The Realm of Darkness isn't playable in Kingdom Hearts, but can be briefly seen through the doors of Door to Darkness located at the Final Door area deep within End of the World. The doors lead to a cave-like area covered with organic-looking rocks, shaped like cylinders, shooting out from all over the walls. The rocks are often covered with cracks, from which a bright blue light pierces through. At the far back is a white cold light slightly illuminating the area. The cave is also covered with hordes of Heartless, with two Darksides arising as well.

Riku can also be briefly seen trapped in another part of the realm, which consists of a narrow, free-hanging grey path, continuing on into the unknown, and surrounded by seemingly endless darkness.

Kingdom Hearts II[edit]

At the furthest reaches of the Realm of Darkness, on the border between it and the Realm Between, is a moonlit shoreline called the Dark Margin (闇の海岸 Yami no Kaigan?). In Kingdom Hearts II Sora and Riku arrive at this area during the game's ending. Like the caverns, this beach is littered with strange, blue, and almost organic formations of rocks, with several huge arches stretching above and across the sea. The Dark Margin is also a part of the world known as End of Sea.

Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep[edit]

The Upper Zone area's exit.

In Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix the Realm of Darkness appears playable for the first time in the series during the game's Secret Episode. After defeating Terra-Xehanort, Aqua awakes within an immense, eerie cavern known simply as the Realm of Darkness (闇の世界 Yami no Sekai?). Starting at the cavern's Middle Zone (中層 Chūsō?), she ventures through the Lower Zone (下層 Kasō?) and Upper Zone (上層 Jōsō?) before finally finding a way out. These caves are infested with Heartless and strange rock formations, as well as geysers and barriers formed from pure darkness. The various paths twist and wind and reconnect, and navigating the areas can be a struggle. The Upper Zone consists of many rocks hanging in the air, with risk of falling back down to Lower Zone. Towards the end of the Upper Zone is a path towards a spiraling purple and violet light, further leading out of the cavern and to the Valley of the Dark (闇の狭間 Yami no Hazama?), a twisted and decaying forest drenched in darkness.

After defeating the Dark Hide Aqua finds herself arriving from a gloomy forest where she discovers that Castle of Dreams has fallen to darkness at the area fittingly named Dark Cinderella Castle (闇シンデレラ城 Yami Shinderera Shiro?).

Area Map in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep

minimaps

Kingdom Hearts χ[edit]

A room in the Dark Corridor Trials (闇の回廊トライアル, Yami no Kairō Toraiaru?), every one is simply called Trial Area (トライアルエリア, Toraiaru Eria?), in the game files the world is internally known as Dungeon (ダンジョン, Danjon?).
One of the Dark Corridor Trails.

In Kingdom Hearts χ the Realm of Darkness appears during a few missions in the form of Dark Corridor Trials (闇の回廊トライアル Yami no Kairō Toraiaru??), with each area being simply called Trial Area (トライアルエリア Toraiaru Eria??). Within these corridors the ground is made of streams of darkness in the color of dark purple and magenta, and there's purple smoke and clouds passing by. Far off in the back is small portal of light, in which the darkness swirls towards. Within the game's files the world is simply known as as Dungeon (ダンジョン Danjon??).

Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep -A fragmentary passage-[edit]

Past the valley is the Dark Cinderella Castle in the distance, which can be reached through a crumbling forested path sparsely lit with lanterns called the Main Road (街道 Kaidō?). Surrounding the castle is the Castle Town (城下町 Jōkamachi?), which is filled with empty houses, business stalls, and a fountain frozen in time in the center. Pieces of buildings float around the area. At the edges of the Castle Town, the remains of the world are crumbling into blue crystals. Beyond that is the remains of the seven Dwarfs' cottage from Dwarf Woodlands, and a mirror leading to The World Within (鏡の中世界 Kagami no Naka no Sekai?, lit. "World Within the Mirror") the Magic Mirror, which resembles both the realm of the Spirit of the Magic Mirror and the Queen's dungeon. Past the mirror is the Forest of Thorns (茨の森 Ibara no Mori?), a corruption of the dark forest of Enchanted Dominion which ends at the Forbidden Mountain. The Forest of Thorns is divided in three parts: the Uncertain Path (先の見えない道 Saki no Mienai Michi?, lit. "Unseen Path Front"), the Rocky Path (険しい道 Kewashī Michi?, lit. "Rugged Path"), and the Path's End (道の果て Michi no Hate?). From there, a portal leads to similar cavernous area known as the Depths of Darkness (闇の深部 Yami no Shinbu?). At the end of the path is a sandy terrain leading into a bright light; it leads to Homecoming, where Kingdom Key D is hidden.

Kingdom Hearts III[edit]

Story[edit]

Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep[edit]

Aqua fighting Heartless in the Realm of Darkness.

While wandering lost through the Realm of Darkness, Aqua is confronted by a Darkside. She prepares to fight it, but three more Darksides join the fight and she loses hope. However, she is rescued by the Earthshaker and Wayward Wind Keyblades, which make quick work of the Darksides and renew her hope. She looks at her Wayfinder and remembers all the friends she has made throughout her journey across the worlds. Smiling, Aqua vows to escape the Realm of Darkness.

However, as she moves onward, a crack of light forms in the cavern's roof and a beam of darkness fires through it. Aqua's Wayfinder stops glowing and she senses something is wrong. Aqua ventures deeper in the Realm of Darkness and comes across the Heartless, enemies she does not recognize. As residents of the Realm of Darkness, these enemies prove to be stronger than the Unversed, but Aqua manages to fight her way through them until she reaches the Dark Hide. Although the beast is vicious and powerful, Aqua finally emerges victorious after a lengthy battle. Venturing forward, Aqua is horrified when she spots the destroyed Castle of Dreams jutting out of a sea of darkness in the distance.

Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep -A fragmentary passage-[edit]

Aqua continues her journey through the Realm of Darkness, passing through the remains of Castle of Dreams, Dwarf Woodlands and Enchanted Dominion. Aqua questions what happens to the people who have lost their worlds to darkness, while finding herself thinking back to when she was with her friends. She is eventually confronted by Phantom Aqua, an illusion created from the doubt in her heart by the darkness. Once it is defeated, Aqua finds manifestations of Terra's and Ventus's hearts; Terra is able to converse with her, while Ven remains comatose. However, Xehanort attempts to use this his link to Terra-Xehanort to find out where she hid Ven. Terra fights off Xehanort, who summons the Dark Figure to drag Aqua further into darkness.

Aqua is rescued by Mickey, who informs that an entire decade has passed since the battle with Xehanort at the Keyblade Graveyard. Mickey informs her they need to find Kingdom Key D, to help Sora and Riku seal the Door to Darkness to keep the Heartless from escaping and destroying the worlds. Upon finding the Keyblade they need, the duo finds a Demon Tide attempting to attack Riku; Aqua tethers it with her magic, getting pulled into a secluded part of the Dark Realm. Mickey is left to focus on sealing the Door and hoping to find Aqua again. Once she defeats the Heartless, Aqua rests; she is content to wait for her rescue, knowing now that the Realm of Light is safe with Sora and Riku there.

Kingdom Hearts[edit]

When Riku continues to resist against his possession, Ansem banishes the boy's heart to the Realm of Darkness. Riku's heart manifests as his former self, lamenting over his foolishness in abandoning his home and friends all for the sake of dark power. He hears Mickey call out for his help. Mickey lets him know that he has retrieved a Keyblade of darkness, with which they can close the Door to Darkness. Riku agrees to help, and continues onward to find the door.

Later, after Sora reaches the deepest depths of the End of the World, he finds Ansem preparing to open the Door to Darkness, so that he can enter the Realm of Darkness and the Kingdom Hearts of Worlds' Hearts laying within it. Though Sora defeats Ansem, the door has already opened and darkness begins spilling out. As Sora and his friends struggle to shut the door, they see Mickey and a restored Riku on the other side, and together, they manage to close the door.

Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories[edit]

Riku awakens from his slumber in the Realm of Darkness when an unseen presence, later revealed to be DiZ, gifts him a magic world card and asks him to choose between slipping back into sleep, or taking the card and making his way toward the truth. Riku decides that going back to sleep would be boring, and confidently takes the card. He is taken by the card through a corridor of darkness to the lowest basement of Castle Oblivion. As Riku makes his way through the castle, he is contacted by Mickey, who is still trapped within the Realm of Darkness, but encourages Riku to persevere. As Riku reaches the top of the castle, Mickey finally finds a way out of the Realm of Darkness in the form of another card, which showed him Riku's heart and led him through a corridor of darkness constructed by Organization XIII.[1]

Kingdom Hearts II[edit]

When they encounter Saïx at the Battle of the 1000 Heartless, Sora begs Saïx to let him into the Realm of Darkness, but the Nobody coldly refuses and prepares to attack. Maleficent begrudgingly rescues Sora and his friends by transporting them to the Realm of Darkness, where they run into a disguised Riku-Ansem. He leaves them a sea-salt ice cream bar and a photo of Roxas in Twilight Town as clues to get to The World That Never Was, rescue Kairi and destroy Organization XIII. They follow the clues to the Old Mansion, hoping that The Other Twilight Town will have another path to the Realm of Darkness.

After defeating Xemnas within his "The World of Nothing", Sora and Riku end up at the Realm Between's side of the Dark Margin.[2] They patiently wait there until Kairi's Letter washes up on the shore. The Door to Light appears as they read it, allowing them to return home to Destiny Islands.

Blank Points[edit]

Eventually, Aqua finds Ansem the Wise sitting on the coast of the side of darkness, having been sent there by the explosion of the Kingdom Hearts Encoder, though he is slowly losing his memories again. Aqua and Ansem have a conversation about the worlds and how Ansem came to know Sora. This leads Aqua to shed tears of hope and say Sora's name, knowing that he will save her and her friends.

Kingdom Hearts III[edit]

Later on, Ansem, Seeker of Darkness confronts Aqua and Ansem the Wise at the Dark Margin, seeking Ansem the Wise's hidden work. Aqua tries to defend against Ansem, Seeker of Darkness, but without her Keyblade, she is hit by a glob of darkness and thrown into the seas of the Dark Margin, where she is corrupted into Anti-Aqua.

King Mickey and Riku arrive shortly afterwards, but are repelled by a Demon Tower that breaks Riku's Way to the Dawn and damages Mickey's Kingdom Key D; they retreat to better arm themselves. They later return after failing to find other leads, only for Anti-Aqua to imprison Mickey in a Demon Tower and steal his Star Cluster, planning to trap them in her place. However, Sora is able to use the Master's Defender to reach them. Destroying the Demon Tower and freeing the King, Sora battles Aqua and liberates her from the darkness. The Keyblade wielders return to Destiny Islands.

After Xehanort's defeat, Terra, Ventus, and Aqua, each donning their Keyblade Armor, entered the Realm of Darkness to find Sora, who had disappeared after the battle.

Enemies[edit]

Heartless[edit]

Other[edit]

Trivia[edit]

  • According to the Director's Secret Report XIII, the Dark Margin is the tip of a world in the Realm Between reaching into the Realm of Darkness. The Kingdom Hearts II game files and the official Kingdom Hearts website refer to this world as End of Sea (エンド・オブ・シー Endo obu Shī?).

Notes and References[edit]

  1. ^ Secret Ansem's Report 11: "It seems my friend, fighting in the realm of darkness, appeared in Castle Oblivion through a corridor of darkness constructed by Organization XIII. My new ally Riku also effected his return via one of these corridors."
  2. ^ Director's Secret Report XIII, p. 27-28; Interviewer: "Is there a possibility that blank points in time and settings that haven't been shown in detail such as the "Realm of Darkness" etc will be depicted in the future? Was the beach that appeared at the beginning and end of KHII the "Realm of Darkness"?" / Tetsuya Nomura: "At present, I think there are four broad stories you could say are blank: "King Mickey's period of absence", "Riku's period of absence", "Roxas's days with Organization XIII", and "Xehanort's past". In that case, "King Mickey's time of absence" would be a story set in the Realm of Darkness. I have been considering over and over how I ought to tell these four stories, so perhaps someday they will be told in some way. That place that appears at the beginning and end of KHII, called the Dark Margin, is the tip of the cape of that world, and it is not strictly part of the Realm of Darkness but a boundary-like place between Darkness and Between. This means that in the ending Sora and Riku are looking at an ocean in the Realm of Darkness from a beach in the Realm Between. This also means that the scene of the door appearing in the ocean of darkness at the end was symbolic of Sora's "deep down, there's a light that never goes out" line from the first game." Translation via Goldpanner.