Shedding Starlight
Kingdom Hearts is a series about love, friendship, good vs. evil, and light prevailing in the dark. Sounds simple? What about soul possession, human experimentation, and the end of times? The rumors are true, it’s deeper than you think.
We are Hannah and Mel, welcome to the podcast Shedding Starlight: A Guide to the Kingdom Hearts Mythos. If you’ve ever played the Kingdom Hearts games and wanted to dive deeper into the story, this podcast is for you! Shedding Starlight lays out all of the worldbuilding, hidden concepts, and character motivations that the games hid between the lines.
Episodes
30 episodes
Kingdom Hearts 2 - Season Breakdown
Kingdom Hearts 2 is an expansion on the series in every sense of the word: in gameplay, in scope, in story, in universe. In this season of Shedding Starlight, we’ve been guiding you through this weaving story, and planting seeds for times to co...
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Season 3
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Episode 11
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15:16
Secrets Beyond the Keyhole - Secret Keyblade Wielders
A gathering of three keyblade wielders fighting for their destiny; a doomed fate foreshadowed by hooded figures. There are two secret endings to Kingdom Hearts 2, both of which leave pieces of a larger picture showing a seemingly tragic past fo...
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Season 3
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Episode 10
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1:07:11
Maleficent & Pete - The hidden secret of Timeless River
Two mysterious resurrections of both a past enemy and a new player lead us to perplexing insights; Pete's troubled origins and relationship with Disney Castle show us a new side of this world that could lead to its downfall. But, in Maleficent'...
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Season 3
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Episode 9
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54:57
Worldbuilding II - Are the worlds alive?
Kingdom Hearts II expands upon a web of connection between all the worlds in the galaxy. The door to light, the door to darkness, and the door the worlds themselves provided. They all lead to different places, appear in different ways,...
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Season 3
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Episode 8
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57:45
Data Twilight Town - The consequences of a simulation
A maximum security prison built specifically for one boy; fake surroundings, fake friends, fake meaning. Its engineer ignorant to its true power leaking into our own reality. Today, we explore virtual Twilight Town, and why it's more than just ...
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Season 3
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Episode 7
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51:34
Kairi & Naminé feat. Aeba - An Emphasis in Self-Love
A reflection as fragile as the mirrored glass itself; two characters who propel the story with the way their relationship builds. A metaphor for self-love. Believing in yourself, when you can see her right in front of you. We're joined by speci...
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Season 3
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Episode 6
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1:06:18
Roxas - How do memories shape you?
Memories have proven time and time again their importance to one's being; but what if the ones you have are not your own? Or fake, even? Roxas's journey serves as a peculiar case study on identity, purpose, and existence. Let's dive in.T...
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Season 3
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Episode 5
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47:27
Riku & DiZ - Does darkness really corrupt?
A study in darkness; two beings masquerade as a man who haunts them. Working together, yet they strive for different outcomes: one for salvation, and one for revenge. Who is really to blame?Thank you to Adrian for your questions on this...
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Season 3
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Episode 4
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49:39
Radiant Garden - Uncovering the Rising Falls
Before the Heartless, before the experiments, before Xehanort, there was a world—a paradise worthy of being called "Radiant Garden." Deep mysteries lie in this haunted place, and we've only begun to uncover them.Thank you to Ad...
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Season 3
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Episode 3
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1:00:38
Organization XIII - What truths lie in their shadows?
Your favorite villains from Chain of Memories have returned, and with a vengeance. The shells of Ansem the Wise's former apprentices are after the ultimate goal of Kingdom Hearts; and they're going to look hot doing it.Thank you to K, A...
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Season 3
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Episode 2
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51:27
Xehanort - What are his true origins?
Ansem. Xemnas. Xehanort. Three names, one person? Today, we examine the mysteriousness of a deceptive man, one who is clearly the key antagonist to this series, yet who evades us for most of this game. Welcome back to Shedding Starlight.
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Season 3
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Episode 1
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1:00:47
Chain of Memories - Season Breakdown
We’ve taken you through each component of the woven lore of Chain of Memories, and everything we believe you need to prepare for the upcoming story. This season breakdown is going to remind you of everything we talked about, including Castle Ob...
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Season 2
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Episode 8
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10:59
Twilight Town - What is the "other side" of Sora's heart?
In this finale episode of the second season of Shedding Starlight, we look at another puzzling setting. A mysterious world, nestled between the day and night, locked behind inaccessible memories of Sora's psyche. Today we're discussing Twilight...
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Season 2
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Episode 7
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44:47
DiZ - What is DiZ's hidden agenda?
A mysterious man with a mysterious name, mysterious clothes, and mysterious abilities. On this episode, we're picking apart DiZ, someone who has a small yet important role in Chain of Memories. Thank you to Dyxo, Isaiah, and Alex f...
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Season 2
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Episode 6
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39:12
Riku Replica - What is the origin of Replica's heart?
Fake. Impostor. Phony. Not real. Copy. A replica. Today, we're exploring a scientific creation made by the Organization's resident scientist: Replica Riku. Who he is, what he is, how he was made, and what implications his creation has on the fu...
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Season 2
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Episode 5
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54:25
Riku & Ansem - How does Riku redefine darkness?
The beloved older brother figure to Sora has some complicated traumas to work through on his journey throughout Castle Oblivion; one of which being that he is tied to the Seeker of Darkness himself. This week, join us as we talk about Riku and ...
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Season 2
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Episode 4
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49:55
Naminé feat. Sonny Novus - How powerful is a memory?
An angelic presence amongst a sea of black darkness; a witch with the power to unfurl and orchestrate memories. On this episode, we're joined by YouTube's Sonny Novus to discuss one of the most enigmatic presences in the Kingdom Hearts series: ...
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Season 2
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Episode 3
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1:12:07
The Organization - Who's really in charge of Castle Oblivion?
Who are all these HOT people in this CASTLE with the weird NAMES with X's in them? Why do they have flower powers? And they have numbers assigned to them? Don't worry, we're "smash or passing" each one. Spoiler alert: they're all smashes. ...
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Season 2
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Episode 2
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51:20
Castle Oblivion - What is the castle's connection to the cards?
Sterile white walls, a mysterious exterior, even more mysterious inhabitants. In our first episode of our new season on Re:Chain of Memories, we explore the game's main setting: Castle Oblivion. Mostly, what it can do and its connection to the ...
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Season 2
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Episode 1
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47:41
Kingdom Hearts - Season Breakdown
We've gone through every topic we want to discuss about the very first Kingdom Hearts title; join us as we take you through a quick study guide through World Order, Heartless, losing your heart, the Princesses of Heart, Kairi, the Realms, Ansem...
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Season 1
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Episode 9
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10:45
Secrets Beyond the Keyhole - Ansem's 13th Report
In this finale episode of the first season of Shedding Starlight, we look at clues given to us by the game's antagonist to see what the future may hold for the series. Heart, body, and soul. Heartless. Nobody. What will these new factors bring ...
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Season 1
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Episode 8
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54:09
Ansem's Lost Report - Breaking down the World Terminus passage
“Ones born of the heart and darkness, devoid of hearts, ravage all worlds and bring desolation.Seize all hearts and consummate the great heart. All hearts to be one, one heart to encompass all.Realize the destiny: the realm of Kingd...
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Season 1
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Episode 7
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1:02:52
Realms - Where is the "nirvana" Ansem seeks?
One of the very last reports we gather in Kingdom Hearts is arguably one of the most important foundationally in the entire series: Ansem's 12th Report. It establishes the Realm of Light, the Realm of Darkness, and affirms Ansem's overall goal ...
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Season 1
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Episode 6
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56:22
Kairi in Sora's heart - How much power did Kairi have over Sora?
A secret held for the entire game: when confronted by darkness, Kairi dwelled within Sora's heart for refuge and safekeeping. This event set off many others that taught us so much about hearts, memories, and connections, events that are built u...
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Season 1
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Episode 5
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33:38
Princesses of Heart - What is the hidden power of the Princesses of Heart?
Cinderella, Aurora, Belle, Jasmine, Snow White, Alice, and, of course, Kairi. These seven mistresses hold the key to the game's most important concept: the door to Kingdom Hearts. But what about Ariel, Wendy, and Jane? What are the reasons behi...
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Season 1
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Episode 4
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54:18