Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories
Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories
Kingdom Hearts II
Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix
Kingdom Hearts coded
Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMIX
Kingdom Hearts III
Kingdom Hearts III Re Mind
Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory

The 13th Struggle

From the Kingdom Hearts Wiki, the Kingdom Hearts encyclopedia
Jump to navigationJump to search
Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories
The 13th Struggle
Theme Notes.png
Arranger Yoko Shimomura
Composer Yoko Shimomura
Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories
The 13th Struggle
Theme Notes.png
Arranger Yoko Shimomura
Composer Yoko Shimomura
Length 2:29
Kingdom Hearts II
The 13th Struggle
Theme Notes.png
Arranger Yoko Shimomura
Composer Yoko Shimomura
Length 1:44
Kingdom Hearts coded
The 13th Struggle
Theme Notes.png
Arranger Yoko Shimomura
Composer Yoko Shimomura
Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMIX
The 13th Struggle
Theme Notes.png
Arranger Yoko Shimomura
Composer Yoko Shimomura
Length 3:13
Kingdom Hearts III Re Mind
The 13th Struggle -Luxord-
Theme Notes.png
Arranger Yuko Komiyama
Composer Yoko Shimomura
Orchestrator Tomomichi Takeoka
Length 6:30
Kingdom Hearts III Re Mind
The 13th Struggle -Luxord-
Theme Notes.png
Arranger Yuko Komiyama
Composer Yoko Shimomura
Kingdom Hearts III Re Mind
The 13th Struggle -Larxene-
Theme Notes.png
Arranger Natsumi Kameoka
Composer Yoko Shimomura
Orchestrator Natsumi Kameoka
Length 5:00
Kingdom Hearts Tribute Album
The 13th Struggle
Theme Notes.png
Arranger Marmalade butcher
Composer Yoko Shimomura
Length 4:14

"The 13th Struggle" is a musical composition by Yoko Shimomura that appears in the Kingdom Hearts series. Two new arrangements were introduced in Kingdom Hearts III Re Mind, named "The 13th Struggle -Luxord-" and "The 13th Struggle -Larxene-". It is the boss theme of several Organization XIII members, which are fought alone, Friend Cards aside.

Appearances[edit]

"The 13th Struggle" is the field theme of the landings of each floor of Castle Oblivion in Kingdom Hearts coded.[1]

Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories[edit]

Sora's Story[edit]

Battles

Reverse/Rebirth Mode[edit]

Battles

Kingdom Hearts II[edit]

Battles
Events
Cutscenes
  • Prologue: "Axel", "Axel's Wrath"
  • Twilight Town: "Axel's Atonement", "His Last Words"
  • The Land of Dragons: "The Man Who Stands on the Snowy Mountain"
  • The World that Never Was: "Luxord", "As the Battle Ends"

Kingdom Hearts coded[edit]

Kingdom Hearts III[edit]

Battles
  • Keyblade Graveyard: Luxord
Cutscenes

Kingdom Hearts III Re Mind[edit]

Battles
Cutscenes
  • Keyblade Graveyard: "Past Redux: Xemnas Retreats"

Composition[edit]

"The 13th Struggle" is approximately fifty-eight seconds long in Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories and one minute and forty-four seconds long in Kingdom Hearts II. In all versions the tempo is 180 beats per minute. It has a time signature of 4/4 time for the entire piece and is written in the key of G minor, with brief modulations into both F minor and C minor before looping back to the start. "The 13th Struggle" has a four measure introduction that leads into the repeated melodic section, and lacks a conclusion, allowing for smooth transitions between loops. Each loop is forty measures long[KH Re:CoM], lasting around one minute each . The instrumentation consists of: organ, a large brass section featuring trombones, choir, strings, orchestra bells, snare drum, piano, cymbals, and timpani.

"The 13th Struggle" makes heavy use of chromatic notes. The melody in the first eight measures of the C minor section is later incorporated into the main melody of Sacred Moon.

The Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories arrangement features a brief introduction, the main melodic line, and a unique middle passage with only choir and strings, following which it loops. In the Kingdom Hearts II version, this middle passage is swapped out for a new one which incorporates the melody of "Organization XIII". All subsequent versions of the track continue to feature the "Organization XIII" section from Kingdom Hearts II.

The two arrangements in Kingdom Hearts III Re Mind are similar in arrangement to the original, but drastically different from each other. Luxord's version lasts six minutes and 30 seconds and is in A-minor. In this arrangement, the strings take on more of a playful, yet menacing arrangement. This version also has an alternate version for his recreated data's ultimate attack. Larxene's version lasts five minutes and is closer in arrangement to the original.

Other appearances[edit]

Kingdom Hearts Memorial Music Box[edit]

The Kingdom Hearts Memorial Music Box website features "The 13th Struggle" as one of eight tracks from the Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 ReMIX soundtrack. The song is represented by Axel and is accompanied by cutscene images and quotes related to Organization XIII.

Kingdom Hearts Magical AR Stage[edit]

Kingdom Hearts Magical AR Stage features "The 13th Struggle" as one of five stages in the AR video experience. The scene shows Sora facing off against Heartless and Nobodies accompanied by scenes of Organization XIII and the real Organization XIII.

Albums[edit]

Notes and references[edit]

  1. ^ Replaced by "Castle Oblivion" in Kingdom Hearts Re:coded.
  2. ^ Replaced by "Roxas" in Kingdom Hearts Re:coded.
  3. ^ "The 13th Struggle -Luxord-"
  4. ^ "The 13th Struggle -Larxene-"