Q & A
History Q&A
This section's purpose is that of answering some of the most confusing/interesting questions
that might arise while playing the Zelda games.
Even though he is helping with the whole story section, I'd like to give a particular thank you
to Tingle Kooloo Limpah for coming up with so
many intriguing questions and some very fitting answers.
Index:
Generic Questions
Hyrule Fantasy (Zelda 1)
Adventure of Link
A Link to the Past
Link's Awakening
Ocarina of Time
Majora's Mask
Oracles of Seasons and Ages
The Wind Waker
Four Swords
Hyrulean Adventure
Minish Cap
Twilight Princess
Q:
This site is about BS Zelda, but where is its story?
A:
The original BS The Legend of Zelda, which was made playable through the patches contributed to
this site (and by this site) is, as a matter of fact, a remake of the very first The Legend of
Zelda (thus having almost the same story). You can find it in Volume I Title
1: BS The Legend of Zelda Hyrule Fantasy. After the common events, the page has been divided
in two, to the right are the events as they develop in the original NES game, to the left the
BS Zelda alternative.
Ancient Stone Tablets instead, has an all new story which can be found
here.
Q:
Who are these BS-X mascottes? What do we know about them?
A:
The BS-X mascottes were avatars (one for boys, one for girls) for the user interface of the BS-X
which was in the form of a city through the buildings of which you could access different
services (games, minigames, settings, etc.). As such, the mascottes primarily are meant to
represent the player. Therefore, by having them star in the BS Zelda games (and other less known
games) the programmers intended for these to be a "live your own adventure in Hyrule" sort of
experience (based on this, it could be said the mascottes are from our world since they are meant
to be us, even though the BS-X city looks like a realy crazy place).
You would interact through your mascot anytime you turned the BS-X on, so even before or after
playing a game, your character would continue to exist. As such, it would be possible for us to
regard this Hero (of Light, according to AST) character(s) as having had two different adventures
in the land of Hyrule in two different ages (in a later setting first, then an earlier one).
Then again BS The Legend of Zelda, unlike BS The Legend of Zelda Ancient Stone Tablets, doesn't
just add to the stories of existing Zelda games, but by having a hero from another world replace
Link actually rewrites one in part, and this is clearly not canon (at best, the mascot may have
appeared to aid Link in his quest), so it isn't really of much importance whether we assume the
same hero appeared in two different ages or that it was two (one per game) different but alike
looking (as do all Links) heroes since to actually have the mascot in BS LoZ requires to either
consider it not canon or twist the facts presented by the game a bit. Similarly, you may decide
yourself whether they come from our world or a similar one.
Q:
It is a proven fact that there are more than one Link; but are these heroes different persons
or does Link reincarnate?
And what about Zelda?
A:
I always have been for the idea that Link was like Moorcock's Eternal Champion: many bodies for
the same soul. He doesn't remember his past lives but he does have the same spirit as before.
One particular line in The Wind Waker would seem to indicate that Link's spirit keeps being
reborn into the world of Hyrule each time it is threatened.
His profile in Smash Bros can also be proof of this: "Link is the valiant boy hero of The
Legend of Zelda series in which he fights against Ganon to recover the Triforce. Tough his
tools may change with each adventure, his strength and righteousness remain constant."
As you see it refers to him as a single person while speaking of many games (MM was yet to be
released at that time) which are actually listed below: LoZ, LttP and OoT.
Also there is the LttP manga: in the first chapter Zelda decides that Link must be The
Legendary Hero who appears in Hyrule once every hundred years. However, we must not forget,
that the Lttp manga stretches the story a lot, and in fact in LttP it is clearly stated that
When Hyrule is in danger an Hero is destined to appear which seems to refute the one hundred
years time. Still, Smash Bros Melee seems to accept as canon what a similar Super Metroid manga
also published on Nintendo power revealed; even though that too didn't follow the story with
much accuracy.
This cant be as easily applied to Zelda (not all Zeldas at least), for if you think of the
first and second games, youll immediately remember how there is a time when 2 Zelda exist.
It has however been suggested, that after AoL, by having several Zeldas predate the
establishment of the rule that every princess was to bear the name of the sleping one, Nintendo
may have implied that the rule was previously not necessary because she, like Link Impa and
others, would normally be reincarnated.
With the release of TP, a wrench seems to have been thrown in the conception of Link being
reborn: the Hero's Shade. For a number of reasons, this character is believed by many to be
the spirit of the Hero of Time. These reasons will be further analyzed later.
Q:
Hylian, Hyrulian, Hyrulean?
A:
Although Hyrulian might sound like "anybody from Hyrule" in ALttP (both manual and game) it is
said that Hylians were an ancient race whose blood grew thin after the Imprisoning War to
eventually almost disappear, supposedly as a result of cross breeding between Hylians and other
races. So I don't see any better way to call the (still pointy eared) current inhabitants of
Hyrule if not with that name, for it is closer to Hylian than Hyrulean. Sort of like Roman and
Roumanian.
Both Hylians and Hyrulians are different races of the same species, humans; the same applies
to the Gerudo People and the Wind Tribe too. There also exist "common" humans outside of
Hyrule, in the lands of Holodrum, Labrynna and, in some periods, in the province of Ordon and
within Kakariko even.
Given a meaning to Hyrulian, Hyrulean is left to be everything and everybody from Hyrule,
whatever species they are. The term is used with that meaning in the Oracle games, that tell of
an Hyrulean legend.
One could ask if Hylians and Hyrulians are in the end the same race: yes and no.
The idea is that Hylians decayed originating Hyrulians, in short that they lost part of their
powers, their wisdom and got less pointed ears; so you could basically say that the race is still
around with a different name (considering how small the differences are).
Q:
There are crosses on Link's shield and tombs in the first two games; there also is a church
with a cross and a cross item in the second game and in the Japanese Hyrule Fantasy the Magic
Book is even called Bible. Is there Christianity in Hyrule?
A:
Obviously when the first two games were made, the programmers were mainly inspired by European
middle age epics among which, tales of the crusaders; so back then the answer would have been
yes. With the introduction of A Link to the Past though, they discontinued this conception and
created an all new mythology for the game. Even the Magic Shield had its design modified in
Soul Calibur II. If you wish to find a justification for those crosses still, you may consider
that before Christianity the cross had been to many cultures a symbol of the sun (because of
the form of its corona during eclypses), fire, divine triumph and the cycles of life and
seasons.
Q:
What is the Underworld? Why are there old men in there?
A:
Exactly what it appears to be: several underground mazes where the Triforce is hidden.
Most people assume that the Underworld (all of it) is Ganon's. And indeed, according to the voice
acting in BS Zelda they are "the evil king's labyrinths". But if they are Ganon's, why can't he
get the Triforce parts? That leaves two possibilities: either the guardians were placed there by
Zelda and/or the old men in the dungeons (but why put the Triforce parts in the enemy's
strongholds?) or the people who wrote this voice acting script didn't really think things
through.
So, regardless of whose dungeons these are, the lesser enemies may well be Ganon's minions
(trying to recover the Triforce) while the dungeon bosses have got to be some kind of guardians
to keep anybody from the treasure chamber.
Now like I said, it'd make little sense for Zelda to hide the Triforce in Ganon's strongholds,
guardians or not... so let's disregard that line and assume the dungeons are not Ganon's
property (except the one he dwells in, of course). If so then the old men within could be their
keepers (except they now holed up themselves into certain rooms to escape the invading monsters),
they could even be the ones that placed bosses to guard the Triforce (and this would explain why
they know so much about said bosses).
It's not so far out if you consider that at least the bosses and some others (if not all) Temple
enemies of AoL were chosen by the Just King who ruled with the Triforce (and in TWW, the Tower
of the Gods is filled with the same enemies that make up Ganon's army, like Dark Nuts, etc.).
Still it'd be kind of odd that the enemies hold keys and are connected to the door triggers if
they're just meant to be Ganon's underlings who have infiltrated the dungeons... but I suppose
they want to get to the Triforce before you do. Furthermore, this doesn't explain the old men
that are in Ganon's own final dungeon... maybe they sneaked in to help the hero with their
knowledge?
Q:
What is the symbol for the third labyrinth, the so called manji?
A:
It is a Japanese symbol that represents temples.
Q:
Is the Master Sword sword in the first game?
A:
Almost certainly not. While one may argue that the programmers could have thought of the third
sword of Hyrule Fantasy when making the blade of evil's bane in A Link to the Past (nevermind
that it is said to sleep forever), when they made BsZelda, much later, they still called the
second and third swords White and Magic Sword respectively; if they really meant for one of them
to be the Master Sword they would have said so, wouldn't they? However, it is also true that the
BsZelda Magic Sword does resemble the Master Sword in its shape and is gold as the Master Sword
at the top of its power in A Link to the Past. Nevertheless, in Soul Calibur II, Nintendo put
both the Master Sword and the Magic Sword and made them look quite different (the only thing in
common being the color). So it appears we have a final answer at last.
Or not... now that the Magic Sword is out of the question, people are trying to find
similarities between the Master Sword and the second sword from LoZ, the White Sword. Honestly,
if the White Sword was really the almighty Master Sword, what would that make the Magic Sword?
The Fierce Deity's? While I may admit to some resemblance in the artworks for the two swords,
and while the Sacred Blade in MC (which bears some resemblance to the Master Sword in the GBA
port of ALttP), before becoming the Four Sword briefly takes the name of White Sword, I think
it's better we stop at that (a possible correspondence between White and Four Sword), lest we
all go crazy.
Q:
How can we further determine the identity of the Sleeping Zelda?
A: (Caution spoilers)
The game gives us these clues: her father ruled with the Triforce, and hid that of Courage
until the time of Adventure of Link when it is used to awaken her. When A Link to the Past was
released, it was obviously meant to tie in with this story, as in the end the complete Triforce
is obtained by the hero and supposedly taken to Hyrule for the first time (I'd guess Agahnim
was probably meant to be the wizard that put Zelda into eternal sleep in the initial game
concept, but somewhere along the lines of development this idea was supposedly discarded). One
problem with this, was that the Triforce only obeys the first who touches it, thus Link would
have had to marry Zelda and be the great king, father of the sleeping Zelda... whom his next
incarnation marries; that's rather freaky. However, Link's Awakening had him leaving the world
of Hyrule (as he enters Koholint) so that could explain how the current king could perhaps use
the Triforce (although no foolish prince is seen in ALttP). Either that or his grandson (or
Zelda's husband) could have been the great king. Now with the release of the Oracle games; this
seems more than likely as the Triforce rests in Hyrule Castle during those and we don't wander
into it enough to reasonably claim Zelda has no brother. So, in conclusion, the Zelda of LttP
was more than likely meant to be the sleeping one, but that of the Oracle games turned out to
be more fitting for the role.
Q:
Who wrote the scroll Impa hands to Link?
A:
Contrary to popular belief, not the old man seen at the end of the game. The author of the
scroll says he has placed the guardians into the palaces and in the description for the
IronKnuckle is said that it is a soldier chosen by the king. Therefore, the author of the
scroll is the king that ruled with the Triforce, father of the sleeping Zelda (notice how she's
never mentioned in the scroll; she was still awake when it was written).
Q:
Is it really necessary to have a strong character with no evil thoughts and an inborn special
quality for one to use the Triforce?
A: (minor spoiler)
If that one is to use and not misuse it, then yes. I don't know what the special
quality is, but it probably has something to do with Link defeating his dark side.
Q:
So, Ganon's minions are calling reinforcements from the underworld? Does that mean it extends
past what we saw in the first game? Or that Link didn't conquer those mazes entirely?
A:
Actually no, this seems to be a mistranslation. You see, the underworld from the first game
was defined with the word "chika" which does mean underground. However in this instance, AoL's
Japanese manual uses the word "makai", meaning demon's world or hell, a term also used in OoT
regarding what the Sacred Realm would become like because of Ganondorf. Therefore, it seems
AoL's manual is where we first encounter a reference to the Dark World within the Zelda series;
even though at the time it was written this "demon world" did not have the story it would be
given in ALttP and was simply that: hell (not difficult to imagine why it got censored to
underworld).
Q:
In Adventure of Link, does the Triforce mark that appears on the hero's hand mean he has been
chosen by the Triforce of Courage like in Ocarina of Time?
A: (Caution spoilers)
At a time, that's what I thought, that the authors meant to introduce a retroactive change and
explain the true meaning of that mark. But this wouldn't make much sense, because the old man
at the end clearly has the Triforce of Courage next to him as Link enters the room; he does not
reveal to Link that he had it all along. Furthermore, in the Oracle games a third meaning was
introduced for the mark and TP seems to give it yet another. In conclusion, the most reliable
source to answer this question is still the game's manual: the mark appeared on Link through
the King's spell, because he was worthy of undertaking the quest for the third Triforce. We
could however speculate that the king's spell bound him to that Triforce part (and that he is
already the only one that may use it), but that's unnecessary and has little basis really.
Q:
Is there any relation between Carrock (fourth boss in AoL) and the wizard that put Zelda into
eternal sleep?
A:
There may be! On a close inspection, Carrock looks a lot like the Wizard that cast the spell on
Zelda in the manual artwork (check the necklace), and this would explain why in the Japanese
version he was only said to have died. However, it seems absurd that Zeldas father, the King,
would have entrusted him with guarding one of the Temples; because while the King may have died
before Zelda was cursed, the wizard would have known full well where the Triforce of Courage
was... but this could just as well mean his only purpose was to cause discord and cast the curse
for whatever reason.
In the end, what seems the most likely, is that the malevolent wizard took over the temple either
as a first step to obtain the Triforce himself or to ensure that it would never be united by a
well meaning person whod break his curse.
Q:
Agahnim is Ganons alter ego, but what is this beings past?
A:
Observing his clothes, he appears to be a Sheikah. Look at the symbol on his robe (the
artworks, not the game) and the carpet in the castles tower (the room before his): an eye with
something similar to tears, almost the same symbol seen on the gossip stones and on Sheik's
chest. Also in his second battle he used shadows to fool Link.
It has been drawn from Soul Calibur II that Agahnim used to be a person of his own, a wizard
turned evil. So Ganon might have possessed him for Agahnim to be his alter ego (as he does with
another puppet in TP).
This explain why he fights somewhat, but not entirely, like Ganondorf. In any case, I would
assume he's been Ganon's alter ego for quite a while seeing how there are statues of him on the
Dark World's pyramid.
It also goes without saying, that his title of -heir- to the Seven Wise Men is merely honorific.
Being their heir doesn't necessarily mean he is their descendant.
Q:
Why are the "surnames" of Ganondorf and Ganon, Dragmire and Mandrag respectively, absent from
both the games and this site?
A:
Because that is something the people who localized ALttP's manual made up.
Q:
Why are there in A Link to the Past warp tiles that allow entrance to the Dark World?
A:
No reason is given by the game for their presence. Probably when A Link to the Past was
released, they were supposed to be the entrances to the Golden Land mentioned in the booklet;
one of which was used by Ganondorf to obtain the Triforce. It was also speculated that Ganon made
attempts to escape his prison and thus some openings started to form (openings between the
dimensions not the seal, mind it).
Some also have noted that most of the Temples in Ocarina of Time are placed near to where these
tiles were (or would be). Perhaps when the Sages could heed their call to the Sacred Realm some
openings were left behind; but I don't think so.
In the end, the phenomenon seems to finally have been explained by the portals Link opens in
FSA.
Q:
Is it the Triforce that changes anybody who enters the Dark World to reflect what is in their
hearts, or is it the Dark World itself?
A:
Some characters claim it is the power of the Dark World or "magical air of the Golden Land",
others that it is the Power of Gold, the Triforce, that changes people like that in order to
grant Ganon's wish for the world (and it is something that doesn't happen in AST, Oracles and
FSA). The relation between the wish and this side effect I can only try to guess. Perhaps it
has something to do with evil greedy men entering the Dark World to join Ganon's army; giving
them the shape of monsters will make them more dangerous, while those who are not evil may be
hindered by the change (as Link was). We know for a fact that those who wandered into the Dark
World could return to the Light World and their shape once Link obtained the Triforce. The only
way to avoid conflicts, is to say that the Triforce, to grant Ganon's wish, made the air of the
Golden Land/Dark World change people who enter it.
Q:
Why doesnt Ganon, in A Link to the Past, simply wish on the WHOLE Triforce for the Sages Seal
to break or for Link to die? Isnt the Triforce omnipotent?
A: (Caution spoilers)
Even though the Triforce is omnipotent for it can grant any wish (as long as its master's wishes
it strongly enough), its might can still be countered; the Master Sword can deflect its magic
protecting the user from it (I don't mean deflect as play tennis , I mean that Ganon can't wish
for Link to disappear as long as he has that sword) and evidently the Wise Men's Seal can do
that too (notice though that Link is still changed to reflect his heart as he enters the Dark
World, evidently the sword doesn't protect him from magic the Triforce doesn't cast directly
upon him, but upon the world he's in. For that he needs the Moon Pearl which either protects him
on his own or in conjunction with the Master Sword to repel the evil/darkness like the Sols did
in TP. After all, it did work in conjunction with the Four Sword in FSA).
Casting the Seal, Rauru chants a plea to the Goddesses; supposedly that's why the Seal is strong
enough, because it is empowered by them.
The Master Sword also was forged by them in compliance to "the gods' oracle" (long before the
Imprisoning War, as demonstrated by OoT and despite what the English manual of AlttP may say).
Furthermore we can see from TWW that it the sword takes its power to repel evil (and resist the
Triforce) directly from the Gods.
Q:
Just how did Ganon get the whole Triforce in ALttP?
A: (MAJOR SPOILERS FOR AOL, ALTTP, OOT, FSA and TP!)
Now this ones going to be long. When ALttP was originally released, anybody playing it could
easily tell it was meant to take place before LoZ and AoL. That is because of the following
reasons: both in the manual and the game, was said that Ganon entered the Golden Land, obtained
the Triforce that was supposedly there from the beginning of time (that may have been changed
too recently), and from there sent an army against Hyrule; Ganon and the Triforce were then
sealed in the Golden Land (now Dark World) before they could ever leave it. In the end of the
game, the united Triforce was brought to Hyrule by Link, and thus it was possible for the back
story of AoL to take place; that is, the King ruling with the Triforce (which could not happen
before ALttP since Ganon is implied to be the first that took the Triforce and was sealed with
it), his daughter cursed with eternal sleep and all princesses to follow named after her. The
only plot hole was how Ganon had returned to life in LoZ, but even that seemed to be filled in
with LA, that stated trouble was still expected (after ALttP) from Ganons ashes. So everything
made sense.
Enter OoT, mother of all confusion and plot craters. First the in-game presents discrepancies
from what ALttP told us of the Imprisoning War: the Knights' role for the most part played by
Link, Ganondorf who, intent on getting the Triforce, actually conquers Hyrule with success,
leaving the Sacred Realm with the Triforce and other details such as Link looking for the Sages
and not the other way around. This obviously overlapped said previously canon material and put
the rest of ALttP's manual in doubt, but a retroactive change can be accepted as long as it
makes sense. Unfortunately, it also thwarts the programmers' previous attempt to explain why
theres more than one Princess Zelda (as we have another Zelda that pre-dates the cursed one...
and even more with later games)
What's worse, is really the way OoT makes the Imprisoning War end: not only it created great
confusion having Link sent back in time (without clearing up what was and was not undone by
that), but Ganon also ended up being sealed in the Evil Realm with only the Triforce of Power!
At first, I thought this could lead into Miyamotos insane statement that LoZ came before ALttP
(since in LoZ Ganon has the Triforce of Power) something impossible as I explained in this
answers first paragraph. Who would then be the sleeping Zelda? That of OoT? Her father never
had the Triforce. A previous one? But What of the hidden Triforce of Courage? That would need
for it to be hidden at a later time which doesn't make sense. Not to mention that Ganon couldnt
be in Hyrule before the Seal was broken in ALttP, while he sure is in Hyrule during LoZ (see the
question below for more on Miyamoto's statement).
For a while, I went with the assumption that Agahnim found the remaining Triforce parts and sent
them to Ganon long before coming to Hyrule Castle. But now, as I expected, Nintendo appears to
have retroactively changed things again. I'm persuaded that being sent back in time Link found
himself in a new timeline where Ganondorf (still free) was unable to enter the Sacred Realm as
in OoT (because Link didn't take out the Master Sword and took the Ocarina away). The events
told in Twilight Princess' backstory come to pass: Ganondorf tries to conquer Hyrule but is
defeated and banished in the Twilight Realm. He returns later on but Link kills him. Then in
Four Swords Adventures, he is reborn, and finds another way (other than the temple of Time) to
get into the Sacred Realm, now Dark World, and gets the whole Triforce (this new Ganondorf
having balanced his wicked heart). Then he kills off the knights and is defeated by Link while
the maidens seal him into the Four Sword. Now in ALttP that sword is in Ganon's pyramid, and
certain monsters encountered in FSA Hyrule are now only in the Dark World (like the Hinox), so
it's no big stretch to assume that he was sealed together with his minions in the Dark World
before he could escape the sword, making everything fit; especially if we remember that the
events in OoT are kept in memory by the Royal Family in both timelines, meaning the Sages and
their efforts are not forgotten and both legends of Ganon's imprisonment can mix to form the
background given in ALttP.
Q:
About ALttP, it appears that Shigeru Miyamoto stated it should take place after LoZ and AoL,
with LA falling anywhere in-between. Isn't that a most reliable canon source?
A:
Apparently yes, he did state that, but I'm not giving that interview much importance for the
following reasons: first as said above, that when ALttP was released it was obvious, even
advertised (and in Japan too, I'm told), that it took place before LoZ and AoL and, in all
honesty, the other way around would make no sense at all. But there's more, contrary to popular
belief, the stories of the Zelda series were not entirely (nor probably for the most part)
written by Miyamoto, the one that worked them into a game (one of the best of all times may I
add).
So, unlike what goes for the unequalled gameplay and feeling of exploring a fantastic world that
he put into it, we owe the most of Zelda's story to script writers Takashi Tezuka and Kensuke
Tanabe (for the first two and second two games respectively).
Besides, it doesn't look like Miyamoto takes the whole matter very seriously; can you imagine
George Lucas making a new Star Wars movie and then state it can fall anywhere in the series?
Q:
In pratical terms, the new races of OoT were not in the previous games because they had not been
conceptualized yet. But are there explanations of this absence in terms of storyline?
A: (spoilers for Oracles and TWW)
The Gorons were probably tired of the conflicts Hyrule seemed so often to face, and went
elsewhere: in Holodrum and back to Labrynna. Besides Death Mountain itself became an hostile
place after Ganon built his tower on the Dark Worlds own, and in the new timeline the Great Sea
was a very dangerous place for Gorons.
Similarly, the the Sea Zoras likely returned to Labrynna as seen in Oracle of Ages, abandoning
their outpost in Hyrule for River Zoras to take. In the other timeline they become Rito but that
will be detailed later.
The same seems to apply to Deku Scrubs. Those seen in FSA were either trapped in the Dark Mirror
from ages past or cursed people.
I'm not sure what happened to the Kokiri, I suppose they either returned to being Koroks (as in
the other timeline) and still hide deeper in the woods (as Ordon village seems to have been
built over that of the Kokiri) or now resemble/became normal people (I suspect the twin
lumberjacks, "kikori" in Japanese and the grumpy thief who has the same posture as Mido, it might
be a hint).
The Sheikah were dying out already in OoT and TP because of the fierce wars previous to those
games; and the Hylians, as said, supposedly mingled with other human races, losing their affinity
to magic (and making their ears less pointed).
The case of the Gerudo people is far more complex, and will be elaborated upon in a question of
their own among those for Ocarina of Time.
Q:
How come Koholint seems to be made with parts of other games?
A: (Caution spoilers)
If we factor the Wind Fish as being an omniscient creature, he could easily have taken
inspiration for his dreams from different worlds and times (thus explaining the presence of
other Nintendo characters).
Q:
In the end of Link's Awakening, what will happen to the hero?
A:(caution spoilers)
After Koholint vanishes, Link is stranded at sea with nothing but a piece of wood from his ship
to sit upon. The unofficial manga suggests that the Wind Fish flies in the direction of land,
indicating Link what direction to paddle to. But in any case, we do see lots of seagulls in the
ending. These birds typically dont stay too far away from coasts, so this could indicate that
land is pretty near. It is however also possible that they were whisked into the dream island too.
Q:
Did the programmers just get these new races out of the blue?
A:
See my article Developing New Races for the Zelda Series but be wary
of spoilers (especially for Minish Cap)
Q:
Who is really Kaepora Gaebora?
A:
He is the reincarnation of an ancient sage. That means he either was an associate of Rauru
(perhaps the infamous Kasuto of AoL's fame) or is Rauru himself possessing an owl.
If you look closely at the artwork for both characters though, some similarities in their faces
can definitely be spotted, and Kaepora is said to have a [b]Light character[/b], which is a dead
giveaway.
Q:
Is Jabu Jabu really the Wind Fish?
A:
It seems not, as the Wind Fish was, supposedly, already asleep and dreaming Koholint at the time of
Oracle of Ages. It could have been the original idea when making Jabu Jabu, though.
Q: (Spoilers for TWW)
Where did Jabu Jabu go in OoT's future time period?
A:
Perhaps in Labrynna; the Sea Zoras too return there later on in Oracle of Ages. Of course we
also have Jabun in TWW, so it seems this fish moves around a lot (even if we assume Jabun was
his descendant).
Q:
How can non-Hylian sages have descendants among the maidens of ALttP?
A: (Spoilers for OoT, FSA and TWW)
Simply put, they don't. The Sages in OoT were successors of the ancient ones, and not (except
Zelda, and Rauru who was one of them) also of the same bloodline. Because the timeline was split,
these people never needed to heed the awakening call and become Sages, so the maidens in both
FSA and ALttP, are not their descendants, but those of the ancient Sages that built the temple
of time and supposedly also of the Sages of TP. On another hand in the new timeline in which
those Sages did awaken in OoT, we have (in TWW) descendants of Ruto and Saria.
Q:
Do Kokiri die upon leaving the forest?
A:
It seems evident that the aforementioned was only a rumor to keep the Kokiri in the safety of
their village since they leave the forest in the ending and so do their descendants in The Wind
Waker.
Q:
What was the fate of the Gerudo people? And why Gerudo people and not just Gerudo?
A:
The Gerudo are the only race that has not appeared in any game after Majora's Mask, with the
exception of FSA. Personally, I believe the Gerudo tribe no longer exists.
After OoT the Gerudo were led into war by Ganondorf but lost, and judging by FSA they apparently
had to become nomads (having left Hyrule's border in TP) and supposedly survive many years
without their king (unless Ganon had conceived an heir before being banished in Twilight); so it
is evident that they could breed with Hylians/Humans and eventually a new male was given birth
(not necessarily FSA's Ganondorf, he could have come later still after one or more nondescript
males). But seeing how scarcely they appear in newer games, I believe when they ended up without
a king for a second time, their cross breeding with Hylians eventually caused both races to cease
to exist and become what I refer to as Hyrulians (though interbreeding with other races such as
common humans may also be factored in the equation). The last direct descendants of the Gerudo
could be identified in the thieves that inhabit the woods (and once Kakariko with Blind as their
leader). This seems more than likely as those thieves were seemingly intended to be what
remained of Ganondorf's when A Link to the Past was released. Note though that also the very
first Kakariko seen in TP and inhabited by Sheikah was plagued by thieves (well before FSA, so
maybe the Gerudo descendants became one with an existing group).
It is also possible that like Blind, some of the descendants of Gerudo thieves were trapped in
the Dark World which reflected what was in their hearts making them Keatons (in MC Keatons are
fox thieves, but they could be killed unlike those in ALttP who, like OoT Gerudo and ALttP
forest thieves are invulnerable, marking them as people, not common monsters).
As for why I (and the Japanese games) refer to them as Gerudo people (or tribe), that's because
Gerudo seems to be the Hylian word for desert. Several desert monsters have the name Gerudo and
an attribute. Think of the Geld Man in ALttP and the Geld Arm in AoL (Geld is an alternative
transliteration for the word Gerudo).
Q:
Does a person become a Sheikah by training or birth? Can only Hylians become Sheikah?
A:
The Sheikah are an Hylian tribe with a natural attitude to shadow magic, thus the only way to
really be one is to be born among them. Of course, as for Zelda, it is possible to be trained
like one and magically assume their appearance (red eyes); but a genetic trait cant be taught.
Q:
Are Link and Zelda brother and sister?
A:
Not likely.
There are what you might call hints on the Link and Zelda from Ocarina of Time but nothing more.
One is Zelda finding Link's name familiar (even though this is the first time they meet and was
supposed to be the first game in the storyline too). Another is that if you talk with the ghosts
of the royal composer brothers one will yell You again! and say that Link looks a lot like
Princess Zelda. As I said, these can only be seen as hints, not proof.
However, because the Link from ALttP is a descendant of the "Knights" that fought the Imprisoning
War (which seems to coincide with the statement from the "semi-official" manga that the Link
from Ocarina of Time was son to a Hylian Knight too) and the Zelda of that time is instead a
descendant of the Wise Men, it seems an important point that their bloodlines stay divided until
at least ALttP (or TWW in the new timeline).
As for the other Link and Zelda in the series, surely not. That line in ALttP "Zelda is your..."
said by Link's uncle, was meant to be "Zelda is your destiny...". As seen in the GBA port.
Q:
Were the Pendants of Virtue carved out from the Spiritual Stones?
A:
Although there is no proof, this seems more than likely (even though the colors and attributes
of the Pendants of Virtue do not exactly match). This could even apply to the Pearls of the
Goddesses, although their name seem to imply that they are not made out of jewels.
It most likely doesn't apply to Elements/Royal Jewels seeing as they are Four, a crystallization
of natural forces (not a representation of the three Goddesses), not related to the Master Sword
at all, and supposedly should be around before and after the Spiritual Stones were used.
Q:
Did Ganondorf know that even with the Ocarina and three Spiritual Stones, the Master Sword
would still be in his way?
A:
There's two possibilities really. Either Ganondorf knew of the Master Sword and expected, by
causing all the troubles he did, that somebody would take it out to oppose him, or he did not
know the sword was there at all and just followed Link in, suspecting that Zelda had him recover
the Spiritual Stones. This is actually more plausible than it may at first appear.
Both because it doesn't seem a very good strategy for Ganondorf to rely on the emergence of a
predestined opponent and because even Zelda herself (owner of the Ocarina) does not mention a
sword being behind the Door of Time. Link finds out on his own when he goes in and Navi,
surprised, notices the sword and tells him about it.
Then again it is also possible that Ganondorf had not been able to find any other way and was
therefore hoping for the hero to appear and draw the sword to confront him. He IS pretty
self-confident.
Q:
What is the relation between Ganondorf and the 2 hags? They both are called surrogate mothers;
but did one of them actually give him birth or did they just raise him?
A:
Surrogate means something "in place of..." If both Koume and Kotake are surrogate they
cant have given birth to Ganondorf (and besides they are way too old).
You could say they basically "adopted" him, raising the Gerudo prince as their own
child.
Q:
In Ocarina of Time you must rescue Links friends so they can awaken as Sages ... what does
that mean exactly?
A: (Caution spoilers)
Think of this, the Great Deku Tree died, and a new tree was born, right? The Deku Tree Sprout
wasn't a revived Great Deku Tree; it was a completely new being (the old tree's body being still
there behind him). But although they were two different trees, the new one inherited all of the
wisdom and knowledge of the old tree. The Great Deku Tree was dead for a long time before the
sprout could grow and flourish, so he couldn't have taught him anything.
The sprout was just born knowing everything the old tree knew. Think of how it knew that Link
was actually a Hylian.
I believe this is what might be going on with the Seven Sages. When the Sages were awakened,
they could have inherited the knowledge and abilities of sages from the past. This doesn't apply
to Rauru and Zelda, who do not need to be awakened and are respectively an Ancient Sage and a
direct descendant of one (while the others are merely successors, not bloodline relatives).
The Sages in The Wind Waker, on another hand, are direct descendants of the ones from Ocarina of
Time. And the ones in Four Swords Adventures and A Link to the Past, are supposedly descendants
of the sages in TP (who are likely descendants of a long line of Sages).
Q:
How does the ending of Ocarina of Time work?
A: (Obvious spoilers)
It took me seven years, The Wind Waker and Four Swords Adventures to figure it out (this time
for good I'd hope). After sealing Ganon Zelda sends Link into the past, precisely after Link
left the forest but before he met her. Let me explain how this happened and why we can be sure
of such a precise timeframe for his return: Link returned the Master Sword to the Pedestal of
Time (actually, its more like gave it up so it could stay in the pedestal of time we never
see him put it back, and he returns to before taking it in the first place) so he "closed the
road between times" and was sent back to have his youth returned (free of his destiny's burden),
before he ever took the Master Sword thus changing the past, because he was still to fall asleep
in the Temple of Light; rather he was on his way for the castle when he was replaced by another
himself who appeared in the Temple of Time with the memories of the future. In fact Zelda must
have sent Link back to right before they met; otherwise she would not be spying in the window
(spying on Ganondorf as he met her father) and Link would be wearing the Goron Bracelet too.
Think of it, in this game all cutscenes always had Link wearing the same gear he had on when
they start, even in this one, he has the shield young Link last used. Why make the Goron
Bracelet the only exception? Because he's not supposed to have it yet. And the ending can't just
be meant to remind you of their first meeting because of the Triforce mark on Link's hand. And
even more interesting, Zleda does not have one.
Now if the past was changed, what of those people celebrating in the future? Wouldn't that
future cease to exist? Seeing as Zelda says good bye to Link and how The Wind Waker takes the
story from there and in an all new direction, it becomes evident that while enacting (at least
in part) the Imprisoning War background to ALttP, by having Link sent back OoT begun a new
timeline too. In the old timeline, Majora's Mask tells us, the legend of the Hero of Time was
held in the memory of the Royal Family, to supposedly become common knowledge (minus the time
travel part) over the centuries (TP's references to the ancient hero). Before then though, Link
left to search for Navi leaving Ganondorf unable to get past the Door of Time. Many years later,
he attacks Hyrule and is banished; then, upon returning, killed.
It doesn't end at that though, and Ganondorf is reborn among the Gerudo (in FSA). With his heart
now balanced he manages to find another way in the Sacred Realm (now Dark World) and get the
Triforce. A new Link opposed him, that of FSA, and records of this struggle are combined with
fragments of the legend of the Hero of Time to become ALttP's background.
One more thing left to sort out is the Triforce: Link went back in a different timeline and
still has the mark on his hand. We know the Triforce has not split yet because only Link has the
mark, not Zelda; therefore this must be the Triforce from the future. Does this mean there's no
Triforce of Courage in the timeline he left? Because of TWW we know that's not the case. When
Link left Hyrule, the Triforce was split into eight parts and returned to its poper place and
time(line). If this seems too convenient, to fix such a situation as having two Triforces of
Courage in one timeline and none in the other, with a seemingly unrelated side quest, just
remember that this is Hyrule and destiny is believed in as certain by one such as the Deku Tree
(when he spoke about the Princess of Destiny), who has watched over the forest since the
beginning of time (he ought to know his stuff). So it is perfectly plausible for the Gods to have
planned for Link to return the Triforce to the other timeline by leaving Hyrule. See also in the
next question about the marking in the room where Link is cursed for further evidence.
Q:
When is it exactly that Link enters Termina?
A:
Hard to tell. Supposedly (but not certainly) Link was already out of the kingdom's borders as the
game begins. But as for when he left his own world... it could either be when he falls down
that pitch black pit in which the masks appear floating around him or it could be when he walks
through that twisting passage that led to Clock Tower's basement. It could even be both, with
the part between them being a transition between the two worlds (some sort of common ground if
you will).
It is interesting that after falling into that pit, Link finds himself in a chamber with a
peculiar Triforce drawing on the ground. Peculiar because it has one of the tringles shrunk.
I believe this represents the Triforce of Courage leaving Link (who gets uncharacteristically
terrified of the Deku Scrubs in the vision SkullKid gives him), that he was fated to cross
that passage.
Q:
Which is the Goddess of Time both Zelda and Tatl mention?
A:
Supposedly Nayru since she created the laws of the land (or of physics if you will). Besides
her Oracle turns out to be that of Ages.
Q:
How is Ikana connected to the rest of the plot?
A: (Caution spoilers)
A long time ago, the Kingdom of Ikana (probably Termina's equivalent to the Hylia) was at war
with the country the Garo came from. At that time, as Ikana was about to fall after General
Keeta had lost a battle in their own territory, a terrible curse emanated from the stone tower
that sits atop of Ikana Canyon, turning both the people of Ikana and their invaders in
wandering undeads. However, somehow the doors to the tower were closed and the troubled souls
could rest. Much later the doors were opened again, awakening the undead, and Skullkid possesed
by Majora's mask, persuaded a ghost musician, Sharp, to aid him in keeping Ikana to the undead
and seal away his brother Flat.
These are the facts, now for some speculation: seeing how the Garo are described as ninja ghosts
of sorts, I would guess that they are of the same people as the Mask Salesman who looks quite
Japanese with his yellow skin and slanted eyes. Similarly, the choice of Majora and the other
evil masks to use bodies like the Mask Salesman's leads me to believe that Majora's Mask once
belonged to these people. Now this is a long shot, but perhaps Majora's Mask was the origin of
the curse at first, and the Stone Tower could be where it was sealed (and there is a giant stone
structure shaped like Majora in the Tower's entry room which doesn't seem like a later addition
but an integral part of the structure. Also the Tower seems to belong to the Garo, not the King
of Ikana). If so, then it would appear that it was the Mask Salesman who brought the curse back
upon Ikana by opening the tower's doors to retrieve the mask. Sure enough, a connection between
Majora and Twinmold (plus the other evil masks) does exist.
On a nearly unrelated note, there seems to be carvings of the Triforce on the pillars that lead
to Ikana and some of the floating blocks at the tower. These appear to be the only instances of
the Triforce myth being present in Termina, so it may be the Ikanians and their enemies fought
because of the Triforce (similarly to how Hyrule was at war because everybody wanted to locate it).
Q:
What do we know about the Fierce Deity Mask?
A: (minor spoilers)
Sadly, not much. We know that Majora gave Link the mask so he could be the Oni ("it" we would
say) in their game of tag, we know its dark power can be used only in the greatest battles, we
know it "has the merits of all masks" (although that was probably meant as a clue for the
player to collect all masks so the last one could be achieved), we know that all other
transformation masks contain the spirit of a once living being (except I suppose the Giant
Mask, but that just changes your size), we know its name and that in Japanese culture the oni
are ambivalent figures that can be both ogres or gods, bad or good. This leaves us to wonder:
why does the mask itself look so much like Link? Is it just the programmers' way to give the
player an ego boost, or is there a deeper meaning to this resemblance? And for that matter, why
does Link bear a yellow triangle and moon on his chest armor when wearing it? We can only hope
these questions will some day be answered.
Q:
And what do we know of the Mask Salesman, Majora's Mask and Skull Kid?
A:
For one thing, it is not possible to pinpoint with certainty the origins of the first two. While
Majora's Mask has definitely some strong connection with the land of Termina (like Stone Tower
which seems to have been built in relation to the mask), it is never explicitly stated what world
or land it was originally from. The Mask Salesman tells us that it is said to have been used by
an ancient tribe (which, as I said above, would seem to be of the same race as the Mask Salesman)
in its hexing rituals, but he does not tell us if they creted the mask themselves or received it
somehow. Some could theorize that it was simply a magical artefact that eventually became aware
of itself. Others may believe it to be the spirit of a long dead ruler (the mask is called Magic
Emperor by the Japanese version) or wicked deity (as was depicted in a sub story to the quasi
official manga, one that was conceived before the game's plot was finalized).
The Mask Salesman too is an enigma. Is he the same Link met in OoT? He surely seems to know what
the Hero is capable of. But if that is so, then was he born in Hyrule? Or did he just live there?
Again we are left with no clues.
About Skull Kid, we have some more information. It is not absolutely certain which world he is
from, but it would seem like it is Termina. He's not the average Skull Kid in which children are
turned by the Lost Woods; he may have the looks and mind of a child, but he is very, very old.
Enough to have his place in the legends of Termina. He did however spend some time in Hyrule as
he knows Saria's song (it is not certain however, whether it was Link or Saria herself to have
taught him that).
Q:
Why would the Oracle games happen after ALttP and not AoL? Aren't the necessary conditions met
after both games?
A: (Major Spoilers)
That's true, the Oracle games could happen after either AoL and ALttP. In both Ganon is dead and
the Triforce is united by Link; however Ages sends you 400 years back in time when Jabu Jabu
was still very small (presumably before OoT). We know the Oracle games necessarily take place
after OoT and the first game in which Ganon was killed and the Triforce united, ALttP; putting
the first two Zelda games too in that time lapse would be too much for a mere 400 years,
especially now that we also need to add TP and FSA. Also the ending to the Oracle games seems to
lead into Link's Awakening, a game whose manual foretells Ganon's return, so placing them last
in a timeline would not give it much closure. Besides, the rule introduced by ALttP that the
Triforce only obeys the first who touches it, already brought us to theorize that another Zelda
was born and placed into Eternal Sleep between ALttP and AoL (even more convenient, the
adventure is far from Hyrule, so this Zelda can very well have a brother). And AoL makes Link a
king ruling with the Triforce, which is a far better way to close the series.
One may argue that most characters in these games' artworks have no pointy ears and that this
would mean they happen after the blood of the Hylia has grown even thinner than in previous
games, but this is not the case: the people only have rounded ears because they are not from
Hyrule. Proof of this is that even those who live in Labrynna 400 years in the past, likely
before OoT, have the same rounded ears.
Q:
How come the Oracle games (as well as FSA and MC) feature characters originally from games set in
another age (OoT and MM) other than a new Link, a new Zelda, a new Impa, the witches and Ganon?
A:
That's what happens when marketing meets lazyness. Basically Capcom figured out that by re-using
characters from those games they would both save the design time and attract players of said
games. Naturally this makes little sense plot wise, but when has that been a problem?
As far as we fans are concerned, we may choose to dismiss that as unimportant, think of those
as descendants/reincarnations of the original characters, or pretend that they are just filler
to make the actual legend more lively (rather than part of the "hystorical account").
Q:
Why tell the story of Seasons first?
A: (Caution spoilers)
I could have been more vague and say that it is not known which of his quests the Hero of the
Essences undertook first (and in fact it isn't), or I could have told of Ages first since it
would make more sense for Link to help the possesed Impa without her suspicious inability to
recognize her friend and it would spare us some paradoxes like Rosa appearing 400 years in the
past (maybe an unaware victim of Veran's meddling). But playing the games that way, one will
witness King Zora reveal the Noble Sword you obtain from an old Zora (and have some hermit fix),
to be the Master Sword which really makes no sense. Why would before OoT a broken Master Sword be
in the possession of an old Zora from Labrynna (while it is supposed to seal the Sacred Realm's
entrance in the Temple of Time)? And how would King Zora have anything to do with all this?
Playing Season first instead, you'll obtain the Master Sword after being tested by an old man
in green robes. It still doesn't really explain how the legendary blade got to you, but it's
more mysterious and allows for the player to imagine an explanation on his own.
Personally, I like the idea that it could be a previous Link that went to the future so the
present Link could borrow the sword of evil's bane, and that then took it back in his own time
(so the sword can still sleep forever after ALttP). But of course, that's just what I like to
think, not what I believe the story writers were thinking of, hence why it's being speculated
here and not stated in the Oracles' page.
Q:
What about the familiar symbols on Onox and Veran?
A: (minor spoilers)
Veran has the (new) Gerudo symbol on her clothes for the same reason Onox does: they serve
Twinrova. Additionally, Veran also has a variation of the Sheikah symbol, and in her room atop
the Dark Tower are pillars with the very same symbol of Aghanim. This isn't really surprising,
for she is the Sorceress of Shadows and the original owners of that symbol were the shadow
folk. In fact, I'd deem it likely for Veran to really be a Sheikah.
Q:
How did those witches return?
A: (minor spoilers)
Because they were not killed. In OoT's past to which Link returned after sealing Ganon, Koume
and Kotake were still alive.
Q:
Why is the third flame pink? Normally the set of colors used would be Red, Blue and GREEN, as
the three Goddesses.
A:
It could be because it was lit by kidnapping Zelda and not Farore.
Q:
Is this Dark Realm of Onox and Twinrova the same as ALttP's? Did it not vanish?
A: (Caution spoilers)
Supposedly yes, it did: when Link obtained the Triforce Ganon's Dark World was replaced by the
image of Hyrule Link had in his heart. Yet, later in the Oracle games we learn that beings like
Onox still inhabit the place, so I would guess that although more similar to Hyrule it continued
to be a dangerous place inhabited by creatures which settled there during Ganon's rule.
Additionally, Ganon may have somehow reverted it to his Dark World when he came back in Ancient
Stone Tablets. I wouldn't really know how, though (since he did not have the Triforce). That and
the current owner of the Triforce that rests in Hyrule Castle during Oracles should be shaping
the place... (unless one has to be in it, but Ganondorf wasn't in OoT, if not for a brief time).
Q:
Okay so if the games happen between ALttP and LoZ, and they show how difficult it is to revive
Ganon that Twinrova had to wreak havoc in two countries, then how does he come back in LoZ?
A: (Caution spoilers)
Perhaps all of that ritual was necessary because Ganon had been completely destroyed and his
soul had moved on to the afterlife. Although Zelda says so, after Oracles this may not be the
case since he was not killed with a Silver Arrow (though in Oracles he didn't have the
Triforce either, so that may be why he was more vulnerable), this might make it more easy to
resurrect him.
Or maybe, despite what Zelda believes, he did not die at all! In the Minish Cap, also made by
Capcom everybody (including Zelda) thinks Vaati is dead after he explodes like Ganon did, but
he comes back for a final showdown. Maybe Ganon survived, but because he was an insane
raging Ganon it took him ages to find his way back into Hyrule (perhaps because he was even
buried under the rubble of his keep). I imagine the issue will never really be touched on again, leaving it
fairly open to interpretation.
Oh and a side note about Vaati: it appears that being revived after MC affected his personality
too (he sounds quite unbalanced in the original FS). Also both Ganon and Vaati are not very
talkative after these resurrection (in LoZ and FSA). Could it be a theme Capcom is going for,
the concept that revival can easily lead to raging (speech-less) madness?
Q:
What's this about two different Link living the adventure in Koholint??
A:
That's just me being miffed at such a pointless and vast retroactive change as the placement of
a game in the timeline ;)
I mean, there are hints for Link's Awakening to happen after both ALttP (as it was originally
meant) and the Oracles, so rather than arbitrarily choosing one, I found a way to put it after
both or either. After all, we need the prophecy of Ganon's return to introduce the first Zelda
game and Link's absence seems appropriate for Zelda to be cursed with eternal sleep; but we also
know he was in Koholint during Ancient Stone Tablets, which happens shortly after ALttP.
Q:
Why do you avoid names for the starring character of TWW?
A:
Because I'm not sure he's meant to be another Link. While in ALttP it is stated several times
the the starring character is a descendant of those who protected Hyrule, this game goes to
great lenghts to point out the opposite; that there is no relation between the boy and the Hero
of Time. You can even wear some unusual clothes, a first in the series. However, Ganondorf's
statement that you are the Hero of Time reborn seem to refute this. In the end, it's just a
detail to speculate upon.
Q:
How can Outset be a village of fishermen if the Great Sea yields no fish? (And the Mermen?)
A:
Odd isn't it? But the only fishes seen in Outset are the sharks (or Gyorgs) in Orca's room;
maybe that's what they fish. The Mermen I would guess are creatures of benign magic just as
Gyorgs are of malevolent one; I mean, normal fishes do not talk.
Q:
What about the Legend of the Fairy found in the Tower of the Gods? And the scrolls showing Link
leaving Hyrule on horseback, as well as the King saying the Triforce abandoned him when he left
Hyrule? Don't these things imply that Majora's Mask happened in the same timeline as TWW?
A:
We do know TWW follows the adult ending because Ganondorf and (the new) Zelda have the Triforce
parts they were left with in the adult timeline. And yet we have these Majora's Mask
references. Well, I don't believe they pose much of a problem.
Termina is another universe, which is, after all, pretty much the same thing as an alternate
timeline. We don't really know much about Termina's creation, it could even be a split timeline
that resulted because of an event which occured ages before OoT. But that's not the point really,
what I'm trying to say is that just the same way as Link went from his timeline to Termina,
another portal in Termina could lead into Hyrule's other timeline. Termina is just too mysterious
for us to lay down rules for it and how it relates to Hyrule. Besides, if there existed a Termina
for each timeline... who would have saved the one in the Adult timeline? So no, I don't believe
the split in Hyrule may have influenced Termina, which means there's no reason it should be
connected to only one of the two timeline Hyrule now exists in.
Even so, a question remains: who from Termina could come to the future timeline and reveal that
Link lost his Triforce upon leaving Hyrule (since none in Termina knew about his Triforce to
begin with)? While showing him on a horse, the Hylian text in the intro says he "traveled the
stream of time and left the country behind" which could either mean he left it behind in going
back (to the past) or after doing so. But the king of Red Lions apparently knows Link lost the
Triforce upon leaving Hyrule and embarking on a new adventure, not when going back in time. How
does he know?
Well, the solution may be simpler than we think: the King of Hyrule ought to know all myths about
the Triforce (Sheik/Zelda demonstrated this kind of knowledge in OoT). Tales of Link's adventure
in Termina, and more than that, apparently did reach the future of TWW (said legend of the fairy,
the postman's descendant etc.). So if the King had heard of Link's adventure in Termina, away
from Hyrule, he may also know that this would have caused the Triforce to abandon him.
This explanation seems to works perfectly well, but otherwise, we could either assume the only
reason we are told is because we, the players, need to be told, or that the whereabouts of the
Triforce of Courage were revealed by an oracle from the gods. So it's no big deal.
Q:
Do the Rito really descend from the Zora? Water is their element, why change them?
A: (Major spoilers)
Truthfully, as Zoras they could live the same lives as mailmen and travelers of the sea, but
they could also dive down to the sealed land of Hyrule. That's probably the main reason the
Zoras' care was (supposedly) entrusted to Valoo by Jabun; thus causing them to change from water
creatures to sky ones. Because the Gorons left, unable to live in a land where a mistaken step
meant no return sinking, the bird like Rito could settle on the height of Death Mountain
crater, or Dragon Roost Island if you will (they may even have inherited the Goron's spiritual
stone).
Q:
Shouldn't the Koroks have faeries?
A: (Minor spoilers)
The game does not tell why the Kokiri lost their guardian faeries upon becoming (or returning
to be) Koroks. Maybe it was the faeries that made them appear like kids?
Q:
How was it that Ganondorf managed to escape the Seal of the Sages? And from that of the
gods?
A: (Caution spoilers)
In ALttP, Ganon attempted to break the Seal when the memory of his imprisonment begun to fade.
I see no reason to doubt that he behaved likewise in this other timeline, using the powers of
the Sages' descendants upon stealing their souls.
As for escaping the seal of the gods (becoming a habit, uh?) it is not known; but apparently
he didn't -really- escape it until the Master Sword was removed from Hyrule Castle. Before then,
he was supposedly only partially alive (a shade of his true self, if you will).
Q:
Sages of Wind and Earth? Praying for the Master Sword? How did we get to this?
A: (Caution spoilers)
The game does not even hint at the descendants of the other Sages nor their elements. These two
Sages are obviously enough descendants of Ruto and Saria, yet they do not reside in the Water and
Forest temple. Seeing how important their instruments seem to be for keeping the Master Sword
empowered, I would guess that those roles (and perhaps Tetra/Zelda's who could be a praying
sage as well) could be additional to a Sage's typical duties and shifting over time (meaning
Rauru and Zelda, the only Sages that are already aware when Link takes the Master Sword, would
have used to be in that role). Either that, or the sword did not need any prayers during OoT
(thus being there no need to take up those roles yet). I'm not even going to try and explain how
this could influence ALttP; but it is a fact that there's plenty of Wise Men descendants in that
game. The fate of the other descendants remains therefore a mystery. Ganondorf most likely
carried out his revenge on all seven and these two could be the only ones invaluable to oppose
him in TWW (or the only ones that had living descendants? Or maybe the only ones the King of
Red Lions could guide Link to).
Q:
Why does the King not use the whole Triforce to wish for Ganondorf to instantly be turned to
ashes, but rather chooses to drown him with Hyrule, damn him? And why was Link able to take on
scimitar wielding Ganondorf after he just got owned by him bare handed? Argh!
A: (Major Spoilers)
According to ALttP, the Triforce's expression of a wish is relative to how strong that wish is
within the heart of the one who touched it. The King is a gentle ruler, so as much as he hates
Ganondorf, it was uncertain, maybe even unlikely, that such a wish from him would have the
strenght to overcome Ganon's power. But hope for those two children and their world, that is
something he can wish from the very bottom of his heart. And it worked: Link found within
himself the strenght to overcome his seemingly ubeatable opponent (with some help from Zelda).
Q:
Why is it that in TWW, after the Triforce appears as a whole, Zelda and Ganondorf still bear
their Triforce marks while nothing appears on Link's hand? Do they still have control over the
Triforce?
A: (Major Spoilers)
There are two possibilities.
What I believe is that the programmers forgot to remove the mark from their hands. When they
want the mark on Link's hand they have to change some values in the code to make it show up (and
it does only in cutscenes anyway), however every single time you see Zelda and Ganondorf in the
game up to the final battle they are always in possesion of their Triforce part (and it shows
even outside of cutscenes). So while to make the mark appear on Link they have to change a
value, with the other two it would be the opposite and to make it not show up they would have
had to go out of their way and program it.
Alternatively, it could be that the mark actually stays even after you lose the Triforce and thus
they keep their marks after losing their parts to the King... who kept it for all 10 minutes of
life he has left at least, after that, who knows what became of it. Perhaps it rests under the
waves together with its ancient land. In that case, the mistake would be Link lacking his mark...
either way, there's no sensible way to explain why two of them have the mark and one doesn't
besides saying the programmers screwed up.
Q:
Who is the hero spoken of in Four Sword's backstory? The one that sealed Vaati when he was
kidnapping maidens from Hyrule?
A: (Spoilers)
There are several possibilities. We know that (despite the maiden kidnappings) Four Swords'
backstory is not Four Swords Adventures because that's a sequel. It could be The Minish Cap...
but no maidens were kidnapped (except, I suppose, Zelda and the petrified castle maids) and
Vaati seems to have been killed in the end. One would therefore think it may be a hero we have
not seen, and this does appear to be the most likely answer... but I've been wondering: could it
be that the hero spoken of in the backstory is really the Hero of Time? Perhaps these events
transpired before he went to search for Navi into the Lost Woods (where the hero in the backstory
of FS also went afterwards). It wouldn't surprise me much, seeing as also the other game in the
cart (ALttP) linked its backstory with OoT. Furthermore, the Kokiri Sword (likely crafted by the
Minish as their clothes) does resemble the Four Sword to an extent and in MM it is called a
Sacred blade (as was the FS in MC). That of course would mean Link still has it in MM and that
said game happens first.
Q:
Who are the three faeries in the introduction?
A:
Again there are several possibilities. Some believe them to be maidens from the sequel (why just
three then?), but personally I think they are the Goddesses (or their messengers) descended to
Hyrule to guide the hero.
Q:
Why are the six girls that must be saved in Hyrulean Adventure called -Shrine- Maidens? What do
we know about them?
A:
Apparently after the incident with Vaati, Zelda (and maybe the king) may have searched for the
descendants of the ancient Hylian Sages (it is an assumption that they are descendants of the
sages, but it seems pretty much implied) to have them watch over the Four Sword Shrine, so that
Vaati would not escape again (and we do know the Knights were entrusted with the jewels'
protection). That didn't work very well, did it?
At any rate, we also know each maiden relates to a specific part of Hyrule. The blue maiden for
one offers to carry you to your next objective through the flow of water and the yellow one calls
Death Mountain hers (which is interesting since we know Darunia, the RED Sage of fire used to
reside on the still fiery Death mountain). Specifically, each seems to be linked with the land
you go through after saving them (not the one you ventured to save them... which I think makes
sense, as opposed to having Sages imprisoned within their own "elements"). As said, these colors
and landtypes oddly seem to mismatch the color/attributes of OoT. For example the Green Maiden is
that of fields and the White one that of the Forest, while in OoT Saria of Forest was green and
white replace Nabooru's orange, the Sage of Spirit whose temple was in a desert.
Q:
So what's the deal with these Triforce looking Force Gems?
A:
First off, it is important to notice that the Force Gems are tetrahedrons, not nearly flat
triangles like the Triforce. In any case, judging from the Minish Cap and the FS+ Manga, I would
say that the Force Gems are the embodiment of the four natural elements' energy (whereas we could
suppose the Sages' are supernatural, magical elements) which was infused into the sword ages ago
after Vaati broke the Picori Blade. Why Earth energy would be four times as valuable as that of
Wind I would not know, but seeing as it's not as easy to run into I'd say that Earth Force simply
remained more concentrated than others and this would balances things.
Q:
Is Link mass murdering brainwashed Hyrule guards in FSA?
A:
No, I'm pretty sure that's not the case. The guards were brainwashed in ALttP, in this game it
looks like the guards were taken to the Dark World and the Dark Mirror was used to make shadows
that would go around wearing their arms.
Q:
What's up with the Mages in FSA?
A:
They are clearly not Wizzrobes because the classic enemies are found in later dungeons... but
then what are they?
Some of the Mages clearly relate to the Fortune Tellers from ALttP. It is evident though that
these mages are ambivalent: some like Iris say they are not supposed to do good deeds, others
will help you fight the monsters without hesitations and still others will trick you.
Apart from that, its is difficult to understand who or what the Mages in FSA may be if one has
not played Minish Cap. Looking at that game however, it becomes fairly easy to notice the
similarity between Vaatis purple Mages Cap and the blue pointy hats of these Mages, all the
more if we consider how happy they were about Vaatis newfound freedom.
Id go as far as to speculate that these Mages deviated descendants of the Sheikah, because of
the Eye Symbol that is also used by Vaati as well as the Fortune Teller in Twilight Princess!
And if they are Sheikah, then this brings us to... Agahnim. Think about it, he has the shadow
magic symbol, these guys appreciate the Dark World more than is healthy and they both wear large
floppy clothes (though, of course, Agahnim has a turban, not a pointy hat). Can it be we've
found Agahnim's (and Verans) true origins, a corrupted branch of Sheikah?
Still looking at the Minish Cap though... they could also be deviated descendants of the Wind
Tribe, who also wore large blue clothes, but I don't think so. See the question about the Wind
Tribe for more on that.
Q:
So, we've got two villains in FSA... who's doing what?
A:
Vaatis Dark Barriers at the end of each level are said to consume the essence of the land (in
particular see the poisonous swamp).
But, the Deku Scrubs within the forest clearly state it is Ganon that will change all the forests
like this one (and, as you all know, that Vaati is old news), which makes it look like Vaatis
Dark Barriers have little or nothing to do with the changes to this part of the land.
However, the knights say about Ganon: "His goal must be to use Vaati to remake Hyrule into a
land of darkness."
So it seems Vaati has means to influence the Light World, and is doing it for the evil king. In
fact, Level five in FSA is "ankoku no sekai" which does mean "world of darkness" but in a
slightly different sense than the usual Dark World. And yet, Ganon occupied the temple in the
forest before Link freed Vaati, so the responsibility for the changes in that part of the
overworld remains disputed.
Q:
How can A Link to the Past and Adventure of Link follow from the child ending of OoT and FSA?
There are descendants of the sages in one and towns named after them in the other.
A: (Major Spoilers)
I previously explained that the descendants in ALttP descend from the Shrine Maidens of
Four Swords Adventures (who supposedly descend from the ancient Sages that built the Temple of
Time and the ones in TP). The sages of OoT, I believe, did not awaken in the original timeline.
As for the towns, double check the manual of Majora's Mask: the royal family knows of Link's
deeds, even though they happened in a different time line. Bits of the legends begun to spread
over time, and after FSA the events of the two games were combined when forming records for the
Imprisoning War.
Q:
Why is it that in FSA no one's appearance is changed by the Dark World and the latter looks so
similar to the Light World?
A:
If FSA does take place, as I believe, before ALttP when Ganon just took the Triforce, then that
could be because it still has to really become the Dark World we saw in ALttP. It has already
become a twisted reflection of Hyrule, but not so twisted and cursed to change everybody's
shape.
Q:
If that is so, then how come no one mentions the Triforce or the Sacred Realm? It's as if the
Dark World's not a surprise to anyone.
A:
I'm not sure as to why Nintendo chose not to mention the Triforce at all in this game. My guess
is that this is because the game has no Master Sword and if Ganon was shown to have the whole
Triforce people would wonder why he did not use it to make Link vanish (in fact they have spent
years wondering about that for ALttP too) and find no satysfying answer. As of consequence, they
could not mention the change from Sacred Realm to Dark World, because without the Triforce in the
plot, that change would go unexplained and become an apparent plothole. However, this change may
now be explained by TP, refer to the question about the status of the Triforce in said game for
answers (near the end).
Anyway, personally, I think Ganon did have the whole Triforce (were else would it be if not in
his paws? Hetook over all of both worlds) and that the Links were protected by the Seven Maidens
who, like their Sages ancestors, may receive their power from the Gods (through prayer). Also it
could be that the Four Swords shares more properties with the Master Sword than just repelling
evil (and looks in the intros of MC and ALttP on GBA).
Furthermore, Miyamoto has said during an interview that he insisted for the ending intended for
the game to be simplified (because, he said, one too complex would not fit it) and if not the
Triforce too, I believe the original "extended" ending would have shown the Four Sword with Ganon
inside being sealed in the Dark World (which conveniently was amply featured in the game) with
his monsters (who in the current event are simply nowhere to be seen anymore).
Q:
How come there's Dark World monsters like the Hinox in FSA Hyrule? Is this the Dark Tribe? And
what's up with the "awakened" Deku Scrubs in the forest?
A:
Apparently yes, they are revealed to have been part of the Dark Tribe that was sealed in the Dark
Mirror (though Dampe said this generally of monsters infesting his graveyard I assume it applies
to all creatures which should normally not be in Hyrule). Guess not all of ALttP Dark World
monsters were (descendants of) greedy men changed by the Triforce's magic.
As for the Deku Scrubs, these do not seem to be our usual fare of Deku Scrubs. They say Ganon
awakened them from their slumber. From that one could suppose they too were released from the
Dark Mirror... but they also say anybody can become a Deku Scrub by wandering in the Lost Woods
long enough, and that it was Ganon who changed the woods that way (who also ordered them to
prevent anybody from leaving the woods). Since there is someone in Kakariko telling you to
travel south to the (Deku Scrub infested) temple and worship the great king there, it's more
than possible that at least some (if not all) of these scrubs are people from Kakariko.
Q:
Why does Zelda say in FSA that that Ganon is the Evil King reborn?
A:
I couldn't make sense of it either, at first, but eventually Twilight Princess came along, and
Ganondorf dies in it. Generations later, after he was all but forgotten, he was naturally reborn
among the Gerudo in FSA.
Note though that it is also possible that there was another Evil King before OoT Ganondorf
(whomever may have led the monsters that invaded Hyrule before the Minish Cap).
Q:
If Ganondorf was naturally reborn, why does Twinrova (later on) go to such lenghts in Oracles to
bring him back?
A:
Perhaps, over centuries of mingling with Hylians (due to the repeated banishment of the their
lone male) the Gerudo tribe ceased to be, and the Ganon which Koume and Kotake wanted back could
only be naturally reborn as a Gerudo (going out on a limb here, but I would assume being reborn
as, say, a Zora would influence his upbringing quite a bit. His whole motivation as a villain in
TWW was having been born in a desert...)
Q:
When was it that this Dark Tribe was imprisoned into the Dark Mirror?
A:
Well, if the Dark Tribe is the same horde of monsters that was sealed in the chest prior to
Minish Cap, then it may have happened some time after that game, or even during its ending, when
Zelda apparently made them vanish!
However, I believe it was when Ganondorf attacked Hyrule after OoT and MM (meaning in the child
timeline, during the events told in TP's backstory). This is because the Trident was put in a
pyramid considered sacred by the Gerudo, so it stands to reason that Ganondorf, in his previous
life, was somehow involved. Of course we don't actually know for a fact that it was the Dark
Tribe who put the trident there, but since the stone slab in it speaks of its authors in plural
and FSA is the game that introduced this notion of a Dark tribe serving Ganon, this seems very
likely. Also Deku Scrubs, who may be part of this Dark Tribe, were aplenty (and not entirely
evil) in MC, OoT and MM, but completely absent in TP and FS.
Now that would raise the question: why didn't Ganondorf use the trident to get to the Triforce
then? Perhaps it only gained the power to open portals to its resting place when this changed
from Sacred Realm to Dark World (which I believe happened through the course of TP), just like
how the Master Sword could originally in OoT take you to the Sacred Realm but cannot seem to in
ALttP when it is changed into a Dark World.
Q:
Who led the evil spirits that invaded Hyrule and were sealed in the chest? Is Hyrule normally
free of monsters?
A:
Some people see the Moblin in the stained glass and think it's Ganon. That is obviously not the
case, and because I believe this is a prequel to OoT, it would also be implausible. With that
said, there may have been other Evil Kings before the Ganon of OoT. Even so, my educate guess is
that the hordes may not have had any leader of particular importance.
As for Hyrule's normal condition, it may be that once long before the games, there were really no
monsters in the land, that it was an earthly paradise even (a cutscene in Twilight Princess seems
to suggest this), but since the arrival of the monsters, some have definitely always lingered
in the kingdom. I realize MC's ending shows some of the most "natural" monsters like tektites,
moblins and even octoroks as they disappear, but I'd wager not all of them were ever sealed; in
MC itself there are recipe books about some of those creatures, so they couldn't ALL be trapped
in the chest.
Perhaps when monstrers invaded Hyrule some beasts succumbed to their evil influence (somewhat
like the Dark Kargaroks in TP) and these were sealed away, while those who remained simple beasts
without malice were not imprisoned in the chest.
Q:
Is the Picori Blade the Master Sword? And what relation is there with the White Sword from LoZ?
A:
While the Picori Blade may look like the Master Sword in Capcom's version of ALttP's logo, I'm
pretty sure it is not. If it was, Minish Cap (and the other Four Swords games) would have to
happen after all the games featuring the Master Sword, which messes things up considerably and
the Palace of the Four Sword in ALttP would have to be a very out of place Easter Egg.
Perhaps, seeing how close Vaati came to obtaining the whole Light Force, a better sword was
forged with the help of the Gods in case someone succeeded where he failed (notice that the
Oracles are in Hyrule in the Minish Cap).
On another hand, the White Sword from LoZ could be a powered down Four Sword. There's no telling
that.
Q:
If this game is a prequel to OoT, then does this mean Link's typical green clothes are not of
Kokiri origin?
A:(Spoilers for TWW)
Not necessarily. The hero from MC's backstory could have lived among the Kokiri, however, I've
come to believe that Kokiri clothes may actually have been made by the Minish (who based them
over their hero's). Just look at Mido and the Kokiri tending to his garden. Their hats are just
the same shape as those of the forest Minish (and it supposedly is their same forest the Kokiri
are in). Not only that, also the Kokiri Sword bears some resemblance to the Four Sword. Perhaps
the Minish and the fairies worked together to turn the Koroks into Link's childhood friends.
Additionally, Twilight Princess reveals that Link's garb is that which the Hero is destined to
wear. So it may as well be a design that came from the Gods (Farore?) themselves. Except the hat,
which is added in MC, apparently (the Hero of Men had none) which also points to MC happening
before OoT.
Q:
Are there other indications to place the Minish Cap before OoT?
A:
Several, but there are also things that would suggest otherwise.
In favor of MC's pre-OoT placement we have the following things: the aforementioned origin of
the hat, the fact that the backstory harkens back to a time when no monsters roamed Hyrule and
mentions no other catastrophic events since the invasion halted by the Hero of Men, the
text at the end that states Link's adventures will continue as long as the power of the Light
Force echoes through the ages (while we know this is the only game which speaks about a Light
Force... mmh), the fact that IF the Light Force is the Triforce (or is closely tied to it) no
games can happen between this one and the coming of the Minish (that clearly happened before
all other games because they are meant to explain stuff under bushes) who are also already
being dismissed as a fairytale since few can see them anymore (thus explaining why they are
never mentioned in later ages), the game providing explanations for many things that are ancient
in other games (like the Armos or Godhan), that Zelda in OoT seems to imply that the Light
Arrows are a legacy for heroes to wield (meaning that they were used before) while MC however
they seem to be simply crafted, the positively ancient Wind Tribe (once close to Hyrule's Royal
Family) still being around while in later games there are no ruins of theirs nor humans in the
sky and the only dark skinned people are the Gerudo, Zelda's appearence being the same as in the
portrait in TWW's Hyrule Castle (while in FS she looked slightly different... this just suggest
a pre-TWW placement though).
Against a pre-OoT placement we have that: nobody is ever described as a Hylia but as Humans
(and we know Hylians became extinct after OoT... but Hylians are a race of humans so this is
hardly conclusive), everybody considers the Light Force a myth from the distant past (which
would be strange if it was the Triforce and the game itself happened in the distant past since
knowledge of legends tends to be lost over the course of time) and the kingdom is already
represented by a Triforce mark (so it seems unlikely that they are still to learn about it as
before the coming of the Interlopers), the Oracles are said to descend from a long bloodline
(which suggests a post Oracles placement... but then who is to say they don't have a long
bloodline behind them in both games?), there are Hylian books in the library which directly
reference to the Japanese name of Oracles (mysterious nut) and TWW's Triumph Forks (but who's to
say such names couldn't have been around long before the relative games?), the game seems
stylistically tied to both TWW and LoZ (with enemies such as LoZ-like Armos and Moldworm, not to
mention the White Sword).
Overall, the pre-OoT evidence seems to overweight the post-OoT ones. All the more since the game
must occur before FSA, and this seems now confirmed by TP to come before ALttP (and thus before
Oracles too) while most of the points above suggest a post ALttP-Oracles placement, and so does
the geography (names) which can hardly go from ALttP to the unique style of MC and back to the
ALttP-ish FSA.
Q:
Minish Cap says the Gorons once lived on Mt. Crenel but becoming fewer in numbers moved to
that cave near the ranch. Doesn't this mean the game should take place after games like OoT, that
have plenty of Gorons?
A:
One could come to think that, but in the sequel, FSA, the Gorons are in pretty large numbers, so
whatever problem they had it looks like they solved it. What I wonder is: could it be that
whatever tragedy made their survivors move to the plains is the reason Mount Crenel became known
as Death Mountain? (Assuming they are one and the same, and I do)
Q:
What happened to the Wind Tribe after Minish Cap?
A:
It's hard to tell really... they don't seem to be around (under the Palace of the Winds) in
the later Four Swords games. I fully believe that before disappearing they built the Tower of
the Wind/Palace of the Gods (as I also believe they are one and the same... and -if- it was built
shortly after OoT, that could explain the different look in each timeline).
However, I like to entertain the thought that they may have become the Gerudo after some curse
was cast on them; mainly because of their Arabic-like clothes and the way their elder looks like.
On another hand they could also have become the Sheikah, still because of their clothes (the
"turbans" in particular) and because the ghost King of Hyrule was very close to them, and
consequently the mages of FSA. But I don't think so. The Sheikah are all but dark skinned (or
round eared), and Twilight Princess states their connection to the sky was simply being on the
receiving end of the messages delivered by the Oocca (could the Wind Tribe have passed on their
fashion sense to the Sheikah through this connection?).
Maybe Vaati obtained control of the Oocca and manipulated the Sheikah through their messages,
giving them the Eye of Shadow as their symbol and once they realized this, repent, they added
the tear to it?
Q:
Can we ever hope to see the Hero of Men within a game (barring backstory cutscenes)?
A:
Perhaps we already have. Swiftblade the First upon teaching you his final technique says: "This
is a technique that only I have mastered... Only one who holds the sacred blade can perform...
the Great Spin Attack."
Now if it can only be performed with the Sacred Blade, to have mastered it that would mean he
has wielded said sword himself. But the sword was supposedly stuck in the chest ever since its
original owner, the Hero of Men to whom the Minish gave the sword, was done with it. So what
does this tell us?
However, it would seem from the miniature that despite the other Swiftblade being the eldest of
the living masters met in the game that Swiftblade the First could indeed be his older brother
(who names his two eldest sons Swiftblade the First and Swiftblade? One would suppose "the First"
to be his ancestor). If that was the case, then he could not have live in a sufficient distant
past to have been the Hero of Men (and how he'd mastered that move would remain a mystery).
Q:
Is the Minish World really the Sacred Realm?
A:
It's not certain, but I believe so. The intro says they descended from the sky, but I'm pretty
sure that was meant to be heavens (since we see the Minish everywhere but in the sky during the
game), and the one place that was often described as a paradise (all the more in the recent
Twilight Princess) is the Sacred Realm. That and we have the whole Light Force/Triforce thing.
Q:
So, what is the Light Force?
A:
That's supposedly -meant- to be a mystery... my guess is that it is the Triforce, but because
several things seem to imply that the game comes before OoT and most fans assume the Triforce
never left the Sacred Realm before that, and because there's no Master Sword (the blade made to
counter its might), the programmers decided to use this other name instead. If not, then maybe
it could be some form of "connection" a person is given to the Triforce, still kept in the
Sacred Realm, as seems to be the case in TP with the "Power of the Gods" (which would solve the
"Triforce out of the Sacred Realm before OoT, issue). However, it seems strange for a connection
to be passed down a family line and taken away through a ritual. Some have suggested that it may
be the power of the Sages/Seventh Sage, but really, I've never heard that described as a force
that can grant any wish and make one like a god. And that's not to consider the fact that all
glass windows represent it as a triangle. However, another possibility is that the Minish Realm
is a completely different world, not related to Hyrule like the Sacred Realm is, and that the
Light Force was its own Triforce, its own almighty relic of the gods that created it. In that
case then, it would be possible that after Vaati divided and caused part of it to go missing, it
ceased to be an almighty power but continued ot be passed down in Zelda's line (in accord to the
last line in the game that says it will continue to shine over the fate of Hyrule).
Q:
Assuming it is the Triforce, would it be the whole thing?
A:
Maybe, maybe not. There are conflicting clues. First of all, the glass windows always show only
a single triangle (and just above the stained glass is carved a whole Triforce, so you'd assume
the difference to be significant) and power, unlike wisdom and courage, is never mentioned
through the backstory legend. On another hand, only the whole Triforce can grant wishes with
relative certainty and make one as a god, and Vaati has to gradually kill Zelda to get it from
her (the whole Triforce supposedly can't be stolen from a living owner, not so for parts of it),
with no less than three bell chimes (note though that Vaati says three -more- chimes of the
bell). Of course one could argue that the Hero of Men would have had no need for a Sacred Blade
to seal the monsters with if he had the whole Triforce, and that Link would be unable to defeat
Vaati if he had even just one Triforce part (like Ganon in LoZ), but like I said, the Four Sword
may have more in common with the Master Sword than just looks (the Sacred Blade looks like the
Master Sword in the title screen of ALttP's GBA port). One could also argue that if Zelda really
had the whole Triforce she was foolish in not zapping Vaati out of existence right away. To that
I reply: see my explanation of the final battle in TWW.
Q:
So what happens to the Light Force Vaati steals after the game ends? And what of the monsters
Zelda "removes"?
A: (Obvious Spoilers)
This is so strange really. Vaati randomly explodes and yet no one seems to collect what he stole;
in fact Ezlo states that Zelda only has part of the Light Force... maybe the rest was left
wherever it was that Link fought Vaati (a possible guess would be within a secret chamber in the
Palace of the Winds or more likely in the space between Hyrule and the Minish Realm). Perhaps it
will be revealed in some future game.
As for the monsters, she could have sealed them into the Dark Mirror of FSA, but no mirror
appears in the game so it's hard to tell if there should be a connection.
Q:
When Ilia and Colin are kidnapped why is Link ignored? Why did the bullblins come in the first
place?
A:
The Bullblins are serving Zant and Ganondorf. They had come to mark Ordona's spring (which
they do by blowing the horn) so that Shadow Assassins could steal his light. Finding a girl and
some kids (the others are kidnapped shortly thereafter), they decided to kidnap them as a bonus
(or maybe pillaging is part of their deal with Zant). From the fact that they left Link behind,
I would assume what the Bullblins wanted is docile slaves. So how did the children end up in the
village? Colin says they were left to die. Perhaps the Bullblins decided they were too weak to
be of any use, or Colin is wrong and they were just left behind for a while because the Bullblins
mistakingly thought they would not be able to escape to anywhere.
Q:
Can Midna understand Link while he's a wolf?
A:
Midna tells Link early on to give her a sign if he needs anything. So that seems to mean they
develop some sort of gestures code over the course of the game. However Midna later appears to
talk to Louise, Telma's cat (though not really an actual conversation) so I'm not sure.
Besides, one still has to wonder how Midna can be understood by anybody considering she evidently
speaks a language of her own... but that's a completely different matter.
Q:
Who is really the ghost teaching Link new moves?
A:
Usually called Hero's Spirit or Hero's Shade, his identity is a bit of a mystery. We do know for
certain that he is related to Link as he says the moves he teaches you can only be passed down to
one who carries the blood of the hero. So could this be Link's father? Perhaps, but it doesn't
seem likely as he later tells that he too chose the path of the hero and the most recent hero
that is remembered in Hyrule is the ancient hero, which is safely assumed to have been the Link
of OoT. But is this him? Maybe. Some argue that the programmers would have made him look more
like the Link of OoT if they intended this, but they overlook a few thing: not only he holds the
sword with the same hand as Link, he takes a fighting stance that is not the same as TP Link's
who keeps his feet stil no, like ooT Link when he'd Z-target an enemy, the Hero's Sahe keeps
stepping into place. At any rate, if it isn't the hero of OoT, then it would have to be one from
even longer before... but then why would he not help the hero of OoT? And why would he respond
to melodies Link learned in Termina? In the end it seems most likely for him to be the Link of
OoT.
Q:
What are Shadow Assassins/Twilight Messengers?
A:
They are cursed beings whose shape has been changed into that of beasts that serve the King of
Twilight. It seems anybody can be turned into one, not just people from the Twilight Realm (both
Barnes and Midna suggest this). Perhaps all it takes is that strange mask they have over their
faces; that's just speculation, but beasts and monsters (those who don't have a human-like
soul, perhaps?) are seemingly changed with no need of masks or curses. At any rate, it seems the
people of Kakariko were turned into Shadow Assassins, and lost their lives serving Zant. Shadow
Assassins apparently existed before TP, when the Twili's ancestors first invaded Hyrule, or so
it would sem judging by the drawings in Arbiter's Ground.
Q:
The Hero's Bow, said to have been left to the Gorons by a hero of old and to have defeated the
most powerful evils Hyrule has ever known... what can we gather from that?
A:
Well, it is called the hero's bow and usually when a past hero is mentioned in this game, it is
intended to be the Link of OoT. We know Link got the Hero's Bow in Majora's Mask (the one in OoT
was the Fairy Bow, and that was another timeline)... but then what most powerful evils of Hyrule
might have been defeated with it?
To be blunt, it doesn't matter. We don't know what Link may have done after MM. Maybe he
performed some heroic deeds with it after coming back, but even if he hasn't, we must not forget
that the events of the adult part of OoT are not forgotten (not in their entirety at least). So
Link certainly gave his Hero's Bow found in Termina to the Gorons, but the evils it is "said" to
have defeated may be the ones Link actually took out with the Fairy Bow in OoT in the other
timeline.
Q:
When was it that the Interlopers invaded the Sacred Realm and were banished?
A: (Caution spoilers)
It clearly was long before Ocarina of Time. Lanayru even makes it sound like something that
happened not too long after the creation of the world, in a time when apparently anybody could
easily walk into the Sacred Realm, which was possibly still part of Hyrule and not a separate
dimension. So the fierce civil war that swept Hyrule immediately before OoT certainly did not
end with their banishment, but it is possible that this happened earlier on during it, when a
winner was about to appear only to be upstaged by them (as shown in the vision when Link's rush
for the Triforce is halted by the Interlopers).
Alternatively (and it is what I'd rather believe), this "war for the Triforce" may have begun
anew after a (long?) time of peace that followed the banishment. It's hard to tell really.
But where do Minish Cap and its backstory fall in all of this? Well MC certainly didn't happen
shortly after the creation of the world, since it has a distant backstory of its own, and the
game doesn't feature the Sacred Realm as someplace anybody can freely walk in (whether we
believe it to be the Minish Realm or not). So it seems the banishing of the Interlopers happened
before MC, and probably before its backstory too. But it's not completely certain. After all the
story of the Interlopers implies that there was a time when people did not know of the Sacred
Realm and the Triforce, and that could be why neither is ever mentioned (by name at least) in MC.
But then Hyrule's symbol in MC is already a bird with the Triforce, so...
Q:
So why were the Interlopers stopped by the gods and banished? Who were they?
A:
I believe one of the reason the Interlopers were banished is because of their evil and thirst for
conquest. Midna says the Twilight Realm before Zant's rule used to be a peaceful place that made
people pure and gentle and Zant remarks that bathed in Twilight, their people lost all the
passion and ambition of their hateful, raging ancestors. I think it is at this point that Midna
realizes something none of the Twili had understood yet: that the Goddesses did not banish them
to the Twilight Realm as a punishment, but because living there would make them better people.
The other and main reason was, of course, to stop them from taking the Triforce. But the
Goddesses never stopped Ganondorf from claiming the Triforce, they ordered through an Oracle to
forge the Master Sword in case the Triforce was taken by one with an evil heart and left it to
the hero and the people of Hyrule to deal with it when this happened in OoT (and other
occasions). This is akin to God granting men self determination. Just as we can be good or evil
in this world we live in, the people of Hyrule were given by their Gods the Triforce and Master
Sword (forged precisely so the Gods wouldn't have to intervene), and left to establish for
themselves peace and harmony or hatred and chaos. The Gods would not intervene unless summoned
through prayers (in the case of TWW, and even then they didn't kill Ganon nor take away the
Triforce part he had rightfully claimed and they probably did something chiefly because no hero
had appeared yet). Of course the Gods still desire the well being of all, that is why the Master
Sword can only be used by one with the faithful heroe's values (so that innocents wouldn't
hopelessly soccumb to evil armed with the Triforce) but ultimately it's the people who have to
make good triumph.
So the question "why stop the interlopers?" is perfectly natural - I think the answer to that
lies in the term "interlopers" among "those living in the light" (i.e. in Hyrule), or as we may
say, intruders. Intruders coming from where? I believe this tribe was not from the world of
Hyrule (unlike ganon who is not from the kingdom of Hyrule). As such, the Triforce was never ever
meant for them and therefore the Gods intervened.
So if they really are not from the world of Hyrule, who could these Interlopers be? The answer
may lie in the Fused Shadow. What other artifact from Zelda does it resemble? Simple, Majora's
Mask! The eye covering Midna's is identical to that of the evil mask. And what do we know about
Majora? We fought it in the parallel world of Termina where we learned that it had been used by a
long gone tribe in hexing rituals. Well, we might just have found where that tribe had gone to.
We also speculated that said tribe could be the one to which the Garo Ninjas belonged (because
Majora used oriental features like the Mask Salesman's before the final battle), and guess who
looks like a Garo in TP? Zant, who also descends from the tribe of Interlopers! So maybe what
happened is this: the Garo learned that the Ikanian knew of a omnipotent relic created by the
Gods (this based on the Triforce engravings found in Ikana) attacked Ikana to find where it was
and while some of them remained behind (and were cursed) the others went to Hyrule to conquer
the Sacred Realm. You know the rest. This would mean the Interlopers originally looked like the
Mask Salesman (if we assume the Garo did, at least) and Zant as well as Midna(true form) do
appear to have slanted eyes. Also interesting, when you get her a sword and shield Midna tries
them out but cluelessly places the shield on her face, apparently thinking that it would be used
in combat that way, as if it was a mask. Then later when talking to Zant, she mentions out of the
blue that he was not accepted by their people because they saw the same greed in his eyes to
which they lost their ancestor's king. Who could this be? Well, Majora in Japan was described as
Magic Emperor and when it went into the moon and its eyes shone, it spoke the words "Consume, I
shall consume everything!" Can it be Majora held the spirit of the Garos' king (Just as Link's
transformation masks held other spirits)? Certainly it is interesting that the ruler of the Twili
is called Mid-na while that of their ancestor could be Major-a...
There is also another possibility: in Termina we meet all main races, but we don't see any
Sheikah (unless Kafei is one ;) yet there are Gossip Stones (and a Mask of Truth). Now we know
that the interlopers were not among "those living in the light" and were also called a tribe
of shadow just as the Sheikah, the shadow folk, and interestingly, Twilight Princess after
telling us the Twili's ancestors were banished in a war, also reveals that the reason there are
few Sheikah left is because of past wars. Just a coincidence?
Truthfully, there is not much evidence that the Garo had asian features, they could have been
pale Sheikahs under those hoods) and the eye of shadow symbol the Sheikah use can be spotted on
the Fused Shadow and the throne in the Palace of Twilight, a symbol similar to that on the
shields of the knights fighting with Stal Lord. But then it is also found on Ganon's abode in
TWW, so it may just be there because the Twili and their ancestors used Shadow and Dark Magic,
like Ganon.
Q:
The Garments made by Rutela's late husband, she says were made specifically for the chosen hero.
In OoT, Link wore similar clothes given to him by King Zora. Does this mean it was that same King
Zora who did them and that they were once worn by the Hero of Time?
A:
No. When the Link of OoT is mentioned in the game, he's referred to as "the legendary hero". The
chosen hero is typically the current Link of TP. So this means Rutela's husband made them knowing
that someday a chosen hero would appear and need them.
Besides, there are some clear differencies between this and what Link wore in OoT, and that was
another timeline. Furthermore, for the King Zora who made the armor for TP Link to be the same
as in OoT, that would mean Ruto either died before her father or took a new name and married him,
both of which are unthinkable options.
Q:
Why does Jovani have a room full of gold coins if Rupees are Hyrule's currency?
A:
Maybe gold coins are a handy way to keep gold (sort of like lighter ingots)? Or maybe it is the
being he sold his soul to mocking him with "worthless gold".
Q:
Why so few people notice the huge barrier around Hyrule Castle and no one panics?
A:
That's uh... it's a metaphor... *runs*
Q:
What's up with these spiritual Sages in TP?
A: (Caution spoilers)
We know the banishment of Ganondorf happened some time after OoT and that (from what we are
told in TP) even during that game some Sages (presumably the same) supposedly had custody of
the mirror. However, we also know that in the time of OoT and before, Rauru was Sage of Light
as a spirit (and he couldn't have the mirror since he was in the Sacred Realm where the mirror
could not serve its purpose). It may seem unlikely that there would be two at the same time, note
however that in TWW, for a short time, the spirit of a previous Sage and their successor co-exist.
Given all of the above, here is what seems the most likely scenario: during the child time of
OoT, the Sages of TP probably lived in the Arbiter's Ground, still beings of flesh and bone.
When Ganondorf went to conquer Hyrule with the Triforce of Power, they tried to intervene, but
were easily dispatched by the Gerudo King. Rauru then guided Link in awakening new Sages (whose
descendants we see in TWW) to banish Ganon, and Zelda sent him back in a new timeline, the one of
TP. Link's actions in this new timeline prevent Ganondorf from getting the Triforce (by taking
away the Ocarina) and this delays his attack on Hyrule. Since he no longer needs to assist the
Hero of Time, Rauru's spirit passes on to the afterlife. Eventually the Sages reach the
spiritual state they are in during TP and Ganondorf launches his attack on Hyrule, but having no
Triforce he is subdued by the Sages, confidant in their new abilities, only to receive the Power
of the Gods at the moment of his execution.
Interestingly, by the time of TP more than a generation has gone by, yet there's no living Sages
to succeede the spiritual ones, nor a replacement for the Sage Ganondorf annihilated. They even
tutored the new Princess Zelda (as stated by Auru who learned of Arbiter's Ground directly from
them) in this spiritual state. Because of this, I believe these may be the last full fledged
Sages. We know that the Hylians' blood and magic grew thin over the ages and that by
ALttP we only have "descendants" of the Sages.
So maybe these Sages in TP decided their descendants could not take on the mantle and (because
it was no longer the destiny of those five in OoT to become Sages, and we apparently see
non-Sages descendants of those in TP) that the best course of action was to linger into the
world of the living as long as they could. This would also explain why in FSA too we only have
maidens, not Sages.
At any rate, we have to wonder what's the deal with those masks they have as faces. Naturally,
they didn't all have the same face before becoming spirits. One could even take that as far as to
suppose they could have belonged to different races, but I don't think so. Jumbie suggests to me
that the masks, and the small platform they stand on, as well as the strange round halo on their
head could all be meant to make them seem faceless pawns (as in chess) of the Gods. As crazy as
it may sound, I do believe he's on to something. After all, as he says, masks are associated to
drama (theirs even have an ancient greece looking beard) and they did fall victim to a deus ex
machina.
Q:
When was the Twilight Mirror made? When was Arbiter's Ground built? And the prison complex in
front of it?
A: (Caution spoilers)
From what Midna says about the banishment of her people, it seems the Gods did this themselves,
and only afterwards created the mirror and entrusted it to the Sages to serve as a link between
the two worlds. But then this begs the question, how do the Twili know about the mirror? Perhaps
the Gods told them, after all, it must have been the gods who revealed that only the ruler of the
Twili could shatter the mirror (and you'd think he or she would have shattered it before being
banished if that was the mean through which they were exiled).
Arbiter's Ground appears built by Hylians onto already existing Gerudo ruins. I state this
judging from the different kinds of writing found in it, as well as the statues of Goddesses
with snakes, reminding of the Desert Colossus. The prison complex in front of it however, has
nothing that seems Gerudo and may have been an entirely new building made by Hylians.
The Arbiter's Ground also contains hyeroglyphs that seem to portray a soldier standing next to a
Shadow Assassin. This would indicate that Shadow Assassins already existed when the Interlopers
tried to seize the Sacred Realm. But does this mean the Interlopers were kept in this prison
before being banished? I don't think so. If they were, Midna would probably mention it. As of
consequence, I think the hyeroglyphs are simply there to tell the history of the Twilight Mirror,
the instrument of banishment the complex was built around of. But then again, the soldier next to
the shadow assassin had a shield, and the Stalfos protecting Stal Lord have shields with the
a symbol very similar to that of shadow magic used by the Sheikah but even more to the one seen
on the back of Midna's head piece; so it seems still possible that it was the Twili who were
imprisoned in Arbiter's Ground (even though I think it's strange for the Gods to need them
stocked up somewhere before banishing).
Q:
So, if not the Interlopers banished by the gods, who were these worst criminals that Auru says
were kept in Arbiter's Ground and occasionally banished through the miror? And why are they never
mentioned by Midna or seen in the Twilight Realm?
A:(Major Spoilers)
Ganondorf and his loyal followers for one thing (though of course Ganondorf's death penalty wasn't
deliberately commuted to banishment, it just happened in a moment of crisis). By this I don't
necessarily mean simply the Gerudo (and certainly not all of them) but also other beings, monsters
Ganondorf has shown no hesitation to use during OoT. However Arbiter's Ground is likely almost as
old as the mirror itself, and it seems likely that both were used already before Ganondorf's
attack on Hyrule, whenever miscreants stirred up so terrible troubles that the best solution
seemed to be off with them. It may also be worth remarking that it seems likely these prisoners
were sometimes forced into combat, just like ancient gladiators (hence why a coliseum and an
arena where Stal Lord and many undead warriors are fought).
A good argument against anyone besides the Interlopers and Ganondorf having been banished through
the mirror is that Midna doesn't comment on Hyrule's scum being sent to them. If anybody from
Hyrule (with no Power of the Gods nor Master Sword) was sent to the Twilight Realm, odds are
they'd become spirits (it supposedly took the Interlopers generations to adapt and become
Twili)... but that has never stopped interaction with Twilight beings. However, there is
a question we have to ask ourselves: where has Ganon been before meeting Zant? He says the hatred
of the Twili (for the people of the Light World from which they were banished) bled across the
void and awakened him. So that means Ganondorf wasn't in the Twilight Realm proper, right? The
hatred had to bleed across a void to reach him... maybe this void between dimensions is where the
mirror sends people who are banished (as opposed to Link, who entered of his own volition and
found himself in front of the Palace of Twilight. Remember I don't think the Twili were banished
with the mirror).
Q:
Why is the Twilight Mirror, an artifact created by the gods, such a dangerous thing, magnifying
the evil within people?
A:
I think the reason is that the hatred and malice of those banished through it came to permeate
the mirror.
Q:
The Oocca created the Hylians?!?!?
A:
I'd rather not take that line so literally... personally, I believe what the programmers meant
to convey is that the Hylian civilization rose among the others because the Oocca assisted them
with their advanced scientific knowledge. Like take the Temple of Time, we are told the Oocca
helped build it... I would assume they did so with the power of the Dominion Rod. That really
explains wonderfully how Hyrule can be so full of large ancient ruins without having resorted to
slavery: they had statues doing the hard work for them! And of course this also explains some of
the extremely complicated puzzles, supposedly based on clockworks similar to the ones you
activate with the spinster.
If anything, this finally answers the question "why is the Hylian's symbol a bird?"
Q:
Is Link traveling through time as he enter that door in the woods? I thought the Door of Time led
to the Sacred Realm...
A:
Yes, Link is traveling in time. You want proof? Get the Dominion Rod and move the statues to the
side of the door. You'll find a chest and can take its content... it's the same chest you found
already open and worn down in the same place before walking through the door!
With that said, it may still be that upon walking up the stairway of light that appears by
placing the Master Sword into its pedestal, Link is really entering the Sacred Realm (in the
past) and that what the game labels Temple of Time was really meant to be the Temple of Light we
never got to see in OoT. It sure does have the symbol of Light plastered all over the place. But
I guess seeing as Link's time travel is difficult to notice as it is, it was decided to call it
Temple of Time to make things easier for those who had not played OoT.
Q:
Has the ancestor of Impaz (OoT Impa?) founded the hidden Old Kakariko? Wasn't Impa the one who
opened the new Kakariko to non-Sheikahs?
A:
Impaz relates this as something she was told about but is not quite sure of. It's evident she
has no recorded history of that event... so perhpas we are better off assuming that she (like
Ninty, really) got her facts mixed up. All the more since both villages bear the same name.
Q:
So, what's up with these Oocca? They seem rather passive while their city is torn to shreds. And
isn't it a rather large city for a handful of birds?
A:
Yes, I find intriguing that while they supposedly never had any Hylians living in it (considering
the only connection they kept was through the Sheikah in the hidden village) all the doors are
more than sufficiently large. In fact, everything in this city seems to be bigger than what the
Oocca would need... and one has to wonder how they crafted everything since they have no thumbs.
An explanation could be if it had been the Wind Tribe who had originally made and inhabited the
city! We know they were very advanced (consider that they built the robot Mazaal) and also lived
in the sky, thus the connection seems pretty much natural. They also had a fondness for birds, so
couldn't it be the Oocca originally served them as messengers to keep contact with the world below
until the Wind Tribe made its misterious disappearence? Then the city was left for the birds
to inherit and the people of Hyrule over the ages forgot about the ones who used to send the
messangers and only came to remember the birds as their benefactors. It's all speculation, of
course, but it certainly would explain lots of things...
Q:
How did Midna get her part of the Fused Shadow? How did she leave the Twilight Realm originally?
A:
I believe the Twili (their ruler specifically) always had a piece of the Fused Shadow. Perhaps
they were allowed to keep it because that way it would have been impossible also for the people
in Hyrule to put it back together. And as for how she left? When she first met Link (in the same
sequence detailing her escape) she was spying unseen on a shadow assassin. Maybe she hitched a
ride with them? Considering that it wouldn't make sense for any Twili on their own to be able to
enter Hyrule (without Ganondorf's help) I believe that to be the answer.
Q:
How did zant help out Ganondorf?
A:(Spoilers)
When Ganondorf was banished through the mirror he lost both his physical form and consciousness,
remaining dormant for years. Over the course of time, the hatred of the resentful Twilis nurtured
him and eventually Zant's own misery attracted him like a beacon. Ganondorf apparently needed a
physical body to use his full power and do what Zant (or any Twili) could not: open passages back
to the world of Light and allow him to exist within it. Once in Hyrule, Ganondorf could revive
himself, now with the magical powers of a Twili too (he uses it amply, like when he turns into
drops of darkness to fly into Zelda, or when he places barriers or teleports), making him king
of Light and shadow.
Q:
What's up with Zelda and Midna in the final part of the game?
A:(Spoilers)
Earlier on when Midna was exposed to light and dying, Zelda gave her power so she could exist
within the light. Zelda's spirit too was, apparently housed within Midna and her body vanished.
It is unknown why this happened really, since then in the final battle Zelda's body is found
hanging over Ganondorf. Maybe Zelda moved her body to somewhere she hoped would be secluded enough
that no one would disturb it... at any rate, whether by conjuring or opening a closet, Ganondorf
found it and seeing as there was no spirit inside, apparently decided to satisfy some fetish of
his by fighting in it.
Eventually Midna returns Zelda's spirit and her power (though she seems to retain enough to not
revert to a mere shadow while in the world of Light) and gets killed by Ganondorf. Fortunately
Link wins and the Light Spirits revive her. Now how she could be seen being revived with the
Fused Shadow on her head when it still was lying broken where Ganondorf dropped it I don't know.
At any rate, be it for Zelda's power or being revived by the Light Spirits, it seems Midna became
the only Twili who could exist (without being a Shaddow Assassin or Ganon-empowered Zant) in the
world of Light (this may also be the reason she changes to light dust rather than black dots when
going through the mirror again, either that or the mirror shattering lost all the malice it
contained).
Q:
Why does Zant appear on the moment of Ganon's death?
A:(Spoilers)
Zant seems to crack his own neck for some reason. I believe this is because he is no longer an
option for Ganondorf to escape death. However, notice that Zant has now white eyes. It may be
only the light but it's also possible that after dying Zant has come to understand Ganondorf
for the evil that he is, and that this gesture really is Zant rejecting all he represents,
essentially redeeming himself. Take it as you will.
Q:
What's up with the castle in the end??
A:(Spoilers)
Ganondorf positively did blow up Hyrule castle when he killed Midna. Later Midna is revived by
the Light Spirits and during the credits we see the castle is still there... so it seems
reasonable to connect the two and assume the Light Spirits also brought back Hyrule Castle.
Some people believe Link or Zelda obtained the whole Triforce (taking Power from Ganondorf) and
used it to restore the castle, but I would expect the game to show such an important thing as
the passing of the Triforce (while we are instead shown the mark on Ganondorf's hand to simply
vanish) and for them to do more than just fix the castle with it, like revive the people of
Kakariko the same way Link revived everybody in ALttP. In fact, if they could revive Midna
themselves with the Triforce, why would the Light Spirits do it? No, I'd definitely rule out the
theory that the castle is back thanks to the Triforce.
Q:
Why does Midna break the mirror? Why was the mirror given to the Hylians in the first place?
A:
Because despite what Zelda may say, light and shadow cannot mix. If they do, they create
darkness. In other words, Midna broke the mirror so that no one could again attempt what Zant
and Ganondorf did: putting the two worlds against one another. Not to mention that her people
held nothing but resentment against the inhabitants of the world of Light, so leaving that link
open wouldn not have been a benefit for anybody.
However, on the note of resentment, putting an end to that may be what the mirror was meant for.
Though Zelda was hoping for them to meet again, her statement about the mirror existing to let
them meet isn't necessarily rejected by Midna shattering it. During her journey with Link, Midna
had to re-evaluate her beliefs (in particular concerning light dwellers). Changing the mindset of
the Twili's ruler, making her understand that living in Twilight has never really been a
punishment but a way for the Gods to help them better themselves... that may be what the mirror
was meant for, and realizing this Midna may have decided it had served its purpose (and destroyed
it for the reasons above).
Q:
What's the status of the Triforce in TP?
A: (Major spoilers)
To better answer that question we should first analyze the facts presented in the game, and
then put them in perspective with its position within the timeline.
Throughout the game, Ganondorf, Link and Zelda are described as having the "power of those chosen
by the Gods". The word Triforce (shamefully enough) never appears once in the whole game. Now,
while it seems Link (and supposedly Zelda) had the Triforce mark (and the relative power of the
gods) since birth, Ganondorf's case is quite different. According to the Sages, Ganondorf waged
war on Hyrule with the intent of seizing the Sacred Realm. That is to say, the Triforce (since
we know that's what makes the Sacred Realm so desirable). However, immediately after saying that,
the Sages add that he was careless and got caught. This sudden twist seems to imply that in this
timeline Ganondorf was unable to enter the Sacred Realm (and claim the Triforce). Ganondorf is
chained in the mirror chamber, and his death sentence executed. However, by "some kind of divine
prank" at that very time when he should have died, stabbed by the Sages' sword, Ganondorf
received the power of those chosen by the gods, broke free and after annihilating one of the
Sages took the sword out of his chest (though an incurable wound remains, making it all the more
clear Ganondorf could NOT break free before being stabbed or he would have avoided it). On the
moment all the five Sages can do is seal him in the Twilight Realm.
Now how did this all come to pass? We know, the Triforce should normally be sought and acquired,
not received as it would seem Ganondorf did. It is indeed quite a mystery how and why this
happened as even the Sages are unable to tell. The game presents it as a divine intervention,
and it could well be (perhaps a punishment on the people of Hyrule for the use they made of the
Twilight Mirror?). But there's also another possibility. Ganon could have received his power as
an echo of what transpired in the other timeline (him succesfully claiming the Triforce of Power
and taking over Hyrule with it).
In the end though, it really doesn't matter why this happened, but what it is exactly that did
happen. Now I believe I'm not mistaken in saying that most people who try to allocate this game
in the timeline will not hesistate to place it between OoT and ALttP. That's what I do of course,
along with FSA. This is because TP refers to many events from the child part of OoT but then has
Ganon's banishment happen differently from the adult part of OoT (the one that leads into TWW).
BUT! If Twilight Princess is indeed to happen between OoT and ALttP, then everything that
occurs in it must not directly contradict the facts presented by ALttP's background. This is
especially important when it comes to the Triforce. AoL's background tells of a time in which
Hyrule was ruled with the Triforce. This was after ALttP, when Link took it from Ganon. On the
other hand, ALttP's background tells of many of the things that happen in OoT and FSA. It says
Ganon obtained the whole Triforce from the Sacred Realm... but never says anything about the
Triforce being recovered from Ganon's grasp and kept in Hyrule. And if Ganondorf, Link and Zelda
actually had the Triforce in TP, that is indeed what would necessarily come to pass after
Ganondorf's death at the end of the game. But fortunately that doesn't seem to be the case. When
Ganondorf dies in TP, the Triforce does not appear as it did in LoZ, his Triforce mark instead
fades away, as if the power that was keeping him alive had abandoned him.
From this, the fact that Ganondorf refers to himself has chosen to bear the power of the gods
(not conqueror of the Triforce, and neither are Link and Zelda described otherwise) and the fact
that the game appears clearly intended to take place between OoT and (FSA plus) ALttP, I
conclude that despite the Triforce marks, the three don't actually have any Triforce parts. Not
physically at least. Physically, it is my belief that the Triforce still resides in the Sacred
Realm. However, it appears that for some reason Ganondorf was given the might of the Triforce of
Power, just as it would have happened had he touched and physically claimed it, as he did in OoT.
I believe it is because of this, to balance the scales, that Link and Zelda were born with the
might of their respective Triforce parts, Courage and Wisdom (which also still physically reside
in the Sacred Realm).
So the whole Triforce is still in the Sacred Realm, and Ganondorf is dead. How does this lead to
ALttP then? Through FSA. There are many, many things that tie FSA to ALttP (the connection
between Ganon and the Four Sword, that ties with the GBA port that came with FSA's predecessor
FS, Link opening the portals that would later be all over ALttP's Hyrule, the Knights' sacrifice,
etc.), now in the other game that takes place between OoT and ALttP, Ganondorf dies, which just
ties perfectly with him being born anew in FSA. Then at the end of FSA, he is sealed in the Four
Sword, that later ends up sealed with him and his monsters in the Dark World (as deduced by the
Palace of Four Swords), so it seems evident that he already had the other thing he would be
sealed with: the Triforce. In FSA he has an artifact, the trident that allows him to send
himself and others to the Dark World. That explains how he obtained the Triforce, but how come
the Dark World doesn't seem to be a surprise for anybody? Because the Triforce while not leaving
the Sacred Realm, already acknowledged Ganondorf as its master in Twilight Princess, and changed
the Sacred Realm into a Dark World accordingly!
If this seems too much to deduce from the supposed order of the games alone, then also consider
this: upon meeting Zant, Ganondorf seduced him with the same words ALttP's manual says the
Triforce spoke to him "If there is anything you desire, then I shall desire it too." Perhaps he
himself heard these words as he received the power of the Gods (he smiles knowingly when the
mark appears on his hand). Zant goes on to say that his "God" had only one wish "To merge shadow
and light... and make darkness!". And again during the final battle Ganon says "Would you hear
my desire? To take this foul blade... and use it to blot out the light forever." and when he is
defeated he says "Do not think this ends here. The history of Light and Shadow will be written
in blood!" which seems to go back to his desire as stated by Zant and lead into FSA and ALttP.
Considering all this, it would seem very plausible for TP to have a "hidden" subplot about the
creation of the Dark World.
Q:
Is there any relation between Twilight Mirror and Dark Mirror?
A: (Caution spoilers)
I think the relation between the two is the same that may have existed between Agahnim and the
wizard of AoL's backstory. It could be that the later one was meant to be the same as it
precursor during the development of the game, but eventually the programmers decided to ditch the
notion so they could have more freedom with the plot. In the case of the mirrors, this probably
happened when the Twili were conceptualized (if you recall, they didn't appear in the first
video, even though wolf Link did).
Perhaps TP was originally to end with the sealing of the Dark Tribe that Ganon sets free in FSA,
but then the story was changed to the one we've got involving the long forgotten tribe of
interlopers that became the Twili.
Note in fact that both mirrors besides serving for banishment have the property of bringing out
the evil within people (the Twilight Mirror alters the people themselves, the Dark one creates
shadowy replicas). At any rate, Midna turning the mirror into fine dust effectively severes any
possible connection. Nonetheless, it seems plausible that the Dark tribe was banished sometime
between OoT and TP.
So one may ask: why would Ganon's followers be banished with a different mirror? Maybe it was
found more convenient not to mix them with the Interlopers... but it is also possible that they
were not all banished with a different mirror. We've seen that Ganondorf ended up unconscious
into a void between dimensions (which is what we assume was the condition of the Dark Tribe in
FSA, the Deku Scrubs do say Ganon awakened them), maybe that's exactly what happened to the other
criminals banished by the sages with the Twilight Mirror. If that is the case, then maybe the
Dark Mirror is a less effective mirror that was created to replace the mirror of Twilight only
for that one purpose: banish evil in the void between dimensions (while it, of course, cannot
reach all the way to the Twilight Realm). Meaning the Dark tribe could have been banished in part
with the Twilight Mirror (like the Deku Scrubs and Ganon's army in his invasion before TP)
and in part with the Dark Mirror (the monsters left behind by Ganon in TP). Then the mirror was
secreted away in the forest temple (of time?) to severe its connection to the world of Hyrule
(dunno how exactly that works, but it's what FSA tells us).
Q:
At the very end of Twilight Princess, what is Link doing?
A:
He's leaving again. Notice the he rides from higher terrain to a lower one. Feel free to walk
that path yourself and verify that this means he's heading away from the village. This explains
why Fado is acting as if Link should be home already: evidently he did come back and remained
home for a short while, but once again he has donned the hero's garments and after saying bye to
Ilia is heading off to a new adventure.
