Replica
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Replicas (レプリカ Repurika) are artificial copies of people. They were created by Organization XIII and first appear in Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories.
Story
Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories
The Replica Program was one of the experiments being carried out in Castle Oblivion. Vexen created twenty replicas as part of his research. While two of these replicas—Riku Replica and No. i—went on to become successful in their own right, the initial twelve were deemed as failures, barely considered to be human at all.[1]
The public purpose of the Program was to find a way to replicate a Keyblade wielder's power by inserting a piece of their memory into a blank replica.[2] A vessel deemed unworthy of the program was instead given Riku's data to create the Riku Replica. Said replica shows the capacity to grow in strength by absorbing other lifeforms.
The Replica Program's progress was severely derailed with the demise of Vexen.
Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days
- "Xion failed to complete its mission. If this continues, destroying it and using the next Replica as the Duplicate would undoubtedly yield a higher-grade copy. No. i was among the initial lot, which raises questions about its capabilities. At present, it is nothing short of broken. I cannot fathom why Xemnas would want to keep it."
- —Saïx in the Secret Reports
With Vexen's demise, the Replica Program is rendered inoperable. The only success to come from it was Xion, the only replica from the program to develop into its own person.
As previously stated, replicas can naturally grow stronger, drain the vitality of others or be given an external power up. Xion unknowingly takes Roxas's energy and uses the Organization XIII Devices to obtain new forms. However, the method in which the replica is fashioned can have unforeseen side-effects. Xion's appearance is somewhat unstable as result of her replica body being crafted imperfectly from Sora's memories. Thus, Xion's appearance differs depending on who sees her.
Kingdom Hearts III
- "Most of the Organization's members-- they traveled here from the past as hearts. And you had replicas ready and waiting. One for each of them."
- —Roxas to Xemnas
Saïx approaches Even and convinces him to become a Nobody once again. With Vexen's research, the real Organization XIII are able to use six replica bodies for the hearts of their time-traveling members, allowing them to stay anchored in the present time. Wishing to atone, Vexen has Demyx deliver a blank replica to Ienzo in order to provide Roxas with a body separate from Sora. Likewise, once Dark Riku's heart is forced out of his vessel, the now blank replica is used to give Naminé a body.
Vexen also repurposed the original twelve replicas, which had previously been deemed failures, into the Replica Xehanorts, each wielding a weapon of the real Organization XIII. In Scala ad Caelum, the Replica Xehanorts fought Sora, Donald, and Goofy before Xehanort himself confronted the trio.[3]
Kingdom Hearts III Re Mind
While Sora, Donald, and Goofy battle Master Xehanort, the Replica Xehanorts attack the Guardians of Light at the Keyblade Graveyard who are trying to keep Kingdom Hearts sealed. The Replicas manage to trap Lea, Roxas, Xion, Aqua, Terra, Ventus, and Riku in a dark void, leaving a weakened Mickey to fight them. With an incorporeal Sora who time traveled from the future lending aid, Mickey temporarily disperses the replicas and pulls everyone out of the darkness.
Following Master Xehanort's desire to keep the pure light away from the Guardians, the replicas return once more, this time merging into a copy of Armored Xehanort. The Armored Xehanort faces off with Sora, who restored Kairi with the power of waking. Sora and Kairi fight the combined replicas, and they are finished off by a combined attack from all of the Guardians of Light.
Nature
- "Twenty replicas were created by Vexen. The first twelve were nothing more than puppets, barely human. The prototype model was the Riku Replica, and then No. i was made."
- —Saïx, explaining the replicas to Xigbar
Replicas are blank figures akin to mannequins that take the form of whatever heart or data of a heart is placed inside of it. They have the same skills as the individuals used to create them. They also have the unique ability to absorb other individuals; Xion passively absorbed Roxas's powers over time, while Riku Replica killed Zexion and absorbed him on the spot to get enough power to battle the real Riku. Riku Replica was created using data Vexen collected from fighting Riku, while Xemnas used Sora's memories to make Xion, an imperfect replica intended to siphon Roxas's powers. Over time, replicas like the Riku Replica and Xion formed identities, and therefore "hearts", of their own, becoming their own people.
In Kingdom Hearts III, the real Organization XIII re-recruits Vexen to continue the Replica Program. As Vexen explains, these newer replicas become real people once given hearts, unlike previous models, which were more akin to Nobodies.
When an innate replica dies, their body vanishes into oblivion; though their hearts can persist for some time (as Riku Replica lingered in the Dark World for one year), or go dormant inside the safety of another's (as Xion did by sleeping in Roxas's heart). Upon their demise, the replica's body dissolves into their element affinity; Xion crystallized into light, while Riku Replica vanished into darkness. The newer batch of replicas vanish more akin to Nobodies do; though they can be saved from this by extracting the dying heart, which was done to give Naminé the vessel of Dark Riku.
| This information is based on alternate scenes or materials and is not considered canon within the overall plot of the series. |
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| In the manga, Vexen fashioned 44 replicas of himself. |
List of Replicas
- Innate Replicas
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- Vessel Replicas
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Notes and references
- ^ Secret Report 7, Vexen: "In my work on the Replica Program for the Organization, I produced some twenty vessels. Most of the early results were failures, not one of them granted a number. The first success to emerge from that early lot was the Riku replica. Subsequently, Xion (No. i) was essentially indistinguishable from a natural human, though she became unstable due to the influence of others. Using those two as my foundation, I worked to construct a number of nigh-perfect replicas, but just as they neared completion, my efforts were cut short. I suspect Xehanort aims to use both the initial lot as well as the unused replicas from my later work."
- ^ Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, Xemnas: "The goal was to duplicate the Keyblade wielder's memories, and through them, his powers—thus making them our own. Vexen oversaw the project at Castle Oblivion. However, our efforts were severely derailed by his unexpected demise. And this particular Replica—the one we called Xion—came to form an identity of her own."
- ^ Kingdom Hearts III Interview with Tetsuya Nomura (Dengeki PS); Interviewer: "What is Scala ad Caelum, the place which also appeared in the final trailer? It looks similar to Daybreak Town from Kingdom Hearts Union χ - is there some kind of connection? Also, who were the black-clothed figures that appeared there?" / Tetsuya Nomura: "I've made it so that you should be able to understand the connection between Scala ad Caelum and Daybreak Town, if you look carefully. The black-clothed figures are replicas." Translation via Goldpanner
