If it sticks, we are about a year out from the release of Kingdom Hearts 4. So what do we know so far? Well, Quadratum will heavily feature characters from the mobile games. We also know two or three of the Disney worlds: Coco, Star Wars (possibly specifically Endor), and Hercules.
However, it’s hard to count the latter two, since we know very little about how much they’ll be featured compared to the first property, and Star Wars was only hinted at way back in the Kingdom Hearts 4 announcement trailer. But we also have a good idea now about what themes the team at Square Enix is aiming for when picking the Disney worlds to feature.
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Looking back at past games, most Disney properties stuck to a motif based on the game’s narrative. Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep, for instance, focused on beginnings and true callings. It focused on Hercules and his initial training to become a hero. Or Stitch, escaping from the United Galactic Federation to avoid being destroyed because of his origins. Those all reflected the journeys Ventus, Aqua, and Terra went through in their different levels of affinity with the keyblade and the war between light and darkness.
Kingdom Hearts 4’s Disney worlds might focus on the consequences of fate and destiny.
So taking that into account, what could the overall theme be based on the properties that we do know? This sets Hercules aside, since it’s one world featured in just about every game in the series and is used to frame training or being put on the right path. That leaves Coco and Star Wars Episode VI.
Both deal with death. In Episode VI, it’s the deaths of the Emperor and Anakin Skywalker. For Coco, it’s the Land of the Dead, where those who’ve passed live on through the power of memories. But both also heavily feature the risks of defying fate. Miguel was told he couldn’t play music and was banished to the land of the dead after stealing Ernesto De La Cruz’s guitar for a music competition on Día de los Muertos.
The turn from Darth Vader back to Anakin Skywalker was long overdue, back in Episode III, when Anakin tried changing his fate with Padmé. The consequences of his decisions echoed in Luke, who put him back on the path of his destiny to defeat the Sith.
Sora has already defied fate by using the Power of Waking in Kingdom Hearts 3 to bring back the dead. That’s why he was, for all we know, banished to Quadratum. So he’s already being punished, just like Anakin and Miguel. As such, the worlds I think may make the cut will balance the consequences of breaking fate/destiny with the redemption needed to right wrongs. Those properties are:
Brave (2012) — Disney/Pixar
Brave is a prime example of fate. Heck, one of Merida’s first lines in the movie is “If you had the chance to change your fate, would you?” Merida doesn’t want to be a wife, used as a pawn for the great Scottish houses. She wants to be free. Her attempts to break free led to her mom (and her three young brothers) being turned into a bear. The villain, Mor’du, was the consequence of trying to make a similar decision for the sake of power and strength.
Both Merida and Mor’du let arrogance blind them and took drastic steps to stop what life had in store. This would be a great fit, as it’d teach Sora that sometimes advice, even if it leads to a worse outcome for his friends, can be the right one. And that he could have tried something else instead of using the Power of Waking to break the curse. Like how Merida and her mother reconciled, realizing they were both wrong and too headstrong for their own good, and that another way forward was possible for a bright future for all.
Atlantis: The Lost Empire (2001) — Disney
This is an odd choice, but bear with me. The plot of Atlantis centers on Milo Thatch and his limitless curiosity about the lost city of Atlantis. His quest to find something lost to time opens the door to greed and war as people profit from a once-believed-extinct civilization. He and the Atlanteans had to go against their peaceful nature to fight back against the oppressors, reclaim peace, and protect Atlantis.
Atlantis could show Sora that he can still fight for what’s right. And that some difficult actions, which may go against your nature, are necessary to fix errors you didn’t know would have horrific consequences. It’s also okay to make mistakes as long as you help with the consequences.
The Princess and the Frog (2009) — Disney
While the female lead of Princess and the Frog wasn’t the one who defied fate, Tiana became part of the consequences of Naveen doing so. When Naveen didn’t want to be a prince and chose to live free, Dr. Facilier turned him into a frog because he wanted the riches Naveen was about to inherit. They had to go on a journey, realizing that while working hard is admirable, it isn’t the only thing in life, and living easy through life is also an overcorrection.
Sora always fought hard for those he cared about and connected with. Yet he also needs to learn to balance himself. He can’t give his all all the time, because then he’s pushing forward for himself. He gives his all to the point of being banished from his loved ones. So, The Princess and the Frog could be a great pathway to teach Sora the balance he needs to be a strong adult who could do more for his friends by taking care of himself too.
The Incredibles (2004) — Disney/Pixar
The Incredibles is an interesting case in how a calling may change with the times. Mr. Incredible and Elastigirl were living large in the age of superheroes. But the world moved on. Those two became Bob and Helen Parr with three kids living in the suburbs. But Bob didn’t want to. His own actions led to the fallout and illegalization of superheroes.
His decision to get back into the superhero business also put him and everyone he loved in grave danger. All partially because a small interaction with him sent someone who wanted to be close to him spiraling. In the end, the Parrs in a way proved that superheroes may still be a good in the world, but there had to be efforts made to protect those they loved as well as innocent bystanders.
As my final pick for a world in Kingdom Hearts 4, The Incredibles is another way to show how balance is necessary to push forward with what you believe is right. The Parrs could also show Sora that his actions may affect many, many others negatively. And Sora’s altruism needs to be humbled as we approach a story of growth for our hero, who’s been prominently naive but kind.
As we get closer to 2027 and with the release of the new Kingdom Hearts Collection, we are about to enter the prime press cycle for Kingdom Hearts 4. That means lots of reveals and announcements. Most impactfully, we may know all the Disney properties that we get to interact with throughout Sora’s latest journey.
While I hope some remain a surprise for release day, the selection we know is already a great range and shows Square isn’t afraid to take us in unique directions as we join Sora in exploring the un-reality of Quadratum.
Kingdom Hearts IV releases in late 2027 on PC, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and Nintendo Switch 2.
