Gaston

Template:Enemy Gaston is an antagonist in Kingdom Hearts χ. He originally appeared in the animated film Beauty and the Beast. Despite serving as the main antagonist of his movie of origin and the "Beast's Castle" story in Kingdom Hearts χ, he is not fought as a boss.

Story

Kingdom Hearts χ [chi]

After learning of Belle's love for the Beast, Gaston, wreathed in darkness due to the jealousy he harbors between the "monster" and Belle, sets out to Beast's Castle to eliminate him. He approaches the castle with a huge swarm of Heartless after Chirithy tells the player that "someone" with a immense darkness in the heart was getting close to the castle. While his army attacks the castle and Player and the enchanted furniture repel the attacks, Gaston manages to sneak up to the West Wing and discovers the Beast. Gaston attacks the Beast and pushes his enemy to the balcony of his room and on rooftops nearby. When Belle returns to the castle with her father, Maurice, the player watches as Gaston attacks the Beast, who isn't fighting back. Gaston notices the player and unleashes a Malicious Reindeer Heartless to attack them.

After the player defeats the Heartless, Beast, who is able to fight back but is pushed to the edge, attacks him from behind. Beast strikes him as he least expects it and turns the battle around, holding him over the edge, threatening to drop him. Beast lets him down and tells him to get out from the castle after his promise to do anything. Belle calls to Beast and reaches her hand out climbs up to her, but Gaston stabs Beast as his back is turned. Beast flails in pain, causing Gaston to stumble back and fall to his death.

Origin

Gaston first appears as the main antagonist of Walt Disney's Academy Award winning film, Beauty and the Beast, voiced by Richard White. A popular and arrogant hunter, he has an intense crush on Belle and seeks to win her affection through various schemes. On one such occasion, he attempts to propose to her, complete with a faux-wedding arrangement, but she kicks him out of her father's house. He sulks in the village tavern, but when Maurice arrives and rants about Belle's capture courtesy of the Beast, Gaston plans to "rescue" Belle.

Gaston meets with Monsieur D'Arque, the owner of a local madhouse, to declare Maurice insane, but Belle soon returns. She is forced to reveal the Beast to the village, prompting Gaston to travel to his castle with the villagers in tow to slay him. Upon arrival, Gaston's army is ambushed by the Beast's servants while Gaston himself engages the Beast on the rooftops. Gaston initially gains the upper hand, but when the Beast threatens him over the roof, Gaston pleads for forgiveness and the Beast spares his life. However, Gaston stabs the Beast from behind when the latter is distracted by Belle, but loses his footing and falls from the balcony to his death.

Trivia

• Gaston's association with the Heartless lacked any relation with Maleficent or Xehanort, making his role in the series very similar to that of fellow Disney villains Clayton, Shan-Yu and the Master Control Program. Originally, during development of Kingdom Hearts II, a villain was announced as having a similar role to Clayton, which led to rumours of Gaston's inclusion, given the appearance of Beast's Castle, though the villain was revealed to be Shan-Yu.
• Gaston is the only Disney villain in the Kingdom Hearts series who did not debut along with his homeworld, since Kingdom Hearts χ actually marked the world's third appearance in the series.