Here it is, in all its plot-twisted glory - Terra's ending for Birth by Sleep. Watch at your own risk. Absolutely massive spoilers for one of the biggest mysteries in the games' universe.
Spoiler! --Click here to view--
And my thoughts:
Spoiler! --Click here to view--
Beyond my obvious disappointment at the "Terra=Xehanort" shippers getting their way, and my "Vanitas=Xehanort" theory being blown apart... I don't know.
Honestly, watching the clouds close over Kingdom Hearts and watching the light disappear over Terra's armor as he said his friends' names... made me really sad. Like, I've seen maybe half an hour of footage from this game and that was absolutely heartbreaking.
I guess this makes Lingering Sentiment canon. Everyone whose seen the Sentiment should recognize the pose that Terra falls into. And the Sentiment says to Sora "I can only offer you my hatred of Xehanort." Makes sense to me.
This also means that Master Xehanort was the ONLY one in Terra's body. Terra's heart/soul was torn out and put into his armour, bringing the Sentiment to life and leaving Master Xehanort no competition for the body. This means that Xehanort's Heartless ("Ansem" in KH1) is the Heartless of Master Xehanort, as Terra's heart is most likely still within the Lingering Sentiment.
But what's strange is that a Nobody is made of a person's body and soul. Does this mean that Xemnas has the consciousness and memories of Master Xehanort, or that he has the consciousness and memories of Terra? Xemnas is merely the last remnant of Terra's body. He DOES refer to Aqua's armor as an "old friend." Is this Master Xehanort talking, or is it Terra?