Time-Skip?
When Sora is shown during what looks like a cut scene in the newly confirmed Tangled world, he is shown in his new outfit which like mentioned above is similar to his new magically charged clothes from his adventures in Kingdom Hearts 2 as far as being mostly black, but instead of having blue and yellow sprinkled throughout, it’s red with some grey mixed in. This new outfit is great visually and makes Sora look more grown which brings up the question: How many years have passed by since the ending of Kingdom Hearts 3D?
From the looks of Sora’s iconic crown chain necklace, he seems to have aged a bit as it is very close to his neck where in previous games it hung lower closer to the middle of his chest. This would seem to suggest that he may have aged at least 2 years but this is all speculation at this point. To be fair, it’s been confirmed that Sora is older but to what age is unclear. It would be awesome to play as a 18 or 19-year-old Sora.
How much has everyone progressed?
In the last game, Sora and Riku underwent training to become full-fledged Keyblade masters where only the latter passed, resulting in the former to go of on his own to train. This would have players to belive the Sora eventually came back, took the Mark of Mastery exam and passed but it has not been confirmed whether or not Sora is a Keyblade master or not. With the display of new powers Sora has in the gameplay trailer players can easily assume he has become a true Keyblade master as he is displaying similar powers that the masters and apprentices in Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep had.
It’s is unclear to what level the other characters such as Riku, Donald, Goofy have progressed to but it can be assumed that they have gotten new powers as well. With Lea and Kairi now Keyblade wielder’s, no one knows how far they have progressed in their training with Yen Sid either. Have Lea and Kairi become masters as well or are they at the level Sora and Riku were in the first 2 games? Seems the world will have to wait until more information is revealed.
Hopefully everyone is a master to give Xeahnort the massive butt-kicking he deserves in the upcoming war.