Many fans of the Kingdom Hearts series were devastated to learn the Dark Road mobile game was shutting down. Only a small portion of Xehanort's origin story had been divulged, leaving fans to wonder if they would ever get the chance to fully experience it since the Dark Seeker Saga had reached its conclusion.

Thankfully, the Kingdom Hearts 20th-anniversary event revealed that an offline version of Dark Road was scheduled to release in August 2022. The entire story was released in one update, allowing fans to finally discover why Xehanort became what he did. Though Dark Road isn't as visually impressive as other entries, it contains some of the most important events in the entire series.

8 Xehanort Finds Ventus

It was never made clear how Xehanort came across Ventus before the events of Birth By Sleep, but Dark Road chose to finally reveal how they crossed paths. As a boy, Xehanort stumbled upon a magic mirror capable of answering any questions asked of it and chose to seek guidance from it again many years later.

Before leaving Destiny Island to explore the outside worlds, Xehanort would dream about the characters from Union X [Cross]. Unsure if they were real or not, he sought to ask the magic mirror for assistance in finding them. The mirror informed him that Ventus could be found "Amongst an ocean of keys on a vast barren land," prompting Xehanort to investigate the Keyblade Graveyard.

7 The Fear Of True Darkness

Before becoming Keyblade Masters, Xehanort and Eraqus were mentored by a mysterious man named Odin. Though series director Tetsuya Nomura usually adds more questions than answers to most of Kingdom Hearts, Odin revealed a great deal about the new threat Sora will likely face in the future.

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Fans of the series will already know that some Heartless originated from the Realm of Darkness, while others were created as a result of Ansem the Wise's research. Odin, however, disclosed the true source of the Heartless. They came to be due to the presence of thirteen ancient darknesses referred to by Odin as "true darkness." They are formless entities and are thus nearly impossible to destroy, making them the greatest threat to currently exist in Kingdom Hearts.

6 The Visit To The Underworld

In an attempt to uncover more information on how the Upperclassmen met their end, Xehanort and his fellow Lowerclassmen venture to the Underworld in Olympus Coliseum. While there, they approach Hades and ask him if it is possible to communicate with those no longer among the living.

This plot point is surprisingly dark for a Kingdom Hearts game, but it seems like Donald and Goofy will be attempting the same thing in Kingdom Hearts 4 while searching for Sora. Though many of Dark Road's main characters meet their end by the climax of the game, Xehanort's trip to the Underworld revealed they can return.

5 Multiple Deaths

The lack of death in Kingdom Hearts has become something of a meme in recent years. The main antagonists of Kingdom Hearts 3 had been defeated before in previous entries, but their return made the concept of death feel somewhat hollow.

Kingdom Hearts: Dark Road, however, pulled no punches when depicting the deaths of its characters. By the end of the story, eleven of Xehanort's comrades meet their end. Though the player doesn't get much time to get to know these new characters, it is hard not to sympathize with Xehanort over the loss he feels.

4 Master Odin's Keyblades

Not many keyblade wielders can dual-wield their weapons, but Master Odin is an exception. He spends the majority of Dark Road wielding Brain's Master Keeper before eventually calling upon the Master of Master's Gazing Eye and utilizing both blades in combat.

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Dual-wielding is far from unheard of in the Kingdom Hearts series, but Odin's choice of weaponry is fascinating all the same. The Gazing Eye and the Master Keeper are two of the most powerful keyblades present in the entire series and, though little was revealed about Master Odin, his ability to wield both of these blades suggests he is one of the most powerful keyblade wielders to ever exist.

3 The Player's Second Life

The finale of Union X [Cross] implied that the player's heart was absorbed into Xehanort's after their death. This was further hinted at through Xehanort's dreams where he would witness fragments of the player's life while he slept. It was only during the finale of Dark Road that this assumption was disproved.

The player's heart was actually absorbed into the hooded figure who raised Xehanort on Destiny Island. Xehanort can sense what lies in the hearts of others, a trait that allowed him to visualize his guardian's experiences and connect to them.

2 Bragi's True Identity

When Bragi's name was revealed prior to the initial release of Dark Road, many fans assumed he would eventually reveal himself to be Luxu. As time passed, however, fans developed multiple theories regarding Luxu's next body and largely agreed that Bragi's would be too obvious.

The ending of Dark Road finally exposed the body Luxu was hiding in and, much to everyone's surprise, it was Bragi's. Given the age of Xehanort during the game, it is likely Luxu held onto this body for a few more years before taking control of the one he is more commonly known for.

1 Xehanort's True Purpose

Xehanort was brought to Destiny Island as a baby by a mysterious man in a blue cloak. The two spent many years living on the island before the robed figure passed away. During their time together, the faceless being informed Xehanort that he was a "child of destiny" that would one day prevent darkness from conquering the light.

Though Xehanort's mind became somewhat twisted on his many journeys across the universe, he dedicated his whole life to fulfilling this prophecy in any way he could. By creating thirteen vessels to house what he believed to be "true darkness," he thought he could restore peace to the world by sacrificing himself. His methods were questionable, but he never swayed from what he believed was his destiny.

Kingdom Hearts: Dark Road is available to play on Android and iOS.

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