#the flood era

[kitkatt0430]

Yet another Zelda question from me but anyway. Wind Waker. You recommended 'Cry for Hyrule' and I loved it because it was a great retelling - and also because I had wondered about several questions like 'why didn't a new Hero show up' and 'why did the Goddesses flood the world?' but obviously that wasn't canon so. My question is this - given that in canon it's established that it was many years between Ganon being sealed away and Ganon breaking out, why the heck wasn't there a hero waiting? Like there's no way the Goddesses didn't see that coming, so why didn't they prepare instead of flooding the world? And why does the King choose to destroy Hyrule instead of restoring it (like everything was leading to??)

Oooh, so I have given this quite a bit of thought, in part for my own fanfic ideas. :D And I have two main theories about what went on during the time of the flood.

So there's definitely a good amount of time between Ganondorf being sealed and Ganon finding a way out of the Sacred Realm, but it's not super clear how much time thanks to the whole thing being shrouded in legend. If it was twenty or thirty years later, then there was no hero because a new one hadn't been born yet.

OoT Zelda is left to kick herself repeatedly for sending Link back in time to create an alternate timeline and eventually floods Hyrule so that no one gets to have the shiny toy... er... land. This could work since it would give Hyrule Castle time to be rebuilt, give the surrounding land time to regrow into the pretty under-sea Hyrule upon which we may look (but not touch), and if it wasn't built on the same place the old castle was built then it's possible Ganondorf's undersea lair is built atop the remains of the castle he was a load bearing boss for. (Not likely, but it's a fun idea.)

I do think this is the less likely theory. In part because it seems more likely to me that Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule was king by birthright than marriage. Marrying the Zelda of OoT would have made him king (like in the fic you mentioned) and they could have had a daughter named Zelda, so no matter what he would have been the father of the last Zelda of Hyrule Kingdom. But it just seems to fit better from what's seen in the castle beneath the sea that he's more of a single father raising a daughter, which tells me it's more likely been a few generations at least.

So it's likely been a loooot of time between Ocarina of Time's ending in the adult timeline and the events of the flood. Not decades, more like centuries. And the latest Zelda to bear the name Zelda is Zelda-ed. Not all of them live in times of calamity, but this one happens to be the latest reincarnation of Hylia. And so Ganondorf escapes because it is that time again, he can feel the cycle boost his power... whatever. And a hero does rise to the challenge.

And fails.

Drowning Hyrule becomes a last ditch effort to re-seal Ganon when the Link of that era dies - without the reincarnated Hero's Spirit, Zelda can kinda wield the sword herself but Fi was not meant for her. So to save as many lives as possible, evacuations were made as swiftly as they could to the tallest places of the land with help from the protector spirits - the Great Deku tree raised part of the Lost Woods, Jabu-Jabu (or Jabun, though I'm not convinced he isn't the same big fish from OoT despite the different designs) evacuated the Zora, and maybe Lord Valoo got in on it somehow? I can't remember his backstory at the moment, Valoo may have shown up post-flood - certainly turning Zora into Rito is post-flood action. But the point remains. As many people were evacuated as possible and the floods were called down upon the land. Hyrule itself was protected beneath the waters, frozen in a sort of stasis in which no living thing could survive save plants and monsters.

In OoT and Wind Waker and Twilight Princess, no one is really aware that Link is going around saving them until it's all over. So it makes sense that no one would know about the Link that tried to save them and failed. His story would have been a protected tale of the Royal Family, eventually lost like so many other stories of Tetra's family and Hyrule's history. And so the people would be left to believe there was no hero. Better to think they weren't gifted a hero at all than to know a hero could fail... right?

As for why King Hyrule flooded the lands instead of restoring them... I'm not really sure about that one. I know there were limitations imposed during the game's development that prevented having both sea dungeons above the water and land dungeons beneath the water which is why all the action intended for beneath the waves got scrapped (except for the castle and final dungeon), but I kinda suspect the ending was also affected by the limitations and so developers may have had to flood Hyrule to explain why the rest of the ending kinda had to take place on the sea.

Of course, that IRL speculation. For in universe... I think maybe King Hyrule was hoping that by trapping Ganondorf's corpse below the waves and burying Hyrule itself, that would break the cycle that Ganondorf was just the latest symptom of. Ganondorf's original reason for attacking Hyrule was to make life better for his people - he got lost in the power-sauce, so his good intentions went right out the nearest window (likely while OoT Link and Zelda were waving hello) - and without the land specifically blessed by the goddesses perhaps no one else would be tempted into gaining & misusing dark powers against their people once they made a new home.

Someone clearly did not anticipate the advent of trains or that demon trains might be a thing. :D

I do think it would have been interesting if flooding old Hyrule had caused the sea level to drop significantly, wreaking havoc because now all the ports are hanging out well above sea level (what a pain for everyone, especially anyone with beached ships) and also uncovering a number of new, empty islands across the seas. Along with the existing islands from the game now much enlarged due to underwater areas surrounding those islands being uncovered.

Anyway, I really like the idea that there was a hero of the flood era who failed. It's my favorite theory about the flood era. It's sad and tragic that he not only fails but is forgotten too, but it makes so much sense. Because the hero's spirit always reincarnates. When there is a great evil and a Princess Zelda? There's a Link to be the Hero. But. He doesn't always win. We've seen it before with OoT Link, since the downfall timeline is created by his death. And BotW/TotK Link almost joined alt timeline OoT Link and Flood Era link as a failed/dead hero. There are probably others scattered throughout the timelines too. The victories are remembered by history. The failures... not so much.

[number1abbasupporter]

James: you two aren’t that sneaky you know

Lily: yeah, half the school knows you’re dating

Remus:

Remus: you two have no room to talk

Remus: it’s so obvious you’re dating Regulus, James

Sirius: WHAT?!

Lily: *giggling*

Remus: you and pandora aren’t any better either. trust i noticed Lily

Lily:

James:

Sirius:

Peter: he knows everything

[unnamedmedicalprofessional]

Mrs Flood was dressed like Clara and Romana, not because she is Clara or Romana, but because she's cosplaying them because she's a big fucking nerd.

[suugarbabe]

Please someone tell me I am not the only one seeing that guy cosplaying Remus on tiktok and doing wolfstar scenarios and is actually kind of..a cutie patootie??

TikTok name: p4perback

[morsmortish]

chinese sirius and regulus, who were raised in an upper-class society of people who Did Not Look Like Them. this meant they were always taught that if they wanted people to accept them, they couldn’t just Fit In- no, they needed to be Better than everyone else. they were taught to raise their heads up high and look down on everyone else, because they would not be able to survive otherwise. they were taught that everyone was below them, so it shouldn’t bother them when they were treated Differently. chinese sirius and regulus, who felt the crushing burden of always having to be The Best, until they both buckled under the weight of it.

[embryoed]

What if you were a LOSER and you took DRUGS and you started TWEAKING and then you RUINED the PLAY

[televised-eyes]

my question for good omens 3: what will crowley’s post breakup hairstyle be?

[topsyturvy-turtely]

Dear Life,

i am disappointed in you.

love,

the human who has to live

[fruitsofhell]

Yall, its time to ramble about visual/environmental storytelling cause this is silly article is driving me insane.

I won't argue for if the game should have had more constant and involved cutscenes like Robobot or Star Allies, but what I will say is that this game is VERY rich in story through the world design. The Forgotten Land as opposed to say the Land of the Sky in TD or the entire galaxy of Star Allies is like, DROWNING in writing and narrative. It builds so much mystery and intrigue through the theming of every world and even individual levels, with exploring both how the people of the land originally lived and how it's being reclaimed by nature and the animals.

I think the closest things maybe is Robobot and Halcandra in RTDL, the former having great little designs that key you into WHAT Haltmann is doing and what makes it so toxic. Halcandra though is the ultimate grand-daddy, the contrast between it and the Lor, and Egg Engines and Dangerous Dinner is full of theming and clues about the nature and history of the planet. AND THAT IS STORY, THAT IS WRITING! Especially when compared to say Star Allies, where most of the levels of the levels are just ye average Kirby themed fluff with little to say about the Jamba or the state they've left the galaxy in. But when you play through the casino levels of Robobot, as well as delightful theming and level design, you see that Haltmann is erecting literally the most predatory entertainment centers imaginable. When you step off the sleek futuristic Lor into the scrapyards and wastes of Halcandra, you get fun intimidating final worlds, and a good grasp on *why* the people who made the Lor aren't around anymore, and may even start questioning why Magolor made such a great fuss of dragging you to this horrible place. Music is also deeply important to this storytelling. Each of the factories/towers erected in ever world of Robobot's theme is a remix usually of themes related to older mechanical levels, subtly clueing you into where Haltmann go their technology from. Outside the Lor rather than the comfortable motif of Green Greens is this almost comically suspicious and disoriented theme once you're stuck on Halcandra and returning to Magolor with more doubts about his words. The final level inside of the volcano house a theme that is teasing the twist to come, and the theme for fighting Landia before the big reveal is less triumphant, and more majestic and pensive. Possibly trying to evoke more hesitance than confidence, even if most people wouldn't catch on to that on a first run.

But the cooler thing, is that while Robobot has this cool theming at key levels, and RtDL does at the end, this type of shit is pervasive ALL throughout Forgotten Land. Every world and nearly every level is a unique, well thought-out set piece! You get to see abandoned towns, cities, malls, stores, factories, resorts, and an amusement park, each which serves as more than just a fun location, but a clear picture of the world and the state its in. This intent is made clearer through the music and tone that goes out of its way to not highlight the destruction of these areas but their beauty, wonder, and mystery through the eyes of an clueless animals and our favorite pink alien. The abandoned Alivel Malls theme is a track as upbeat and peppy as what must've played over it's speakers in it's hayday, because the hustle and bustle breathed back into it by the animals and Kirby just exploring this mysterious complex is just as lively. The theme of the Everbay Coast is peaceful and sunny despite the Holine ruins because it's as part of the scenery to the animals and Kirby as the picturesque palms and sands. And Wondaria!!!!!!!!! OMG WONDARIA WHERE TO EVEN BEGIN WITH EVERY FUCKING LEVEL AND THEME IN WONDARIA!!! THIS IS WHY I CAN'T TAKE THAT CLAIM SERIOUSLY - y'know when I cried at Forgotten Land? In world 3. Not because of a cutscene or a line of dialogue, but just from the sheer emotion the setting evoked in me. The sweet, laid-back, starry-eyed wonder that it expressed from Kirby mixed with my own sense of nostalgia being aware of what that place was, and how beautiful it was to see it rediscovered and adored by Kirby and the animals of the Forgotten Land. It evokes such a strong feeling of bittersweetness, of existential dread comforted by the knowledge that the simple joys and memories we create places like amusement parks to share will continue on as long as there is life in the world. And unlike some of my musings about past games, this was explicitly intentional. What truly brought the tears to my eyes was remembering an interview where the devs were explaining how they were trying to keep the tone light and Kumazaki said specifically they wanted to evoke peace and beauty rather than loss.

LIKE THIS IS WRITING! This is storytelling, this is intention. It's just subtle, but not at all unimportant, and it ties into the more overarching plot. It raises the question constantly of where the people went that is answered by Forgo, and expresses the dichotomy between the simple innocence of the animals compared to the ambitions of the people who abandoned them and that is now possessing their leader. It creates stakes for Elfilis and Forgo's intentions to destroy everything so beautiful and pure about the current world, but as it absolves the current world of guilt, it puts into perspective JUST HOW LONG Forgo must have been locked away that things changed so much. And as softly as the exploits of the original people are portrayed by the game, knowing their treatment of Eliflis and Forgo as a thing of entertainment and tool for innovation is sickening placed in contrast with it. Like back to Wondaria, the way it shows how much space travel must have pervaded the imagination and escapism of the people either before or after Forgo's arrival is insanely smart. And it gives me chills in the best way seeing Kirby run around images of cartoon aliens from a civilization who would never meet him. Of Kirby, Elfilin, and Bandana sticking their head into a cardboard cutout of an astronaut meeting an alien, with the text "wish you were here" above in a script they don't even understand. A SCRIPT THE WRITERS MADE FOR THIS GAME SO THAT THEY COULD ADD MESSAGES LIKE THAT INTO THE WORLD FOR KEEN PLAYERS TO NOTICE AND MAKE CONNECTIONS. Like it's insane. The dedication the Hal Labs has to stuff like this is maddening! It's so sweet and heartfelt and crafty, I'm so pissed off how little respect it gets because people don't understand visual storytelling!!!!! Saying Forgotten Land is light on story is preposterous, it might just be one of the most finely crafted stories the series has had to date, and is just a really solid piece of science fantasy writing in general honestly. It is packed with environmental storytelling that drives me Up The Fucking Wall, Man.

[grahamkennedy]

"He's really let himself go" is the hottest thing you could possibly say about a man

[ceevee5]

[unnamedmedicalprofessional]

I'm convinced Mrs Flood is Susan Foreman purely because the amount of time spent on the bait and switch of setting up Susan Twist as Susan Foreman feels like it was an excuse to introduce the idea of Susan to audience members who hadn't heard of her so when Mrs Flood is revealed to be Susan Foreman it will have more impact.

[thekidsarentalright]

being thrown aggressively into patrick world bc hes so cute in this wittle video 🥹💕

[oceanwithinsblog]

i've taken a couple days to try and elaborate my thoughts on the season finale ... still, my reaction hasn't changed.

i firmly believe the acting for this season was REALLY great (especially ncuti and millie's), but the rest of it keeps feeling rushed and not cured in enough detail. plus, as good it was to have a nemesis back from 1975, it feels silly (at the least) to me that suketh has been hiding in the tardis and travelling with the doctor for SO LONG ... they've assisted to so many events and could have taken action wayyyy before to annihilate earth & co. why would they wait for the doctor to meet ruby and find out who her biological mother is? idk the explanation we've been handed in the last episode doesn't fully satisfy me. besides, i would have loved to know more about ms floods but oh well i guess i'll have to wait :) the whole last ep was like an anticlimax, to me.. i wished it had taken another direction, plot wise.

i don't know about you guys, this season felt very fresh and exciting in respect to the returning and brand new cast. at the same time, it was poorly written for some episodes and i personally don't agree with many "artistic choices".

i had VERY HIGH expectations (and i still hold them for the next season) but some of them weren't met. what about you?

[theineffableauthor]

Do you think Crowley stood by the last unicorn to walk the earth as it drowned?

[musicandotherstuff]

Arctic Monkeys - The Mann Center, Philadelphia

05/09/2023

📸: floodmagazine