Master Xehanort''' is the former main antagonist of the Dark Seeker Saga, the first part of ''Kingdom Hearts'' franchise. He is the original incarnation of [[Xehanort]] from which [[Ansem, Seeker of Darkness|Ansem, the Seeker of Darkness]], [[Xemnas]] and all others spawned from. He manipulated almost every event in the series, and devised many backup plans that involve dividing his heart among [[Organization XIII|13 different beings]] created from his power and take over the universe. Followed the order of the timelines and events, he can be considered as the overall main antagonist of the franchise.
Master Xehanort was a Keyblade Master, the first master of Ventus, and the creator and master of [[Vanitas]], the original incarnation of Ansem and Xemnas and the future self of [[Young Xehanort]]. He served as the main antagonist also the final boss of both ''Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep'' and ''Kingdom Hearts III'' and the central antagonist of ''Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance'', being the true villain who has orchestrated the whole event.
In ''Birth by Sleep'' and ''Dream Drop Distance'', Xehanort was voiced by the late Leonard Nimoy in the English dubbed version, who also played [[Sentinel Prime (Transformers Film Series)|Sentinel Prime]] in the ''Transformers series'' and the late Chikao Ōtsuka in the Japanese dubbed version. In ''Kingdom Hearts III'', he was voiced by Rutger Hauer in the English version, who also played [[Wulfgar]] in ''Nighthawks'', [[Roy Batty]] in ''Blade Runner'', [[Lothos]] in ''Buffy the Vampire'', [[John Ryder]] in ''The Hitcher'', [[Huntsman (The 10th Kingdom)|Huntsman]] in ''The 10th Kingdom'' and [[Patrick Henry Roark]] in ''Sin City'', and Akio Ōtsuka in the Japanese version, who is Chikao Ōtsuka's son and also notably does the role of [[Ansem, Seeker of Darkness]], and [[Terra-Xehanort]] as well as the voice of [[Marshall D. Teach]] in ''One Piece''.
==Biography==
===Backstory===
Xehanort was born in Destiny Islands, feeling his home was a prison. But due to an encounter of a [[Ansem, Seeker of Darkness|future incarnation of himself]], Xehanort's destiny was set in stone as he [[Young Xehanort|acted on his future self's]] will before losing his memory and leaving the islands to become an apprentice under a Keyblade Master alongside a fellow apprentice named Eraqus. When the two became Keyblade Masters, Eraqus was made steward of the Land of Departure so Xehanort can freely travel the worlds.
However, over Extears of research and travel, Xehanort became obsessed with the events of the Keyblade War. He felt that there was no balance between the light and the darkness, so he planned to recreate the χ-blade to cause a second Keyblade War with hopes to establish balance. By the time he confided his goals to Eraqus, Xehanort had mastered the powers of darkness and used them to scar his former friend in defense.
He attempted to use the darkness of a Keyblade wielder named Ventus to recreate the χ-Blade and serve as a host for his heart to prolong his life long enough for his plan to come to fruition. However, Ventus refused to succumb to his darkness and Xehanort is forced to extract the darkness and create [[Vanitas]] before leaving a weakened Ven to die on the Destiny Islands.
But, seeing the boy pulling through, Xehanort has Ven sent to be trained by Eraqus so he can become Vanitas' equal in order for their reunion to recreate the χ-blade. By that time, Xehanort found a more ideal host in one of Eraqus' two students: Terra.
===''Birth by Sleep'' and after===
While Vanitas traveled the worlds spreading the [[Unversed]] to prepare Ventus for their reunion, Xehanort was looking for the Princesses of Heart (seven princesses with hearts of pure light). He managed to find one, Princess Aurora. It was also at that time that he arranged for [[Maleficent (Disney)|Maleficent]] to find the other Princesses of Heart for him.
He also came to Radiant Garden to employ the services of [[Braig]], offering him a Keyblade of his own in return for helping him in getting Terra to embrace his darkness.
Though Braig was scarred as a result of Terra using his darkness, winning the youth's trust as a result, Xehanort threateningly calmed him down before infusing part of his heart into Braig's body. By tricking Terra into defeating Eraqus, Xehanort kills his old friend and casts the entire Land of Departure into darkness before telling Terra to meet him in the Keyblade Graveyard where his plan will be completed.
Managing to separate Terra from the others, with Braig holding them off, Xehanort sends Vanitas to enact his reunion with Ven. Managing to get Terra to unleash his full fury on him before seeing the light marking the restoration of the χ-blade, Xehanort uses his Keyblade to transfer his heart into Terra's body, turning the youth into his vessel [[Terra-Xehanort]].
However, with a new younger body, Xehanort found resistance from Terra through both his Lingering Will and the heart of Terra itself as he attempts to aid Aqua. It was only when Terra-Xehanort attempted to purge Terra's heart that the vessel loses all his memories except the name "Xehanort" which he took.
However, unable to fully rid himself of Terra, Xehanort reveals the series of backup plans he arranged that were ultimately carried by Terra-Xehanort's splinter selves, [[Ansem, Seeker of Darkness|false Ansem]] and Xemnas. Even though Sora and his friends foil their schemes, Xehanort had another plan set into motion.