It's Time One Disney Movie Get a Proper Kingdom Hearts World

Over the course of Kingdom Hearts’ near 23-year-long history spanning across 13 titles, several worlds based on iconic Disney films have been introduced. From the nutty inhabitant-filled Wonderland based on 1951’s Alice in Wonderland to the plaything-filled Toy Box based on 1995’s Toy Story, Sora, Donald, and Goofy have explored and saved people within dozens of worlds from some of Disney’s most popular movies. However, not every Disney character encountered in the Kingdom Hearts series appears with a visitable world and only appears as side characters or summons, such as Dumbo, Chicken Little, Wreck-It Ralph, and Stitch. With Lilo & Stitch receiving a live action remake in May, Stitch deserves to have his own world appear in the eventual Kingdom Hearts 4.

The History of Stitch in Kingdom Hearts

While Kingdom Hearts 1 initially released in March 2002 in Japan, Lilo & Stitch first released in June 2002, making it impossible for Stitch or his friends to appear in the first Kingdom Hearts game. Following the widespread critical and financial success of the first Lilo & Stitch film as well as the subsequent 2003 direct-to-video Stitch! The Movie and Lilo & Stitch: The Series, Square Enix sought to include Experiment 626 in the next mainline Kingdom Hearts game. In 2005’s Kingdom Hearts 2, Sora first encounters Stitch in Ansem’s computer room in Radiant Garden. Donald attempts to get rid of Stitch but inadvertently causes the trio to be transported into Space Paranoids, based on the 1982 film Tron. Stitch later helps the trio fight the Battle of the 1000 Heartless.

Stitch next appears in the 2010 prequel Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep. Here, the three Keyblade wielders, Aqua, Terra, and Ventus each encounter Stitch at different times aboard the gigantic United Galactic Federation ship, this time in a small world called Deep Space, seen in the beginning of Lilo & Stitch. While attempting to hunt down and destroy Unversed monsters, Terra boards the ship and begins to teach Stitch friendship after fighting Experiment 221, later known as Sparky. Aqua later finds Stitch and helps him defeat Captain Gantu before Stitch is prepared to be banished. Finally, Ventus helps Stitch escape the ship, leading to his eventual crash landing on Earth in the beginning of Lilo & Stitch.

Stitch as a Summon in Kingdom Hearts

In Kingdom Hearts 2, Sora can unlock Stitch as a summon by opening a chest containing the Ukulele Charm. When using Stitch as a summon, he first will jump on and lick Sora before crawling on the player’s screen. Here he can restore Sora’s MP, parry physical and projectile attacks with his blasters, and stagger enemies by playing a ukulele. Unlike other summons, Stitch cannot be hit by enemies since he doesn’t physically appear on the battlefield when summoned. In Kingdom Hearts 3, Stitch only returns as a summon and can be unlocked by acquiring the Ohana Heartbinder for completing Course A of Flash Tracer in Hiro’s Garage in San Fransokyo. Here, Stitch and Sora can create electric fields to catch and hurt enemies.

The Potential of a Lilo & Stitch World in Kingdom Hearts 4

Kingdom Hearts fans were able to explore a bit of Stitch’s universe in Birth by Sleep’s Deep Space United Galactic Federation ship, but there’s still a lot of potential to have Hawaii featured in a fully fleshed out world in Kingdom Hearts 4. Given that every prior appearance of Stitch has been based on his animated appearances, Kingdom Hearts 4 could have a Hawaii world be based on the original Lilo & Stitch media rather than the live action movie. If this turns out to be the case, this Hawaii world could be based off of Stitch! The Movie and subsequent show, with Heartless taking new forms similar to Stitch’s cousins. Lilo, Nani, and Stitch could appear as companions with several of the cousins being used as summons.

Depending on when Kingdom Hearts 4 is released, it could have a world based primarily on the 2025 Lilo & Stitch remake. While the remake will presumably match most plot points from the original film, it could potentially introduce or tease some concepts introduced in the sequels, such as the cousins. If this is the case, Kingdom Hearts 4 could have Sora help protect Lilo, Nani, and Stitch from Gantu and United Galactic Federation forces. Some Heartless could additionally appear similar to the Federation’s Raptorsellus troops. There could even be a brief gameplay sequence where Sora gets to pilot Jumba’s ship. Whichever route Square Enix takes, Lilo & Stitch deserves to be fully featured as a world at some point in the Kingdom Hearts series.

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