Riku
From Canonwars
Riku is one of the main characters in the Kingdom Hearts video game series. Riku is the lifelong friend of Sora and Kairi and devotes much of his actions towards his friends. Because Riku spends the first game working with the powers of darkness, his role in the rest of the games is solitary and full of repent. He is considered to be the rival or foil character to Sora.
Contents |
Information
Background
Riku is a boy who wished so hard for adventure he nearly destroyed his world.
Riku grew up on a tropical paradise world called Destiny Islands. He and Sora were friends from childhood, and the two quickly befriended Kairi when she appeared on their world. Because he her appearance, Riku began to dream of other worlds and the adventures they could have there. Although the three friends were happy where they were, Riku was adamant that they should build a raft and see what else there was in the world. Because of this, Riku foolishly opens the door to the heart of the Islands and lets in the Heartless. By doing so, the island is engulfed in darkness, Riku loses his destiny as the wielder of the Keyblade and the three friends are violently separated amongst the worlds. This begins the chain of events of Sora's journey, the Keyblade and the door to the light.
Riku accepted the darkness when the island was taken over and was brought to Hollow Bastion. There he was taken in by the witch Malificent, who convinced Riku that Sora has merely replaced him with new companions. Riku becomes resentful of Sora and accuses his friend of doing nothing to try and find him or Kairi. Each time Sora meets with Riku, the other boys has become more and more engulfed by the powers of darkness, which he allows to consume him in order to help Kairi, who has lost her heart.
By the end of the first game, Riku calls himself Sora's enemy and stands directly between the other boy and saving the worlds from the Heartless. So deep is Riku's anger and sadness that Ansem, the villain who created the Heartless, takes over Riku's body and uses it as a host to battle Sora. When Sora defeats him, Riku turns back to normal. Riku seals himself behind the door to light with King Mickey, and tells Sora to "take care of her."
After escaping from beyond the door, Riku stumbles upon Castle Oblivion, where he fights with the darkness in his own heart throughout the course of ‘’Chain of Memories‘’. He is eventually rescued by the “witch” Nobody, Naminé. She offers to make Riku forget the darkness inside of him and start from only the light. He refuses, telling her he’ll walk between dark and light (not as twilight, but as dawn) on his own.
This does not last for long! In the events surrounding ‘’Kingdom Hearts 2’’, Riku works with DiZ and Naminé to try and reawaken Sora. He’s given orders to capture the Nobody Roxas, an Organization XIII member. The two have a confrontation, which Riku loses and realizes the only way he can help Sora is by sacrificing himself to the darkness for that power. Riku gives in and is able to defeat Roxas, but not without losing his body to the darkness and taking on the outward appearance of Ansem. Riku disappears for most of the second game, showing up towards the end to rescue Kairi and Naminé from Saix. This leads to his reunion with Sora and Riku’s slow realization that he can no longer run away from his friends and his own shame.
Eventually, with the destruction of DiZ’s device, Riku is able to regain his true form-- just in time to fight the final battle against Xemnas! Victorious, the three friends reunite happily in their childhood home.
In Purgatory
Riku has a strong penchant for worrying, and is often telling Sora off for trying something dangerous.
Player Information
Riku is played by Jackie at donewiththedark. His PB is Yamashita Tomohisa.
