#Aoc Link's story is a tragedy. it is. Botw link's more so yeah. But Aoc Link didn't get to be himself at the end.

[luna-loveboop]

There is sooo much fun contrast between Breath of the Wild and Age of Calamity Link, and the one I can't stop laughing at is SHIELD SURFING it is ridiculous!

Like here's Shield surfing in Botw-

It's pretty, and if it's rainy I can slide even more. I do it for fun off a nearby hill if I have a shield to spare. I press Y or X to do a fancy kick or spin, and I can attack some monsters with it passing by. The greatest danger with shield surfing is Link hitting a rock, his shield breaking, and him dying or using a fairy/Mipha's grace. More likely he eats some a lot of apples. Outside of Link potentionally breaking a leg tho, it's fun! I once caught a horse in botw by shield surfing, I spun and accidentally flip-flopped onto her, named her Flip-flop in remembrance. If I do some kicks and jumps while shield surfing Link will even laugh and make happy sounds, which shows he's enjoying it. Fun happy times in botw while shield surfing :)

Then there's Shield surfing in Aoc-

Link screams HYAH! or some other raging and loud battle cry, as he hops on his shield and speeds, not towards, not around, but straight into whatever monsters stand in his way. The agonised cries of dying monsters fill the air as Link turns into a tunnel of pure deadly force. Is he going uphill? downhill? Doesn't matter, he's going, gravity has no hold on him. The worst case scenario you ask? Link shield surfs straight into a bomb barrel. Takes everything out quicker, and he loses half a heart from it. I finished an entire mission using only Link's shield surfing the other day. The game reminded me how to dodge bc it thought I forgot the other controls. I didn't need to dodge, just surf. Aoc Link doesn't go shield surfing for fun, he is on a mission and he becomes a whirling funnel of death.

And I mean all that literally by the way-

Botw Link: Shield surfs for fun and freedom while trying to survive! :D

Aoc Link: Shield surfs to KILL and destroy, he is out for blood

tbc I love Aoc Link he's a sweetheart just a very deadly one

And hey, looking at how the ability controls are explained in the game-

Botw- "Hop on your shield and slide down hills."

Aoc- "Link: One-Handed Weapons / Press X while running to shield surf."

So- in Botw it IS for fun- 'hop on'- whereas in Aoc shield surfing is an attack. hmm

..It makes sense I guess. Aoc Link killed the enemy, and Botw was the one who was killed- but it seems in the end Wild's the one who gets to live.

YEAH so anyways I actually cannot at the moment shield surf in Aoc without laughing bc he is so. so very violent.

I mean look! Look at the difference of scenes left behind after Link goes shield surfing (Botw, then Aoc)

An everybody-lives story is really a everybody-dies story for the enemy huh

[46hasu]

i just need to rant here a little here pls ignore me if you want

I feel that King Rhoam was the weakest part of Age of Calamity (ignoring the way they scrapped everything interesting about zelda and the fucking dues ex machina egg). King Rhoam's supposed death was executed perfectly!! He and Zelda had no chances to make amends or come to an understanding with the sudden rise of the Calamity. He was an abusive piece of shit of a father, but he was shown to love Zelda at least a little when he ordered Link to protect Zelda instead of ordering him to face the Calamity head on. It wasn't much and can be easily gleamed over but that was the point!!! His death wasn't meant to be a redemption arc where Zelda suddenly forgives him for the years of emotional neglect and verbal abuse. It was meant to be a tragedy!!! It was supposed to be about Zelda losing her father along with her kingdom!!! It was supposed to be about a man who was sure he could change fate only to be humbled by his regrets on his death!!!

seriously compared to the way King Rhoam appeared in the tutorial area of BOTW and the cutscenes before he was killed in the calamity are *very* different. The King Rhoam in the memory cutscene has an imposing figure that was announced by that pompous background music and the way he basically towers over Zelda as he belittles and humiliates her because he was so sure that what he was doing was right that he basically has his head up his ass and couldn't see that he was actually fucking up everything. But in the tutorial area??? he is a constant but a small presence that only nudges Link in the right direction. He teaches him how to hunt, cut wood, and even gives him warmer clothes for the cold mountains. He was * likable* in the tutorial area because of that (even if he did force-feed you the tutorials a little). The main point is he didn't push Link around 'to do this and now do that!' He let Link figure everything out for himself and only answered his questions when he was sure Link was ready. Which are all the things he didn't do for Zelda !! His death and regrets turned him into a more humble and patient man that made him the perfect candidate for the tutorial area.

And more importantly, he pleads Link to save Zelda when he reveals his identity! Not orders or demands!! He begs Link to save his daughter instead of forcing him to face his destiny and save Hyrule (which were things that he would constantly demand Zelda to do when she unlocks her powers)

So yeah!! His death is meant to be a tragedy that humbles him and knocks him back down to reality at how powerless he really is! He isn't meant to defy destiny or make the two chosen ones save Hyrule.

It is not a redemption arc!!!! It's a plot device that is meant to nudge Link to the main objective!! His character arc ended with his death where he was killed from the calamity and became more humble!!! He never redeemed himself!!!

But Age of Calamity???!?!!??!

"Oh let's GET RID OF THAT *ENTIRELY*"

The main problem with Age of Calamity is how it practically throws itself back to the Zelda formula that made the entire series have a weak plot to begin with. The writer's are too afraid to take risks that could make the story more appealing and darker. BOTW didn't have a masterpiece of a storyline, but Age of Calamity is a glaring step down. Zelda is now a two-dimensional character whose main characteristic is that she is ~insecure~ Impa coming in and out of the story at a drop of a hat. Link shows no signs of anxiety and pressure from being the chosen one. None of the Champions have anything added onto them. And the *fucking* egg

I have strong feelings about all of those things but this rant is about King Rhoam.

God where do I even start.

At first AoC seemed to have everything right about King Rhoam's arrogance and overall shitty behavior towards Zelda. But we hardly ever see any of that in the game. He hardly ever discourages Zelda from being a scholar and doesn't even humiliate her in front of everyone for the sake of seeming like a good leader and king. He only appears, shows his disapproval of Zelda and disappears until his "death"

ok this is where the real rant comes in

Again, i loved that scene. It was tragic. Zelda was weeping her eyes out, Link shows the first ounce of emotion in fuck knows how long. And more importantly!!! Rhoam is confronted with his faults!!!! He finally prioritizes Zelda above his kingdom!!! He orders Link to protect her instead of making him fight the Calamity!!! He can't bring himself to apologize to Zelda because there is no time!!! this isn't the place for it!!! He cares more about Zelda escaping alive than being forgiven!!!

yes I nearly did cry

He accepts his fate that he would die to the calamity with no means to make amends to his daughter. But then that happens

I was hyped af to learn about the mysterious device that Zelda always carried with her and I loved the touch that she and her mother both used to make theories about what it could have been used for cause it gave us just a little fact about the previous queen of Hyrule. (and it was the only thing we got akdghkadghjkJKDFK AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARG)

But then Zelda gave the device to

King Rhoam ???

ZELDA NO YOUR FATHER IS JUST GOING TO TOSS IT ASIDE WHAT ARE YOU DOING TAKE IT BACK TAKE IT BACK TAKE IT BACK

Looking back on it. He should have thrown it aside and admonished Zelda even more for prioritizing Guardian research over her destiny. It would have been in character and would have shown just how far he had his head up his ass. but noooooo

Instead we got the dues ex machina to end all dues ex machinas (second only to the fucking egg). That device activates just as he is about to die and saves him and his men from the guardians.

What??? How???? How did it activate??? How did he know how to use it when Zelda (the Guardian enthusiast who has been researching it most of her life along with her mother the queen and probably a shit ton of Sheikah scientists) couldn't figure it out??

"It's cause the previous queen was looking after him from heaven or whatever fuck is the heaven equivalent of the Hylian religion."

Listen, you and I both know it's not a valid reason. (though that is touching in the cheapest and smallest way possible cause I would have just watched him being desecrated with popcorn in hand if i was the previous queen)

And why did he not go after Zelda and Link after he was safe?????? Why did he let her think he was dead instead of going after her and going "lol nvm i didn't need a cool sacrifice scene after all" ???

So yeah all that emotional cutscene got undermined by that shitty plot device

You know, I'm starting to think that the whole saving King Rhoam was a last-minute idea that was hammered on cause they didn't want a sad Zelda game (oh okay so Midna's farewell wasn't sad at all, gotcha Nintendo.)

Ok moving on from the super cheap plot device to save King Rhoam let me now rant about his redemption arc.

FUCK THAT

Nintendo really tried to redeem him with a half-assed apology for the years of emotional and verbal abuse huh. Zelda should have shot lighting at him like Zuko did, that would have been pleasing tbh

You know I don't really have to go on about this section. We all hate the "forgiving abusive parent" trope so I'm moving on to why he should have stayed dead instead of being saved

Reason #1:

There was literally no more time left to explore Zelda and Rhoam's new relationship now that Zelda ~magically~ forgave him. In fact they never interact again after that scene. So what was the point of that forgiveness if they weren't going to build on it??

Trick question: there was no point. Nintendo just didn't want a sad Zelda.

Reason #2:

Remember that cool ass speech that Zelda gave to *HER* troops a day after the Calamity awakened and she announced that the goddess was on their side in that ugly ass dress that she insists on wearing for some reason (*ahem ahem* marketing reasons *ahem*)?

Yeah I enjoyed that scene despite the dress. Zelda is finally and officially a queen now !!! (no Twilight Princess and original Hyrule Warriors doesn't really count cause they continue to be called a princess for some reason *ahem ahem* marketing reason *ahem*) She has finally grown up and learned to be more confident!! She's ready to take charge and lead her troops!! It's Zelda time bitches!!!!

but no

King Rhoam is actually still alive. So Zelda is still just a princess so no queen Zelda action there.

ok but she's still in charge cause she has the goddess's powers now right???

no

After that half assed apology we had to sit through (I feel you Kohga I was also crying about how bad and cheesy it was) King Rhoam immediately takes back the charge of the troops, making Zelda stand aside.

"But she lead the charge towards the castle!!!"

no she didn't. She only said "onward!!" cause the big speech before the final battle got taken up by King Rhoam.

Yeah,,,, he really should have stayed dead

Reason #3: THE EGG

if you are reading this rant then you were just waiting for this part weren't you???

Well so was I and without a further ado....

WHAT THE FUCK WAS THAT????

HE JUST TOOK THE EGG FROM A SEVEN YEAR OLD???? BRO WHAT THE FUCK

"But you just said that king rhoam was meant to be arrogant and how his death and regrets humbled him!!!"

i did, didn't I?

But let's say that we did have our hearts moved by the apology scene and cried our eyes out. The father and daughter have finally come to a mutual understanding!! King Rhoam wasn't actually a shitty person after all!!

no

we get slapped with the memory of how King Rhoam stole Terrako away from Zelda cause uuhhhh *checks notes* a seven year should focus on saving the lives of millions instead of having time for herself to play.............

,,,,,,,,,,,,

DID NINTENDO JUST MAKE US SIT THROUGH ONE BIG KING RHOAM ISN'T ACTUALY A BAD GUY TO HE'S ACTUALLY AN ASSHOLE???

WHAT IS THIS NARRATIVE STRUCTURE????

DO YOU WANT US TO SYMPATHIZE WITH HIM OR NOT???

and that flashback is entirely new to Zelda!!! How is she supposed to feel about her father now????? She just forgave him (which she shouldn't have tbh) and she just got slapped with the memory of just how shitty her father was!!!!

Did their mutual understanding fall apart from that memory??? Did her forgiveness in him crumble???

Well we don't know cause it is never shown :^)

Yeah good job Nintendo what a nice story structure amazing 10/10 I'm in tears all our questions are answered and crops are watered bless

Real talk though, was anyone's questions answered from Age of Calamity??? Did the character have added depth from Breath of the Wild??? Did we really learn anything????

I don't know about you all but I'm just left with more questions than answers and more salt then I don't know what to do with

Again BOTW didn't have a strong storyline. But Age of Calamity had destroyed so many good things that the game *did* offer. And yes King Rhoam's character was just one of many

AND DON'T GET ME STARTED ON THAT FUCKING EGGG THAT RUINED EVERYTHING HOLY FUCK

Remember that time in Age Of Calamity where they tried to pull a King Rhoam redemption arc and he’s like “Oh boo hoo it took me nearly dying to realize I was being an abusive father. Pleeeeease forgive me.” But then any sympathy we may feel for him is immediately lost when he’s shown in a memory taking away what is essentially a pet/friend from his grieving and lonely child?

Yeah....