Character Corner: Riku

Name: Riku

Age: 17

Weapon: Way to Dawn

Quote: "It took me a bit to realize just what protecting the things that matter entailed, but I think I have it figured out now."

The Keyblade Master with a Dark Past.

Riku has quite the interesting past, including fighting on the side of the Darkness.  However, he fights on the side of Light now and is working towards atoning for his past sins.  He’s even getting better about not brooding so much.  He knows it is his duty to protect the worlds and he goes to do so without question.  He doesn’t dive head-first into problems like some of his friends do, rather he steps back and examines the best course of action.  However, if he is angry, all bets are off.  No one wants to cross Riku when he is angry. 

It took Riku quite a bit to realize that brooding was not the best response to his past actions.  Kairi and Sora told him repeatedly that no one held his actions against him.  Traveling around with Axel, someone who has done his own slew of bad things, put Riku’s life into perspective.  Aerith told Riku to forgive himself.  But it was Namine who finally broke through Riku’s walls and told him to simply “stop being so guilty.”

Riku’s attraction to Namine was slow-coming.  During Namine’s Nobody status, it wasn’t something that Riku was thinking about in the slightest because he was too busy trying to get Sora back.  While Kairi and Namine shared the same heart and mind, it just wasn’t something that was possible.  Riku could admire certain aspects about Namine, but he could hardly begin to admire her as her own person.  (Though, during this time period, everyone else noticed that Riku had some sort of feelings for Namine.)  It is only after Kairi and Namine are separate that Riku and Namine end up having a slightly awkward conversation in which both of them admit that they have affections for one another. 

After the Battle of Castle Oblivion, Riku comes up with the idea of going out to individual worlds and taking care of enemy problems while using Destiny Islands as a base.  He has come to the conclusion that there really is no place like home when he is alongside his friends and loved ones.  He knows he fights for the side of light now, and nothing is going to stop him from doing so.  Riku is a very powerful fighter.  He is easily the strongest Keyblade Wielder that is based out of Destiny Islands, though that doesn’t necessarily make him the best.  He accepts this and does his best to do just that—his best.