When Maleficent challenges Ventus, he must cooperate with Flora, Fauna, and Merryweather. They will have a special ability that could give the player the advantage in this battle. Aside from the help of the fairies, who otherwise just float around the battlefield, Ventus can use D-Links, Shotlocks, and Command Styles.

At the start of the battle, Maleficent will warp from the high platform on which she stood during the preceding cutscene to Ventus's location. While the player can attack her, once her staff begins to glow, a pool of flames will begin to form around her. The fairies' help must be used to be rid of the flames, the special command mentioned above causing Maleficent to fall asleep for a time, thus opening her to damage, when the player correctly presses Triangle, Square, Circle, and X as the on-screen prompts appear. Note that failure to do so will result in Ventus being stunned for six seconds, leaving him open to Maleficent's other attacks. This may need to be done several times throughout the battle, and it is while Maleficent is asleep that she can be bombarded with magic and physical attacks, Tornado and Wind Raid recommended due to the fact that these abilities hit multiple times. The use of aero-based attacks also has a high chance of allowing Ventus the use of the Fever Pitch Command Style. It is while Fever Pitch is activated that the player should show Maleficent no mercy with the Keyblade, but the player should take caution, as the witch may knock Ventus away with her staff.

After taking enough damage, Maleficent may warp away to the side of the battlefield. The player should immediately run to her location to continue attacking, using Dodge Roll to avoid the dark lightning she summons from above. The longer one takes to reach Maleficent, the sooner she'll warp away after reaching her. Should one reach her, he or she must be extremely careful of the lightning bolts Maleficent summons, the witch causing them to hit the area several times. Dodge Roll can be used to avoid them. As Maleficent's HP starts to dwindle, she will begin traveling across the battlefield as a pinwheel-shaped cloud of damaging, dark energy. Dodge Roll again can be used to avoid her. As her HP dwindles further, she will occasionally call her guards to attack Ventus, but they are minor annoyances and can be defeated for much-needed HP orbs. Maleficent is not difficult to defeat, and she can fall rather quickly if the proper strategies are followed! Also,...