Sora has been the main protagonist of the Kingdom Hearts series ever since the first game released in 2002 for the PlayStation 2. Across multiple mainline titles, spinoffs, and remakes, Sora has remained the key character that players control throughout their journey across various Disney and Final Fantasy worlds. However, his fate was left ambiguous at the end of the most recent numbered entry, Kingdom Hearts 3. This has led many fans to wonder if Sora will still be the main playable character in the eventual Kingdom Hearts 4 or if the series will move in a different direction. Here’s a deep dive into the evidence surrounding Sora’s unknown future.
The ending of Kingdom Hearts 3
In order to analyze Sora’s chances of returning in future games, we have to first look back at where Kingdom Hearts 3 left off. After defeating Master Xehanort once and for all, Sora set off in search of Kairi after she mysteriously disappeared. This led him to the Final World where he encountered Yozora, an enigmatic character who challenged Sora to a fight. After this confrontation, Sora himself faded away, leading to the final scene where Sora talks directly to the player, vowing he will return before disappearing entirely, leaving his fate ambiguous.
This ending leaves a lot of possibilities open regarding whether Sora is even still alive at this point and whether he will still be the protagonist moving forward. His disappearance mimics the endings of previous games that depicted him being lost to the realm of darkness or sleeping for extended periods, so this cliffhanger could simply be a narrative device to explain his absence before he inevitably returns triumphantly. However, Sora’s increasingly self-sacrificial tendencies as the series has gone on also lend credence to the idea that this could be a more permanent end for him.
Evidence For Sora Returning
While Sora’s fate is purposefully ambiguous, there are several narrative and thematic reasons to believe he will ultimately return as the protagonist of Kingdom Hearts 4.
Sora’s central role
As mentioned earlier, Sora has been the undisputed main character of the Kingdom Hearts series ever since the first game. He has been the sole playable character across all mainline numbered entries and is intrinsically tied to the overarching plot more than any other character. Having him suddenly disappear entirely would be incredibly jarring from a story perspective.
The search for Kairi
A major driving force for Sora throughout the series has been his loyal bond with Riku and Kairi. At the end of Kingdom Hearts 3, he set out to find Kairi after she vanished. This quest was left unfinished, meaning Sora has very strong motivations for wanting to return so he can continue searching for his lost friend.
His promise
During the final scene in Kingdom Hearts 3, Sora directly promises the player that he will return before disappearing with a smile. Having this serve as his last moments before being permanently gone would contradict the hopefulness Sora displayed.
Unresolved plot threads
There are still some lingering narrative threads regarding Sora himself that have not been resolved. In Kingdom Hearts 3, Young Xehanort was able to easily take control of Sora for a period of time, which implied Sora may still have some dormant darkness and vulnerabilities to exploit. The mysterious Yozora also presents a new challenge Sora has yet to overcome. Leaving these plot points unresolved would be odd unless they are setting up Sora’s triumphant return in a future game.
The “Lost Masters” arc
Following Kingdom Hearts 3, series director Tetsuya Nomura confirmed in interviews that future games will be part of a new arc called the “Lost Masters.” The Lost Masters refer to six characters with unknown identities who trained Master Xehanort. Sora has not encountered or even heard of these characters yet, meaning his arc is far from complete.
Evidence Against Sora Returning
While there are a lot of reasons pointing to Sora coming back, there are also counterpoints that his disappearance in Kingdom Hearts 3 could be more permanent.
Sora’s sacrificial tendencies
As mentioned earlier, Sora has demonstrated a progressively stronger willingness to sacrifice himself and put himself in danger if it means saving his friends. His selfless rescue of Kairi in the climax of Kingdom Hearts 3 could be the culmination of this arc, making the case that he truly gave his life this time to bring back those he cares about.
Developers indicating a “goodbye”
In promotional interviews leading up to Kingdom Hearts 3’s release, co-director Tai Yasue made comments about the finale being a “goodbye” to the current storyline. While this could apply to other characters like Master Xehanort, it could also have been hinting at a more permanent goodbye for Sora himself.
Making way for new characters
Having Sora hand the reins over to a new protagonist could allow for fresh storytelling opportunities moving forward. Riku and Kairi both served as temporary playable characters in previous spinoff titles, indicating the developers could be willing to shift the focus away from Sora.
The introduction of Yozora
The ending of Kingdom Hearts 3 introduced an entirely new character named Yozora who faces off against Sora. Yozora has a very different design and fighting style compared to Sora, which could be foreshadowing him taking over as the new protagonist rather than an antagonist to defeat.
Unanswered questions about Sora’s fate
The fact that Sora’s exact fate after the events of Kingdom Hearts 3 is left completely ambiguous leaves open the possibility that he perished or is lost forever. If he were guaranteed to return, his disappearance likely would have been depicted or described more clearly.
Predictions for Kingdom Hearts 4
Taking all the evidence together, here are some predictions for how Sora will factor into the inevitable Kingdom Hearts 4.
Sora will return as the protagonist…
Given his overarching importance to the series, the unfinished plot threads regarding Sora, and the optimistic nature of his goodbye, the most likely scenario is that Sora will still be the main playable character in Kingdom Hearts 4 when it eventually releases. He has been the protagonist for over 15 years, so the developers would risk greatly disrupting the fanbase by removing him entirely.
…but only after some time away
However, Sora’s absence will probably be a major focal point at the start of Kingdom Hearts 4. Just as previous games depicted him being asleep for a year, the next game will likely involve searching for Sora and eventually bringing him back, before restoring him as the protagonist for the endgame stretches. This allows the other characters to get more development before Sora eventually returns triumphantly.
His darkness will need to be addressed
Based on the implications that Sora still carries darkness within him, Kingdom Hearts 4 will have to provide some payoff or resolution to this plot point. Perhaps the new Lost Masters will attempt to control him again initially before he can overcome the darkness. Or his disappearance could have cured him of the vulnerability going forward.
A time skip is probable
Kingdom Hearts has included multi-year time skips between games before. Following up on the “goodbye” feel of Kingdom Hearts 3’s ending, Kingdom Hearts 4 will likely take place years after the last game ended. This can allow for the characters to undergo noticeable growth and change before reuniting with Sora.
Co-op gameplay might be featured
Previous Kingdom Hearts side games have experimented with having multiple playable characters. To maximize the impact of Sora’s return while still allowing playable gameplay in the meantime, Kingdom Hearts 4 could feature co-op with Riku or other Keyblade wielders before reuniting with Sora.
Conclusion
Sora has become intrinsically tied to the Kingdom Hearts franchise after leading it for nearly two decades. Despite his ambiguous fate at the end of Kingdom Hearts 3, it is hard to imagine the series moving forward without him as the protagonist at its core. Given the narrative threads left dangling for Sora himself and the anticlimactic nature of never seeing him resolve the search for Kairi, it is very likely he will return in Kingdom Hearts 4 after some initial absence to highlight the importance of the character. However, the next game will likely feature a darker tone initially without its familiar hero, some risky new gameplay ideas in his stead, and a satisfying return that provides payoff for both Sora and fans who have come to connect with him over many years of journeys across Disney and Final Fantasy worlds.