Text
Im gonna say it.
The cinematic cutscenes from TOTK sucked.
Theyre mostly just characters upright, idle, giving exposition. I was bored when sonia died because of how lacking in emotion the whole scene was played out, from the hardly-there voice acting to the models robotic movements.
I was bored every time a guardian ancestor passed on the stone, the "imprisoning war" was a footnote of a lackluster 6v1 where everyone just stood there or floated in slow motion in the periphery in a strike pose.
The only cutscenes that had a lot of movement were ganon-centric or reused preset animations for creatures (like the molduga assault or the creation of ganons army)
Its just SO LAZYYY
#and that endgame cutscene where zelda just looks at the camera and speaks for 2 minutes like a fucking dating sim char#at least in BOTW the memory cutscenes had so much LIFE and zelda moved with her emotions in scenes#where did that all go?#TOTK was a good game but not because of the story#totk desperately needs someone to go thru and reanimate every one of those stupid dragon tears#enough of my ranting tho#totk#botw#tloz totk#tloz botw#loz totk#zelda#link#ganondorf#dont look at me#the legend of zelda#tears of the kingdom
135 notes
·
View notes
Text
I did this Tier Ranking the other day of Zelda’s with the most to least amount of agency in their games, and I’m going to be honest... I’m still thinking about it. I was getting so annoyed when I played SS the other day because of something that happens that made me mad. So now, I’m going to rant about every single Zelda because she deserves better.
This is my short essay on which Zelda’s have agency in their games and why. Omg if only I could have done that topic in grad school.
So this was my list.
Before you keep going, this is just spoiler central. So, if you haven’t played, say SS yet, heads up.
I’m going to start by saying I’ve never played the Four Swords games nor watched a playthrough. IDK why there are 4 of her, but maybe it’s just ironic to have 4 of them? But that’s my ‘don’t know’ pile. Maybe she’s epic, but I remember her being captured by Vaati in an intro to the GBA game, so I doubt it.
~~~
Most Agency: Wind Waker Tetra, Sheik, and Spirit Tracks Zelda
I almost feel like this part of the list goes without saying. Tetra (WW) is a queen. She’s a captain, has a crew, goes where she wants, helps Link, hurts Link, literally, queen.
Sheik should also go without saying. We don’t see a lot of Sheik actually doing things, but we know she’s doing them. She’s been all over Hyrule for 7 years training, and keeping the world spinning. During the game alone, we know she’s out there rescuing Ruto, trying to fight the spirits in the well, etc. So we don’t see it, but we know it.
And Spirit Tracks Zelda! SHE’S YOUR LITERAL COMPANION!!! SHE’S WITH YOU THE WHOLE GAME, FINDS A WAY TO FIGHT, HELPS, IS FUNNY, IS ACTIVE IN THE KINGDOM, AND IS AN ALL AROUND UNDERATED ZELDA. She lost a little agency because she has no body, but she didn’t let it stop her.
~~~
Good Agency: OOT Zelda, BOTW Zelda, TP Zelda
This is the “I’m in danger of being smited for including these three here” pile. OOT Zelda isn’t in it for long as adult Zelda, and she does get trapped in a crystal almost immediately, but you know she was training for years and managed to stay out of sight of Ganon. And at the end, she holds up an entire castle for you to escape. I want her on my team, but I’d prefer Sheik. Plus, this Zelda is one in SSB sooo does that count? I don’t think so but whatever. I wanted to put her lower, but I was thinking of her off screen and she managed to make it up into the ‘good’ agency pile.
BOTW Zelda. She’s got a lot more agency in AOC than BOTW because she just runs around and basically commands the whole kingdom's army after a while, but in BOTW, she’s held back by everyone! She had the potential! She wasn’t a damsel, she was a smart cookie, she had character, but everyone was like nah girl. Go wander Hyrule doing stuff. And she did! Not because she had agency, but because everyone told her to. She wanted to work with the tech! Let her work with the tech!
And TP Zelda, my girl, I love the thought of this Zelda SO MUCH!! SHE HAS A SWORD!! SHE COULD HAVE USED IT IN THE GAME!! THE CUTSCENE WAS RIGHT THERE!!!!! But you know she defended Hyrule off screen anyway, literally fought with her soldiers to protect her people. Gave her literal life of her own accord, took full blame for things, like, no one told this girl no. She was full blown agency... except that she was locked in a tower for the whole game, then went poof, then got turned into a puppet, then only managed to show off her battle badassery in ONE SCENE aka one of the best multi-stage final boss battles. Just could have pushed her further.
~~~
Okay Agency: Child OOT Zelda, SS Zelda, ALBW Zelda
Child Zelda. She’s a child. She gave Link an instrument and was forcibly (but thankfully) spirited away on horseback. She doesn’t really DO much at this point. But she WILL! So she’s cool, but she’s just a wee sprout still!
SS Zelda: Don’t hit me! I love her, her general plot, and her relationship with Link. But she isn’t even allowed to hug him. She is dragged everywhere, captured MULTIPLE times, stuck in a big old amber crystal thing FOR I DON’T REMEMBER HOW LONG, nearly sacrificed, and is bombarded with memories of a life that wasn’t technically hers and she has to sort through being Hylia and not just Zelda. Poor bean. She’s not at the bottom because you can tell that before the game, she was top tier agency queen.
ALBW Zelda is just... meh. She’s not as bad as ALTTP Zelda, but she doesn’t really do much and then gets stuck in a painting for most of the game. Points if we’re counting Smash Bros again though!
~~~
NO AGENCY: ALTTP Zelda, Oracle Zelda, OG Zelda, Minish Cap Zelda, WW Zelda, PH Tetra, Zelda II Zelda.
ALTTP Zelda is just a sad, sad tale of ‘can you be more damsel in distress if you tried’? She: starts the game in a cell, hides in a sanctuary, is kidnapped again, is sacrificed, is stuck in a crystal, and finally, is chilling in the end credits. Girl. I’m so sorry for you.
Oracle Zelda is apparently the same Zelda as ALTTP and it shows. She hangs out in a house and tells you the weather and then (you guessed it) is kidnapped and nearly sacrificed. This poor bean has gone through too much.
OG Zelda literally pops up at the end of the game and is like HEY you’ve been trying to save me this whole time, in case you didn’t know. And Link’s like omg I have?? Because I don’t even remember her being mentioned outside the info pamphlet and the ending.
Out of order, but Zelda II, she’s the most relatable, because she sleeps the whole game. She’s under a curse, wakes up, sees Link and is like damn you’re cute, and kisses him. If we use the info booklet, it gets worse and her brother used a spell to blah blah. She sleeps. That’s all she does.
Minish Cap Zelda is so precious at the beginning of the game and you can tell her and Link are besties and I wanted more of that! AND THEN SHE’S TURNED TO STONE THE WHOLE GAME. But no, wait, she’s...... almost sacrificed in the process. Deja vu.
Wind Waker Zelda was cool in the final scene, but she spent her entire portion of the game trapped in a basement against her will for her protection. No agency. That’s really all the poor thing gets to do as Zelda.
THEN THE DIRTIEST OF ALL DONE DIRTY CHARACTER MOVES IS PHANTOM HOURGLASS TETRA! ONE OF THE BEST ZELDA’S REDUCED TO NOTHING! SHE IS CAPTURED IMMEDIATELY AND SPENDS THE ENTIRE GAME AS A DAMSEL IN DISTRESS WHO HAS BEEN KIDNAPPED AND TURNED TO STONE. I’m still salty and will hate Phantom Hourglass forever for many reasons, and Tetra being done dirty is one of them.
I feel better now. If anyone actually read all this and has other thoughts on this, I’m fired up and ready to talk because who needs to sleep at 1:30am? Not me!!
#legend of zelda#zelda#princess zelda#ranking things#rant#Zelda's agency#why do some of these games just HATE her#I was not recovered after ranking these Zelda's the other day#agency#zelda series#gaming
14 notes
·
View notes
Text
Back here with another episode of:
Read Part 1 here!
If you’re on mobile, and tumblr hates this post, follow along on this google doc!
Rules/overview this rewrite in the beginning of Part 1
Alrighty then, so let’s just jump into it!
- - - - - - - - - -
Recap! So when we last left off, we had just finished off Act 1 of the story. We’ve used the character introduction segments and the gambit feature as a means to give more life to everyone, without sacrificing too much cutscene time. Allowing us to save and focus the major story details and set up on the more cinematic cutscenes.
I had forgotten, but after Part 1 came out, an anon pointed out that Impa’s character introduction could use some work, and while you don’t need to read it right now to understand the rest of this post, I encourage you to look at it eventually to see the strengths and flaws in the original Impa introduction, and the reasons for my rewrite changes! All you need to know is that eggbot was lying around, deactivated, but when in proximity to the Sheikah Slate, was turned on like other Guardians. Eggbot being activated by the Sheikah Slate is kinda brushed over in the original game? But in my rewrite it’s gonna have some later significance. Also during the Royal Lab cutscene, I want Robbie or Purah to mention how Zelda’s control of the Sheikah Slate is quite exceptional or something. It’s a bit obvious already in Hwaoc, but I need it to be verbally said in a story scene for, again, later significance. Alright that’s it for my added details, moving on now.
After Chapter 1, we moved into the characters accepting the Call to Adventure, whether by the general external reasons of wanting to save the world, and developed a little bit further with more internal related reasons to give nuances and identities to different characters. Revali wishes to prove that his hard work earns him better merit than a sidekick, Urbosa wishes to protect and help Zelda on an emotional level, Mipha wishes to get closer to Link and come back to her family proud, etc etc.
Then, the climax of Act 1 ends with the Yiga ambush, and the characters get a first taste of leaving their areas of comfort, and journeying into the unknown world. Although the gameplay and the successful defeat of the Yiga establishes the Champion team’s strength, our interaction with Rhoam shows us that they still have a ways to go. The momentum into the full story now has a bit of tension and conflict.
So now we crash into the beginning of Act 2, the longest Act in a story, as it’s the part where the....story, happens. Let’s take a look at changes to the Hollows, eggbot mysteries, Zelda character growth, and our first real dip into the character of our antagonist, the Prophet of Doom himself, Astor…
So in the game, Chapter 3 opens on the flank of Death Mountain, our heroes overlooking the view of Korok Forest.
There are a few problems I have with this scene. It’s really stale, there’s no movement, nothing dynamic about it other than the opening shot. They just kinda stand there and say words until Revali’s done ranting and summons Medoh. Also Revali’s dialogue is a bit “much” to say the least, and uh, spoiler alert, he’s gonna be reworked a bit more than the other Champions. Finally, this scene doesn’t have a lot of purpose or substance. Sure, it has some character conflict with Revali and Link and the team, but that’s kinda established already, plus it’s something that I’ve already fleshed out in the last scene with King Rhoam, so it’s a bit redundant. So that leaves this scene serving only as a boring current draw to the Medoh fight and nothing else. This is the opening set up for the Chapter where important story stuff goes down! Needs a lot more substance. So! Here’s my rework.
We open on the sound of running. Link, along with Zelda, Urbosa, Daruk, and Mipha are running upwards on a path by Edlin. They’re chasing a small group of bokoblins and it looks like it’s the end of the fight. Urbosa is more near the back, with Zelda, but Daruk and Mipha both kill a bokoblin, their bodies of the monsters exploding in a cloud of malice upon their demise. When the camera shows each of their kills, the shots are quick, but I want the angle of the camera to be in such a way that the malice evaporates center frame, with Daruk and Mipha being behind the malice. This is because for a split second, it looks like the malice lingers around them like smoke. Huh, I wonder if that’s foreshadowing or something.
Anyhow, Link chases the final red bokoblin uphill, boots pattering against rock. However, we’re now seeing this from a moving, flying, bird’s eye view [quite literally wink wink]
Cut back close to Link, he kills the bokoblins. Stands there for a sec as he sheathes his sword. And then...
“Well I’ll be plucked. You defeated it, eh?”
Reveal Revali flying from above, and he lands in front of Link, but faces away from him. “Who would have thought that some little knight, amongst a group of chosen heroes, would get some action. You must be pretty proud of yourself, hm?” Cue that classic Revali head turn with a glare. Also when Revali says “heroes” I want him to flick his scarf dramatically, while staring at Link’s armour, as if internally he were judging Link on a runway.
Zelda runs up and starts speaking. “Oh Revali, I apologize our meet up with Medoh got a bit delayed. I assume that you’ve already positioned them by now for the attack?”
Revali hums a yes, but doesn’t bother to entertain a more fleshed out answer. Instead, he flicks his wing (as if to say, “come on”) and turns his back to walk up the trail. The others follow.
“I was informed that only the Champions and yourself would be present. What are…” Revali flicks a wing in the direction of Link and eggbot, like a Karen shooing a waiter. “...they, exactly contributing?”
Zelda says some stuff about Link being her bodyguard like: “Well, my father was impressed enough with Link’s actions from the other week that he’s assigned to give me further protection.’ She can say this a bit grumpily, to Link’s ignorance. Daruk can pipe in like “And a good thing too! Always great to have little guy at our backs.” and Mipha can nod sheepishly or something. But their dialogue is cut off by another rude interjection (because hell if Revali wants to listen to more rambling about Link)
“Right, right. And this thing is still around?” Revali gestures to eggbot.
Zelda: “Well, This little one's technological prowess has been quite useful in battle, allowing us to access the rune functions and all. So I figured it’d be a big help should something unexpected happen. Plus...” cute shot of Zelda staring at eggbot, “it just...feels right.” Then the little eggshit can like, chirp happily or make some cute whistle or whatever. Just shove in a bit of that egg fanservice, might as well since I need to better establish its presence for later.
Revali mutters something about “big help,” before gesticulating with his wings as he continues walking up the trial. “Mooore like a big liability should anything happen to your little pet, and one of us be forced to risk our lives just to save it from becoming scrap. Honestly, when it comes to you, and you.” Revali points to both eggbot and Link, “Your presence is an entire waste of time. ‘Backup?’ Help?’ Tsk. Humouring.” Eggbot can make a noise or something while Link just tilts his head. Revali continues: “You’re only here because of a non-existent, fantastical, imaginary hypothetical in which I somehow fail, and I don’t, fail.” When he articulates that last part, he stops walking and does another little head turn/glare, but he still doesn’t bother to fully face him. “I’m sure that your duty will no longer be of importance once your reputation...is nothing but a memory overshadowed by today’s great feats. A forgettable knight, heh heh!”
“Revali,” Urbosa sighs, “How long do you expect us to put up with your showboating and prattle?”
That when Revali finally turns fully to face the group, with a more grim glare. They’ve reached the top of the ledge anyhow, so they’ve stopped walking. This is where the camera can view the Lost Woods in its fullest as it zooms on Revali. Then, that ending is the same as the game with the pan up to Medoh’s presence.
“Fine. I’ve said enough. The time has come to show you what I’m made of. Now witness...Vah Medoh’s divine power!”
So that’s that. Revali is toned down a bit, and his rude remarks have more of a precision as to their point. It’s a bit hard to explain over words alone, but the fact that this scene takes place as the Champions are walking up the trail, means it’s a lot more interesting to look at. (Kinda like the walk and talk premise that you see in The West Wing) Plus, the trail being uphill establishes that hint of power dynamic as Revali is above everyone else. Also there’s just a bit of some botw dialogue connection, not only in just the opening, [Hwaoc Revali vs Botw Revali “Who would have thought” is put in different context based on their development, so it’s a good establishing point to show where this Revali is at in dynamics with Link in comparison to botw, all in just one line rather than in a more longer explanation] but I also scattered a few dramatic irony pieces in there heheh. There’s a lot more reasons why this scene is an improvement [and hopefully to you, it already *feels* better] but I’m not going to explain them until near the end, as its importance is connected to the later scenes of this Chapter.
In fact, that's the overarching change that I’ve made to these cutscenes, I’ve actually connected them and related them to the other scenes. This is the very first introduction to Chapter 3, after all, so it’s important that this introduction serves to be of more significance than “ok here’s the champions, here’s revali, there's medoh. Now go wreck stuff.”
Medoh’s fight is the same, the cutscenes after are mostly the same. Except here, when everyone runs into Korok forest and you see Astor, I want this scene to end not on Astor’s face (because it’s not as significant anymore since we’ve already see Astor in full in Chapter 2 with Urbosa’s stage) but it should end with Astor reaching out a hand towards the camera. The camera angle would be just a bit below Astor. This is because I want the implication to be slightly more clear that he killed those two Yiga underlings to craft the Hollows. It’s a nice little “watch it for the first time it doesn’t mean anything” but watching again it’s like “ohh how did I not notice that” kind of thing.
Then, Hestu’s introduction is roughly the same. I don’t think I really need to rework it too much, since Hestu as a character doesn’t serve anything major to the plot, so it’s fine for it to just be fun and cute. I will however, change just a few pieces of dialogue.
Revali: “Are we even making progress? We could just be going in circles.”
Daruk: “Good point. If only someone could fly above and scout the way.”
Revali: “As though I could see anything through this muck. Honestly, do you even think before you speak?”
Revali!!! Don’t be so rude to Daruk. Like yes it’s a bit funny, but that last part with “do you even think before you speak” is a bit much, because honestly Revali doesn’t really have a reason to hate Daruk. He’s characterized as being rude to Link and those he deems unworthy of respect, but Revali respects Daruk, Mipha, and Urbosa fairly well, considering they were chosen alongside him. So personally, I’d just tweak this to
Daruk: “Good point. If only someone could fly above and scout the way...”
Mipha snickers at this. And Revali mutters more quietly to himself, “As though I could see anything through this muck.” and gives little “hmph!” at Daruk, moving away.
There we go! It still serves it purpose of showing how the Champions are still not completely in sync (which is what I can assume was the original purpose of Revali’s rude comment line) but it’s played a bit more comedic (which makes sense considering this is in the context of Hestu’s introduction) and we get to poke fun at Revali, since just early we had spent so long boosting up his ego. Also Mipha laughing a bit with Daruk while Revali broods adds to that point of them being too busy to see Hestu right behind them.
Another small change, I don’t want Zelda to discover Hestu first. I want eggbot to discover Hestu, maybe they shake their maraca and eggbot notices and gives a little curious whistle. When Zelda notices eggbot not walking with her, she looks right, and that’s when she notices Hestu. It’s almost insignificant, but I really want to establish the eggbot’s presence for this chapter. Especially since this game writes him out of cutscenes a lot.
Final small change. That Hestu scene ends, not with Revali wordlessly shaking his head and following the group after hanging back. But with Mipha actively turning back, saying something like “Come, Revali. We should all stick together. It wouldn’t do for us to get lost.” and then a reply like “As far as I’m concerned, when it comes to mystic swords, magic trees, lucky knights, and walking eggs...I already am.” I’m just trying to keep intact that Nintendo “vibe” of flicking the character stances right in your face, especially since this game's only forms of telling the story are through these less than a minute cutscenes.
OKAY! Gameplay stuff. There are no real mechanic or level design changes to the Battle of Korok Forest, BUT there is one important change that I want to make here.
When the party splits up to take on the bosses in order to get rid of the malice. I think that the Hollows should speak.
Not like full on sentences and stuff (yet) but I think they should mumble and groan and be able to speak a few simple words. Now why do I say this? Well, let’s take a look at how I think we should introduce them.
First off, I think it should be a cutscene. Not just some 2 second animation where the Hollows spawn in. Nonononononono, this needs to be a cutscene, because it needs to be acted, because we need to see the character reactions. Like, if you’re gonna have that cliche “dark evil clone of the protagonists” thing, then you might as well go all out with the angst. In fact, personally, I would have rewritten is as the hollows actually *being* the champions and astor can temporarily control them but then when he sees that fail later in the game that can be his motivator for making the blights to kill them off since they’re no longer of use to him alive or whatever but we’re scrapping that idea because like I've said I want to try to keep the integrity of the original story.
Ok, so you have a character come up to one of the map points, and when they get there it fades into a cutscene. It’s not gonna be super long, but here’s the vision.
Character is in the lost woods, they killed a stalbokoblin or whatever. Just some low tier enemy, and then it dies and becomes that whisp of malice. Great. Character turns to leave, but then they hear something. Like a snicker, or laughter. Cut to this angle from behind the trees, but instead of astor it’s the character you’re playing as.
They go over to investigate, creeping closer with caution, until they see a shadow. The shadow of a small figure, about no higher than Link, with a long, trident weapon.
FWOOSH! An explosion of malice, almost like a fountain behind the character. They turn just in time to block the attack, the Lightscale Trident, but yet...it’s not the Lightscale Trident, because it’s covered in malice. Hollow Mipha is striking from the air, because this is basically her fountain teleportation thing, but malice. Once the character blocks the attack, time slows just a bit so you can see Hollow Mipha’s face, and then cut to the other characters face to give them a reaction. And that’s it.
Then you can pop back into gameplay, but there should be textboxes on the bottom where you can see the character’s surprised reaction like
[Unimportant detail, but if Daruk fights his Hollow self I want his reaction to be like “Woah! I sure look grumpy. I look like I skipped breakfast.” and then his gambit attack is like “eat THIS!” Also Revali can say something about how imitation is a form of flattery]
Through that fight, the Hollows also have like one textbox and a line of Evil™ mumbling and/or laughing once they’re defeated. The laughing is kinda used in a later scene, but it’s never really seen again so I just want that to be more prevalent. You all could probably think of more angsty “evil version of you” lines that are specific to each character, but I’m just thinking stuff like “You...won’t...last” or even just *muttering*. In fact, this is another thing that I want to flesh out with my gambit feature. It not only serves as interaction between whatever two characters you’re playing as, but also as interaction between your antagonists. So if you use a gambit on Kohga, he’ll say something specific about the characters he’s fighting. Same idea with Sooga, or Astor, and now here, the Hollows can say stuff to you.
There’s gonna be someone out there more creative than me out there that can think up some cool dialogue for them, but basically what I want to establish is that we know that these Hollows are made from people’s like, souls? Or life force or whatever you wanna call it. So it wouldn’t be farfetched to give them the ability to speak. Over the course of the game, I want their textboxes/dialogue to be more and more lifelike, like without the pauses or muttering. This is because the entire point of the dialogue is not only to serve that trope of “I’m the evil you I’m gonna say stuff that emotionally impacts you mwahaha” but it also makes them just a bit more menacing in my opinion. Also overall gameplay wise, I think they need to become stronger with the Champions because idk if it was just me, but they were so easy that I just forgot about them.
So! Korok Forest Battle introduces these creepy mumbling Champions, people react and are a bit freaked out, but they eventually clear the malice and we hit the next cutscene.
This is where the shit goes down.
You all probably remember how this scene goes down so I’ll try not to spend too much time explaining it. But here’s my two cents as to why I’m gonna rewrite it a bunch. I think it’s not a good villain reveal.
Like first off, it doesn’t establish Astor as a threat. His memorable action here is the summoning of the Hollows, and while yes, they do beat up Link and that’s very good, it also let’s Link easily beat them and Astor as soon as he gets the Master Sword IN THAT SAME SCENE. There was no time to let the threat of Astor linger, and when we see Link instantly beat him once he gets his Mcguffin, it really hinders the effect of this reveal.
Secondly, everyone is just silent during this??? Like, obviously Link doesn’t say anything, but Zelda doesn’t do stuff? Astor just kinda says “kill her!” and thats about it. Zelda never says “who are you?” or “what do you want?” or anything because as far as she’s concerned this is just some random dude, he’s not Yiga or anything. Also Astor never even introduces himself?? Throughout the entire game??? So while we the player know who he is because of his fancy title card, as far as all the characters are concerned he’s just a Mystery Clown.
It’s just super weird how no one asks any questions during this scene like no one acts like a human being with common sense. In fact, one could say that no one asks any questions for this entire game. Things just happen, and happen, and happen, and everyones just kinda chill. And then Zelda just kinda receives 17 flashbacks over the course of two minutes at the end of the game like she’s speedrunning botw memory%. Obviously having an aura of mystery over the course of your game is fine, it’s good to keep questions lingering over the audience’s head. Just so long as you answer them in a satisfactory way later on. Like, that’s not something I need to spell out for you right? If you set up a question, give the audience a good answer. If you set up a mystery, give a cool explanation. If you set up an interesting character you have to give the people a pay off that was worth their investment into them, right? Right? Right? You understand right? Cause as the writer for a story, it’s you’re to explain the significance and importance of why things happen in a creative way. It’s almost as if that’s the entire purpose of storytelling, you know, an explanation of events in a compelling manner. Like please, this is a concept that you are able to grasp right? This isn’t just me right? See that’s how writing works when setting up anything ever, you gotta give an explanation to the choices you make in the plot. You gotta explain why. You gotta explain why. Explain why. Explain why. Explain, why? Explain, why? Why? Why? WHy? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WHY? WH
Sorry I got carried away. Anyhow, here’s the rewrite.
Link and Zelda don’t enter the forest at the same time. They run through the wooden tunnel thing, and Link makes a gesture like “go!” while he stays back a bit to hold off some monsters like stal-lizalfos or something. So Zelda runs into the center of Korok Forest.
As far as any of the characters know, this is a safe haven now, this was their destination, so there’s no monsters here, so they’re good. The princess is safe, the Champions are just cleaning up in their respective corners of the forest with the Hollows, and Link is fighting off the monsters by the entrance. So while there is still tension from the battle, Zelda lets out a sigh of relief once she sees the Master Sword.
She approaches it, cautiously, but doesn’t step onto the stone pedestal, still staying a ways back in the grass. “We’re finally here,” she says to herself. “Now we just have to protect the sword, await for the hero to retrieve it, and await for destiny to arrive.” She looks down at the ground, and then at the back of her hand (fuck what hand was the one with the triforce, her left hand? I’m gonna say left hand). So she looks down at the back of her left hand, before letting it fall. She turns away from the Master Sword and to herself she just mutters, “I only wish that I could make as much progress in fulfilling my own role...in making myself to be of actual use, like the others.”
There’s a moment of silence as Zelda wraps her elbows and closes her eyes. Then,
“If that is what you wish,” a sudden voice echos, and Zelda spins around to face it, “Then perhaps I can be of some assistance.”
Cut to Astor, standing in front of the Master Sword, facing Zelda. Roughly where he is shown here, but Zelda is a couple feet away from him, standing on one of those rocks.
Zelda steps back in shock for a moment. “W-Who? Who are you?”
“Me?” He takes one step down the stairs. “Oh, I am just someone, same as you, who wishes to see destiny fulfilled.” Zelda takes another step back, and seeing this, he stops approaching. “Ease your mind, Your Highness. There is no need to be frightened. You may call me, Astor”
Cut to title card on his face, it can be like this, BUT, no malice or glowing magic around him, it’s all still lush green forest, and I don’t want as much focus on his astrolabe. It’s just his face, and he’s giving a warm, yet chilling smile.
Zelda is still stammering. “Y-You...do I……. how did you—”
“It doesn’t matter. What matters now is taking every step towards stopping the Calamity, correct?” Astor starts to take a step towards her again, and this time Zelda doesn’t flinch.
“Y-Yes. Yes of course. But I’m afraid I’m still a bit confused. ...What exactly do you...want?”
Astor doesn’t immediately answer. He steps off the pedestal and starts to circle around Zelda, eyeing her, but still with that creepy smile. “Tell me, Princess, how fares your recent training? Adequate progress, I presume?”
He continues circling around her, still a few feet away. Zelda looks to the ground, defeated. “I’m afraid not. I’ve been trying to aid the researchers with the Guardians and Divine Beasts. But when it comes to this power…” she looks down at her hand again. “...it seems despite my great efforts and restless hours of prayers, they have yet to awaken.”
Using his free hand, Astor places a hand on his chest, tilting his head in a sorry pout. The gesture seems exaggerated. “My...you poor thing. How harrowing this must be for you.” He continues walking, eyeing her as he circles behind. “But, I am certain it is not your fault. You are but a child, after all.”
“I…” Zelda is still staring at the ground in front of her. Astor continues.
“I mean really, have you ever stopped to think about how absurd this all is? A collection of mis-match warriors, demanded to pilot gods. A sword for an unseen hero. The lives of us all, in the hands of one girl. Expected to lead us all, awaken a divine power, and save the world, all before her 17th birthday…”
After a beat, Zelda finally looks up at him, confusion and suspicion back in her eyes. “What did you say?”
Astor stops walking, he’s back directly in front of the pedestal. The camera is on him center frame, so that when he turns to face Zelda, his figure blocks the sword.
“Now Princess, is that truly what you want? Do you really believe yourself prepared to live up to such a monumental task?” He’s walking directly towards her now, arm outstretched.
“I—” Zelda pauses, before shaking her head. “Of course not, but that doesn’t mean—”
“Yeesss. Precisely! You needn’t not let yourself live like this, like some beggar to the gods, like a failure.” Astor is walking more quickly towards her, and Zelda is stepping back.
Zelda lets out a gasp of fear now, as Astor approaches, there’s a swirl starting to form around the astrolabe in his hand. “I don’t understand! What’s your point, what do you want? Who are you!?”
He stops walking, he’s so much closer now, just a foot or two away from her. “It’s quite simple my dear.” He gives another smile. “I’m a man who wants to live.”
Fwoosh! The air around them is now tinted purple, the astrolabe’s power surrounding them both. Zelda gasps again.
“If we truly wish to see this realm prosper, we must accept the indisputable truth.” Astor reaches out his hand. “You are not worthy of saving this Kingdom. You do not have the power to oppose such an unimaginable enemy! Therefore I shall relieve you of your burden, for the sake of us all. I will steal, your, destiny!”
Astor is seconds away from touching her, before suddenly...the sound of a sword unsheathing.
Astor flies back, crumpling on the steps of the pedestal, he looks up to see Link, sword at the ready. Link had pushed astor back with the pommel of his sword [because no stabbing or blood for our PG Nintendo game] and the motion has cause him to drop his astrolabe, which now lies a few feet in front of him in the grass.
“Link!” Zelda says, relieved. From behind, eggbot also appears. It walks infront of Link and gives a little whistle and does that sassy pointing thing in the direction of Astor, as if telling him off.
Astor frowns when he sees Link, but when he sees eggbot his face morphs into confusion. “You…? But I…” he glances at his astrolabe. Astor gets up to retrieve it and stands.
“It doesn’t matter how you’re here again. You can’t stop this.” Astor summons the Hollows, and they appear in front of him. It was harder to see in the lost woods, but here in the lush grass, its undeniable that the Hollows are draining the plant life around them.
“Kill whoever he is. Fight the Guardian if you must, though I’d prefer it intact. But don’t touch the girl.” He narrows his eyes. “Her thread shall be cut by my hand alone.”
Then it goes into that action sequence. Link is desperately fighting off the Hollows, while also trying to keep eggbot close to protect it. The hollows are laughing, even taunting him, as Astor is just walking calmly forwards towards Zelda, and Link can’t do anything to stop it.
Then it’s roughly the same, Link flies back as his sword breaks. Zelda is kinda helpless. And then just as Astor is about to reach Zelda again, Link cries out, the Master Sword glows. Everyone looks back, confused. Link pulls the sword. Boss fight.
After the fight and after Link defeats Astor, he’ll say something like. “That sword...is too powerful.” and blah blah blah. He looks up at Zelda. “Should you come to your senses, Your Highness,” he hisses the words, “I will delightfully accept an invitation with your company again.” He glares at Link. “Perhaps one day, when we have more time, you will fully come to understand where your arrogance is leading you.” He stands, though clutching his side in pain. “Until then, I shall make certain we meet again.” Link charges him, but he disappears in smoke and malice. End the Korok Forest arc.
Okay so! Why is this scene better? Uhhhhhhhh because it fucking is that’s why. We got 1) A villain introduction that’s more menacing 2) an establishment of character goals, but a mystery of character motivation to keep suspense 3) a more insightful look at different character’s feelings and thoughts 4) a much more interesting interaction with dialogue that raises tension and properly climaxes to the action and 5) the story’s momentum moves forward with ascending action, and new story details that set up later scenes.
I find it absolutely absurd that in the original game, these scenes are not written with more impact. This is the first look into the real mystery and substance that the story has to offer, and the first real look into the prime antagonist’s head. The actions and stakes throughout Act 2 have to properly ascend and rise in order to truly keep the audience engaged. You can’t just rely on mystery alone, you have to make use of character goals.
Reiterating Zelda’s internal struggles means that this can more easily connect and flow into the later segments where she doubts her ability and sees Link and the others grow stronger. In addition, Astor’s presence is a direct foil to Zelda’s arc. You can already see it a bit based on his dialogue, but I will more fully explain the true depths of how his is a direct foil to Zelda further down the line when all the aspects of his character are revealed. It’s almost as pacing the amount of information you give about a character can properly incite your audience to be more invested in the story, hmm. Anyhow, all you need to know for now is that good antagonists have similarities and aligning viewpoints as the protagonist in the beginning of the journey, much more, than you might think.
= = = = =
That is it for now! I can’t believe I had to dedicate an entire section to just one battle. But! That is how the story must go, as I need to flesh out as much as possible in only a few cutscenes without ruining the pacing. Tune in next time for flashbacks, backstory, Yiga husbands, token Zelink hours, aaand perhaps just a bit of Impa simping.
#Hwaoc: The Kip Cut#Part 2#hwaoc spoilers#long post#hwaoc#age of calamity#hw age of calamity#hyrule warriors age of calamity
52 notes
·
View notes
Text
Thoughts of HW:AOC, Plot
Okay, so I’ve had a quick look through the tags to see what people’s opinions were on the games plot, because even though the game doesn’t come up until Friday, people with hacked switches were able to get a hold of the game early and leak it. Whatever your view on copyrights from a large company like Nintendo is, it got leaked, I watched it, lets move on.
A couple of things to be aware of before we move onto the whole post is that no, I do not have a hacked switch. I have preordered the game, but I will not be playing it until it is released. However, I was able to watch all the cutscenes before Nintendo came and took them down for copyright issues. Please keep in mind that what I say is my own opinion on the story after one watch through, so I might come by and edit it after I’ve played the game, to include my views on the actual gameplay.
And of course, this post will contain major spoilers for Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, so tread lightly.
This will be part one of a small series, otherwise this post would be incredibly long, so this is part one of ???
So, of course, like everyone expected, the games plot follows the event that lead up to the Great Calamity. At first, I found the order of events to be slightly strange; the idea that Link is Zelda’s knight before its revealed that he is the hero weirded me out somewhat and it was truly the first sign that they were going to deviate from what they had said in botw, where Link had had the Master Sword since he was 12, and he should have had it when they fight the lynal in Zora’s Domain. These inconsistencies are littered throughout, of course. In botw, Revali mentions having wished to have had at least one fight with him before he had died, and in the cutscenes shown they nearly killed each other during their first meeting (something that I am actually pretty excited to play). Then there’s the whole thing with the yiga in the desert (completely disrupting what happened in the memories)
Time travel.
So. The elephant in the room. I thought that I would get this bit over and done with as it’s the bit that everyone seems the most hung up about. Of course, that does make sense, for never has anyone done time travel well in media. There’s always too many ‘what if’s involved with this trope, and it is a trope that has been done to death, especially in the Legend of Zelda series. I now yearn for a game that doesn’t involve time travel in any way, for not only is it repetitive from a gameplay standpoint and a storytelling standpoint, but Nintendo is always going on about the timeline of the Zelda Universe, only to screw it into a ball and throw it away.
As much as I love theory videos and fanfics explaining away why the timeline is the way it, is it too much to ask for at least a couple games that go in a linear fashion so that I don’t have to think of the timeline when coming up with a new fic idea?
There are really two parts of timetravel. The first part, where Terrako (eggy boi) comes back from the ‘bad’ future that leads on to botw. He comes baring information on how the Calamity comes about, the date, the location, the destruction that comes with it. The other characters already know that this was going to happen because of Astor (I’m pretty sure he’s the fortune teller right?), but they then use this knowledge to further prepare themselves. This is the time travel that people kind of expected, especially since the demo, and we were prepared for that.
The timetravel we did not expect however, was when Sidon, Riju, Yunobo and Teba come from the future/alternative timeline and help with the final battle. Don’t get me wrong, I was very confused to see them turn up as much as everyone else was, but does it give some of the best character moments in the game? Absolutely. All of them had bonding moments between each other, but my favourite had to be Sidon and Mipha. Not only did it help that Sidon was the most developed character in botw out of all of them, but adding on with the character interaction at the beginning with the lynal, you can tell that Sidon was finally able to come to terms with his sister’s death in his reality, and Mipha was able to see a glimpse of the zora that Sidon would come to be. I loved every moment that these characters were on the screen, and I cannot wait to play them.
At the end of the day, the time travel does become a closed loop situation (and if you want me to go into detail about that then lmk), and thus, this game, considered canon or not, will not affect botw, nor botw2. Will it create another timeline? I hope not, but that’s up to Nintendo to figure out.
Regardless of the timetravel, I do have to say that the story itself is brilliant. There isn’t a loose thread or a self-contained. Purah talks about teleportation and showing that multiple people teleportation is possible, which then comes to help them in the final act. The scene with Zelda and Rhomn where he lectures her about artefacts comes to save his life later down the line as it turns out to be a shield. Any scene with the Yiga in made me laugh, and the scene at the end, where Calamity Ganon is formed? That is the beast that I wish I fought in botw.
The pacing could be better but these cutscenes aren't really supposed to be viewed back to back like that so they can have that one off. The small background interactions? those scenes will keep me fed for days. The small gags that reference the game, like link being able to eat rocks and using a cucco to jump from the tower? I couldn't stop fucking laughing. I’m not a big fan of zelda/link but those scenes weren't too in my face, which hits the perfect balance for shippers and nonshippers, but I’ll talk more about the characters in the next post.
At the end of the day, if this story had been a fanfiction, people would have lost their minds over it. But if you still don’t like the story, I ask you this. Don’t view it as Link’s story. View it as Zelda’s. even though the name of the game is Hyrule Warriors: Age of Calamity, it is more of a ‘Legend of Zelda’ than the other games. We follow her right until the very end where she unlocks her power and is able to save Hyrule. This is a story exploring the idea that, if the circumstances had been different, if she had just a little more information to give her the final push, she would have been able to unlock her sealing powers and save everyone like she wanted.
That’s it for now, lmk what you guys think of the plot.
#age of calamity#age of calamity spoilers#hyrule warriors age of calamity#hyrule warriors#spoilers#there is more coming#i promise#skie rambles#not writing
13 notes
·
View notes
Text
Alright, I think i’m done BOTW 2 spamming for today. Anywho, time for some thoughts in general!
1) I hated how the shrines in BOTW were so cold and dark compared to the bright and lively nature outside (I wish they had all looked like the Master Trials challenge where there were trees and stuff incorporated inside), so I hope if we’re forced to have dungeons they’ll be more like the Wind Waker ones. 2) I hope they don’t make us use the grappling hook or anything like in Wind Waker to move around the sky islands (I hated that mechanic). 3) I’m probably one of the few people who wanted less Zelda and more of the Champions in HWAOC since i’m only really attached to BOTW (and we saw a fair amount of Tetra in Wind Waker)/apparently Zelda’s been sidelined in all the other games, so i’m hoping in vain that we get more Champions material in BOTW 2. Also, Link could stand to have some more cutscenes centered around him as well (the few we got in some of the sidequests in BOTW were great). 4) I only really somewhat care about Riju and Sidon, so I won’t mind if the new gang gets sidelined in BOTW 2 (I still think Nintendo wasted the found family/band of brothers aspect on the dead characters--I love them so much and they’re all I want!! The problem is, they’re dead and I don’t really care all that much about their replacements!!! I dunno, maybe i’m hampered by the fact that I can replay the original champions’ memories whenever I want/read their diaries, but I can’t rewatch the new gang’s cutscenes AKA i’ve forgotten their characterization since they don’t talk to me much now that the game’s over). It’d be great if they have some weaving storylines in BOTW 2 that will get me more invested in them, but currently i’m not that interested. 5) Speaking of which, I know it’s 100% not going to happen, but goddang if I don’t want the Champions to have been returned to life. Nintendo totally squandered HWAOC by not making it a true prequel/canon to BOTW (the Champions Ballad confirmed that the Divine Beasts had trials in order to be synced to the champs, so the new gen use of them wouldn’t have happened without that + Mipha thought Link had changed in BOTW yet says in HWAOC that he hasn’t changed + some scenes like “Champion Revali’s Song” never happened at all/got replaced with alternative scenes that really changed some dynamics + basically all of Revali’s time-relative characterization from his diary/pre-100 years of solitude got thrown out + I feel like Daruk got totally sidelined), so i’m still craving that Champions content. Also, I feel like it’s totally unfair that Zelda came out of 100 years totally unaged while everyone else died. Life seems to really suck for people in the LoZ universe who aren’t chosen by divine powers. 6) They’d better keep it open world and non-linear. I can’t go back to being forced to backtrack/trudge through things, I just can’t. BOTW was everything i’ve ever dreamed about in a game (truly open world + non-linear + interactive + meaningful story + lots of outfits + beautiful landscapes) with Skyrim previously being the only thing that came close to what I wanted, so I really hope BOTW 2 doesn’t deviate too much from that. 7) I really liked Kass in BOTW, but i’m not sure what direction they’d go with him in BOTW 2/i’d be fine if he sat BOTW 2 out. I worked so hard to complete all his quests in BOTW so he’d go back home to his family, GODDANGIT, KASS. 8) Someone mentioned that since the first trailer had underground aspects, we’re probably going to be playing as Zelda with the Slate there, and I agree. They didn’t make a playable model for her in HWAOC for nothing. 9) I want to be able to stable the deer and bears and stuff, but I know that won’t happen. Being able to ride the moose and rhino things from the Hebra area probably won’t happen either, but I want to ride them!!! 10) I hope there’ll be at least a few new buildings and stuff in the towns/they’ve started construction on some areas in Central Hyrule, but I guess that’ll depend on how long it’s been in-universe since BOTW. Or maybe not, considering how there’s still Karson and Hudson even though Bolson retired from Bolson Construction--insta-towns like Tarrey Town could totally be feasible if they wanted! 11) I have one foot in the camp that believes there’ll be time shenanigans in BOTW 2. HWAOC totally threw me off with it being an alternate timeline, so i’m not sure whether we’re going to be experiencing that again or time travel itself, but I definitely won’t be surprised this time around if Nintendo goes that route again (and it would be super interesting to see the Link from 10,000 years ago). I’m not entirely convinced that the Link we see exploring the sky in the second trailer isn’t our Link, mainly because he seems to still have on the blue boxers from BOTW. 12) I also heard that maybe this will be the last LoZ game ever since something something Demise something Skyward Sword something something lore from games i’ve only vaguely looked into (i’ve only ever played BOTW --> Wind Waker --> HWAOC)??? If so, it kind of sucks that I came in just when they started making games with playstyles palatable to me (I had to look up every single thing when playing Wind Waker, but BOTW let me solve things according to MY logic/I missed being able to explore in HWAOC), but at least it’ll end on a super high note/I won’t experience later disappointment, I guess. If BOTW 2 involves breaking the reincarnation cycle for the Triforcers, I would be really surprised. (On a related note, Nintendo making Ganondorf good would also be a 100% shock to me, but it would be great to end on that as a subversion. Yes, I want them to bring back the semi-complicated Ganondorf from Wind Waker.) 13) I hope they don’t rush releasing it. I heard they pushed back BOTW originally (I got it in 2019), but it came out fantastic for it! I know COVID’s been affecting things, so I really hope they’re treating their staff right and are mindful of crunch. 14) I want even more outfits (there seem to be at least two new ones, if the variant of the Hylian Tunic crossed with Link’s Champion’s Tunic counts). Give me all the outfits!!! Also, I hope we get even more hair variations in addition to the hair down option (which is all i’ve ever wanted since I saw the mod that altered the Ancient Helmet). 15) I wonder if we’re going to get a bonus for having both BOTW and HWAOC save data. 16) I wonder if we’re going to be keeping the Champions’ skills. I’m going to miss being super overpowered, if not. 17) I hope Nintendo doesn’t cave in and make surfaces climbable in the rain. Having that limiter is more realistic and Link would otherwise be too overpowered with a super climbing ability. 18) I liked BOTW’s scattered music that got more noticeable in populated areas because it was fitting for the post-apocalyptical/nature aspect. Hearing your footsteps in an open field and the buzzing of insects was super nice and prevented me from getting music fatigue (which i’d probably experience since whenever I play BOTW it’s for 5-10 hours at a time). I hope Nintendo either keeps that or makes audio options. 19) I heard that BOTW 2 is going to be super dark or something, and i’m okay with dark, but not GRIMdark, so I hope it doesn’t go that far. From what we’ve seen in the second trailer it still looks beautiful, but I hope it doesn’t do that thing that some games do where after the midpoint/a certain story point all the scenery permanently changes to be dark and scary (that’ll seriously hamper post-game playability for me if so). 20) If they expand on the Zonai, that would be super cool! Doubly cool if the time travel shenanigans involve them/ancient Link being one! 21) I kind of want windstorms to be a weather feature. We had lightning, heat, and cold, but no wind! No, I don’t count the wind geysers and the occasional breeze in Tabantha. 22) I want a chest in my house to hold more weapons than just the gear mounts. BOTW only had enough mounts for the champions’ gear, but it also had rare items like the Kite Shield and Forest Dweller’s Sword that you can’t get anymore once you use them up! 23) I want to be able to stable my horses at my house. What’s the point of that little area if you can’t stable your horse there! 24) Speaking of Link’s house: where is Zelda going to live? If the castle’s not reconstructed, it’d be neat if Link adds an extension to his house for her. 25) I hope they open up part-time jobs (think Mabinogi) as an option to earn rupees. Having to hunt for Luminous Stone deposits or feed Trott to make money can be such a chore. I think some of BOTW’s minigames/sidequests might count as those, but those minigames were either frustrating if your goal is to earn money (since most of them cost money to play in the first place and the mechanics weren’t always easy), or didn’t earn that much in general. 26) I wonder if Kilton is going to have updated items since the monsters seem to have changed. 27) I want to be able to dive underwater (mainly so I can explore the beautiful reefs over at Lurelin). A dive meter like the one from Super Mario Sunshine would be cool. Also, it’d doubly be neat if you had a separate stamina wheel for swimming and could permanently upgrade your swim/diving stamina (the speed+ swimming items just consumed your stamina faster, which was a pain)! 28) It’s definitely too late for this, but it’s a shame that the Hylians have so many face/body/hair and outfit variations, but the Zora, Rito, and Gorons don’t. The Gerudo were kind of okay with the hair and body variations, but the other races seemed to have a serious copy-paste problem. I guess technically some of the more important NPCs (ones with quests/cutscene triggers) had different coloring, but they were severely lacking in clothing variation. Also, the only old Rito was the elder??? At least the Gorons and Zora had some old folks besides their leader walking around. Very weird, but I don’t think BOTW 2 can fix any of this. 29) I wonder how they’re going to do the final boss battle, considering how epic/cinematic the BOTW 2x battle was. What can top fighting (on horseback, no less) a giant, flaming boar made out of malice? 30) I wonder what the Yiga are going to be up to, considering how Ganondorf seems to be somewhat kicking in BOTW 2.
#in other words: BOTW 2 HYPE REAL#i'm still going to queue things so there'll probably another BOTW 2 glut from me in a few days bwaha#(and probably some general BOTW stuff because MAN am i hyped)#i'm so glad i got into BOTW in 2019 because there's been content for me every year since and i am Living#botw 2
2 notes
·
View notes
Text
Breath of the Wild: Captured Memories - Chapter 1
First and foremost; SPOILER WARNINGS. If you have not played The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, or completed the Captured Memories Quest and want to stay unspoilered for it, DO NOT READ. Keep Reading link provided for that reason.
So I am writing these as I play through BotW for the first time - which means they probably won’t be ‘one-a-day’ consistent as its taking me forEVER to get to all of them. I will post them as I can though! Promise! I also plan to include links to the cutscene for you to watch at the bottom, if so desired - at least for the ones I can find. Any other warnings that become necessary, I will add for content as I go. For now, enjoy!
Chapter 1 - The Sacred Grounds
He’d been walking for days. His legs ached, he was chilled to the bone against the rain and wind despite his warm doublet, and if he didn’t stop to make camp soon it felt like he might fall over. Still, Link pressed on.
Mind spinning with the events of the past month, sleep was not an easy thing won anymore. As far as he could remember, it never had been. Awakening in the Shrine of resurrection, lost, confused, grasping at the tendrils of memory as if threads in the wind, he’d not known true rest since. The King’s spirit explained he’d failed. Explained his daughter, the Princess, was a prisoner of the Ultimate Evil and that it was Link’s duty, calling, purpose, to save her. Still, even after having failed. What kind of life was that?
Then Impa confirmed… in her backwards way, that all this was so. Sending him to the little girl… immortal… thing, Purah and sending him all over creation to “prove himself” to them. He’d done it - he’d had to. What other purpose did he have? He remembered nothing, had no home, no friends other than strange people who claimed to remember him… claimed to have saved his life… At the end of the day amid the tempest of blank memory and identity he seemed to have, what other choice did he have? He literally had nothing better to do than try and learn who he was.
Looking to the strange, glowing tablet at his side, the Sheikah Slate stared back at him, cold and unassuming. The pictures, still, magical paintings of places the Princess had once created on the magical slate, were to lead him to his memories. A few he recognized, having travelled some, a few stirred nothing within him yet.
And yet he travelled, walked, despite the exhaustion, battling demons that rose from the ground, learning to stealth under the Blood Moon, all the while hearing a voice that turned his stomach, created a sense of urgency and longing, and drove him to find the truth of his past. It was a voice, her voice, that lit a fire inside of him. He had no idea who she was, but he needed to find out. It was her voice that made the not-remembering chafe… sometimes unbearably. Whoever it was, she was his reason for fighting, the fire in his gut and thunder in his heart. He had no face to recall, no scent or recalled touch, but it was no less his one truth - This voice was his reason for not giving up… for not dying.
Now if only he could remember her.
Looking up through the rain, ahead of him appeared through the silver wash of the storm, ruins. The same ruins he was mostly certain were present in the first of the Princess’s pictures. A thrill went through him. He knew this place. He’d not recalled it before, but neither had he been so close. A memory of mossy stones and taking a knee in the sunrise washed through him, and he retrieved the Sheikah slate from his belt, pulling up the picture for comparison. This was it!
The ruins were different, more worn and battle-torn, but it was undeniably the location he’d thought it to be. One remarkable different stood out even in the grey sheets of rain that fell around him… the fuschia and blue glow of a Guardian on the other side.
Link barely had time to dodge, leaping behind a pillar as the devastating laser singed the edge of his soaked cloak. Back pressed to the pillar providing him cover, he drew his bow. These magi-tech, mechanical relics were deadly, and far too prolific in Hyrule. He wasn’t certain he currently had the tools to defeat it. Normally when he spotted one, he made a hasty retreat - but today, that was no longer an option. Not here, where his memory was sparking as if perhaps it might return to life, no longer keeping him in the dark.
Peering carefully around the edge of the pillar, Link was relieved to find that this guardian was without its legs. Hylia could still find it in her heart to be merciful it seemed. As good as that was, thanks to the rain, he was not able to aim confidently before the machine levied another blast, vaporizing the rain and briefly setting aflame the flora in its path. Closing his eyes, Link slowed his heart with a deep breath, and let the sound of the rain fade away around him. Focus, he thought, and recalled Her voice, drawing from the fire it engendered to sharpen his mind.
Coming again around the pillar, it was as if time slowed and he could see between the raindrops. Bringing up his bow in the same, fluid movement, he aimed, and let loose an electric arrow. The machine twitched and shuddered as the electricity overloaded its circuits, albeit briefly, but it was long enough to loose a second arrow before again returning behind the pillar’s cover. He repeated this many more times, until despite the downpour, the machine exploded into an orange fireball, and moved no more.
Hesitating an extra few heartbeats to make certain, Link leaned back against the stone pillar in exhaustion. This land was tiring, browbeating… it wearied the soul.
But, this was not the time to rest. Hylia knew there was probably another ambulatory mechanical monster just around the corner, and he had to know. Had to remember… and then leave. Quickly. Darting forward, as he stepped foot onto the flagstones, the rain seemed to lessen a bit. With each careful step, the memory began to wash over him.
***
It was a cool, sunlit day. His was wearing blue, as were all 5 other people gathered. A dark skinned woman, a man apparently made of rock, a bird person, and a woman that he knew was a ‘Zora’, though he wasn’t sure how he remembered that. Perhaps it was her voice he heard? These four were all strangers to him, as was the woman in front of him, until he saw her face. Long golden hair lit by the sunlight, bright green eyes clear with intelligence and poise but somehow sad despite wearing the trappings of someone well to do. She sighed and her lips parted, beginning what sounded like a very dry, rote speech. Something twisted inside of him when she spoke - it was Her voice.
And yet, it wasn’t. The voice he’d heard since awakening was gentle, longing, edged with desperation and worry. The young woman who stood before him looked sad, patronizing a little, and defeated. It was an entirely different bearing than what he… knew? That seemed a little presumptuous all things considered, but something deep in his bones felt it to be true.
The others whispered behind him, but he couldn’t hear what they said. It was very clear that not all were convinced he should be where he was. Least of all, the Princess. Wait, the Princess?! That was to whom Her voice belonged? Surely not. She was trapped in a castle surrounded by destruction and evil, how could she talk to his mind? Why would she talk to his mind? That last question answered itself with the “you’re the last hope” thing everyone kept telling him, but something didn’t sit right. No, no he must be making this princess sound like Her in his mind. Her voice was so much more dear, more personal. Had he been married? Was he hearing the spirit of a long dead wife, or beloved and supplanting her voice into that of this Princess? It had to be.
In the memory, she looked at him with such cold distaste, Link felt there was no way Her voice could be that of this princess.
***
He snapped back to reality as lightning struck the ground nearby, thunder and its deafening crash heralding to him that it was time to move on. He needed an inn, dry clothing and something to eat. Looking at the Sheikah Slate, his heart sank. Something wasn’t right. There were still so many missing pieces that he didn’t want to accept some of the little truths his mind was trying to provide him. Bringing up the map, he tapped the spot for the Shrine nearest to Kakriko Village. Impa had said to return to her once he’d found the site of one of The Princess’s pictures. He could cook something and sleep there for the evening. As the strange magic carried him away, Link’s mind added to his thoughts; Let’s go sleep and ignore the truth a little bit longer.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIm4sjv3yBg
#botw#loz#otp#link#zelda#breath of the wild#legend of zelda#fanfiction#captured memories#sacred grounds#linkxzelda#zeldaxlink#mipha#daruk#botw champions#zelda fan fic#zelda fanfiction#link fanfic#botw fic#botw fanfiction#zelink
69 notes
·
View notes
Text
Top Ten Videocons of Twenty Seventeen, More or Less
2017 has, by all accounts, been a fantastic year for Video Games. Unfortunately for me, it has been a not so fantastic year in Having Money. So while in a perfect world my now annual game of the year list would have been a terribly contested and dramatic affair of cutting games I thought were good but just didn't make it, in actuality, I had to scramble and cheat a little to just find 10 games to slot in and talk about. I did at least manage to find them. Mostly.
10. Destiny 2
Destiny is a franchise with a troubled history, which feels weird to say about something that came out in late 2014. Nevertheless, Destiny 2's shooty looty gameplay loop finds its way on to my list. The story is tepid and the characters, with a few exceptions, are scarcely worthy of memory, but the visuals are good and the core mechanics of shooting and using abilities are a solid foundation to build upon in the inevitable flurry of DLC packages and expacs. It's all quite reminiscent of Borderlands, except without the unmistakable caustic ooze of Randy Pitchford's involvement. That in and of itself is praiseworthy.
9. Gravity Rush 2/Donkey Kong Country: Tropical Freeze
Okay so I maybe didn't actually play this one myself. I usually try to exclude stuff that I watched and enjoyed but in this case I was sitting on the couch with other people playing it so that's basically the same thing as playing it myself right? I think I held the controller for a little bit. Anyway this game is super weird and charming and a little nauseating in parts because you sort of go flying off into the stratosphere randomly? But the aesthetic and Mood the game goes for is very unique and fun, it even has its own cute little made up language I mistook for French at first until I heard some Japanese and Spanish sounding words in there as well. The main characters Kat and Raven are dating I think? They're happy and alive girlfriends. Raven is a little broody I guess but they're definitely not the Sad, Dead Lesbians I have grown to detest. Raven is not Velvet. Just reminding myself. Tropical Freeze is just really good and while it maybe came out like years ago I only got to play it very recently on my friend's Wii U. The music is super good fuck you Jeff Gerstmann I will fucking fight you and your shitty opinions about video games you god damned grumpy old man.
8. The Surge
My Thoughts on the Surge are well documented on this very website. It's flawed and frustrating in a lot of ways, nonsensical in others, and the story never quite commits to its original conceit which is a real shame. All that said, I respect the game for what it was unabashedly trying to do: be Dark Souls but with cyborg powerloaders and robots. Like, you gotta live your bliss, right? Lords of the Fallen was utterly miserable and the improvements that The Surge demonstrates gives me cause for optimism in future games from the developer. Anything that gives me cause for optimism in 2017 has to be worth something. That said, the inevitable The Surge 2 is probably going to be kind of by the numbers and unnecessary but that's just how you make games in the 21st century.
7. The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
To begin with, BotW would be much higher on this list if I had not only come into owning it and a Switch yesterday. It is by all counts extremely good, an open world game that's actually pleasant and charming and has meritorious mechanics outside of Todd Howard style "you can go fuck that mountain" nonsense. I mean don't get me wrong you can fuck plenty of mountains in this game. Link is fucking Spider-man in this game, the only surfaces he can't mysteriously latch on to are inside the puzzle shrines so you can't just cheese them. Weapon degradation is maybe a little excessive? I feel sort of like Bayonetta in the first cutscene where she keeps yelling "Guns!" when she runs out of ammo except I'm yelling "shitty wooden sticks!" when the one I'm using breaks into a million tiny pieces. I understand the reasoning behind it, I do. It establishes a certain rhythm to the game of exploring, fighting, stocking up on shitty wooden sticks, and repeating. When you find like, an actual sword or spear it feels like an occasion to celebrate, and the whole thing demands that you use a variety of different weapons and weapon-like objects. I'm not nearly far in enough to give an honest, comprehensive picture of the game. I just really like what I've played so far so I'm just compromising by putting BotW relatively low on the list.
6. Cuphead
It's Cuphead! Everybody knows Cuphead by now. It's gorgeous, the soundtrack is great if somewhat lacking in variety, King Dice is really cool but has extremely unfortunate racial undertones, the game is pretty hard (not that hard?) and Cala Maria is a babe. It's a singular game that is extremely worthwhile and hopefully paves the way for future games in a similar style of aping specific styles and eras of animation. I really want a game that goes hard on the 1950s Looney Tunes aesthetic where you just drop anvils on people forever. Cuphead isn't perfect, as a lot of the game's difficulty and length comes from bad checkpointing. It's a necessary evil, because if the game did not blatantly disrespect your time in a lot of the later fights, the game would be like, two hours long. I'm not a proponent of the "git gud" philosophy but I can't help but feel like I really want to say that to the various bad-at-games journos who got bent out of shape about Cuphead being hard. This is your damn job. You can suck it up for one game, especially when it's really very good and unique like Cuphead. Also my mom came in while I was playing it and thought I was watching a popeye cartoon so that was kind of cute I guess.
5. Civilization 6 (CHEATING AGAIN)
YEAH I KNOW THIS GAME CAME OUT LAST YEAR AND IM A HUGE IDIOT FUCKER but hear me out Civ6 is really fucking good because of the fact that Wonders take up physical space on the map and districting does the same thing. Like just this single mechanical change basically doubles the amount of thought and planning you need to put into playing the game even on low difficulties to optimize your output and production. Like it's a civilization game so there's not really anything too groundbreaking here but I fucking adore this game. Really looking forward to Rise and Fall, which will be early 2018. With the initial release being late 2016 I feel like this is like, an honorary 2017 game. Don't @ me.
4. Hollow Knight
Hollow Knight is another game I wrote about previously on the blog, but unlike The Surge I had basically nothing but good things to say about it. Hollow Knight has gorgeous hand drawn graphics and environments not entirely unlike Cuphead, but obviously goes for a much more reserved mood. Hollow Knight is a rock solid Metroidvania game with strong aesthetic and musical chops to back it up, as well as some Dark Souls-esque flourishes to give the game a bit of bite and a haunting narrative arc. A fantastic indie game and I can't wait to see what Team Cherry does next. I need to get around to doing the Halloween DLC, come to think of it. Did you know Zote actually has as many precepts as he says he does? I listened to them all. Some of them aren't too bad.
3. Nioh
Geralt the Witcher's moonlighting adventure as a samurai came out quite early in 2017, but remains one of the best games of the year due to its complex and rewarding combat system, beautiful Warring Kingdoms era Japanese architecture inspirations, fun mythological monster designs, and genuinely well done historical fiction backdrop. Coming into it, I fully expected "Dark Souls except the bosses are like Tengus and Nues and shit", but that description does the game a pretty big disservice. It's much more than that, both from a narrative standpoint, which is a fantastically tinged retelling of the Warring Kingdoms period, and from a gameplay one. The combat in Nioh is much more technical than in Dark Souls, with more pretensions of a combo based character action game than the deliberate, heavily customizable experience of the Souls games. Nioh is still quite hard and has the whole death-recovery mechanic, but it makes sense diegetically due to Guardian Spirit system and remains distinct. There are times when it tries to have the best of both worlds and just kind of ends up feeling like it doesn't do a good job at either, but for the most part, Nioh is tremendously fun, and at times infuriatingly difficult, especially in some of the post game optional battles that pit you against multiple bosses at once. Also, finding Kodamas is extremely rewarding because they are so damn cute. I love them. Find them at all costs.
2. Nier: Automata
Nier: Automata, Yoko Taro's latest brainchild, is, well, what it is. It's a hauntingly weird story about what it means to be human, and if that definition is really even adequate. It's a game with a lot to say, which is why I regard it so highly. The core gameplay is fun and serviceable, which is much more than I can say for its predecessor, the first Nier, which was memorable and affecting but played kind of like butts. 2B's android adventures are much more fluid and stylish, and you have a surprising amount of customization options available (though some arguably make the game a little too easy at points, like regenerating health) and there's enough variety in the little Machine Life form enemies (and the big ones, too) that fighting never felt like a chore to me. Of course, others have disagreed, but I think that the tedium really only sets in when you play as 9S, who has a much reduced arsenal of fighting moves in favor of his hacking skills. I liked the little shmup minigames that hacking entailed, so even 9S's story never felt too dull in the actual mechanical execution of it. People tend to have a misunderstanding of how the game works, that you need to complete it 4 times to get the whole experience, but that's not actually true. The 4 endings separate the game into acts more than anything. While 9S's story has a lot of overlap with 2B's story, endings C and D are just entirely new content where you play as A2, who has some tricks of her own distinct from 2B and 9S. It's not perfect, but it's not like you have to play the same game 4 times. It's a very story focused game, so much so that I would say experiencing the narrative is the main draw, but it has the decency to also be varied and fun to play. I love the parts where you get in the transforming flying robot and shoot the dudes. Especially the big dude. You know the one.
1. Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood
The latest Final Fantasy XIV expansion, Stormblood, is super good. I wrote a bit about it earlier, and how it has improved upon Heavensward in almost all respects. Stormblood is a superlative MMO expac, with well designed and amazingly presented raids, dungeons, and trials. It's full of "holy shit that's dope" moments, like when you get into a blade struggle against the primal Susano's gigantic Ame-no-Murakumo in an active time event or storm the fortress city of Ala Mhigo. Ultimately, though, what really makes me evaluate Stormblood as my game of the year is how surprisingly thoughtful it is. FFXIV has, since the relaunch of 2.0, been a game that has not shied away from complexity in its narrative conflicts. The juxtaposition of the mythically strong Warrior of Light and the surprisingly mundane issues even she cannot seem to fix has always been the game's most interesting element to me, and as you spearhead revolutions against the Garlean Empire in two different countries, you learn a lot about how imperial colonialism has made things too complicated to be fixed simply driving out the oppressors. You do, eventually, of course, but the story is quick to remind you that this is only the beginning, and a lot of key issues remain unsolved, both in the newly liberated provinces and back at home. Also the Dark Knight questline from 60-70 is basically the best the game has to offer. It feels to me like that Dark Knight is the unofficial Job of Stormblood, despite the promo material and opening movie having you believe it to be about Monks. Monks, as usual, are boring. The themes explored in the Dark Knight questline, about regret, about shades of gray, about self-destruction, all align perfectly with some of the subtler narrative arcs of the main story. It's just really good and I love it. I still really want to write a piece about it on its own. I probably will soon. But for now, I name Stormblood my game of the year, for reminding us that we are still heroes. That we are still good people.
1 note
·
View note
Text
botw link and his expressions (spoilers)
earlier i was reading @rudyskatopianiii ‘s botw impressions and i wanted to emphasize on something he mentioned that really bothered me about botw link and why i think he’s such a huge step backwards in comparison to other links, specifically, the console links:
Even Link in almost all cutscenes is a deadeyed straight faced machine who does what he’s told and has no real expression in reaction to things happening around him.
this to me is one of the biggest misses in botw and it’s important to point it out because it’s just so….bad and unacceptable. beginning with tww, nintendo had started to do such a well job with portraying link’s wide range of emotions when reacting to situations. tww and tp were great at this and SS Link even took this to a whole new level. earlier i had mentioned link's lack of emotional expressions but i want to go deeper into this . allow me to demonstrate a few examples at how tww, tp, and ss do such a great job at truly using link to convey his emotions and portray them to us the players and why botw link fails spectacularly in this area(spoilers for tww, tp, ss and botw below):
when link sees his aryll being kidnapped by helmaroc king, his shocked expression shows how horrified he is at the sight of seeing his sister being taken away. who wouldn’t be after a giant bird swoops right in and flies off with your little sister?
this scene of link waving goodbye to his grandma is one of my favorites in the whole game because it truly expresses how sad he is at leaving her behind. he rushes to the edge of the ship and waves his arms in a desperate manner to try and make sure his grandma sees him waving at her and see how much he’s hurting at having to say goodbye. he knows he must go on an adventure to save his sister, but it shows that this decision still hurts him.
link finally finds his sister, the whole reason he set off on his journey, and his face shows how delighted he is to see her again. she’s safe after all and it shows that he cares! :)
when link ventures to the forsaken fortress for a second time and gets to aryll’s cell, he tenses up at the thought that the helmaroc king could sneak up on him again.
during the ending, link desperately holds out his hand to the king of hyrule. a truly heartbreaking scene in which link tries to do what we wanted to do as well after adventuring with the king throughout the whole game: to try and save him from the flood falling on hyrule :(
i could go on and on about tww link’s many expressions and how he reacts to the situations he encounters throughout his adventure, but i’ll stop here and move on to twilight princess link who, although doesn’t have as many expressive moments as the wind waker link, he still has some good ones:
link is surprised when he finally sees his childhood friend ilia again, only to be disappointed that she doesn’t remember him at all :(
....but once ilia DOES remember link, our boy link shows just how happy he is that his childhood friend has her memories back!! :)
link gasps and is horrified at the sight of seeing that midna could have died at the hands of ganondorf! if you didn’t have the same expression when you saw midna’s helmet get crushed, then maybe you'll get along just fine with botw link.
and man is link HAPPY to see her alive and well in her true form! an iconic moment, to be sure.
and now skyward sword link, who ties (or is maybe even better?) with wind waker link in terms of expressing his emotions:
link desperately reaches out to his childhood friend zelda, who is falling right into the imprisoned’s mouth! scary but it’s the least link can do to try and save her, and it shows the lengths he’ll go to in order to save her!
in perhaps one of the best scenes in the entire game, link watches helplessly as zelda seals herself and says goodbye to keep demise from wreaking havoc into the world. we as the audience can relate to link here because we’ve spent all this time chasing after zelda and trying to catch up with her, only for her to say goodbye to us in such a heartbreaking way.
...but man is he DELIGHTED once again when zelda finally wakes up from her seal! all this fighting was worth it! and we as the player feel rewarded as well because we get to see them rejoice and be glad that our efforts paid off as we get to enjoy this scene!
and this. look at this. this is right after ghirahim reappears and breaks up the sweet reunion that zelda and link were having. link is PISSED and is not afraid to show it, and we as the player are too because damn it we did NOT just do all of that for nothing!!
but botw link....man....is he soulless or what?
now, i know that in botw, link doesn’t remember anything after waking up from the chamber of resurrection so he has to go and relive all these memories, right? but that’s the biggest problem: because link doesn’t remember anything, all the interactions he has in the present with the zoras, gorons, etc. feel so empty and devoid of any emotion because link is a blank slate and has no reason to care for these people. and we as the audience don’t either because the characters he meet in the present are so flat and one-dimensional who get almost no screentime at all, so why should we care??
if link’s blank face would only happen in the present, then it’s understandable, but it’s the same >:| face even during the memories, which….are supposed to be full of emotion because this is where it’s supposed to show why we should care to save zelda and avenge our friends!! so how are we, the audience, supposed to connect with someone who is our “link” to the game when they themselves barely show any emotion at all? some examples:
zelda talking about the divine beasts and how they can use them to fight back against ganon obviously angers link because he has this face >:( throughout the whole conversation.
“omg zelda you are seriously boring me with all this talk about divine beasts even though you are obviously so passionate and interested in the subject >:|”
zelda just finished yelling at link that she doesn’t need his protection but he doesn’t care, he just goes back to his :| face and follows her because that’s what the king told him to do and who is he to have any emotion or say in that?
link is training while zelda opens her heart out at him on how she thinks she’s not meant to wield the sacred power. link has to stop swinging his sword around because he has to pretend he cares for what zelda is saying while continuing to have his :| look. truly the sign of a good, caring friend.
this memory of zelda trying to get link to eat a frog was such a missed opportunity to make link show some goddamn emotion because as she’s pressuring him to do it, the camera goes behind link and the memory ends soon after that. why not show him with a surprised or disgusted look?
another example of a missed opportunity is when daruk pats link heavily on the back. that sure looks like it hurt but hey daruk obviously meant it in a good, brotherly way!!! i bet link chuckled a little bit at his friend daruk for being like that huh?? well who knows because right after that happens it cuts away to a closeup of daruk’s face because link is obviously PISSED that daruk would dare do such a thing to the knight of hyrule. friendship counts for NOTHING here!
i guess when zelda fails yet again to awaken her sacred powers at the lanayru spring link changes a little from >:| to <:| because i GUESS he feels bad for her?? maybe a l’il sorry??? who knows OR cares because he just stands behind her while the rest of the champions try to comfort zelda and tell her it’ll be ok.
and that’s when it gets annoying because you realize that a lot of the scenes where link COULD show some emotion, the camera is not focusing on him so you can’t really tell what he’s feeling. when mipha, one of link’s love interests and beloved childhood friends (or so we’re told??? we don’t really get to see this), tells link they that she will always be there to heal him no matter what and that after the battle with ganon is over she wishes they could spend some time together, the camera doesn't turn to face link at all!!!! mipha is out here pouring her heart out on how much she cares about link and all we see is...actually NOTHING because the camera doesn’t show him whatsoever!! is link embarrassed, happy, flattered, yawning his life out?? who knows!!!
“wow mipha who cares, NEXT memory please”
another example is when the king is yelling at zelda for wasting her time and not focusing all her efforts at awakening her power. he literally says that the people of hyrule gossip that zelda is “the heir to a throne of nothing...nothing but failure”. oh man how dare the king talk to zelda like that wtf!!! surely link has something to say to that old fool??? why is he going to let him insult zelda like that??? oh i guess he WILL let him talk trash to zelda because all he’s doing is kneeling down while his friend is getting chewed out by her father and he's just gonna pretend nothing happened and won’t try to comfort her at all. link could be pissed af that the king would say such things at zelda but the camera is obviously not showing a closeup of link because who the hell cares right? what a good friend.
even in this scene, where zelda is obviously extremely frustrated and discouraged at not being able to awaken her power, link is just standing there...doing....nothing...AGAIN.........while zelda screams out her frustrations at the SKY i guess because link might as well not be there if all he's gonna do is just give her a look of pity.
hey what about when zelda and link are running for their lives because holy SHIT all of the champions just died at the hands of ganon and link better protect the princess with all his power because she's our last hope!! he won't ever let zelda out of his grasp because she--oh shit did she just lose her grip on his hand and fall?
....and link is obviously worried about her!!!!
i could go on and on at how poorly of a job the memories do to try and get us to connect with link and to truly show just how close he was with zelda and the champions. it's poor story-telling and it's such a huge step backward at how much tww, tp, and ss had achieved in terms of getting the player to feel what link is going through. in the present it doesn't get any better because link once again doesn't show any emotion when he's interacting with sidon, yunobo, riju, and that rito guy (whose name escapes me because HEY they aren't that memorable and barely have any screentime/interaction with link!!!), who are supposed to be the descendants of link's friends, the champions from the past. the game suffers in this because if link can BARELY remember the champions of the past, why are we supposed to care for these descendants who we don't really talk to much during our adventure?
the worst offense is during the ending. here is link, about to face off against calamity ganon, the fiend who killed off his dear friends in the past, the one who has caused zelda to be locked away in the castle for 100 years to try and keep him from destroying hyrule, the beast that killed link and caused him to go into a deep sleep for 100 years. surely link is ANGRY beyond belief like when ss link got pissed at ghirahim, and is ready to give ganon a kick in the ass, right?!?! right??!!!
..............oh......he's just....standing there, i guess....maybe he has his >:| look again to show....that he's angry??? just like when zelda was talking on and on about divine beasts??? once again who cares about the emotional impact this scene could have, it’s just another boss that you have to fight and kill i guess.
ok ok ok. but what about when link FINALLY defeats ganon and frees zelda, the person whom he has done all of this for! the person for who he climbed mountains, fought off an army of guardians, underwent arduous trials to prove his worth as a hero, traveled all over hyrule to gain the trust of the descendants of the champions and awaken the divine beasts so that they could help him in the final battle to save once and for all the princess of hyrule and most importantly, his last true friend!! maybe we'll get a heartfelt reunion just like how we got one when ss link finally awoke his childhood friend zelda from her slumber!! surely he must be happy to see her again???
.........i.....guess?? i mean we can't really tell?? the camera doesn't really show a close up of link but i guess he has his :| face again to show how...delighted he is...just like how....delighted tww link was when he reunited with his sister....i mean idk....,,,,not even....a smile...somewhere????
and it's sad, because even zelda asks "i wonder, do you really remember me?" as if she already feels disappointed that link has his :| face again after she kept ganon imprisoned for 100 years just so that link could appear and save hyrule. she did all of that for a blank face in return! no happiness, no smile, no joy, no nothing! there’s no emotional payoff for us because the reunion between the two just falls so flat and cold, just good ol' botw link just STANDING there once fucking again. even in the “true” ending we don’t feel that connection between link and zelda, because while zelda is smiling and talking about what the future holds, link just seems to follow blindly behind because it’s his “duty” and not because he truly cares about zelda. it’s just business as usual for botw link. the whole ending scene focuses on zelda’s emotions and feelings while we get distant shots of link’s back or the occasional :| look, so we don’t really know what the hell link is thinking or if he even is the tiniest glad that he saved the princess, aka the supposed friend that he worked his ass off to protect. if link doesn’t SHOW that he cares for zelda (or any of the people he interacts with), why the hell should we?
this post has gone on to be longer than i thought it would be, but i hope it truly shows just how FRUSTRATING it was as a long-time zelda fan to watch botw link just stand there and do/convey nothing while zelda and other characters around him pour their hearts out at him. even ocarina of time link showed more emotion in 1998 than botw link did almost two decades later, and it's unacceptable that nintendo took such a huge step backwards in their portrayal of link's emotions. it's already sad that botw had a lackluster story, it's even SADDER at how link's emotions were [mis]handled throughout the game. i hope that in the next zelda game we'll get a link that actually LINKS us the audience with him and is not just a blank face with a deadeye expression after having come so far along in that department. cheers.
#breath of the wild#botw criticism#botw#junk#zelda#i'm done forever bye#breath of the wild spoilers#spoilers
10 notes
·
View notes
Text
Breath of the Wild: Captured Memories - Chapter 4
First and foremost; SPOILER WARNINGS. If you have not played The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, or completed the Captured Memories Quest and want to stay un-spoiler-ed for it, DO NOT READ.
So I am writing these as I play through BotW for the first time - which means they probably won’t be ‘one-a-day’ consistent as its taking me forEVER to get to all of them, AND they probably won't be in any respectable order - just what I get to as I find them. My intent is to find them all, and summarize once I have found and have a story for each of the 18 memories required to get the bonus ending for the game. Once that's done, I will wrap it all up with a final chapter after I beat the game.
I will post them as I can though! Promise! I also plan to include links to the cutscene for you to watch at the bottom, if so desired - at least for the ones I can find. Any other warnings that become necessary, I will add for content as I go. For now, enjoy!
Chapter 4 - Mipha’s Grace
Straight from the Ancient Ruins to the moat of Hyrule Castle he’d gone, with every intention of looking for something familiar - The parapet in his album, remnants of the castle one hundred years ago… maybe even the princess herself to ask questions, see if she was still alive.
Something burned deep within his chest that prayed she was still alive. He didn’t fully understand it, but the closer he got to the castle, the less he cared about the whys. They were not as important as the feelings he was experiencing every time he allowed himself to wonder if she was dead. She couldn’t be. If she was, despite recalling very little, he knew all was lost.
At the time, skirting the edges of the cliffs surrounding the deep moat of the castle, he’d decided to put analyzing these feelings off until he had time to deal with it. The castle was a fortress, covered with the blight of Ganon and from what he could see through his scope, many Guardians.
Realizing, after hours of reconnaissance, that there was only one way into the castle and it was traversing up the series of waterfalls at the back side of the palace, he’d concluded that despite his drive and desire to infiltrate, he was not currently equipped to do so.
The castle, would have to wait.
That had been a few days ago. He’d summoned his horse, frustrated and driven, riding away from the castle as his heart filled with longing and anger. That was when he decided perhaps taking a closer look at his thoughts would be a good idea. He’d heard that the Zora to the southeast were able to swim up waterfalls. They were merfolk, so maybe there was nothing they could teach him. Or, maybe there was. He would have to go and find out.
He had not been met with a warm welcome upon his arrival at the Zora kingdom. The Young ones found him a commodity traveler. But the older of the long lived race knew him - and despised him. They blamed him for failing, for destroying the life of their princess, Mipha. Mipha was the Zora Champion he’d seen in his vision, and all spoke of her kindness and loving heart.
The old steward Muzu was droning on about how unworthy Link was, and Sidon, the king’s son (and Mipha’s younger brother) was debating the old cod on Link’s behalf, but Link wasn’t listening. His eyes were focused on the statue of the beloved, lost princess, and something stirred within him.
***
High in the sky, Link sat atop a stone platform looking out over Hyrule - from the trunk of Vah Ruta. His arm hurt, but he knew it was about to not somehow. And then, he heard her voice.
“I was thinking… this reminds me of the first time we met.”
Looking up, sitting next to him was a beautiful Zoran girl. Her scales were the color of the most precious rubies in Hyrule, eyes the golden-green of new spring leaves. But it was her soft smile that drew a pang from his heart. “You were just a reckless child,” she smiled, “Always getting yourself hurt at every turn. Everytime, I would heal you. Just as I am doing right now.”
In the memory, there was great affection for Mipha. Even vague recollections of his childhood cam to mind, and how he and Mipha were the best of friends. He’d not always known she was a princess. She’d hidden that from him, later explaining it was for fear he’d not want to play with her if he knew. But it had changed nothing. She was his best friend from those times.
“I always thought it was funny how, being a Hylian… you looked grown-up so much faster than I did.” She paused, and Link could see the memory and truth of her words brought a touch of emotion to her voice. “I was always willing to heal your wounds, even back then.”
Before his eyes, her soothing touch and magic knit and healed his wound, leaving his skin unblemished, as if it had never been. Marvelling for a moment both in the dream and as he watched the vision, Mipha turned to look out to the horizon.
“So if this Calamity Ganon does, in fact, return, what can we really do?” Her pause was laden with concern, the tilt if her head indicating there was more to her thoughts than she let on. “We just don’t seem to know much about what we will be up against.”
Her gaze dropped from the horizon to her lap, and Link watched, keeping quiet to let her finish but urging her silently to go on. Mipha had always been sweet, reserved. It was sometimes difficult to get her to open up about wheat went on inside that keen and caring mind of hers. He was not about to stop her now.
“But know this: that no matter how difficult this battle might get… If you-- If anyone ever tries to do you harm… Then I will heal you. No matter when, nor how bad the wound… I hope you know… that I will always protect you. Once this whole thing is over, maybe things can go back to the way they used to be when we were young. You know…”
Link watched as she looked up at him, and there was a sadness that tinged his affection for her now. They way she looked at him, he knew.
“Perhaps we can spend some time together.”
“I’d like that,” he said genuinely, despite knowing it was not precisely what she meant. “Once upon a time, you were my dearest friend, Mipha.” His words made her smile again. “I’d like to keep it that way, should we all survive.”
***
As the vision faded, Link was taken with a sadness, a true sadness for the first time since this had all begun -again- for him. Mipha. Sweet, kind, generous Mipha… had loved him. Not just the love of a dear childhood friend and lifetime companion, but loved him as he loved another. And now, Mipha was gone. He remembered more, more than just that vision - everything to do with Mipha. Childhood playing knights and monsters in the streams around the Zora domain, how Mipha helped him practice and train to be a knight before he’d gone off with his father to Hyrule Castle. How upon seeing she was the Champion of the Zora when they had been called to the Castle had thrilled him… how the day Calamity Ganon had taken the machines, he’d heard her screaming.
“I remember,” he said softly, staring no longer at the statue of Mipha in front of him, but the pool of water at his feet. His heart ached. He could not bear to be under her forgiving gaze just now.
Though his words were soft, they stopped Sidon mid sentence. “What is the matter Link?” the prince asked kindly. “Are you unwell?”
“I remember,” Link said again, looking up to Mipha’s litter brother, the guilt and shame that came with the hundred year old knowledge of what had once been weighting his gaze. “I remember Mipha. Everything.”
The next bit of time, Link was reserved, polite, respectful, and hearing nothing of what the elder Zora clansmen were saying of him. The King was kind, and gave him a gift that Mipha had made a century ago, ‘for her beloved’. It was no surprise to the knight that it fit perfectly. It also weighed heavily on his heart.
Now he and Sidon were going to purify Vah Ruta, in Mipha’s memory and save the Zroa domain. After that, he could go back to Hyrule Castle, searching for answers. But none of it brought him joy, or excitement.. Or even anger. His heart was too heavy for any of that just now. But as it seemed might become a recurring theme in his life, Link was not allowed time to mourn the dead.
---
Standing over the activation panel in Vah Ruta, Link stared at it blankly for a moment. Having activated all other terminals and defeating the Waterblight beast poisoning the Divine Beast, this was the last thing to do before leaving.
The last thing to do before he would never hear Mipha’s voice again.
It was bittersweet - she would be free, but it would truly be an ending… However she’d waited long enough on him to get his life together. No need to keep her waiting longer.
Touching the tablet to the panel, it lit up, and he took a step back in case something moved. Yet a sound behind him drew his attention.
“Hello, Link.” He startled to hear it so bright and clearly, looking around to see if he could find a source. “Because of your courage, my spirit is now free.” To his right, a greenish-blue light began to grow, and no sooner had he seen it, than the spirit flames took on the form of Mipha.
“And Ruta as well,” she added with her gentle smile. “Thank you. For I am now allowed by that freedom, to be with you once again.”
Too stunned to speak, Link has a thousand things he wanted to say - that he was sorry, for failing… for everything. Sorry that he’d not been able to come sooner. Sorry that he’d failed her above all other champions… Sorry that he could not love her the way she had him.
“Since I am now a spirit,” she said and began moving towards him, “My healing power would be wasted on me. I have no need of it. So therefore, I would like you to have it.” Link watched, his heart wrenching in his chest for the gentle kindness and generosity she had even in death. Sidon had not been able to join him inside Vah Ruta, so no one but Mipha’s spirit was there to see the dampness in his eyes as his heart broke a little for his once dear friend.
“Please accept, Mipha’s Grace.” With her words, magic entered him, not unlike the spirit orbs to which he had become accustomed accepting inside the Trial Shrines. Vitality and soothing healing magics coursed through him, but his eyes were locked to Mipha’s spirit still.
“Yesterday, I was awash in a pool of tears. I had nearly given up hope and resigned myself to being trapped here, as a spirit, for the rest of eternity. But now you’re here,” she said an looked up to him. He remembered well to let sweet, soft spoken Mipha finish her thoughts, even if his heart was breaking. “All this time, my hope… was to see you once more. Promise me that you will not hesitate to call upon my power if you ever find yourself in need. Knowing that… will let my spirit rest in peace.” He wanted to promise her, to swear it, and tell her how sorry he was, but his voice was lost to the lump in his throat. Instead, he gave her a firm nod. She would know. She already knew. “I must go. Ruta and I have our roles to fulfill. We are both honored to be able to play the role of support,” she said, and clutched her hands to her chest. “We will annihilate Ganon together. Farewell…” Magic glowing around him, he knew Mipha was sending him outside of the Divine Beast for some purpose… and he looked up to force words to her as a last chance, but it was Mipha that spoke. “Save her, Link. Save the princess… Save Princess Zelda.” And in a flash of warm, golden light, he was gone.
Mipha’s Touch - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KPczUNIKw4 Freeing Vah Ruta - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XEn1umKCQOA
31 notes
·
View notes
Text
Breath of the Wild: Catpured Memories - Chapter 3
First and foremost; SPOILER WARNINGS. If you have not played The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, or completed the Captured Memories Quest and want to stay un-spoiler-ed for it, DO NOT READ.
So I am writing these as I play through BotW for the first time - which means they probably won’t be ‘one-a-day’ consistent as its taking me forEVER to get to all of them, AND they probably won't be in any respectable order - just what I get to as I find them. My intent is to find them all, and summarize once I have found and have a story for each of the 18 memories required to get the bonus ending for the game. Once that's done, I will wrap it all up with a final chapter after I beat the game.
I will post them as I can though! Promise! I also plan to include links to the cutscene for you to watch at the bottom, if so desired - at least for the ones I can find. Any other warnings that become necessary, I will add for content as I go. For now, enjoy!
Chapter 3 - Zelda’s Resentment
By the goddess, if Link managed to survive fighting ancient techno-monsters like that, Hero or not, he guessed Calamity Ganon would be the only thing that could kill him. The Tena Ko’sha shrine had housed the most difficult Guardian he’d battled to date, and it… had not been easy. Cathardic? Sure. Easy? Hylia, no. Ow? Much.
Taking a knee outside on the travel disc, He reached for the Sheikah Slate to move on back to Kakariko and rest a bit, but realized he’d left the album open. Frowning, he brought up a familiar picture… and realized it had to be around him.
Days. He’d been looking for days for another familiar location. More than a week had passed since Lake Kolomo, and he’d actually given up for the time being to try and activate more of the old shrines, and pass trials. Maybe the Hero was trapped in one of them, and he could drag the man out to do his damn job.
Giving up the ghost as it were, at least for the moment, he’d now stumbled, currently in a very literal fashion, on to one of the memories. Either Hylia had a sense of humor, or she was a cantankerous b-
Stepping back from the shrine, the vision of his memory struck him like lightning, interrupting any prior thoughts he might have been having.
***
She’d run off. This was becoming more frequent, much to his irritation and concern, but it did stop the turning of his stomach. Link pressed his horse on as fast as she would go over the hills and valleys of the grassy plains. Having glimpsed the Sheikah Slate the evening before, Link had a general idea of where the Princess had gone, but there was so much distance to cover, it was maddening.
And he was worried.
Not because she’d run off and the king would be mad - no, the King could go hang. He was worried for her. The spritely, intelligent, stubborn little ward of his who had not once in her life picked up a sword or shield was out in the open, all the while monsters rose prolific on the very land she traversed.
She was going to be the death of him.
Chasing after her like this was not his idea of protection. Having his stomach flip every time he woke up to find her gone was tiring. Not eating because he was in a hurry or too concerned something had finally happened to her was bad. And then having her ungrateful attitude upon arriving was not making things easier.
But at least now he understood.
Cresting a hill towards some old ruined columns, there she stood in front of a strange stone.. Cave? Hovel? Before he could decide on what he was going to call it, however, she turned around with a start. He’d surprised her… and he knew that was not going to help her mood.
“I thought I made it clear that I’m not in need of an escort!” she yelled at him, her upbringing as a princess accustom to giving orders was present in her tone. Link was out of breath, and fighting the urge to reach out - to touch her, and confirm she was okay. She mistook his hesitation as silence.
“It seems I am the only one with a mind of my own. I, the person in question, am fine, regardless of the king’s orders. Return to the castle, and tell that to my father. Please.”
She stormed past him, and Link sighed against his irritation. Just because he now understood her a little better, didn’t mean he had to like her being so difficult and gruff with him. He wasn’t the one treating her like a tool.
Before he could parse his thoughts to open his mouth, she’d gotten a few paces ahead - too many for his anxiety. So he jogged to catch up, breath taken to apologize for upsetting her, but explain himself and so many other things before she whirled on him, shouting, “And stop following me!”
“You know I can’t do that, your highness,” he managed gently.
“You’re just like my father! Expect me to stay in the castle, and be a prized weapon-”
“I expect you to take me with you!” Link interrupted, then realized he’d just yelled at the crown Princess of Hyrule. “I mean, I don’t care what you want to go out and do, your highness. Your time is your own. But as your personal Guardian, I’d like to at least be allowed to escort you so that I don’t get punished, and you don’t get hurt.”
Oooh, she didn’t like that one. But he also noticed as she turned away from him and stomped to her horse, she also didn’t say anything. Well, at least she wasn’t shouting anymore?
***
The vision faded, and Link found he was laying in the grass staring up at the sky. He wasn’t sure when he’d gone from vertical to horizontal, but neither was he inclined to right it. He’d stood here, one hundred years ago and watched her fume and verbally abuse him… and yet in that memory, he’d felt fear for her, concern, and endless patience. He recalled the feelings of understanding something - something he no longer did but that had given him great empathy for the Princess.
All the supplies in his pack he’d give to remember that now.
As it stood, his was filled with bitter sweet emotion he didn’t fully understand. The vision itself had angered him as he was now - by all appearances the smart and headstrong princess was a spoiled brat who didn’t like not getting her way. And yet that was not the opinion of the person he’d been in the dream… the man who remembered everything.
Patience was difficult to find with all of this. The glimpses and shards of his former self in the form of half remembered experience and ghostly emotions for random things against the cold blankness of his remaining amnesia were wearing on him. He needed to find something substantial soon, or he was going to lose his mind.
Pulling himself up to sitting, he rubbed hands over his face and tried to muster something, anything, to help him get up and keep going. When his hands fell away, he saw the Castle in the distance. Surrounded by the fuschia and black energy of the Calamity, Link wondered idly if she was in there, alive, dead, waiting on the Hero…
...And it struck him.
What better way to remember than go to the Castle? Pulling up the Sheikah Slate, he was certain the parapet he saw pictured in the album had to have been Hyrule Castle. Making up his mind, he smirked - the closest thing to a smile he’d had in weeks. “Best get ready Princess, I’m coming for you.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L3FK9_nIGRI
#breath of the wild#botw#breath of the wild fanfic#breath of the wild fanfiction#botw fic#botw fanfic#botw fanfiction#legend of zelda#zelda#link#zelink#loz#loz breath of the wild#zeldaxlink#linkxzelda#heart of hyrule#fanfiction#fanfic#nintendo fic
27 notes
·
View notes
Text
Breath of the Wild: Captured Memories - Chapter 2
First and foremost; SPOILER WARNINGS. If you have not played The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, or completed the Captured Memories Quest and want to stay un-spoiler-ed for it, DO NOT READ.
So I am writing these as I play through BotW for the first time - which means they probably won’t be ‘one-a-day’ consistent as its taking me forEVER to get to all of them, AND they probably won't be in any respectable order - just what I get to as I find them. My intent is to find them all, and summarize once I have found and have a story for each of the 18 memories required to get the bonus ending for the game. Once that's done, I will wrap it all up with a final chapter after I beat the game.
I will post them as I can though! Promise! I also plan to include links to the cutscene for you to watch at the bottom, if so desired - at least for the ones I can find. Any other warnings that become necessary, I will add for content as I go. For now, enjoy!
Chapter 2 - Lake Kolomo
Unlike most of his other gear, wrapped efficiently in his strange, magical bag from Purah, the blue tunic of The Champion didn’t itch. Or weigh a ton, or pinch, or anything else that armor and uncomfortable clothing did. In fact, it fit like it had been made for him. Which if Impa was to be believed, it had.
She’d given it to him upon his return to Kakriko, saying she was now certain he was who he appeared to be. Link had been unable to internally roll his eyes thinking what in the world she would have done if he’d not been. But Impa was old, wizened… and he had the sneaking suspicion she could still kick his ass if she needed to. That and what would he have done if he’d not been who she’d hoped? Been lost, was the answer, so he didn’t dwell on it.
Now, he was fed, rested and on his way to the next place he thought he’d seen before. His map told him that the name was “Kolomo Lake”, and that he’d been by there, if not all that close. Merely close enough for the traveler to believe it one of the places pictured in the Princess’s ‘album’.
The day was bright, sunny and pleasant, Kakriko had been rainy the day before, the storm passing from the west to east, but now everything was bright, clear and inspiringly beautiful. He absorbed the sun, standing on the travel circle out front of the Oman Au Shrine to which he’d just traveled, and tried to let the rays warm through his skin into his soul.
It helped, but only a little.
Link was still unsettled from his memories beginning to return. A cold princess who seemed to resent him, champions who were nameless faces, and a broken world that stood to remind him the disapproval he saw in them from his scattered memories seemed to have been founded. The weight on his shoulders grew with every step the horse beneath him took.
However that line of thought was going to get him nowhere. To discover the truth of who he was, or perhaps to learn in spite of who they thought him what he could do to heal the world, he had to press on. And it was a beautiful day. Spurring his steed faster, Link put his head down and let the mare go. She was excited, full of energy and happy to run - so he let her. At the pace she set, it wasn’t long before Kolomo Lake was in sight.
Searching the birch tree-lined shores, it took half the day to make it around to the other side, and along the way he saw nothing familiar. It of course wasn’t until the sun was setting that the traveller found himself on the direct opposite side of the lake from whence he’d approached and discovered the spot from which the princess had taken a picture 100 years before. Dismounting, he didn’t recognize the area, couldn’t recall this place at all, but in trying to piece it together, he was taken by the memory.
***
She walked ahead of him, the cold, detached Princess of Hyrule, rambling on about the Divine Beasts. Nose glued to the Sheikah Slate, it was the only time she would really talk to him. And if he were honest, he had a suspicion that she would be talking out loud to the Slate just as she was now if he’d not been present. They were headed to Goron City, she was on about someone named Daruk, and all Link could do was watch her. Sure, he was passively absorbing some of the things she was saying, at the time he was taking being her Chosen Knight very seriously. But what was distracting him was the way the sunlight illuminated her hair. The way she walked with purpose. The way her voice changed when she was talking about something that interested her, how she tangented off into her wonder for the ancient technology…
She still had the voice from his dreams and nightmares.
But then she stopped walking in the vision, and he too stopped, a more than respectable distance away. She’d made it clear she didn’t care for him. He couldn’t recall why, merely that it was so. She didn’t turn to face him, just glanced over her shoulder as she spoke words like daggers into his heart.
“Tell me the truth,” she said softly, but not without the command of a princess. “How proficient are you right now, wielding that Sword on your back?” With the memory came the feelings he’d once had in the experience itself, reliving it as if he were again there. Up to that point, he’d felt confident. But her look, her tone, her body language all sewed real doubt within him. Fear, doubt… shame that he could not assuage her fears that he was ready to become better, ready to learn and be the Hero they needed. That she needed. But he was silent. He couldn’t assuage her fears. And she continued.
“Legend says that an ancient voice resonates inside it. Can you hear it yet… Hero?” “What if I can?” he asked her with a smirk. He’d not been with her long, but she was always so serious. Hopefully one day he could make her smile, even if a little. She turned and frowned at him. “Do not lie to me.” “Then why did you ask?” Well. No smiling today then. “What are you talking about?” “You asked if I could hear the sword. Then when I imply that I might be able to, you accuse me of lying.” “I didn’t-” “You did, your highness.” Link shrugged. Her unwillingness to accept him was not entirely unexpected. He’d yet to prove himself - a fact he planned to remedy. Ignoring the sting of her revealed opinions, he started walking again. “We have a long way to go to Goron City. We should keep going.” She walked along slightly behind him for a moment before marching to retake the lead indignantly. “Not like I need a Hero anyway,” she grumbled as she passed him.
***
As the vision faded, Link’s false good mood was fading once more with the sunlight. Why exactly was he trying to regain his memories? Thus far, not a one of them had been good. Add to it that after recalling her go on about the Divine Beasts and the wonder and excitement she held for these things, Link was no longer on the fence. The voice, the one he heard in his mind and had heard from the moment he’d awakening in the Shrine of Resurrection, Her voice… was the Princess.
Turning with an enraged cry and some force behind it, Link punched the nearest birch tree, sending leaves and loose bark into the air. Everyone talking about how the hero failed, and yet the Martyred Princess was in their hearts and minds. If she was so great, and she’d had all these doubts about him, then why in the world had they let, or more aptly probably, forced him into the role? Were they not the ones to blame, whoever they were? The King? Princess? Those champions?
Letting the shooting pain of punching a tree run throbbing up his arm into his shoulder, chest, neck and head, Link tried to take a deep breath. He reminded himself that this was merely the tip of an iceberg that spanned an entire lifetime. Recalling no more than his name and two hours of a life he’d lived was not enough to know what had happened. There was no context, no recollection of what had brought him to the point he was recalling - and that was the true purposes of these travels. Not for the individual memories themselves, but the hope that the individual ones would ignite to restore the whole.
Hero or not, he still needed to remember himself. And, if like the Princess thought 100 years before - and he was currently believing here after failing - if he was not the Hero, he would dedicate his life to finding the True Hero and righting his wrongs from the past.
Sighing, the thought cooled his head long enough that he could let go the sting of his visions. For now. Looking around him, it was far too open to stay there for the night. They’d certainly run afoul of some kind of Stahl and if nothing else, the excitable little Mare didn’t need that. Riverside Stable wasn’t far from Kolomo, and he needed the ride. Needed to let the wind take his thoughts so he could clear them and keep focused, alert, on track and target for what it was he had set out to do.
As he mounted and took off towards the stable, the traveler acknowledged one more reason he needed to ride and move on, though it pained him to admit it - he needed to forget how much it stung to remember She hadn’t believed in him. He wasn’t sure why he cared, what with the broken recollections as they were. It did not change the ache in his chest, nor that he did. Tomorrow, he would ride again to find the next location. He had to. What else did he have?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1b_45YCdaxk
#zelink#zelda#link#breath of the wild#botw#legend of zelda#loz#fanfiction#fanfic#zelda fiction#zelda fanfic#link fanfic#captured memories#Lake Kolomo
28 notes
·
View notes