Volume VII: Q & A
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 (but admittedly one is from TWW)? 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 gentle or 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 seem judging by the drawings in Arbiter's Ground.
Q:
The Hero's Bow is 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?
Well, the Japanese version only says it was used to defeat a brutal demon, without mentioning the
world of Hyrule. But 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 remember 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 well be the ones
Link actually took out with the Fairy Bow in OoT in the other timeline.
Q:
When was it that the Twili's ancestors invaded the Sacred Realm and were banished?
A: (Caution spoilers)
It clearly was long before Ocarina of Time. Lanayru even makes it sound like it could follow
shortly after the first event that started off Hyrule's blood-smeared history (which it seems was
the spreading of knowledge concerning the Sacred Realm resulting in greed and strife), 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.
The fierce civil war that swept Hyrule immediately before OoT almost certainly did not end with
their banishment, but it is well 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 Twili's ancestors). 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 some place anybody can freely walk in (whether we
believe it to be the Minish Realm or not). So it seems the banishing of the Twili's ancestors
happened before MC (Hyrule's symbol in MC is already a bird with the Triforce too, so they knew
about it), and probably before its backstory too. But it's not completely certain.
Q:
Wait, the Sacred Realm a part of Hyrule? What??
A:
Both OoT and TP say in the creation myth that the Goddesses departed from Hyrule leaving in the
place from which they left the Triforce, and this changed that place into the Sacred Realm.
It could therefore be speculated that initially the Sacred Realm physically existed in the world
of Hyrule (this would explain why Zelda says that the Dark World in ALttP is a limited
space compared to Hyrule)
Playing Twilight Princess it is also possible to hear several characters talk of Hyrule (even
present day Hyrule) as a Sacred Realm. However, this issue is rather confusing because Twilight
Princess has a bad habit of using the words Sacred Realm (or actually Sacred Grounds as is the
original Japanese name) for many places, including Hyrule and the Goron Mines. This is likely
due to the more generic Japanese name of the Sacred Realm (Sacred Grounds) causing confusion in
the game's transaltion.
However, rest assured that in Lanayru's vision the Sacred Realm is the one in which the Triforce
rests (both because we see it and because OoT too states that the Triforce was placed where the
Gods departed from the world), though as said it could be within Hyrule instead of a separate
dimension.
Q:
So why were the Twili's Ancestors stopped by the gods and banished? Who were they?
A:
I believe one of the reasons the Twili's Ancestors 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 it to their children
to establish for themselves either 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 Twili's ancestors?" is perfectly natural - I believe the reason to
be that this tribe may have been from a different world than that of Hyrule (unlike Ganon who is
not from the -kingdom- of Hyrule). The Japanese text says the these powerful magic users
appeared in the midst of people (people of Hyrule), so there is no definite indication of whether
they were some of Hyrul'e people that revealed themselves as magic users or a tribe from
elsewhere that suddenly showed up in the midst of Hyrule. If so, the Triforce was never ever
meant for them and therefore the Gods intervened.
Why is it I think they don't belong to Hyrule? Not only because it would provide the above
explanation, but also because of 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
these magic users! 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
Twili's ancestors 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. Certainly it
is interesting that the ruler of the Twili is called Mid-na while that of their (possible) Garo
ancestors could be Major-a... (although Midna is said to come off of midnight). Also in relation
to masks, consider the Shadow Assassins and the look of Bullblins/Bokoblins when in Twilight.
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 Twili's ancestors excelled in Dark Magic, and the twili themselves are a Tribe of
Shadows whereas the Sheikah were known as the shadows of the Hylians, 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 you together 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.
As one last alternative, all these similarities with MM could be more parallels between the two
universes (i.e. the Fused Shadow would be Hyrule's Majora, just like Cremia is Termina's Malon).
Q:
When talking to Zant, Midna 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?
A:
That's actually a mistranslation. What Midna was telling Zant is that he was not chosen to
succeed their King because he saw the same power lust in Zant's eyes that took hold of their
ancestors.
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 ancient (or
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 the
being he sold his soul to was 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 in the Sacred Realm (not where the mirror was supposedly located). It may seem
unlikely that there would be two Sages of the same "element" at the same time, but note 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 (or at
least until the situation they caused with Ganon was resolved). 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 Light Spirits told them, after all, it must have been them (or 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 Twili's
ancestors tried to seize the Sacred Realm. But does this mean they were kept in this prison
before being banished? I don't know, though if they were, Midna would probably mention it.
But if that is not the case, then why are those hyeroglyphs AND the Twilight Mirror there?
Also, the soldier next to the shadow assassin had a shield with a peculiar design, and the
Stalfos protecting Stal Lord have shields with an eye 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:
But if we suppose it was not the Twili's Ancestors (assuming they were banished by the gods),
who were then 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:
In Japanese it is often impossible to distinguish between plural and singular. The Japanese line
would be "In the Gerudo Desert, there once was an execution place where (a) certain big
criminal(s) was/were punished. As I heard, that/those big criminal(s) was/were sent to the other
world by means of a cursed mirror kept at the execution place".
According to Jumbie, the word certain is probably there to indicate that this is a specific
criminal (a single person), but it's not a one hundred percent sure fact. Note also that the
Japanese quote doesn't elaborate on the purpose this Execution place (prison in English) was
built for, nor does it say that the banished was/were previously sentenced to death (though
Ganondorf was).
In the (unlikely) chance that there were others beside Ganondorf, they could have been
his loyal followers. 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 about as old as the mirror itself, and it seems likely that
both were used already before Ganondorf's attack on Hyrule. Whether (just?) on the Twili or
(also?) others, I do not know.
It may also be worth remarking that it seems likely these prisoners were sometimes forced into
combat, just like ancient gladiators (hence a coliseum-like arena where Stal Lord and many
undead warriors are fought).
A good argument against anyone besides the Twili's Ancestors 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 Twili's ancestors generations to adapt and become
the Twili we know)... but that never stopped interaction with Twilight beings. However, there is
a question we have to ask ourselves: where has Ganon been before meeting Zant?
Considering that the game doesn't state the Twili's Ancestors were banished through the mirror
(in fact it mentions the mirror only later in the account of the story, when Midna continues from
where Lanayru had stopped) could there be some other place where the mirror sends people who are
banished through it? (As opposed to Link, who entered of his own volition and found himself in
front of the Palace of Twilight, and I very much doubt "ball of flame Ganon" appeared there
without anybody noticing... though before being nurtured by the Twili's hatred he could be
somewhat less appariscent).
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.
As a matter of fact, the Japanese version of TP actually seems to state that Hyrule was founded
by the Oocca, but then they made a new capital for themselves in the sky and the Hylia who had
just appeared inherited it from them.
If anything, this finally answers the question "why is the Hylian's symbol a bird?"
Q:
Is Link traveling through time as he enters 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!
Nonetheless, 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.
With that said, I really wonder how Zant ended up hiding a piece of the mirror there...
Q:
A similarly named ancestor of Impaz (OoT Impa?) built the hidden Old Kakariko? Wasn't Impa the
one who opened the new Kakariko to non-Sheikahs?
A:
Indeed that is the case. So we have only two options: either Impaz is talking of a previous Impa
(nothing prevents there from having been others Impas before that of OoT, like there are others
later in Oracles and LoZ), or Impaz is wrong.
She 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 she may have got her facts mixed up (and maybe Ninty
too).
Certainly it seems unlikely that OoT Impa could have founded a village as a young lady, then
someone else founded another and eventually she opened that one to the Hylians...
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 it 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 (in her own words, she doesn't need it
anymore once the Fused Shadow is recovered) 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 more likely because of the Light Spirits reviving her,
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 never appears once in the whole game (shamefully enough not even
when we see it in Lanayru's vision). 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... note though that this could actually mean he wanted to seize Hyrule because of the
whole "Sacred Grounds" confusion. However in OoT Ganon wants to conquer Hyrule using the Triforce
so this doesn't change much), just like the Twili's ancestors. 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 take over 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. Ganondorf's speech in the end was abridged, and the original version went
on to claim that the bloodsmeared history which would come to pass would be caused by the
re-appearence of one chosen by the gods, which would inevitaby be balanced by two others, as
begun in this game. There's also another possibility I'd like to contemplate though: 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 as taking place between OoT and ALttP (with FSA as well),
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.
And because of this, to balance the scales, 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). It must be noted that Zelda and Link have the same triangle lit up on their hands in
this game, but Ganondorf's unabridged speech about the three chosen re-appaering throughout time
would indicate that this was just a mistake.
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? What I think, is that this is because
in TP the Triforce while not leaving the Sacred Realm, already acknowledged Ganondorf as its
master 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 once again,
when 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 quite possible 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 its
precursor during the early phases of game development, 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 apparently sets
free in FSA, but then the story was changed to the one we've got involving this group of magic
wielders that tried to seize the Sacred Realm only to be banished by the Gods, becoming 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.
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.
