The Kingdom Hearts series is chock-full of a variety of properties and franchises. At its core, it's a simple Final Fantasy story that takes place in a variety of different Disney worlds. Most of its original characters work together to progress the narrative, but some Final Fantasy characters show up to lend a helping hand.
Kingdom Hearts doesn't necessarily need Final Fantasy characters to tell its stories, but some fans have come to associate certain characters as key players in the overarching story. Conveniently, these characters can be repurposed and altered to suit the narrative they are placed in.
10 Creating A Cactuar (Kingdom Hearts 3)
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Though the base game of Kingdom Hearts 3 was mostly void of Final Fantasy characters, Sora's journey to the Toy Box world featured a subtle nod to one of the franchise's mascots: the Cactuar. Buzz gets captured by Young Xehanort, leaving Sora to come up with a way to free him.
He is told that a Dark Corridor has popped up in a vent in the Babies and Toddlers store, so he sets off to find a way to reach it. He uses the Giga mechs to move three separate collections of green blocks to create a means of ascending, resulting in the formation of a Cactuar.
9 Seifer's Ridiculous Insult (Kingdom Hearts 2)
Final Fantasy 8 set Seifer as a villain and, though Kingdom Hearts 2 does something similar, the end result is much more charming. Where Seifer became one of humanity's greatest threats in Final Fantasy 8, his depiction in Kingdom Hearts 2 aims to portray him as nothing more than a common bully.
Fans of the Kingdom Hearts series will likely come to form a dislike for Seifer, but it's hard to deny how charming he is, especially when his insults are worded so poorly. While attempting to reclaim a photo from Roxas, Seifer states that the photo was "undeniable proof that we totally owned you lamers." This line has become something of a meme in the Kingdom Hearts community due to how absurd it is.
8 The Battle Against Tidus, Wakka, & Selphie (Kingdom Hearts)
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Before leaving to explore the outside worlds, Sora lived a peaceful life among his friends on Destiny Island. Riku and Kairi were by far his closest companions, but he also spent time with Tidus and Wakka from Final Fantasy 10 and Selphie from Final Fantasy 8.
Sora spent most of his days on Destiny Island playing with his friends and would sometimes even challenge them to a friendly competition. If the player wishes, they can fight all three Final Fantasy characters at the same time, but it can be surprisingly difficult at this point of the game.
7 Tifa's Search For Cloud (Kingdom Hearts 2)
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Cloud spends the majority of Kingdom Hearts 2 attempting to distance himself from those who care for him. He believes that his connection with Sephiroth would put the lives of his friends at risk, so he instead tries to isolate himself.
Tifa, however, has no intention of letting Cloud hide. She is first introduced when Sora reaches Ansem's office where she asks Sora if he has seen anyone with spiky hair. Sora, confused, responds by grabbing a spike of his own hair and pulling on it. It's a very charming moment, but it gets better when Tifa punches a wall in frustration after failing to locate Cloud and his spiky hair.
6 The Struggle Against Setzer (Kingdom Hearts 2)
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Setzer was a protagonist in Final Fantasy 6, but Kingdom Hearts 2 aimed to portray him as a minor antagonist. His role in this game was to act as a corrupt Struggle Champion who gained his title by convincing other Struggle contestants to throw their matches with him.
Setzer was always a bit of a loose canon in terms of his personality, so his role in Kingdom Hearts 2 suits him. As a gambler, why wouldn't he want to ensure his victory through questionable means? What's interesting about this battle is that Roxas doesn't need to win to progress of the story, so if the player wishes they can accept Setzer's plea and forfeit the match on purpose.
5 Sora's Battle Against Leon (Kingdom Hearts)
Sora wakes up in Traverse Town after his home is engulfed by darkness. He meets Cid in the Accessory Shop who explains to him that Traverse Town is unique in that it acts as a home for all those who lost their worlds. Sora, still struggling to accept what happened, explores the town in search of answers.
His quest for knowledge leads him to Leon, Final Fantasy 8's main protagonist. Leon asks Sora to hand over the Keyblade to which Sora refuses. As a result of this, Leon draws his iconic gunblade and attacks Sora. The battle with Leon is quite difficult but thankfully, it doesn't need to be won to progress the story.
4 Riku's Time With The Restoration Committee (Kingdom Hearts 3)
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Many fans were disappointed by the lack of Final Fantasy characters in Kingdom Hearts 3, but thankfully, the Re Mind DLC made up for it. The Limit Cut Episode takes place one year after the events of Kingdom Hearts 3 and focuses on Riku's quest to locate Sora.
His investigation takes him to Hollow Bastion where he meets Leon, Aerith, Cid, and Yuffie. It seems their attempts to reach Sora have failed, but Cid did manage to uncover some useful data on Organization 13. Though they were absent from the base game, they served a huge purpose in the DLC.
3 The Battle Against Sephiroth (Kingdom Hearts)
After sealing the keyhole in Hollow Bastion, Sora will get the option to partake in a new battle at Olympus Coliseum. The game doesn't explicitly state that Sephiroth is lurking in the arena, so it will likely come as a shock when he materializes before Sora.
Sephiroth is arguably the most challenging boss in the base game, with the "Platinum Match" title further confirming it. Fans of Final Fantasy 7 will be well aware of how dangerous he is, but some may never have heard have him. Those unaware, however, will quickly learn why Sephiroth should be feared upon confronting him with Sora.
2 Zack Asking Aqua On A Date (Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep)
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Ten years before the events of the original Kingdom Hearts, Aqua set off on a journey to rescue her friend, Terra, from Xehanort's clutches. One of the worlds she traveled to on her journey was Olympus where she met Zack, an aspiring hero who had only recently escaped Hades' grasp.
Aqua avenges Zack by defeating Hades in the coliseum. Before she leaves for the next world, Zack suggests they both go on a date. Aqua, visibly shocked by Zack's forwardness, says she can't commit to anything, but Zack misinterprets her words and states that they'll go on a date once he has become a hero. This exchange is iconic in that it echoes Zack's character from Crisis Core: Final Fantasy 7.
1 Auron's Resurrection (Kingdom Hearts 2)
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After failing to bend Cloud to his will, Hades, the god of the Underworld, chose to take a different approach in vanquishing Hercules. To ensure his victory, he revives Auron and offers him his freedom in exchange for bringing Hercules's life to an end.
Auron spares no time in drawing his sword and refusing Hades' request. Hades goes on to remind the Final Fantasy 10 character that he is talking to the Lord of the Dead, to which Auron replies "No wonder no one wants to die." Not many characters are brave enough to insult a god, but Auron is an exception.