#BotW and TotK have made the fandom a place where I want to take a nail-grinder to a chalkboard sometimes

[loregoddess]

might have to add tears of the kingdom to my "got blacklisted not bc I hate the media (I love it so much actually), but bc the fans are fucking annoying" list

[the-depths-au]

FAQ

*this post continues heavy totk spoilers

How did it start?

A lot of people started posting some really cool art of a TotK ending where Zelda returns as a hybrid dragon creature thing. I saw a few that called it a “bad” ending and I noticed she was often portrayed with dominantly human-features just like, with horns or a tail, or the purple eyes, etc. I love to play video games(clearly) and I enjoy the challenge of seeing various endings, not just “secret endings” (think Heavy Rain, Until Dawn, The Witcher 3, Drakengard- anyone else play this?) I got to thinking about how her coming back didn’t really like a true “bad ending”. To me, a bad ending, really, would be one in which she didn’t get to magically, miraculously come back in any form. A bad ending to me would be Mineru’s warning held true. And in doing so, it would become The Legend of Zelda because she becomes the stuff of myths. Of true Legend. Fulfilling destiny (botw-era and the series as a whole). My brain sort of took off from there regarding the implications this would have on Hyrule and specially, our boy Link.

How could you! A Bad ending? Is this story at least hurt and eventual comfort??? Does it have a happy ending??

I could tag this hurt and comfort, but usually people who read these types of stories have certain expectations of what “comfort” is (and that’s okay!). Same with a “happy” ending. I don’t need stories to be wrap up in a bow with warmth to enjoy them. Honestly, some of the stories that have touched me the most over the years have had “sad” endings/negative character arcs/tragedy. That being said, I don’t particularly enjoy pure whump, either. What I feel is most important and what I am to do with this story, is to make any suffering meaningful. With purpose. And hopefully- maybe- you’ll see the “comfort” that is possible even in these types of stories.

Wait! So Zelda remains a dragon?

Yes. They defeat the demon dragon. Rauru and Sonia appear in a silent thanks, then they disappear and Link falls from the sky alone into the water. The Light Dragon continues along in her flight above him.

Link is also the only one who can see/has ever seen the Light Dragon.

Are there any other major changes from TotK?

It follows the game pretty closely. It’s just hard to say exactly what is in this story from TotK because there is just so much. In BotW, I headcanon Link took his time. He doesn’t remember anything. He is alone, lost, and the world is a vast, broken place. Therefore, it is plausible/ realistic in my head for all the side questions to be done prior to the ending being reached. In TotK, especially with the headcanon he and Zelda were together in the time between BotW and TotK, I had a hard time imagining Link would waste much time on anything unnecessary to save Zelda. So, with this in mind, I’ve had to justify the side questions to include in the story. Link’s journey is a bit different than my own. Whereas I actually spent 80% of my playthrough exploring the depths, this Link only went down when necessary. Meaning many of the lightroots have not been unlocked and he only has part of the armor of the depths. In the Linktober and the early concept, he has the entire set but this has been changed for the main comic.

How far after the events of TotK does this take place?

Five years.

Is it completely planned out?

Yes. I have a complete rough story outline done. It’s 17 chapters. I am anticipating some editing as I go, but regardless, it’s a big project. A huge shout out to @zeldaelmo and @fioreofthemarch for helping me get the story set. They are both phenomenal writers for the LoZ fandom so be sure to check them out!

What happened to the comic?

I made the decision to tell this story (initially) in writing. I have a very specific style in mind for this story as a full comic and honestly, I just don't feel like my artistic ability and overall proficiency is where I want it to be at this time. I'm still learning! I will be continuing to post art, concept art, and some comic panels here as I go and eventually, I would love to adapt the story into a full comic, but for now, I'll be telling the main story in writing.

How long have you been drawing?

I’ve been drawing all my life. Just for fun, although I took a few classes in school. Digitally, self-taught, since fall 2022. Still very new to this with lots to learn! I have a minor in creative writing and feel much more confident and comfortable with that.

Feel free to send me a DM with questions anytime! I plan to update this periodically.

Last updated 2/26/24

[doobnnoob-tf2]

Hey,love your blog! I really like your headcannons, I feel like you really get them, y'know?

Anyways, what kinds of games do you think the mercs would like? As in, video games. Would they like tf2?

Scout: yes, he would play TF2, only as himself and he is THAT kind of Scout player. he mostly plays FPS games, competitive ones. it makes him feel like he's hanging out with his brothers again, especially when everyone starts throwing insults at each other. he somehow manages to be the only person in the lobby not actually made, but it's probably because he's instigating everything

Soldier: yes, he would play TF2. he plays a lot of FPS games like Scout does, but his actual guilty pleasure is playing those old Army Men CD-Rom games from the early 00s

Pyro: yes, they would play TF2, but they treat it more as a dress up game then actually get in and fight. they'd play a lot of games like Animal Crossing or Stardew Valley or things like those. and every single game has everything decorated perfectly. they often go to someone else on the team who also likes those kinds of games for advice on new things they wanna add

Demoman: yes, he would play TF2. he has fun with it, even if it's difficult for him to play having only one eye. what he really enjoys playing are things like Umbrellas Not Included or Potion Craft, simulation games like that. they're a bit easier for him and he especially enjoys ones with choices you have to make and a story that plays out over time

Heavy: yes and no, he would only play TF2 if someone asked him to play with them. he isn't too big on video games in general. he'd really only play games with someone else if they asked him to and that's where he gets the most enjoyment out of it. playing and bonding with someone over it

Engineer: yes, he would play TF2, only as himself and he only Rancho Relaxo's all over the place after he sets up. he'd play games like Satisfactory, building factories and trying to maximize his space and resources. and it's such a big bonus if the game gives you a cute little companion like the Lizard Doggo

Medic: no, he would not play TF2, he tried once and got too angry at how everyone kept treating him when playing himself. he absolutely loves rage games. yes they serve their purpose and make him angry, and yes he knows every time he starts it up that he'll be yelling in German at pixels on a screen. but he finds that to be a good way to burn off stress

Sniper: yes, he would play TF2, but only sporadically and then he won't play again for another several months. he'd enjoy things like BOTW or TOTK. more open-world adventure type games. side quests galore, no forced tasks he has to complete and can take things at his own pace. combat is fun and he can challenge mini-bosses if he wants a real fight. that isn't to say he doesn't also sneak off to play AC at least once a day, he's gotta make sure his flowers are watered

Spy: no, he would not play TF2. he instead would play things like the Sims or City Skylines because they require the least amount of mental effort and are a great way for him to just shut his brain down for the evening

yeah, that's what being in the fandom since the game's initial release does to a man. but forreal, honestly that's the best kinda compliment I could get! I try really hard to stick with a more canon take on the Mercs, and I'm happy it appeals to people

also, I've answered one (maybe two?) asks about the Mercs and playing TF2. this one I'm just answering if they WOULD. not that it matters, but to avoid any confusion lol

[isa-ah]

your totk story opinions are so right. I wish more than anything that we got literally anything interesting or compelling to complement the gameplay. it sucks so hard for me that the gameplay was so 100% my personal catnip, but the story fell flat. I want to replay it at some point (at my own pace, I rushed the first time due to limited free time and wanting to avoid spoilers), but I’m waiting to forget enough details so I enjoy finding “secrets” again.

anyway enjoy the light dragon sculpture I made and a picture of my cats

i feel the same way entirely... like the movement and combat are so so good but everything else in the game is....... well.

whats the point of being like DEPTHS, CAVES, SKY ISLANDS WOW! when there were like 5 interesting variations of each and otherwise it was just. copied pasted sparse identical landscapes. why even have most of the very few skylands we have? every region has an identical set with the same puzzles. why even bother??

& dont even get me started about how hard they mirrored botw- starting by waking up on a foggy isolated landmass where the ghost of a dead king makes you go complete shrines to gain your abilities back. like. "we listened to community feedback! you all loved the shrines so much we recreated them, made even more of them, and made them functionally identical to sheikah shrines!" like find me literally anyone who asked for more shrines.

"everyone loved the memory system that consigned the entire plot and zeldas whole character to tiny snapshots, so we did it again!" everyone wanted zelda to be an active participant and to make the plot more relevant! who wanted ten minute tiktok dungeons? who wanted the zonai to be brought to life for fanservice & then garner NO insight into their race, history, culture while overwriting their entire architectural presence and the only hints we had about them in the first place?? we cant even pet the dogs and that was his example of "taking community feedback"!!

it looks beautiful. it handles really well. tulin. but otherwise i feel like the entire game can be summed up by the fact that they shoehorned a sudden, vindictive hetero marriage onto sidon to cut down the most popular (and queerbaited) gay ship in the fandom. yknow?

[sweet-lemonad-rose-sapphire]

Why I’m writing a BOTW prequel

I got into the Legend of Zelda (TLOZ) fandom in May of 2023 (2 weeks after TOTK came out so it was probably the best possible time to discover it!). At first I just watched the BOTW cutscenes on YouTube in chronological order, but then I ended up getting INVESTED in the story!!! I had already watched a video about Top Ten Saddest Video Game scenes at some point, so I knew that the Champions would die, but I just wasn’t expecting how REAL the scene was!

The next night I decided to watch the TOTK cutscenes because BOTW was so interesting, and of course, I fell in LOVE with the games! I loved how they portrayed Zelda and her character arc, I loved how the storyline wasn’t afraid to take a dark turn, but most of all, LINK stood out to me.

I had already known that he was a “Silent Protagonist” but I think that was the reason why I was interested in watching the BOTW cutscenes in the first place. I wanted to see how it was pulled off, being that Link was the main character after all. Yes, admittedly there were a few scenes that made me just want to shake this man, yelling “JUST SAY SOMETHING DUDE!!!” I still found his backstory interesting… or more lack there was.

I read the diary entries from the game and had questions like “So what, he’s just been silent for years? What caused this? What was he doing with the Master Sword during the ages 12/13 to 17? What caused such a change of personality at such a young age? It couldn’t just be because of the Master Sword… right?” I was absolutely HOOKED on finding answers! Then I found out about Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity.

At first I thought the cutscenes were from BOTW, then I saw the title of the video and thought it was a fan project, until I found out there was an ENTIRE prequel game of BOTW and I couldn’t understand why not many people were talking about it! Just a few nights after watching the BOTW cutscenes, I waited until my mom went to bed, popped some popcorn, and sat down on the couch, pulling up YouTube. I was about to get answers, and these next 3 hours were going to emotionally destroy me! And I was ready!

“IT’S A WHAT IF SCENARIO?!?!”

I was destroyed, but not for the reasons I thought I’d be… Things were happening in a different order, Link didn’t have the Master Sword yet (even though he was CLEARLY older than 12/13!) and they knew when Ganon was going to attack! I was a little upset. I thought I was promised a Prequel, but ended up getting what felt like a Fan-fiction! I did like the awkward Link scene and the smile he gave Zelda at the end though…

By the time the cutscenes ended, I just remember staring at the screen for a while. Processing.

I still had so many questions.

After a while, I got on Amazon to find out how much a Switch was.

“Fine,” I said. “My turn!”

I’ve grown to enjoy AoC for the moments that couldn’t possibly happen in BOTW (Sidon getting to see his Sister again, Zelda and her Father reconciling), but I just REALLY wanted to know Link’s story.

WHY did Link not talk?

WHEN did Link meet Daruk (why was he taking a casual stroll through Death Mountain)?

HOW did Link end up with the Master Sword at 12 or 13 years old if it was in the middle of the Lost Woods?

WHO was Link’s father (and his other family)?

WHERE was Link during those 4 or 5 years and

WHAT was he doing?

I was determined. I did research, I bought the game, I bought the DLC, I even bought the Masterworks Book! Video, after video, after video, I learned all I could about Link, Zelda, and the Champions! I also learned about the storyline of each Zelda game.

By the end of all this, I ended up with what I’m pretty sure is an entertaining story. I had to split it up into 2 books, but that just made Link’s story even more interesting. I will certainly be taking some creative liberties, especially during the first book (the part going over what was happening during the time between Link finding the Master Sword at 12/13 years old and him becoming Zelda’s personal knight), but I think the information I found should be enough to fill in the blanks.

I’ll be sharing my findings during the next few months (only sharing what has been explained or hinted at within the games, of course) so I hope you guys enjoy what I found!

[myeolines]

still haven't finished totk bcs i keep getting busy w uni but i kinda just wanna rant about the main plot line lol

The continuity issues of this game is frustrating if you try to mince the main plot, shit just doesn't add up. As fun the open worldness is, being able to solve the puzzles any way you want, it feels as if they had to cut corners when it came to the plot 💀 Like it's some afterthought djsbdkwnkdns Having cutscenes fully voice acted has so much emotional power, like I kinda wish they made the most out of it jdjsbkwndke

I've read here in tumblr before about how it's as if the original direction of the zonai shifted, because I do remember Rauru's hand being creepy. And then the game releases and he's apparently a good boi! But it's fine, sometimes art do be like that it just takes a whole new direction. But the way they interweave things w botw is very inconsistent. Like they could have really did more with it yanno

Personally, it would have been better if we didn't start the game exploring the ruins ? the castle depths ? idk what's it called but like, we got to experience following Zelda as she puts in the effort of "restoring Hyrule". We get to see the glimpse of their life together after the calamity.

The thing is, does Hyrule need to be restored? Most specifically, the castle. Also it makes me wonder how people reacted seeing what seems to be the princess of legend come back, the princess they've heard from their grandparents. But I guess it's easy to interpret it with Zelda being vital to their worshipping of Hylia. And Hyrule Castle seems to serve as a seal for Ganon, and for more generations to come

It would have been more meaningful to see beloved characters from the series intermingle with the new characters. Though the new characters look cool, they also feel so out of place. I get that Penn replaces Kass in terms of role but it would still have been fun to see Kass just chilling at home. It would have also been fun to see Zelda and Kass interact, after all Kass' teacher is the court poet that regularly accompanied the princess. They could reminisce the stories of the past... Kass going "Ah, my teacher used to tell me stories of (this and that)" and Zelda enthusiastically recalling these stories... It would also have been cool to see how the whole Zonai Survey Team was formed. Since Tauro was a solo explorer and his passion for field research is what made Zelda choose him to be the leader of the survey team, it would have been nice to have a neat little side quest of getting to know the guy. Same goes for Yona. It would have been less surprising if Link and Sidon were penpals and they'd regularly write to each other, Sidon would recount some childhood memories with Yona. If maybe we were there to welcome Yona as she arrived, her introduction would have felt smoother? I'm not against the idea of Sidon and Yona but their relationship feels so abrupt HABSJABDKANDK Would have been fun to see how Sidon slowly realized he loved Yona, something like that.

I'm really digging the idea that totk zelda should be playable. Totk's story is more about her dilemma. It would have been more meaningful experiencing the Dragon Tears memory as Zelda, we get to move around as her. I mean, she's apparently the strongest Zelda in the series I think it would have been so monumental.

But back to the actual story, it could have been more... Though it's fun seeing that Link isn't as alone anymore, teleporting to Lookout Landing always feels nice because I know that's where Link's friends are, I just wish Zelda had more screentime.

Thankfully the fandom has people rewriting the story to fill in the gaps so that's what I'll be busy reading once I finish the game to scratch the itch that is inconsistent storytelling sjbskdnsns that's my totk rant for today 😘