i've got mother's smile

A sigil is a symbol you create with the intention of changing your reality in accordance with your will. All sigils are encoded with a specific purpose, for example, to attract a romantic partner, to set strong boundaries, to be more financially prosperous – the possibilities are limitless. While sigils were used in the past to symbolize and conjure up spirits, these days, sigils are used in a personal way to symbolically represent and manifest our own desires.

The Recusant’s Sigil is based on Greek letter chi. In Kingdom Hearts lore, the meaning is “death” and “endings”. But it’s not just a letter. It’s a magic symbol.  

The Recusant’s Sigil (異端の印 Itan no shirushi, lit. “Mark of heresy”) is a symbol designed by Xehanort to represent the rejection of a Nobody from his original persona. It is incorporated into the new names of each of the original members of Organization XIII, and is derived from Xehanort’s sleeping memories of the χ-blade.

It was placed in each member’s name to represent the rejection of their original self. Since each member was to become a vessel for Xehanort’s heart and mind, the original persona needed to die.

Sigils are essentially like little seeds that are planted within the unconscious mind. Many things enter the depths of our minds, but not all of them are placed there intentionally or take root. The symbolic nature of the sigil also helps bypass the rational (skeptical) mind and enter the unconscious where possibilities are endless.

This might be why a simple symbol on Sora’s clothing had such a powerful effect on him. The “X” was on the clothing of Terra, Aqua, and Ven and also Riku in KH1.  

What gives sigils their power is the energy and intention behind them – and that is what helps them to sprout and blossom into manifestation. They are activated by meditation.      

This is probably why Sora’s Nobody (who, according to Nomura, was born with Ventus’s heart) was made to stare at the Recusant’s Sigil when he was given his new identity as “Roxas,” an anagram of “Sora” with an “X”. It was to subconsciously program him to stay unaware. 

that's the thing THAT'S THE THING

so like, immediately throwing roxas at axel? that's saïx's idea of a joke. haha remember when we were kids? (remember when we were friends?)

saïx is protective of roxas for the exact same reason axel is; roxas reminds them of a time when they were happy. so axel buddying up with roxas after work? that's understandable. hell, it's predicable (what is it with you and picking up stray puppies?)

for a while i think saïx was planning to use roxas to close the rift that had gradually formed between him and axel. it would only require some light string-pulling, and he held most of the strings in the organization. there may have even been an alliance for all three of them in their future, if he played his cards right. it would be the perfect opportunity, the perfect machination.

but then comes xion. number "xiv," though saïx didn't see what made this unit any more deserving of a number than the rest. it looked like all the other replicas and demonstrated only the barest veneer of sapience. until it managed to summon a keyblade, it may as well have been a rock in saïx's boot, a footnote in the schedule he was in charge of.

but for some reason, axel and roxas seemed to fucking love it. at first, he just watched them in bemusement out of the corner of his eye, when they thought he was preoccupied. saïx has seen dozens of these puppets by this point, so while they're old news to him, he can understand a certain degree of...novelty.

but as the weeks wear on and the three of them only appear to become closer, his patience turns to frustration. they talk and laugh and scheme and prod each other like old friends, and in the background of their lives saïx seethes in anger jealousy loneliness regret hatred.