#also considering :-))) making him half gerudo :-)))))

[seagullcharmer]

thinking abt chain link fences again and i think it would be SO funny if bee and honey had BOTH had to deal with the windfish's dream

[gav-san]

THE QUEEN OF THE KING 15/15

Previous / ...

It starts with Phantom’s warning neighs.

One moment you are asleep, wrapped in your white shift and Ganondorf's arms, and the next you are being flung over his shoulder as he twists to plant you in between his hot back and the freezing rock of the shrine. Even when you try to wriggle, to help, he won’t let you, defending you with his body, his golden sword in one hand.

You are very discombobulated, but after a moment of gaining your bearings, you realize that you are not alone.

There are at least fifty people in black and red uniforms of a sort surrounding you, placed in circles, trapping you. They do not look particularly menacing, the tight clothing and tall hairdo are more funny than anything else.

If you knew you’d be having visitors, you would have dressed in more than a thin slip of silk last night. Though much else had seemed silly at the time, considering your, uh, activities, and how eager you had been.

One glance at Ganondorfs face makes you realize that he is making a face you have yet to see. It causes your stomach to drop in fear, but also a bevy of butterflies to erupt in a misplaced twist of lust. The way his skin sketches taught, the scrub of an unshaven beard shadowing the sharp jaw as it contorts is downright vicious. 

“Molduga Pits.” He says, clearly a curse, but not one you are familiar with, sounding exasperated and annoyed. “You bastards again .” You place a hand on his bare back, glancing at the people furtively. We’re these enemies of the Gerudo? Perhaps from an ally of Hylia? Maybe she could help.

You go to move forward, thinking that perhaps you can reason with them, but Ganondorfs stance is steel, not letting you move an inch out of his protection. 

“Greetings, Emperor of Calamity,” Someone says, moving up front, from inside the crowd.

The number of men scared you, but this man was far too dramatic to be serious. You look around, trying to see Ganondorf’s horse, Phantom, but he is nowhere to be found. He probably rushed off, as a good desert horse was trained to do, you think wryly. 

There go the quickest means of escape, and now you’d have to face the weird cult head-on. 

The foremost ring parts, and a thick-bellied male in a ridiculous golden girdle step over the red suit steps forward, taking a deep bow. “I, my esteemed liege, am the third Master Koga-” He drawls, his voice surprisingly whiny for such a rotund man. 

“I know who you are,” Ganondorf growls, rising to his full height and moving to better shield you, and you can’t help compare how intimidating his figure is, in comparison. “You think coming yourself will change my answer? Time and time again you Yiga have been told that the Gerudo do not hold to your foolish beliefs!” 

Yiga? You thought that sounded familiar. You swear you knew it, but it was hard to concentrate when thick muscles were just centimeters from crushing your head in. 

The Yiga’s footsteps pause, clearly considering a new plan. Or just watching you turn into a princess sandwich.

“Well,” The man begins again, voice less methodical but much darker. “We figured we needed a more direct conversation… since you’ve already found the dread witch who threatens your reign with her brainwashing,” There is a shift, and you realize, that there to hurt you. 

You go white.

And the Yiga’s admission, Ganondorf’s entire demeanor changes from cautious hesitance to tense anger.

“Keep your filthy mouths away from my queen’s good name!” Ganondorf says, and you’re surprised to see him come to your defense so rapidly. “She has nothing to do with your nonsense, and neither will I!” You cling to him as if only to remember he is not mad at you but for you.

How long had it been since someone defended you half so passionately? Your heart beat like it was going to bounce out of your chest.

Master Koga, the third, or whoever he was sighed deeply, like he had expected this.

“ A shame, really. That we have to step in.” And then he had the gall to sound offended! “I can tell this vain creature has enraptured you with her magic, and she should be dealt with by us underlings!”

Ganondorf made a growling sound, deep in the back of his throat. “If you come even a step closer, or make any moves to hurt my wife, I swear I will hunt every last Yiga fool down and leave you in the sand for the Moldugas to feed their young on! ” That small growl became a roar as he finished, leaving you far more wary of the man before you. He had never once come close to forfeiting his calmness, but it seems the thought of losing you was more than enough to unleash his fury. 

You can’t help but become warm at the sight of him roaring for you, his wife.

And, you think, you could spend the rest of your life listening to him say it.

But the Yiga, for all their talk about being subjects to their prospective king, had no wisdom in their loyalty, and they did not concede to his warnings. Instead, each and every last one of them turned to their weapons, from the glimpse you could see.

“We’d rather not fight our future king, but I can see we have no choice!” Koga said, moving from his pathetic position to unleash a wicked-looking, curved sword, one that indicated he was much more serious now. Gandorf copied his hand on the giant sword he had tucked at his hip, the other moving around your waist in an awkward, backward tango, as if he is going to jump over all the men. All the Yiga men grasp their weapons, nervously, like he is a giant water buffalo ready to charge them. But he doesn’t do so, instead, tucking something small into your waistband. He inches even closer, if possible, keeping his voice low.

“I love you.” He says, and you press into him, ready for whatever, “And I’m sorry I have put you in danger. I swear I will protect you with my life.”

You know he does. And you finally know that you do too. Probably since the first glimpse of him you had, he had taken your heart.

“I love you too.” You say, and he pauses like he is relishing it for the last time.

 Then he raises his sword, pointing it at the men, pivoting to the shrine. Magic, you think, swells at his fingertips, and the same golden presence wraps around your bands of gold.

“I will find you again, my moon. ” He swears.

Your heart dropped, the words far too fatalistic for comfort. You furrow your brows, confused as you place a hand on his own before it retreats. 

He gives a thin smile, though you only guess that, as he is still focused on the people before him, save for the intimate brush of a finger to loosen your grip. You think he must be ready to toss you over his shoulder or something.

But it seemed Ganondorf was risking no threat to you.

He immediately moves, and in one swift motion, you are pushed inside the shrine his magic has reopened. It’s as gentle as he can, but you still sprawl, as he moves so swiftly that you had no time to react. No time to disagree or do anything.

“Stop!” You lift out a hand, but he is too quick, moving to protect you, to leave you safe in the quiet, space, lit only but the eerily blue of the ever-glowing magic there.

You stumble to the ornate stone-clad floor, and can barely catch the moment that a giant stone slab seals over the entrance, cutting you off from the outside, as well as one another. You flail, running to the rock, pounding your fists. 

But there was no handle, nor even a seam that you could attempt to pry. The rock face was so smooth it was as if one had never been chipped away. Magic, you think in a manic frenzy, trying to will yourself to pound it to dust. 

There are no sounds of battle, nothing but the thud of your hands, which eventually stop, once they have turned bruised and bloody from your fallen endeavors. You sink to the ground, to your knees, fat, ugly tears pouring from your chin as you cry. They make your face itch, but you don’t wipe them away, instead letting them sink into the dust-less floor.

You aren’t sure how long that lasts, because, at some point, you fall asleep, only to wake in what seemed like moments later. You had not the ability to even forget a moment of your sorrow but were so drained, tired and your hands hurt so fiercely that you drug yourself to the cool edge of the pool.

It is unsurprising to see what a mess you are. Ganondorf had proudly braided your hair last night, proclaiming it to be an honor to do so, and it had held reasonably well, and you can comb it into place. But your face is drawn, with dark circles, and red eyes. Nearer to the lights, you can see that you have injured your hands, enough that not even the blister gel would work. 

You slap away the image, that cold water engulfing your hand. The coolness engulfs it, bringing relief and peace. You think it’s probably hypothermia, but after a few moments, you realize that it’s not it, bringing your hand up to the surface, breaking the smooth surface again. 

It’s healed.

You stare in astonishment at the flesh that has mended back together, blood and bruises completely gone. 

Your other hand goes in right after and you give a huge sigh of alleviation. 

It makes much more sense how you had not been sore the previous night, though your husband is quite big and very eager.

And that thought cuts short your wonder over the healing pool in the shrine, and back to your misery over your husband. Just what in Demise’s name was he thinking, sealing you away in here? Surely there was something you could have done! Even be a distraction! Your head pounds and you lean down, taking giant gulps of water, but misjudge in your haziness.

Slipping forward, you plunge entirely into the freezing pool. 

-X-

You aren’t sure how long you stay underwater. You think you may be dead at some point, but the cold never abates. But you don’t end up finding the side. Instead, you’re pulled out, by a pair of very brawny, bronze arms. You think someone is carrying you. Sand whips by your face from a strong breeze.

At some point, bright sunlight hits your face, and you wince. It’s not long after that the sunlight drops, and the steps turn smoother. Then you’re finally placed down on what seems to be a bed. Voices fade in and out, some you think you may recognize.

Gerudo, you think.

Hands press against your chest, shoving forcefully in. You give a sharp gasp, coughing on nothing as they push again and again. And just when you think you’ll die, someone turns you, and you throw up.

You can process the voices better now, that air has gone back to your brain.

“We found her in the shrine outside of town-”

“In?”

“Yeah, the door opened and she was in a pool there!”

“The shrine water- It was still in her lungs!”

“In a shrine pool?”

“Yes, she has the seal of the King!”

It’s mostly water that comes out, but you can’t tell, with your head banging. But you can breathe again even if it hurts, and so you immediately fall asleep. Or unconscious. 

But there are more hands now, pushing you to stay awake. 

-X-

The heat in the desert is very reasonable, under the thick woven hanging. You look out to the sand, towards the distance where a large mountain range juts like a knife standing straight up. The glint of sand makes it difficult to look straight on, but the Gerudo mask does a good job of deflecting any lasting harm. 

You try and stay out of the sun as much as possible. The Gerudo clothes do little to offer protection, as they have little need to do so, and are meant to be breezy and comfortable. And it is indeed breezy, wearing only thin silk with gold edging.

You think it shows off far too much of your chest and belly, but Queen Dramiria had insisted seeing you in traditional clothing was good for Gerudo's morale, with Ganondorf still missing. And since the regent queen was your mother-in-law, you couldn’t find it in your heart to refuse.

She was the one you had first met. 

“You have been missing for a month.” She said within the first hour of your recovery. She had more or less been waiting there since you had been brought in, and subsequently, the seal Ganondorf had slipped to you had been recognized.  “Of course, I knew right away, with that hair. My son wrote almost endlessly of your moon-like beauty.”

You hold that same seal now. You don’t think you could relinquish it if they asked, which surprisingly, they hadn’t.

You want to turn back to look at the sand, but you also want your mother-in-law to like you. You flush, throat too sore to say much, and not knowing what to say anyhow. Thankfully, others catch onto this quickly, especially Commander Urbosa.

“Time passes differently in the shrines,” Commander Urbosa says, arms crossed as she stares you down like a puzzle. “The magic is difficult to harness, and only the King knows how to handle it to a full extent. I suspect that’s why you ended up here. Even without air, the water continually heals, so it puts you in a stasis of sorts.”

The one thing you do manage to say is Ganondorf .

And the thing about the Gerudo is that they don’t sugarcoat the truth.

“Damn brat let himself be caught by the Yiga.” Queen Dramiria said sharply, making you draw back in alarm. But she merely pats you, crossing a long leg over the other as she leans back on her cushioned chair. “He’s never listened to reason, that boy.”

“Nabooru is already tracking them down, but they are tricky, hiding away in the mountains where we Gerudo have a hard time going. I am a bit surprised Ganondorf hasn’t just beaten a guard down and escaped.” Commander Urbosa stepped in, a bit kinder as she urged you to take a bite of the sweet-looking melon in a gold cup before you. You don’t want to eat, but tenderly you let yourself nibble the fruit.

 “He knew that they had started using that ancient, dangerous magic and he let his guard down.” The queen retorted, moving to her fruit bowl to polish off the decadent treat.

You put your head down, eyes closed as tears pricked at them. A hand came to rest on your knee, and you look up at the Queen, who looks very distraught. She has the same hook to her nose as Ganondorf and the same shade of red hair, and it makes the tears come quicker.

“Be kind, my queen. You forget that our new Queen-consort has been through much as of late.” Commander Urbosa advises softly.

“Oh no, don’t take my words too seriously,” Dramiria said, looking a bit uncomfortable. “Ganondorf always comes back from his adventures. And I have no doubt he is eager to have his bride back in his arms again.” He ends with a smile, and you do your best to stop sobbing but it just makes it worse. 

“F-Forgive me-” You say, turning back to the sand, shoulders sloped as you twisted the seal in your hands. “I… I would like some alone time, if p-p-possible.”

You don’t recognize yourself as you turn towards the bed in the healing room you had all been sitting in.

“Of course.” The Queen says, letting Urbosa help her up. “When you feel refreshed, just let the healer know. We’ll then give you a tour of your new rooms.”

You nod your head, shoulders shaking.

“Thank you, my queen, you are very generous.” She sighs, knowing she’s already told you to abandon such formal language but doesn’t press the matter. The thick red curtain swishes behind them as they leave, muffling their voices but not entirely concealing them.

“Ensure the Queen-Consort is settled into the King’s quarters swiftly. Knowing my son, he’d want her to feel comfortable as soon as possible. And I have a feeling that we’ll have a new little princess soon!”

You go red, head to toe.

What on earth would prompt that reaction? 

Your toes curl, trying to escape back into your body.

“Queen Dramiria!” Urbosa chides, voices further away. “Don’t go making our queen-consort feeling uncomfortable.”

“I know my son, Urbosa. If he’s managed not to make a fool of himself, then I ensure that we’ll be having a royal baby. Though the princess is quite small, she seems very strong-hearted, enough to please the gods of the shrines. I approve!”

You wondered what part of crying made you ‘strong-hearted’ but you supposed you shouldn’t complain. With one last look out to the sand you crawl back to the safety of your woven bed, and its many warm blankets, all woven with bright colors. It seemed to be very Gerudo to be in bright colors, though they didn’t help a pale complexion much.

Not that many Hylians had the skin tone that compliments it, you thought, brows furrowing. Do you think that Zelda would look nice in the rich blue though-

You blinked.

“Zelda?” You said, and the face peaked over the window again. She said your name, very softly in return, and clearly, great relief.

She glanced around before your cousin soars into the room. This is quickly explained as you hear a quick ‘hyah’, followed by another familiar face, this time jettisoning himself in.

“Link?”

Zelda launches herself at you, pulling you into a tight hug that reminds you of choking again, and you have to peel her off.

“I’m SO sorry!” She cried in a soft voice, clearly heartbroken, “I can’t believe Father let that evil man take you!”

“Oh Zelda,” You say brows pulling together. “What are you doing here? Link would be in a great deal of trouble if he was found.” 

“We’re here to save you!” She sniffs, holding you tighter. “I came as soon as I heard! I knew what everyone was saying was a lie!” You give a strained look, knowing that of course there were rumors, but irritated at them, nonetheless.

Link shrugs, giving a small look of sass before turning to a vase at the side of the room and looking at it. 

 You give a long sigh, and she pulls back.

“We are… aren’t we?” She looks into your face, gazing intently at your eyes, turning to glance at Link, who is intently staring at your hands. Her eyes fall to the crest in your hands as well.

“Married.” Link says, shortly, but meaningfully. He never did like expressing himself much with them.

You nod, softly.

“So…” Zelda pauses, throat thick, “You… left willingly.” You can see the hurt she has, the thought that you would so quickly leave without even giving her a goodbye.”

“It’s a long story.” You say quickly, “And I didn’t leave you willingly… But things have changed and I would not be welcomed back to Hyrule, even if you returned with me. But only if you’re willing to do a great favor for me.” You say, holding her arms.

Zelda nods, pulling your hands together as Link raises his brow.

“Yes, what is it?”

“I need help entering a cult.”

-X- To be continued -X-

[rawliverandgoronspice]

I can kind of see why Hyrule reads as imperialistic to you in totk, but why do they read white? Sonia is brown and rauru is a black goat. What makes the difference between them and Ganondorf so bad?

Hey, thanks for the ask!

So... I have an answer, and it's kind of in layers. So I hope it's fine if I kind of go on Journey TM where I figure out my own feelings on the topic alongside you, the person reading! It's long! Kind of meandery! Sorry!!

Also, I had written a great version of this reply to this ask that Tumblr fucking ate and I'm furious about it, so this version is slightly more annoyed as a baseline because of Tumblr and not the ask itself. But I got stubborn and decided I would rewrite the whole thing tonight. So.

Here we go.

Layer One: My Basic and Unfiltered Gut Reaction

My first, potentially unwarranted gut-level reaction would be: I kind of think it's a stretch to consider them POC-coded. Sonia gives me more tanned Ariana Grande vibes than anything else, but that's... I mean, I'm aware that there are brown people with lushious blonde hair and blue eyes out there, that race as USA-infused Internet understands it is Complicated (I'm half-brazilian, and even though I'm very very white and don't consider myself biracial but bicultural, I had people discussing my ethnicity to my face a non-zero amounts of time, including quite recently, including in my own family! so I super get that it's more complicated than what I make it out to be here). But given vibes don't count as an argument, I completely get + accept if that reading on her ethicity is therefore dismissed. She could very well be brown. Fine by me.

(so, I feel like I have to add this borderline-conspiratory reason why I'm suspicious of her skin color being considered a factor here, which can 100% be dismissed but I still want to bring it to the table: I've been to several meetings and heard about many instances where "diverse traits" are being handed over to characters with the explicit purpose of using that diversity as shields against deeper criticisms of core aspects of the storytelling instead of fixing the storytelling itself, and honestly it could very well be the case here. I really hope it's just the team thinking Sonia would be prettier with a darker skin tone, because her design is genuinely lovely and I really like it, wish she didn't die like immediately and had a character arc of her own, but. Imagine the kneeling scene with two very white ladies and everything else, etc. It might be overly paranoid of me, but I can't help but squint a little bit in this specific instance, especially since the biracial trait here is so toned-down that it's barely there and barely committed to anything. Which would also make a good argument against this suspicion too tbh! Anyway. Just wanted to bring that up so you get the whole picture of where my brain is at.)

Rauru... Okay. Here's the thing: I can't unsee The Rauru. The original one I mean (and his Skyward Sword Gaebora counterpart), aka: the White Patriarch of all times.

(this has nothing to do with anything but Link's little recoil animation here is so funny to me, like he looks so shocked and his nose is so pointy)

I do think that removing the origins of this character from his DNA for TotK is kind of overly convenient when discussing this iteration, especially when his role in this game is basically a mixture of OoT Rauru and the Unnamed King of Hyrule (and every king of Hyrule that came after). I mean, okay sure maybe the Unnamed, Unseen King of Hyrule wasn't white but... it's obviously not true, right? And while I understand this is a different iteration of that character, many characters in the series maintain their base ethnicity across different reimaginings (even Blue Pig Ganon remains a gerudo at heart post OoT, at least in the way we keep on understanding him). And beyond this, given the fact that Rauru retains this energy of a Founding Father (in the largest possible sense), I feel that, at the very least, that patriarchal energy is extremely important to his character to a core degree.

But even so, yes. Rauru is now indeed a Goat Man. Not only is he a Goat Man, but he dresses in ways that are very inspired by mesoamerican cultures; undeniably so. So that would make him at least mesoamerican-coded, right?

I mean... I guess? I guess. Sure. But. I have now to introduce the Layer 2 of my argumentation, which is that...

Layer Two: Zonai Culture is Hylian Coded

So. Pretty bold claim I know. Let me explain.

Now I certainly do not want to say that mesoamerican civilizations are not *everywhere* in the aesthetic inspiration for the zonai culture in Tears of the Kingdom; I'm sure these real life references are overflooding the moodboards, from the color palet to the symbols to the artstyle, the costumes and the buildings. It's the main way the game communicates zonai-ness to us the player. And it's great! I wish they had went even harder in that direction (I think there's even pretty dramatic differences between the zonai ruins on the surface, much more interesting imo, than what was done with the actual zonai architecture at its peak).

But now, I will ask a question that I asked myself often while playing. What is zonai culture, beyond the feathers and the indented patterns and the swirls and the dangly bits? What characterizes it? I would say that zonai civilization is primarily interested in automation, technology, mining to develop said technology, and things that float in the sky. Beyond this, and from the limited perspective the game gives us through Rauru and Mineru, we see a society ruled by a patriarch (neutral term, it is just patriarchal in nature), married to a woman who is a priestess and doesn't seem to hold an equal amount of power (she doesn't speak as much, seems content to handle the religious side of things), who values collaboration and engineering prowesses, has an army, servants, robot servants, administrates other races through, to be docile and go the game's way, collaborativeness... It's Hyrule. It's just Hyrule, except older and with a different paintjob; but at heart, the style of society upheld by Rauru is very (eerily?) similar to what we get to know in the TotK/BotW era. Actually, this version of Hyrule seems extraordinarily similar to the Hyrule we get to see in BotW pre-Calamity: replace the zonai technology with the sheikah's, and what's the difference --except that this later version of Hyrule isn't trying to pass itself off as perfect? Zelda doesn't experience any kind of culture shock. Even the language seems to be basically the same. It is Hyrule, because it is. It's the origins of the kingdom. This is the whole point of the zonais: being that familiar thing that we know and love, except more pristine and more glorious and more mysterious so we can be sad when it gets destroyed.

So is it aesthetically inspired by mesoamerican cultures? Yes. Does it evoke specific details about said culture? The way politics and religion interconnect perhaps (unless we consider Rauru coming from the gods as such, but it's nooot super specific and not really elaborated upon)? What that culture valued, or what we assume it once valued? Cultural shortcuts we tend to make with these cultures, for better or for worse? I may be extremely uncultured here, and if that's the case I apologize, but I never really saw any of the aspects highlighted as the core pillars of the zonais commonly associated with either mesoamerican ancient civilizations, or current living native decendants of these civilizations. The biggest connexion or shortcut I see is the "mysterious ancient advanced civilization", which is pretty vague and was honestly more convincing in BotW.

Then of course, it doesn't invalidate that connection. But now, as a point of comparaison, to see what happens when Zelda takes active steps in coding one of their fantasy races... Let's take a look at the gerudos, shall we?

(Urbosa appreciation break. She's just so freakin cool look at her goooo!!! okay now we can keep going.)

I have said my whole spiel about the gerudos about a bajillion times now so I will try to make it quick. My tl;dr is: gerudos were always meant to be culturally disruptive. It's their whole point in the Zelda series. I won't rehash the whole thing about the crescent moon, the orientalism etc, but I think it's important to remember that they are meant to be considered foreign in a way no other Zelda race ever is. What I mean by this is, if we return to OoT: they are the only race hostile to Hyrule enough to not only consider and carry out an invasion, but to forbid entrance to their territory if you are not one of them. They have a different (apparenly evil-looking) god and their ears are rounded when everyone else is some sort of elf, their script is different, their cultural values are different, it's a weird semi-matriarchy where the man-king's occasional patriarchy has a very different social role than the king of Hyrule even if we don't get to see all the details... Won't return on the thievery and the 90s islamophobic kick of that time period, but the gerudos were very obviously crafted to be culturally deviant to the Hylian norm; their difference so great that getting accepted by them is an actual fighting and infiltration challenge. And even though they are much friendlier in TotK/BotW, they are still, by far the most innaccessible and different race out of all the rooster of, and it's worth mentioning, fish-people, bird-people and rock-people. They are the only one with their own language, their own strict rules that oppose your freedom as a player, a series of side-quests that directly address the subject of culture clash and differences; and, even then, they still parallel the real life western fantasy about the Orient TM (even more-so in TotK I would say, which I didn't love): the locked-in harem foreign men are forbidden to enter. This core idea is so entrenched that it becomes gameplay.

When it comes to Ganondorf, the parallel remains, more present than ever: in that game he gets to embody the foreign, cruel, brutal, cunning, manipulative, uncomfortably feminine at times, envious, physically intimidating, oppressive Man of the Desert in a long tradition of Men from the Desert and the rich legacy of literature and movies that portray them. It's not new to TotK, to be very clear: but TotK did double-down on the trope at the cost of Ganondorf's specificity as a character instead of questioning the trope that birthed him the way the series had tried to do in the past (even TP wasn't that bad, doing away with a lot of the baggage altogether --for better and for worse).

So to me... saying that zonais are mesoamerican-coded, in a world where we simply do not actively interact with these cultures all that much anymore (not at all to minimize the very real oppression of their descendants and the extreme and sickening violence their ancestors were met with to be extremely clear --I'm just saying that the violence wouldn't have worldwide cultural resonance in the same way and I don't think would have much reality in Japan unless, again, I'm saying dumb things and in that case please do correct me), or the extremely mild and non-invested way Zelda handled these cultures (to me it's much more costume than coding), positively too (good!), and comparing them to the active coding of the gerudos (and especially Ganondorf) as a means to equalize them as "basically the same thing" feels... a little off to me.

But! Now we're getting to the last layer!!

(you have no idea how long I searched for this gif, I typed "Ganondorf kneeling" in the gif search, like a fool, and parsed through much, much horniness to finally find my little dude anyway layer 3!!!)

Layer Three: It Isn't What Actually Matters Now Is It (at least according to me, the person writing this post)

Honestly, I don't really care whether Rauru and Sonia are white-coded or not. They could be, they could not be, cool by me either way. I don't really care if the zonai culture is meant to stand-in for mesoamerican cultures for Real for Sure or not, and heavily doubt it was done to increase diversity (otherwise Rauru wouldn't be, like, a Goat-Man but just a brown man). I do appreciate the visual diversity of the cast of NPCs, that hylians can look like a whole number of people and it's really cool Hyrule is moving into that direction instead of being very typecast into a sort of Japanese-ish representation of western middle ages/fantasy/fairy tale thing.

But at heart, what bothers me between this whole dynamic has less to do with whom is coded as whom than the fact that this game twisted itself into knots to tell a very suspiciously clean story about its complicated world and complicated history, and I feel like it's completely fine to ask for more than the bare minimum of visual representation and question the way these characters get to interact with each other and how their real life struggles are meaningfully talked about in the worlds Nintendo spend millions crafting? Sometimes, what they do is already great! Sometimes it's half-great! Most of the time, it could be so much better --especially when some of these subjects have been talked about to death for over 25 years (sorry to beat that dead horse one more time btw)

At the end of the day, the story itself is strange for many reasons. The power dynamic between the characters is attempting to be several things at once; maybe it's not on purpose, but either way, the world TotK paints is a strange one that only holds itself together if we accept to take it at face value. Which we don't have to.

And to me, TotK felt particularly shallow in that specific department of representation due to the whole... Imperialist Vibes thing (the other ask about this is queue'd, it's coming!), which nullified a lot of these efforts for me. It's not only about who's represented, but how they are represented as well, and, very importantly, why.

[golvio]

I’ve been digesting the video essay Orientalism & the Gerudo over the past couple of days. The first half of the video is a basic, consolidated summary of arguments I’ve seen people make about SWANA representation and Black representation regarding the Gerudo that also includes more academic sources to try to explain to newcomers or people unfamiliar with the term “Orientalism” where these points came from. I’m hoping this opens up some discussions across the wider fandom.

My only criticism is that, sometimes, the points can meander a bit between each other without clear boundaries between which talking point is which, leading to occasional moments of “Huh? How did we get here?” or “Wait, what about that other point you just made?” However, I think that’s a symptom of there being just so much to talk about regarding the broader umbrella topic that this video is trying to cover that it’s hard to know when/how to fit stuff in. You could make a whole essay about only how Arab men are depicted as aggressively misogynistic threats menacing Arab women to justify modern imperialist invasions of the Middle East by Western powers and how that ties in to the way Nintendo refuses to show Ganon having a more humanized, complex relationship with his own people. Even after a whole hour it feels like we’ve only just scratched the surface.

However, I also don’t think this “meandering” is necessarily negative because it sometimes ended up leading to great points that I hadn’t considered before. For example, I was initially confused about why the essay started focusing on Rauru and the plot of TotK after the halfway point, but it ended up not just being a useful example of how Japan reproduces Western tropes from pop cultural influences for fans who weren’t quite convinced about the essay’s arguments in the first half because they assumed Japan was in a cultural vacuum where racism doesn’t exist, but also gave me a totally new perspective about Rauru’s character beyond my initial Shintoist reading of his role as a divine ancestor that legitimized the royal family’s rule.

Rauru and Mineru’s designs and backstory borrow visual and literary tropes from depictions of indigenous peoples in American media to legitimize him as “indigenous to Hyrule” and therefore an important founding figure in its revised origin myth, but these tropes reproduced without awareness of their original cultural context also serve to “unperson” him as a character within the story. He’s sequestered into a distant past where he can’t really interact with characters in the present, not even truly “owning” the kingdom he founded, which instead passes to the Hylians, who coopted his legacy of unification for their own ends but completely forgot about him. He and his sister are treated more like “resources” for Link/the player to take advantage of to achieve their goals than characters in their own right. And, emotionally, the Zonai siblings are so distanced from the main cast and each other by being treated more like concepts of “nativeness” than people in their own right that their own descendant feels like a stranger visiting an exotic land instead of long-lost family reconnecting with her roots.

Like…it’s a really clever way to introduce two equally complex points that people should keep in mind when examining the Gerudo. First, that you can’t really treat Japan’s depictions as the exact same as Western depictions, because while Japan isn’t “the West,” it has its own complicated history with racism and imperialism born out of the “pan-Asian” nationalism of the early 20th century. At the same time, Japan doesn’t exist in a hermetically sealed cultural vacuum totally isolated from Western influences that makes Japanese creators incapable of learning about cultural nuances regarding racism, despite what fashy weebs personally invested in the myth of Japan being a magical exotic fairyland where “woke” doesn’t exist want you to believe.

I hope this video essay inspires other people to look into this topic further and maybe contribute their own works to the discussion.

[bigsoftmarshmallow]

Following the note about Gerudo only really having 0.5% Gerudo ancestors.

I just find this whole thing very interesting.

But for OoT, WW, & TP, I'm reminded of one of my hcs for him (as I depict them as the same Dorf at different points in time). In which he was fathered by the king of Hyrule & is Zelda's half-sister, but that Kōme & Kotake didn't inform him of such. Who, his father, in my version, was the eldest child of the previous king & queen, meaning that both he &, through him, OoT, WW, & TP Gan, were descended from Hylia as well. Which I find poetic & ironic. Almost Shakespearean, in fact.

In such a situation, had he known, then he could've rightly claimed the title of Grand Duke, second in line to the throne of Hyrule. Which would've made obtaining the throne much easier.

And all he'd have needed to do to obtain the crown would've been to get rid of Zelda secretly.

Similarly, the Dorfs could easily leverage the fact that the Gerudo were all fathered by Hyruleans, thereby technically giving them a degree of right to Hyrule as well. Even if just through inheritance.

After all, (in the ones where Hyrule is still a thing) there may well be a large number of fathers still living in Hyrule that either weren't aware of the fact that the Gerudo ladies they slept with bore daughters. Or were kept from seeing them for one reason or another.

The thing is that not all of those men are going to be okay with just being entirely separated from their child. If Gdorf were to play their cards right, he could probably even use that to his advantage to put pressure on the king to acquiesce to whatever demands he makes & possibly even plant the seeds of a rebellion or civil war. Which, an enemy with divided interests is an enemy who’s easier to take down.

And not knowing one’s lineage also causes some issues as, if a Gerudo doesn't know any of her non-Gerudo ancestors going back the past 2-3 generations, it's entirely possible for her to accidentally sleep with someone she's closely related to & end up harming her future daughter inadvertently.

You also have to wonder about health. Like, what if it turned out that his family has a history of heart attacks, meaning he’d be more likely to experience one later in life. With such foreknowledge, it'd be easier to parry such a disgraceful end.

For instance, Equal Lady’s family on her mother’s side has a history of bone issues in their later years that, if not properly treated, can result in intense pain & bone degradation. However, because she’s aware of this familial history of hers (even though her mother left her behind as a baby), Equal Lady knows what to expect & how to mitigate such symptoms via an appropriate diet & proper remedies. If she wasn’t informed on her family’s health history, even the sides she did not care about, then she may have been using that Shikomizue (prepared cane; a cane with a sword hidden inside, stealth weapon made for sneak attacks) much earlier than she was anticipating.

Trust me, there are legitimate reasons to know one's lineage that are more strategic.

After all, if not for her grandfather, Equal Lady would've never pursued her passion for weaponsmithing & may not have ever even met Dorf.

Though honorable, she is also quite cunning.

(Of course, she isn't saying any of this to be contrarian, but more so to point out things that he may not have considered.)

This is amazing? I love the thought process about this, and just the slow domino effect it would have on the Gerudo race! Yes, every child should know both parents and sides of the family for health reasons! So many illnesses and disorders and chronic issues are genetic! I get a lot of issues from my mom's side, but since I don't speak or acknowledge my sperm donor's side, I dunno what exactly I get from them. The Gerudo should have access to Hyrule and the right to live there especially if they have children, bc they are all half Hylian, really, since it's just the Gerudo genetics are very dominate and express themselves always.

Just for you, since this post inspired me:

How would the Ganondorfs (Wind Waker, Ocarina of Time, Twilight Princess, Hyrule Warriors, and Tears of the Kingdom) react to finding out that they were related to Hyrulian Royalty? Like their father was once King of Hyrule, then he passed away, and since he didn't know that he was technically the Prince of Hyrule and he was a secret affair baby, Zelda was able to claim heirship?

Wind Waker Ganondorf

Reaction: Wind Waker Ganondorf would be both shocked and intrigued by this revelation. The idea that he has royal Hyrulean blood would be a surprise, but one he would quickly consider as a potential advantage in his quest for power.

Internal Conflict: He would likely feel conflicted, knowing that his heritage ties him to the people he has always seen as enemies. However, he would also see this as an opportunity to claim legitimacy in his conquest of Hyrule.

Actions: He would investigate further to confirm the truth of his lineage. Once confirmed, he would use this information strategically, possibly to rally support or create internal strife within the Hyrulean ranks. His ultimate goal would remain the same: to conquer and rule Hyrule, but now with an added layer of personal vindication and legitimacy.

Ocarina of Time Ganondorf

Reaction: Ocarina of Time Ganondorf would be initially enraged by the revelation. The idea that he shares blood with those he has long despised would be a bitter pill to swallow. However, his strategic mind would quickly see the potential advantages.

Internal Conflict: He would struggle with feelings of betrayal and confusion, questioning his place in the world and his motivations. Despite this, his ambition would push him to use this information to his benefit.

Actions: He would likely confront Zelda and the Hyrulean Royal Family, using his newfound heritage as leverage. This could involve demanding recognition or even attempting to seize the throne through a combination of force and legal right. His actions would be driven by a mix of anger, ambition, and a desire to redefine his identity.

Twilight Princess Ganondorf

Reaction: Twilight Princess Ganondorf would be deeply affected by this revelation, as it would challenge his self-perception and long-held beliefs. His stoic demeanor might crack, revealing a more vulnerable side as he processes this new information.

Internal Conflict: He would experience a profound internal struggle, questioning his life's purpose and the nature of his destiny. The revelation of his royal lineage would force him to reevaluate his motivations and his plans for Hyrule.

Actions: After the initial shock, he would seek to understand more about his father's legacy and the circumstances of his birth. He might attempt to forge a new path that integrates his heritage with his ambitions, possibly seeking to unite the Gerudo and Hyruleans under his rule in a more just and balanced manner. His approach would be more contemplative and strategic, aiming for long-term stability.

Hyrule Warriors Ganondorf

Reaction: Hyrule Warriors Ganondorf would likely be less emotionally affected by the revelation compared to other versions. His focus on power and domination would lead him to view this new information primarily as a tool.

Internal Conflict: While he might feel a brief pang of disbelief or curiosity, his overwhelming desire for control would overshadow any deeper introspection. He would quickly turn his thoughts to how this could enhance his plans.

Actions: He would use his royal lineage to assert a stronger claim to the throne, potentially rallying those within Hyrule who are disillusioned with Zelda's rule. His tactics would involve a mix of intimidation, manipulation, and brute force. He would see this revelation as another weapon in his arsenal to achieve absolute dominance.

Tears of the Kingdom Ganondorf

Reaction: Tears of the Kingdom Ganondorf would be initially incredulous and skeptical of the revelation. Given his deep-seated belief in his own destiny and power, the idea of being related to Hyrulean royalty would be a complex and challenging concept for him to accept.

Internal Conflict: He would experience a mix of emotions, including anger, curiosity, and a deep-seated need to understand how this changes his perspective on his identity and goals. The revelation would force him to confront his beliefs about destiny and power.

Actions: He would likely seek out more information about his father and the circumstances of his birth. His approach would be multifaceted, combining his relentless pursuit of power with a newfound desire to understand his place in the world. He might use this information to create new alliances or to destabilize the existing Hyrulean power structure, always with the goal of ultimately claiming the throne for himself.

In each case, the revelation of their royal lineage would significantly impact the Ganondorfs, challenging their perceptions and strategies. Their reactions would vary based on their personalities and motivations, but all would ultimately seek to leverage this new information to further their ambitions.

[totkdaily]

Day 83: Gerudo Desert, and Riju

From here, the desert looks foggy. Perhaps a sand storm? I hope it clears before I need to head to Gerudo Town. I spot two other things of note: the tower in the Highlands, and a geoglyph. It looks like a figure of some kind. Could I glide all the way there? It looks far… 

No. But I at least get on the right level of the Highlands. It's even colder up here. I find the geoglyph. 

A vision. I see...

Ganondorf swears loyalty to the King of Hyrule. The conversation is tense.

This vision is different - as they talk, I feel I'm following Ganondorf's eyes specifically. Examining each secret stone on display, ignoring their bearers. Resting again on Sonia's. I have already seen the Queen's fate. 

Zelda is concerned. Even his name… I understand her hesitancy, and I share it. Rauru is foolish to reassure her. Everything could have been prevented if Ganondorf had been stopped here. Rauru was right. He was an arrogant king. So sure none could unseat him. 

It's so cold. I have to keep moving. I consider leaving the tower for another day, but I'm halfway there now. 

I glide over what must be the old Yiga Clan hideout - I wonder if they still use it? That map in Robbie's lab suggested yes. 

I reach the tower. There's a little tent - the journal belongs to Billson. The tower is snowed in… fortunately, it sounds like there's a cave somewhere below. 

Meadella's Mantle Cave. I wonder if this is it? Billson's records suggest the cave does go under the tower - but also that it's massive. There's a river flowing through it - I chuck a wooden board into it and climb on. 

Bubbulfrog! By complete chance, I manage to land its gem on my rudimentary raft as it lands at the bottom of the waterfall. 

The raft takes me perfectly under the tower. And launch!

I try to glide to a southerly sky island to hop over to Gerudo Town - but it turns out to be inhabited by a three-headed dragon, so we won't go there. I redirect to the plateaus around the old Sheikah Tower site, which is now a chasm to the Depths. The desert is engulfed by a sand storm. Can I make it to Gerudo Town from here? I feel like I should try. 

I barely get as far as the ruins before I completely lose visibility. I can hear these huge impacts, like explosions. There's a trio of… guards? No, training dummies. And the impacts flash like lightning. I know who's here - I rush to find her.

Riju. 

She recognises me still - it's good to find a friend. She says this sand shroud appeared when Hyrule Castle rose - that tracks. And there are new monsters - gibdos. We work out a technique which might be useful against them - I aim, and Riju shoots lightning. 

And then golden light fills the air… the Gerudo sage is watching us. 

Another Gerudo, Faundi, arrives. She says gibdos are attacking Kara Kara Bazaar. We have to go there. But… how can I find my way in this?? 

I climb a piece of ruin, intending to guess and glide - but it's high enough that I can see across the sand shroud, thank goodness. Aiming for the bazaar is still a guess, but it's slightly more informed. 

I almost lose my way once I glide back below the horizon, but I make it to Kara Kara Bazaar and help Riju fight off the gibdos. Awful creatures, long-limbed and half-rotten, with insectoid faces and gill-like necks.

I think I saw some through the sand storm on my way here. I'm glad I didn't have to fight them without Riju. There's some kind of weird mushroom that glows, seemingly the source of the gibdos or their power. 

Suddenly, through the sand - Zelda!

No, it can't be. It must be the imposter. Coincidentally, right at that moment, tornadoes head for Gerudo Town.

Riju heads back that way. I want to see if anyone I know is in the Bazaar before I join her. 

Also, I need to stop at the shrine here.

[skyloftian-nutcase]

Have random character references even though I don’t draw and I highly doubt most people care about the information 👍🏻😂

Abel - Dirty blonde hair, light blue eyes, chiseled and weathered face. Muscular but slim, a little shorter than the average Hylian man, very mild tan due to just being out in the sun so much. He mostly burns in the sunlight but he’s cooked himself enough that his skin is attempting to compensate. (Hopefully LoZ has magic skin cream to stave off skin cancer 👍🏻) Has a few scars, including one small one on his chin from being hit in battle. The rest are hidden. Used to keep his face clean shaven and his hair short in his early adulthood. Lost all concern for appearances after the Calamity, his hair is grown a little past his shoulders and he’s constantly got five o’clock shadow because he barely keeps up with shaving. Grew out a beard out of sheer neglect at the beginning but it eventually was itchy and annoying enough that he shaved it.

Was a Knight of Hyrule since he was a teenager. Met his wife on an assignment to Hateno Village. Was part of the entourage selected to go to Zora’s Domain for negotiations. Brought his son, Link, along. Eventually, his skill in battle, leadership, and handling political assignments earned him a position in the Royal guard. He became captain of the royal guard a year before the Calamity.

Tilieth - Light blonde curly hair, brown eyes, freckles, soft and rounded face. Petite build. Has three ear piercings on one ear and two on the other because when she was a teen she heard three piercings was good luck as it symbolizes the golden goddesses, but the third piercing hurt so much she opted out of the other ear and completely forgot to finish the set. Always kept her hair in knotted half up styles with braids until the Calamity. Her hair got caught in debris of demolished buildings and she cut it with a knife and she’s never worn it down since. It’s always in a bun, however messy it might be.

Tilieth was the only daughter of a blacksmith. She loved making things, most especially clothes. She wanted to make clothes for others as well and considered working in the local shop. After getting married she settled for homemaking and was happy with it, though she loved the idea of traveling and seeing everything the world had to offer. She still made clothes too, for family and friends. When Link was little, a bad illness swept through Hateno, and Til caught it. Her parents took care of her while Abel looked after Link and continued with his duties. Once Til recovered and Abel’s mission to the Donain was over, the family got to spend some time together again. Was in Hateno with Lyra and her father when the Calamity struck.

Link, the Hero of Power - Hyrule Warriors Link’s direct predecessor. Half-Sheikah (his dad) half-Hylian (his mom). Platinum blonde hair, red eyes, light brown skin. One of the tallest Links, but slender and stealthy. Always clean shaven. Wore his hair up in a bun.

Not much is known about this Hero by the War of Eras, except that he helped split Ganondorf’s soul to prevent the cycle from continuing. Lana knows a lot more about him than anyone else, though she doesn’t speak of it. Some things that were lost to history included his role in fighting a war against the Gerudo, and his eternal love for the future Gerudo Chief, Hemisi - Ganondorf’s daughter.

Princess Zelda - Also known as the Sacred Diplomat, she is the princess who helped split Ganondorf’s soul in the backstory to Hyrule Warriors. Wavy, shoulder length chocolate brown hair that she often wears in elaborate buns with braids. Somewhat pale complexion, cool skin tone with traditional emerald skin paint that she always wore on her face and neck and arms. Typically wore light blue gowns.

As Queen she unified Hyrule after a bloody war. She is known in history as one of the best of the royal line. She even managed to maintain a shaky neutrality with the Gerudo after the war’s end. She strengthened bonds with the Sheikah through her marriage to one of their own. She is the standard to which many queens are held to. But there is much to her diplomacy that was lost to history.

Chief Hemisi - Leader of the Gerudo after her father’s defeat. Chestnut skin, fiery red mid back length hair that she usually kept in a high bubble ponytail, amber eyes. Six feet tall, very muscular, though not quite to the degree of botw Gerudo women. She had more of a Hylian build, like the Gerudo of OoT. Her ears were pointed, and she had a special earring she always wore that had been given to her by her father. On her other ear she wore an earring decorated with a symbol of the triforce, as she inherited the Triforce of Power after helping defeat her father.

Lost her family to the war that broke out because of Ganondorf. Was in love with Link. Helped defeat her father and seal him away. Was not the same person afterward. Had a twin brother who had been groomed to inherit the throne of the Gerudo, and so she had focused on being a warrior. When her brother was killed in the war alongside her mother, her situation changed quickly. Became chief and helped maintain an uneasy peace between Hyrule and the Gerudo, but did not like or trust the Queen.

[doomed-era]

crashes through your window!! points at you like an anime supervillain HELLO!! how does gaffen view the champions and/or how does alt zelda view everyone we’ve met so far (unless thats spoilers?). or how would revali and zelda interact do you think

screams and hides under the table there is glass all over the floor my chickens are running everywhere (joking I am fine and completely immune to glass)

oh thats a fffffun question.....!!!! I have thought a great deal about this. I will start with pre-calamity because honestly it is simpler

revali is just...weird. gaffen doesnt get what the guy's deal is (mostly) so about half the time he just. tunes out everything revali says. honestly he does that with a lot of people including zelda. he works 15-hour shifts and just dissociates when he isnt on lunch break. he did pay attention once. and that was when revali said horses were smelly dumb animals and gaffen pushed him off a cliff (they were both fine revali's reaction was more or less just surprise and gaffen cooled off almost immediately cause he's Like That at this point.) he thinks revali's archery skills are really impressive but he'd never actually say that to him because Why.

urbosa is incredibly intimidating and he's pretty sure she doesn't like him. however he thinks she is cool. her loyalty is fascinating to him as he doesn't remember any other gerudo chieftains being...like that? in a good way. like he considers it a triumph for Hyrule At Large that the gerudo and Hyrule at on such good terms and he's deeply inspired by Urbosa's own loyalty not really understanding that it is in some ways a facade. he doesn't avoid her though, I think he'd just. stand there with the hairs on the back of his neck prickling. maybe at some point he would try to use the gerudo words he knows to try and impress her. or maybe he could give her a nice bottle of wine or something she would like as a Present

mipha is. complicated ? hes gotten vague vibes that she might have feelings for him past a certain point. however he doesnt really want to think about the implications of that or what that might cause. he'd rather just stand there and force himself to not think about it.there is a good chance if he was asked about it he would play dumb. mipha is also actively trying to figure out what his Deal is and generally tries to present herself as someone he can talk to so he's spoken to her briefly a few times. i couldnt even really tell you if he reciprocated its like that one post where a character is too tormented by the narrative to exhibit sexuality or attraction. he likes her, he trusts her more than a lot of people but yea.

im trying my best to not sully this with his rp interactions with them because those were done under Specific Circumstances(tm) (and i dont even think he knows the whole mipha has a crush thing for a bit) but when he actually opens up and turns his brain on there he starts making little jabs at revali for fun. he also gets like. mmildly scared of talking to revali before that bc again he turned his brain on and hasnt ever actively tried talking to him. so yea. he also ends up trying to force mipha to reveal more about herself bc mipha never really reveals anything which he thinks is hypocritical. this ends with him getting...mildly pissed/confused. him and revali also set up a time where they could practice archery together teehee

OK DARUK. I havent thought too much about them admittedly. but im tempted to say that their relationship is the friendliest and the most uncomplicated. im a "link ate the rock sirloin to be polite and not just because hes ok with eating rocks" truther so. yea. they're not super close by any means but they're just bros. guys hangin out. daruk would toss him into the air for fun and he'd like it. when hes off work gaffen would probably talk to daruk but when he is at work he'd probably just turn into gromit from wallace and gromit half the time. gaffen realizes he should probably respect the guy more but half the time he just kinda perceives him as like. the team dad and not a respected member of the gorons

that was longer than I thought. oops

post calamity is weird and I have thought about it a little more I think its not something I've roleplayed much so it just kinda sits there in my head and Rots.

but basically i'd describe gaffen's relationship with the champions at first to be highly parasocial. the memory you get from mipha's statue is his first acquired memory and it is.jarring? to say the least. gaffen understood that he was missing large chunks of his memory after rhoam told him that but he didn't really process it fully and he certainly didnt think he had a personal relationship with the people rhoam was talking about. plus when he does get those back he in a sense re-experienced them it was Very Strong Very Overwhelming and it kind of freaked him out. but the zora all seemed to paint a specific picture of who he was and mipha's relationship with him so it really hammered in the importance of his past self and those memories. the problem is because of how important he thinks they are he. pictures himself having a closer relationship with the champions and zelda than he actually did. like they were besties. totally. he loved mipha and they were gonna get married probably maybe and revali could be mean sometimes but it was okay they eventually got along fine and had some respect for each other daruk was the best friend anyone could ever ask for and urbosa was like his mentor who helped him out and was cool. did he have any evidence for this absolutely not he just kinda made up what the champions were like based on the snippets he got and since. well. everyone who knew most of the champions personally is dead. and the zora really dont have a good image of what mipha was like because she didnt really reveal much about herself. these go unchallenged and spiral out of control. the champion abilities do not help. they are not actually the champions in my au they are abilities that look like them. but gaffen thinks they are the champions. he spent a lot of his time wandering around alone and they brought him a lot of comfort and. yeah they were basically his best friends except they were fake

then he almost gets beaten to death and mipha's grace heals his leg wrong and he feels betrayed by them personally so he gets mad. thinks they hate him. refuses to talk about them. stops using the champion abilities because he blocked them on socialmedia. eventually he gains some perspective on it and calms down. realizes he just made everything up. but it still hurts like hell and he refuses to use the abilities anymore. however he still will get incredibly pissed if you insult them. maybe they arent his friends anymore but you will respect them dammit they died for your COUNTRY!!!

OH...hehe I cant reveal everything about alt zelda's impressions of ppl but some things I certainly can!! it is very colored by a few things that have happened to her. that are spoilers. but.

ok so link first cause hes easy. she thinks hes dumb. but she also feels sorry for him because she knows that a lot of the people around her and just the government/military in hyrule are. manipulative and exploitative. so. she really wants him to stay out of this honestly but in some ways she's happy to see him

Lance? she does not know who he is. blasse is complicated and spoilery but basically when she was younger she saw him one time and called him the "lazy old soldier guy" and everyone was confused

ciless (true mage of spirit) is incredibly complicated but basically ciless used to be zelda's mother figure. they hate each other currently and often try to sabotage each other

pike she just sees as ciless's crony and mostly dismisses him

fen she would actually have an. interesting? reaction towards. she'd act like she recognizes him somewhat. she would refer to him as link's father even if link didn't like it. she might ask him if he feels like he's missing something

lepy she would just think is a crony again im sorry lepy you deserve better

and packard she would also basically ignore

MAN. you got me thinking about a tangent about alt zelda and revali oops i am not sure if thats what you meant. but its a funny hypothetical to me. honestly zelda would be fascinated by revali. like at first shed think he was some sort of monster thing but then she would be like. wait you can talk. and revali would be like scoff yes of course. what does it look like.

"you look like a large bird or a monster"

"let me make it known that I am not a bird, and I refuse to be called a bird. I am revali of the rito tribe. it's--" and he looks VERY annoyed -- "not exactly a pleasure to make your acquaintance, but I seem to have lost my way."

"...that is very strange." and she just looks amused

i imagined this weird au where shes like "ok i really like you youre my friend now" and she tries to get him to help her with Stuff I think it would be funny

[bellmo15-blog]

The Genie Of The Lamp And Funny Puns

So, my sona’s stumbled upon a magic lamp. And you know what that means? Three wishes from a genie! Or at least, that’s what SHOULD of happened. What actually happened is that the smoke that came out of the lamp just enveloped them and once it dissipated instead of being met with a genie, it’s turned them into a genie. Ehh, at least they are enjoying it! And hey, infinite comic power right? At least until one of his friends wishes him back to normal.

As I’m sure some of you know based of one of my recent status posts, I’ve had Genification/Genie TF/Dijinfication/Whatever you want to call it on my mind a lot lately. And I mean A LOT! As in, it’s pretty much been the main transformation scenario I’ve been thinking about the most recently. Weather that’s because of who my main comfort waifu is being Half Genie herself, the fact that I’ve actually considered playing Sonic and the Secret Rings recently after playing Black Knight earlier this year and liking it a lot (yes, you heard me Sonic Storybook Game detractors) or how I’ve been rewatching a lot of old movies from my childhood this year one of them being Aladdin or because of this one Genie TF comic someone once shared on a Discord server a few years ago that I’ve been thinking about a lot more I’ve just had genies on my mind a lot. And I have a transformation kink.

So of course, it was inevitable I was going to get a commission of my sona transformed into a genie. Because why settle for finding a genie and only being able to make three wishes while also running the risk of that genie adding some twist to it when you can instead BECOME a Genie and get all the power in the world for yourself.

Thayla: Because actually being a genie means that you can’t leave your lamp, will be permanently bound to it forever and even if you do get found by someone there’s a good chance your master could be the worst person in the world! Honestly, stuff like that is why I’m actually glad you made me only half genie!

You do realize that as my OC I could re-write your backstory so that you are a full genie right? Would you like that smartass?

Thayla: … I’m… I’m just gonna go back to playing Mario Kart now…

So yeah, got this pic because Genie TF Brainrot! And if your wondering why I had my self-insert dressed in the Gerudo Vai outfit from Breath of the Wild (but not Tears of the Kingdom) for this one, well I’ve pretty much made that outfit there cannon dancer outfit and most genies especially the feminine ones wear some kind of bedlah anyway so yeah.

Artist is Daisy-Pink71.

[mollusken]

okay i'm like a good amount of time into TOTK I'm gonna talk about it so read on at ur own risk

Right now I've got the entire overworld map filled out, I've done the Rito and Zora temples, and I have found all the Dragon Tears (including the 12th) . I don't have a lot of knowledge of spoilers rn other than like, some items that exist in the world.

I am actually enjoying it a lot right now, I feel like it's been pretty engaging trying to find the pieces of everything and follow up on little things, and just see what's changed. I feel like I've forgotten half of what the BOTW overworld looked like but the general shape is in my mind so it's been cool to run into things that feel familiar but are also fresh. It's also cool to see the progression of the world and how time has changed it, how the towns have grown, how the Upheaval affected them... With Tarry's daughter being able to like, fully talk it feels like it's been a good 5ish years since the end of the last game. But like thank fucking god characters like Paya and others that people were fucking weird about Are and Look like adults now.

NGL I might have missed why the Shiekah tech is completely gone, maybe they disassembled it for safety? But it kind of saddened me not to see any remains of it, although I get that they were going for different aesthetics with the Zonai stuff and I do really like it. In terms of it being a sequel I like the way they're going with Flesh Ganon being the main villain, which I wasn't sure I would. Calamity Ganon in retrospect seems like the First Form of the Boss since it was boar-shaped, and was only made up of the Ganon's malice/pre-gloom that seems to be what he could muster before being released by L+Z. I want to see more Ganon before I can Really formulate an opinion but it's kind of the same old Big Evil Guy… Mostly I just like the fan interpretations around the cycles of reincarnation and Ganon's rebellion being more about the Gerudo's status wrt being under Hylian rule & wish canon gave him more depth than He's the Power Guy… I have no hopes but we'll see if they surprise me. I knew Zelda wasn't going to be an actual character considering their stance on playable Zelda but I do like that she's Doing more and kind of has her own thing going on in the past similar to Skyward. They've never been super precious with putting Zelda in Situations but I REALLY like the idea of her sacrificing herself to make it back to her own time, whether that was a decision she needed to make like that or not. I think it was a little obvious it was coming but I really like her dragon form and the dragon theming in general that comes with the Zonai..... I know she's gonna be able to be saved but like can you imagine if that was it. How delicious that would be. Also think about how fucked up she's gonna be after she just had to live thru millenia. What did she see bro. But also who the fuck are the other dragons then. THE CHASM is fucking scary but I LOVE the vibes of what I've seen because it especially reminds me of Twilight Princess. Like the curly little ferns and how the roots of the trees are swirly in the same way that the ones in Faron Woods are.... And how you clear the darkness like you did the mist in Faron!!!!!! Seriously I don't give a fuck about timeline and if it's connected, I don't think it is, but I just love that they chose a similar tone. The powers you get from the temples are kind of fun it's cool to mix it up and also have some battle support lmfaooo but god do I miss Revali's Gale. Instant jump my beloved come back....

I haven't done all that much exploring all things considered. I was mostly just grabbing shrines for warp points so I'm only at 6 hearts. Also barely got items or figured out how to make any good contraptions lmfao still not sure how I should be spending Zonai charges. I want to get more into the Depths but I might finish the other 2 temples first.

ok that's it I will be playing more at work tomorrow GOOD NIGHT

[luimagines]

Welp, time for more Huntress and Piyo content.

I've already covered that they got tossed into Hyrule after the shadow's failed attempt to kidnap Huntress specifically. They were dripped into Wild's era specifically, which is probably for the best considering the unique, uh, challenge they'll be posed appearance wise.

For Piyo, well, he's a giant wyvern with bright carnelian and deep blue scales, wil large semi feathered black and blue wings. That much is obvious, but for Huntress, hers are more subtle and unnoticeable until you look at her.

See, Huntress is actually half human and half wyverian. Wyverians are a race of people in Monster Hunter that were descended from wyverns, they're genrally characterized by their long pointed ears, having four fingers on each hand, and bearing digitigrade legs (digitigrade is the fancy word for an animal shaped leg). And my headcanon for them is that they'll also beat other wyvern traits like scales, claws, and slitted pupils. Huntress, being half human, has five fingers on each hand instead of four. So from the waist up, Huntress looks like a perfectly normal hylian until you look at her legs, and she doesn't really wear shoes unless she's dealing with harsh weather conditions. She's also got a pair of tough claws and the cat like eyes but you know, it's subtle.

Although, thanks to the scarcity of people in Hyrule in Wild's era, any hylians from Hatenno or the Sheikah are just kinda like "Huh, weird...." but don't make much fuss on it. And then the likes of Rito, Zora, Goron,, and Gerudo literally couldn't care less so they don't make a racket either. I am also furry oriented so the funny animal legs make my brain go brrr.

I do really think that Sky would try and challenge Huntress and Piyo to a race and would lose horrendously. It's not that him and Crimson aren't good flyers, it's just that Piyo, as a Rathalos, tend to fly much faster. In Monster Hunter, Rathalos are dubbed the "King of the Skies" for their speed and agility in the air.

Mm, general appearances aside... I think I'll cover introductions to the Chain in another ask.

I'm sad that I can't post pictures while on anon. I have a dooble of Huntress.

- Chill

I wish to see dooble.

She sounds so cool!

I wish I could picture what Piyo really looked like because I have an idea in my head (and I could probably look it up tbh) but I know next to nothing about Monster Hunter (shocking, I know).

So I'm going off by your words about what they both look like. Do they match?

Because having matching scales would be cute on the surface, but questionable in context. Questions which I would like to ask. But I lack context. :/

So for all I know, I could still be wildly off the mark. XD

[chirons-mortar]

Breath of the Wild Fanart: Oya, Moblin Champion

The Champion of the Moblins, at one time he was actually an exile. He was considered violent and brutish by even Moblin standards and as a result he ended up wandering all over Hyrule. His travels took him deep into the Gerudo Desert, to the frosts of Hebra, and even to the top of Death Mountain. These experiences made him particularly hardy and he forged a crude bone armor set out of the many beasts he hunted. His greatest prize is his club made from the fossilized skulls of elemental dragons that crackle with the energies of the wilderness he was exposed to. He eventually came out of exile and founded a village settled within the bones of an ancient leviathan.

He leaves the mundane duties of running the tribe to his young daughter Mag. Like him she was an exile who he picked up on his journeys, but unlike him who was banished due to his behavior, she was banished due to being the runt of her tribe. While not a particularly smart or noble character, Oya found the injustice of being banished for something outside of one's control infuriating, and when he founded his tribe, he decided that while he would reward strength, the meek would always have his protection. Mag is a gentle soul in contrast to her brutish father and uses her skills in crafting to make protective charms and magic seals to keep them safe.

Oya will pursue Link after he completes three Divine Beasts. To stop him, Link must venture to his village built in the bones of a titan. Oya will harass him on the path to the village, occasionally throwing boulders and even Bokoblins to block Link's progress. During his actual fight he is hard to hurt due to his thick bone armor and will shift the elements in his club to do different kinds of attacks. At half health he will go into a berserker rage and shed his armor, making him more vulnerable but faster and harder hitting. The bones of the titan will also respond to the elemental energies in his skull club, creating a stage hazard. Upon defeat, he actually perks up and has a good laugh with Link, declaring him his friend and gifting him his elemental club.

[freezingwhitefire]

Okay, now for the answers to that question list I just reblogged.

1. What's your favourite Zelda Game? Ocarina of Time is my favorite Zelda Game. I enjoy others but I am always drawn back to that one.

2. What battle was the most fun? I can't remember what the boss is called but I do remember that it was in Twilight Princess. The boss of the Arbiter's Grounds. That one was super fun when I played through it. (It was on the Wii and that fight was a joy with how it went.)

3. What is your favourite temple/dungeon? I have to say... Ocarina of Time's Forest Temple. That one has amazing ambience and while it is a puzzle there is still time to just enjoy it without having to backtrack through half the dungeon or something.

4. What is your favourite Boss Monster? For Aesthetics? Probably the Demon Sword (Mini boss in the Arbiter's Grounds). For how well they work for the level? The Sky City boss in Twilight Princess. For just how much I liked them after finally getting to them? Eh probably Twinrova in Ocarina of Time right until I realized what a pain it was to get the fire or ice as many times as I needed them. Of course the Helmaroc King in Wind Waker was a fun fight all things considered and so was the Boss of the Ancient Cistern in Skyward Sword.

5. Zoras, Gorons, or Deku Scrubs? Eh... I find I like them all in different ways. The favorite to play as is definitely the Zora. Favorite to see around and deal with is usually the Gorons. But the Deku Scrubs are amazing and their culture is awesome.

6. Top 5 favourite music from the series? Song of Storms, Gerudo Valley, Song of Healing, Ballad of the Windfish (Link's Awakening), Serenade of Water/Queen Rutela's Theme

7. Hardest temple/ Easiest Temple? Hardest Temple is Stone Tower Temple from Majora's Mask, the three day time limit is a pain to deal with but without that it would be pretty simple so... Palace of Winds in Minish Cap for the Hardest. Easiest Temple/Dungeon is Hyrule Castle in A Link to the Past.

8. Which companion is your favourite and why? For the games I have played and going purely by in game stuff... Proxi. I really like her energy and how she helps Link in some ways during Hyrule Warriors. Now if I include my other thoughts and ideas then Navi because she was helping a literal child the entire game and you know she helped him a ton during some sections like the Shadow Temple and after.

9. What do you like the most about Link? His kindness. Almost everyone is drawn to him and he is so willing and ready to help them, even his enemies (Skull Kid in Majora's Mask) or those that take advantage of him (Ravio in A Link Between Worlds).

10. What do you like the most about Zelda? She admits that she makes mistakes. As we see in Breath of the Wild she was taught that she had to reach a certain standard of being but we know that each Zelda is often in a place where she has to seem perfect yet each one is willing to admit when she made a mistake and to try to fix it even if that doesn't really work out either.

11. In any place in the whole series, where would you like to live in and why? Hmmm... Ordon Village. Everyone is kind and looks out for each other. They all seem very content and happy with what they have too.

12. How old were you when you played your first zelda game? Umm... three? I think I had one of my siblings help me play some of the first Legend of Zelda.

13. Funniest/Saddest/And Scariest moment in the series? Funniest moment is in Skyward Sword when you can have Link say "Uh-oh." before Zelda pushes him off the statue though him asking Impa later if he's late is a close second because both were hilarious. Saddest moment in my opinion was the end of the last training session with the Hero's Shade in Twilight Princess. You can tell that while the Shade is proud and wants Link to succeed he is also trying to let go, not only of his undeath state but of this person he sees as a child who he has come to love in some way. It just makes me so sad to think back to it.

14. What characters do you ship? Not many. I can usually understand why some ships are really loved but I generally don't ship LoZ characters very much.

15. Favourite Sidequest? Tarry Town in Breath of the Wild. I love how it lets so many different people find a home and find a place they can belong despite not really having had that in the past.

16. If you could throw a big party anywhere in Hyrule, where would you have one at and why?Hyrule Field near Zora's Domain, you could invite many races and not have to worry much about what race needs water or solid land because it is all there.

17. Favourite enemies? The Garo in Majora's Mask... or the Poe (most of them are really cool).

18. What game graphics did you like the best and why? Depends on when you ask me. Right now I have to say Twilight Princess. There is a certain realism to it but there is also this ethereal haziness to parts of it that just give this sense of things being so much greater and more than Link and his adventure without just telling us some of it the sense of that being there exists already.

19. Favourite sage? Either Makar from Wind Waker or Irene from A Link Between Worlds.

20. What hometown of Link's do you prefer? Eh... Skyloft. A lot of the other towns and such are cool but I really like Skyloft and how there is a sense of a close community there.

21. Midna's Imp form, or her true form? I like her true form better but the imp form suits her personality through the game better.

22. Tetra or Wind Waker Princess Zelda? Depends on personality or actions. Personality I kinda like Tetra better but I have to say Princess Zelda is awesome with that bow and those light arrows.

23. Favourite item to use? The Hookshot. I love that thing and use it constantly followed by the Pegasus Boots.

24. Favourite Mask on Majora's Mask? Bunny Hood. No questions there I absolutely love the Bunny Hood.

25. Favourite Villain? That is a hard question... I think probably Ganondorf.

26. What is something that you've always loved about the series? The puzzles. Sure there is fighting and exploring which are always interesting but I love the puzzles and how often you get something and it might not be the best way to deal with the situation.

27. Which Link is your favourite? Ocarina of Time Link.

28. What character do you think you're more alike? Not sure, maybe one of the teachers in Skyward Sword... just not the swordsmanship teacher.

29. Which of the Great fairies do you like best? Purely on appearance the one in Twilight Princess. Based on what they do the ones in Majora's Mask and Ocarina of Time. For the amount of things they can do based on where you are (like upgrades and stuff) A Link to the Past.

30. Favourite Minor Character in the series? If we figure that they are separate people then Sheik, if not then Impa.

31. Triforce of Courage, Triforce of Wisdom, Triforce of Power, Triforce of ---? It takes Wisdom to see your mistakes but it takes greater courage to acknowledge them and try to fix them. I would take courage.

32. If you were King/Queen of Hyrule what would you do? Find someone else who wants the job, I like living. Alternately I would listen to the Princess if her name is Zelda because that seems like it would be wise.

33. Favourite shield? The old Mirror Shield in Ocarina of Time or the Shield of the Thunder God in Skyward Sword.

34. Rito or Korok tribe? Kokiri. Um the Rito.

35. Favourite quote(s)? "A sword wields no strength unless the hand that holds it has courage." and "Whenever there is a meeting, a parting is sure to follow. However that parting needs not last forever. Whether a parting be forever or merely for a short time… that is up to you."

[bugcatcherwill]

Sorry this took so long I was visiting family over the weekend. Anyway HOLY SHIT LORE AND DRAMA DROP EVERYTHING WE ARE BACK

I’m not gonna lie for the past few chapters of constant dialogue I’ve been kinda running out of things to talk about except “I like it” but this chapter has broken the streak and I can proudly say this is now one of my favorite chapters. It’s up there with when Rezek nuked all of Wizzrobe kind, Kobb and Ganondorf playing chess in the Malice, and when Lettie and Hoz destroyed racism.

Also I guess we now know how you’re gonna do TOTK, so from what I can assume, Ganondorf has slight control over the Calamity and can use its power for whatever the fuck he wants but it’s constantly trying to pull him back in and it eventually will which will be the cause of the Upheaval and whatever tomfuckery the Calamity wants to do with Ganondorfs body.

Also rip to Dinju she a real one

Jokes aside I love how you used the Gibdos story and connection to Riju as a way to set up the racism arc that’s inevitably coming in the future. (I hope to god you do it better than SVTFOE season 3 and 4) I mean we know the asshole Zora elders aren’t gonna forgive the monsters, and probably most of the Gerudo soldiers considering Riju doesn’t even forgive Keene and she didn’t even fight Dinju. And since the only things Hylians are good at is being racist I think we know what their decision on forgiving the monsters is gonna be.

All around an amazing chapter and a breath of fresh air from the never ending walls dialogue of the recent chapters.

(P.S. when I say constant dialogue I don’t mean that as an offense or criticism I mean that as in a way of me saying that I didn’t have much to talk about in the breakdowns)

Omg thank you as always :3

And we'll see! Definitely set up some things for ToTK but I don't wanna spoil tooooooo much about what I plan to do...

I have a plan for it, and it'll be one I honestly don't think anyone will expect, but it's always fun to see speculation on the little crumbs I'm setting up hehehehe

And oh, yeah, I haven't seen SVTFOE or heard much about it, but I'm aware of how badly a LOT of series fumble at themes of racism or discrimination. I don't wanna flame the writers too hardly because I'm fairly certain there's a lotta corporate meddling that goes behind the scenes to push this "it's not the status quo that needs to change, it's just a few bad apples so please don't think about the system being corrupt by design :D"

Rest assured, you're not getting status quo bullshit here LMAO

I've been doing my best trying not to fall into all the stereotypical pitfalls authors can do when writing about topics like that (especially when they don't research it lol).

Honestly one of my prime reasons I even started writing this fic in the first placed was because I HATED how so many fantasy series treats goblins/orcs/trolls/etc. Like even with DnD we've seen them thankfully backpedal on the idea of "evil" races like the Drow and Orc/Half-Orc....but then they still pull the "oh yeah but all goblins are still evil so don't feel bad about slaughtering them by the dozens lol".

As much as I've been loving Baldur's Gate 3, almost all of the dialogue revolving around goblins is..........yea............

Anyways sorry for my own rant I just like to talk about this stuff and I hope that makes y'all excited for where I'm taking my fic lmao

[thiefxking]

FACTS / HEADCANONS ABOUT THE MUSE. REPOST NOT REBLOG.

tagged by: @dutifulsilence

tagging: I lost track of who has or has not done this... so if you haven't consider yourself tagged!

-

Ganondorf wears at least two bracelets on each arm, they rarely have topaz because he doesn't want his 'official' status as a Gerudo King to be known, and are to help him control his magic better.

Ganondorf keeps a small journal and inside the cover is a sketch of his closest friends among his people, Nabooru specifically is there but so is her second and the leader of the guards. This journal travels with him everywhere and was in his pocket when he was sealed inside the sacred realm.

Whenever he is upset and home in the desert Ganondorf creates a storm, it typically lasts for an hour but has lasted as long as a day and a half. These storms typically include lots of lightning and wind as well as the occasional ice, never fire though because he likes being able to return without having to heal from breaking through the glass he creates (it happened once and never again).

Twilight spends a lot of time in his wolf form while traveling. He takes Epona with him when he can but he enjoys being able to talk to all the creatures and how his senses make him more aware of the world around him. His senses as a Hylian are sharper as a result of this. When Zelda found out about this she made a bandanna for him with 'Dymas' embroidered on it so that he wouldn't be attacked on accident.

Twilight visits Great Fairies, Light Spirits, and others he meets on his journeys (both in his era and not) because he doesn't want them to get lonely and wants to thank them some. He is also secretly looking for two things during those visits. A way back to the Realm of Twilight, and a way to visit his teacher the Hero's Shade. Ironically this is what leads him to figuring out how to travel through time to fixed points... initially only to the era of the Hero of the Wilds (Breath of the Wild) where he got stuck for a while both in time and in form.

[fatefulfaerie]

A Deal With God

For the weekly prompt from @zelinkcommunity . This week was decisions!

Link was all too aware of his haste as he knelt before the ethereal being, attempting to remember every bit of the formality he once forgot. Everything he had been told about this goddess from spined tomes and Hylian rumors contradicted themselves, and so he focused on speaking clearly and trying not to let his eagerness get the better of him.

“I have journeyed the skies,” he began evenly, his head bowed in feigned piety. “I have reforged the sword that seals the darkness, and harnessed the power of Zonai, all to reach this sacred place and curry favor with you, the Goddess of Time. I am a mere mortal seeking, begging to incur a supernatural thing, and only you can grant me what I wish.”

“Your heart is heavy, young one,” the Goddess of Time spoke, her voice neither male nor female, not low nor high. She shouted with a whisper and showed strength with gentility. It echoed, as if three or four voices were beyond her golden face. “Speak your truth, as it cannot lie.”

Link stood up. His power was undeniable, the Master Sword gleamed brighter than it ever had and lean-built muscles were broadcasted elegantly via the half-open green fabric draped along his left shoulder. His right hand and forearm shone turquoise, ebbing like a beating heart, with sharp nails that could cut through diamond.

“My...” Link hesitated as he allowed his heart to pang. The memory was both temporally distant and unabashedly raw. He could still smell her corpse in his nostrils, rotting as if she were long gone. The only thing stronger than that odor was Link’s denial.

“I lost someone,” he explained, as if she were merely misplaced. “Someone very important to me. With the power you once gifted the Zonai, I can rewind time, but not in the capacity which I seek. I would like to be rewound more than a few seconds. I want to go back several months, to the exact moment she fell. With my powers I can rewrite her fate at that moment, but I need you to take me there.”

“A grand request,” the goddess said, Link listening impatiently, his formality degrading. “Indeed, for a request so grand, it would seem the reward should be grander. Hero of Hyrule, for all your toil, would you not want to rewrite your story on a grander scale? Rescind the Great Calamity and your love’s past troubles, save the lives of so many?”

Link furrowed his brow.

“I am not the Hero of Hyrule anymore,” he said, his voice backed by equal parts determination and ire. “Everything I’ve done is for her, for our future together. I’ve mourned the past already, please don’t make me mourn her.”

The goddess closed her eyes and held out her hands. Her palms were facing Link, and yet they were quite aimed afar.

“Yes...future...”

She smiled and chuckled.

“I see it too...”

Her eyes could be seen moving in her lids, yet soon her eyes reopened and her hands descended.

“You are like no hero before you, Link,” she observed. “And none after you. In fact, I suspect you are the very last of the cycle, considering the manner in which you bested the behemoth known across time as hatred incarnate. You are the last in a line of Links who lost, and yet the first to demand a happy ending. I must commend you for that, but I cannot do what you ask without demanding a price.”

Link seemed confused.

“A price?”

She nodded, her hands clasping in front of her.

“As a Hylian, you learn of the goddess Hylia, a benevolent angel born of goodness and pure of heart. You also learn of the demon Demise, a being who cast aside the blessings imparted on him and vowed to destroy and to hate. The power of these two entities was so strong it carried into an endless battle that spanned generations of helpless victims, one of which a pitiless Gerudo man named Ganondorf. In all this, I have been the constant mediator, the referee of an infinite sport. You see time connects all these things and more, and thus as the neutral party, I am neither good nor bad, neither benevolent nor cruel. A wish such as this must be balanced with a toll of equal sacrifice, a fair trade not made unequal by kindness or stinginess.”

“I-I’ll give you anything,” Link insisted. “Anything except my life.”

The goddess smiled and shook her head, waving her hand alongside her negation of his terms.

“Your life is far too valuable,” she said. “I much prefer your arm, the one on the right, and the sword, the one you hold to your left.”

Link was shocked, and stammered speechlessly as he looked down at the gold-encrusted turquoise arm. He looked back up at her with small shakes of his head.

“No...I...”

He looked down and up again.

“No,” he pleaded. “This is how I can save her. I can reverse time on her body after she falls, I can lift her...I-I could even stretch down and catch her with this. There are so many ways I could save her and all of them involve the Zonai powers imbued into my arm. How will I save her?”

“That is not my question to answer,” she said. “To you I ask that and this: do you lose all the power you’ve built to risk this one chance to save her, or do you stay in this time and move on?”

Link only felt his breath as he pondered it all, his gaze looking at nothing in particular as even the gold of the Goddess of Time became a commonplace sight.

He tossed the hilt of the Master Sword in his hand so that the blade pointed backwards instead. Just that small reminder of weight begged him not to say goodbye to the spirit within the sword, who he had met and betrayed and befriended and bonded and broken and reforged again and again for what seemed like a thousand lifetimes. He hesitated as he looked down at his unliving companion.

“It’s time, Master,” he heard with a chime. The Goddess of Time either did not hear or did not care to react to the otherworldly voice. Link’s next inhale was shaky as he looked with pity at a face he could almost see.

But, he nodded in response to the voice and handed over the Master Sword hilt-first. Link expected the Goddess of Time to wield it, yet all she touched the hilt with was a mere fingertip and it disintegrated into gold dust, ebbing away alongside the calm breeze of the skies.

Next, Link tentatively held out his arm before him, wincing and closing his eyes as he thought of the struggle to come, reminding himself that his excitement to see her again was laced with the knowledge that he’d have to relive his worst memory, and remedy it at that.

How…

How would he pull this off?

Link nodded and opened his eyes, his gaze guarded and timid.

“Do it,” he said, the goddess tapping a single finger on one of his.

Not only did the power disappear from his arm, but the arm itself too was disappearing freckle by freckle as Link watched with wide eyes and a shocked gasp as every bit of his right-side mobility simply withered away. When it was all finished, his shoulder was a stub and the cursed etchings were gone. Panic danced in his eyes, yet when he breathed to voice his complaint, only an insulted scoffs echoed in his throat.

“You know better than anyone that the malice was eroding at your arm when the Zonai powers took root. In fact, it’s why the Zonai powers took root. Without those powers, the consequences of the initial damage remains.”

Link wanted to protest, yet this was the way to Zelda, this was the ‘anything’ he had advertised, and he was determined to see her again.

No sword.

No Zonai abilities.

Only one arm.

And only one chance to save her.

He’d have to make it worth it.

Link nodded, terrified. Excited, exhilarated, but terrified. Just do the impossible this one time, and everything else is possible. His long, dirty blonde hair billowed in the wind and he let his love for Zelda once again soar in his heart. He closed his eyes and felt the hand of a tall goddess place itself upon the top of his head.