In what could be best described as a mixture of chaotic upheaval and whimsical amusement, the recent decision of Twitter’s owner, Elon Musk, to rebrand the social media platform has taken the internet by storm.
Musk’s affinity for the letter “X” has unleashed a wave of reactions, and amidst the cacophony, an unexpected fandom has found humor and intrigue in the situation – the Kingdom Hearts community.
The strange alignment of Musk’s fascination with the letter X and the Kingdom Hearts universe’s prominent villain, Master Xehanort, the leader of the Real Organization XIII, has sparked a deluge of memes, commentary, and even profile picture changes among fans. The Kingdom Hearts series, known for its intricately woven narrative that brings together icons from Disney and other franchises, has a dedicated fanbase that is no stranger to convoluted plots and symbolic nuances.
everyone should change their twitter pfp to this since we're gonna be called X now
KH fans, it's time to rise up pic.twitter.com/S7CGrzl7FH
— Leytrx (@MasterLeytrx) July 23, 2023
A user named Letryx ignited the trend, urging fans to change their profile pictures to members of the Organization XIII, a group known for its members’ names being creatively interspersed with the letter “X.”
This call to arms, “KH fans, it’s time to rise up,” was met with enthusiasm, and fans of the series took to this unique form of expression, further fueling speculation that Musk might be a clandestine fan of the Square Enix RPG series.
This fandom-led response to Musk’s perplexing rebranding move is not only an outpouring of their enduring passion for a series whose most powerful character is Donald Duck but it’s also a testament to the internet’s ability to find humor in the face of the bizarre. Some fans have gone as far as to draw parallels between Musk’s timing of the rebrand and key numbers in the Kingdom Hearts lore, giving rise to theories that Musk is channeling Xehanort or conducting an elaborate marketing campaign for Square Enix.
Meanwhile, others have expanded the premise, incorporating other games into their responses, presenting their own takes on the Organization XIII’s attire, and creating memes to articulate the absurdity of Musk’s decision. It is as though Kingdom Hearts fans have pledged their ‘loyalties’ to the ‘X,’ symbolizing their rebirth into Nobodies in a nod to the game’s complex lore.
While this turn of events has created a diversion from the anticipation surrounding Kingdom Hearts IV, it’s clear fans aren’t above finding ways to engage and entertain themselves.
Yet, the underlying critique of Musk’s decision is palpable, as fans lampoon the rebranding as a nonsensical move aimed at self-satisfaction. It further exemplifies the power that fandoms can wield, and in this instance, Kingdom Hearts fans are leveraging it to critique and mock Musk’s rebrand.
Despite the waves of discontent rippling through Twitter users and threats to leave the platform due to Musk’s restrictions, the Kingdom Hearts community’s reaction illuminates the power of humor and shared fandom in challenging times.
As the dust begins to settle on this saga, one could almost expect Musk to appear on a replica throne from ‘Where Nothing Gathers,’ pondering his next move. In the meantime, Kingdom Hearts fans continue to ride the wave of chaos, embodying the spirit of their beloved series. After all, in the world of Kingdom Hearts, as in our own, the light of community can often be found in the darkest and most confusing of times.
Speaking of Musk, the eccentric billionaire recently revealed his Diablo 4 character and it’s exactly what you’d expect from him.
