Squall Leonhart
- "...they’ll keep on coming at you, as long as you continue to wield the Keyblade. But why? Why would it choose a kid like you?"
- —Leon
Squall Leonhart, better known as Leon (レオン), is a supporting character in the Kingdom Hearts series. Originally the main character of Final Fantasy VIII, Leon's role is to help guide Sora, Donald and Goofy in their journey. He wields a Gunblade as his weapon.
Background
Squall grew up in the paradise world of Radiant Garden (later known as Hollow Bastion), along with Aerith, Yuffie and Cid. When the Heartless attacked and his homeworld consumed by darkness, the sixteen-year-old Squall escaped with his friends to Traverse Town, where they would take refuge for the next nine years. Ashamed and angry that he was unable to defend his home and his loved ones from the Heartless, Squall changed his name to Leon, in order to distance himself from his past, vowing never to use his real name until the Heartless are defeated and his world restored.
Kingdom Hearts
Donald and Goofy were ordered by King Mickey to go to Traverse Town to get help from Leon, as well as to seek the Keyblade wielder. Meanwhile, Leon had encountered Sora outside the Accessory Shop in the First District. Leon then remarked how the could Keyblade choose a kid like Sora, causing Sora to get angry. The two then duel, ending with Leon knocking Sora unconscious. Later, upon waking up in one of the hotel rooms, Leon and Yuffie explained to Sora about the Heartless and his destiny as the Keyblade's chosen one. At the same time in the next room, Aerith is explaining the same thing to Donald and Goofy, who were unaware that the Keyblade wielder is nearby. After Sora eventually met Donald and Goofy, Leon along with Aerith and Yuffie advised the three of them to be careful and to look out for each other before the three set out on their journey.
After going to a few worlds as well as sealing their keyholes respectively, Sora, Donald and Goofy returned to Traverse Town. Back there, Leon and Aerith explained that every world in the stars has a Keyhole, which leads to the heart of the world, and that the Heartless are drawn to its power and would do something to it, thus causing the world to disappear; which is why Sora's Keyblade is so important. Leon then gives Sora the Earthshine gem, which can be used to summon Simba, and asked Sora to continue to use his Keyblade to seal off the other Keyholes from being overtaken by the Heartless.
- "We may never meet again, but we'll never forget each other."
- —Leon
When Sora later returns from Hollow Bastion along with Kairi, and after listening to Sora's story on what had happened, Leon and his friends told Sora that the only way to prevent the darkness from leaking out in that world was to seal the Keyhole. Soon after Sora went back to Hollow Bastion, before sealing the Keyhole he was surprised to see Leon, Aerith and Yuffie there, who had arrived on Cid's Gummi ship. They explained to Sora that Hollow Bastion was their childhood home and that they wanted to see it again. However, all they could see is that their home was in "worse shape" than the peaceful world they were acquianted with. Before saying goodbye to Sora, they sadly told him that once he defeats Ansem and the worlds restored, they may never see him again as the walls separating the worlds would return, thus preventing interdimensional travel between them. However, Leon comforted Sora that although they may never meet again, they would never forget each other, as their hearts are connected.
Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories
After the defeat of Ansem, while skmishing 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 realized that Leon and his friends are 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 they know his name which they could not explain how. Like the Leon from the first game, he nonetheless decides to help Sora and co., 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'll be okay, no matter what shape reality takes, and that while he may not remember Sora, he knows that he is in his heart.
Kingdom Hearts II
In Kingdom Hearts II, Leon is seen to be slightly more cheerful than he was in the original Kingdom Hearts, as he and others are rebuilding their home with Leon seemingly being the leader of the "Hollow Bastion Restoration Committee," which is composed of the returning Final Fantasy cameos from the first Kingdom Hearts and of Merlin. He actually fights alongside Sora in one of the fights near the beginning of the game. Sleeping Lion, a Keyblade in Kingdom Hearts II, is another reference to Squall. He also, along with many other characters, including Tifa and Cloud, help Sora fight the Heartless on the Ravine Trail in the Hollow Bastion (later named, the Radiant Garden). Leon also plays the largest role for any Final Fantasy character in Kingdom Hearts II storywise, the only Final Fantasy character that has relations to King Mickey, and works very close to Sora and company. Leon is also the only Final Fantasy character in the game to come face to face with the Organization and fight the Nobodies. He seems to be a good friend to both Cloud Strife and Aerith Gainsborough.
Appearance and Personality
Leon's physical appearance consist of shoulder-length brown hair and blue eyes. A scar runs diagonally across the bridge of his nose. He wears a short leather jacket with small red wings on the back, as well as the red Griever symbol on the left sleeve. In Kingdom Hearts II, his jacket has a fur along the collar.
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 1000 Heartless battle in Hollow Bastion. 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 and is seen to be smiling more often. Leon has also good leadership qualities which he displays throughout in both games.
Trivia
- In the Japanese versions of Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II, Leon is voiced by Hideo Ishikawa. He is voiced by David Boreanaz in the English version of Kingdom Hearts and Doug Erholtz in Kingdom Hearts II.
- While his first outfit was original, Leon's attire in KH2 is more similar to his jacket in Final Fantasy VIII. Both versions share the red wings on the back, resembling the ones in Rinoa's back, the Greiver emblem on the shoulders, and the Griever necklace.
- In the ending credits of KH2, Leon recieves a letter, presumely from Rinoa by the insigna emerging from said letter.
- Leon is the only character that has been confirmed to have beaten Sora. He appears as a boss early in Kingdom Hearts, although he's beatable, Sora appears to lose the fight regardless of the outcome (this makes the fight a "scripted encounter" that the player is supposed to lose).
