Realms
Where Worlds Reside
The worlds are scattered across various Realms
Kingdom Hearts' worlds all exist within specific realms, each with their own unique properties. Each world is a distinct place with its own inhabitants and heart. Worlds can shift between realms as is the case when Heartless reach that heart through a Keyhole and the world falls into the Realm of Darkness. The barriers between worlds and the routes connecting them explain why Sora needs special means of travel such as the Gummi Ship. Its important to not see these as Planets as they function differently.
Realm of Light
The realm of light contains most familiar living worlds. This includes most Disney Worlds. These worlds, These have distinct boundaries and are sealed off from the Lands Between with the exception of specific pathways accessible via Gummi ship or other methods. Non Disney worlds such as Radiant Garden and Destiny Islands also reside here. When a world's keyhole is opened and darkness takes over that worlds heart, the world can fade to the Realm of Darkness.
Realm of Darkness
The realm of darkness is where darkness predominates and fallen worlds can be found; time behaves differently there. There is no distinct borders here and worlds stay in a crumbled fallen state. Aqua is seen here for over 10 years having not aged wandering multiple worlds that were once in the Realm of Light. Its difficult to gain access to this Realm.
Realm Between
The realm between lies on the boundary between Light and Darkness and includes places such as Traverse Town, Twilight Town, the Land of Departure and its Castle Oblivion form, and the World That Never Was. These could be described as realms of twilight, and are always Kingdom Hearts exclusive worlds. These can sometimes contain special properties such as Traverse Town being a place where those who escaped their fallen worlds go.
Realm of Sleep
Also known as the Sleeping worlds. When some worlds are restored from the Realm of Darkness, their hearts can enter a sleep state, reliving memories of the past even creating inhabitants who once lived there. Sora and Riku's Mark of Mastery is to help restore some of the Sleeping Worlds using the Power of Waking.
Data World
The Data World is a world contained entirely of Data. They can reside within computers but can contain actual living people/hearts and entities as people can be digitized. There have also been entities known to have gained hearts from the Data World.
The Final World
This is the Realm at the edge of existence and death. Hearts with strong attachments can linger here before passing on. It borders the Realm of Sleep allowing those who sleep to enter it, You can also access the Realm of Unreality from here.
Unreality
Extensive details in the Unreality page
Related
Tagged in
- Chain of Memories (Story & Lore)
- 0.2 Birth by Sleep ~ A Fragmentary Passage (Story & Lore)
- The Current Era (Story & Lore)
- Aqua (Characters)