What If Lea is a Seeker of Darkness?

Last week, we counted Lea as one of the potential Guardians of Light and certainly a heroic Keyblade wielder, but now let’s take a look at one of the most depressing theories to come out of Dream Drop Distance: what if Lea is a Seeker of Darkness?

Let’s look at the scene in Dream Drop Distance where Lea saves Sora.

Master Xehanort, in order to unite the 13 darknesses, sends a piece of his heart toward the final vessel, Sora. However, Lea appears just in time to block it and save him.

This theory suggests that Lea did not destroy the piece of Master Xehanort’s heart, but instead it went inside him and will eventually turn him into a vessel. So, is there any evidence for this?

1. We don’t actually see the heart get destroyed.

It certainly explodes in fire, but since the smoke obscures our view of the throne, we can’t be certain it didn’t enter Lea.

(In Birth By Sleep, Terra attempts to block Master Xehanort’s heart with his Keyblade Armor and fails, although it’s possible he didn’t put it on in time.)

2. Master Xehanort is pleased instead of disappointed.

To me, this is actually the most suspicious part of the scene. Master Xehanort is not disappointed that he failed to make Sora a vessel. Although Braig/Xigbar seems furious, Master Xehanort smirks.

The counter-argument is that he knows Isa/Saix is about to attack Lea, and it amuses him to have these two former friends pitted against each other.

(If so, he knew in advance that Isa would act, which lends support to the theory that he can exert direct control over his vessels.)

Still, Master Xehanort remains confident that the 13 darknesses will be brought together. If this was the day that the 13 were meant to unite, what if he secretly claimed Lea instead of Sora?

3. Lea suddenly gains the ability to use a Keyblade.

Partway through Dream Drop Distance, Lea goes to Yen Sid and asks for the ability to wield a Keyblade. Yen Sid agrees, but Lea is unable to make one materialize.

At the end of the game, as he’s telling Sora and Riku about it and lamenting his inability to use a Keyblade, one suddenly appears in his hand.

It’s played for humor, but is it really just coincidence that Lea can suddenly summon a Keyblade… or is it because a fragment of a Keyblade Master’s heart is now inside him?

The counter-argument here comes from an interview with Nomura in which he says “In the original scenario, we had planned to have Lea able to use the Keyblade when he ran to Sora.”

If Lea was supposed to wield a Keyblade prior to the confrontation with Master Xehanort, Xehanort’s heart can’t be responsible. On the other hand, you could argue they changed the scenario in order to make Lea a secret Seeker of Darkness.

Some fans have also suggested that the chess piece in the Kingdom Hearts III trailer usually taken to be the moon (to symbolize Isa) is actually one of Lea’s chakrams, although that’s less convincing.

Now, I don’t personally like the theory that Lea is a Seeker of Darkness. It seems a waste to bring him back as a good guy only to make him a bad guy again, especially since we already have a potentially reluctant vessel in Isa. While Lea is certainly capable of darkness, it would be surprising that Xehanort didn’t have to prepare his heart the way he prepared Sora’s (unless Isa’s attack was meant to throw him off-balance enough to let Xehanort’s heart take root), and Lea’s eyes have yet to turn yellow.

But what do you think? Did Lea accidentally become the 13th vessel of Xehanort? Will he fight alongside Isa and the Seekers of Darkness instead of the Guardians of Light? Share your thoughts on Lea in the comments below.

Tags: lea/axel, master xehanort, seekers of darkness, xehanort