Wayfinder
- "Somewhere out there, there's this tree with star-shaped fruit. And the fruit represents an unbreakable connection. So as long as you and your friends carry good luck charms shaped like it, nothing can ever drive you apart. You will always find your way back to each other. An unbreakable connection.[1] "
- —Aqua, explaining the Lucky Charms' effect and appearance.
The Lucky Charms are based on the paopu fruit legend and have been made by both Aqua and Kairi. Kairi's seems to resemble Sora: the face has spikes similar to that of Sora's hair and it has a crown connecting the charm.
Story
Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep
Aqua creates these good luck charms, named "Wayfinders", for Ventus, Terra, and herself, presenting them before she and Terra take the Mark of Mastery Exam. She states that a good luck charm shaped like a Paopu fruit will always bring people to each other no matter how far apart they are, though the real lucky charm is supposed to be made of Thalassa seashells. The symbols found on Terra, Aqua, Ventus, and Master Eraqus's clothing are woven into the center. These charms work are the source for the heroes' Dimension Link ability.
In Deep Space, Stitch creates his own charm out of space junk based on Terra's charm to demonstrate his understanding of bonds friends share with each other. Unfortunately, his charm is destroyed when he is attacked by Gantu. In the ending credits, Stitch was seen with the charm, fully repaired, and placed it on his steering wheel and escape into space.
Kingdom Hearts
The charm is made of seashells (precisely, thalassa shells) that provide good luck for travelers. In Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, Sora gets a glimpse of the lucky charm while he is still on the Destiny Islands, while he, Riku, and Kairi are gathering provisions for the raft.
After Sora rescues Kairi from Hollow Bastion, she gives it to him for luck and makes him promise to return it to her once he gets things settled, which he promises to do. When he, Donald and Goofy enter the End of the World, Sora takes a look at Kairi's lucky charm, remembering his promise to return it to her.
Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories
In Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, the charm is changed into a lucky charm resembling a Paopu Fruit under the influence of Naminé's ability to alter Sora's memories. Although it changes appearance and Sora thought Naminé was the one who gave it to him, he still protects the charm when Larxene grabbed it from him and threatens to destroy it.
Through Naminé's powers, a World Card for Destiny Islands is changed to resemble the fake lucky charm that Sora's was turned into. It was then given to the Riku Replica. This causes "Riku" and Sora to question the validity of the charms and their memories. After another fight with the Replica, the charm turns back into the World Card. Donald and Goofy begin to question the exact relationship Sora and Naminé might have, which causes Sora to leave them behind.
Sora's charm changes back to its original form once Sora remembers Kairi's face. Towards the end of the game, Sora looks at it to remember Kairi's name, when Naminé tells him that she is "the light in his darkness", which will help him bring his lost memories to the surface.
Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days
In Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, Xion collects a few seashells that resemble thalassa shells. She even gives one of them to Roxas while he slept in correspondence to Naminé putting Sora to sleep to begin his memory restoration. When Xion has her nightmare that takes place at Destiny Islands, Roxas appeared in the dream and picked up a thalassa shell while whispering her name. And after Xion faded back to Sora, the only thing left of her was a thalassa shell.
Kingdom Hearts II
In the prologue of Kingdom Hearts II, Kairi is seen threading the lucky charm and contemplating it on the sands of the Destiny Islands, leaving one lone shell to be washed away by the water. Right before the ending credits of Kingdom Hearts II, Sora returns home and finally returns the lucky charm to Kairi.
The lucky charm is also the Keychain for Oathkeeper.
In Blank Points, the secret ending of Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, Kairi once again gives Sora her lucky charm and tells him to "hurry back" as he prepares for his next adventure.
Notes and References
Gallery
- Aqua Charm Artwork.png
Artwork of Aqua's charm
- Ventus Charm Artwork.png
Artwork of Ventus's charm
- Terra Charm Artwork.png
Artwork of Terra's charm
- Concept-Lucky Charm.jpg
Artwork of Kairi's charm
- Stitch Deep Space Charm Artwork.png
Artwork of Stitch and the special charm that he makes in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep.
