This saga contains examples of:
- Adaptational Heroism: Larxene downplays this, but she undergoes a Redemption Equals Death after learning her actions are dishonoring Strelitzia's memories, and she drops a Friend card (that only Emerl can use) rather than an Enemy card.
- Adaptational Nice Guy:
- As much of an Insufferable Genius Vexen is, he does genuinely care about Zexion. Likewise, Zexion sees Vexen like a father. This is evidenced in Zexion's rage outburst towards Axel after Vexen's death.
Zexion: "[Vexen] was like a father for me! But you'll never understand it, since you don't have anyone that cares about you!"- While downplaying this, Larxene also borders on Adaptational Heroism (see above).
- Adapted Out: Like in the Kingdom Hearts 1 arc, Olympus was replaced by Mobius.
- Alas, Poor Villain:
- After Vexen's death, Zexion gives Axel a "The Reason You Suck" Speech, making it the case for Vexen.
- Larxene, after learning that her actions are dishonoring Strelitzia, undergoes a Redemption Equals Death, with tears in her eyes.
- Zexion only dies after lamenting to Dr. Koopa that Xemnas ruined his childhood, with only Vexen and Lexaeus caring for him anymore, and that, with their deaths, he has nothing to live for anymore.
- Per canon, Lexaeus (who feels sorry for letting Zexion down) and Repliku (whose whole existence was crappy).
- However, as Dr. Koopa lampshades in Zexion's case, Vexen, Larxene, Lexaeus and Zexion's Alas, Poor Villain moments are subversions: their "deaths" only leads to the recompletion of Even, Elrena, Aeleus and Ienzo, respectively.
- Driven to Suicide: After receiving a "The Reason You Suck" Speech, Larxene ends up committing suicide to redeem herself in Strelitzia's eyes. It's actually a subversion, as Larxene's "death" led to Elrena's completion.
- Morality Pet:
- Zexion is this for Vexen and Lexaeus, and viceversa.
- Strelitzia is this for Larxene. However, when Emerl tries to invoke this on Marluxia, it fails, only making Marluxia more vehement in turning Sora into his puppet.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: When committing suicide, Larxene is actually crying.
- Redemption Equals Death: Larxene attempts to invoke this by committing suicide just so Strelitzia won't see her as a monster. It's actually a subversion, as Larxene's "death" led to Elrena's completion.
- The Worf Effect: Kairi is a Damsel in Distress in this arc for the most part, when in the previous arc, she went toe to toe with Darth Vader. Justified since she was caught off-guard when she was kidnapped.
