#and that would mean that botw-Zelda will be also going on that same journey to ascension

[baked-hylian]

As soon as I saw this leak I got real excited I had already suspected we'd be getting flashbacks to 10,000 years ago, to the first calamity, as it would only make sense to flesh that part out more now that whatever kept the calamity sealed away has been broken, or lifted, and this pretty much confirms that suspicion for me.

I have two competing ideas on who this mysterious woman could be

my first thought was that she is the physical representation of the goddess Hylia, which she very well could be by this point, if the lines on her skin are not simply painted on. My second and more likely thought, is that this is an incarnation of Zelda, a version of her from 10,000 years ago—the Zelda who seals the calamity away that we see in the ancient mural.

I highly suspect we will have at least one cut scene depicting the past, but I have a feeling that for each temple/dungeon (or whatever equivalent they receive in game) there will be a cut scene unlocked showing the history of what unfolded 10,000 years ago, and that these visions will be what Link and Zelda need to see in order to figure out how to stop the next coming of the calamity.

We may even get to see her journey alongside botw-Zelda's (i.e. if we get playable Zelda segments, I can see the ancient-Zelda cutscenes being placed during those segments,) as they both ascend to a point strong enough to seal away the calamity at different points in time.

[luna-loveboop]

It's all "links meet aus" and "zeldas meet aus", but where's my "companions meet aus"?

I wanna see midna bash fi and navis heads together for annoying her

I mean can you imagine the sheer chaos of all the Zelda companions meeting and going on a journey together? They're all companions/guides! One of thems a talking hat for hylias sake how are they supposed to take initiative?

I think it'd be like Lu where they all just meet up, but can you imagine the chain just somehow finds out this happened (and twilight is just like guys I am so sorry about midna) (but they're also really oddly touched that all their friends met each other too)

Pretty sure midna would be the sort of leader, since the last time she was in a foreign world she just found the nearest dude and started ordering him around. By like halfway through twilight princess she was literally asking LINK to accompany her to get what she needed.

But like. 90% of the group would be fairies. Which can't heal. One is a talking hat who just needs a head? He can't go on midnas cause she throws him off with her magic hair, poor ezlo is just trying to keep up.

They also have these weird green shadows who come around? They don't talk, but there's a rock, a fish, a bird, and a lady who just appear and stab things and shoot wind water fire and lightning.

Also midnas really confused why wolf link just shows up and kills things every now and then (from botw amibo)

Fi is the one who can talk to Hylia and awaken memories and get guidance and information or whatever, but she only does this by ballerina dancing and the others are always pissed at her anyways "WE DONT KNOW WHAT BATTERIES ARE OR A WII REMOTE WILL YOU PLEASE GO BACK IN SWORD FORM ALREADY" "I detect there is a 90% chance you need a key to open this door" "wow. Your perception is unparalleled fi."

Also there's a boat. A boat. Who is also good at taking charging since he's a king, which causes some friction between him and midna, since she has to grab him by her hair to move him half the time.

And with the fairies. Again. They all offer advice mainly. And with the fairies a lot of their main role is speaking and getting attention and pitching in? They come on an intersection and there's a chorus of bells all shouting the same directions. Ezlo is trying to cover the kings ears from his place on the boats head

Also there's this ghost/spirit of Zelda that everyone just feels REALLY strong loyalty to. But she's just like this kid who wants her body back?! They try to protect her but she can turn into a purple knight and stab things so there's that. I think there's also some animal companions from ooa/oos so.

Side quests are nonexistent they don't care about a village or gathering frogs for a kid they are there to save the world on a mission linear plot it is

And it's interesting because you have so many of them who just vanish and then appear to give loud advice. All at once. And the fighting skills basically fall to those weird green shadows that shoot various elements and fight and randomly disappear. Midna and spirit Zelda can fight, and Fi can too (kind of like how she fights as a sword in hyrule warriors). Also up to you if midna is drop dead gorgeous or devilish imp.

By the end they find whatever enemy so they can go back and midna is so pissed by this point that she hears the word "batteries" from Fi and goes full on fused shadow and just obliterates the jerk

***I have not played all the games so do not know or understand all of the companions and probably got some stuff wrong

Bonus: there is a child in a village named Link who does not have the spirit of the hero. He is stalked for three days until Fi decides his vibes are off and they all stop telling him he's the chosen one

[kbluebirdart]

I don't think every Princess Zelda gets to meet Link in her lifetime— because of the royal tradition, they name every princess in the hyrulean royal family Zelda.

except for the ones who particularly are incarnated at around the same time(that also means smth bad is going to happen in Hyrule lol), they are special and are destined to meet. In most cases, I feel like they will be good friends for a long time, what happens after that? it remains a mystery.

Good thing that some Zelda games DID hint at the potential for them to become lovers, like SS, ST, botw/totk, (and even more, than I may not know yet. like zelink from the fallen timeline?? maybe? pls let me know if you know smth!)

----

Link and Zelda in Eow (spoilers warning)

they are strangers to each other and have zero interactions outside of destined roles, only bounce by destiny

but look into the details in the game...

without Link's rescue, she wouldn't be able to mend the rifts across Hyrule and save her father, her people, and him.

She keeps hearing about Link on her journey.

She still keeps the cloak despite no longer needing it for disguise after rescuing everyone in the Hyrule castle. Apparently, She can also wear his cloak afterward. the game intently to remind her of him.

The parallel of how they free each other!

Impa and Lueburry are siblings. he supports Link and Impa supports Zelda in their journey and continues to do so at the end of the game, So in this case, I think Link and Zelda might keep in touch at some point after the post-game.

One thing I'm sure that Zelda would never forget about Link and so does he, They are each other's life saviors, after all. The same vibe as botw/totk Link, If it weren't for Zelda, he would’ve died. Link has continued to be very loyal to Zelda and has never left her side since. and so does Zelda...she would've been trapped in the castle or stay in her dragon form for eternity...

But yeah, what exactly happens between them after post game? All left to us to imagine. because Nintendo would say so. I enjoy it nonetheless!

[bluesgrxce]

Yandere Link x Reader x Yandere Mipha Headcanons

Virgin Link x Reader x Zelda love triangle - Obvious ship is obvious, has been done a thousand times before, we all know the dynamic

Chad Link x Reader x Mipha love triangle - Rarely if ever explored, has more room for interpretation, involves THE superior ship of all time

I think we all know which one is better. (/j because I love the Link and Zelda triangle too)

Pretty much every yandere LOZ writer that I've seen has agreed that BOTW Link and Zelda would not be able to work together. At least not when they first met each other. And I totally agree. They're forced to spend time together nearly 24/7 by King Rhoam, which means they're also forced to share you, and that'll create tension. But Link and Mipha? They would definitely have an alliance. 

Their alliance is based on two factors. One: They share the same goal of wanting to give you the best life possible. Zelda uses you more as a coping mechanism, and even though Link does that too, he's especially focused on making sure that you're safe. Mipha desires the same, as well as making you happy. 

Two: Although Mipha is obsessed with you and priortizes your needs over Link's, she still admires him as a person. She knows how useful he can be. Link respects her as well. Not quite as much, but just enough to accept her into your life and let her help give you everything you want. 

In result, these two work together scarily well, even better than Link ever would with Zelda. They never had past resentment towards each other, and unlike Zelda who can be strongly adamant, Mipha would let Link take the lead and make big decisions.

That... isn't always a good thing. Link is willing to do anything to protect you, even if it includes doing things that would make you hate him. Mipha is aware of this, but she thinks Link is more capable of ensuring your safety than she is, so she'll likely remain silent. But that also means that they have less disagreements, making their alliance even more powerful. 

If you allow them to, they'll spoil you rotten. Mipha uses her royalty riches to purchase anything your heart desires, and Zora's Dormain is basically your playground. You've got just as much power there as she does in some ways. Because of that, this is the place where they'll keep you. 

Link is also putting in work. He'll use his skills as an adventurer to do multiple things in your name, like bringing back rare items from his travels or cooking your favorite foods. If you ever begin a sentence with "I want" then expect Mipha to drop everything just to hear you out. She'll tell Link about it and he'll run off at the speed of light to get whatever it is that you requested. 

Outside of that, the time you spend together as a group is generally quiet. They're both introverted and they would rather watch you do your own thing instead of talking all the time. Just being in your presence is enough to give them peace of mind.

Fortunately, neither are the type of yandere to keep you locked up. Not with actual chains. (Unless they believe you're in severe danger, but something insane like the calamity would have to be going on for that to happen) Link still loves to explore and he would love it even more if he could take you along on the journey. Mipha wouldn't object to that as long as you liked the idea! However, they both know that Hyrule is littered with monsters, so they're not about to let you leave without one or both of them by your side. 

If you ever argue with one, the other will try to convince you to make up with them. You'd think they'd want to turn you against them so they can steal your love, and trust me-- it's crossed both of their minds before. But this alliance has worked really well in their favor and they don't want it to fall apart so easily. 

That's not to say their alliance is perfect. Jealousy still exists in both of them, even if it hasn't been acted upon yet. And like I mentioned earlier, Link is usually the one who makes the big decisions on how to handle you, meaning that their alliance has a power imbalance. 

Plus, Link is stuck guarding Zelda most of the time. Mipha is more than fine with taking care of you by herself, but Link hates the idea of being away for too long. He'll try to convince Zelda to spend more time at Zora's Dormain to avoid getting in trouble with King Rhoam, but he's willing to sneak off if he must. 

If you're accepting, then your future is already laid out for you. It would be extremely difficult for Link to abandon his position as Zelda's knight just so he can become a normal citizen again, even after the calamity is over with. So the easiest way to get around that would be to transfer him to the Zora army instead. Except there might be issues allowing a Hylian inside their guard which is currently composed entirely of Zora... Until Mipha takes the crown and makes some changes. 

Either way, you're going to marry Mipha and be introduced into the Zora monarchy. Congratulations, you're royalty now! You're going to marry Link as well, but not officially, since some people would see it as scandalous to be in a relationship with your knight at the same time as your wife. But neither Link nor Mipha care. They know what your true feelings are and that's all that matters to them. 

But what if you don't accept them? Because as much as they spoil you, they still restrain you. You can't go anywhere alone. You can't do anything that would risk your safety, whether it's monster hunting or just going down a long set of stairs. And they're always second guessing you, especially Mipha. "Are you sure you're alright? I saw you frown for a second. Yes, it was only for a second, but you do know how I worry..."

So even if you like being with them intially, it'll get old after a while. Mipha will notice your discomfort first. She'll adjust those restrictions ever-so-slightly to make you think things have changed, when they really haven't. If you must leave Zora's Dormain without her or Link, then let a guard accompany you. If you must continue associating with that friend of yours, then tell her and Link everything about your relationship. Tell them everything about all of your relationships. They'll find who's good and who's bad for you. (Don't be surprised if they think everyone is bad.)

Link, though... Once he hears about this, he immediately shuts it down. He doesn't trust anybody to protect you but himself. And he's seething at Mipha for being so irresponsible. She's supposed to look after you, not risk letting you escape. 

Just the way that he glares at her is a silent form of gaslighting. She truly isn't fit to take care of you on her own, is she? She's too soft. She needs Link. If it weren't for him, you would have already left her.  

And now that Link has doubts about her ability to keep an eye on you, he'll enforce the rules himself. Now you can't even walk around Zora's Dormain without him by your side- when he's gone, you just stay put with Mipha. Not allowed to do anything until he returns. If you resist, he'll only make your life harder.

But you aren't totally screwed. There is one way to make their alliance fall apart: make them doubt each other. Link already doesn't trust Mipha enough anymore, so you need to manipulate Mipha into turning against Link. Usually that's impossible, but now that her confidence is low, you can appeal to her sympathetic side. Make her feel guilty for letting Link do whatever he wants to you. In this state, it won't take long before she cracks. 

Your best bet would be to trick her into thinking you want to run away together from Link. Actually taking her with you isn't an option. The Zora will go into a frenzy when their beloved princess disappears and if they find you, they'll likely blame you for convincing her to run away. 

Mipha wouldn't want to leave at first. She'd be too anxious about the consequences, knowing that she would have to abandon her father and brother. Knowing that Link would stop at nothing to take you back. She's just so obsessed with you though and she couldn't fathom the idea of you seriously tricking her. Besides, you only want to leave so you can be happy together, right?

She thought so. She really, truly believed so. But you went missing the moment she turned away to pack her stuff. Then... There was no other choice but to tell Link the truth. Because it's Mipha and she's simply not the type to lie, even if it might hurt her.

In this case, though? It isn't even a "might." Link had gotten used to being assured of your safety (or used to being in control of you) that it freaks him out once he hears you're gone. His immediate thought was to go find you, but his second is that how could he have ever trusted someone like her to protect you? He leaps to anger. He draws his sword. 

I can't say for certain what happens next. He knows how much trouble he'll get in for harming her, but in that moment, it wouldn't cross his mind. She probably wouldn't fight back much since she respects him so highly and feels awful for allowing you to take advantage of her. 

...If Mipha dies, the Zora will never forgive you. They'll be more pissed at Link obviously, but they'll blame you for indirectly causing this to happen. The whole LOZ fandom would never forgive you because we all love Mipha. I would never forgive you because I am the ultra #1 Mipha enjoyer. You might be able to live a content life if you can ignore the hatred and hide away, but just know that Link won't be the only one tracking you down. You'll be on the run for the rest of your life.

[bizabumblebee]

tell us about yunobo

why's he ur funky lil guy

id love to hear why

This is a very good ask I don’t think I’ve ever actually told anyone why I like Yunobo so much

Preemptive spoiler alert for both Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom by the way

(Also this turned into a bit of a character analysis on Yunobo I’m so sorry it’s so ridiculously long lmao)

Personally my favorite Zelda “race” or whatever has always been gorons, huge fellas who mine rocks and eat rocks and are rocks, just big ol walking boulders with kind souls, I think they’re very silly and cute. But I really like Yunobo because he’s not really like any of the other gorons (He’s not like other girls!!), because he’s so much more… emotional? I guess? In each of the Goron race’s appearances throughout the Zelda games they’re portrayed pretty much the same way, either tough and brave and heroic (Like Darunia, Daruk and Darmani), or chill and generally nonchalant (Like… pretty much every other goron). Though they are kind and playful, they’re also tough and unmoving as stone. Yunobo (on a surface level), is neither of these things. When you first meet him in BotW he runs and yelps in fear, and a great portion of the fan base calls him a coward because of this. He’s very unsure of himself, and unsure of a lot of things in general. In the artbook “Creating a Champion”, his description is as follows:

“Yunobo is the grandchild of the Champion Daruk. He has an adult body but still has some growing up to do. He is easily frightened by monsters and isn't exactly what one might call brave, but, driven by thoughts of protecting his people, he gathers enough courage to aid Link in quelling the Divine Beast Vah Rudania. He is earnest and naive, readily believing nearly anything anyone tells him.”

So yeah. He’s a scaredy-cat. He’s a pushover. He’s incredibly naive and a bit childish.

AND YET.

He helped save his people, and the entirety of Hyrule… TWICE. Because he is brave. Bravery is not an immediate heroic desire to face any danger for the sake of the greater good.

It is action in spite of fear.

He is afraid. He’s unsure, and he’s flighty, and he’s defensive. But he swallows these fears and chooses to act in spite of them, helping link to take back control of Vah Rudania, and saving his people. For me, seeing the journey Yunobo takes to find his courage is a lot more satisfying than if he were just already a brave go-getter from the moment you meet him.

And then things get even more interesting in the second game (again, spoilers for TotK ahead).

After he helps Link take back Vah Rudania and Calamity Ganon is defeated, Yunobo goes right to helping his people recover from the the post-calamity craziness. He’s incredibly devoted to them. He’s a helper through and through, willing to do anything it takes for the sake of others. His loyalty knows absolutely no bounds. But unfortunately, this can get the better of him.

Like when his good friend “Zelda” shows up and gives him some weird mask and tells him to put it on.

Honestly, when I saw Yunobo for the first time in TotK, I was one of the many people who was terrified that Nintendo might have made him an asshole for no reason. I mean, they gave Sidon a wife so people would stop shipping him with Link, I wouldn’t put it past them (totally backfired though lol, now they’re just a polycule).

But instead they had actually put him into one of my favorite character tropes: self-conscious but good-natured character easily susceptible to corruption (See: Luigi [SPM], Bolin [TLoK], Locksley [AS:TNC] -they’re all also green for some reason? Crazy). I really like this particular trope because it shows the very real (and frankly scary) way that those with the best intentions can most easily be led astray. As someone who’s kinda struggled with having a people-pleaser personality (incredibly susceptible to peer-pressure, neglecting my own needs over the needs of others, not able to set boundaries, etc), this trope is a relatable cautionary tale for me. Those who just want to help more often than not end up helping those with bad intentions without realizing.

Buuuuut I won’t go too far into all that (it’ll get sad fast eugh)

My main point is that Yunobo is brave, kind, and loyal (even to a fault), and for me that’s a wonderful formula for a character as nervous and dopey as him. Yeah he’s got rocks for brains, but he’s got a heart as big as a lynel’s. I don’t throw this term around liberally but I would say he could definitely count as a himbo.

Ugggghhh this is getting too long ffs. I’ll just list a couple more reasons why he’s important to me specifically.

He is… very large. Ahem. I like big fellas. You know how it is. ANYWAY

He’s a bit dopey but he’s definitely not incompetent. He’s the president of a highly successful mining company and he’s helped save Goron City (and the entirety of Hyrule) TWICE. That’s pretty cool. I’ve seen a lot of people shit on him in the first game for “always getting spotted by the drones” but like. Dude that’s your fault. He told you he would come when called and stop when told to, it’s on you if he walks into a searchlight.

He’s got very intriguing lore (to me at least), that leaves a lot of room for speculation. Like, he’s the “grandson” of Daruk, but how does that work?? Gorons are born from the mountain itself, they don’t give birth. There’s a pair of Gorons in TotK that call themselves “brothers” (still a bit confusing since most gorons throughout the series call each other brother anyway), but they explain it was because they were born in the same cave at the same time, so they’re like family. Does this mean Yunobo was just born in the same cave Daruk was, and therefore inherited his “genes” and his magical abilities? Maybe! Maybe it’s a really cool special cave, right at the summit or something, where his whole lineage was born all the way back to the first sage of fire. Cool stuff to think about!

He’s not the leader of his people, in either game. That job belongs to Bludo. In the second game he’s definitely got a lot more influence and does occupy a position of leadership, but he’s not the chief. He’s just some Goron. The role of aiding link in both games is thrust onto him entirely because of his lineage. But he takes responsibility for it. He understands the power he holds, both as a champion’s descendant and as the Sage of Fire, and he steps up to the role. He feels a responsibility to his people and his city, even despite not being its official leader like the other champion’s descendants. That’s pretty cool.

He’s very sweet! I’ve talked about how kind and caring he is already but there’s a difference between doing it with a stoic sense of heroism or duty, and doing it with a big dopey grin and a genuine care for those he cares about. He’s often unsure and self-conscious, and yet he’s surprisingly optimistic about most things a lot of the time. He has a big smile (most gorons do), but he has an absolutely heart-melting laugh. I often tear up during the cutscene in which he sees the spirit of Daruk reclaiming Vah Rudania, him laughing and waving with such genuine joy and excitement, aghhhh it’s too much. Joe Hernandez certainly did a great job putting authenticity into Yunobo’s (and Daruk’s) emotions, this cutscene especially.

He has the best secret stone ability (gameplay wise). You cannot change my mind. Tulin is great for mobility and the other two are fine for tactical combat stuff, but none of them even come close to the versatility and power of Yunobo. Don’t have any good rock-breaking weapons and don’t want to use up bombs or zonai devices? Yunobo! Using a control stick-operated machine and can’t pull out your bow to snipe that pesky aerocuda? Yunobo! Wanna separate a big group of enemies from each other without wasting bombs? Yunobo! And don’t even get me started on the fact that when he’s on a vehicle, he’s got zero cooldown. You can hop on a hoverboard and decimate a molduga just by dribbling Yunobo on its head like a basketball.

All this being said I certainly think Yunobo is too often overlooked by fans for “being a coward”, or just… being a Goron? Gorons in general have often been a bit neglected in favor of the other more serious, conventionally attractive and *cough* slimmer *cough* Zelda races. It’s a bit disheartening seeing the amount of fan artists who don’t even have a clue how to approach drawing Yunobo or Daruk, simply because they don’t know how to draw bulky, fat or muscled characters. But I won’t preach too much on the subject, haha.

Long story short, I love Yunobo a whole lot and I’d love to give him a big hug and a smooch. That’s about it :))))

Also here’s a little sketch I made of him as a bonus for reading all that haha

[the-depths-au]

FAQ

*this post continues heavy totk spoilers

How did it start?

A lot of people started posting some really cool art of a TotK ending where Zelda returns as a hybrid dragon creature thing. I saw a few that called it a “bad” ending and I noticed she was often portrayed with dominantly human-features just like, with horns or a tail, or the purple eyes, etc. I love to play video games(clearly) and I enjoy the challenge of seeing various endings, not just “secret endings” (think Heavy Rain, Until Dawn, The Witcher 3, Drakengard- anyone else play this?) I got to thinking about how her coming back didn’t really like a true “bad ending”. To me, a bad ending, really, would be one in which she didn’t get to magically, miraculously come back in any form. A bad ending to me would be Mineru’s warning held true. And in doing so, it would become The Legend of Zelda because she becomes the stuff of myths. Of true Legend. Fulfilling destiny (botw-era and the series as a whole). My brain sort of took off from there regarding the implications this would have on Hyrule and specially, our boy Link.

How could you! A Bad ending? Is this story at least hurt and eventual comfort??? Does it have a happy ending??

I could tag this hurt and comfort, but usually people who read these types of stories have certain expectations of what “comfort” is (and that’s okay!). Same with a “happy” ending. I don’t need stories to be wrap up in a bow with warmth to enjoy them. Honestly, some of the stories that have touched me the most over the years have had “sad” endings/negative character arcs/tragedy. That being said, I don’t particularly enjoy pure whump, either. What I feel is most important and what I am to do with this story, is to make any suffering meaningful. With purpose. And hopefully- maybe- you’ll see the “comfort” that is possible even in these types of stories.

Wait! So Zelda remains a dragon?

Yes. They defeat the demon dragon. Rauru and Sonia appear in a silent thanks, then they disappear and Link falls from the sky alone into the water. The Light Dragon continues along in her flight above him.

Link is also the only one who can see/has ever seen the Light Dragon.

Are there any other major changes from TotK?

It follows the game pretty closely. It’s just hard to say exactly what is in this story from TotK because there is just so much. In BotW, I headcanon Link took his time. He doesn’t remember anything. He is alone, lost, and the world is a vast, broken place. Therefore, it is plausible/ realistic in my head for all the side questions to be done prior to the ending being reached. In TotK, especially with the headcanon he and Zelda were together in the time between BotW and TotK, I had a hard time imagining Link would waste much time on anything unnecessary to save Zelda. So, with this in mind, I’ve had to justify the side questions to include in the story. Link’s journey is a bit different than my own. Whereas I actually spent 80% of my playthrough exploring the depths, this Link only went down when necessary. Meaning many of the lightroots have not been unlocked and he only has part of the armor of the depths. In the Linktober and the early concept, he has the entire set but this has been changed for the main comic.

How far after the events of TotK does this take place?

Five years.

Is it completely planned out?

Yes. I have a complete rough story outline done. It’s 17 chapters. I am anticipating some editing as I go, but regardless, it’s a big project. A huge shout out to @zeldaelmo and @fioreofthemarch for helping me get the story set. They are both phenomenal writers for the LoZ fandom so be sure to check them out!

What happened to the comic?

I made the decision to tell this story (initially) in writing. I have a very specific style in mind for this story as a full comic and honestly, I just don't feel like my artistic ability and overall proficiency is where I want it to be at this time. I'm still learning! I will be continuing to post art, concept art, and some comic panels here as I go and eventually, I would love to adapt the story into a full comic, but for now, I'll be telling the main story in writing.

How long have you been drawing?

I’ve been drawing all my life. Just for fun, although I took a few classes in school. Digitally, self-taught, since fall 2022. Still very new to this with lots to learn! I have a minor in creative writing and feel much more confident and comfortable with that.

Feel free to send me a DM with questions anytime! I plan to update this periodically.

Last updated 2/26/24

[yanderes-galore]

Can I ask for a romantic Link and Zelda (BOTW) concept of them sharing a darling, please????? Thank you! <3

Sure! I'd love to now that I have both of their concepts done :)

Original BOTW Link Concept

Original BOTW Zelda Concept

Yandere! Link + Zelda (BOTW) Sharing you

(Or Alternative BOTW! Zelda Concept)

Pairing: Romantic - Sharing

Possible Trigger Warnings: Gender-Neutral Darling, Obsession, Manipulation, Overprotective behavior, Paranoia, Stalking, Poly/Sharing yanderes, Isolation, Forced/Dubious relationship.

I'd imagine this being like an alternate version of Zelda's concept.

While Zelda's concept mentioned Link being involved in protecting you, I didn't go too far into it.

If they were sharing it would go similarly to Zelda's concept but with Link being more involved with you in general.

Zelda would've known you as a childhood friend but has been scared to admit it to you.

Plus she has to fulfill and train for her destiny/research technology.

As a result she has only been able to act as a close friend to you.

You two talk all the time just like in her concept and for the most part it's the same.

Here's where things change.

Zelda is annoyed by Link's presence as her knight at first.

She feels she doesn't need some protector following her around and is annoyed by his presence like in the cutscenes.

She'd much rather hang out with you alone than with him tagging along.

During this time while Zelda is annoyed, Link ends up getting attached to you.

He watches you and the princess chat and just can't stop listening to your voice.

He ends up following you while protecting the princess as he seems interested.

Zelda probably can sense this which only makes her more irritated than she already is.

Zelda tries to tolerate Link until she's eventually attacked by the Yiga Clan and saved by him.

It's at this point she begins to care about him more.

She may even accept the fact that they both have an interest in you.

As her own obsession develops she may even ask Link if he feels anything towards you.

If he admits to it then Zelda isn't that annoyed.

She can't blame him... after all, he isn't that bad of a guy and she's fallen for you two.

Zelda may admit to Link she also has feelings for you... for awhile now... but she doesn't mind sharing.

This is what makes this concept different from Zelda's.

While you're unaware the two have already decided they wish to date you.

Zelda continues to act as your close friend while Link acts as a protector for you both.

Link would be the one more prone to stalking but relays any info he obtains to Zelda.

The two would plan and watch over you until a confession eventually comes up.

Zelda may confess that she and Link have fallen for you and wish to pursue a shared relationship.

If you refuse then they'll be patient.

Both of them will want to still protect you as they love you.

They're willing to wait as long as they have to in order to have you love them.

If you say yes, they'll accept you with open arms.

Expect kisses and hugs... all sweet actions from the two.

No matter your choice the two vow to love and protect you.

To an obsessive and overly protective degree.

This escalates when The Calamity awakens and the whole plan to seal Ganon fails.

Similarly to the Zelda concept she decides the best way to keep you safe is to seal you away.

The princess becomes overly stressed as Link by this point jumped in to protect you and Zelda... dying in the process.

This means both you and Link are sealed away while Zelda holds of Ganon for 100 years.

This brings us to the time of Link's concept.

When Link awakens with memory loss, he's told to grow stronger yet also find you.

This leads into a long journey to find you in a shrine of something sealed away.

Link has memory loss of the relationship he had with you and Zelda.

Yet the hero still feels an overwhelming urge to protect you from danger.

To the point he never wants to leave your side.

You may remember him, you may not, either way it's a bit unnerving to you how close this man hovers around you.

You're most likely kept in a village until after Link fights Ganon.

He forces you to stay put and visits you often as he goes to cleanse the Divine Beasts.

He slowly begins to fall for you again, even more if he manages to regain his memories.

It's to the point he wants to kiss and hold you again... to feel your warmth and adoration.

Yet he knows he has to rid the world of Ganon first.

After all... Zelda must miss you too.

By the time Ganon is gotten rid of (for now), the events have affected the both of them.

Like in Zelda's concept, once Hyrule Castle is rebuilt, she has you locked away in your own little room.

She tries to tell you it's to keep you safe as she fears you'll be in danger again.

Link agrees to this and stands as your guard.

He takes it as his job to keep you in Hyrule Castle.

The two still treat you well and give you affection.

They kiss you, praise you, and hold you close.

Yet they take away your freedom.

Zelda explains it's for the best while Link tries to comfort you.

Surely you'll understand...

They only do this because they love you.

[olibensstuff]

Oh great and wise Benny 🙏🙏 if I were to be considering getting into Zelda how would u recommend doing so 👀👀👀

This was such a hard question ooh

Response below the cut because I had.. way more to say than I thought I would

I’d say it depends on what console/devices you have! Every Zelda game can be played as a stand alone which makes the series pretty easy to approach. If you want to really get the Zelda experience and understand what the core of the Zelda series is about, my only recommendation is start with any game except breath of the wild. BOTW is a great game but it really lets go of the vast majority of Zelda tropes in order to explore and test out new concepts. Which is cool, but not a great start if you’re looking into Zelda as a whole.

The defining Zelda game ever is ocarina of time, so if you have a 3ds I think it’s obligatory for me to say that’s a great starting place. A lot of the classic tunes are from this game, and a toonnnn of the bigger lore pieces come from Ocarina of Time. Song of storms comes from this game too so it’s immediately awesome. if you have a Wii I’d also recommend playing Twilight Princess. It gets a lot of hate I feel like in the community, but it was sort of a soft remake of ocarina of time, and it has objectively the best side kick in all the games. It’s a bit empty but the characters are really full of life. I feel like the dungeons are all really really fun too. I’m honestly really biased with this game because it was my first game though so take that with a grain of salt. On the same topic of Wii/Wii U if you have one absolutely look into playing Wind Waker it has some of the most fun visuals and in my opinion the most compelling ganondorf (main villain) in the whole series. Zelda also has a lot more personality in this game that most.

Back with the 3ds PLEASE consider trying out minish cap. It’s my personal favorite from the 3ds i really love the character designs and the story. I wouldn’t recommend it as a first because it’s a bit more difficult than the ones above and it’s lore is a lot looser, but later on your journey it’s absolutely worth your time it’s so good and cute.

On the 3ds there’s also a link between worlds which I haven’t played personally but has some of my favorite lore and story beats. Definitely worth your time it’s game play is so unique and it’s got some of my favorite characters.

If I list every game I think I’d be here all day so I’m just gonna make a quick list of my recommended order!!

Ocarina of Tome (important lore)

Majoras Mask (this one is a bit difficult so feel free to skip and come back to. It’s a sequel to ocarina of time and has some tif the coolest game mechanics/story ever)

Skyward Sword (more important lore, basically the origin story for all the other games)

if you have a wii/wii u: Twilight princess and Wind Waker (two dramatic ends of what a Zelda game could be visually and story wise. Twilight Princess came out a little after wind waker. TP was super edgy and cool while WW was bright and fun. Both have some really heartfelt moments though and are sooo worth your time)

if you played WW, I feel like spirit tracks would be a fun follow up. It’s an indirect sequel with a similar art style made for the 3ds. The game play is really cool and it has one of the most developed Zelda’s, next to wind waker and ocarina of time Zelda’s)

at this point you should be well versed enough to approach basically any Zelda game! My favorites not already listed are Links Awakening, Minish Cap (MINISH CAP IS SO GOOD PLEASE OELASE PLEASE)and the oracle games!! A lot of people like four swords and tri heroes though!

take all this with a grain of salt though haha!! Zelda can be enjoyed in absolutely any way which is a lot of the appeal. I know it looks like a lot, but really playing any game at all, botw included, means you’re welcome! All you ever really need to know to be a Zelda fan is that the player character is Link and he wears green and he saves a cool princess named Zelda with the power of magic golden triangles!! unless you’re playing the upcoming game Echoes of Wisdom which is coming out in September!!!!! That one’s gonna be about Zelda where you save Link with the power of chairs im so excited

anyways if you’re crazy like me here’s a nine hour video of Zelda lore 😘

SORRY FOR THE LONG WINDED EXPLANATION BTW this is my all time favorite series since forever i get really excited

[sweet-lemonad-rose-sapphire]

Link Character Analysis Pt. 1

Child Link

Just as a little note here, by “Child Link” I am talking about the child version of Link from BOTW

What was he like?

Unfortunately, we don’t know much about Child Link in game besides what we learn from the Mipha memory and Mipha’s Diary (BOTW DLC):

- He’s described as “curious and full of energy with a ready smile”

- Has “exceptional swordsmanship” only at “about 4 years of age”! AND he was literally going against adult knights and even beat them! Why that was allowed, I’ll get to that later…

- He’s very impressed by magic!

Where did he live?

Ok. This one’s an unpopular opinion for some people but here’s what I found.

- According to Creating a Champion (pg. 376) , Link had likely started his childhood in Hateno Village.

- HOWEVER, also according to Mipha’s Diary, the KING sent a group of knights to the Zora Domain. The same group of knights that Child Link was with. MEANING that even though Link may have at least been born in Hateno Village, he must’ve ended up in Castle Town, where he spent the rest of his childhood, gaining traction as a gifted swordsman.

Link’s Family

I may be cheating a little on this one, but by also looking at past Zelda games, I can kind of piece together what his family is like.

- In Memory #11 (Shelter From the Storm), Zelda makes the first mention, probably in Zelda game history, of Link’s father who was a knight.

- Although I’m sure Zelda was talking about Link when she gives the comment “Your commitment to the training necessary to fulfill your goal is really quite admirable,” I think she was also still comparing Link to his Father’s journey of becoming a knight. According to Creating a Champion, Link is NOT of nobility. And unlike all the “likelys” and “maybes” that this book says about most of Link’s past, this information is for certain. Therefore, Link’s father would have had to work HARD to rise the ranks to be personally asked by the King to go to the Zora Domain with the other Hyrulian knights with him.

- Strangely enough, just a few paragraphs before this, Link is said to be born into a line of knights. These could also probably have been Hateno knights too

- This is the point where I’m slightly cheating. In the Japanese version of Creating a Champion, there’s a whole TWO PAGES of concept art that us English speakers are missing out on. 😔 On one of those pages, we can see an image of a (what looks like) 12 year old Link with an older man and a little girl. The man may look older than a father but, after what Zelda said, this can likely be Link’s Father!

- And the little girl would likely be Link’s little sister! Unfortunately, there’s no evidence in the game that Link had a little sister, but after looking at the Wind Waker game for reference, I have a feeling this girl is supposed to be BOTW’s version of Aryll. She even looks like she loves Cucco’s while Aryll in Wind Waker loves seagulls! I could go on about what this means for Link and his backstory, but then that would be touching “spoiler territory” for my duology, and I don’t want to do that just yet!

Link’s Childhood Friends

Most of Link’s friends that are mentioned in game are actually Zora! Although I’m sure he had some Hylian friends as well.

- Bazz: Was the leader of the Big Bad Bazz Brigade (BBBB). Link trained him sword fighting (or at least the “art of the blade”).

- Rivan: him and Link used to swim together when they were kids. Also a part of the BBBB

- Gaddison: her and Link used to play together as kids. She was also part of the BBBB, known as the heroine.

- Mipha: she used to heal Link whenever he would get hurt in training.

I’m not adding Kodah to the list because (I assume!) she didn’t “befriend” him until he was older

unfortunately I can't find a clip of Bazz talking about the BBBB, but believe me that it's in the game!

[nolongerapileofashprobably]

Ya know that post where someone asks what the hell happened for Link to go from Happy, Lovestruck SS Link to calm, stoic BOTW Link? And how the caption is that he lost a war and everyone died??

But the reality of why he’s so emotionless is even worse. Stoic Link didn’t talk because he felt the entire weight of the kingdom on his shoulders. He wasn’t royal. He had no piece of the Triforce behind his every action. What did he have? A sword that placed him smack at the center of the action.

That was fine really. Botw Link is a beast, before and after the Great Calamity. But he’s also just a kid.

The entirety of the world decided this insanely talented swordsman would protect them and help seal away Calamity Ganon. That’s a lot of weight to put on a kid and not bother to check up on how he was doing. Everyone treated him kindly, for the most part, but no one ever really asked him how he felt.

There were congratulations, assessments, and some concerns brought to him. What else would he do but sort of shrug all of it away because what he thinks doesn’t matter righT? He’s just a kid who wields the sword that seals the darkness. He doesn’t matter. His role is what matters.

And then you get Zelda. She comes in and unlike basically every other person in his life, she treats him unkindly. She’s not fake nor doe she confine herself to the Princess silhouette. She treats him unkindly, yes and I’m not justifying her treatment of him at first, but I’m betting she’s the first person to actually figure Link out.

And she does that by disliking him. Seeing him as everyone else does but that doesn’t make her bat an eyelash. She’s also got this huge responsibility on her shoulders but it’s not as crippling. Zelda is legitimately the heir to the kingdom so she already feels the weight on Hyrule on her shoulders.

And seeing Link struggle with the same thing, in a completely different manner, upsets her until she realizes how similar their situations are. And so she pushes Link to open up to her. She apologizes for her actions. She gets to know Link.

She asks the kid why the hell he doesn’t talk. No one else does. Most people acknowledge and move on, few are concerned, but no one else in Hyrule asks him why he doesn’t talk. Zelda is a brutally honest person and when she wants to know something, she’ll figure it out. And she figures Link out.

Out of all of Hyrule, the only person to figure Link out is Zelda and while that makes my heart soar, it truly saddens me to think about Link before the events of Botw. Before he met Zelda and things sort of spun uncontrollably from there.

This Link was faced with an insane amount of responsibility without ANYONE helping him through it for the longest time. Link’s journey in Botw started a long time before the events of the game and everyone seems to forget that. This Link was just fighting the good fight because that was just the way he was raised. He had no owl, tree, sexy-mysterious ninja, loud & sassy fairies, the literal twilight princess, the soul of a sword created by the goddess Hylia herself, Zelda mentally guiding him, someone supporting him by giving him a weapon, a talking boat/ badass pirate, and every other companion or supporter. He had this sword that he stumbled upon and was thrown into the battle that would decide Hyrule’s fate. He had people who loved him. But that doesn’t mean they ever asked him. Got his take.

Boy had to seriously open up to Zelda when she asked him because he’s not going to not answer but how does he tell the Princess of Hyrule that he’s silent because it’s easier to forget he’s actually a human with emotions if he doesn’t talk and that will make it easier for him to throw himself into battle against this great evil with no distractions and oh my god it just hit me this entire post is crap Botw Link was silent and stoic so he wouldn’t seriously bond with anyone because he was a warrior preparing for a battle that was more than likely going to be his last and he just said “fuck it” when Zelda asked him what was up because he saw that she genuinely cared and if he was going to open up to anyone it was going to be this girl who tried to make him eat a frog, for Hylia’s sake.

This boy was meant to save all of Hyrule from the calamity and the one person he truly confided in was zelda, just as she did with him. Like??? Emotional.

[ezlo-x]

hi...cmere if you want to hear my current thoughts of totk... (spoilers ahead ofc)

Hi :] so since everyone is taking a different path on playing this game this is what I have so far

Currently I have completed the tutorial section, have only Dragon Tears #1 and #2, and completed the Wind Temple

I wanted to write down my thoughts after I finished w the tutorial section but I was just so excited to play I just kept going until I finally decided to take a small break from playing the game for almost the entire day lol. ALSO I will include pics...in some parts

ANYWAYZ THE BEGINNING SECTION I NEED TO GET THIS OFF MY CHEST CAUSE I WAS LOSING MY MIND ABT IT. So when Zelda explains how the "gloom" works I WAS JSUT "...that sounds like the Malice im my au HMMM NO WAY I PREDICTED THIS MY BRAIN HUGE" JNSDKJFNSD I liked that we get to see a little bit more of Zelda before she disappears but also! I liked how she is still prevalent in the story and aids Link at some point in the tutorial section. Also I just find it funny how she appears to people like ghosts knfgskng I know for sure that would be explained why later on.

Now to the tutorial, I had a lot of fun with the shrines better yet all the shrines in general have been super fun. None of them have been a drag to me I have a lot of fun especially that you have to use your arm abilities and that stuff never gets old to me. TBH THO there were a few moments when traveling around the island where my muscle memory is to press "x" to paraglide when I suddenly remembered I don't have the paraglider JFNGKDNF I was yearning for that paraglider.

Sorta of a side note I am really loving how npcs have more personality, like Purah and Robbie just radiate so much more as characters than in BotW. I am loving so far the new npcs it makes the world feel less empty.

Now...to the moment i've been waiting to talk abt. The Dragon tear memories

I love them. I love them SO SO MUCH ESPECIALLY SONIA BUT I FEEL LIKE I LOVE RAURU JUST AS MUCH IDK THEY ARE VERY FUCKING CUTE I CANTTTTT I WANT TO CHANGE MY BANNER TO THEM BUT I KNOW ITS LIKE SUPER SPOILERY OUGHHHHHH

My friends insisted to get the memories in order cause that would make me into an emotional wreck so I can't wait! <3

Now to Rito Village/Wind Temple. First of all, the Rito Theme when its in the blizzard got me a little emotional ngl. It might be cause Wind Waker was one for the first tloz games that i introduced myself to back when I was 14 and hearing it so desolate it almost got me. AND THEN SEEING THE KIDS ALL ON THEIR OWN OUGH (I want to know where's Kass tho...).

TULIN!!! Tulin is adorable idk I enjoyed his character how his stubbornness on doing things on his own was changed to teamwork makes the dream work arc idk it was cute. Teba not being present makes sense to me as he's the new Rito Elder and all. Glad the dude is not dead KJFNGKDJNF

Now the journey to the Wind Temple was so fun it was so fun like idk how to describe it. The ost was amazing especially when finally reaching the temple when you ascend high above the blizzard storm and then you glide down and UGH it was so amazing. The Wind Temple was just as fun it felt like your good old Zelda temple and I love that so much. THE BOSS AS WELL YOUR TYPICAL EVIL CRUSTACEAN WITH WINGS AND UGH!! I Love it I love it sm

NOW AT THE BEGINNING ENTERING THE WIND TEMPLE when the voice appeared, at first I thought it was Rauru. But then I took a second take and he sounded differently than Rauru and I said "oh is this the ancient champion?" AND I WAS RIGHT ITS THE WIND SAGE AND OH OH OH OK

I WAS SO....💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥💥 YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN//? HE LOOKS RAD THE OTHER SAGES LOOK JIST AS AMAZING. AND THEN-

THIS BITCH GOT HORNS!!!! WHAT 💥💥💥💥

HONESTLY ok time to put my critical hat here. Im honestly not expecting anything crazy with Ganondorf like idk I am excited but at the same time I do have that worry in the back of my mind that he would be your typical evil villain. ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY HAVE SUCH A SOLID STORY WITH GOOD WORLD BUILD like I hope they don't blow it up. and ngl I kinda forgot abt Ganondor for a moment cause I've been so fixated over Sonia and Rauru KJNGDJKFNGKDFJ I CANT WAIT TO MEET THE FIRE SAGE THOUGH RAAHGHHGGHH AND THE ZONAI NEXT TO RAURU OUGH I FORGOT HER NAME BUT RAURU MENTIONS HER IN THE SECOND DRAGON TEAR MEMORY THATS HIS BIG SIS!!!!

One more thing I forgot to mention (theres so much stuff don't get me started to how much I love the depth) the soundtrack is phenomenal. When diving down from either the sky or to the depth it so pretty. And like I said the ost where thats building up when reaching the Wind Temple *chef's kiss* AND how the Wind Temple's theme mixes both Vah Medoh's theme (attacking and inside) and Rito Village. Reminding you what you're fighting for especially in Tulin's case

I am having a lot of fun with this game I am currently just wandering around in the Hebra region. ALSO NOW THAT I REMEMBER I WAS REALLY THROWN OFF BY THE SUBTLE CHANGES THE MAP HAS I STILL AM AND I GET IT for like ppl who played BotW make it feel completely different/new. Honestly its fun it feels like im exploring Hyrule for the first time again its nice <3

and that is all I have tbh I might disappear and come back w more ramblings. I want to say more but I don't want this post to be super long. The fact that I only got one Temple complete and two memories and I still have a lot more to do is so crazy to me

anywayz have some pitcures of Sonia and Rauru cause I love em very mucho <3

[minty-mumbles]

I am extremely interested in the sheikah!wild bullshit, do you have like a whole au fleshed out?

Hi, hello! Yeah I do! Thank you for giving me an excuse to ramble about it. Some of these headcanons are courtesy of @transzeldas

Buckle up because I have a lot of thoughts about this :) There's also a good heaping of headcanons about Sheikah culture in this as well.

Spark notes version:

Wild is half Sheikah and half Hylian. His mother was a Sheikah warrior, and his father was a Hylian knight.

He was raised in Kakariko by his mother, and his father wasn't really involved. His mom eventually married a Sheikah man and had his little sister

Like most Sheikah children, he was trained in the art of Sheikah fighting when he was young. He was very good at it, and liked fighting, and it was assumed that he would likely follow his mother's path and become a warrior. He earned his mastery in swordsmanship very young, which technically made him an adult in the eyes of his people.

Wild found the Master Sword when he was 12. The Elders of Kakariko decided to keep this hidden. He was considered too young to go serve the royal family. The Sheikah kept a sharp eye out for the return of Ganon, though. They thought he was too young, but they still expected him to do his duty as the hero when it came down to it.

The Sheikah have a tradition that teens go on a journey around the country before they're named full adults. Wild visits Castle town when he's 14 as part of this journey. He saves Zelda from the rouge guardian, which brings him to the attention of the King, who wants him to come serve as a guard at the castle.

After consulting with his mother and the Elders, Wild presents himself to the king as the hero soon after that, wielding the Master Sword. He's appointed Zelda's personal guard, and the rest of the story goes pretty much the same after that.

He forgets his culture when he comes out of the Shrine, and works to reconnect with it.

Dorian is actually his sister’s grandson, so that means he's related to Koko and Cottla.

The Yiga have major beef with Wild, even more than before, since not only is he the hero, but he's also Sheikah, and the Yiga and Sheikah have been at war for generations.

In-depth Version:

Wild's parents met when his mother was stationed as a guard in the Palace. They never married, and Wild's bio father was never super involved in Wild's life. He sent money, and was a little supportive, especially once Wild became a knight, but he was never interested in having children. On top of the fact that his father never wanted children, it was seen as a little shameful for Hylians to be involved with a Sheikah.

I've always really liked the idea that Sheikah were discriminated against by Hylians, based on the time when the monarchy commanded them to get rid of their technology. Some of the Sheikah resisted giving up their technology, and joined Ganon, and some yielded to the monarchy. Seems simple, right?

But history is never as simple as that. Ordering the Sheikah to give up such a huge part of their culture smells a lot like cultural genocide. The prophecy about Ganon's return may not have been the only thing that caused the monarchy to order the Sheikah to abandon their technology.

Anyways, I digress. The rest is under the cut because it's long af:

By the time Wild is born, the Sheikah mostly keep to themself in the secluded Kakariko village, (which used to be much bigger than it is in BotW.) However, many of their warriors go to serve the royal family.

This is nominally because of the Yiga. The Yiga and the Sheikah have been at war with each other for generations. Because the Yiga are technically a branch of the Sheikah, and are so dead set on killing the royal family, the monarchy demanded reparations in the form of protection. Hylian fighters have difficulty countering Sheikah fighting techniques, especially since the Sheikah, and the Yiga by extension, can do shadow magic. (Teleportation, invisibility, glamours, being able to float, etc. In rare cases, some can read minds/communicate telepathically)

Wild's mother was one of the Sheikah that served the monarchy. She moved back to Kakariko after she found out she was pregnant with Wild, and never really left after that. Sheikah are a matriarchal society, and since Wild's mother was Sheikah, both other Sheikah and Wild himself considered him to be fully Sheikah. Hylians, on the other hand, consider him to be both Hylian and Sheikah.

Wild's hair is technically blonde, but it's a far cry from the golden locks of his father, more wheat in color. His eyes are blue, and not the red of a Sheikah. If someone met him, they wouldn't say he has a Sheikah parent, but would probably guess at some Sheikah ancestry. Wild cannot do full shadow magic because of his Hylian blood, but his Sheikah blood does allow him to do some cool stuff. (Slow down time a little bit)

Wild had a pretty average childhood for a Sheikah child. When he was four, his mother married a Sheikah man, and when he was six, his younger sister was born.

The Sheikah are a warrior people. Most Sheikah children are trained in the basics of fighting. After that, at about the age of ten, they can choose to continue to train as a warrior, or become an apprentice in some other specialty. They earn their mastery in their chosen field, which signifies that they’ve mastered their profession and have become an adult.

Wild was no exception to the training. He starts when he’s eight, and it takes very little time for it to become apparent that he’s a prodigy. He’s very good at it, and he likes it. Most people assume that he’s going to follow in his mother’s footsteps and become a warrior.

He does choose to continue his training, and earns his mastery at the age of 12, which is incredibly young. Most get their mastery at ages 15-18.

While this technically makes him an adult in the eyes of his people, he’s still mostly treated as a child, only with more freedom and respect. People now address him as “Master Link” (Side note: “Master” is a gender neutral form of respectful address for someone who has their mastery. Women are not called Mistresses, simply because I hate that)

Shortly afterwards, Wild feels a pull in the middle of the night. He leaves, and causes a great deal of panic in his family. His mother even ends up sending a message to Wild’s bio father to see if Wild went to him. A week and a half later, Wild shows back up, pretty beat up, with the master sword concealed on his back.

The Elders of Kakariko Village know that if it comes out that Wild is the hero, he would likely be conscripted into serving the crown, whether he wanted to or not, so they agree that they’ll keep it a secret for a few years. Even though he’s earned his mastery, he’s still considered too young to go to Castle Town and serve in the military. (The Sheikah start paying more attention to the signs of the Calamity resurrecting after that. They may not like the fact that Wild has the master sword, but if the hero is needed, they expect him to do his duty.)

Most Sheikah teenagers go on a trip around the country after they’ve earned their mastery, sort of like taking a gap year between high school and college to go see the world. Wild’s mother doesn’t allow him to go on one for a few years, because he's still too young, but when he’s 14, he finally goes. He stops in Castle Town to see his bio father for a day, and while there, he saves Zelda from the rouge guardian.

This brings him to the attention of the king, who sees potential in him, and wants him to become a knight. Wild is taken aback by this, as he always thought he was going to join the Sheikah section of the military, but even though he considers himself fully Sheikah, his father being Hylian means that Hylains consider him to not be fully Sheikah which allows him to become a knight.

The Elders and his mother agree that now would be the best time to present himself as the hero. He does so, and the king appoints him as Zelda’s personal guard and grants him a knighthood ship that same day.

The story plays out mostly the same as it does in the game from here on out. His heritage is known among the nobles of Hyrule, although not much talked about in “polite” company. Wild is quietly a little annoyed that Zelda doesn’t ask him for help with the Sheikah slate, both because it's meant for the hero in the first place, and because he is Sheikah.

When Wild gets out of the shrine, he remembers nothing of his family or culture, although he still instinctivly remembers some things, like how to meditate. His fighting is still obviously Sheikah in style, although it’s taken on a much more savage edge. Wild doesn’t care about honor or fighting dirty. He’ll do whatever it takes to win.

Impa’s the one to inform him that he’s Sheikah. He becomes determined to learn as much as he can about the culture. He wants any connection to his family he can get, and wants to feel like he belongs some where.

The Yiga are super invested in killing Wild, not only because he’s the hero, but also because he's Sheikah, and the Yiga and Sheikah are still at war. Yiga mostly leave Hylian travelers alone, but even though Wild is Hylian passing, everyone knows he’s Sheikah.

Dorian is actually the grandson of Wild’s sister. Dorian doesn’t tell Wild this for a while, but everyone else in Kakariko knows. Wild finds out that Dorian is giving information to the Yiga, and the trust between them is broken. Wild agrees not to tell anyone about Dorian’s betrayal, because Wild believes that he really won’t do it again, that he can deal with Dorian if he does do anything, and most importantly because Koko and Cottla need their Father.

Dorian doesn’t want to tell Wild they’re related and make him feel pressured into forgiving him. Impa eventually gets fed up with Dorian stalling and tells Wild herself. Wild, who doesn’t remember much about his family, is ecstatic to have that connection, although still wary of Dorian. Wild dotes on Koko and Cottla so much.

After the fall of the Hyrulian empire, many of the Sheikah traditions were widely adopted by the populace. Because most Sheikah children are trained in fighting, the average Sheikah was better equipped to survive in the post-apocalyptic world. The gossip journals that are in all the stables are actually a Sheikah tradition. (The gossip journal in the general store in Kakariko) Most of the sign posts that you can find in BotW are made by the Sheikah. The signs are written in Sheikah as well, which means most travelers know a little bit of the language nowadays.

Additional thoughts:

I am still on my Paya/Flora bs as well. Wild is a great wingman who tells Flora all about Sheikah courting traditions. (Also Wild/Flora QPR because I love that dynamic)

Wild’s Sheikah training didn’t wear off while he was in the Shrine. He’s the stealthiest one in the chain and the most flexible. He stretches every night and morning if he can

He likes to wear the Sheikah stealth clothing, or at least the mask a lot. Because he looks Hylian, this gets him some weird looks in other eras where people don’t know who he is.

Wild's bio father had a house in Hateno, which Wild visited a few times, although he never stayed long. This is the house that he eventually buys in BotW

Jojo said she considered giving Wild a Sheikah tattoo around his eye but didn't, as that would make his face too busy. I propose he has the tattoo somewhere else. Maybe his upper back? The Sheikah eye tattoo is another signifier that a warrior has earned their mastery and has become an adult. He losses the tattoo when he’s killed. (It’s blown off by Guardian lasers.) He gets another one done after he defeats the Calamity.

Wild knows how to speak, read/write, and sign in Sheikah. He can speak Hylian, but he doesn’t know how to read or sign. The other heroes think Wild is completely illiterate for a while, because of a misunderstanding when he told them he couldn't read Hylian.

Warriors knows a little bit of Sheikah. Not enough to be fluent, but enough to catch scraps of a conversation. He also knows some battle commands in Sheikah sign.

Wild re-learns how to cook traditional Sheikah dishes together with Koko

When Wild sits, he kneels instead of sitting criss-cross-applesauce as kneeling is considered more polite/mature

When you use the “Sit by the fire until…” option in game, Wild isn’t sleeping. He’s meditating with a Sheikah technique that allows him to get a little rest while still being aware. It’s not as good as sleeping, but it’s enough to get you by if you’re in a dangerous environment.

Wild loves to meditate, even when he doesn’t need to. It helps him clear his mind, and organize his thoughts. (Unrelated headcanon: because of his lack of memories, Wild is very susceptible to any kind of mind magic)

Please ask me questions about this AU if you have any, I’ve been thinking about this for ages.

[rawliverandgoronspice]

To ALSO add to the last reblog: I think I finally pinpointed what bugs me so much about TotK from a gameplay perspective (and that extends to BotW to an extent, tho not as much but still). Zelda used to be about exploration, combat and puzzle. The world was your oyster for discovering new mysteries, you were put into situations that required you to devise which tool to use and how to understand a space and its possibilities better, and you would fight on your way there also. But to me, we clearly were in a puzzle-first environment, where enemies came to try and halt your journey, while not being endgoals in themselves.

I think there was a drastic shift to combat-first gameplay since 2017 that I don't think we really acknowledged as a fanbase. Sure, there *are* puzzles still, but they are mostly relegated to shrines and dungeons. In the overworld, your challenges are traversal (and sometimes that warrants a puzzle and it's *great* when it happens) and combat-based (oh no, I want to go from point A to point B but there's a Hinox on the way!). But... Okay. Basically, in old Zelda games, every location was an intricate bundle of puzzles. To throw just an example among many, many others: Clock Town, in MM's, is a complex bundle of puzzles and opportunities and discoveries to make, taking on more and more depth as you acquire more tools and understand the intricate logic that animates it. The town itself is a toy that generally requires little to no combat. You have to understand what you can play with, and use observation, abilities and time to unwrap the entire thing. Geometry is here to ground you and give you a sense of realism --but more importantly, it's here to challenge your spatial understanding and give you little mysteries to return to later and expand upon.

Clock Town is obviously a pretty unique example, but... I don't know, I could have used Goron City, or Castle Town from Minish Cap, or a bunch of places from TP... My point is: places always had this intricate mixture of fun, moody set-dressing and puzzle-based intrigue. It's one of my favorite things about old school Zelda... and it's much, much rarer in these new iterations. Not saying it's not here, but it's not the focus anymore. The gameplay loop doesn't ask you to unravel the world in the same way. You want upgrades? You gotta kill a mini boss about it. You want more heart pieces? You gotta do shrines, which are utterly separated from the overworld (and sometimes combat-based too!). NPCs are no longer these keys in larger puzzles, but are basically used the way Skyrim would use them (no shade on Skyrim, love these kind of games --though getting tired tbh-- but they are not the same beast).

Now the game loop is much more about: how do I get from point A to point B, and how to I get rid of obstacle X on my way? Now I have gotten rid of obstacle X and I have better loot and better skill to help me get rid of larger obstacles --and getting rid of them is actively encouraged, and it's a huge part of what makes the game fun. It's not a bad game loop by any mean! But it is a drastic change from the old formula. And to me... there is, especially in TotK due to More Things I Already Talked About, a real loss of whismy and smallness and mystery inherent to that change.

I think this is why I lost interest in the Depths so fast. The Depths are about movement and combat... and basically nothing else. People who are into that kind of approach will be thrilled, but I got bored pretty fast because, beyond feeling empty, the Depths felt thoughtless to me.

Yes, of course, open worlds make it much harder to focus on intricate world design the way the old games used to conceive themselves. But... Yeah, we still begin to stray away from what once was a core pillar of the series, and one that was, by definition, much less violent.

[whostoleallthecookies]

ok as promised here's the post about botw-adjacent hyrule castle's theorized main entrance

so: as anyone who's explored the castle in breath of the wild or tears of the kingdom knows, there are limited entrances to the interior of the castle. there's the docks, some tunnels, the balcony of the observation room, etc. then there are a couple of side doors, like the ones to the guards' chambers, the library door that leads outside, the door(s) to zelda's room, etc. but like, none of those is a *main entrance*. you'd think it's obvious, duh, it's the door to the sanctum!

but here's the kicker. the sanctum doesn't lead anywhere.

you can't actually get anywhere else from the sanctum. you can get on top of the sanctum, sure, and you can get outside, but it does not connect to any other parts of the castle. There aren't even rubble filled doorways that would indicate that you could! (this is Very Likely so that you wouldn't accidentally end up in the boss fight in botw while exploring the rest of the castle, and like, that makes sense from a dungeon design point of view, but not from a *liveable castle* point of view.) this is ESPECIALLY frustrating because Creating a Champion literally states that Zelda's room is where it is so that she could get to the sanctum in less than 5 minutes without going outside. SHE CAN'T, NINTENDO, BECAUSE YOU REMOVED ALL INNER THE DOORS TO THE SANCTUM!!

so this creates the question: where was the main entrance before calamity then?

well, youtuber banan039 has an answer: under the observation room balcony! genious, i thought, that makes so much sense omg why wasn't that in there in botw. (by the way i'm in love with banan039's pre-calamity mod's progress videos they give me so much strength on my harrowing journey to trying to figure out intact hyrule castle's layout please go watch them and support the creator if you have the means.)

but uh yeah anyway turns out the door isn't there in botw because there's a cliff like right in front of it. well that's inconvenient, i thought, but idk, maybe the calamity caused it and collapsed the door.

NOPE! that door was never in there even pre-calamity in breath of the wild canon!

(https://www.reddit.com/r/Breath_of_the_Wild/comments/7xkavh/hyrule_castle_town_on_its_prime_before_the/)

this screenshot is from the cutscene in champion's ballad where king rhoam appoints the champions. if you look closely, you can see that the area underneath the observation room (right above the castle gates) is the same texture as the cliffs around it, and you can see the bit of grass there, yeah, that would block the front door.

(also, minor spoilers for tears of the kingdom: you couldn't have anything under the observation room anyway because of the royal secret passage.)

and actually then i got to thinking: if the front door was under the observation room, what would be the purpose of the gatehouses??? and, as a friend pointed out, the narrow winding path that would be difficult to climb, heightening the castle's defenses????

so what makes the most sense is that the main entrance would be in the sanctum after all, especially since it was said in creating a champion that it would have had an indoors access to zelda's room. my current working theory is that there was a spiral staircase in one of the corner towers of the sanctum's lowest floor, but i have not yet been able to explore that area in depth enough to confirm that it could have been possible. however, it seems... plausible, likely even if i happen to find a spot with a lot of rubble on the floor, because that could be a staircase hole filled up. it's not the most conventional castle architecture but eh, it makes more sense than the front door being before either of the gatehouses, straight on the line of attack after the castle gate gets broken.

except.

THERE'S A FUCKING FRONT DOOR UNDER THE OBSERVATION ROOM IN AGE OF CALAMITY

(https://nintendo.fandom.com/wiki/Hyrule_Castle?file=Hyrule_Castle.jpg) (and a bunch of aoc cutscenes, though i wasn't able to find the one this screenshot is from.)

sigh.

[regnantlight]

This episode of Cinema Therapy gives me so many Zelda feelings.

So many points here are lessons she learns on her way to her Elder Verse, in which she is the true embodiment of wisdom (the Uncle Iroh of Hyrule, if you will.)

It’s the importance of choosing peace. Choosing gratitude. Choosing happiness.

The choice not to be defined by your mistakes but to learn from them and share your wisdom.

You get one life, and you’re the one who steers the ship: so steer it in a direction that brings you joy.

Everyone’s behavior makes sense to them. Everyone’s perspective makes sense to them. And if you have enough humility to say, “Help me see what you’re thinking and why you’re doing what you’re doing, help me to see through your eyes so that I can not only understand you, but also learn and grow myself. That is how bridges are built.

This paragraph here is SUCH a big moment in Zelda’s character arc because this is what she does. This is her tonal-shift moment with Link. Where she stops, reflects on her actions, decides they aren’t fair, apologizes, and then works on getting to know his perspective.

Her journal entry literally says—

“I always believed him to be simply a gifted person who had never faced a day of hardship. How wrong I was...

Everyone has struggles that go unseen by the world... I was so absorbed with my own problems, I failed to see his.

I wish to talk with him more and to see what lies beneath those calm waters, to hear him speak freely and openly...

And perhaps I, too, will be able to bare my soul to him and share the demons that have plagued me all these years.”

Zelda’s cognitive behavior therapy in which she “shifts of way of thinking to experience joy and peace.” She doesn’t want to be 100 years into the future in BOTW. She doesn’t want 99% of her loved ones to be dead and her only home in ruins. It’s not a great situation, and she could dwell on the failures of it (and sometimes she does think about that) but ultimately, her reaction is—

“I believe in my heart that if we all work together, we can restore Hyrule to its former glory. Perhaps…even beyond.” Democracy, you say?

“I can no longer hear the voice inside the sword. I suppose it would make sense if my power had dwindled over the last 100 years....I'm surprised to admit it...but I can accept that. "

She’s focusing on what she can control, what actions she can take, and choosing to find peace, happiness, and acceptance in this new life.

This episode mentions “people who aren’t happy until they’re satisfied,” which means they are never happy, because satisfaction is a constantly moving goal post. And this is Zelda to a T. It’s still her even in this new state of shifted perspectives and understanding, but she’s on her long, long journey out of it.

Also, Carl Roger’s on, “What people need is to feel loved and accepted. So we can address problematic behaviors or thinking patterns that aren’t serving you, but what you need to know is that you have worth and that you’re loved.”

BOOM. What a mic drop moment. This is precisely what Zelda needs and it’s what she learns to give as she gets older. There’s hints of it now. The episode goes on to mention that Iroh can always find something positive to give a genuine compliment, and Zelda’s much the same. As harsh as she is on herself, she can see so many factors of what make other people and she can appreciate their strengths, even if it’s not one that’s initially obvious.

“The pursuit of perfection is exhausting and you’re never going to get there.” Read that again, Zelda. “The pursuit of connection can also be exhausting, but you can get there…and once you achieve it, it will be replenishing.”

Yes 👏 Yes 👏 Yes 👏

“We’re happy to give help because we feel powerful and virtuous when we’re helping others…but accepting help is harder because we feel weak…if that’s true, then we’re all weak, and we can just accept that. But there is no weakness in needing help. Everybody does. And being able to ask for it, or accept it when it’s offered is a virtue. It’s not a vice. It’s a strength.”

The way that this could be a direct quote from Zelda herself…my HEART.

I have basically quoted this entire episode but it’s heckin’ great and I recommend watching it. I’ll be here sitting in my Zelda feels. 😂

[quillheel]

❁ ( towards any of your zelda muses − hylia and the three godesses, mainly, but also botw & totk link / zelda / ganondorf if you feel compelled...!! )

Send me a ❁ for the type of flower my muse would give to yours // Accepting!

Hylia's answer comes, sharp and slow like a blade pulled uncutting against thought, a cool not-metal against the inner heat of mind. ━ the same as sky, not in the way of wind but in the way of open space, of nothing at all, of atmosphere pressing in from out against your throat. Almost frozen, almost frigid, but without the effort in coldness, in willful ignoring, of brushing one off : cold as in cold is the absence of heat. No, Iroha receives an answer. Stale pollen and bright, blinding knowledge. ━━━ she was not made to create the way the Goddesses were, and yet, the flowers bloom at their feet regardless : perhaps they should consider themselves special.

━ bachelor button, hydrangea, bittersweet, lavender heather, white poppy, blue violet, mixed yellow & red zinnia, white hyacinth, rose leaf, & buried beneath the rest; spider flower. ( 'You are not of my domain, I am indifferent to you. However, I respect your devotion. I sympathize, perhaps, with your situation. One day, perhaps, there will something other for you. One day, perhaps, you will make one.' )

the Goddesses' response is a ancient one. months hung above the stratosphere, dangling, dangling, waiting to be lowered. Months upon months upon months, the flower of the seasons dripping into the horizon in a haze of days and nights and days again: They were intricate, and slow, and often unknowable at all. how patient, you are, for Them. How kind, to wait, for Them. They reward Iroha with answer in time, in the humid shivering haze of early morning, a wave of such love of all Iroha does, of the endless sorrow They beheld upon their duty, arriving like quartz lining their throat ━ blooms growing from 'pon their fingertips, 'cross their knuckles. a gift, a gift, how merry to be known & seen, how terrifying by They to listen & answer in turn ━ how horrible, horrible to think you had been forgotten...

━ bachelor button, maidenhair fern, red carnation, dead leaf, purple hyacinth, dark crimson rose, pine, acorn, fern, fir, white heather, iris, lily of the valley, tea rose, palm leaf. ( 'We love you, We are sorry, your faith is not unseen by Us, for This to be your undertaking, borne as chains & key. Such is Our terrible, terrible doing. Such is Our apology. We hope, perhaps, one day the selves can exist without the other or in one without smothering, smothering light. We hope, perhaps, one day you are allowed to live; a role unshackled, unlocking Thy own binds. Chains & key. Chains & key. Freedom unmade for you, and yet, still hoping to grasp it.' )

Link & Zelda come as though offering memorial, bundles of blooms and sprigs tucked in their arms as they hurry past stream and grove ( "watch your feet, 'stream made the ground soft" "ah, thank you, I believe I'll be alright-!" ) to find the place where the Blupees haunched on hind legs and watched them with startling, ruby eyes. The one Link had gone before, a familiar forest in the heavy overhang of branches & leaves. a bowl is filled with fruit steadily throughout the day beneath a great cherry tree, pink petals like silk beneath the sun. a final act of care comes as sunset threatens to burn the sky alive when, on a brief journey back to a stable for a briefer meal, they're caught in a fleeting conversation of flora & the hearts beneath their stalks ( "Oh, you're going all the way up to Satori mountain? Hey, if you're going through all the effort, I've heard people bring flowers up there sometimes, you know, offerings and the like. Some people bring flowers, symbolizing what the 'Lord of the Mountain' protector means to them. Maybe it'd be worth your time?" ) ( "That sound's like a nice idea, I think!" "I think so, yes, but what would I even bring...?" ) ━━━ they in bundles, at last, arrive. Hurried up, past the stream, to find the tree again. Zelda hesitates, an offering of silent princess clasped between delicate fingers ━ "Would it be considered disrespectful to place it at the dish...? Maybe I shouldn't..." ━ before Link, calloused hands delicate, maneuver their hands to set it down along the rest, petals bright; bright in the clear sky.

━ bittersweet, bluebell, pink camellia, iris, cattleya orchid, magnolia, evening primrose, flax, rose leaf, forsythia, fern, lavender rose, bells of ireland, azalea, sweet pea, mixed zinnea. ( 'I think you're kind, and charming, and though I rarely see you, I hope you are well. I hope to change that fleetingness, if you'll let me? I think you might like Zelda, you might have more in common than you think.' / 'I've heard of you, but never seen you, all good things. I hope one day to meet, you seem good. Perhaps lonely. I might like you, if you gave me the chance, but I'd understand if you don't like me. I hope your future is a kind one, whatever kind of future it is. I don't know you well enough, even in stories, to tell.' )

Somewhere, there is a valley tucked neatly behind the ridges of hills, in the lowered groove 'twixt them where the land sinks ginger under the long grass and the wild flower of the knolls; as though gently swept down, as though the soft lowering of a stomach, ribs high against the soft tension of smooth skin in earth, as though the rounded edges of hands where the knuckles stood war-like as the gentle palm sinks; ball of the hand softer than the upper of the palm, the upper of the palm softer than the fingers, the fingers softer than the nails, the nails softer than the bones inside them all.

Somewhere, there is a valley of tender, shivering silver. plush moss lining the ground like bolster turned cloudy like rain, muted but beautiful in variation, white paint blending with greys in the fiber that wasn't fiber, the tissue that was. A place no one knew. a place one did. flowers split, forbearing as though shifting only between the folds, and reeds rose in the bed. A place that never died, flowers like chanting; the same message, 'hundred times over, 'thousand more. ━ Somewhere, you know this place. Somewhere, no one else knows at all. Somewhere, it tells you something. Somewhere, somewhere, somewhere...

━ lotus, cherry blossom, chrysanthemum. ( 'how much would it take to stop grieving yourself, and choose to live? how long?' )