| Xehanort | |
|---|---|
| Kingdom Hearts character | |
 Kingdom Hearts III screenshot featuring from left to right: Ansem, Xehanort (young and old), and Xemnas. | |
| First game | Kingdom Hearts (as Ansem) (2002) |
| Created by | Tetsuya Nomura |
| Designed by | Tetsuya Nomura |
| Voiced by |
|
| In-universe information | |
| Weapon | Keyblade |
| Home | Scala ad Caelum |
Xehanort (Japanese: ゼアノート, Hepburn: Zeanōto, English: /ˈzeɪ.ənɔːrt/) is a fictional character who is the main antagonist of the Dark Seeker Saga, the first phase in the Kingdom Hearts series by Square Enix. He was introduced as the original form of the sentient Heartless "Ansem, Seeker of Darkness" in the first game and the Nobody Xemnas in Kingdom Hearts II.[1] Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep reveals the human elder Xehanort who, like his alter-egos, wishes to recreate the mythical Kingdom Hearts to gain the power to recreate the universe in his image. While Kingdom Hearts III is the last major installment focusing on Xehanort, the 2020 mobile game Dark Road explores his childhood and descent into villainy.
Xehanort was created by Kingdom Hearts director and designer, Tetsuya Nomura, who decided to revise elements of the character when Square Enix greenlighted Kingdom Hearts II. Critical response to Xehanort was originally mixed as a result of his multiple alter-egos with different names potentially being confusing to the audience. His further exploration in Birth by Sleep and his boss battles were the subject of praise.
- ^ Square Enix (December 7, 2004). Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories (Game Boy Advance). Square Enix U.S.A.
Axel: He became a Heartless, Larxene—and you know what happens to people who do. / Larxene: People who lose their hearts also lose their minds, their feelings... They're consumed by the darkness. / Axel: Right. But that didn't happen to Sora. He held on to his feelings, even as a Heartless. Only one other man ever managed to do that.