Organization XIII

Organization XIII (Japanese: XIII機関, Hepburn: Jūsan Kikan) is a fictional group of characters featured in Square Enix and Disney Interactive Studios' Kingdom Hearts video game series. The group comprises thirteen beings, including Xemnas and his twelve followers.

The concept of the Organization was originally introduced in Kingdom Hearts Final Mix within a bonus ending titled "Another Side, Another Story [deep dive]", where their Japanese name was translated as the "Thirteenth Order". The group was later introduced as the "Organization" in Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, where they serve as the main antagonists, and have the same role in Kingdom Hearts II. Organization XIII is prominently featured in Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, as some of its members are playable characters and it introduces a new female member named Xion. Several members, prior to becoming Nobodies, appear in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, return following their restoration in Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, and also appear in Kingdom Hearts III.

The group was moderately well received by reviewers, and comments focused on their difficulty as adversaries and mysterious nature, which fueled expectations for future titles. Roxas specifically received press comments, focusing on his introduction in Kingdom Hearts II.

Concept and creation

The members of Organization XIII were created by the series' director Tetsuya Nomura and other members of his development staff. The concept began with Xemnas as the first member and Roxas as the last. Each of the original members' names are anagrams of their original name prior to becoming a Nobody, with the addition of the letter "X", which is revealed in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep to be derived from the χ-blade. The members wear black, hooded coats that shield them from the corrosive effect of prolonged use of the Corridors of Darkness, portals they use to traverse various worlds. The emblem associated with the Nobodies and Organization XIII was designed to resemble a splintered heart as a complement to the Heartless emblem. Nomura tried to portray the characters ambiguously, rather than explicitly good or evil. Throughout the games' development, Nomura has often left certain plot holes and relations regarding Organization XIII characters—along with the series' other characters—unexplained until the release of a sequel; feeling that games should give fans room to speculate and use their imagination.

In Chain of Memories, the staff had several of the Organization's members defeated as part of the plot. While Nomura intended to have them be fought at Olympus Coliseum in the Kingdom Hearts II, he dropped the idea due to time constraints and later applied it to Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix and remakes in the form of optional "Absent Silhouette" boss fights where the player fights defeated Organization members. Since the battles were optional, the difficulty of the fights was increased and the Chain of Memories-exclusive characters were given previously unseen powers. After working with the first game, Nomura gained interest in including the Mushroom XIII Heartless, most of which served to yield rare items in the game. This interest continued during the development of Kingdom Hearts II, as he intended to add new variants of "Mushroom" Heartless in the game. Consequently, they are featured in the Final Mix release as the "Mushroom XIII", thirteen Heartless wearing black cloaks that mimic traits of the Organization XIII members. For 358/2 Days, the developers believed the Organization and its large number of characters was a good fit for multiplayer gameplay. Once the group was decided to be a central part of the gameplay, the staff felt Roxas's role as a member would be a suitable theme for the plot.

Several former members appear in Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, having regained their hearts following the destruction of their Heartless and Nobodies. In both the game and Kingdom Hearts III, Master Xehanort is revealed to be the organization's true leader and creates it as it was meant to be: The Thirteen Seekers of Darkness with Xigbar and Saïx. Enlisting under false pretenses to reconstruct Roxas to fight them, Vexen uses the Replica technology to create vessels for Xehanort's time-displaced incarnations while the recreated Demyx, Luxord, Marluxia, Larxene, Vanitas, and Xion are made into thralls like Saïx.

Members

The Organization was established when Terra-Xehanort turned himself, his supporter Braig, and the disciples of Ansem the Wise into Nobodies, with Terra-Xehanort's Nobody Xemnas as the group's leader. This is later revealed to be one of the scenarios Master Xehanort devised. While they originally had eight members, the Organization recruited a quartet of Nobodies, who were hand-picked by Xehanort since their original selves were time-displaced Keyblade users from the aftermath of the Keyblade War. They then recruited Roxas as their final member, with Xion as an unofficial member. Each member wears a cloak made of a special material that allows them to safely pass through the Corridors of Darkness into other worlds without being attacked by the Heartless there. Members are given titles indicating both their role in Organization XIII and their personality, as well as their own breed of lesser Nobodies to control, usually suited to their fighting style and powers. As Nobodies, they lack emotion and morality, and are unable to feel guilt and remorse for their actions. However, most of the members' personalities are based on the memories they have of their original selves. Six of the Organization's members were introduced in Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, with the remaining members introduced in Kingdom Hearts II. In Chain of Memories, Marluxia leads Sora and his friends Donald Duck and Goofy to a mysterious fortress called Castle Oblivion, intending to turn Sora into his pawn by manipulating his memories. Sora's friend Riku also arrives at Castle Oblivion, but in the basement where he encounters other Organization members. Sora and Riku traverse the levels of the castle to reach the top, fighting and defeating several members along the way. By Kingdom Hearts II, the actions of Sora and Riku, along with Roxas' resignation, reduce the Organization to seven members, who seek to use the power of Kingdom Hearts—a repository of knowledge and power, and the source of all hearts—to become complete beings.

The events of Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance reveal that the true purpose of Organization XIII is for Master Xehanort—the true incarnation of Xemnas' human form—to divide his heart among the bodies of its other members. This effectively transforms them into clones of Xehanort and allows him to recreate the χ-blade using their thirteen hearts of darkness and seven hearts of light. It is also revealed that Nobodies like those in the Organization are capable of developing hearts of their own over time, but that Xemnas deceived them into thinking they lack hearts so they can cooperate with his plans. Though this agenda is unrealized, a new Organization XIII is formed from various incarnations of Xehanort across time, including Xemnas, "Ansem", and members who succeeded in becoming "half Xehanort". This gathering is accomplished by a younger version of Xehanort, who was granted the power of time travel by his future self, though they unsuccessfully attempt to make Sora their thirteenth and final member. The final members of the Real Organization XIII were: Master Xehanort, Ansem, Xemnas, Xigbar, Luxord, Larxene, Marluxia, Saïx, Terra-Xehanort (Xehanort-possessed Terra), Dark Riku (an alternate version of Riku Replica), Vanitas, Young Xehanort and Xion (who served as a replacement for Sora).

Xemnas

Voiced by: Norio Wakamoto (Japanese); Paul St. Peter (English)

Xemnas (ゼムナス, Zemunasu) is the leader of the original Organization XIII, ranked first as the "Superior of the In-Between" (狭間の指導者, Hazama no Shidōsha). He first appears in Kingdom Hearts Final Mix as an optional boss called "Unknown" (謎の男, Nazo no Otoko, lit. "Enigmatic Man"), and is later identified as the Nobody of Terra-Xehanort, the form of Terra after he became a host for Xehanort's heart. His name is derived from Xehanort's alias "Ansem". He uses the power of nothingness to phase through solid matter and wields a pair of "ethereal blades", two red beams of light generated from his palms. He also commands the "Sorcerer" Nobodies.

He serves as the main antagonist of Kingdom Hearts II, where he gathers the hearts released by Roxas's Keyblade to cultivate his own version of Kingdom Hearts in the World That Never Was. After Roxas defects from the Organization and surrenders his existence to Sora, Xemnas manipulates Sora into completing the task instead. Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix features additional cutscenes that highlight his other agendas, which Nomura states are influenced by Terra's memories. These include his secret conversations with Aqua's discarded armor preserved in the self-built "Chamber of Repose" in Hollow Bastion, as well as his search for the "Chamber of Waking", a secret room hidden within Castle Oblivion that houses Ventus' comatose body. His plans are thwarted when Ansem the Wise damages Kingdom Hearts and releases the accumulated hearts in his attempt to encode them within a machine. When Sora's party refuses to aid in its restoration, Xemnas uses what is left of Kingdom Hearts' power to assume multiple forms, eventually separating Sora and Riku from their allies, but they are able to defeat him and he fades into nothingness.

The secret ending of Kingdom Hearts Re:coded reveals that the destruction of Xemnas and his Heartless counterpart resulted in Xehanort being restored to human form. Xemnas returns as one of the primary antagonists of Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, brought from the past by Young Xehanort to serve as part of the new Organization XIII. He reveals the true nature of the Organization to Sora before taking him in an attempt to convert him into the group's final member. Xemnas is ultimately defeated in Kingdom Hearts III, where he reveals feeling loneliness and regret over manipulating his former comrades, while expressing some respect for Sora for being strong enough to move past sorrow.

Xigbar

Braig/Xigbar:

Voiced by: Hōchū Ōtsuka (Japanese); James Patrick Stuart (English)

Luxu:

Voiced by: Kenjiro Tsuda (Japanese); Max Mittelman (English)

Xigbar (シグバール, Shigubāru) is the Nobody of Braig (ブライグ), who was a guardsman at Radiant Garden and a collaborator with Xehanort prior to the Organization's formation. He bears the title of "Freeshooter" (魔弾の射手, Madan no Shashu, lit. "Magic Bullet Shooter") and wields a pair of rayguns called "arrowguns" that can be combined to form a sniper rifle. He also commands the "Sniper" Nobodies, and manipulates space to teleport himself, levitate, and alter his surroundings in battle. He is Xemnas's second-in-command, and is privy to his various private agendas due to eavesdropping. At various points across the series, Xigbar taunts Sora by commenting on his angry glare, saying that "he used to give me that same exact look"; Sora's expression reminds him of Ventus, whom Roxas resembles. He is later revealed to be the ancient Keyblade Master Luxu (ルシュ, Rushu, English: ).

Luxu makes his first chronological appearance in Kingdom Hearts χ, where he is shown to have been the sixth apprentice of the Master of Masters. He acted on his mentor's final request to observe the Keyblade War and protect the Black Box, while passing the "No Name" Keyblade across generations to the one who would bring about a second war. He influenced discontent among the Foretellers, with Ava's attempted attack on him over their master's Lost Page commencing the Keyblade War. From there, he used a technique to transfer his heart into another body to prolong his life and ensure that "No Name" reaches its destined user. Luxu eventually assumes the identity of Braig and finds Xehanort during the events of Birth by Sleep, feigning ignorance to be the Keyblade Master's right hand. He aids in Xehanort's plan to provoke Terra into unleashing his inner darkness, resulting in his face being scarred and his right eye being damaged. He is infused with part of Xehanort's heart before dueling Aqua in the Keyblade Graveyard, where he observes Ventus's glare for the first time. He then oversees the next phase of Xehanort's plan while monitoring the amnesic Terra-Xehanort, who later attacks him and turns him into Xigbar.

In 358/2 Days, Xigbar discovers Xion's true nature as a Replica before the other members do and mocks Roxas with this knowledge. Throughout Kingdom Hearts II, he confuses Sora by making cryptic allusions to Roxas and the previous Keyblade wielders. During their battle at the World That Never Was, he mystifies Sora one last time by calling him Roxas, refusing to explain himself even as he is defeated and fades away. Xigbar's destruction restores Braig to human form by the events of Dream Drop Distance, where he reappears in his Nobody identity as one of Xehanort's chosen "seekers of darkness". He reveals himself to be a willing vessel for Xehanort's heart, which has caused him to over time become "half Xehanort". Following Xehanort's defeat in Kingdom Hearts III, Luxu discards his cover while reclaiming the "No Name" Keyblade to proceed with the next phase of his master's request by summoning four of the five Foretellers to the present.

The telescopic sight sequence of Xigbar's boss battle underwent changes in the English release of Kingdom Hearts II. Before the sequence, Xigbar combines his two guns into a sniper rifle in the Japanese release, which was changed to him twirling his weapons and shooting with a single gun. The reticle was also changed from a crosshair within a circular scope to three glowing circles. The original animation was restored in the English release of Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix.

Xaldin

Voiced by: Yōsuke Akimoto (Japanese); David Dayan Fisher (English)

Xaldin (ザルディン, Zarudin) is the Nobody of Ansem's guardsman Dilan (ディラン, Diran), who is first introduced in Kingdom Hearts II as the original Organization's number three. He is nicknamed the "Whirlwind Lancer" (旋風の六槍, Senpū no Rokusō, lit. "Six Lances of the Whirlwind"), using wind to manipulate his six lances. He commands the lance-wielding "Dragoon" Nobodies. Since he became a Nobody to be free of emotion, he understands the setbacks of lacking a heart, but holds disdain towards people who follow their hearts, developing a particular obsession towards the Beast from Beauty and the Beast. He primarily appears at the Beast's Castle in Kingdom Hearts II and 358/2 Days, attempting to manipulate the Beast's rage to create a powerful Nobody and Heartless for the Organization. He later steals the Beast's enchanted rose and kidnaps Belle to stoke the Beast's rage, but his plans fail when Belle escapes with the rose. Sora later defeats him, resulting in his restoration as Dilan in Dream Drop Distance, reportedly still unstable alongside the revived Even. In Kingdom Hearts III, Dilan returns to his original post as guardsman.

Vexen

Voiced by: Tatsuya Kando (COM) (Japanese), Nachi Nozawa (Re:COM-BbS) (Japanese), Shigeru Chiba (KHIII) (Japanese); Derek Stephen Prince (English)

Vexen (ヴィクセン, Vikusen), originally named Even (エヴェン), is a mad scientist and researcher of the heart. He is known as the "Chilly Academic" (いてつく学究, Itetsuku Gakkyū), and has the power to control ice; he also carries a large shield in battle. As revealed in 358/2 Days, he oversees the Organization's "Replica Program", which deals with the production of artificial human replicas such as Xion. In Chain of Memories, he occupies the basement of Castle Oblivion with Lexaeus and Zexion, whom he sides with to prevent Marluxia's plan to overthrow the Organization. He battles Riku to gather data to create a replica of him and allows Naminé to manipulate the replica's memories to test Sora's worth. Later, he fights Sora with the intention of revealing Marluxia's plan to him. As a result, Marluxia declares Vexen a traitor and sends Axel to kill him, which Axel does to gain Marluxia's trust and prevent him from using Vexen's replica research. Despite Vexen's demise resulting in Even being restored in Dream Drop Distance, Even is made into a member of Xehanort's Organization by the events of Kingdom Hearts III. He is revealed to have rejoined the Organization to regain access to the Replica Program, and redeems himself by providing Xion, Roxas, and Naminé with new bodies to exist in.

Lexaeus

Voiced by: Tatsuya Kando (COM) (Japanese), Fumihiko Tachiki (Re:COM onward) (Japanese); Dave Boat (English)

Lexaeus (レクセウス, Rekuseusu) is the original Organization's fifth member, who is also known as the "Taciturn Stalwart" (静かなる豪傑, Shizuka-naru Gōketsu). He is the Nobody of Aeleus (エレウス, Ereusu), who was a castle guard at Radiant Garden. He wields an "axe sword", a massive battle axe with an extended blade that he uses to shatter rocks with his power of earth. In the "Reverse/Rebirth" story mode of Chain of Memories, he and Zexion seek to counter Marluxia's plans to overthrow the Organization with Sora by using Riku. When they believe that Sora might fall into Marluxia's grasp, Lexaeus confronts Riku directly and tries to convince him to open up to the power of the darkness in his heart. After Riku defeats him in the original Chain of Memories, the mortally wounded Lexaeus releases the darkness within himself to consume Riku. In Re:Chain of Memories, Lexaeus is instead killed when Xehanort's Heartless possesses Riku to personally finish Lexaeus off. Lexaeus's demise leads to his revival as Aeleus in Dream Drop Distance, informing Lea that Dilan and Even are resting due to still being unstable, and that Braig and Xehanort are still missing. In Kingdom Hearts III, Aeleus returns to his original post as guardsman.

Zexion

Voiced by: Akira Ishida (Japanese); Vince Corazza (English)

Zexion (ゼクシオン, Zekushion) is the Nobody of Ienzo (イェンツォ, Yentso), Ansem's youngest apprentice, who appears as an orphaned child during the events of Birth by Sleep. He is the original Organization's sixth member, and is known as the "Cloaked Schemer" (影歩む策士, Kage Ayumu Sakushi, lit. "Shadow-walking Schemer"), having the ability to use illusions to mimic others' appearances and create duplicates of himself. Zexion does not use a weapon in his original appearance in Chain of Memories, but the game's remake reveals his weapon to be a lexicon. In his appearance in "Reverse/Rebirth", he initially plans to use Riku against Marluxia and his co-conspirators. After Sora defeats Marluxia, he attempts to dispose of Riku by drawing him into a simulation of the Destiny Islands and attacking him under the guise of Sora. However, Naminé's intervention allows Riku to cut through Zexion's illusions and accept the power of darkness. He retreats, only for Vexen's replica of Riku to kill him with encouragement from Axel, who sees him as an obstacle in him and Saïx's agenda. Zexion's death leads to the revival of an adult Ienzo in Dream Drop Distance. In Kingdom Hearts III, Ienzo aids Sora in his mission to restore Roxas, which he achieves once he reunites with Ansem the Wise. Ienzo, Even, and Ansem later resurrect Naminé via the Replica Program.

Saïx

Voiced by: Ginpei Sato (Japanese); Kirk Thornton (English)

Saïx (サイクス, Saikusu), also known as the "Luna Diviner" (月に舞う魔人, Tsuki ni Mau Majin, lit. "Devil Dancing in the Moon"), is Xemnas' right-hand man. He has an X-shaped scar on his face and wields a claymore, and has the ability to use the power of the moon to assume a berserk state. He was originally a resident of Radiant Garden named Isa (アイザ, Aiza) and Lea's best friend, who met Ventus during the events of Birth By Sleep. During a successful attempt to sneak into the castle, they found and befriended an imprisoned girl designated "Subject X", who was being used in Ansem the Wise's experiments. Isa and Lea periodically visited Subject X and one day attempted to rescue her, but she had disappeared. Isa joined Lea in an endeavor to become apprentices to Ansem the Wise and learn what happened to Subject X, which led to Isa becoming Saïx. Saïx had Axel help him climb the Organization's ranks and become Xemnas' second-in-command in hopes of finding clues to Subject X's whereabouts. However, his cold and ruthless personality as a Nobody and obsession with restoring himself as a complete being strained his friendship with Axel. Furthermore, Saïx grew jealous of Axel's friendship with Roxas and Xion, and saw it as an act of betrayal against him and Subject X, as he came to believe Axel had abandoned them.

In 358/2 Days, Saïx assigns missions to other Organization members and Xemnas tasks him with overseeing the progress of Xion, whom Saïx disregards as a failed experiment. He conspires with Axel to gain leverage over Xemnas by assassinating the members stationed at Castle Oblivion until Axel befriends Roxas and Xion, which causes Saïx to feel betrayed. Towards the end of the game, Saïx attacks Roxas for attempting to leave the Organization, only to lose to him. Saïx encounters Sora at various points in Kingdom Hearts II and tries to goad him into destroying more Heartless, eventually explaining his purpose in the Organization's plans to him. He also reveals that the Organization used Kairi as a hostage to further motivate Sora. At the World That Never Was, Saïx attempts to stop Kairi from escaping with Naminé, but Riku forces him to retreat. Later, Saïx draws power from the lunar form of Kingdom Hearts to fight Sora, but is defeated and fades into darkness. Saïx's death results in his return to human form in Radiant Garden, but Braig and Young Xehanort take him soon after. In Dream Drop Distance, he appears as one of Xehanort's thirteen "seekers of darkness" necessary for the creation of the χ-blade. In Kingdom Hearts III, he talks to Vexen in the Keyblade Graveyard, asking why the latter chose to give up his restored humanity and become a Nobody again. He later meets with Lea on Twilight Town's clock tower the day before the battle, where they discuss Subject X. In the Keyblade Graveyard, Saïx battles Sora's group and makes amends with Lea by confessing his feelings of jealousy and abandonment before peacefully fading away in Lea's arms. He is later restored as Isa and joins Lea, Roxas, and Xion in Twilight Town before going to Destiny Islands with them to celebrate their victory against Xehanort. Marluxia implies that Saïx is the one who invited Vexen back into the Organization, which is confirmed in Secret Report 7. In a scene with Demyx, Vexen implies that he's acting on Saïx's behalf in a shared goal for atonement, and that Roxas' revival was Saïx's idea. This is confirmed in Kingdom Hearts III Ultimania, which revealed that Saïx rejoined the Organization to make amends for the misery he had caused Axel, Roxas, and Xion.

Axel

Voiced by: Keiji Fujiwara (Japanese); Quinton Flynn (English)

Axel (アクセル, Akuseru) is the Nobody of a Radiant Garden citizen named Lea (リア, Ria). He is the Organization's resident assassin, entrusted with killing the group's traitors, and was the original Organization's number eight. He is also the best friend and mentor of Roxas, and his friendship with him enables him to re-experience human emotion as a Nobody. He is known as the "Flurry of Dancing Flames" (おどる火の風, Odoru Hi no Kaze) and uses the power of fire manipulation to emblaze his chakrams. He also commands the "Assassin" Nobodies. He frequently utters the phrase, "Got it memorized?", which he does to achieve his own ideal of immortality by living on in other's memories. Before becoming Axel, Lea was Isa's childhood friend and befriended Ventus, whose appearance Roxas emulated due to their connection to Sora, during the events of Birth By Sleep. When he and Isa snuck into the castle, they found a secret area underneath and befriended a girl who was designated "Subject X" and being used for Ansem the Wise's experiments. As Lea and Isa continued to visit Subject X, Lea was determined to save her, but when they tried to they found that she had disappeared. Lea and Isa attempted to find her by becoming apprentices to Ansem the Wise, which led to Lea becoming Axel as he and Saïx, Isa's Nobody, were inducted into the Organization. Despite this, they remained true to their intentions of finding Subject X and regaining their humanity.

Axel is one of the members that Sora encounters at Castle Oblivion in Chain of Memories, where he acts as a double agent within Marluxia and Larxene's attempted coup against the Organization. The events of 358/2 Days reveal his actions at Castle Oblivion to be part of a conspiracy with Saïx to gain leverage over the Organization, which he eventually abandons in favor of his friendship with Roxas and Xion. Upon learning of Xion's true nature as a replica created by the Organization to absorb Roxas, he reluctantly allows her to escape, resulting in Roxas's defection from the group. In Kingdom Hearts II, he is ordered to retrieve and later kill Roxas, but Roxas defeats him and merges with Sora; they reconcile despite this. He later kidnaps Kairi in an effort to lure Sora and turn him into a Heartless to reunite with Roxas. After Saïx takes Kairi on the Organization's behalf, Axel sacrifices himself to fight against a swarm of Nobodies and save Sora, apologizing for his actions as he fades away. Axel's death restores him to his human form as Lea in Dream Drop Distance, although those who were familiar with his Nobody still address him as Axel, to his grudging acceptance.

Lea sets out to find the missing Braig and Isa and helps Riku and Mickey Mouse rescue Sora from Xehanort's Organization XIII. He also reveals he had acquired a Keyblade and asked Yen Sid to teach him to use it alongside Kairi. In Kingdom Hearts III, Lea, still determined to bring back Roxas, continues his Keyblade training with Kairi. After completing his training, he is reunited with the revived Ventus before going to the clock tower in Twilight Town, where he and Saïx discuss how their involvement with Subject X led them to where they are now. The following day, Lea, Kairi, and Sora fight Saïx and an unknown Organization member at the Keyblade Graveyard. Xemnas heavily injures him and the hooded girl nearly kills him until Sora stops her and calls her Xion. Xemnas kicks them back, revealing Xion's face and causing Lea's memories of her to return. Xemnas almost kills Xion but is stopped after Roxas returns. After Sora, Roxas, and Xion defeat Saïx, Lea makes amends with him before he fades away in his arms. Now reunited with Roxas and Xion, Lea helps Sora and the others defeat Master Xehanort and close Kingdom Hearts. After Xehanort's demise, Lea, Roxas, Xion, and the revived Isa sit together on the clock tower before joining the others on Destiny Islands.

Nomura designed Lea/Axel based on a similar concept to Reno from Final Fantasy VII; he wanted to see what it would be like to have a similar character in a different role and world. In Birth by Sleep, Nomura included a scene where the protagonist Ventus—whose appearance is deliberately identical to Roxas's—encounters Axel's human counterpart, which he hoped would convey the character's importance to both newcomers and veterans of the franchise.

Demyx

Voiced by: Kenichi Suzumura (Japanese); Ryan O'Donohue (English)

Demyx (デミックス, Demikkusu) is the Organization's reconnaissance agent, who is known as the "Melodious Nocturne" (夜想のしらべ, Yasō no Shirabe). He is the Nobody of an ancient Keyblade wielder that Xehanort picked. He is easygoing and a self-professed slacker, and has a noted lack of combat skill. He wields a sitar that he uses to control water and create duplicates of himself, and commands the "Dancer" Nobodies. He is first encountered in the underworld at the Hercules-inspired world of Olympus Coliseum, where he reluctantly fights Sora to elicit a response from Roxas, who had fused with Sora. He battles Sora's party again at Hollow Bastion after they enrage him by mocking his nature as a Nobody, but is defeated and fades into darkness. He also appears in 358/2 Days, where he frequently tricks Roxas into doing his work on missions, only participating out of fear of being transformed into a Dusk. Demyx appears in Kingdom Hearts III as one of the real Organization's members, but is "benched" as a member and kept as a reserve vessel for Xehanort's heart. He later conspires with Vexen to aid in the resurrection of Roxas via the Replica Program.

Luxord

Voiced by: Jouji Nakata (Japanese); Robin Atkin Downes (English)

Luxord (ルクソード, Rukusōdo) is a courteous gambler known as the "Gambler of Fate" (運命を賭す者, Unmei o Tosu Mono) who speaks in rhetoric and gaming-related metaphors. He is the Nobody of an ancient Keyblade wielder that Xehanort picked. He controls the "Gambler" Nobodies and wields a deck of playing cards as weapons. He also has power over time, and can transform Sora into a card or gaming die. He appears before Sora's party in Kingdom Hearts II when he invades the world known as The Caribbean, using the cursed Aztec gold to produce a powerful Heartless. He later faces Sora in a timed, game-like battle at the World That Never Was and, upon being defeated, accusingly calls out to Roxas within Sora while fading away. Luxord also appears in 358/2 Days, where he accompanies Roxas on various missions to Wonderland, based on the 1951 film Alice in Wonderland. He appeared in Kingdom Hearts III as a member of Xehanort's Organization, offering his services to Davy Jones during his second invasion of the Caribbean, before his eventual defeat while giving Sora a "wild card" that might help him later. A man who resembles Luxord and has the same voice actor as him appears as the driver of Yozora's limousine in the true ending of Kingdom Hearts III's Secret Episode, but his identity is unknown.

Marluxia

Voiced by: Tatsuya Kando (COM) (Japanese), Shūichi Ikeda (Re:COM onward) (Japanese); Keith Ferguson (English)

Marluxia (マールーシャ, Mārūsha), also known as the "Graceful Assassin" (優雅なる凶刃, Yūga-naru Kyōjin, lit. "Graceful Assassin's Blade"), wields a scythe and has the power of flowers, attacking with flurries of petals and energy-based attacks. He also commands the "Reaper" Nobodies. He is the Nobody of Lauriam (ラーリアム, Rāriamu), an ancient Keyblade wielder who was a member of the Dandelions during the events of Union χ; hints of his former self manifested in him unconsciously naming his scythe after his younger sister Strelitzia. Despite being one of the Organization's newer members, he is given lordship of Castle Oblivion in recognition of his profound abilities, where he serves as the main antagonist of Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories.

Plotting to use Sora and Naminé to overthrow the Organization, he lures the former to Castle Oblivion and gives him a set of cards to fight with, allowing Naminé to manipulate his memories and enslave him. He collaborates with fellow members Larxene and Axel, assigning the latter with eliminating Vexen to prevent him from revealing Marluxia's plan to Sora. However, Axel ultimately betrays them by releasing Naminé. Following Larxene's death, Marluxia kidnaps Naminé and orders her to erase Sora's memories so he can rebuild Sora into his pawn, but she refuses. He battles Sora using an illusion of himself, and later while fused to a massive Nobody, but is defeated and dissolves into darkness. Marluxia makes a minor appearance in 358/2 Days, where he expresses interest in Roxas's Keyblade while training him and considers including him in his and Larxene's alliance shortly before being sent to Castle Oblivion. Marluxia returns in Kingdom Hearts III as one of Xehanort's vessels, reintroducing himself to Sora as a member of the Organization due to him having no memory of him, and also targets Rapunzel. After Sora defeats him in the Keyblade Graveyard, Marluxia begins regaining his emotions and memories and thanks Sora before fading away.

Larxene

Voiced by: Rieko Katayama (COM) (Japanese), Yūko Miyamura (Re:COM onward) (Japanese); Shanelle Workman (English)

Larxene (ラクシーヌ, Rakushīnu), also known as the "Savage Nymph" (非情の妖姫, Hijō no Yōki, lit. "Callous Vixen"), is a ruthless and sadistic member of the Organization who wields a set of knives and the power of lightning; she also commands the "Ninja" Nobodies. She is the Nobody of Elrena (エルレナ, Erurena), an ancient Keyblade wielder and a member of the Dandelions who knew Strelitzia and Lauriam during the events of Union χ. Larxene first appears in Chain of Memories as Marluxia's co-conspirator for control of the Organization, helping to manipulate Sora's memories by causing him to remember Naminé's name. After she discovers Axel's betrayal and that Marluxia's plans have fallen apart, she decides to reveal her and Marluxia's plans to Sora with the intention of killing him. However, Donald and Goofy arrive to assist Sora, and the three defeat her, who then fades into darkness. She makes a minor appearance in 358/2 Days as a tutor of Roxas, whom she refuses to include in her and Marluxia's alliance out of frustration with his lack of experience. She returns in Kingdom Hearts III, serving as one of Xehanort's vessels while targeting Elsa and confirming that both she and Anna are among the New Seven Hearts. Sora ultimately defeats her along with Luxord and Marluxia, and she claims to have gotten involved with the Organization because she was "just along for the ride" with someone, but doesn't reveal who.

Roxas

Voiced by: Kōki Uchiyama (Japanese); Jesse McCartney (English)

Roxas (ロクサス, Rokusasu) is Sora's Nobody, the Organization's thirteenth member, and commander of the "Samurai" Nobodies, bearing the title of "Key of Destiny" (めぐりあう鍵, Meguriau Kagi, lit. "Serendipitous Key"). He is born during the events of the first game, when Sora becomes a Heartless to restore Kairi's heart. He possesses the ability to wield a Keyblade, for which he is inducted into the Organization to further their goal of collecting hearts until he decides to abandon the Organization to discover his origins. He is the main player-controlled character of Kingdom Hearts II's prologue and is the main protagonist of Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, which further explores his membership in the Organization up until the events of Kingdom Hearts II.

Xion

Voiced by: Risa Uchida (Japanese); Alyson Stoner (Days, KH1.5, KHIII) (English), Hayden Panettiere (BBS, KH3D) (English)

Xion (シオン, Shion) is the de facto fourteenth member of Organization XIII, who is introduced in 358/2 Days as a featureless, hooded figure who comes to form her own identity during her time spent working alongside Roxas. The two bond over their similarities, such as lacking memories of their past lives and having the ability to wield a Keyblade. She eventually comes to forge a strong friendship with Roxas and Axel. After Riku makes her question her own existence, Xion discovers that she is a Replica—an artificial human—designed to absorb Sora's scattered memories following the events of Chain of Memories and duplicate Roxas's powers as a fail-safe for the Organization's plan, and is not counted as an official member of the Organization. Her physical appearance differs among those who see her, with her most prominent form resembling Kairi, who embodies Sora's most precious memories. Because her existence prevents Sora from awakening, Xion is initially torn between staying with her friends and merging with Sora, but she chooses to sacrifice herself when she begins draining Roxas's power. However, she is recaptured and forced to fight Roxas to absorb him and become a perfect copy of Sora. After Roxas defeats her, she asks him to release the stolen hearts from Kingdom Hearts before returning to Sora, erasing all memory of her from those she has encountered. She makes minor appearances in Birth by Sleep, Coded, and Dream Drop Distance, showing her to still exist within Sora's heart.

In Kingdom Hearts III, Vexen revives Xion through his Replica Program as the final member of the real Organization XIII. Lea slowly begins to recall his friendship with Xion through his interactions with Kairi. She participates in the second Keyblade War against the Guardians of Light, and despite being initially complacent in aiding Xemnas, she finds herself unable to harm Lea. She sides with Sora upon Roxas' revival and reunites with her friends. Following Xehanort's defeat, Xion befriends Hayner, Pence, Olette, and Isa, and is present on Destiny Islands when Sora fades from existence.

Xion was conceptualized during development of Kingdom Hearts II, in which the staff wanted to explain the reason why Roxas left Organization XIII. Additionally, the staff wanted to create a new member from the cartel, but once who had a different nature from the other members. Xion's name was coined by Tomoko Kanemaki, one of the scenario writers for 358/2 Days and the author of the Kingdom Hearts novel series. Tetsuya Nomura took a liking to the name, noting that it corresponds to the Japanese words for "tide" (潮, shio), fitting the oceanic naming theme of Kairi and Naminé, and Aster tataricus (紫苑, shion) which, according to Japanese floriography, means "I won't forget you" or "remembrance". It is also revealed within the game's "Secret Reports" that her name is an anagram of "No. i" and the letter X, the former being an imaginary unit.

Reception

The obscure nature of the Organization's activities throughout Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories and Kingdom Hearts II led reviewers to describe them as an "ominous" group that "seems to be intent on guiding Sora and his friends to accomplish some dark purpose". Similarly, Rice Burner of GamePro emphasizes this plot when reviewing the group's debut, noting how the "strange inhabitants of the castle trap our heroes" and "force Sora on a ponderous journey into his own memories to face his subconscious thoughts and fears". This mysterious perception is furthered by the fact that some members of Organization XIII present themselves as dark silhouettes with their faces covered, acting as an "enigmatic robed and cowled figure speaking in riddles". The questions surrounding the groups motivation and purpose have created great curiosity among players; Andrew Reiner of Game Informer included "What secret lies behind Organization XIII?" as one of the main questions that are answered and that serve as plot devices in Kingdom Hearts II, creating situations that "certainly give you shivers and make your heart leap". Visually, the artwork of Organization XIII's members is based more on the styles of Final Fantasy rather than those of Disney. Bethany Massimilla of GameSpot referred to their models as "very much cut from the Final Fantasy spiky-haired cloth".

Individually, the members of Organization XIII have received varied receptions. Jeff Haynes of IGN felt that Roxas was a "likable kid", and Rob Fahey of Eurogamer concurred, calling him a "likeable enough young chap who just happens to be troubled by memories and visions of people he doesn't even know". His playable involvement in the game was regarded as a transitional arc, being used to introduce the gameplay to players that are new to the franchise. Fahey also considered it a good introduction, as it lets the player become familiar with the basic elements in a manner that "isn't a bad way at all of setting the scene for the game". However, Reiner emphasizes his role as a "troubled boy", calling his story arc "an amazing chain of events", particularly noting that the revelation of his nature as a Nobody creates a "devilish yet remarkable plot twist" which may impact the player in a way that he "may not want Sora back". The introduction of Xion in trailers for Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, created expectation, particularly based on the facts that her face could not be distinguished and that she wields a keyblade. In the 2009 Nintendo Power Awards, the magazine's readers voted Xion the "Best New Character" of the year. GameSpot's Kevin VanOrd noted in a preview of Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, that Xigbar's ranged magic proved helpful while fighting as an ally along Roxas.