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Axel (アクセル, Akuseru?), who utilizes a pair of chakram, as well as fire with the Assassin Nobodies under his control,[5] appears in both Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories and Kingdom Hearts II. He is also referred to as "Flurry of Dancing Flames" (おどる火の風, Odoru Hi no Kaze?). Axel can create walls of fire or throw his weapons. Nomura designed Axel on a similar concept as Reno from Final Fantasy VII. Nomura wanted to see what it would be like to have a similar character in a different world and role.[6] Axel is voiced by Keiji Fujiwara in Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories and the Japanese version of Kingdom Hearts II and Re: Chain of Memories, while he is voiced by Quinton Flynn in the English versions of both games.[13][23]
In Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, Axel pretends to join with Larxene and Marluxia in their plan to seize control of the Organization. To gain their trust, he assassinates Vexen when ordered by Marluxia.[20][22] He later attempts to derail the plans by setting Naminé free so that she can reveal to Sora the truth about how she manipulated his memory. Eventually, Axel confronts Marluxia, prepared to destroy him. Marluxia uses Naminé as a shield to keep Axel at bay, though Axel resolves to go through her. When Sora makes a sudden appearance, Marluxia vanishes with Naminé, leaving Sora to fight Axel. Sora defeats Axel, after which he states the existence of their relation before vanishing. After Marluxia is defeated by Sora, Axel enlists the aid of the Riku Replica to get rid of Zexion in Castle Oblivion's basement levels.
In Kingdom Hearts II, Axel attempts to rescue Roxas from DiZ's virtual Twilight Town. In Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix it was shown that he received orders to bring back or kill Roxas. Despite Axel's efforts, Roxas merges with Sora. Later, acting separately from the Organization, Axel kidnaps Kairi to bait Sora to him. However, Saïx takes her away so the Organization can use her to fuel Sora's anger. During a visit to Twilight Town, Saïx warns Sora that Axel desires to turn him into a Heartless. Axel appears after the Heartless invasion of Hollow Bastion to Sora, and informs him that Organization XIII has been using him to get hearts. He then apologizes for getting Kairi involved. Axel later finds Sora in a pathway to the World That Never Was and chooses to fight Nobodies with him. The numbers get overwhelming and Axel performs a suicide attack to save Sora. Fading away, Axel apologizes for kidnapping Kairi and asks Sora to rescue her.[24] When asked what he was trying to do, Axel admits he wanted to see Roxas, who made him feel like he had a heart, and Sora made him feel the same way.[25] With the last of his strength, Axel opens an entrance to the World That Never Was. In Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix, Axel posthumously contacts Roxas' consciousness following his ambiguous showdown with Sora, reflecting on old memories and sharing one final conversation on the mysteries of the heart with him before fading away; to further support these mysteries, and although Nobodies generally feel no true emotions, a teardrop is seen falling as the two former Nobodies disappear
