Organization XIII

is a fictional group of characters featured in Square Enix and Disney Interactive Studios' Kingdom Hearts video game series. The group comprises thirteen beings, including Xemnas and his twelve followers. The concept of the Organization was originally introduced in Kingdom Hearts Final Mix within a bonus ending titled "Another Side, Another Story [deep dive]", where their Japanese name was translated as the "Thirteenth Order". The group was later introduced as the "Organization" in Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, where they serve as the main antagonists, and have the same role in Kingdom Hearts II. Organization XIII is prominently featured in Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, as some of its members are playable characters and it introduces a new female member named Xion. Several members, prior to becoming Nobodies, appear in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, return following their restoration in Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, and also appear in Kingdom Hearts III. The group was moderately well received by reviewers, and comments focused on their difficulty as adversaries and mysterious nature, which fueled expectations for future titles. Roxas specifically received press comments, focusing on his introduction in Kingdom Hearts II. Concept and creation The members of Organization XIII were created by the series' director Tetsuya Nomura and other members of his development staff. The concept began with Xemnas as the first member and Roxas as the last. Each of the original members' names are anagrams of their original name prior to becoming a Nobody, with the addition of the letter "X", which is revealed in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep to be derived from the χ-blade. The members wear black, hooded coats that shield them from the corrosive effect of prolonged use of the Corridors of Darkness, portals they use to traverse various worlds. The emblem associated with the Nobodies and Organization XIII was designed to resemble a splintered heart as a complement to the Heartless emblem. Nomura tried to portray the characters ambiguously, rather than explicitly good or evil. Throughout the games' development, Nomura has often left certain plot holes and relations regarding Organization XIII characters—along with the series' other characters—unexplained until the release of a sequel; feeling that games should give fans room to speculate and use their imagination.