Organization XIII

**Organization XIII** (XIII機関, *Jūsan Kikan*, lit. "XIII Order") is a group of thirteen powerful Nobodies led by Xemnas. They seek to reclaim their hearts and become whole again, but later games have revealed that Xehanort had ulterior motives for the group. Organization XIII, commonly known as "The Organization", are the antagonists of *Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories*and *Kingdom Hearts II*, and all are playable in *Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days*. The true Organization XIII also appears as the main antagonistic force of *Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance* and *Kingdom Hearts III*, while the original Organization XIII make appearances in flashbacks in the latter game.

## Inner Workings

### Dress Code

Each member in the Organization is dressed in the same uniform, regardless of whether they are male or female. The uniform consists of a single black leather hooded coat. It is plainly adorned with a silver zipper and seemingly pointless silver beaded pull strings for the hood that form a semi-circle in the middle. Each member wears their zippers at differing points.

Not much is known about the undergarments of the Organization. It is known, however, that they all wear hakama-esque black pants and knee-high silver trimmed boots identical to Xehanort's, with the exceptions of Roxas, who wears sneakers of the same color, and Larxene and Xion, who wear a more feminized version of the boots with heels. In addition to this, they all wear short black leather gloves that end at their wrists. Some members have different looking coats, for example, Axel and Demyx, whose sleeves are tight around their arms. Upon closer inspection, it can be seen that the hems of each coat are each slightly different, as well as the shoulder pads (such as those of Demyx and Xigbar, which seem to be slightly pointed).

Other known characters to wear the coat are King Mickey, Riku, Ansem, Seeker of Darkness, Ansem the Wise and moogles. Riku obtains his coat from DiZ and it is presumed Mickey also obtains it from him. It is unknown how DiZ or the moogles obtained them.

The reason that Organization XIII wears the Black Coat is so that when they eventually begin to regrow their hearts they will not become corrupted by the Darkness, which would allow Xemnas to keep up his lie to the rest of the organization and keep them under his control.

### Ranking

Ranks within the Organization have little to nothing to do with power. While Xehanort's Nobody, known as Xemnas, is the strongest as well as the leader, the rest fall in the order they joined. Thus, their numbered rank is not necessarily representative of their status and power within the Organization. As the group's name describes, one would assume that there are a total of thirteen members; until the announcement of *Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days*, this was true.

Besides having a numerical rank, each member also has an assigned title. The only exception to this is Xion, who is not a true member of the order. The ranks and titles are as follows:

**I. Xemnas** (**The Superior of the In-Between**): Controls Sorcerers, uses the attribute of **Nothingness** and weapons called Ethereal Blades which he himself calls Interdiction. Nobody of Master Xehanort through Terra-Xehanort's body.

**II. Xigbar** (**The Freeshooter**): Controls Snipers, uses the attribute of **Space** and Arrowguns called Sharpshooters. Nobody of Braig.

**III. Xaldin** (**The Whirlwind Lancer**): Controls Dragoons, uses the attribute of **Wind** and six Lances called Lindworm. Nobody of Dilan.

**IV. Vexen** (**The Chilly Academic**) uses the attribute of **Ice** and a Shield called Frozen Pride. Nobody of Even.

**V. Lexaeus** (**The Taciturn Stalwart**) uses the attribute of **Earth** and an Axe Sword called Skysplitter. Nobody of Aeleus.

**VI. Zexion** (**The Cloaked Schemer**) uses the attribute of **Illusion** and a Lexicon called Book of Retribution. Nobody of Ienzo.

**VII. Saïx** (**The Luna Diviner**): Controls Berserkers, uses the attribute of **Moon**and a Claymore called Lunatic. Nobody of Isa.

**VIII. Axel** (**The Flurry of Dancing Flames**): Controls Assassins, uses the attribute of **Fire** and twin Chakrams called Eternal Flames. Nobody of Lea.

**IX. Demyx** (**The Melodious Nocturne**): Controls Dancers, uses the attribute of **Water** and a Sitar called Arpeggio. Original persona unknown.

**X. Luxord** (**The Gambler of Fate**): Controls Gamblers, uses the attribute of **Time** as well as Cards called Fair Game. Original persona unknown.

**XI. Marluxia** (**The Graceful Assassin**): Controls Reapers, uses the attribute of **Flower** and a Scythe called Graceful Dahlia. Nobody of Lauriam.

**XII. Larxene** (**The Savage Nymph**): Controls Ninjas, uses the attribute of **Lightning** and eight Knives called Foudre. Nobody of Elrena.

**XIII. Roxas** (**The Key of Destiny**): Controls Samurai, uses the attribute of **Light**, and has wielded at least three distinct Keyblades; initially wields the Kingdom Key, later dual-wielding Oathkeeper/Oblivion. Nobody of Sora.

**XIV. Xion** uses the attribute of **Light**and the Kingdom Key. Presented as the fourteenth member, though not considered part of the Organization. An imperfect female Replica of Sora, created from his memories of Kairi.

Each of the titles corresponds to whichever element the particular member controls, a particular trait, or the type of weapon they have.

### Differences

There are a few major differences between the Nobodies within the Organization and the ones that Sorafrequently encounters throughout the game. The average type that Sora fights often have strange features, enhanced speed, metallic skin in shades of white, silver, and blue, and the trademark Nobody symbol (which doubles as the logo for the Organization).

The Nobodies that make up the Organization have human forms with limited special powers, revolving around thirteen different elements. One ability shared by all the members is the power to summon an oval, obsidian portal of darkness that leads to the unseen paths of darkness. These portals are known as Corridors of Darkness. The Organization makes use of the paths to move to and from worlds unseen without fear for their well-being compared to those who are attuned with darkness and still have hearts.

### Lesser Nobodies

A few select members of the Organization have control over the other, weaker Nobodies, though this is only shown in *Kingdom Hearts II* and mentioned in *Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days*. The members from *Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories* may also have had that ability; this is an unknown fact left hidden with their deaths. Like their titles, each member's lesser Nobody has some similarity to them. These lesser Nobodies are called Sorcerers, Snipers, Dragoons, Berserkers, Assassins, Dancers, Gamblers, Reapers, Ninjas, Samurai, and Dusks.

The Sorcerer Nobodies are under the command of Xemnas. They float over the ground constantly, possessing a grace much like that of Xemnas, and utilize large cubes of nothingness in several ways. They are the most powerful and rarest of the lesser Nobodies.

The Sniper Nobodies are controlled by Xigbar and, like him, carry spiky guns that shoot small red crystallized lasers.

The Dragoon Nobodies are controlled by Xaldin because of his affinity with wind, and possess a singular lance that mirrors the six that he fights with.

The Berserker Nobodies are under Saïx's power and, as with the previously mentioned lesser Nobodies, hold a weapon identical to that of their master. An observant player will also notice that Berserker Nobodies go through random surges of anger, much like Saïx when he draws upon the power of the moon.

The Assassin Nobodies are under Axel's control, capable of becoming a circular form similar to Axel's weapon, hiding away for short periods of time before attacking, and causing powerful explosions.

The Dancer Nobodies are the most colorful of all the lesser Nobodies, featuring bright colors such as orange and pink. They are Demyx's servants and relate to him due to his musical and unorthodox nature.

The Gambler Nobodies are under Luxord's rule. Luxord, being a gambler of many things, fights with cards, which they use as well, along with several dice.

The Reaper Nobodies are controlled by Marluxia, they wield a scythe and can teleport around just like Marluxia.

The Ninja Nobodies are under Larxene's control, they wield kunais as weapons just like Larxene and can make clones of themselves to confuse their adversaries.

The Samurai Nobodies are controlled by Roxas. Samurai wield two katana just as Roxas wields two Keyblades, Oathkeeper and Oblivion.

Dusks appear to be the least of the lesser Nobodies, and it appears that any recognized Organization member can control them. They are the only Nobodies known to speak, and they can identify past Organization members as well. A known punishment for the Organization members is the threat to be turned into a Dusk; how this is done and if it ever has been done is unknown.

The Lesser Nobodies are named after recurring Final Fantasy job classes and share similar traits with them, such as the Dragoons ability to jump.

### Naming

A common thread between all of the members is the "X" that appears within each of their names. As revealed by Tetsuya Nomura, the director of the game, by removing the "X", the remaining letters form an anagram of the members' original names from when they were humans. For instance, "Roxas" is an anagram of "Sora", and "Xemnas" is an anagram of "Ansem". Xemnas's true name is Xehanort; his name is an anagram of 'no heart' or 'another' with an X added. Xion, being an artificial Replica, had no original name. The name "Xion" came from her label as Replica No.i of the Replica Program.

Such thoughts made many fans anxious to try and figure out for themselves the rest of the Organization's members' names. The name of the Nobodies' "other" appears before them in a translucent, rainbow-colored font (similar to the one shown at the intro to "The World That Never Was"). Then, an "X" drops down and the letters re-arrange themselves until they form a new name, and it is suggested that Xemnas also initiates this ceremony. This has only been seen initiated with Roxas, though. Many have suggested that this isn't true, as Xigbar was the one who found Marluxia and named him, but if one listens to the dialogue between Zexion and Xigbar in *Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix*, it is apparent from the way Xigbar does not know how to pronounce Marluxia's name that he was not the one to name him, rather just found him.

Despite this, however, the reason for the placement of the "X", also known by Xemnas as the "Recusant's Sigil" in the naming process of a new Organization XIII member has to do with Master Xehanort, one of Xemnas's original two personas, and his fascination with the legendary χ-blade. As Xemnas regained memories of Master Xehanort's past, he remembered the χ-blade, and incorporated the "X" into Organization XIII. Another more sinister purpose of the Sigil is its apparent tracking abilities, as the presence of the sigil on Sora allowed Xehanort to track his every move. The Sigil, being in the names of the Organization members, would allow Xemnas to keep an eye on them at all times, which would explain how he was seemingly aware of the traitorous actions of Marluxia.