#the forsaken fortress bits in wind waker

[mirensiart]

I like bamf wind

I like bamf wind saving the entire chain cause he's small, full of determination, gremlin energy and stubborness

Keep thinking about that one scene from the hobbit when the entire company gets captured by giant spiders and bilbo saves them all by being sneaky and distracting the spiders long enough to free everyone

And like sure, wind doesn't have a ring that makes him invisible like bilbo does, but he's the most sneaky lil gremlin in the entire group he doesn't need it

Anyway, just thinking about the chain getting captured by black blooded skulltulas and wind saving them all and being the sneaking master

[marenwithanm]

Still not sure how Tetra knows what a horse is but oh well lol

[loki-valeska]

Medli headcanon

I JUST REALIZED I NEVER TALKED ABOUT THIS HERE So anyway: I've had the hc that Medli is a weak flyer for a while now. Mostly due to how she has a stamina meter while the rest of the Rito can fly for much longer. And I think there's dialogue in Wind Waker to support this a bit.

This dialogue is given to Link before getting the Grappling Hook, wherein Medli states she used the Grappling Hook to climb the mountain, and that Rito used them before evolving to have wings.

We know Medli already has her wings by this point bc she uses them to get into the cavern with Link's help. I also wanna point out how she needs Link's help here to even get in the air. One could very well argue it's bc of the wind currents, which is what Medli says in game. But adding to how she needs the Grappling Hook throughout the Dungeon despite there being no wind that we can see on our trek, and already having wings to fly with is interesting to me. Why would she need to use that if she could just fly there?

"But Loki!" You're probably saying; "She only got her wings recently! She's probably just not skilled enough with them yet."

And to that, I need to point out:

Komali got his wings very recently, sometime after Medli did, and yet he flew all the way from Dragon Roost Island, to the Forsaken Fortress, to the Tower of the God's with Tetra in tow, and then back to Dragon Roost without us ever seeing him stop for any reason. The ocean in Wind Waker is massive, so flying that long on relatively new wings, is by no means a small feat. We also just see him flying around in the air during certain cutscenes. Something we never see Medli do. You could argue being the Chief's son makes him better at flying or something, but there's nothing in game to suggest that so it's entirely speculation.

When you go to the Earth Temple you have the option to control Medli and fly around without needing a jumpstart from Link. During this part of the game, she can only fly for about 10 seconds before getting tired. (Ik that this is only there to balance gameplay and whatever but let me whimsical and have hcs dammit/j) Sidebar:

This has nothing to do with anything but her having confidence issues breaks my heart, poor girl 😭😭😭 She's constantly asking if it's okay for her to suggest things and apologizing if her trying to help is annoying. YOU'RE NOT ANNOYING ME PLEASE I WANNA HEAR YOUR THOUGHTS, YOU HAVE GOOD IDEAS

Anyway, sidebar over

I also wanna point out that at the end of the game we see Komali and Medli again and while Komali greets you while flying, Medli is standing on the deck of Tetra's ship. We never really see Medli fly for long amounts of time. The only times we see her fly it's explicitly stated somehow that she can't do it for long. Whereas other Rito, like Komali and Quill, seem to be able to fly for indefinite amounts of time, with little to no issue.

I thought it was kinda cool how a lot of things seem to point to her having some kind of disability that leads to her being unable to fly for very long. I'm definitely gonna make this a part of my AU, bc I really like it. That's kinda all my thoughts on this for now. Now to get back to drawing.

[changeling-rin]

Nuclear Anon here! The Broken Chain asks have made me sad, so to bring balance back I'm asking about doubling Links.

So: what would happen with the addition of Wind from his first adventure?

Okay I'm gonna clarify what I think you're asking before going to answer it, that way if I'm wrong then you can tell me, in another Ask, exactly where I lost the plot and then I can fix it! Or alternatively, you can congratulate me on getting it right the first go! Either are good!

So. You're wanting a Mask-and-Ocarina situation, but with Wind. As in, Wind-going-through-Wind-Waker alongside Wind-already-done-with-Wind-Waker-and-actively-doing-Phantom-Hourglass?

Well firstly, we probably need to rename Wind-doing-Phantom-Hourglass, so there's no confusion. Yes, I know this is the DL-canon Wind that I'm renaming, and no, I don't think this is more confusing. The Wind doing Wind Waker is Wind, and the Wind doing Phantom Hourglass is Phantom. We are using Mask-and-Ocarina logic here, folks.

The first question, clearly, is 'Which one of us broke time???' and the answer is probably Phantom, because he's the one with an actual time-manipulation device. Admittedly he's not sure how he did it, because he was told the Hourglass only works inside this One Specific Building, but... well the evidence points elsewhere. So. That's a thing they'll have to deal with, at some point, probably.

Phantom's not nearly as keen on preventing Spoilers as Mask is, although he will withhold some information for the sake of making sure his own present will still exist. But he considers dungeon advice and battle strategies to be free game. Wind is absolutely writing all of this down.

In comparison to the Hero(es) of Time, Wind and Phantom are still remarkably close to being the same person, just with bit of a differing attitude between them. Phantom is a bit more measured in his approach to things; he gives off a very mellow vibe. He knows when there's urgency to a situation but rushing in is going to get him nowhere. Preparation is key. Meanwhile Wind is patient when he needs to be, but has an underlying sort of manic energy driving him. His sister! Needs saving!! As soon as possible!!!

And this is why Wind got his entire butt handed to him at the Forsaken Fortress by charging in before he was ready. Except replace 'was ready' with 'had any sort of combat training at all.' Phantom's not about to make that sort of mistake again, thanks very much. This is the one area where they clash a little bit, because Wind sees a problem that needs urgent fixing and Phantom seems a problem that needs deliberate preparation.

They're also, for all intents and purposes, almost completely identical. They get away with a lot of pranks on the rest of the Chain because of this.

[inkybirdy]

of course I'd be happy to tag you, @takemetotheastral ! and I'm happy to offer some basic notes on the wind waker au, currently titled "a different tune" on Ao3!

in brief, the wind waker au is one in which aryll is the one who goes on a quest to save her sibling, and gets embroiled in a high-seas fantastical adventure instead of link. meanwhile, ganondorf and tetra are both rival pirate captains fighting to settle a centuries-long dispute over territory, magic, and the power to shape the future of the world. link wants a nap.

a few more specific character notes below!

Aryll is very recently 12 years old, an auspicious age for those of Outset Island! She’s now old enough to train in the island’s traditional sword fighting style, as well as take on new responsibilities to protect her home and assist her brother with his own tasks. It’s an exciting time! And also bitter - while it’s nice, growing up, to have new opportunities and a broader sense of agency, Aryll is already starting to miss being able to blindly trust that her brother would take care of everything that needs doing. She wants to help, wants to prove herself, but it’s all a bit daunting, isn’t it? She has her brother, though, in the end. As long as they’re together, as long as he’s around to help steer her in the right direction, she has faith everything will turn out alright.

Link is in his early 20s and doing his best. After the death of his grandmother when he was in his later teens, Link was not only left with the responsibility of raising Aryll but also acting in his grandmother’s place as caretaker for the island’s fairy fountain and various spirits, shrines, and artifacts. Among these are a couple of the island’s treasures - a small golden pendant that nobody is allowed to pawn, and the Wind Waker, which has proven fairly useful to have on-hand to shoo dangerous storms away from the island. Of course Link takes his duties seriously, but he tends to the island’s caretaking in the same way that he tends to any other household chore. Really, his focus and any energy he’s had to spare has been put toward his efforts to raise his sister. He won’t say he’s good at it - he knows his love of naps and idleness has turned into longstanding fatigue, and his charming snark has turned caustic - but he’s determined to do all he can to make sure Aryll is cared for and given the best opportunity to grow into a well-adjusted person.

Ganondorf - otherwise known as Captain Dragmire, or simply Ganon - is already one of the most notorious and influential pirates on the Great Sea, despite only being in his mid-20s. He’s an expert treasure-hunter, an experienced scallywag, a deadly swordsman and gunslinger, and - according to some - a truly impressive knack for magic. His crew, based in the Forsaken Fortress, is devotedly loyal, approaching their goals and the goals of their captain with dogged and dangerous enthusiasm. Heir to what is understood as an ancient and potentially world-shaking power, Ganon pursues glory and destiny in all things. When not fulfilling his role as the charismatic and deadly pirate captain, though, Ganon is bright, inquisitive, easily flustered, and impulsive - which, often, sends him tripping into variously unfortunate and terribly embarrassing situations. It’s fine. He’s fine. He’s totally got this, it’s fine. Crew and reputation established, skills honed, magic and minions at his beck and call, Ganon is ready for his greatest conquest yet - Finally claiming his ancestral power and proving himself the rightful steward of a long-buried legacy, and destroying the last vestiges of the chaotic forces that once cursed and drowned the world.

Tetra - also known as Captain Nohansen, Captain Tetra, or The Great Sea’s Terror - is a match made in the deepest parts of hell for Ganon in how their journeys to greatness have paralleled. Also in her mid-20s, Tetra is a prodigious mage, a lethal swordsman and gunslinger, a savvy explorer and trader of treasures, and a ruthless force to be reckoned with. While her crew has no proper base aside from their common haunt, Windfall Island, they’ve become a staple in stories and nightmares across the Great Sea. Her crew follows her without question, with religious fervor and unending loyalty that disavows even the most minor slight against her - they’re her best friends, bonded in spilled blood and drunken oaths over years of companionship. Tetra’s charisma strays from Ganon’s more smooth and charmingly cocky persona into sheer command and brutal competence. The instant Captain Tetra walks into a room, it is her domain - she knows exactly what she wants, and it is highly unlikely even gods could help those that dare stand in her way. Sarcastic, capable, confident, she is the picture of a legendary pirate: Whether that’s good news or not depends on the person standing across from her. However, all that confidence and support tends toward bullheadedness. When given the choice between arguing a point with Tetra or throwing one’s self into a nearby whirlpool, it may be easier to fight the tumultuous ocean current. Again similarly to Ganon, Tetra is the heir of what is said to be a power capable of bending the future of the world to one’s will. She aims to outclass Ganon and claim her ancestral right once and for all, to reveal the truth of a centuries-long struggle and possibly even draw the drowned earth once again up from the seas.

altogether, they’re fun. I’m having fun. And I hope everybody sticking around to follow the story does too!

[thunderpetal]

How I view each of the Chain’s relationship with their Zeldas

Hyrule and Dawn/Aurora - He’s allowed to hang out in the castle whenever he wants, as a thanks for saving the kingdom’s ass. He eats fancy dinners with the two of them, and they ask for his advice in starting repairs as he’s travelled all over Hyrule. I think he feels a little humbled whenever he’s with them, but they’re good, friendly company. Dawn and Aurora also care less about the rules of royalty after all they’ve been through, so Hyrule feels more and more comfortable around them as time goes on, and makes it habit to return the castle every few weeks or so while he travels.

Legend and Fable - I have only played the beginnings of both ALttP and ALBW, so I don’t really know Fable all that well. But! Let me make some shit up anyway. Legend and Fable can definitely telepathically communicate, it’s a bit more difficult when Legend’s in another Hyrule, but they’re still able to. At the start of LU, they only use it for Very Serious Business, like updating each other on black-blooded monsters, but soon Fable starts telling Legend about all the mundane going-ons back at home, cause she misses him. In return, Legend tells her about all the other Links, and their ‘annoying’ habits, but Fable can tell how much he really cares. When the group are transported to Legend’s Hyrule and get to meet Fable, she can finally put faces to Legend’s grumpy descriptions, and it’s very entertaining for her.

Time and Lullaby - First of all, I fully believe Sheik exists in the child timeline too. At some point, Lullaby probably asked Time ‘so what did I get up to while Ganondorf ruled Hyrule?’ and Time replied ‘you were a badass ninja dude who could teleport using deku nuts and probably carried several daggers at all times’. Immediately after this, Lullaby *runs* to Impa. Lullaby - or Sheik, as he sometimes prefers to be known - has a bit of a rocky relationship with Time for a few years, as he’s often away travelling and seems to want nothing to do with the royal family of Hyrule anymore. They begin to reconnect around the time of his engagement with Malon, though, and Lullaby is invited to the wedding. When the portal appears in Time’s Hyrule, Lullaby asks him to go and investigate, and Time does so because she asked, rather than out of service to the crown.

Four and Dot - Four is a lot more goofy and childish around Dot, and vice versa. They both have large responsibilities placed on them at a young age, and as such they both feel they can only let their true selves shine around each other. Dot loves teasing Four, and she’s basically the only person on the planet who can get him to blush. Four’s questioned whether he has romantic feelings for her, and in all honesty, he’s still not sure. All he knows is that he misses her so much while he’s away, and he feels incredibly guilty for leaving her behind without explanation.

Wind and Tetra - You ever think about how because there’s like ten people living on Outset Island, Tetra is literally the first girl Wind meets who is the same age as him? And on top of that, she’s an awesome pirate captain who’s fought fiercely to protect both Wind AND Aryll? Yeah. There’s no way Wind wouldn’t fall in love with her. Though seeing as how he’s still a young lad, I don’t think they would actually date until they’re older. Also, in Wind Waker, when Tetra comes to save Aryll, she knows Aryll’s name, which means Wind probably rambled to her about his life with Aryll and Grandma when they first sailed to the Forsaken Fortress, and she listened and rembered it all... I love these two and I have many more thoughts but I’ll hold back for now

Twilight and Dusk - They’re coworkers. This is probably the one incarnation of Zelink I could never see as romantic. They obviously did not get the chance to bond during the events of TP, and I hc that after the adventure, Twilight had an identity crisis and ran away from everything - Ordon, his family, and Dusk too. Dusk might be looking to build a proper relationship with him now Hyrule is safe, but I don’t think Twilight is ready for that yet. Once he got back from LU, though, I could see the two of them becoming friends, with their friendship built on deep mutual respect. They also are the only two people in Hyrule who truly remember and miss Midna, so I think they’d bond over that.

Sky and Sun - I haven’t beaten Sksw yet, but I did watch all of the game’s cutscenes when I was 12 and tbh it was a lifechanging event. I love them SO much, ‘I’m still your Zelda’ is one of the most heartwrenching scenes in the whole of LoZ and just,,, yeah. They’re great. I think Sky talks about Sun a lot around the chain - he misses her, and so many little things remind him of her </3. Back in his time, they have a small settlement beginning to grow in Faron Woods, and I also think Sky cannot wait to show it to the chain if he ever gets a chance. Sky is totally in LOVE, and I love that for him.

Warriors and Artemis - There is no one Wars respects more than Artemis. Of course, he has massive respect for Impa and Lana too, but Artemis? Seeing her fight to defend the country she would one day rule earnt her Wars’s respect forever as a leader. He would literally die for her, but in reality, their relatonship is actually quite casual and friendly. When he’s away with the Chain, he still writes reports for her, out of habit. He also goes to lots of public events with her, even though he’d rather not, because one day Artemis confessed to him how nervous doing publicity made her. Ever since, he’s always accompanied her to such events.

Wild and Flora - I will try to hold back on writing a full length essay on these two, because I adore them, so here goes. Based on what little we’ve seen about their relationship in LU, I think Wild cares greatly about Flora, but isn’t sure on how to approach their relationship post-Calamity. Maybe he believes Flora wishes he was more like the knight he was pre-Calamity, maybe he feels guilt over not being able to remember more about her, maybe he’s just not sure of what exactly to *say* to her. But the two of them do care about each other deeply, and they just need to have some good, honest conversations once Wild gets back from LU. I ship them, but I also adore looking at their relationship from a platonic angle because I think it’s even more interesting that way. (Flora awakening her powers because of her platonic love for Wild my absolute BELOVED hc)

[goopi-e]

> what if you did go into the rant

*tee-hee* Okay! It will be beneficial for my own purposes to have all the ideas in one post, too. So, the gist of ot is as follows:

Great Sea is not the only sea in the world. The ocean goes on outside of the game's map, Link is just arbitrarily stopped by KoRL at the borders. We know of at least the World of the Ocean King — no matter if Phantom Hourglass takes place in the alternate dimension or not, the waters Tetra and her crew sail are implied to be outside of the Great Sea proper. Even in Wind Waker's text, there's some evidence to there being other countries that have commerce with the Great Sea denizens, i.e. Zunari and the Goron merchants not being from around here.

All the major habitable zones of the Great Sea are located either next to its border (Outset, Forsaken Fortress) or within one square radius of it (Windfall, Dragon Roost, Forest Haven, formerly Greatfish). The center of the map forms a dead zone, with the exception of the Private Oasis (not so much of a populated place, even including the basement) and Tingle Island (which, let's be real, shouldn't count).

There's evidence of both Great Sea being fishless and of Great Sea peoples going fishing at least sometimes, as discussed above. Except these two facts don't have to be contradictory, because:

What if they fish outside of the Great Sea? This would explain the proximity of the major population centers to the borders, as it's easier to transport the haul back home that way. One of the flags from the trading sequence, the Big Catch Flag, is made for "a festival in which fishermen hope for a good catch", yet "was made by a fisherman from a foreign land" — so there are fish in this world somewhere.

Okay, but there are two problems with the idea of them fishing outside of the Great Sea. One: Link seemingly has to be taught how to fish in Phantom Hourglass, despite coming from a fishing village, and Orca is a former fisherman — why doesn't anyone else from Outset is doing any fishing now? Two: if they have regular access to the outside, why Tetra's departure to seek new lands is treated like such a big deal?

Here's where the theory enters a more headcanon-y territory, but: my idea is that leaving the Great Sea, while possible, is really hard.

In BoTW, Hyrule's border is separated from the out-of-bounds areas by two kinds of barriers: regular invisible walls, but also the thick walls of wind pushing the player inside if they were to clip beyond the first type of walls. What if these wind walls existed in the game world diegetically, placed by gods to protect Hyrule from outside threats? It may sound weird, but BoTW is the game that invented Blood Moons to explain a common videogame mechanic of respawning enemies by an in-universe magic, so it makes this leap of logic a little more plausible. What's more, during the Dark Beast Ganon fight, Zelda even places a barrier of her own around the battlefield.

If the above paragraph is not conclusive, the rest of the series has two more examples of an area being separated by a wall of impenetrable winds, both of which are way more diegetic: Sea of No Return in Oracle of Ages and Isle of Ruins in Phantom Hourglass. They're both happening over the open ocean, too.

Going back to Wind Waker: what if something similar is at play over the Great Sea's border as well? If we assume that it, too, is surrounded by the walls of wind, the following quote from Zunari sounds interesting: "My story is a strange one... I came across cursed seas from a land far away...a land where the blizzards blow violently...heading for this town called Windfall. But dear me! As I traveled, a terrible storm descended and tore my ship to bits...yet mysteriously, only that escaped without so much as a mark on it..." — so he came from the outside, having to cross the border, and got caught up in the storm. Crossing it from the inside out, then, must be just as dangerous; fishing becomes a way riskier endeavour if you're guaranteed to hit a strip of permanent bad weather on your way.

It makes Link's role as the Wind Waker all the more interesting, too. His ability to guide the winds could've been a deciding factor that ensured a safe departure for Tetra and her crew; that would explain his presence on this expedition. Maybe he has to go ahead of them to clear the way beforehand, and this is why he sails separately from them on the boat that used to be KoRL. And after the events of Phantom Hourglass, Link has even more control over the storms via the Cyclone Slate and especially the Regal Necklace, the item that helped to dissipate the hurricane around the Isle of the Dead.

TLDR: the Great Sea is fishless, but there are fish living outside, which you can haul, but you have to get across a wall of winds first, so it's dangerous and therefore is done very rarely.

See also: potential reason behind Great Sea having no fish that doesn't rely on that weird "illusory water" tidbit from Hyrule Historia and maybe there used to be some fish within the Great Sea, but not anymore.

hai . thinking about wind waker's food 😵‍💫

theres a lot of emphasis on seafood in fanon but in reality there are NO fish out there to be eaten.

on the other hand, both pigs and crabs look pretty abundant, so i think theyre used as the main sources of protein ^.^ seagulls are a potential too but i feel the other two options are easier and quicker to capture and prep. seagulls are prob mostly esten by seafarers that didn't ration their supplies very well

iii can see a lot of soups stews and hotpots being a staple in the average great sea inhabitant's diet, obv the Main food item we see is grandma's soup which helps 👍 i personally think her soup is some sort of red lentil soup, with crabmeat and spices and a teeny bit of blue chu jelly ^_^ blue chus are super rare so grandma was saving it for link's birthday treat :)

something to be said abt the elixir soup is how it acts like a blue potion, so i can for sure see islanders using chu jelly in food and beverages rather than Solely for potionmaking, especially bc of how many places chus spawn . i think theyd be good for making a sweet treat ^_^

more onto drinks, ww had a coffee shop! explicitly saying that it has coffee and coffee beans too 🥳🥳🥳 it's particularly fun bc irl pirates had a history of drinking coffee a lot lol

theres way more to be picked apart but this is getting long as hell and i'm sleepy . okay bye foreverrr

[mistymonster]

About Link and the King of Red Lions

Wanna start out by saying this is all just my interpretation… cause I know a lot of people love KoRL. and I think he’s a well written character!! but I think that Link’s feelings towards him might be…. complicated.

When I first played wind waker as a younger kid, I wasn’t really old enough to fully understand What it was trying to say and I didn’t understand why King didn’t follow them up at the end. When I was older, I played the game again and I was surprised that my view on King actually changed a lot? He still felt fatherly- but this time there was something just a bit insidious about how he was pushing Link. That time around, though, I felt like I understood the ending.

Link would grieve King a lot, would grieve losing a father figure… but I thought, would his feelings towards him be different as he got older, the same way my perspective on it changed after a few years? Because I Do think they loved each other! but sometimes people will try their best, for the world, and for you, and they will still hurt you because their own traumas, relationships, and experiences inform how they act and it’s not always… good or right. And I think in this instance, King chose to prioritize defeating Ganon over Link’s safety.

So here’s what I’m saying: King actually hurt Link… a lot. I’m not saying he didn’t care. I don’t think it was exactly intentional. But Link is not the hero reincarnated, and King pressures him into assuming the hero role anyway. It’s also important that he does realize the error of his ways and makes an effort to turn things around in the time he has left. King and Ganon were both perpetuating the cycle in their own ways but it’s King who tried to break out of it while Ganon plays his role to the end.

There’s no way Link was the only person capable of doing this, right? Couldn’t an adult have pulled it off? Or better yet… a group of people? But we know from King’s last monologue that he is still living bound to Hyrule, and I think that manifests in him guiding Link on the quest. King saw a courageous kid in the classic green outfit and set out to shape him into someone who could get the master sword and triforce.

This isn’t the only time this happens in the series- Zelda admits to doing this to Link in Skyward Sword. It’s more that Wind Waker never says it so directly. But King seems to know the hero isn’t going to appear, so he sets out to find one- or more accurately, make one. And here’s Link, probably 13 at the most, determined to save his sister, with an adult giving him a path to do it… what else was he going to do?

And here’s the thing- Link actually CAN’T win against Ganon. Not alone, at least. And the game proves this several times. If you count the first forsaken fortress visit, he’s taken out before he can even reach Ganon. The second time, King pushes him to go against Ganon alone, and Link only survives because Tetra steps in to help.

And then they restore power to the master sword and well… this one on one fight is just as short as the last. He only doesn’t die because Ganon has no interest in killing him at this point. Had Ganon wanted to, he wouldn’t have been able to stop him.

And maybe this is the turning point for King, when he realizes the damage that’s been done, and that this is going to cost Link his life. Ganon is only at full power because King guided Link to the Master Sword, and now Link has ended up in a fight he has no ability to win. King (and Ganon’s) attachment to the old kingdom was dragging both Link and Tetra down. And so King decides to wish not for the old kingdom back, or Ganon’s defeat, or anything like that….

He begs the gods to give them a life beyond this. King has already had to see the world be destroyed by this cycle once. So specifically, he asks that they wash away Hyrule to give them a future, because being forced into reenacting this legend is what’s putting them in danger.

And when the true final battle starts, the mood is SO different from anything we’ve seen in a Zelda before. Because there’s no triforce anymore, and honestly I think Ganon is going to die regardless at this point. And knowing that… he’s trying to take Link and Tetra down with him. It’s just two kids fighting for their lives, fighting to have that future. And to keep with the theme that Link can’t actually defeat Ganon on his own- it’s an impossible fight without Tetra there.

In his final monologue, King admits he allowed his memory of the old kingdom to cloud his judgement in the here and now. But his regret is keeping him bound to the kingdom, and even if he understands the hurt this has caused he still can’t move forward. King can’t go on without Hyrule, but Hyrule is cursed and needs to end permanently. Knowing how much it’s hurt Link and Tetra, he chooses…

To let Link go, and let himself disappear along with Hyrule.

(edited later) note: this in itself is another questionable decision and suggests that rather than changing his view, he’s just accepting how he feels; he still, in the end, chooses hyrule over the living people who need him. He does, however, understand that the cycle can’t be allowed to continue and that Hyrule has to die. So, if Hyrule has to go but King can’t let go of Hyrule…. He has to go with it.

[fatefulfaerie]

Pirate

Linktober 2021 day #26/31

Word Count: 1,140

Incarnation: The Wind Waker

for @zeldaelmo

The concerning creak below my feet ran up my legs and into my chest, causing a fearful twinge in my heart. The wooden plank was strong enough but the edge was nearing, the pirates behind me were leering, and the gyorgs in the tempest-like waters below were cheering.

I gulped, trying to swallow my fear.

I was never good at swimming, yet that wouldn’t seem to matter. My toes were hanging off the edge of the plank and my wrists already burned from the tight, prickly rope. One step and I’d be done for, lunch for the gyorgs and a funny joke to the merciless, rowdy, and likely half-drunk pirates.

I closed my eyes tight and jumped, expecting to hit the surface of the water…

Link woke up with a jolt, sitting up straight in a cold sweat and panting. He tried to swallow his quickening heart so that it didn’t make so much of a ruckus, but he couldn’t help but blatantly advertise his panic. Yet, once he came to the complete realization that he was in fact not in the belly of a gyorg’s mouth but in the hold of Tetra’s ship, his lungs allowed him to breathe a sigh of relief. 

He looked up to discover that he had fallen from his hanging cot and not from a plank. He must have been thrashing around.

“Keep it quiet down there,” he heard from another hanging cot, amidst the symphony of snoring pirates that was in no way pleasing to the ears.

Link ignored his bruised back as he stood up with a groan and squinted eyes. He made his way to the ladder with the intention of tiptoeing back onto the rafters and finding his way back to his hanging cot, but he found himself frozen instead.

Pirates.

The snoring lot, although they looked harmless in the present, fit the description in the stories with a quite uncanny resemblance. Some were missing eyes, some missing legs, they talked with gruff voices, and they stood tall and strong, quite intimidating to a small bloke like Link.

“Hey kid,” said a voice up the stairs. Link ducked his head to try a get a better view, but he only saw the man’s black greasy hair. The stairs concealed the rest of the man, and so Link tread cautiously upwards. Who knew what would happen if Link didn’t answer to each and every desire of the crew members? If consulting the books at home about pirates, they would have him walk the plank and thus make him swim to the Forsaken Fortress.

The man sported broad shoulders and a loose green shirt with ragged brown pants. He was double the size of Link. 

Link forgot his age. He felt like he was perhaps six, not twelve.

“Yes sir,” Link said. And he was still in his pajamas that his grandmother had given him. What must these pirates think of him?

“The name’s Nudge,” the man said. Nudge knelt so that Link wouldn’t have to look up. “I protec’ Miss Tetra’s cabin.”

Link was comforted slightly by Nudge’s kind eyes. He felt eight, maybe nine.

“So you never get to sleep?”

Nudge chuckled.

“I sleep plenty,” he explained, “when the Little Miss is on deck. You see, it’s less about the cabin and more about protecting the captain when she’s in it.”

Eleven. This Nudge, even though he was kneeling because of Link’s height, was treating the lad with respect, almost as if Link were already an adult.

“You’re Link, right?” Nudge asked. Link nodded. 

“I thought so,” he continued. “I couldn’t help but notice you had a bit of a nightmare. Jus’ wanted you to know that it’s nothing to be ashamed of. All of us get them.”

“Really?” Link asked.

Nudge nodded.

“Even Miss Tetra,” Nudge said. “Had a hard life, that one. Can’t help but feel sorry for the lass, only thirteen and already without her--” Nudge stopped himself. Link was very curious as to how that sentence was meant to continue, but was too scared to press it.

“Actually you two might be of similar age,” Nudge said instead. “How old are you?”

“Eleven,” Link said, before remembering. “No wait…I’m twelve. It’s recent. I keep forgetting.”

Nudge chuckled at that.

“I hear ya,” he said. “You get to be my age and you forget what age y’even are. Some of those snoring maggots even lie about their age, wanting to make themselves seem younger. Dorks every one of them, even if it may not seem like it at first glance. I know us pirates can be a bit intimidating but I let you in on a little secret.”

“And what would that secret be?”

Link’s eyes went wide. He had no idea when Tetra had appeared in the doorway, but she was standing stern and unhappy. She looked thirty years old with how she carried herself, not thirteen. Nudge had already stepped aside and was now stammering for words. He gestured to Link.

“Well I was jus’ telling they boy that we’re not really…n-not really…”

“Not really what? Not really doing our jobs?”

Tetra had said that pointedly glaring at Nudge until he seemed to understand. No one should be trusted with that information. Not even innocent-looking little boys. 

“And you,” Tetra said, turning her head on a whim to Link, who pointed at himself with a question mark spread across his face.

“What are you doing here?”

Tetra looked as if she were about to push Link down the stairs and oddly Link wanted to let her (although he had know idea why).

“He had a nightmare, Miss.”

It was as quick as the snapping of fingers, the way her expression softened.

“Oh.”

She looked Link up and down, but for the first time she wasn’t judging him or scrutinizing him. She was seeing him, trying to get to know him without exposing herself as someone who wanted to get to know him.

“Well, what are you standing around for?” Tetra asked. Her walls went right back up but it was too late. For just that brief moment, Link wasn’t too scared to see her pretty blue eyes, her almond skin colored by years of a friendship with the sun, her hair that fell and twisted so perfectly that Link wondered how she kept it up like that. Frankly, she was beautiful. 

Yet Link, who had never had a crush before, had no idea what these thoughts and feelings meant.

“We’ll reach the fortress in a couple hours so you may as well try and get some sleep.”

Tetra didn’t seem to be making the same observations about him, turning on her heel and going back into her cabin. She hid her observations of the cute boy much better than Link did of her.

[lokomotives]

Linebeck: Hero of the Great Sea

In a previous post (https://lokomotives.tumblr.com/post/617120314217906176/legend-of-zelda-au-where-linebeck-is-the-chosen) I suggested an Au of Wind Waker where Linebeck turned out to be the Great Sea's incarnation of The Hero, but I really didn't go into it.

In this Au; things go as normal in Wind Waker up until Link storms the Forsaken Fortress for the first time. He gets caught swordless by a Moblin and tossed into a holding cell.

"So, what are you in here for?"

Link turns and sees a disheveled man sitting by the wall. The man is wearing blue and has pointed ears, he appears to be a sailor of sone kind.

"Not talking huh? Smart. Me personally? I may or may not have gotten my ship raided by some Bokoblins yelling about ears or something."

Link notices that the man has pointed Hylian ears. Like his sister. Link feels a need to help the man escape this prison.

"Thankfully they're not the smartest jailors." The man moves a jar off the cell's shelf, exposing a tiny crawlspace. "Sadly I'm a bit too robust to fit through. You look small enough though. How about this? You crawl out and grab me something to pick the lock with. I get my ship back and you... go back to whatever you were doing before you tet thrown in here."

Before the man finishes his spiel; Link has already army-crawled his way out of the cell. It takes the boy less than a few minutes to return with a broken staff.

"Look at that! You're a natural dungeon-crawler aren't you?" The man sounds shocked, either by the speed of the boy or the fact that the kid returned for him. "Let me just jiggle the lock a bit. This place is falling apart."

With the two both freed, the man says a quick goodbye, not even giving Link the chance to ask him to team-up and take on the fortress together.

Link presses on and finds his sister and the other missing children at the top of the fortress - only to be whisked away by the Helmaroc and flung into the sea.

Link awakens on the back of a strange talking boat and is told to acquire a sail if he wants to save his sister. He asks around until a shopkeeper explains "I just sold my last one to a nice sailor. He just went into the Milk Bar if you want to make him an offer."

And who just has to be sitting at the bar, a sail propped against his knee?

The former jailbird is stubborn up until the kid starts crying. He's a softie at heart.

"Okay okay. I'll go set it up for you. Where's your boat?"

The sailor screams when the kid's boat starts Talking to him.

"Hello Linebeck. It's been a long time"

"So no hard feelings on that time I sold you, right Kingy?"

The King is strangely adamant that Linebeck joins them. Perhaps as repayment for trying to pawn off the old relic. Linebeck is only convinced when it becomes clear that poor island-raised Link has no idea how to sail.

And so the adventure begins with an extra passenger.

"It such a shame." Muses the King of Red Lions. "That the Hero of Courage has been reincarnated as a total coward."

I have many more things to say about this Au if anyone would like to know more!

[mellz117]

Hi! I'm Mellz and I'm playing a Spyro game for the first time!

If this is your first time seeing my blog pop up in your searches, please consider taking a looksee. I'm the admin of @link-is-a-dork, and the Zelda series is just some of what I play, Mellz117 here is my blog for video games in general!

With that out of the way, I'm about to start. I'm only going to be writing down my thoughts as things happen, with images and clips added for context. This will not be PG, expect some no-no language. Go right to the read more if you don't wanna read my little guide thingy

Guide thingy: Certain things like events, long gaps between commentary, or days will be separated by a line of dots like that -> ……

Text relating to an image posted will have a blockquote either above and/or below the image

Dialogue exchanges will also be separated by a blockquote

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Interview with a Dragon

I'm not sure what Gnasty Gnorc did in the past to warrant these dragons.... draggin' (ta-da tss) him but like yo

Poor bruh. For an orc-ogre dude he's ugly in a cute way, like a bulldog. I picked the most flattering frame I could to help his case.

Ok, I'm in control now. The camera is very sensitive but everything else is so nice. Might turn off motion blur, it doesn't bother me so much but eh, it might affect how my gifs will look.

Oh no.... Oh No

Him. Do we ever see Nestor again later? I very much hope so.

Water bad? Got it.

I'm really digging these dragon designs. They're so cool!

HES A BUNCH OF SHEEP!

I love it!

No ok he was just a goat on stilts. Still love it XD

This game is really pretty.

I love Oswin's voice. It reminds me of someone but I'm not sure who....

I found a dude with a dragon's skull in his hand. Is he Hamlet? Darius, that's his name. Thanks for the tip my dude, it's not like I figured the out on my own. "Quick flame" yeah no duh lmao

The beginning of the Peacekeepers World theme gives me Forsaken Fortress vibes.

I'm having a good time so far. I love how bouncy everything is.

Wtf are these colored chests with the gems? What am I supposed to do to get their treasures?

Got it. Dive attack

Love Trondo. He was a bit meh at first but he's hilarious. I love his mannerisms.

………………………………………………………………………………………….

What's with all these ledges I can barely reach? It's infuriating. I keep falling to my doom.

Moving on.

In Cliffside Town.

All of a sudden I want soup.... this might be why!

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Spyro: "What's on the other side of that river?"

Enzo: "Why don't you glide over there and find out?

BITCH IM TRYING

Done with the Peacekeepers World, onto the Magicmakers place. These wizard dudes are silly. Are they humans...?

So who is this balloon maker dude? He reminds me of a beaver.

On to Beast Maker's world. Oh shit it's a spooky bog.

A lot of these dragons are very chunky boys. Cute.

Does Claude share the same voice as the gator in The Princess and the Frog? A few dragons here sound like him, shoot me.

This place reminds me a lot of Wind Waker

...

FAT BOY!

FAT BOY!

I like how the dragons in the swamp resemble frogs and alligators, since they live among such animals in the bayou.

……………………………………………………………………………………………

AFTER SO MANY LIVES LATER, I COULDNT EVEN COUNT

FUCK

TREE TOPS

EAT MY ENTIRE ASS

I enabled the 99 lives cheat cuz I was having such a hard time. So I'm playing with those lives. A game over doesn't really set you back, just having to sit through annoying loading times as I wait to be brought back to the main world, then go back into the sub world, clearing out the enemies.... That gets annoying!

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Moving on to Dream Weavers.

I hate jesters. I hate clowns. I hate all things of the sort.

.....Who voices Useni? He sounds so familiar but I can't pinpoint it! akdjgjsj

These dragons keep giving Spyro tips on things hes already figured out. "A fairy's kiss can enhance your flame" YEAH NO SHIT that's how I was able to reach you!

Ooh-hoo, now we at Gnasty Gnorc's realm. Dun-dun! How did he recapture these dragons, yet still not Spyro? Why did he not crystallize Spyro from the beginning?

Spyro sounds like a much less annoying Spongebob but that's probably because he is

Splat Fest at the Twilight Harbor!

……………………………………………………………………………………………

Gnasty is big.

Gnasty is fast.

Gnasty is a LOOOOSERRRRR

No really that was kinda lame, that was anticlimactic. You chase him and blow fire at him twice. I get it, it's a kids' platformer but I'd like a little bit more of a challenging end boss ESPECIALLY with Tree Tops being a level. I can't imagine the frustration a child had to endure playing Tree Tops for the first time. Oh wait, yes I can. It was a nightmare lmao. I did have to watch a walkthrough on a few places that stumped me, I won't lie.

Overall I found the game very enjoyable. The controls are nice and responsive, the character designs are very fun, and the locations are gorgeous. I don't know much about the original release and how it handles so I can't compare, but visually I can, that's first sure!

I'm gonna take a bit of a break and play Kingdom Hearts 2!

[accessibleloz]

[ID: A colored digital comic of Link and Aryll from Wind Waker. The first panel shows Link sitting at the end of a dock, looking out at the ocean. The King of Red Lions is sitting in the water next to him. It is nighttime. Someone offscreen calls, “Big brother?”.

The second panel shows Aryll walking up to Link. Link turns around, and says, “Oh, hi Aryll! Sorry, I didn’t notice you.” Aryll says, “What are you doing out here all alone? Miss Tetra and the pirates are all inside; Grandma made a huge pot of soup and they love it!”

The third panel shows Link laughing. He says, “Haha, that’s great! I was just thinking, is all. I’ll come inside in a bit.”

The fourth panel shows Aryll sitting down next to Link, looking concerned. She asks, “Brother, why do you look sad?” Link replies, “I look sad?”.

The fifth panel shows Aryll sadly saying, “Yes… I know you’re leaving with Miss Tetra tomorrow on the pirate ship.”

The sixth panel shows Link replying, “Ah, so you figured that out? You’re smart Aryll.”

The seventh panel shows Aryll saying, “You’ll miss me, right?”

The eighth panel shows Link saying, “Of course I’ll miss you, every day! And I’ll come visit you and Grandma whenever I can and write letters all the time, okay?”

The ninth panel shows Aryll, from offscreen, yelling, “You could stay! Then you wouldn’t have to visit, it’ll be just like before!” to a shocked Link.

The tenth panel shows Link turned away, looking out into the distance again. He says, “But I can’t stay here because, well…    this island is too small! When we were little it was okay because it was all we knew… but after all my adventures, things can’t just go back to normal.”

The eleventh panel shows Aryll looking sadly at Link, and the next shows her turning away, saying, “… I’ll miss you a lot, big brother.” 

The next panel shows Link smiling and saying, “I’ll miss you too, Aryll…” He then turns, and says, “Hey, that reminds me!” 

The next panel shows him holding out Aryll’s telescope and saying, “Here!” Aryll takes the telescope as Link continues, “It was a really good birthday present, thanks for letting me borrow it!”. Aryll, still holding the telescope, starts to cry.

Link, panicking, tries to comfort her, saying, “Aryll! What’s the matter? Didn’t you want it back?” Aryll, still crying, holds out the telescope, and says, “Please keep it Link, so you don’t forget about me!” Link takes the telescope, and replies, “… Aryll, I won’t ever forget about you. Thank you.”

Link then gets up, saying, “I have a present for you too, it’s someone who helped me out a whole lot during my adventure!” He walks down the dock as Aryll asks, “Huh? What is it?”

Link gestures at the King of Red Lions, saying, “Meet the King of Red Lions! He’s one of my best friends so promise to take good care of him!” Aryll, shocked, replies, “Link! I can’t take your boat, how are you gonna sail around?”

Link smilies, and replies, “I’ll be with the pirates in their ship! I’ll take my Wind Waker and all my tools, but it would be a shame to tuck him away and keep him from sailing.” Aryll gently touches the boat, and is quiet for a moment. Link then says, “You remember the first time I tried to save you at the Forsaken Fortress, but that nasty bird picked me up and flew away from me?” Aryll replies, “Yeah! What happened back then anyway? I was really worried.”

Link gestures at the King of Red Lions, and says, “Well I would have drowned at sea if this old boat hadn’t come along and rescued me! I owe him my life!” Aryll, looking awed, asks, “Wow, really?” Link answers, “You bet! He’s carried me through night and day!”

The next few panels show a variety of scenes of Link and the King of Red Lions, as Link talks to Aryll. The first shows the two pulling up a treasure chest. Link says, “We travelled all across the Great Sea and found precious treasure,”

The next shows them facing a Giant Octo during a storm. Link continues, “Fought giant monsters,”

The third shows them meeting Jabun. Link goes on, “Talked to ancient guardians and magical fairies,”

The final scene shows them sailing under the night sky, full of stars. Link finishes, “And sailed straight through the roughest storms until the skies were clear and the water was like glass…”

Aryll reaches out to touch the King of Red Lions again, and asks, “Wow… is he a real king?” Link replies, “Of course he is! The one and only true king of an ancient and great kingdom!” Aryll laughs, “Really? Haha!”

Link then smiles wistfully, and says, “I don’t think adventure was really his favorite thing so he’ll probably enjoy the rest… But if you wanted to start your own journey someday, he’s the best partner you could have.” Aryll looks at him worriedly. Link continues, looking sadder, “He’s helped me more than I could ever thank him for, and I’ll miss him too…”

The final panel shows Link and Aryll hugging, the King of Red Lions at their side. Aryll says, “I’ll take good care of him, big brother.” Link replies, “Thanks, Aryll.” End ID.]

wind waker comic i’ve been working on for the past week. takes place just a few hours after the fight with ganondorf, the night before link sails away on a new journey. 

[golvio]

In light of the information in Master Works about the Yiga Clan, it’s an interesting touch that a lot of Ganon’s followers in BotW seem to be either nomads or exiles; peoples who either roam from place to place looking for resources or just have nowhere to call home. These folks also tend to be oppressed groups with some reason to hate either the Royal Family or just the Hylians in general, given that monsters also aren’t treated too well by the races of Hyrule that are officially recognized as “people.”

The lone settlement in the Dark World was known as the “Village of Outcasts.” In ALttP, he was the leader of a group of thieves before becoming the god-ruler of the Dark World. In Wind Waker, he was the leader of a group of monsters who were looked down upon by humans, and the Forsaken Fortress became their home. In FSA, he became the much-beloved leader of the Deku Scrubs, who were people that ended up trapped in the Lost Woods and lost all recollection of their former selves.

It’s rather easy to win the loyalty of a people without a homeland, who have everything to gain and nothing to lose. Still, the fact that he seems to gravitate towards the exiled and the unwanted, given that he’s an exile of the Gerudo and of Hyrule himself, makes me a bit curious as to what his MO is when it comes to dealing with his allies. The fact that the Deku Scrubs very explicitly adored him in FSA is also very curious, given that it’s the first time we’ve ever heard of him actually being nice to someone, even if he was also using them for his own purposes.

[kaminaepicwin]

First Zelda Game Play

So while I have been nerding it up for over two decades, I have only just finished my first Zelda game ever. Specifically, Wind Waker on our Wii.  While there are many things worth mentioning in the game, I would like to call attention to two particular things. 

Bob the Moblin (or Boblin, as I call him ).  So in the first dungeon, the Forsaken Fortress, there is a chunk where you must sneak your way past several Moblins (orc critters) by hiding in barrels and tip-toeing your way past them. There is a particular room with two of them that has a staircase you need to get to, and one of these two Moblins would ALWAYS wreck my shit, throwing me into jail over and over. My wife and I joked that Bob the Moblin always suggested that they kill me rather than imprison me, because clearly it didn’t work, but Ganondorf never took his concerns seriously.  His loss. 

Hard Working Shark. Much later in the game you are able to teleport between islands on your boat. I was finishing up a treasure chart and I teleported to Tinkle’s tower. As SOON as I landed, I started to hear the chilling “shark on your tail” music, and I immediately redirected the wind and went west. Normally these sharks (technically called Gyorgs, whatever) follow you for a bit, but instead this shark put in the extra work, chasing me through a blockage of enemy pirate ships, a storm, and two additional map islands. My wife said he was going for a promotion. Sadly he did chase me all the way to the treasure I wanted, and a somber shark-man in a suit was dispatched to his family’s home. 

[herocfwind]

Link’s views on the goddesses changes throughout the Wind Waker. It starts to morph into disdain part way through the game, when he learns more about Hyrule. When he finally starts to ask questions and demands answers from Daphnes (Especially after Daphnes sent him in the Forsaken Fortress knowing that the Master Sword was dull). 

Murder is something Link will never tolerate and here’s the thing, when flooding Hyrule, the Goddesses committed genocide. Once he realizes this, he no longer see the goddesses as above them, as perfect, because they are murderers. They killed off the Gorons, the Gerudo, they killed plenty Zoras and Hylians just in an attempt to seal Ganondorf away. A seal that didn’t even last.

And the selected few being Hylian, gee I wonder if they play favorites (Besides, it’s not like you can drown Zoras)

He didn’t forgive Ganondorf for all of the destruction he caused and murders of Laruto and Fado (Link also knows that many more have probably been slain by Ganondorf’s hand) and he isn’t going to forgive the goddesses’ genocide. He doesn’t care if it was an attempt to stop Ganondorf because it didn’t work. Many died simply because the goddesses felt it was for the best. 

Their people prayed and prayed and prayed, and the Great Sea was their solution. 

In his eyes, they’re no better than people. They murder, they’re foolish, and they pick favorites. He holds contempt against them for their actions against they people they had created. The Gorons, Gerudo, Zora, and Hylians are more than just mere playthings that can be thrown away when they’re no longer ‘fun’.

Link also has a lot of questions for them, ones that are burning to be answered. He wants an explanation on why they did this, why they felt it was best, and they there were given power and immortality do nothing good with it. 

All of this doesn’t quite click for Link until his older. Sure, after Wind Waker he’s a bit unhappy about them, but once a few years are added onto that, any respect he had for them is gone. 

When he finally sees the full picture of their crimes and how it led to the world he knows now, the hero won’t look up to murderers. The childhood innocence that kept him from connecting everything together disappeared with time just leaving a glaring stamp of the gods mistakes. 

Questioning the gods as a child turns into disdain as an adult.

Hylia’s chosen hero loathes her. The wielder of the Triforce of Courage disregards Farore. Link no longer sees them as gods. 

[always-thirsty-pocket]

I guess it really has been a long time since I played the Wind Waker, I just got the biggest smile and a bit of a rush. I forget just how satisfying the second visit to the Forsaken Fortress is. You go through this horrible place that you previously had to sneak around in with no weapon, you confront the big bad bird from earlier in the game, and then you have what is, for me, the best cutscene in the entire series, which I don’t think will ever be topped. We see Ganondorf’s face for the first time ( which is probably a bigger deal when the game was new ), Ganondorf being close to doing away with Link, THEN being very close to finding exactly what he’s been looking for, and other big plot details, Link’s allies being good allies, and a fucking dragon torching Ganondorf’s face.

Man, Aonuma REALLY needs to look back at this game the next time he writes for Ganon. Stop trying to make him an eldrich kaiju. Because he’s at his best as a conniving man who gets uncomfortably close to getting exactly what he wants with his bare hands ( and not the hands of some puppet )