With its official announcement last year, Kingdom Hearts 4 is set to be a bold change for the Square Enix series. In the wake of the hype for Kingdom Hearts 3 coming to an end, the classic action RPG franchise has been more of an influence on modern Final Fantasy than an actual presence in the industry. Taking place in the new world of Quadratum, Kingdom Hearts 4 seems to be aiming to push the series forward with a realistic art style that subverts the look of the previous games. If the massive shift in aesthetic is a sign of the broader concept behind the upcoming game, it has the opportunity to depart from the core franchise in other major ways.
The Kingdom Hearts franchise has become prolific due in large part to its iconic cast of characters who bring a wholesome twist to the typical Square Enix fare. Character arcs like those of Sora and Riku have caused the characters to become legends in their own right among casts of countless famous Disney movie characters, but the upcoming sequel seems to be distancing itself from these past precedents. With the trailer featuring Sora fighting alone, Kingdom Hearts 4 presents itself as the perfect opportunity to shed some of the franchise’s past and finally move on from characters that have already made their mark.
Winnie the Pooh
After having a version of his 100 Acre Wood world in all the mainline Kingdom Hearts entries, the infamously censored Winnie the Pooh and his other cute animal friends have always provided nothing much beyond a cute set of diversions compared to the fully realized levels that other Disney movies bring. If Square Enix doesn’t bring some kind of signature conflict and excitement to this area of the franchise, Winnie the Pooh is better left in the past.
Yen Sid
The wise master of Sora and other keyblade wielders throughout the series, Master Yen Sid has guided the heroes of Kingdom Hearts through major parts of their development. Serving as the mentor to both Sora and Riku in Dream Drop Distance, the wizard marks a point in the series where the validity of the main characters' skills with the keyblade is challenged.
With Sora being an example of a keyblade user that has adopted an unorthodox style, he is forced to unlearn his flawed improvisation and pass Kingdom Hearts' Mark of Mastery exam to become a certified keyblade master. If Kingdom Hearts 4 is truly set to progress the series, it needs to acknowledge Sora's veteran status and allow him to thrive without retroactive changes to the continuity like Yen Sid's teachings.
Ventus/Terra/Aqua
The three playable protagonists of Birth by Sleep cemented themselves as legendary figures in the history of the Kingdom Hearts series, but they have hardly had the same impact ever since. With their follow-up appearance in Kingdom Hearts 3 coming nearly an entire decade after the release of Birth by Sleep, the lack of development the trio received dampened the impact of their triumphant returns.
While great characters with their own story arcs, their un-aged appearances after so much advancement in the timeline of Kingdom Hearts are indicative of how the substance of their characters has hardly shifted since the ending of their original game. Unless Square Enix takes these keyblade veterans into the actual future of their development, they’re better left in the Xehanort Saga.
Every Form of Xehanort
After having all the previous Kingdom Hearts games as a part of the “Xehanort Saga”, this villainous keyblade master wormed his way into the plot of the entire franchise prior to the upcoming next installment. Master Xehanort's return in Kingdom Hearts 4, in any of his multiple forms, would only serve to undermine the legacy of Sora defeating the archvillain.
Kingdom Hearts 4 is in development.