Summary
IfKingdom Hearts 4doesn’t plan to pull Clive fromFinal Fantasy 16for a crossover, the series still has a strong and relevant option at its disposal. BothKingdom HeartsandFinal Fantasyhave been intertwined in at least some way since the beginning of the series. It would be no surprise at all to seeKingdom Hearts 4feature anotherFinal Fantasycharacter crossing over into the world. The question is whether it will be the latest protagonist Clive or someone else. After all, there are still valid options even if Clive gets passed over.
The tradition of puttingFinal Fantasycharacters inKingdom Heartshas been a part of the series ever since the first game. This can be seen as soon as the player sees Destiny Island for the first time at the game’s start, where Selphie, Tidus, and Wakka are introduced as friends of Sora. Since then, more characters from theFinal Fantasyseries have made their way into the games, in both major and minor roles. Granted, these are not the exact same characters, but alternate versions that live in theKingdom Heartsuniverse. Regardless, they’re a good recurring easter egg forFinal Fantasyfans.
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Cloud Has Good Reason to Appear in Kingdom Hearts 4
There’s an argument to be made forClive appearing inKingdom Hearts 4. He’s the protagonist of the latest game in the series, so his game is still relatively fresh in the public eye. Also of note is his fighting style. SinceFinal Fantasy 16is more of an action RPG, it has its own similarities withKingdom Hearts' gameplay that past turn-based RPGs do not. However, the risk of bringing in Clive is the fact that his name lacks the same recognition as past crossovers due to still being such a new addition. Even so, he’s not the only potential option for a crossover.
When it comes to theFinal Fantasycrossover characters,Cloud’s appearances inKingdom Heartsare probably the most memorable. The legendary lead ofFinal Fantasy 7makes his initial appearance as a boss for Sora to fight, first in the storyline, then later in an optional arena battle. In this iteration, his rivalry with the equally famous Sephiroth is still present and acts as a significant driving force for him through his appearances in the first twoKingdom Heartstitles. With theFinal Fantasy 7remake series, Cloud may be more relevant than any time since the originalFF7, making him an excellent choice for a cameo.
Cloud also seems quite likely thanks to apattern inKingdom Hearts’Final Fantasycameos. Although Clive is the newestFinal Fantasyprotagonist, he doesn’t have the same name value as Cloud. Cloud is not only the most iconicFinal Fantasyprotagonist, but he’s the star of what’s widely considered to be one of the greatest games of all time. It’s no surprise that Cloud has already made multiple appearances because he’s practically guaranteed to draw the attention ofFinal Fantasyfans. Above anything else, that could be what makes him a more desirable cameo choice than Clive.
Clive could play a respectable role as aFinal Fantasyrepresentative inKingdom Hearts 4, but he may not be the developer’s first choice. Cloud has already established himself inKingdom Hearts, and is a much bigger name in the first place. That isn’t to say that Clive doesn’t have a chance, but his place in the next game is far from guaranteed. It would be cool to see him in the game and expand the crossover between the two series. However, even if Clive doesn’t get the green light,Kingdom Hearts 4can still turn to the reliable Cloud.
