The Keyblade of People's Hearts, sometimes referred to as Riku's Keyblade or the Dark Keyblade, is a Keyblade created by Xehanort's Heartless from the Hearts of the Princesses of Heart, with the exception of Kairi. In addition to being a combat weapon like Sora's Keyblade, this Keyblade has the ability to unlock a person's heart, releasing the Darkness within.
Appearance
It has a simple design of red and black, akin to the Kingdom Key, with its teeth forming the outline of a heart. It has a rather dark design, despite being created from hearts of pure light. As an incomplete Keyblade, it lacks a Keychain.
Story
Kingdom Hearts
After Sora retrieves the Keyblade from Riku and manages to defeat him, Riku stumbles around Hollow Bastion, and eventually runs into Ansem, who convinces Riku to give Ansem his body.[1] At the same time, Maleficent has used the seven captured Princesses to open the Final Keyhole, but without Kairi's heart, it is incomplete.[2] With Ansem in control, Riku summons the Keyblade of People's Hearts, created from the six available hearts of the Princesses, the hearts of the six captured Princesses, and uses them to construct the Keyblade of People's Hearts. Without Kairi's heart, the blade was also incomplete, and would release the stolen hearts if actually used.
Later, after Maleficent loses to Sora and his friends, Riku appears and "helps" her by unlocking her heart, releasing its darkness and transforming her into Dragon Maleficent.[3] Sora and his friends defeat Maleficent again and she is consumed by the darkness within her.
The friends then track Riku down to the Great Hall, where he reveals that Kairi's lost heart has been within Sora all along.[4] He moves to release it by using the Keyblade on Sora, but Sora parries at the last second, and eventually defeats Riku.
Despite this, Kairi is still catatonic, and Sora is unable to seal the incomplete Keyhole. In order to save Kairi, Sora turns Riku's Keyblade on himself. This releases Kairi's heart from Sora, reviving her, but also completes the Keyhole and casts Sora into darkness. The Keyblade itself dissolves, releasing the Princesses' stolen hearts.[5] Sora fades into a Shadow just as Kairi awakens, and the Heartless rapidly emerging from the Keyhole force Kairi, Donald, and Goofy to flee.
In Kingdom Hearts II, it is revealed that this event, the release of Sora and Kairi's hearts from Sora's body, also created the Nobodies Roxas and Naminé. Secret Ansem Report 10
Notes and References
- ^ Riku: What should I do? / Hooded man: "It's really quite simple. Open yourself to the darkness. That is all. Let your heart, your being, become darkness itself."
- ^ Riku: "The Keyhole cannot be completed so as long as the last princess of heart still sleeps."
- ^ Riku: "Yes. A Keyblade. But unlike yours, this Keyblade holds the power to unlock people’s hearts. Allow me to demonstrate...Behold! Now, open your heart, surrender it to the darkness! Become darkness itself!"
- ^ Riku: "It’s no use. That girl has lost her heart. She cannot wake up...The Keyhole cannot be completed so as long as the last princess of heart still sleeps...Yes, and without her power, the Keyhole will remain incomplete. It is time she awakened...But first, you must give the princess back her heart...Don’t you see yet? The princess’s heart is responding. It has been there all along. Kairi’s heart rests within you!...So, I shall release you now, Princess. Complete the Keyhole with your power. Open the door, and lead me into everlasting darkness!"
- ^ Leon: "That’s right. You have one more friend to worry about. Riku’s Keyblade must have been born of the captive princesses’ hearts—just like that Keyhole you saw. Of course, without Kairi’s heart, it remained incomplete. Once that Keyblade was destroyed, the princesses’ hearts should have been freed. Don’t worry, Sora. If anyone can save your friend, you can."