moreaffectionthanyouknow:

something that I’ve always really liked about DDD is how it never shames Sora for his self-confidence. like, a classic narrative might put Sora’s excitement to take the Mark of Mastery Exam as his downfall, especially next to humble (/self-loathing) Riku. But Sora doesn’t fail because he overestimated his own abilities. He just wasn’t in a place, circumstantially or emotionally, to pass and the game makes it clear that this is okay. everyone can progress at their own pace and, as demonstrated my Sora’s genuine happiness for Riku, one person’s success doesn’t necessitate a rival’s failure. Sora’s confidence doesn’t hold him back, it lets him believe in himself and in future growth.

idk I also just think it’s a nice inversion of the BBS beginning where Aqua and Terra are quite literally pitted against one another in their exam. Eraqus, in trying to preserve the old order of keyblade masters, replicates a lot of their failings, namely the divisions and rivalries that screw up the Foretellers. 

in contrast, Yen Sid (in forming the Guardians) clearly plays by his own rules (e.g., trusting Lea enough to take him in and even magically speed up his training, conducting the Mark of Mastery through the Sleeping Worlds instead of a controlled environment). It’s unorthodox, but it works, and it thrives on seeking reparations for past harm. This is so unlike BBS and KHUX, in which the good guys protect the light by mistrusting and watch-dogging the darkness in each another. Now Riku, the posterboy for struggling with inner darkness, is taking the new order in its first steps forward, not by covering up his own missteps, as Terra was prone to do, but by embracing his weaknesses and turning them into strengths. anyway this is rambly but I hope that as they continue to fill the Guardians’ ranks, they continue to do so with the spirit of unity and empathy that’s always been at the heart of the series.