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The first half of “Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days” explores Roxas as he tries to discover a purpose for himself and begins to question his role in the Organization. The game also introduces a new member who has never been mentioned in the Kingdom Hearts storyline before: Xion.
Both characters, while at first believed to be separate individuals with their own independent journeys, have found themselves linked through their connection to Sora. However, Axel is the only one of the trio who knows the truth, and it is unclear how Xion is connected to Sora. The story’s second half will finally reveal Xion’s role and what ultimately leads to Roxas defecting from the Organization.
Day 224: Anomaly
Naminé is working on putting Sora’s memories back in order, but there is an issue; memories are missing, and she speculates that if they have gone to someone else, Sora may never get them back. She fears that the missing memories may be the key to him waking up and without them, he never will. Naminé worries that if Sora’s memories become “her” memories, then “she” will never survive it, she being Xion who is beginning to receive Sora’s memories.
At the clock tower, Xion asks Axel what Castle Oblivion is like. He explains it is just a research facility. Xion has observed that everyone else gets sent there, but never her or Roxas. As she gets up to leave, Xion gets a headache and falls off the tower. Luckily, Roxas saves her. Roxas is worried for her and Axel suggests the three of them go to the beach on their next day off, just for a change of scenery.
Day 255: The Longest Day
Xion has been doing some investigating of her own and it has not gone unnoticed. Saïx, however, does not want to deal with her just yet. In a meeting with Xigbar and Xemnas, Saïx shares that he’s sent Axel to Castle Oblivion again to find the Chamber of Waking as well as to clear out the Castle. Xemnas inquires about Naminé’s whereabouts, but she is still missing from them.
However, Xigbar seems to hint that he may know where she is. Xemnas is not troubled by either Xion or Naminé’s situation. He is confident that Roxas, Axel, and Xion will be able to carry out the roles that Kingdom Hearts has given them. Specifically regarding Xion, Xemnas believes she is walking down the path she is meant to take to discover the truth about herself. Meanwhile, Xion has found her way to Castle Oblivion. She recalls an early memory of her with Saïx leaving the Castle. Axel appears before her and tries to get her to leave, but Xion refuses, knowing there is truth about herself to be discovered within the Castle.
Xion shares that she has been having dreams of when she was human and Axel is in them. Axel argues that they can’t be memories if he’s in them because he can’t be a part of her past. Xion is not convinced; she is certain that they have met before in the Castle. She runs from Axel and enters the first door. We are taken back to the first scene of the game with Roxas and Axel atop the clock tower. When Roxas wonders where Xion is, Axel lies and tells him that she was sent on a very important mission. He’s not sure when she might return. Back at the Castle, Xion learned that she wasn’t who she thought she was.
Day 256: News
In a meeting with the remaining members of the Organization, Xemnas shares that Xion is gone. He orders that no one is to look for her without his permission.
Day 276: Disorder
Roxas returns to Destiny Islands and sees someone who looks like Xion. However, when he approaches them, they’re revealed to be Zexion. Zexion appears to be speaking to Roxas at first, but then a young Riku appears and it’s as if the two don’t see Roxas. The conversation distorts and Roxas’s head hurts from the voices. But it’s not Roxas, it’s Xion as she sees herself as Roxas, Riku, and Sora. She collapses and the real Riku finds her.
In a flashback between Riku and Naminé, Naminé confesses that some of Sora’s memories are missing. They’re escaping through Roxas into Xion and are becoming a part of her. If the memories were still separate, it would be possible to retrieve only Sora’s fragments of memories. However, if Xion and Sora’s memories have become entangled, then Naminé would need to untangle them and that would take more time and it would take longer for Sora to awaken.
Were Naminé to simply rearrange Xion’s memories, Sora would awaken, but no one would remember him. Regardless, Sora’s awakening has already been delayed. This is because Roxas and Xion are fighting to become their own people. The only solution to ensure Sora’s awakening would be for both Roxas and Xion to no longer exist.
Xion’s face was blank before, but now she has a face. This is proof that she’s entered Sora’s memories. Sora, Xion, and Roxas’s memories have now become too entangled so they must get rid of Xion and Roxas.
Roxas meets Axel at the clock tower and shares that he went to the islands for his mission. He thought he saw someone who looked like Xion but could not get close enough to see. However, Roxas feels as if the mission is a dream. Axel suggests they look for Xion in their spare time.
Day 296
Roxas has searched everywhere he could for Xion — but has turned up nothing. He speculates she may be at Castle Oblivion. Axel reveals that is where she comes from. Roxas determines that’s where they need to search next.
Day 297: Contact
Riku has been spotted at Castle Oblivion. Roxas and Axel are sent to deal with him. This is the perfect opportunity to look for Xion. However, as soon as the pair enter the Castle, Roxas is overwhelmed by an unexplainable pain in his head. The pair retreat to Twilight Town. Roxas awakens, confused as to what happened. He only remembers entering the Castle and nothing else. He is determined to return to the Castle, but, at that moment, Xion and Riku appear. Xion leaves without a word, leaving Roxas and Axel to chase after Riku.
Riku escapes and Roxas and Axel wonder why Xion would be with Riku and why she would have run away. Axel tries to comfort Roxas at the clock tower by telling him that at least Xion is safe and can return when she’s ready. Roxas is concerned she’ll be turned into a Dusk if she does.
Day 298: Fracture
Saïx has determined that Xion is a traitor. He orders Roxas to confront Riku in Twilight Town and Axel to bring Xion back by force. If that proves too difficult, he is authorized to kill Xion.
Roxas finds Xion first in Twilight Town. He tries to convince her to come back with him, but she refuses, drawing her Keyblade against him. Axel intervenes and a fight ensues between him and Xion. Axel subdues her and takes her someplace safe.
Day 299: Sora
Saïx poses a question to Axel: between Roxas and Xion, if he could only save one of them, why would he choose Xion? Alternatively, which would Axel rather suffer the loss of? A fake friendship or a real one? Saïx believes that the Organization is better off in its current situation.
He explains that they have to set things right now, there is too much on the line. Saïx addresses Axel by his human name: Lea. Roxas confronts Xemnas and asks about what happened to Xion. Xemnas states that Xion needs her rest and that Roxas should not worry about her.
Roxas recalls a memory from their meeting on The Dark Margin, where Xemnas reminded Roxas of his true name: Sora. Roxas asks who Sora is. Xemnas states Sora is the connection. He is what makes Roxas and Xion a part of each other’s lives and the reason why Xemnas allowed Xion to join the Organization. He warns that if Roxas wants her to stay, then he must stop distracting himself and focus on his own work. Roxas complies.
Later, Saïx meets with Xemnas. Xemnas expresses that while Xion has strayed from their original plan, an interesting side effect has occurred. It was always planned that Xion was to be affected by Roxas. However, through Roxas, Sora began to affect Xion, turning her from a faceless entity into one with a sense of identity. As a result, Xion is keeping Sora’s memories trapped, claiming them as her own. Keeping her close to Roxas will prevent Sora from waking.
Day 300: Shutdown
Naminé discovers that Sora’s memory has stopped; meaning Sora can’t awaken. DiZ decides it is time to act; after all,
“Nobodies never should have existed.”
“Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days”. 2009. Square Enix.
Day 321: Waning Power
Roxas has a dream about Riku’s betrayal of Sora in Hollow Bastion from “Kingdom Hearts.” When he awakens, he finds that he is crying, but is confused as to what the tears are. Xion is partnered with Roxas on that day’s mission. They find that while Xion is becoming stronger and more capable with the Keyblade, Roxas is barely able to hold his own and tires easily.
At the clock tower, Xion wonders if Axel will show, but Roxas is still upset over Axel attacking Xion. Xion reasons that if Axel hadn’t acted, then she wouldn’t be sitting there with Roxas. Later at the Castle That Never Was, Xion asks Axel if he knows what’s wrong with Roxas. She also expresses that she’s begun to fight in the same style as Roxas does.
Axel comments that Xion should know more given the fact that he and Roxas aren’t speaking to each other. He also states that she at least knows she’s a puppet, a replica whose original purpose was to copy Roxas’s powers. Axel deduces that if Xion is getting stronger, while Roxas is getting weaker, then that means she’s robbing more of Roxas’s powers than she should be.
Xion now has to think of a solution to this. She inquires about one more thing to Axel: she saw a boy who looked just like Roxas, is he who she thinks he is?
Day 322: The Program
In a meeting with Xemnas and Saïx, Xigbar expresses that Sora has a powerful effect on Xion. Xemnas agrees, seeing this as proof that Xion is a more worthy vessel than Roxas. Xemnas asks Saïx if “the devices” are ready. Saïx shares that they will be ready in a few days.
Xemnas states that both Xion and Roxas have connections to Sora, but they only need one of them under their control. Regardless of whether Xion takes what Roxas has left of his powers, or if he destroys her and takes everything back, their plans do not change. Sora’s power will belong to the Organization.
Day 352: Sunset
As Xion worries over her role in Roxas’s and Sora’s fates, she thinks back to her meeting with Riku on Destiny Islands. During that meeting, Xion asked Riku to tell her more about Sora and Kairi, the girl who looks so much like Xion. Riku commented that she is someone very special to Sora.
Xion wonders as to why she would have memories of Sora and Kairi together if she were a mere puppet, something that was created by someone else. Riku explains that Xion’s memories actually belong to Sora; when his memories are scattered, some of them find their way inside her.
Xion concludes then that she must be a part of Sora. Riku further explains that Sora has been put to sleep so they can piece together his memories. The only problem is Xion holds some of them now. Riku states that if Xion were to go with him now, they could put the memories back inside Sora. Xion claims that she cannot go with him because she needs to be with Roxas and Axel. Riku gives Xion time to think about who needs her more: Sora or her friends.
Back at the Castle, Roxas is given a mission to exterminate a powerful Heartless in Halloweentown. As Roxas fights the Heartless, he finds himself struggling. Just as he’s about to deal a powerful blow to the enemy, Axel appears and intervenes. It turns out that the Heartless Roxas was fighting was actually Xion, and the Heartless Xion was fighting was Roxas. Axel deduces that the mission was a setup to get Roxas and Xion to fight each other.
As the trio eats their ice cream at the clock tower after their mission, Xion comments that the sunset that day is the best out of all the ones they’ve seen. She wishes that everything could stay like that forever, perfect in that singular moment. Roxas proposes that they all run away together, that way they would always be together. Axel begins to say that it isn’t important if they hang out every day, but then Xion echoes his words from before and says that so long as they keep each other in their thoughts, then they’ll never be apart.
Back with DiZ, Naminé, and Riku, things have come to a standstill with Sora’s memories. DiZ sends Riku out to handle things.
Day 353: Resolve
Saïx confronts Axel about his involvement in Roxas’s last mission. He reminds Axel that the Organization doesn’t need both Roxas and Xion. Xion, Axel, and Xigbar are teamed up on a mission. Things get heated and Xion and Xigbar have a battle. Xigbar wonders, “Of all the faces…why do I look at her and see yours?” As Xigbar looks at Xion, he sees a boy that looks like Roxas — but isn’t him. Xion strikes Xigbar down.
Xion asks Axel to let her go and to watch after Roxas. She shows Axel what she looks like under her hood. While Axel worries about what the Organization will do to her if she defects, upon seeing her face, Axel agrees to let her go. When Roxas returns from his solo mission, he learns from Xigbar that Axel let Xion go. Roxas demands to know what happened, but Axel refuses to elaborate. Instead, he reveals the truth about Xion being a puppet to duplicate Roxas’s powers. Roxas doesn’t believe this.
Axel continues, stating that Xion is a mirror that reflects Roxas, but when he sees Xion’s face, it isn’t Roxas he saw. Roxas is insistent that Xion is her own person and so it can’t be expected that Xion would be him. Axel tries to explain that isn’t what he meant, that it was only a matter of time until “someone broke the mirror.” Roxas concludes that the Organization will destroy Xion.
Axel explains that if someone doesn’t destroy Xion, then Roxas won’t be himself anymore. Roxas doesn’t understand what Axel means and runs off. Xion meets with Riku. She’s found the answer to her conundrum. Riku directs her to Twilight Town to meet Naminé.
Day 354: Truth
The Organization meets and Xemnas explains to them what the “Replica Program” is. The plan was to take a piece of Sora’s memory and copy it, thus putting his powers under the Organization’s control. They obtained Sora’s memory from his time in Castle Oblivion. However, their plans went astray when Vexen was killed. They also did not anticipate Xion developing her own identity.
Saïx states that no one from Castle Oblivion reported a Replica developing its own identity. However, it’s been seen before with Replica Riku developing his own identity. Xemnas is confident that no matter what Xion does, it will not impact their plans. However, Xion knows their secrets so she cannot be allowed to wander on her own, she must be brought back.
Xemnas charges Axel with retrieving Xion. Roxas declares that Xion is not a puppet. Saïx disagrees. A puppet can never be part of the Organization. They have and always will be thirteen.
As Roxas finishes with his own mission, he questions why he should return to the Castle if there isn’t anything there for him. Why should he continue to work for the Organization if they keep information from him? He decides that it’s not about the Organization or Xion, it’s about himself.
He feels as if he’s the only person who doesn’t know who he is. He wonders if he has any place where he belongs. Elsewhere, King Mickey meets with Riku. It’s been some time since they’ve last seen each other. Riku shares that he’s been working on conquering the darkness inside him while they wait for Sora to awaken. He reveals to Mickey that the Organization has been quiet since the events of Castle Oblivion because they needed more time to absorb Sora’s memories.
The reason the process of putting Sora’s memories back has come to a standstill is because the Organization has what’s most precious to Sora — his memories of Kairi. Riku shares that he must face a member of the Organization soon. He’s not sure he’ll survive the fight and if he does it is most likely because he gave in to the darkness. If this turns out to be the case, Riku asks that Mickey be the one to guide Sora, Donald, and Goofy when they awaken.
Day 355: Unsaid, Unheard
Roxas tries to process all that’s been revealed to him about Xion. In doing so, he wonders if he’s a puppet as well. He wonders who Sora is and who he, Roxas, is supposed to be. Roxas concludes that Axel must be hiding the answers. He confronts Axel for the truth. Roxas deduces that the Organization wanted him gone because Xion copied his and the Keyblade’s power so they didn’t need him anymore. Roxas assumes that Axel doesn’t need him anymore either. Axel corrects him on that. He’ll always be Axel’s best friend.
Roxas demands to know who he is once again. He and Xion are connected through Sora, yet Roxas doesn’t know a Sora. Axel only states that Roxas is different from Xion and finding out the truth may not be best.
Roxas declares that he has the right to know the truth. Roxas has so many questions about himself. How did he come to be? Why is he special? Where did he learn to use the Keyblade? He barely knows who he is, he only wants answers. He asks once more: “Who am I?”
Axel only states that Roxas needs to trust him. Roxas doesn’t, he can’t. Roxas leaves to find the truth, to find someone he can trust.
Day 356: Place to Belong
Xion meets Naminé and asks what she should do. Naminé asks what Xion wants to do. Xion thought she wanted to stay with Roxas and Axel, but she realized that her memories weren’t her own. Naminé clarifies that Xion is neither Sora nor Roxas, but Kairi as Sora remembers her.
The more Xion remembers the past, the more she wants to go back to Sora. So she asks how she can do this. Naminé clarifies that if Xion returns her memories, then she will disappear. Xion doesn’t have her own memories, she is connected through others’ memories, therefore when Xion disappears no one will remember her. Xion understands and is ready. Xion asks Naminé to look after Roxas. DiZ arrives then and announces that the Organization has found them. Outside the mansion, Xion confronts Axel.
She tells him that she has made her decision to go back to Sora, to where she belongs, because it’s best for everyone. Axel disagrees, something doesn’t feel right to him about the whole situation. Xion is prepared to fight and Axel reluctantly engages in battle with her and subdues her. He carries her back to the Castle where Xemnas takes her away.
Day 357: Tears
Roxas finds himself at the clock tower, not knowing where else to go. Xion meets him there. She declares that she’s out of time and reveals her face to Roxas. It’s Sora’s face, and that means Xion is almost ready to play her part as the puppet. Xion declares that she has to make Roxas a part of her, it’s why she was created.
A long and hard battle ensues between Roxas and Xion. Ultimately, Roxas is forced to strike down his best friend. As soon as this is done, Xion begins to fade from Roxas’s memories. She’s returning to Sora. As she fades away, she asks Roxas to set free the hearts she captured for Kingdom Hearts. With Xion gone, Xemnas orders Saïx to bring Roxas back. They need a Keyblade wielder.
Day 358: Believe
Roxas has unlocked the ability to dual wield two Keyblades due in part to his will to not forget Xion. With Xion no longer draining Roxas of his powers, he is the strongest he’s ever been and ready to face Riku at Memory’s Skyscraper.
Their battle is similar to that of the secret ending from “Kingdom Hearts” (( Stretch, Andrew. “How to Get All Secret Movies From All Kingdom Hearts Games.” Tech Raptor, 13 February 2019. )) Riku states that he wants to get the rest of Sora’s memories back, while Roxas wants to set Kingdom Hearts free and get Xion back. Riku is ultimately unable to defeat Roxas on his own, so he taps into the darkness inside himself and wins. He can now deliver Roxas to DiZ, leading to the events in “Kingdom Hearts II.”
As hard as Roxas tries to remember Xion, she slowly fades away from his memory. Her voice calls out to him in the end, reassuring Roxas that while he may forget her, the memories will live on within Roxas and Sora.
“Kingdom Hearts” Day 359: The First Day
Roxas awakens in Twilight Town after having had another dream about a boy he’s never met. He runs to meet his friends at the Usual Spot with hopes of finally going to the beach. There are only seven days left before his summer vacation is over.
358/2 Days followed Roxas and Xion as they experienced 358 days together. Two individuals who were never meant to be came into existence and developed their own identities. They fought until the very end to maintain their identities, but ultimately their destinies caught up with them.
Xion was able to come to terms with her fate more easily than Roxas and this is due in part because she believed that her memories of her identity would be able to live in Sora, despite having been forgotten. This is similar to Naminé’s promise to continue to live within Sora despite him not remembering it.
Roxas on the other hand was never able to accept his fate, even after having returned to Sora. In the end, he was forced to return, the decision made for him. Roxas was only able to accept being a part of Sora after they came face to face with each other within Sora’s heart.
The issue of identity in this installment is rooted in the idea of memories being the foundation of a person. If you don’t have your own memories, then do you really exist? Feeling emotions is what separates the humans from the Nobodies who don’t exist in the first place. The Organization members may have memories of who they were as humans and what having emotions is like, but they cannot feel anything anymore. However, their identities are rooted in their memories as humans and it’s these memories that allow them to exist.
Yet the fact that Roxas and Xion displayed emotions in their ability to shed tears and feel sadness shows that they truly formed their own identities as separate people. While they may have returned to Sora, the memory of who they were as individuals lives on inside him.