When you played Final Fantasy 1990s, you were respected, and it was one of the biggest franchises of the decade. When the graphics would update to 3D, you got Final Fantasy 7, then 8, which the main character was the 90s definition of cool. The cold, aloof nature, the leather jacket and the belts… Not to mention that necklace and the Gunblade. Squall Leonheart was such a popular character at the time, and he had quite the dynamic cast, such as Zell and Quistis.
Then you had Kingdom Hearts that came out, and Squall was updated, and now went by the name Leon. He showed up after Sora turned up in Traverse town, starting by telling Sora that the heartless will follow him, and they will keep on coming. This is a warning, and something Sora needs to keep in mind. He was chosen by the Keyblade, and thus, he has the unfortunate fate of becoming a hero. In this game, Squall is a natural leader, and is willing to take charge, and knows how to do so. But of course, at first he comes across like he’s a villain going after a kid, even when he dismisses Sora as a kid, wondering why the Keyblade has chosen a child. He is a soldier, and he doesn’t like the idea of a child being thrust into a battlefield.
Therefore he does the logical thing. He picks a fight with Sora. This fight isn’t just for show, or for the rule of cool combat that one would squeal over the awesome Squall Leonheart. This was Leon testing to see what Sora is capable of. This was a fight that Squall could win, but he’s not interested in taking the Keyblade, hence why he doesn’t leave with the Keyblade or Sora’s heart. One thing to note is that his signature element is fire, which is natural for his character depiction with his bottled up passion in his game, and danger of putting your hand too close to the fire.
Ideally, you would beat Leon in the first battle, then you have Yuffie that shows up and teases Leon about him slipping, with Leon reminding her that he held back. (Quite a bit.) Sora has been put in a position where he can’t have training wheels, and Leon wants to make sure that Sora can fight off the heartless, and protect the keyblade.
He comments that things are worse than he expected, and as he is the leader and strategist of the FF crew, he likes things to remain in order, and as planned. Unfortunately, he is stuck with a 14 year old Sora, and this complicates matters. Young teens at that age can be very irrational, react with what might seem right at the time, and the impulsive behaviour can lead to reckless action with very little consideration of the consequences. The way he talks can also hint that Leon wasn’t exactly the level headed man he is when he shows up.
After the battle, Sora passed out due to the battle with Squall, then they carried him over to a secret apartment they used. Sora wakes up to Yuffie, whom he mistakes as Kairi, explaining things about the Keyblade, but when he shakes off the initial grogginess, Yuffie tells Squall that he should have gone a bit easier on Sora.
But then Yuffie explains that they had to separate Sora from the Keyblade, which does show that Squall has some knowledge about it, and may also be a contact of Mickey, as they mention the King, as if they’ve met before. (I can’t imagine Yuffie to be completely educated on the properties of ancient, mystical weapons that are meant to be second to maybe only Excalibur.) Squall picks up the keyblade, unsurprised when he teleports back to Sora by its own will, and comments that there’s no point in crying, cause they have to make due with what they have. So the first order of business is to explain to Sora the situation.
The scenes alternates between Leon and Yuffie, and Aerith who explains what is going on to Donald and Goofy. And they alternate. Leon mentions that there is darkness within everyone’s hearts, something that foreshadows Riku’s fall to darkness. This isn’t fatalism or nihilism, he is talking about facts, and wanting to prepare Sora.
And when Sora says he doesn’t want to fight, Leon just tells him “Tough luck.” A very Leon thing to say, but he is pretty much telling Sora that he can’t be crying about bad things in life, and to just do it. This can allude to Squall’s youth in FF8, where he was a clingy crybaby, who just wanted Ellone’s attention and had to learn the hard way that life wasn’t easy, and was given a raw deal in life. It sounds cold, but Sora needs to hear that he needs to bite the bullet and do what needs to be done.
The scene ends with Sora panicking about Destiny Island and his friends, but the way Leon says “I really don’t know”, shows that he does have some empathy, and the shock of being the only survivor of a world consumed by darkness, and understands that it’s a very bitter situation, and it is hard to wrap around someone’s head. Hence why at this point, Leon slows down on exposition, because Sora has to come to terms with a lot.
This is what sets up the relationship Leon has with Sora, and the kind of mentor he will be. When the Heartless catch up to them, Leon immediately tells Yuffie to run, he tells Sora to fight alongside him. Sora has been thrown off the deep end, and needs to learn to either fly, or fall, and that’s what needs to be done. Sora followed after Leon to fight, and after Leon jumps off the balcony, Leon is showing that he needs to do what he needs to do, and that’s lead and take charge of combat.
After beating the boss, Sora meets Donald and Goofy, and has another conversation with Leon, who explains that there are many, good and evil, that are hunting down the Keyblade. But when Sora says that maybe he can find Riku and Kairi, Leon looks glum, as if he doubts it might happen, unaware that the two are still running around… So to speak.
But he insists on Sora joining Donald and Goofy, thinking that they are the best shot at finding Riku and Kairi regardless of his own doubts about it. But he also thinks that Sora can’t be alone in the entire thing, but he is always present when Sora returns to Traverse Town, and when Sora needs him.
Leon always listens to what Sora has to say, and regardless of his judgment, he ignores his opinions, just to consider what’s on Sora’s mind, as he knows that a boy Sora’s age might need advice, and someone to vent to, without debating or arguing. So far, we can honestly say that Leon mentors Sora, and if we were to look at it in a non-gameplay form, Leon probably trained Sora in how to survive on the battlefield, and it is implied that Leon taught him a bit of sword fighting.
As the story goes along from Sora’s point of view, it does seem like Leon has all the answers to all of Sora’s questions, to the point of putting him on a pedestal, and this is an interesting frame narrative, as Sora is the main character, and as time passes, Leon becomes the closest thing he has to an older brother. Sure, Riku’s older, but there’s a difference between a sworn brother and best friend, and a wise and cool older brother.
As much as Sora bonds with characters like Winnie the Pooh, Belle and Genie, Leon’s always present, and a grounding force for Sora. He is humble, always willing to train, always works hard to protect his friends, coolheaded… And a rather fashionable guy. I mean, Sora’s KH2 costume takes a lot of elements from Leon, and since it isn’t something that the Three Good Fairies completely designed themselves, there might be some subconscious elements within Sora, about wanting to be cool like Leon.
Even if we consider the frame narrative from Sora, seeing very little flaws in Leon, and with this big brother figure being the pure definition of Cool for a 14 year old boy, from the beginning we can see that Sora admires Leon, and has put him on a pedestal. Even when he doesn’t know something, he is frank with Sora. He refuses to lie to Sora, and is a straight shooter. Sora may be a rambunctious kid with a lot on his mind, but Leon is there to help guide Sora, and make sure he stays on the straight and narrow path.
After all, Leon has had plenty of practice with rambunctious kid siblings. After all, he does have Yuffie who is like a little sister.