#i hc that vaati doesn't realize he's part sheikah so that only worsens his internal battle regarding his identity

[name-that-isnt]

Trying to figure out vaati's origin has led me down an interesting path,, like we know he's a minish but literally where was he before being an apprentice to ezlo?? I don't have a solid conclusion so I made my own little headcanon (continued below the cut)

Gonna start off by listing the similarities I've noticed that vaati shares with the sheikah. This is relevant to the topic I promise, just trust the process.

———

1. Iconography and Customs

I'm sure just about everyone has noticed the similarity between vaati's symbols and the sheikah crest. The base shape is similar, but vaati's symbols are is missing the teardrop and the three triangle lashes. Only his transfigured form includes the lashes and something around the bottom of his body that could resemble a teardrop.

For the sheikah, it is customary for them to tattoo their crest onto their skin. Though vaati doesn't have a full crest tattoo, the marking under his eye while in sorcerer form could be representative of the teardrop on the sheikah eye.

The teardrop of the crest is said to symbolize the sheikah's willingness to go to any length to achieve their goals. Vaati too shows this willingness as he attempts to gain hold of the light force for his own goal of being "transformed" and "perfect".

2. Physical Similarities

The sheikah are known for their red eyes that visually separate them from humans and hylians. Vaati, in all forms, has red eyes. He is notably the only minish with red eyes.

Throughout the series, the sheikah have been depicted with blonde, purple, or white hair. Vaati has light purple hair, so he fits pretty well into the sheikah's hair color trend.

3. Skill

The sheikah are known to excel in regards to mobility, jumping, and hand-to-hand combat. While we've never been shown vaati's skill level regarding jumping and proper hand-to-hand combat, he may have good mobility. In the beginning of mc he won the sword fighting tournament. Winning such a tournament, assuming he didn't cheat like he did in the manga, would require very good mobility for the variety of skilled opponents he would face.

4. The Shadow Folk

The use of shadowy magic is nothing new to the sheikah, and their secretiveness often gets them associated with the darkness. If vaati is related to the sheikah somehow, he may have been genetically predisposed to the affinity he had for the evil in human hearts. I'm aware that the sheikah are not evil, but terms like "evil", "darkness", and "shadow" are often associated with one another.

———

I'm not quite sure how the technicalities of vaati being part sheikah would work. I'm gonna be real with u, a sheikah and a minish doing u-know-what is a bit of a disturbing thought, even if they are considered two consenting adults. Not to mention that should be impossible since only good-hearted children can see the minish. It seems highly unlikely that a sheikah and a minish could ever breed, but the similarities that vaati has to the sheikah race is hard for me personally to ignore, plus his family is never seen or spoken of.

The minish tend to fit into three categories: forest, mountain, and town. U can usually tell where a minish is from simply by looking at them. Vaati visually doesn't seem to fit into any of the three categories because of his potential sheikah side. His obvious differences in comparison to other minish may have left him ostracized. This ostracization may explain his desire for power and fame, he wanted to be accepted and respected instead of feeling like a black sheep. He may have chosen to study under ezlo specifically for this reason. Ezlo also doesn't seem to belong to one division of the minish, but he is the opposite of vaati. He is revered for his craftsmanship and sage work, and is highly respected among all of his race. In a sense, vaati may have wanted to learn ezlo's ways so people could treat him like a fellow minish instead of like an outcast for his uniquely devious appearance. His personal grudges against others for treating him as the odd one out only amplified his want for recognition, and it definitely contributed to the wrath he invoked after he gained power.

It's not the most likely idea and no solid conclusions were truly made, but again these are just my headcanons. Like, there's no way the devs made vaati's symbols so similar to the sheikah crest just for funsies right? In both chronological and game release order, the sheikah were already established, so there must be a reason as to why their iconography looks so similar...