Kingdom Hearts III Maleficent in Kingdom Hearts 3

@Rik and I got into an interesting conversation about this and I thought it'd be fun to pull out for all of us to speculate on!

I'm very hopeful that Maleficent will play a big role in Kingdom Hearts 3, despite Master Xehanort almost definitely being the main baddie for the game. She's really just the quintessential Disney villain, to me, and that's something I noticed when I recently visited Disney World. For a lot of their shows (Fantasmic, the Castle shows, parades, etc.), Maleficent was featured prominently if not made out to be the main villain. Fantasmic in particular had a very KH-esque plot, when Maleficent conspires with other famous Disney villains to turn Mickey's dreams into a nightmare. She's bonkers and over-the-top and a really nice contrast to the pure evil of Xehanort.

Kingdom Hearts 2 left Maleficent in a position to return, of course, and she clearly still has a role in the series after Coded. Let's not forget that she would have been left to rest after the first game if not for a fan vote bringing her back in Kingdom Hearts 2!

Finally, I think the recent Angelina Jolie flick (which I've not seen yet but I know what it's about) could make Maleficent a more sympathetic character if sourced in Kingdom Hearts 3, and end in a potential team up between her and Sora & co. to take down Xehanort; sort of an "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" situation.

So basically, I want to know if others are with us! Do you think Maleficent is done in the series (or, just as importantly, do you want her done in the series)? Or does she still have a role to play, and what sort of role will that be?

 

I like the comparison to Lucius Malfoy (not just because I'm an HP fan)! After Kingdom Hearts, at least, I think Maleficent is a mostly self-serving character. She has her own, individual interests and motivations that she's loyal to and darkness is her tool of choice, but I ultimately think she's loyal first to herself and then to the darkness. That's very similar to the Malfoys, who align themselves with Voldemort as their interests overlap, but when that changes, they're going to follow first their loyalty to themselves and their families. I don't think she's setting her sights on some higher purpose, like Xehanort, and that sort of removes her as the main villain.

 

I think that there still is a lot to explore with Maleficent as a character, but I don't think it would be possible to incorporate the live-action film portrayal into the Kingdom Hearts Universe. Now, full disclosure: I don't like the film. I think it's very pretty, Jolie does well with the material that she is given, but the story it is telling is very bland and, honestly, not that good.

All that being said, I don't think that the film version of Maleficent would work with the one that is in the Kingdom Hearts Universe. Maleficent in the games is a very unforgiving character at times. She claims herself to be the "Mistress of all Evil". She is not all that sympathetic, especially when it comes with her brief appearance in Birth By Sleep.

The film portrays Maleficent as someone who isn't evil but "scorned by love". She does bad things, but puts things right at the end. It's trying to do Wicked, but in a very bland way.

Below is my biggest reason why it doesn't work, but it goes into spoiling the movie.

Spoiler

Now, it can be argued that Sleeping Beauty is one person’s side of the story while Maleficent is her side of it. In Maleficent, she bonds with Auroa over the years and learns to love her. She wants to reverse the curse, meaning that she feels remorse for the actions she has done. Now, we see in Terra’s point-of-view in Birth By Sleep that Maleficent wants Auroa’s heart and forces Terra to take it. We see it all play out right there; she does not care for Aurora’s safety one bit and just wants to use her heart. Terra knows nothing about the goings on in this world, so he is a completely objective point of view in all of this; meaning, no his-side/her-side.

 

Maleficent went apeshit in Sleeping Beauty mostly because she wasn't invited to Aurora's Christening and felt that was bad manners. If that isn't some badass villain camp, I don't know what is. I love it.

 

Now, hold on a minute here. Incorporation. What happens to Maleficent in Jolie's admittedly bland version that betrays the Walt Disney Classic version? She is used and her wings are severed. In Kingdom Hearts she is... used. By Xehanort. He makes for a much better place-setter for the "Stefan" character than this guy screwing this guy over.

There was already a parallel from the time Xehanort/Ansem/Whater Riku called her a puppet. She was Jolie's Maleficent before there was "Maleficent". Just... please don't do what Infinity did and remodel the character for KH3. I can't see this happening, but the Infinity thing was just... The only possible perk is if Jennifer Aniston does a Disney movie and gets an Infinity character modeled after her. That would be interesting; like a rehash of Celebrity Death Match, but tossing a tiny Buzz Lightyear around while riding Elephant Abu.

EDIT: I glanced over the point. The parallel exists. It's within reason for Maleficent to help Sora out. Either out of political interest (You can't rule the world; she's gonna) or by sheer revenge on the individual who used her. Maleficent is not one to be used, understood Mistress of All Evil or misunderstood, vindicated magical warrior.

 

Perfect comparison. Couldn't have explained it much better than referencing that character arc.

 

I think Maleficent will be in KH3 because they kind of foreshadowed that in DDD.

I would be very disappointed if they tried to incorporate the Angelina Jolie movie. I kind of liked the overall movie myself, but it just was not Maleficent. They changed too much about the oirignal character and as a character, I prefer the original version.

 

That was really my thinking, yeah! Even though Xehanort and her are theoretically on the same side, they obviously have very different goals and Maleficent isn't one to let someone else take control. I like the idea of revenge for Maleficent, too.

This alone is a great point. As the larger plot of the series grows stronger in preparation for its conclusion, I do feel Disney has, and will continue to, fall to the way side, despite it being a big part and draw of the games. Maintaining the pre-established, strong Disney presences like Maleficent keeps Disney alive and relevant in the games.

As I think I mentioned in the OP, I haven't seen the new Maleficent film, so I can't say with complete conviction that I want it adapted in Kingdom Hearts 3. I'm always one for giving characters tragic backstories and making villains more rounded, but perhaps you guys are right -- Maleficent is a strong character as her usual bonkers, straight up evil, original incarnation. Not to mention it would be a big turnaround, I imagine, to write all of this new material into the series given her big presence in past titles.

This is an interesting connection! Perhaps it's the key to the Sora & Maleficent team-up we've been discussing -- they join forces to find the Book of Prophecies before Xehanort can. When Sora & co. secure it, Maleficent will inevitably want it for herself and try to run off with it, but Xehanort stops her / takes her out before she can make her grand escape.

 

Ha! You're being very generous to describe my ramblings as 'an interesting conversation'.

I think there's been enough foreshadowing in the latest two games to be pretty sure she'll come back. I just hope she's been written in from the beginning this time, and not hastily added with nothing to do like in KH2.

Every time she shows up in the game and does her crazy cackling I'm super happy and it always reminds me of how much more fun a villain she is than the dozens of bland spiky haired men we're constantly getting offered. I hope she gets to camp it up in KH3.

 

She'll totally be in 3. Remember that awesome setup at the end of 2 where she starts planning to take the nobody castle?
wait what was the status of that in DDD? Did they totally forget that or has that just not been addressed yet? I don't remember what was real and what wasn't.

 

I personally hope that she has as big a role, if not bigger, then the one she had in the original Kingdom Hearts. I've wanted that since the sad role she was relegated to in Kingdom Hearts II. I mean guys, come on, those TNBC scenes... painful, painful... painful, to watch! "shudders" It's time she made her move. We know she seeks the BOP and I think she will need more then just "Dear Pete" to get her hands on it. So I am thinking a re-gathering of the Disney Villains, countering Sora and Xehanort for the end goal of obtaining the BOP. Or heck, maybe working with good old Xehanort. I mean, she does speak well of him...

 

I think that was just Maleficent being Maleficent and saying something very Maleficent-y. I think her real goal was just to stop the wave of Heartless and allow Sora and co. to take out Xemnas. If DDD sheds any light on the matter, I'd say it confirms that TWTNW is Xehanort and the New Organization's territory. At least for now.