#breath of the wild spoilers

[prokopetz]

The thing I like about the Blood Moon mechanic in Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom is how it affords game-mechanical transparency to the player.

Like, we all know the reason it exists is because, like any complex open-world game, BotW and TotK periodically need to hit the reset button on all non-trivial changes to the world state; in games that don't, your save file has unbounded growth due to the need to keep track of every little thing you've ever done, and eventually the system runs out of memory, save/load performance goes to shit, or both. It's basic software engineering constraints dictating the shape of play.

The thing is, most open world games try to do this subtly, perhaps by setting individual timers for the consequences of different actions to expire, or by linking world-state cleanup to proximity to the player character, but in practice it never works – trying to be sneaky about it paradoxically makes it more obtrusive to the player by rendering it opaque and unpredictable, often prompting the development of superstitious gameplay rituals to work around it.

BotW and TotK take precisely the opposite tack and make it 100% transparent and 100% predictable. Once a week, at exactly the same time of day, there's a spooky cutscene and an evil wizard undoes every change you've made to the world that doesn't have an associated quest log entry. Why everything at once, and always on the same schedule? A wizard did it. Why exactly and only those changes that don't have quest logs attached? See again: a wizard did it.

And this isn't just a gameplay conceit. Everybody knows about the evil wizard! The fact that the evil wizard keeps resetting everybody's efforts to fix the befuckening of the world is a central plot point. There are organisations whose chartered purpose is to go around redoing stuff that's been undone by the wizard.

It makes me wonder what other potential synergies between fantasy worldbuilding and mechanical transparency are going unexploited.

[navisakura]

*Tears of the Kingdom Spoilers*

Playing through the Wind Temple quest has given me even more love and respect for Revali in retrospect because now it’s confirmed that he was literally just a guy™️.

All of the other champions were direct descendants of the sages who fought in the Imprisoning War, except him. He had no special powers or magic passed down through his bloodline, he was just some guy who was good with a bow. He had to develop and perfect his own technique to help him in battle on his own, no other Rito had ever done it before.

Which makes the fact that he, without any noble blood or fancy magic, was able to fight alongside the descendants of the sages AND the Hero of Destiny AND the divine princess/descendant of Rauru and Sonia even more impressive. His outward confidence and ego makes sense when you consider that he was constantly trying to prove himself to everyone, that he was a strong warrior despite not being born with power.

It’s also really sad that in the end, Revali’s bloodline ended with him whereas the other champions at least got to die knowing that their family and loved ones would live on. The only things that serve as a reminder of his existence are the Great Eagle Bow and Revali’s Landing. Almost everyone in Zora’s domain remembers Mipha and honors her memory with an entire courtyard for her statue, Daruk has his face carved in a literal mountain, but Revali is rarely mentioned in TotK. (Urbosa doesn’t really have anything but shhh this aint about her) No one that knew him is still alive, except maybe the former chief owl guy?

That also begs the question of wtf was the Rito sage doing at the time of the Calamity, but honestly they probably were just some random person with no combat experience, given that they didn’t know they were a sage :P

tldr; Revali is the best champion no I don’t take criticism

[chriskotiesen]

Breath of the Wild fanart

[snakegetslost]

TEARS OF THE KINGDOM SPOILERS AHEAD!!

****

Zoras domain: a scourge of black sludge is infecting our drinking water and destroying many of our precious art, including a statue in honor of our late princess who many of us were alive to remember the death of.

Rito village: our city is frozen over by a horrible blizzard caused by a massive storm raging above. Food is growing scarce. If something isn’t done soon, our home will become unsuitable.

Gerudo town: the extreme heat and cold combined with a horrible dust storm make venturing outside of our city walls dangerous. The addition of horrifying skeleton monsters have forced us to hide away in our homes. Our town appears completely abandoned to the outside eye.

Gorgon city: that’s some NASTY ROCK MEAT

[thebadhalfofafandom]

[the-iron-shoulder]

Okay so in the BotW canon, Zelda was Princess 100 years ago, and then for some reason was still like 16 years old after BotW despite there being no actual explanation for that and no clear reason why she would be bodily present at/after the final battle. Which always struck me as just a goofy plot hole (if it was explained, it was subtle enough that I missed it despite putting 100ish hours into BotW) but whatever.

But then you have TotK. Zelda goes missing. We see over the course of the stable quests that she’s been princessing all over the place, and while some of that was the Yiga, it reads to me like some of that was real and that a lot of the population of Hyrule recognized her and treated her as royalty.

But, uh, why is that?

No really. Hyrule hasn’t had a ruling monarch for 100 freaking years. Why does anyone know or care who she is, outside of maybe the Sheikah because Impa told them to care? Impa is probably the only Hylian who would recognize her. All the others? Long dead. (Some Zora are old enough to recognize her, but she ain’t their princess.) All the other Hylians have lived their entire lives without any royalty telling them what to do. So she shows up out of nowhere and people start doing what she says and treating her like a leader? Literally why?

Are the Sheikah that influential? I thought that prior to the Ring Ruins being a tourist destination, they were viewed as kind of mysterious and insular; there’s not a lot of textual support for them going around and evangelizing the news of the glorious return of the Hyrulean monarchy.

I mean sure, her name’s in the title, of course the unstated background assumption is that this fantasy monarchy is Good Actually and that Of Course she’s well-known and beloved, but… that doesn’t mean I can’t pick at it.

[freya-howlett]

A new companion, an old friend - Inside Hyrule series pt. 2

Content: Link has a new feature in his Sheikah Slate that allows him to summon a creature to help him on his journey. However, you soon discover you know his new friend very, very well.

Author's note: is this a series? I'm not sure, but, hey, it's fun to write! Let's go back to this wholesome concept of mine were you're inside the game spending some good time with Link, this time with some tint of nostalgia. Feel free to comment, send your thoughts or whatever you feel like (just be kind)!

Divider by: saradika (tumblr)

Image: Breath of the Wild Official Concept Art

Y/N. No shipping, only friendship. Short

"Hey, there's something I wanted to show you," Link said as he took his Sheika Slate from his belt. "I got something new I wanted to try out."

You turned your head in wonder. You both had formed an improvised picnic in the Great Plateu, now you were completely rested and with a full stomach thanks to Link's cooking skills. You had even taken out your belts and weapons to laid them at your side so you could take a break.

"Okay..." he muttered, touching the screen. "Here it is. Let's see what this does."

The Sheikah Slate glowed in a slight golden color, almost white, and he pointed at some inches in front of him. Then the activation sound was heard and in the middle of the air appeared a column of green light where small black squares danced for milliseconds. You knew that effect very well and opened your mouth in amazement.

The black squared turned into a black mass that quickly formed into an animal shape and, just like that, in a flash, there was a familiar wolf in front of you both.

You stood up, letting out a happy squeal that also sounded too childish. The wolf turned his enormous head to you and recognized you instantly, his tail starting to wag.

"Wolf!" you exclaimed as you threw yourself at the animal to let him lick your face and rub his fur against you. You chuckled a bit. "Hey, hey, don't be so harsh."

When you turned to Link, he had his eyes raised in confusion and was rubbing the back of his neck.

"Is there something I had to remember?" he asked, worried. You felt a sting, you could see how hard it was for him to be amnesiac.

"No, no," you answered quickly. "You forgot nothing," as you were kneeling, holding Wolf's head against you, you had to be careful with your words. "He's an old friend of mine."

Link only nodded and you could see the relief washing over him. You buried your face in Wolf's neck, hugging him, to hide your expression in case it'd give you away.

You remembered this wasn't the first time one Link had encountered another. Wolf met the Hero of Time, but neither he nor you revealed that connection to him. You even wondered if the Hero of Time himself knew about it because you'd never say it aloud.

As far as you were concerned, none of the Links knew about his past lives, nor that he had met you plenty of other times before. That's something you from early age decided to keep for yourself. The reason? Who knows. Even you wondered what'd happen if you opened your mouth, but also you were afraid it'd harm him, his soul. If you yourself learnt you were trapped in a vicious endless cycle where you'll always be forced to be the hero and fight evil forces, maybe you'd get crazy.

You looked into Wolf's dark eyes, wondering if he knew what was going on and where he was, but you were only met with kindness.

"So... that's a wolf and he's your friend," Link stated slowly, like trying to understand.

"Yeah," you nodded, standing up while still touching Wolf's head. "He accompanied me in some trips before."

"Alright, so, is it friendly?" he went down to one knee, extending his arm carefully towards the animal carefully, however that wasn't necessary, Wolf threw himself at Link cheerfully and licked his face as the surprised boy laughed. "Wow! Didn't expect that!" he laughed, grabbing Wolf by the cheeks.

"I'm glad I got to see you again," you scratched Wolf's ear as he comfortably had his head laid on your lap. There was a deep low growl that came from his throat whenever he exhaled, it was almost like some sort of purr or snore. "Have you seen...?"

He shook his head slightly before you could mutter her name. You pushed your lips together, no need to keep on wondering about things you'll never know the answer of. Instead, still caressing his fur, you focused on the nocturn landscape in front. Link fell asleep, surprisingly, before you inside his tent a few meters apart and the only sound was that of nature, wind and the fire in front of you dying out. At the horizon was Death Mountain, ever fuming, with the moon behind its smoke, but still you were very well lighted. The Temple of Time was behind, you couldn't see it, but felt it.

"I feel nostalgic, Wolf, I think you've noticed how destroyed everything is," you muttered absently. He moved his ears, a sign of his attention. "This world is different."

Wolf raised his head to boop you with his nose on your cheek, it was slightly wet and warm. You understood what he meant: "You too."

"I guess so," you chuckled slightly, cleaning his wetness from your skin. "I can't ride on your back anymore, I'm heavier now."

A flashback of a younger you holding onto Wolf's fur for dear life as he dashed and sprang all over Hyrule Field appeared in your mind. You had to admit you miss that, but would never tell.

"We still can have fun anyways," you smiled as he raised to his front paws, sitting at your side really close. He directed his head towards the tent and raised his mouth and nose once. "Link? Ah, he's nice," you shrugged. "I often feel like cargo, you know? But if I am to him, at least he doesn't say it," you poked the grass under your legs. "He does not remember a single thing of his past, he wouldn't even know his name if it wasn't because a voice woke him up, so we're trying to recover his memories. In that sense... I'm more of a moral supporter."

When you turned to face Wolf again, he moved his head and raised on his four feet, you know he meant his time was getting over and he had to go. Where? You didn't know and in a certain way didn't want to ask, so you just smiled softly.

"Already? I wanted to show you the Temple of Time, maybe you recognize it," you said, but he only booped against your cheek again. "I'll see you again, doesn't it? As long as he can summon you."

Wolf only nodded and you leaned your head against him softly, looking into the horizon. However, you stopped feeling his fur for a moment, and instead there was cloth. When you faced him, you saw the Hero of Twilight smiling at you. He was shimmering slowly with that golden aura, he was going to fade away in a few seconds.

"Hey," you greeted him, he hadn't changed a thing. "Glad to see you again."

He only kept smiling warmly and tucked a strand of your hair behind your ear with a light gente touch, contrast to his rough fingers, and then faded in the silence of the night.

"So, Y/N..." Link spoke, muffled due to the food in his mouth he was still chewing. And to think he was a knight, you thought. "Who was the guy?"

"What guy?" you asked as you blew on your plate to cool off the eggs with rice you had made. That morning, breakfast had been your task.

"The one who was here last night, I almost jumped on him if it wasn't because you seemed to know him."

You coughed a little bit, pretending you had something in your throat and cursed to yourself. You didn't like the idea of Link, this Link specifically, getting to know Wolf's truth. He had too many issues with his memory to add more than he could take. Besides, he had only been on his human form for a second, how did he notice?

"You must've been dreaming, no one showed up," you said, biting on the eggs slowly.

"I swear I didn't, because you took your sweet time to go to sleep," he insisted.

So the gaslighting wouldn't work, so you changed your tactics to something else.

"You tracking me?" you raised your eyebrow. "And also, you were supposed to be asleep because you've been truly tiring you out recently. Maybe you were seeing things because of exhaustion."

Link frowned, still eating. He wasn't believing a thing you said, but you could see in his expression he gave up on his inquiries.

"You may be right."

You stayed in silence for a moment, eating with the sounds of the birds singing above you until you decided to ease the moment:

"C'mon, Link, we have to prepare for another long day," you sighed. "Weren't you going to show me how to get rupees from a Blupee?"

He smirked enthusiastically.

[doctoraxiom]

My breath of the wild headcanon is if Zelda had just been able to continue her research into the guardians- they would have been able to protect them and the divine beasts from being hacked by Ganon. But since King Roam forbade her from finishing her research is why the calamity could be as bad as it was.

[offbrand-deltatraveler]

Do the Divine Beasts stay in one place because they need to be there or because the Blights are just really bad at piloting them

[margindoodles2407]

GUYS GUYS HOW DID I JUST REALIZE

When Zelda throws herself in front of Link during the final BotW memory to protect him from the Guardian, she didn't know that her power was going to awaken. SHE WAS FULLY PREPARED TO DIE FOR HIM. SHE WAS GOING TO TAKE THAT LASER FOR HIM EVEN IF IT COST HER HER LIFE.

I SHIPPED IT BEFORE (because I'm just a Zelink addict like that, which is something I could talk about for HOURS) BUT NOW? OH MY GOOD GRACIOUS HOLY HYLIA

We always talk about how devoted Link is to Zelda, how he's willing to sacrifice himself for her no matter the cost but we NEVER TALK ABOUT HOW ZELDA. WOULD. DO. THE. EXACT. SAME. That is true love, ladies and gentlemen.

She was my favorite Zelda before, but NOW? Top tier. Such a beautiful character. 100/10, thank you Nintendo, we are forever indebted to you.

Thank you for coming to my TEDTalk.

[colapointo]

i may have accidentally beat BotW with only two divine beasts????

i was like "hyrule castle's right here, ppl keep telling me how to get in, let's check it out" and just kept going and going and going figuring i'd come up against a hard stop and just.. didn't

i killed the 1st lynel, then got owned by the 2nd and was like "i'ma skip this nonsense" and ended up fighting windblight ganon, which was much easier, and it segued into thunderblight ganon (suuuuuucked), then i was at calamity ganon and i said "fuck it we ball" (i didn't but i should have)

totally out of healing meals so i cooked radishes and meat with my sword while ganon was fucking off around the walls. i figured if i died, no big deal, i'd go back and do the story normal. and then he was dead.

i fucking killed ganon with only half the story done. my completionist, anti-spoiler self is kicking my ass down the block and around the corner

[rubyfire777]

what makes it hurt even more is that he hated pushing her like that, feeling he was forced by ganon's prophecy:

Zelda finally reported back after her visit to the fountain. It seems her sacred sealing power has still yet to awaken. It has been a year and three months since her mother passed. Perhaps she is held back by heartache too deep to heal. If the Ganon prophecy wasn't looming over our heads, I would tell her to take her time... To wait until she is ready. But our situation is dire and leaves no room for weakness—even on behalf of my beloved daughter. My heart breaks for Zelda, but I must act as a king, not a father. I must order her to train relentlessly at the fountain.

(king rhoam's diary, page 4)

In truth, I understand Zelda's feelings. Painfully so. She lost her mother, her teacher, before she could learn from her. Ten pointless years of self-training, without so much as a book or note to help her find her way... Those in the castle talk behind her back. And I, her only family, scold her for her shortcomings. No wonder she wishes to hide away in her beloved relic research. I'd love nothing more than to console her... But I must stay strong. She MUST fulfill her duty, just as we all must. Even if she comes to despise me.

(king rhoam's diary, page 6)

and he accepted the error of his ways right before the calamity, when it was too late. he died before he could tell her she wasn't broken, that he loved her, that he didn't want to do this to her:

I have been told my Zelda went to the Spring of Wisdom... This will likely be her last chance. If she is unable to awaken her power at Lanayru, all hope is truly lost. If she comes back without success, then I shall speak kindly with her. Scolding is pointless now. I forced 10 years of training on her... and after all that, it seems her power will stubbornly awaken some other way. Perhaps I should encourage her to keep researching her beloved relics. They may just lead her to answers I can't provide. For now, I sit anxiously, more a father than a king in this moment. I sit and await my daughter's return.

(king rhoam's diary, page 7)

i like to think, since you can't find the diary in hyrule castle anymore in tears of the kingdom, that link brought it to her, or that she found it herself in the years since breath of the wild, exploring her former home.

it wouldn't make what he did ok, but i think it would mean a lot to her.

thinking about how zelda never got closure from her father. she was never given an apology for the agony she went through all those years, believing something was wrong with her simply because she couldn’t harness her power yet. pushing herself to the brink of exhaustion, passing out in freezing cold waters, just for her father to tell her she wasn’t trying hard enough. and then for her father to die to the calamity before she could see him again. no apology, no goodbye. just gone. i cant even imagine the conflicting feelings she would have.

[shellshooked]

but i’m a creep

[spacerockband]

loved

[pawthko]

Well-Worn Hair Band: An old, worn, simple hair band. Its color has long faded, but it still has some life left in it. Wearing it in your hair makes you sentimental about times past. 

[bluebelledmoon]

do i even need any caption for this.