Xemnas

Oh no! The water! I'm in big trouble if I don't fetch it!
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"I'm carrying on what you yourself began, and I'm creating a brand new world, one heart at a time."

—Xemnas to Ansem

Xemnas, the Superior of the In-Between (狭間の指導者, Hazama no Shidōsha), is the Nobody of Xehanort, Rank I within Organization XIII and the ruler of The World That Never Was. He is a supporting villain in Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days and later becomes the main antagonist of Kingdom Hearts II. He wields the power of nothingness, and channels this into his weapons, red blades of energy called Ethereal Blades. He commands the Sorcerer Nobodies. Xemnas, as the superior, is the first member and founder of Organization XIII, with all other Nobodies under his control. He is also the Organization's most intelligent member, and also appears to be the most powerful, so much that even Marluxia would not dare to face him until Sora was completely under his control, even with Larxene and (supposedly) Axel backing him, in Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories.

Despite his original name being Xehanort, he uses an anagram of his mentor's name: Ansem, due to Xehanort stealing the name prior to discarding his heart and body. Xemnas is a playable character in Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days's Mission Mode.

Journal entries

Kingdom Hearts Final Mix

A mysterious man who appeared at Hollow Bastion.

Kingdom Hearts II

First entry

Organization XIII's Number I. He directs the group as its leader.

Organization XIII is a unique presence among the Nobodies. They think and plan, and seem to have a greater goal.

What that is remains to be seen, but they appear to know a bit about the Keyblade.

Second entry

Organization XIII's Number I. He directs the group as its leader.

In truth, he is the Nobody of Xehanort, who was apprenticed to Ansem the Wise. In secret, Xehanort studied the doors and the heart of all worlds, ultimately stealing his master's name, Ansem. When Xehanort became a Heartless, his Nobody Xemnas came into being.

Xemnas is using Sora, collecting the hearts released every time a Heartless falls to his Keyblade.

Third entry

Organization XIII's Number I, who acts as leader of the group. Xemnas is the Nobody of Ansem's apprentice Xehanort.

He used Sora and his Keyblade to collect hearts from the Heartless and see Kingdom Hearts to its completion.

Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days

No. I XEMNAS

Organization XIII's leader. Through power over nothing, he seeks power over everything.

Weapon: Ethereal Blades

Story

Kingdom Hearts

Sora's first battle with Xemnas in Hollow Bastion.

"He looks a lot like you."

—Xemnas and Roxas talking at the Dark Margin

Xemnas first appears in Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, arriving at Hollow Bastion to see Sora after recruiting Roxas. The only name he is given is the Journal's "Unknown" (謎の男, Nazo no Otoko, lit. "Enigmatic Man"). The Princesses of Heart sense his incredible power, and Sora, Donald, Goofy, and the Beast go to the abandoned area where they fought Maleficent to investigate, and soon encounter Xemnas. He is at first intangible, and passes through Sora, causing him to experience many of his memories in rapid succession (a power seen again in Chain of Memories). Sora asks who the man is, and Goofy wonders if it is Ansem, and though Xemnas says he is familiar with the name, he does not clarify how or who he is. He then launches an energy attack at Sora, who manages to deflect it (with some difficulty). Xemnas remarks how Sora looks like "him", and that he is not complete, but only confuses Sora. He then attacks the Keyblade wielder, intending to test his power.

Afterwards, he backs off, appearing to be defeated, but quickly abandons the facade. He finds Sora fascinating, and says that they will one day meet again and disappears, but not before making an ambiguous comment on how he is but "a mere shell".

A hooded Xemnas is later seen in the secret movie unlocked at the end of Kingdom Hearts Final Mix. "Kingdom Hearts" then appears on the screen. Back on the Dark Margin, Roxas finishes his walk across the screen. Xemnas turns to Roxas and speaks to him (his voice is not heard, but his mouth is seen moving). The quote comes on the screen "He looks just like you." Sora is then shown flying over an endless ocean, seemingly asleep, and the final quote "It's all coming back to me, the true..." appears.

Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days

"Let us all welcome the Keyblade's chosen."

—Xemnas introduces Roxas to the Organization.

Xemnas plays a large role in Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, serving as the driving force for all the events in the game. Once Roxas was inducted into Organization XIII, Xemnas makes use of Roxas's ability to use the Keyblade to release captured hearts and use them to form Kingdom Hearts. At the same time, he uses his experiments on the Replica Program and creates a clone of Sora. The result is Xion (No. i with an X in it) who Xemnas hoped to use as an alternative in case Sora proved useless to his plans. Xion was made the fourteenth member of the group, but did not get a throne. Xemnas planned to have Xion gradually develop Sora's abilities and then merge with Roxas to become a complete clone of Sora. For this reason, the name of the group remained Organization XIII. Xion was also a prototype of the project and Xemnas planned to destroy her and make a perfect one if Xion did not meet his demands.

Xemnas sent all the members on their missions to further their plans while placing Xion in the care of Roxas. Xemnas eventually extended his plans and operations to Castle Oblivion. With this fortress in his control, he sent five Organization members (Marluxia, Larxene, Vexen, Lexaeus, and Zexion) to conduct experiments on memory with the use of Naminé who was abducted and being held prisoner by the Organization. Xemnas placed Marluxia in charge of Castle Oblivion and also charged Vexen with the task of continuing the Replica Project; Vexen would later use a numberless replica using data gathered from Riku. Xemnas was also the one who handed down the order to Marluxia to lure Sora to Castle Oblivion and experiment with the hero. However, once the Dusks brought back rumors of traitorous activities occurring in the castle, Xemnas sent Axel to neutralize the threat.

Once Xemnas sent Axel to insure that Marluxia and Larxene were kept in line, Roxas and Xion went on more missions together. Xemnas's plans falter when five Organization members and the numberless Replica are eliminated and Naminé escapes, but Xemnas continues his plans for Xion, placing Axel in charge of capturing her whenever she tries to escape to find out who she really is. He would later continuously send Axel back to Castle Oblivion to search for the Chamber of Waking, but would never find the room he so desperately desired to secure.

Throughout the game, he orders the other members to do all they can to create powerful Heartless for Roxas to defeat, such as Xaldin was doing to Beast. Roxas gradually feels remorse for what he is doing on the behest of this group and questions their motives. He loses trust in them when he sees how people with hearts live and what Xemnas is ordering the Organization to do to them. Xemnas then creates plans for Roxas and Xion to fight, with the winner ultimately becoming a full fledged member of the Organization. Axel interferes, however, and Xion later flees after Axel sees her as Sora. Roxas then leaves the group to find his other half and answer all the questions that he now knows Organization XIII will never tell him, battling and defeating Saïx in the process.

Axel is sent to find Xion, and he brings her back to Xemnas. Xemnas then reprograms her, sending her to go absorb Roxas. The Replica Project ultimately fails when Xion, who had learned she was clone, is absorbed by Roxas. As she fades away, Xion tells Roxas to free Kingdom Hearts and prevent Xemnas for getting it, as he would use it only to gain supreme power. By absorbing Xion, Roxas gains his signature ability to wield two Keyblades at once and also brings the restoration process of Sora's memories to a complete stop. This causes DiZ to order Riku to bring Roxas to him in order to resume the process of Sora's memories being regained.

Roxas, emotionally shattered and having seen enough of the Organization's treachery, goes to the World that Never Was to destroy Xemnas. Before he can though, he is attacked by the Heartless and then is engaged in a fight with Riku. While Roxas defeats him, Riku uses the powers of darkness to transform himself into Ansem, Seeker of Darkness to overwhelm Roxas. Riku takes him to DiZ to be sealed in a digital replica of Twilight Town. Xemnas discontinues the Replica Project and orders Axel to bring back Roxas or kill him, setting the stage for Kingdom Hearts II.

It's interesting to note that the Secret Reports in this game confirm Xemnas's true reason for his lust for Kingdom Hearts. He does not value acquiring a heart, but becoming a great being and remaking the universe in his image. He refers to the conquest of all that lives as his "true" goal that no other member knows of, possibly stemming from his previous existence as Master Xehanort.

Kingdom Hearts II

"I'm what's left. Or... maybe I'm all that ever was..."

—Xemnas to Roxas

In the beginning of Kingdom Hearts II, Roxas has a dream in which he sees Xemnas at a dark beach. Roxas soon joins him. Xemnas says that he has been to see Sora, also commenting on how the two look alike. Roxas asks just who he is, but Xemnas only explains just what he is. When Roxas repeats the question, Xemnas states that his name is of no importance and answers the question with his own question: "What about you? Do you remember your true name?" Roxas begins to answer, but then realizes that he doesn't.

True to Xemnas's words, he and Sora meet again at Hollow Bastion, the same world in which they first met, accompanied by Demyx, Xaldin, Xigbar, Luxord, and Saïx (although all of their faces are hidden by their hoods, and do not directly face Sora), Sora doesn't recognize Xemnas or his cloak from their first encounter. The Organization taunt and mock Sora, only furthering his desire to defeat them. Xemnas makes an empty joke about how he thought they could've been friends, and then leaves.

From there on in, Xemnas remained at his castle while his group's members traveled to make sure Sora stayed on track, while increasing the number of Heartless for him to fight.

File:XemnasAnother.png

Xemnas types "Another" in the Computer room

Xemnas arrives at the Computer room to access the Chamber of Repose during the Heartless Invasion. He then goes to the Great Maw to look down upon the Heartless army that had temporarily halted. King Mickey, upon seeing his face, immediately remembers just who's Nobody Xemnas is: Xehanort, the apprentice of Ansem the Wise. Xemnas then runs off, but King Mickey gives chase and engages Xemnas in combat, though Sora, Donald, and Goofy are impeded from following by the Heartless.

After an exhausting battle, the three make their way to the cliff overlooking Villain's Vale; finally catching up with the King. King Mickey addresses him by his original name, and Xemnas merely remarks that it has been ages since he had abandoned that name. Sora demands to know where Riku and Kairi are, but Xemnas claims to know nothing of any "Kairi"; Xemnas tells Sora to ask his King about Riku. Then, he vanishes into a corridor of darkness, but not before King Mickey follows him in. However, as King Mickey later appears in Twilight Town, it is obvious that either Xemnas managed to escape him or that King Mickey simply lost track of him.

Xemnas returns to The World That Never Was, standing upon the highest tower of the Nobody castle, asking Kingdom Hearts to share its power with all Nobodies. Saïx then appears, asking whether Kingdom Hearts is complete. Xemnas says it will be soon, and allows Saïx to end their game and finish off Sora and his companions.

After all Organization members save for himself had been eliminated, Xemnas comes to greet Ansem the Wise, who had been attempting to digitally seal Kingdom Hearts away. The former pupil mocks his teacher, stating that he is the source of all Heartless, for inspiring his student to go where Ansem himself did not dare to venture. Though Ansem admits that his foolishness was the source of much misery, he questions Xemnas on how this was what he had been seeking. Xemnas says it is that and more, and reveals his plans to create a brand new world, one heart at a time. He admits he thought that Ansem would praise him, but instead only held him back, consumed by the jealousy he had for his student. But he understands that Ansem was not able to control his heart.

Ansem scoffs at this, stating that they both claim to understand the heart, but actually know as little about it as they had in the very beginning. He declares passionately that Xemnas will fail and so will his world, and tells Riku and Sora to finish what he had started. After bidding farewell to the King and apologizing to Roxas, Ansem's Kingdom Hearts Encoder explodes, and Xemnas retreats just as the bright light envelops the area. The explosion also caused severe damage to Kingdom Hearts, causing countless hearts to rain down upon the world, which would transform into Heartless upon touching the darkness that coated the world.

Sora and the others then travel up to the very top of the tower, where they find Xemnas lamenting the damage done to Kingdom Hearts. He asks the three Keyblade wielders to fetch him more hearts, and when they refuse, he asks why they hate the darkness. King Mickey responds that they don't hate the darkness, but just that it's "scary". But he knows that the world is made of both light and darkness, and then wonders why they really are afraid of the darkness. Riku adds that it is because of who or what's lurking inside that darkness.

Xemnas then asks another question: If they accept the darkness, yet choose to live in light, why do they loathe those who are nothing, having been turned away from both the darkness and the light? Riku answers that it's because they endangered the worlds, and Xemnas tries to justify it with the fact that they had no choice. However, Sora does not believe this, stating that they don't even exist and feel no remorse about anything. Xemnas chuckles, stating that it is very true, and proceeds to face Sora one on one in an arena of nothingness, with Memory's Skyscraper towering above them.

Xemnas appears defeated, returning Sora to The Castle That Never Was, however, he is still alive and well, basking inside Kingdom Hearts, urging it to join forces with him to gain the power needed to destroy their common enemies. Sora and the others try to stop him, but it is too late, and Xemnas is absorbed into Kingdom Hearts. Fortunately, the worlds created a door for Sora and the others to enter, for they wanted them to be the guardians of their destiny. They then follow Xemnas into Kingdom Hearts, but they see that Xemnas has taken its power and transformed the realm into a place resembling the World That Never Was with a giant fortress in the middle. He says that their hearts have led them to their deaths, seeing that it may not be worth following one's heart, and takes note of it, before hurling a building at them. This causes Kairi and Mickey to be separated from the others, but even so, Sora, Donald, Goofy and Riku defeat Xemnas in his knight-like form. After they defeat him, they are somehow transported back to the tower with King Mickey and Kairi. Xemnas thinks that he needs more hearts and more rage, but Sora tells him that hearts are more than just anger or hate, and asks if he remembers, which he doesn't, before seemingly fading back into the darkness.

With the help of Naminé, Kairi, Donald, Goofy, and the King get safely to Destiny Islands, but before Sora and Riku can follow, Xemnas attacks once more; having merged with a gigantic mechanical dragon. After another difficult battle, Xemnas takes Sora and Riku to a realm of nothingness, with Xemnas wearing a robe representing both light and darkness. He says that if both light and darkness are eternal, then so too must be nothingness. Riku and Sora say this is true, but that does not mean Xemnas is eternal. They then share a very tense battle, with Xemnas wounding both Sora and Riku with various attacks. Riku is badly injured during the fight, so Sora batters Xemnas into submission with his and Riku's Keyblades. Sora and Riku then finish him off. Xemnas fades into darkness, making him the last Organization member to fall.

Kingdom Hearts coded

Some time after decoding Jiminy's Journal, Yen Sid explains to Mickey that the destruction of both Ansem and Xemnas has revived Xehanort and will eventually revive Master Xehanort. Xemnas appears as one of Mickey's mental images.

Other appearances

Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance

Xemnas appears in the trailer for Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance. He appears before Sora in Traverse Town's Second District in the same manner that Ansem, Seeker of Darkness appears before Riku.

Appearance

Like all the Organization members, Xemnas wears the basic black cloak, boots, and gloves. He has amber-orange eyes and dark skin (though it appears much lighter in-game than in some artwork), much like his complete being, Xehanort. Xemnas's hair is long, reaching to about mid-back, silver in color, and some of it falls over his shoulders. His hairstyle is reminiscent of Xehanort's hair, including his bangs, the color, and the length. It also shares traits with Terra's hair, including its layered, messy look and the spike on the top of his head. Xemnas's face is identical to Terra's, albeit being older and having darker skin. Xemnas's eyes are amber, the same shade as Ansem's.

Personality

Being the founder of Organization XIII and apparently the oldest of Nobodies, Xemnas is truly emotionless and does not even remember what it was like to have these feelings. He claims that this allows him to have a clear understanding of the heart, but in reality, this has warped his mind into believing that only anger, hatred, and other negative emotions make up a heart.

His lack of emotion deprives him of remorse over his actions, as well as the loss of the other members of the Organization. The only thing he truly cares about is Kingdom Hearts and his desire for power, and even laments it when it is damaged. However, on some occasions, he has appeared to value friendship, as he is shown to converse with the armor of Aqua in the Chamber of Repose, although this is likely due to the influence of Terra within him. Unlike the other members of the Organization, Xemnas does not seem to want Kingdom Hearts for a true existence. Rather, much like his Heartless counterpart, he wants it to use it to obtain power and remake the universe in his image. This concept is furthered as Xemnas thinks that nothingness is the source of much power and does not seem to despise it in the slightest. This goal stems from that of one of his two original personas, Master Xehanort, whom also desired to unlock Kingdom Hearts for the same purpose in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep.

In other matters Xemnas speaks with calmness and deep authority, strangely similar to Master Eraqus. He has a tendency to be overly melodramatic making long-winded speeches, exaggerating his false rage and sorrow with wide sweeping arm movements and hand gestures, like many villains. While ridiculous in nature, his exaggerations are representations of his lack of emotion. He's very intelligent overall, and knows how to manipulate others, particularly Sora and his friends.

Xemnas's personality seems to share traits from both beings who composed his original persona, Master Xehanort and Terra. From the former he inherited his manipulative nature and the ideas for the black coat and adding the letter "X" to rename himself and his fellow Organization members. It is very hard to say how much he inherited from Terra, but there is at least the familiarity with Aqua's armor and his desire to find his other "friend" in Castle Oblivion, Ventus.

Abilities

As the leader of Organization XIII, Xemnas wields nothingness, and manifests this as blades of energy called Ethereal Blades. In his encounter with Sora as the "Unknown" in Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, and their first battle in Kingdom Hearts II, Xemnas is very agile, and attacks with swift acrobatic combos with his blades. He can also teleport, fly, and create energy barriers to shield himself. Besides using them as melee weapons, Xemnas can fire his Ethereal Blades as laser-like projectiles, and can either fire them directly from his hands or create them in mid-air. In all three battles with Xemnas's unarmored form, Xemnas also incorporates some sort of attack that drains his opponent's health with a sphere of dark energy, though the exact manner of this has varied (see below).

In Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, in his encounter as the Unknown, Xemnas also had the ability to encase himself in a blue ball of energy that made it impossible for Sora to attack him, and would also fire out a set of powerful lasers. The ball would follow Sora around if he ever to tried to get away from it. In his first battle with Sora in Kingdom Hearts II, Xemnas can encase him in a field of dark energy that steadily drains his health, that can only be broken by using the reaction command. In the final battle in Kingdom Hearts II, Xemnas uses an attack known as the "Invitation to Nothingness", in which he ensnares opponents in a sphere of dark energy that slowly drains their life force.

In Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, Xemnas has a limit break named All-Vanity. During All-Vanity, Xemnas summons a barrier around himself, and hovers around the field. Any enemies that touch Xemnas's barrier will take damage, and cannot deal damage to Xemnas. During Xemnas's Final Limit, Xemnas creates two large powerful lasers from his hands that he fires around himself at a long range. Any enemies that are hit take heavy damage.

While in his armor and aboard the World of Nothingness, Xemnas has access to the powers and weapons of his fallen Organization comrades, such as Xaldin's lances and Demyx's power over water. In this form he remains in his throne, attacking enemies with his massive sword when they come close. He can still project barriers, and summon crests of light in the air to fire white beams of energy at his enemies.

In the final battle of Kingdom Hearts II, Xemnas's power increases dramatically. He can create copies of himself, summon torrents of white and black thorns much like Twilight Thorn, and retains his normal ability to use his Ethereal Blades and project barriers. As his ultimate, final attack, Xemnas summons thousands of Ethereal Blades around Sora and Riku to bombard them from all sides with no hope of escape.

Weapon

Xemnas uses weapons called Ethereal Blades (エアリアルブレード, Eariaru Burēdo, lit. "Aerial Blades"). They are beams of red energy and extend directly from the palms of his hands, without any hilt or handle. He can summon or disperse them at will, and is able to change their length as well. They are solid despite their appearance, but do not seem to have any cutting ability and are used as bashing weapons, more in the style of a club. The Ethereal Blades can also be used as projectiles and can suspend themselves in midair around a target before firing at them. As a desperation move, Xemnas can surround his enemy in darkness and fire an amazing amount of Ethereal Blades at them.

The names of Xemnas's various Ethereal Blades seem to be references to iron-fisted leadership. Perhaps due to his preeminent power among the Organization, only one of his Ethereal Blades, Infinity, actually grants him a support ability.

Xemnas's origins as Terra and Master Xehanort indicate that he may have been capable of wielding a Keyblade, but just preferred not to. His use of Master Xehanort's Keyblade Armor during his battles with Sora and Riku further supports this. In addition, in one of his secret reports, Ansem the Wise reflects on how Xehanort was able to open the door to Radiant Garden's heart. Although Ansem dismisses the mystery as moot, it hints to Xehanort having abilities of a Keyblade wielder.

• 

  Xemnas's trademark Ethereal Blades, Interdiction

Quotes

• "Good tidings, friends. Today is a momentous day. I am pleased to announce that a new comrade has been chosen to wear the coat."
• "I need... more rage... I need more... hearts..."
• "Hear me, Kingdom Hearts! It seems we must begin anew. Ah, but know this: I will give to you as many hearts as it takes. Mark my words! You can no more be complete without me than I without you. Heed me, Kingdom Hearts! Lend me your power, so that we may be complete! The power to erase the fools that hinder us."
• "You accept darkness, yet choose to live in the light. So why is it that you loathe us who teeter on the edge of nothing? We who were turned away by both light and dark—never given a choice?"
• "Very good. You don't miss a thing. I cannot feel... sorrow... No matter what misery befalls the worlds. No matter what you think, what you feel, or how you exist."
• "I was wondering who would dare interfere with my Kingdom Hearts. And look—here you all are. How convenient for me. Ansem the Wise... You look pathetic."
• "Hearts scarred by envy... That fool Ansem said the heart's true nature was beyond his understanding. But it's not beyond mine! Hearts are the source of all power!"
• "My name is of no importance. What about you? Do you remember your true name?"
• "Can you spare... a heart?"
• "We shall go together!"

Forms and costumes

• 

  Xemnas wearing Master Xehanort's Keyblade Armor.

• Xemnas Final Form 2 KHII.png

  Xemnas in his final form.

See also

• Master Xehanort
• Terra
• Xehanort
• Ansem, Seeker of Darkness
• No Heart