The gaming world was shocked by the announcement that Sora would be Super Smash Bros. Ultimate's last DLC fighter. Speculation regarding the final addition to the Fighters Pass had been ongoing, and many had dismissed Sora because of his association with Disney. Nevertheless, Masahiro Sakurai and the rest of the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate team surprised everyone and showcased the iconic keyblade wielder. Sora's moveset and costume changes were highlighted, but one alternate skin stood out from the others. For those unfamiliar with its origin, the "Timeless River" form may have been a little peculiar.
This impression comes as no surprise since the Timeless River level first appeared some fifteen years ago in Kingdom Hearts 2. Despite appearing exclusively in that game, players familiar with the level will instantly recognize the inspiration behind Sora's distinct black-and-white color scheme. Such a departure from the game's otherwise colorful palette and modern character designs seems strikingly out of place. After all, the only other character who stands out as much as Sora's Timeless River design is probably Mr. Game & Watch. There's much more to Timeless River than this character skin, however.
Timeless River, Steamboat Willie, and Kingdom Hearts 2
As previously stated, the name "Timeless River" refers to a level that was featured in Kingdom Hearts 2. In the Kingdom Hearts franchise, most levels are based on different Disney franchises, and Timeless River is one such level. The level hearkens back to Disney's roots and was modeled after the aesthetic of Steamboat Willie, an animation produced when Disney was only five years old. In addition to being one of the first films to utilize synchronized film and sound, Steamboat Willie is considered Mickey Mouse's debut film. It remains an iconic animation despite its age, influencing the likes of Cuphead in addition to Timeless River.
In Kingdom Hearts 2, Timeless River is a level with many unique features. It's one of the few levels, for example, to which players do not travel via Gummi Ship. Moreover, Timeless River is one out of a handful of levels in which Sora, Donald, and Goofy's outfits change in accordance to the level's art style (other examples of this include the Little Mermaid level, the Nightmare Before Christmas level, and the Pirates of the Caribbean level). Within Timeless River, Sora and Co meet a retro Mickey Mouse and Pete, both of whom appear as they did in 1928. Although not a major part of the story, the Timeless River level stands out among other Kingdom Hearts stages.
Sora in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
The iconic look of his Timeless River design may have been what led Super Smash Bros. Ultimate developers to include it among Sora's other color variations. What's odd is how different this skin is from his other looks. In Smash Bros., Sora's color variations will include his outfits from the Kingdom Hearts trilogy as well as his outfit in Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance (originally released for the 3DS). His other costumes are based on his in-game "Forms". An outlier to all of these looks, the Timeless River design is the only one based on an in-game level. The retro design and custom facial expressions are a charming addition, but they certainly seem like a peculiar choice compared to Sora's Smash Bros. Ultimate outfits.
Some fans were convinced Disney would never approve of Sora's inclusion in Smash Bros. How Nintendo managed to reach an agreement with Disney remains unknown, and whether it was Nintendo, Disney, or even Square Enix who pushed for Sora's inclusion will most likely remain a mystery, too. By extension, the reasoning behind decisions concerning his appearance and moveset may never be revealed. The only thing to be sure of is that this announcement was the result of long, exhausting conversations, and the fanbase has every reason to give thanks to Masahiro Sakurai and his team.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is available now, exclusively for the Nintendo Switch.
