The 13th Struggle

• The 13th Struggle
• Gameplay

Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories The 13th Struggle
Arranger	Yoko Shimomura
Composer	Yoko Shimomura

Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories The 13th Struggle
Arranger	Yoko Shimomura
Composer	Yoko Shimomura
Length	2:29

Kingdom Hearts II The 13th Struggle
Arranger	Yoko Shimomura
Composer	Yoko Shimomura
Length	1:44

Kingdom Hearts coded The 13th Struggle
Arranger	Yoko Shimomura
Composer	Yoko Shimomura

Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMIX The 13th Struggle
Arranger	Yoko Shimomura
Composer	Yoko Shimomura
Length	3:13

Kingdom Hearts III Re Mind The 13th Struggle -Luxord-
Arranger	Yuko Komiyama
Composer	Yoko Shimomura
Orchestrator	Tomomichi Takeoka
Length	6:30

Kingdom Hearts III Re Mind The 13th Struggle -Luxord-
Arranger	Yuko Komiyama
Composer	Yoko Shimomura

Kingdom Hearts III Re Mind The 13th Struggle -Larxene-
Arranger	Natsumi Kameoka
Composer	Yoko Shimomura
Orchestrator	Natsumi Kameoka
Length	5:00

Kingdom Hearts Tribute Album The 13th Struggle
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

• Castle Oblivion: Axel, Larxene, Vexen
• Twilight Town: Vexen

Reverse/Rebirth Mode[edit]

Battles

• Castle Oblivion: Vexen, Lexaeus, Ansem, Seeker of Darkness (first battle)^{[KH CoM]}
• Destiny Islands: Zexion^{[KH Re:CoM]}

Kingdom Hearts II[edit]

Battles

• Twilight Town: Axel
• The Land of Dragons: The Mysterious Man
• The World That Never Was: Luxord
• Cavern of Remembrance: Axel's Replica Data^{[KH II FM]}, Luxord's Replica Data^{[KH II FM]}

Events

• Betwixt and Between: Defeat the Nobodies with help from Axel.

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]

• Castle Oblivion: ???^[2]

Kingdom Hearts III[edit]

Battles

• Keyblade Graveyard: Luxord

Cutscenes

• Keyblade Graveyard: "Xemnas Retreats"

Kingdom Hearts III Re Mind[edit]

Battles

• Garden of Assemblage: Luxord's Recreated Data^[3], Larxene's Recreated Data^[4]

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.

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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]

• 

  Disc 1, Track 12 in the Kingdom Hearts II Original Soundtrack

• 

  Disc 8, Track 11 in the Kingdom Hearts Original Soundtrack Complete

• 

  Disc 1, Track 12 in the Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 ReMIX Original Soundtrack

• 

  Disc 1, Track 17 in the "Kingdom Hearts 10th Anniversary Fan Selection -Melodies & Memories-"

• 

  Disc 1, Track 9 in the Kingdom Hearts Tribute Album

• 

  Disc 7, Track 7 in the Kingdom Hearts - III, II.8, Unchained χ & Union χ [Cross] - Original Soundtrack

• 

  Disc 7, Track 9 in the Kingdom Hearts - III, II.8, Unchained χ & Union χ [Cross] - Original Soundtrack

Notes and references[edit]