Kingdom Hearts Exposes the World's Growing Darkness

 I strongly believe that Kingdom Hearts’ purpose is to inspire the public to change the dark and dreary course the world is heading down. It is a video game that tells the player it is up to him or her to actively fight against the mysterious darkness. It gives the player the tools of light necessary to overcome the problems looming over an increasingly depressing world. If an individual studies the symbols Kingdom Hearts gives the player, they will come to see ways they can create a better world. A lot of these symbols can be applied not just in the game. Real world application causes an interesting call to action to all those interested enough to understand the real meaning behind this video game.

Kingdom Hearts itself was created in 2002. The new millennium was supposed to be an opportunity to redefine the world. Many individuals had great dreams for new technology, new discoveries, and maybe, just maybe, a new world relationship. Before this time the Gulf War ravaged the middle east and the world seemed to sink into a deeper and deeper pit. Unfortunately for the world, the 2000’s didn’t bring the change it wanted. Shortly after the turn of the millennium, the twin towers were destroyed and a new dangerous war ensued. Instead of bringing light and hope, this time was just filled with more darkness. The world seemed to be getting worse and worse.

In the game, a destructive group called the heartless begin to invade worlds throughout the universe and eventually turn them to darkness. It is up to Sora and some of his friends to stop them. These creatures are created in a very interesting way. The game explains that there is both light and dark inside each person’s heart. It is up to that person to choose which side they will give in to. When a person decides to give into the darkness, they turn into a heartless. These heartless in turn seek to turn other individuals into heartless as well. It shows how the darkness in one person breads darkness in others. To me, this has a striking similarity to how the world views terrorism, Muslims, and overall those who practice different faiths and values. When the world sees hate, it tends to fight fire with fire instead of trying to douse the flames. Hate breads hate, just as heartless and darkness breads more darkness. This is a beautiful commentary on how the darkness and hate of an individual, not just a nation, affects the world.

The game also shows the effects of using both good and evil to fight evil. Sora, the character controlled by the player, chooses good. He goes about trying to help the silly characters in the quirky Disney universe. By doing this, he is able to lock the heartless out of each world. Thus using his light to defend against darkness. Sora’s friend Riku chooses a different path. He chooses to save the world by controlling darkness. He believes that by using the evil, he can vanquish it. Riku is inevitably swallowed by this darkness and turns against his friend. He breads more hate and causes great destruction. This again shows that using light and hope is a better defense against darkness. Loving your neighbor in this world is better than neglecting them or despising their way of life to the point of trying to eliminate it.

The use of Disney characters symbolizes the light that comes from friendship. It shows how much brighter the world could be. Disney has always been a symbol of a childlike innocence. Even darker tales are told by Disney in an adorable way. Because of these characters the video game contains this beautiful air of love. When we are willing to understand those around us, the world is fun, and we are happy. This sense of fun attacks the dark subject matter in such an interesting way. These characters (at least the good ones) are almost incapable of hate. The only weapon they have is one of unity and friendship.

“The heart may be weak and sometimes it might even give in. But I’ve learned that deep down there’s a light that never goes out.” This is a quote made by Sora in the final moments of the game, when he is forced to fight the creator of the heartless. It is the game’s way of telling the player there is always hope. This belief that people always have a little bit of good deep inside can be used to change the world. With friendship, understanding, compassion, and love, even the vilest of sinners can become saints. There is no path too far from good. We just need to be willing to allow the sinner to return from that path. If our hearts are not full of friendship, it only breads more hate.

Basically, this video game states, in a longer and more intricate narrative, what Dr. Martian Luther King Jr. said many years ago: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness only light can do that. hate cannot drive out hate only love can do that.”