Editing Xehanort (section)

{{Short description|Fictional character in Kingdom Hearts}}
{{redirect|Ansem}}
{{Infobox character
|name=Xehanort
|image=Xehanortallversions.png
|caption=''Kingdom Hearts III'' screenshot featuring from left to right: Ansem, Xehanort (young and old), and Xemnas. 
|series=[[Kingdom Hearts]]
|firstgame=''[[Kingdom Hearts (video game)|Kingdom Hearts]]'' (as Ansem) (2002)
|creator=[[Tetsuya Nomura]]
|designer=Tetsuya Nomura
|voice={{Collapsible list|title=[[Japanese language|Japanese]]|[[Akio Otsuka]] (Ansem; Master Xehanort, ''Kingdom Hearts III'')|[[Norio Wakamoto]] (Xemnas)|[[Chikao Ōtsuka]] (Master Xehanort, ''Birth by Sleep'' and ''Dream Drop Distance'')|Takanori Okuda (young Xehanort)}}{{Collapsible list|title=[[English language|English]]|[[Billy Zane]] (Ansem, ''Kingdom Hearts'' only)|[[Richard Epcar]] (Ansem and possessed Terra, ''Kingdom Hearts II'' onwards)|[[Paul St. Peter]] (Xemnas)|[[Leonard Nimoy]] (Master Xehanort, ''Birth by Sleep'' and ''Dream Drop Distance'')|[[Rutger Hauer]] (Master Xehanort, ''Kingdom Hearts III'')|[[Christopher Lloyd]] (Master Xehanort, ''Re:Mind'' and ''Melody of Memory'')|[[Benjamin Diskin]] (young Xehanort)}}
|weapon=[[Universe of Kingdom Hearts#Keyblade|Keyblade]]
|home=Scala ad Caelum
}}
{{Nihongo|'''Xehanort'''|ゼアノート|Zeanōto|{{IPAc-en|lang|ˈ|z|eɪ|.|ə|n|ɔːr|t}}|lead=yes}} is a fictional character who is the [[main antagonist]] of the Dark Seeker Saga, the first phase in the ''[[Kingdom Hearts]]'' series by [[Square Enix]]. He was introduced as the original form of the [[Universe of Kingdom Hearts#Heartless|Heartless]] "Ansem, Seeker of Darkness" in the [[Kingdom Hearts (video game)|first game]] and the [[Nobody (Kingdom Hearts)|Nobody]] Xemnas in ''[[Kingdom Hearts II]]''.<ref>{{cite video game|title=Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories|developer=[[Square Enix]]|publisher=Square Enix U.S.A.|date=December 7, 2004|platform=Game Boy Advance|quote='''Axel''': He became a Heartless, Larxene—and you know what happens to people who do. / '''Larxene''': People who lose their hearts also lose their minds, their feelings... They're consumed by the darkness. / '''Axel''': Right. But that didn't happen to Sora. He held on to his feelings, even as a Heartless. Only one other man ever managed to do that.}}</ref> ''[[Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep]]'' reveals the human elder Xehanort who, like his alter-egos, wishes to recreate the mythical Kingdom Hearts to gain the power to recreate the universe in his image. While ''[[Kingdom Hearts III]]'' is the last major installment focusing on Xehanort, the 2020 mobile game ''[[Kingdom Hearts Dark Road]]'' explores his childhood and descent into villainy.

Xehanort was created by ''Kingdom Hearts'' director [[Tetsuya Nomura]], who decided to revise elements of the character when Square Enix greenlit ''Kingdom Hearts II''. Critical response to Xehanort was originally mixed, with his multiple alter egos being confusing to the audience. His further exploration in ''Birth by Sleep'' and his boss battles were the subject of praise.