Terra (Earth-101001)

Terra (テラ)is one of the main protagonists of the anime series Kingdom Hearts. Along with his best friends Ventus and Aqua, he is a Keyblade apprentice, and it is his dream to reach the rank of Master.

Personality
Terra's calm and cool exterior hides a heart that would fight for his friends, yet he is constantly tempted by the darkness, similar to Riku. Oblivious to the fact that Master Xehanort is attempting to seduce him into darkness, he is forced to doubt those most special to him, and only realizes his wrong-doings after they occur. While not exactly gullible, Terra can be overly trusting, which most villains use to their advantage, leading to his misadventures. His experiences with darkness bring a negative vibe to him, but Terra holds his bond with Ventus and Aqua in high esteem, willing to fight for them despite his ties to the darkness, wishing to help them long after his possession. This is seen with the new Xehanort, Xemnas, and the Lingering Will, each of which demonstrating instances of Terra's faded consciousness acting on Ventus' and Aqua's behalf. He also holds Master Eraqus in high regard, viewing him as a surrogate father, which he proclaims to Xehanort; for example, he cries at Eraqus' apparent demise and is visibly happy when he reveals that Eraqus has "set foot into" his heart.

Appearance
Terra is a tall young man with dark brown hair that reaches to the base of his neck in the back and is styled into rather messy, vertical spikes and bangs that frame his face. He has blue eyes and tanned skin. His appearance is carried on to Terra-Xehanort, as he is effectively Terra's body under Master Xehanort's influence. Following his possession by Master Xehanort, his hair turns silvery-white, his eyes turn yellow, and his ears become pointy. Later on, his eyes turn brown.

Like his friends, Terra wears two intersecting straps over his chest, though his red ones are rather different, dropping much lower down and almost resembling crisscrossed suspenders. Also unlike Aqua and Ventus, Terra does not wear his badge (which is gold as opposed to the others' silver) on these straps. Instead, he wears it on his belt. He wears a skintight, grey and black, high-collared shirt, showing that he is rather muscular. Terra's pants bear a distinct feudal Japanese style; his belt is tied like an obi-sash and he wears hakama (traditional samurai pants distinguished by the large pleats). His hakama are dark grey near the top, with several loops for his belt and two buttons, both of which are undone. The rest of the pants are tan with a small, lighter stripe of tan on the bottom hem. Terra wears a plain black wristband on his right arm, while his left arm is significantly more armored.

Powers and Abilities
Terra is the most powerful of the trio in terms of damage. In Keyblade combat, he uses slow, but very heavy and hard-hitting attacks to decimate his enemies. He has an elemental affinity for earth and darkness. Terra has a large assortment of Attack Commands, consisting of heavy attacks and earth-based attacks, like Geo Impact and Meteor Crash, as well as dark based attacks, like Dark Haze and Chaos Blade. Terra's Keyblades are primarily based on the earth element, with his additional Keyblades based on the darkness element.

Like his classmates, Terra has access to a variety of magic spells, although he is not as skilled in magic as Aqua nor as fast as Ventus. Terra's affinity for earth lets him use the powerful Quake and Meteor spells. In addition, the power of darkness allows him to use the Dark Firaga spell. He can also use Warp, which allows him to potentially wipe an enemy from existence.

Late teens years
Terra spent his days as a Keyblade apprentice training under Eraqus at the Land of Departure, along with his friend, Aqua. Terra's long-time dream was to become a Keyblade Master.

One day during training, Master Xehanort visited the Land of Departure, bringing with him a near-catatonic Ventus, in order to ask Eraqus to take care of the boy and train him as a Keyblade wielder. Terra greeted Ven and he and Aqua introduced themselves, but when Terra started asking him questions about himself, Ven collapsed with a cry of agony. Eraqus explained to Terra that Ventus had lost his memories. Ventus woke up a few days later.

Ventus later began training with Terra and Aqua, becoming fast friends with them, and Terra often sparred with Ventus. After one long day of training, Terra told Ven and Aqua about his dream of being a Keyblade Master and gave Ven his wooden Keyblade to use instead of Ven's Wooden Sword, saying that he, Ven, and Aqua, all carry the same dream.

Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep
Four years after Ven's arrival, Terra and Aqua take the Mark of Mastery exam in order to become Masters, but while Aqua passes, Terra does not, as he is unable to control his darkness. Unbeknownst to them, Master Xehanort is responsible for Terra's darkness flaring up during the exam. Surprised and depressed to learn that he holds darkness in his heart, Terra steps outside, where he is approached by Master Xehanort, who tells Terra that he shouldn't try to control his darkness, but rather, to channel it.

Shortly after, Terra and Aqua are sent on a quest to find the missing Master Xehanort and stop the threat of the Unversed, and Eraqus tells Terra he has a second chance to prove himself worthy of being named a Keyblade Master. In the meantime, Eraqus has Aqua follow Terra, to bring him back if he is tempted by darkness.

Throughout his journey, Terra encounters many villains in the worlds he visits (although because of Terra's inexperience, he doesn't immediately realize they are villains). Maleficent takes a particular interest in him, having been alerted of his arrival in the Enchanted Dominion by Xehanort. She uses the darkness in his heart to put him into a trance, to make him steal the heart of the sleeping Princess Aurora. This encounter would haunt Terra for the rest of his journey. However, Terra did have some positive outcomes in his search. The Magic Mirror in Dwarf Woodlands revealed Master Xehanort was at a place where a great battle took place; he also learned from the Grand Duke of Castle of Dreams that the Unversed were being commanded by a boy in a mask.

Terra seeks Yen Sid's wisdom to divine an answer to both these mysteries. Yen Sid tells him to treat Master Xehanort's disappearance as linked to the Unversed. Master Xehanort summons Terra to the Keyblade Graveyard, where he tells him the masked boy Vanitas is actually the personification of the darkness that had once been in Ven's heart; according to Xehanort, he pulled the darkness out of Ven when it threatened to consume him. Vanitas escaped confinement and spread his darkness in the form of the Unversed throughout the worlds to disrupt and destroy the light. Master Xehanort suggests searching the City of Light, Radiant Garden, as it would be Vanitas's most likely target.

After arriving in Radiant Garden, Terra sees Master Xehanort heading toward the Castle Town and follows him. However, he is distracted by seeing Merlin drop a book: Winnie the Pooh; Terra returns it to him, learning it has the power to awaken his inner strength. Upon leaving, Terra spots a giant Unversed; going after it, Terra ends up reuniting with Ven and Aqua. The three of them battle the Trinity Armor and defeat it, and Ven gives both his friends lifetime passes to Disney Town. Terra is shocked to hear Ven met his other half, and that Aqua has been keeping an eye on him on Master Eraqus's orders. Feeling betrayed by Aqua and wanting to keep Ven safe, Terra takes off on his own.

After leaving his friends, Terra encounters Braig, who claims to be holding Master Xehanort hostage under the Outer Gardens and demands Terra meet him there. Though it would be highly unlikely that a normal person could take a Keyblade Master hostage, Terra decides to check out the claim as a precaution. Terra arrives at the Purification Facility to see Master Xehanort chained to a column, and Braig challenges Terra to a fight, saying he wants a Keyblade for himself. With encouragement from Master Xehanort, Terra suddenly channels his darkness and scars Braig's face, driving him off. A second blast frees Xehanort, but Terra is dismayed that he failed to keep his darkness in check.

Master Xehanort assures him that he channeled the darkness in his heart and that using it is a true step forward. He further explains that the lights of Terra's fellow pupils shine too bright, thus casting shadows on his heart. Master Xehanort says that the reason that Eraqus did not grant Terra the title of Master is because he is afraid of the power of darkness; in Terra the power is strong, and Eraqus fears darkness so much because he has succumbed to light. Xehanort asks Terra to join him as his pupil so they may bring balance between light and darkness, and he tells him to see more worlds to find and destroy Vanitas. As Terra prepares to leave Radiant Garden, Ventus catches up with him, asking to come along. Terra turns him down, but he tells him that he knows Ventus will be there for him when he needs him.

In Disney Town, Terra races against Captain Dark in the Rumble Races to take out Unversed. Winning, Terra learns that he doesn't need to bend or break the rules to accomplish a task. He also wins the Million Dreams Award.

Terra arrives in Olympus Coliseum, where he encounters Hades, who is looking for a powerful warrior he can manipulate and set against Zeus. He convinces Terra to enter the Games in order to learn how to conquer his darkness. When Terra clears the first rounds without trouble, Hades uses darkness to take control of Zack, who faces Terra in the next match. Terra defeats Zack, releasing him from Hades's control, and Zack calls Terra a hero.

After falling into Galactic Federation custody in Deep Space, Terra escapes with Dr. Jumba and helps him free Experiment 626. When 626 steals Terra's Wayfinder, he realizes how much his bond with Aqua and Ventus means to him, and he encourages 626 to learn for himself what friendship is.

Terra also visit Neverland, briefly allying with Captain Hook before teaching the Lost Boys that real treasure is not jewels and gold, but what is really important to them.

Some time later, Terra is drawn towards a warm light, which leads him to the Destiny Islands. He finds a Paopu Fruit, which reminds of the legend Aqua told him about the Wayfinders. He sees two young boys, Sora and Riku, and he senses light within Riku. Terra speaks with Riku, who tells him he wants to become strong in order to protect his friends, and he decides to perform a Bequeathing with Riku, allowing him to wield the Keyblade in the future.

Terra sees Ven in the Lanes Between, but before Terra can catch up to him, Master Xehanort calls Terra back to the Keyblade Graveyard. Xehanort tells him that Ventus intends to confront Master Eraqus about his past, and that he is in danger. Determined to protect his friend, Terra returns to the Land of Departure in time to defend Ventus from Eraqus's attack. He throws Ven into a portal to the Lanes Between and, channeling his darkness, defeats Eraqus in battle. Although they both regret their actions, Eraqus is suddenly destroyed by Xehanort, who encourages Terra to give himself over to darkness. He tells Terra to come to the Keyblade Graveyard to witness the ends of Ventus and Aqua, then unleashes a flood of darkness which ravages the world. Terra watches his world crumble into ruins and looks at his Wayfinder, vowing to Ventus and Aqua that he won't let Xehanort kill them.

He leaves the Land of Departure as it is being destroyed, but he turns back and picks up a disturbance coming from the ruins. A cloaked figure appears and almost immediately challenges Terra to battle. Terra defeats the mysterious figure, who remains silent and gives no explanation for its hostility. It simply vanishes.

After arriving at the Keyblade Graveyard, Terra reunites with Aqua and Ventus. Terra explains what happened to their master and admits that he did have to be watched, vowing never to go astray again. However, Aqua warns him that darkness is based on hatred and rage and that if Terra had come for revenge, then Xehanort has already won. Xehanort arrives with Vanitas, and he declares his intention to create the χ-blade. In the ensuing fight with Master Xehanort and Vanitas, Terra succumbs to his darkness once more and battles the elderly master.

Although he prevails, the χ-blade is forged, and Master Xehanort uses his Keyblade to extract his own heart and implant it in Terra's body, possessing it. However, Terra's Lingering Will inhabits his discarded Keyblade Armor, challenges Terra-Xehanort, and defeats him. Terra-Xehanort disappears in the light emanating from the χ-blade as it is destroyed by Ventus and Aqua, while the Lingering Will remains, declaring Terra's promise to Ventus and Aqua to set things right.

After Aqua defeats Terra-Xehanort in Radiant Garden, Terra's heart resists Xehanort, forcing Xehanort to lock his heart, leading to his amnesia. Even after this, Terra and Master Xehanort's hearts continue their conflict inside Terra-Xehanort's body, disputing over who will control it. Terra declares to Xehanort that he no longer fears the darkness and vows to continue resisting Xehanort, who realizes Eraqus's presence in Terra's heart. However, Master Xehanort tells Terra that he has many plans in place, even if their conflict continues for a very long time.

Between Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep and Kingdom Hearts
A vision of Terra appears to Aqua after she defeats the Demon Tower in the remains of the Castle of Dreams. She questions if he, too, has been trapped in the Realm of Darkness, but he simply fades away, causing her to wonder if she has started going insane.

Later, in the remains of Enchanted Dominion, Aqua encounters phantoms of Terra and Ventus, pursuing them through the Forest of Thorns. When she catches up with them, Terra asks Aqua if she can see him. Aqua mentions she can, along with Ventus, but Terra is unable to see Ventus. Questioning where he is, Aqua tells him the worlds fell, and she is unsure if he is the real Terra. Terra insists he is, but also claims that he is not himself and that her heart is painting him the way she remembers him. He explains that his heart is tied to the darkness and that that the Ventus beside him must be an illusion created by her heart. Aqua wonders if this means Ventus and Terra are safe on the outside world, and while Terra thinks so, he warns her that Xehanort is looking for Ventus. As she explains that she has hidden Ventus somewhere where no one will find him, Terra's spirit transforms into Terra-Xehanort. Terra-Xehanort wonders if Ventus is in the Chamber of Waking and, when questioned by Aqua, begins to reveal his identity. However, Terra overpowers Xehanort's will, informing her of Xehanort's ruse. Surprised, Xehanort summons dark hands to drag Aqua into darkness, but an enraged Terra summons chains of light to fend off Xehanort.

Blank Period
After Ansem, Seeker of Darkness and Xemnas were defeated, Terra's body was recompleted. However, his heart, which was still under Master Xehanort's control, remained trapped within Xehanort's guardian. His empty body was filled with the heart of Terra-Xehanort from the past, which Young Xehanort had collected.

Later, King Mickey and Yen Sid speak about their search for Terra, Aqua, and Ven, and how only Terra's location remains unknown.

Terra is seen at the Land of Departure with a sleeping Ventus, waking his friend up before they both utter Sora's name with a sense of renewed hope.

Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance
When Sora arrives at The World That Never Was, he is caught by the Organization and placed within a nightmare in which he chases after memories of Riku and Kairi. When he catches up to them at the Nightmarish Abyss, the phantoms suddenly take the form of Terra and Aqua, while Sora himself takes on Ventus's appearance. Sora is confused, but the phantoms grasp his hand before turning back into Riku and Kairi and walking off again. As Riku attempts to wake Sora on his own side of the dream, Sora recalls when Aqua came to Destiny Islands and nearly wakes up.

However, Ansem appears within Sora's dream at the last second and thrusts him back into the nightmare. Xigbar and Xemnas reappear within the nightmare to taunt him and lead him into despair by explaining the inevitability of their plan and playing on his insecurities, but a defiant Sora proclaims that while he may not have been chosen by the Keyblade, he will always be proud to be there for his friends, including Terra and all the others.

Shortly after, Ansem attacks Riku in an attempt to take over Riku's body again. Before they fight, Riku reveals to Ansem that he reminds him of Terra and thus resolves to make Ansem a part of his light. Later, as Master Xehanort explains his plans to Mickey in Where Nothing Gathers, he reveals Terra's past fate as his vessel, but neglects to mention anything further about him.

Trivia
His name means "Earth" in Latin, similar to Riku's name in Japanese meaning "Land"