Sleeping Realm Theory

The Sleeping Realm Theory is a long meta posted following the January 2019 release of Kingdom Hearts III . The theory argues that the entire plot of the game prior to its climax is taking place on a time loop, and that what the audience sees on screen is not the first time that the characters are living through the events of the game. 
The theory is presented as a Google Document that the authors and contributors have shared across various social media platforms. The document is 487 pages long (the majority of which is taken up by screenshots and GIFs) and is divided into nine sections. 
Following the introduction is an explanation of the core theory itself. Then the next three sections cover Riku and Kairi’s roles in the creation and maintaining of the loop, and the evidence for those roles. Next is a section detailing evidence for the main theory, followed by one that outlines how the themes present in the game’s Disney worlds connect with Sora’s using the Power of Waking to save everyone and break the loop. The penultimate section was added in a year later and covers further evidence introduced by the game’s Re:Mind DLC. The final section details additional oddities and other details that point to the idea that something suspicious is happening in Kingdom Hearts III that aren’t directly connected to the core theory. 
Two years after the theory’s publication, co-author Niku partnered with Twitch streamer AuroraPeachy to do a series of livestreams in which they read through the document, explaining the details of the theory in full and discussing behind the scenes details of how the theory was conceived and developed, as well as the ways in which it's been updated since its initial posting. 
Detractors insist that the theory was Jossed by the game’s Re:Mind DLC a fan celebrating the "death" of the theory, and other fans believe it to have been otherwise disproven. However, the theory’s authors and supporters have argued that nothing presented in the new content contradicts the core ideas of the theory. 
==Topics Discussed==
* How Kingdom Hearts III misdirects the audience’s attention in order to challenge players to look beyond their first impressions and test their knowledge of the series thus far. 
* The mechanics of how the time loop would work within the scope of currently known Kingdom Hearts lore.
* The precedent that plot points in previous titles have established for the theory's main ideas. 
* The details of how Kairi and the Seven Princesses of Heart holding Sora’s body together as stated in the game was accomplished. 
* The Disney worlds' emphasis on self sacrifice as an act of True Love (both romantic and platonic) serving as foreshadowing for how Sora regains the Power of Waking, which he later uses to save the Guardians of Light. 
==Excerpts==
==Fandom Response==
The theory has received a variety of mixed responses ever since it was posted sleeping realm theory tag on tumblr, with multiple different opinions on the validity of the theory’s claims and its potential accuracy. 
Many fans who support the theory do so regardless of whether their first reactions to Kingdom Hearts III were positive or negative; some fans who were satisfied with Kingdom Hearts III have said that the Sleeping Realm Theory enhanced their enjoyment of the game Twitter thread detailing a fan's thoughts on the theory, while those who were initially disappointed by the game expressed that the theory gave them a new perspective on the creative team’s choices A fan talks about how the Sleeping Realm Theory made them understand the game's choice of Disney worlds. Others have also talked about how the theory helped give them a deeper appreciation of previous games by encouraging them to look more closely at how information is presented in past titles Twitter thread discussing how the Sleeping Realm Theory helped a fan better understand Dream Drop Distance. 
Kairi’s limited role in the on-screen plot of Kingdom Hearts III was widely criticized for not following through with the potential for her to become a more active Keyblade Wielder as had been teased in the Secret Ending of Dream Drop Distance. Her most prominent scenes in the game involved her being captured by Xehanort for the second time in the series and fridged shortly afterwards. Many supporters of the Sleeping Realm Theory have praised the theory’s outline of Kairi’s role in the time loop for adding substance Tweet talking about how some fans only started to like Kairi because of the Sleeping Realm Theory and meaning to her limited screen time
A Twitter thread about how the Sleeping Realm Theory adds to Kairi's arc .
Some fans who don’t necessarily agree with the theory as a whole still feel that certain elements of it hold up and may have some truth to them A tweet expressing that elements of the theory still hold water, and many who are not wholly for or against the theory have expressed that many of the ideas presented make sense A twitter thread where a fan states that they don't usually like elaborate fan theories but the Sleeping Realm Theory's arguments make sense. 
The theory has been criticized by fans of various positions for its emphasis on so many tiny details
Tweet criticizing the theory for emphasizing small details too much, to which supporters have responded by pointing out that the series has a history of using seemingly inconsequential details to foreshadow later reveals, citing the fact that the symbols on Sora and Riku’s new outfits in ‘’Dream Drop Distance’’ turned out to be a major part of the plot and had not been added solely for the sake of aesthetics. 
Fans both for and against the theory have at sometimes posted what they feel to be alternate explanations for certain details that they disagree are evidence of the theory an alternate explanation of certain details highlighted in the theory. Others fans, whether they agree with the theory or not, have expressed that the time, effort, and passion that the theory’s contributors put into the project is something commendable regardless of whether or not the arguments are ultimately correct Tweets admiring the passion of the theory contributorsTweet recommending the theory as an interesting read even if they don't agree with it.
Many detractors who are actively opposed to the theory claim that it argues the plot of Kingdom Hearts III was all a dream and the events of the game didn’t really happen, based on the role that the Realm of Sleep plays in the mechanics of the proposed time loop posts tagged #liz debunks the sr theory on a fan's tumblr. 
Much of the discourse surrounding the theory stems from the fact that most (if not all) of the contributors and many of the theory’s most vocal supporters ship Sora with Riku. The theory emphasizes Sora and Riku’s connection as a key component of how the time loop was achieved, and specifically uses the word “love” to refer to that bond. 
Some fans, both those who agree with the theory and those who don’t, feel that the theory document spends more time focusing on Sora and Riku’s connection than its central premise.tweet criticizing how of the document is spent talking about Sora & Riku Other fans have said that the Sleeping Realm Theory presented interesting ideas independent of any shipping implications a twitter thread by spinaccc detailing their thoughts on the theory, or expressed they still agree with many of the theory’s ideas despite its perceived emphasis on shipping tweet saying that the theory makes sense despite shipping-related criticism. 
Fans who support the theory, whether involved in shipping SoRiku or not, have pointed out that theory does not make any explicit claim that the love between Sora and Riku is romantic.tweet saying that the theory never specifically states that Sora and Riku love each other romantically 
However, the theory, its authors, and supporters still receive repeated criticism and flames based on the assumption that the theory is an attempt to prove that SoRiku will be canon tweet claiming the theory argues SoRiku is canon. Various camps of detractors accuse the authors and supporters of tinhatting, with a few going as far as to compare the theory to The Johnlock Conspiracy.A tumblr post comparing the Sleeping Realm Theory to The Johnlock Conspiracya twitter thread comparing the Sleeping Realm Theory to The Johnlock Conspiracy 
Others accuse the theory of being disrespectful of the story and the creative team’s work.twitter replies calling the theory disrespectful to the developers, arguing that the theory is trying to Retcon Sora and Kairi’s relationship, or that it’s saying Sora is weak twitter thread with a link to a post the user feels summarizes their problems with the Sleeping Realm Theory followed by further commentary
Several haters accuse the theory and its supporters of being misogynist for apparently minimizing Kairi’s already limited role in the game’s plot tweets saying that the theory writes Kairi's role to be even more minimal than it is in the game, or for allegedly claiming that she’s “secretly evil”.tweet claiming that the Sleeping Realm Theory argues that Kairi is secretly evil 
Detractors who criticize the theory based on shipping have been accused of homphobia for rejecting the theory because of its use the word “love” to refer to Sora and Riku, 
tweet complaining that heterosexual KH fans will accept any theory right up until the point where love is mentioned or because it was written by SoRiku shippers Twitter thread complaining about people writing off the theory because it was made by SoRiku shippers. Defenders of the theory also argue that this type of widespread criticism hardly ever occurs with theories written by fans of Sora/Kairi or those that treat Sora/Kairi as endgame.
Many detractors, whether motivated by shipping or not, have accused contributors and supporters of harassing anyone who doesn’t agree with them. Fans supporting the theory and those not openly involved in the shipping debate argue that these accusations are being made without proof, or that screenshots detractors have presented as proof do not depict what the detractors claim they do tweet offering screenshots as evidence of harassmentreplies saying that the images do not show evidence of the behavior described. Others have argued that even if fans of the theory are harassing anyone who disagrees, the authors are not at fault for how people who enjoy their work behave tweet defending the theory authors.
Some fans who disagree with the theory have written their own analyses to discredit many of the core concepts of the document, and some actively wish for future installments to harshly and definitively prove it wrong Tweet wishing for the violent death of the Sleeping Realm Theory. 
Several critical responses have been written with the aim of disproving the theory, outlining details in the series that detractors say contradict the evidence it presents and declaring the theory debunked by their responsesTweet declaring the theory debunked. Supporters of the theory argue that these responses are nitpicking over details and do nothing to challenge the core concepts of the theory,
tweet by @wombat_KH. Other supporters point out that core parts of the theory still make sense even when accounting for details that are believed to have been proven wrong Twitter thread discussing an aspect of the theory that was apparently proven incorrect.
In response to critics declaring that interviews with series creator Tetsuya Nomura have debunked the theory, supporters have argued that nothing in the interview contradicts any of the core ideas Tweet regarding claims the theory was debunked by the KH3 Ultimania. 
Because of the accusations of being a shipping based theory and the view that the theory is claiming the events of the game never happened, supporters of the theory accuse critics of attacking a preconceived idea of what it is rather than the content of the theory itself Tweet complaining that arguments against the theory aren't talking about the theory itself. 
Some detractors not openly motivated by shipping, particularly those in gamer communities, insist that the game simply isn’t that deep Twitter thready saying it's not that deep, and that the connections made by the theory don’t mean anythingTweet saying that a lot of evidence put forward by the theory was interesting but not concrete. These fans see the theory as a refusal to accept the view that series creator Tetsuya Nomura doesn’t know what he’s doing Tweet criticizing the theory's attempts to find a hidden meaning in the game's story choices, or as a means of finding closure with disappointment after Kingdom Hearts III failed to live up to its hype Twitter thread comparing the Sleeping Realm Theory to Mass Effect 3's Indoctrination Theory. 
This mentality has been criticized by fans of the theory a thread complaining about fans saying supporters of the theory are over-analyzing the game, with people pointing out that Nomura specifically said that he had hidden clues throughout Kingdom Hearts III, thereby encouraging fans to look through the game for signs of a deeper mystery Twitter thread criticizing fans comparing the Sleeping Realm Theory to Mass Effect 3's Indoctrination Theory. 
Regardless of their positions on the document itself, many fans have criticized the people bashing the theory and its supporters for spending so being so bitter and angry about a theory Tweet criticizing people for being angry at a theory, with some saying that it is hypocritical that the fans getting angry over the theory are the ones complaining about there being too much negativity in the fandom Twitter thread talking about the hate the theory receives. 
==Further reading and additional resources==
* Sleeping Realm Theory tag on tumblr
* Niku & AuroraPeachy’s Livestream: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4
* A Reddit Thread discussing the Sleeping Realm Theory
* An article by Otaquest about the theory and the responses to it, including an interview with the theory's authors
* #liz debunks the sr theory by bluerosesburnblue (2019)partial WBM archive, partial WBM archive
* A Forum Thread on KHInsider discussing the Sleeping Realm Theory
==References==
Category:Kingdom Hearts
Category:Meta Essays
Category:2019 Meta
Category:Fan Theories