The Kingdom Hearts series is known for drawing parallels between some of the more prominent characters introduced in spin-offs and numbered titles. This is most visible with the direct comparisons that can be drawn between Birth by Sleep's darker protagonist Terra and Riku from the original Kingdom Hearts titles.
At the surface level, many fans know that both Riku and Terra's names are similar, both generally equating to "land" or "earth" in Japanese and Latin respectively. However, looking at the paths these two take across the Kingdom Hearts series, there is a surprising amount of overlap in their narratives, both with the powers they rely on and the people who attempt to manipulate them.
Terra and Riku as Keyblade Masters Steeped in Darkness
The most obvious place to start when it comes to comparing Riku and Terra is by looking at how both utilize the powers of both Light and Darkness throughout the series. In the case of the Kingdom Hearts series, Light and Dark are less moral ambiguities or sides of another power, but instead actual forces of magic that can be harnessed by characters like Riku and Terra. From the very start of the series, Riku is shown to have a certain affinity for the darkness, and the same is seen with the introduction of Terra from Birth by Sleep.
For Riku, he's originally presented as young and more than a little arrogant, always having to be better than main series protagonist Sora and having a need to prove himself - something that lures him to the power of Darkness. On the other end, Terra struggles to control the Darkness that naturally exists within his heart, only leaning on that power as he searches desperately for validation and the strength to defend his friends. Either way, this need to become the strongest is what opens both characters up to being manipulated by the lead antagonist of the series, Master Xehanort.
Both Characters Fall to Kingdom Hearts Big-Bad Xehanort
Up until Kingdom Hearts 3, Master Xehanort and his many copies have been the primary antagonists of the series, using more that just raw power to achieve their goals. Whether counting the start of the "Dark Seeker Saga" as the first Kingdom Hearts or the prequel story from Birth by Sleep, Xehanort always starts by reaching out to and manipulating one of these two Keyblade wielders. In the case of Terra, he leverages his status as an established Keyblade Master and friend to father-figure Eraqus to encourage the conflicted student into leaning into the power of Darkness. Then for Riku, a similar tactic works, only this time promising freedom from the Destiny Islands for the would-be wielder and his friends.
Regardless of the initial manipulation that Xehanort uses across Kingdom Hearts titles, the result is the same for both, with the antagonist eventually taking control of both characters. Interestingly, this also highlights how similar Terra and Riku's relationships with others are, with their friends coming in to rip total control away from Xehanort in one final confrontation. While Riku is only under Xehanort's control (calling himself Ansem at the time) for a brief moment, it does unfortunately take Terra much longer to reunite with his friends and gain control of himself again.
Terra and Riku's Divergence Begins with Maleficent
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Aside from the depressing fate of Terra leading up to the final confrontation that frees him in Kingdom Hearts 3, the other major difference between these two characters can actually be seen with the series' secondary antagonist. The Disney villain Maleficent acts as a consistent obstacle for Sora, Riku, and Kairi right from the first Kingdom Hearts, and she reappears periodically throughout the rest of the series. In fact, Maleficent's initial role as the lead villain before "Ansem" is revealed to be the twist antagonist also places her as a tutor for Riku, with Maleficent guiding him down the path toward Darkness.
Interestingly, while Terra initially does the bidding of Maleficent and is mind controlled by her for a short time, he almost immediately turns against the villain. Terra's interactions with Maleficent turns out to be a small foreshadowing for what will come with Xehanort, but he is able to see through her manipulation much faster since he is not being blinded by Keyblade Master status. It could be that Terra was older than Riku when he first met Maleficent, or that the discipline given by Eraqus while training to master Kingdom Hearts' magical Keyblades is able to give him clarity against her. Regardless, Terra is able to succeed where Riku fails, resisting Maleficent's promises of power.
This single change with Maleficent actually acts as a major catalyst for the different paths that Riku and Terra wind up on. While Maleficent is able to wield power over Terra for a short time and manipulate his friends into doubting him, she never manages to do the same with Riku. Even though Riku follows Maleficent for longer, her influence turns out to be much more helpful to him than it was to Terra. Of course, it doesn't hurt that Riku's best friend and Kingdom Hearts protagonist Sora never doubts that his friend can be saved the way that Aqua does when faced with similar conflict.
How Riku Succeeds Where Terra Failed
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By the end of Kingdom Hearts 3, not every character who holds the Keyblade is named a Keyblade Master. This includes Terra, who's entire goal across Birth By Sleep is to overcome his own inner turmoil and earn the title for himself. However, while Terra fails to become a Master, Riku is able to overcome his own Darkness in order to be named Keyblade Master by the end of Dream Drop Distance, a feat that even Sora fails to achieve. It's one of many revelations throughout the spin-off title that has massive implications for Kingdom Hearts' lore down the line.
That being said, this success from Riku may have also paved the way for Terra to finally earn the respect and status of a Keyblade Master. If another Keyblade wielder can go through the same dark path, succumbing to Xehanort and being manipulated by evil beings like Maleficent, then so can Terra. It's difficult to tell exactly what path Square Enix has planned for Kingdom Hearts 4, but if Terra, Aqua, and Ventus are involved in any way, hopefully they can all reach the status of Keyblade Master after everything they've been through.
Kingdom Hearts 1.5 & 2.5 Remix is available now for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One.