Keyblades



The Keyblades are mysterious weapons that are heavily featured in the Kingdom Hearts series. Wielded by the main character, Sora, as well as a number of other important characters, the Keyblade is a main part of the battle between Darkness and Light.

Appearance
All Keyblades shown have the same distinguishing features that are modeled after a key: a guard with a handle, a hilt, and a head at the end of the shaft that resembles the teeth of a skeleton key (with the exception of Fenrir, which is instead modeled after a pin tumbler lock key). Most Keyblades also have some theme, usually a world or a person associated with that world, that will reflect in its appearance.

Each Keychain has a unique animation for when the Keyblade is summoned, and these animations usually symbolize a specific aspect of its respective Keyblade. For example, when Oblivion is summoned, a dark aura and violet sparks form around Sora's hands before the Keyblade actually appears. The particle effects that appear when the Keyblade is used to hit something also change with each Keychain. For example, the Keyblade Two Become One conjures black and white checkered crowns when a solid object is hit.

Trivia

 * In Kingdom Hearts, the Keyblade disappears until Sora starts attacking, while in Kingdom Hearts II and Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep, it reappears as soon as the player approaches an enemy. In Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, the Keyblade appears when Roxas takes damage. In the manga, Sora keeps his Keyblade behind him, strapped to his belt.
 * The Keyblade seems to appear to its chosen wielder for the first time when he/she are in some kind of danger. Examples are when Sora is being engulfed by darkness in Kingdom Hearts or when Roxas is fighting a Nobody in Kingdom Hearts II.
 * The Keyblade has been parodied in many pop culture outlets. For example, in the RoosterTeeth Production Series Red vs. Blue, one of the characters, Private Tucker, obtains a Great Weapon which is a sword that also turns out to be a key, just like the Keyblade.