#the Zelda series of course

[gauntletqueen]

When a non-horror game has a horror section, I often find it a little more effective or memorable than a full-on horror title's horror, in a way. I think that's because, for characters in fiction, they usually don't know they're about to experience a horror story, so they aren't mentally prepared at all. As the audience, we know that when we boot up Silent Hill, we're gonna see some scary stuff and can mentally prepare accordingly. But when some innocuous children's platformer or RPG or whatever suddenly throws genuine horror elements at me, I'm taken out of my comfort zone much more roughly since I don't expect it at all. I think that's neat :>

#Fallout has some great examples of this #A Hat in Time and Rayman as well #the Zelda series of course #One of the most fun uses of this trope to me is in games with sidequests #Where you're send to some location that might be kinda suspicious #maybe sent to get an item or look for someone who got lost #and Oops! The places is Haunted by Actual Ghosts! #An until now unknown element of this world! #That's so fun #you get to feel just like some investigative journalist or whatever from a horror story #who has no idea what they're about to get into

[starrymarii]

Replaying ocarina of time :)

#zelda #ocarina of time #the legend of zelda #tloz #princess zelda #i'm on a quest rn to play all the 3d zelda games in order #i've actually never played majora's mask so i'm excited for that one #i'm loving oot #i feel like i have a new appreciation for it at this point #i just love the whole series #and of course i'm also excited for tears of the kingdom #yeehaw

[morkiemcfly]

One of my favorite small details in Tears of the Kingdom is how when Ganondorf transforms into the Demon King and Zelda is helplessly forced to watch in terror, you can see her irises shaking and slowly shrink in fear. It’s very subtle but an incredible detail. They didn’t have to animate that, since she’s only in the shot for like 2 seconds, but they did. It gives her so much life and you can really see how she is just absolutely terrified.

#I absolutely love the amount of polish they put on this game #you can really feel how hard they worked on it #also zelda is just so expressive in this game and it gives her so much life #the legend of zelda #tears of the kingdom #totk spoilers #tears of the kingdom spoilers #princess zelda #legend of zelda #zelda tears of the kingdom #zelda #zelda gif #totk gif #I might make a whole series of posts on small details #idk tho #also the rest of her face of course #but the eyes really stand out

[youssefguedira]

watching a video about unanswered questions in totk and it's like. well i can answer these! it's because nintendo doesnt care about the story and overarching preexisting lore that much

#neon has thoughts #'what are the zonai' nintendo don't care #'what even is ganondorf's motivation' he's the main series villain of course he's there doing evil. what did you think would happen #i love zelda but its not THAT well written. not since they went with gameplay over story post-skyward sword #'but why do botw and totk reference other games if theyre so far away / in the wrong timeline' because nintendo puts that in there so all of #the theorists and easily pleased people (me) can point and go that's a zelda reference in my zelda #its not that deep. love theorising as much as the next person but It's Not That Deep

[the-iron-shoulder]

Okay, so TotK calls Rauru the “first king of Hyrule,” but Sonia is already identified as “Hyrulean,” so the concept of Hyrule predated Rauru.

How do you get to be the “first king” of somewhere? (Force and conquest. The answer is force and conquest.)

But sure, he's a good guy, right, of course

We talk about the first king of Hyrule but he says we're not allowed to talk about the last democratically elected president of Hyrule

#zelda totk #zelda #totk #tears of the kingdom #fridge logic #i mean the titular character is a princess so of course the series sees monarchy as a good thing #rauru #monarchy

[sunriseinorbit]

just saw a video complaining about how there's a 6 year gap between breath of the wild and tears of the kingdom and how the botw era has been too long like gee whiz!! i wonder what possibly could have happened during those 6 years that significantly impacted video game development (along with literally everything else) and caused a lot of games to be delayed due to circumstances outside the developers' control!!!

#some of you have cockroaches in your brains #zelda #breath of the wild #tears of the kingdom #also botw is the best selling game in the series of course they're going to milk it as long as they possibly can

[cthulhubert]

Tears of the Kingdom is a real master class in game design

Just one for instance: the Zonai capsule dispensers are literal gacha machines (well, that bit of visual design language isn't as strong outside of Japan). This means that in the process of getting the specific device I want (everybody's hungry for steering sticks right?) I inevitably got a bunch of stuff I wouldn't've looked at twice if I were just buying them. The extra chaff means I have a lot of stuff just to play around and experiment with, leading me to engage more deeply with the game.

#legend of zelda #tears of the kingdom #original #it's also a way more 'japanese' game than other entries in the series I think #of course the sheikah have been there since ocarina with their ninja-retainer-family vibe #but also literal gacha machine dispensers; magatama as core plot element; divine descent in the royal family

[agent-octo]

Here are just a bunch of screenshots of when I finished a game on my switch, in no particular order

#Pokemon Brilliant Diamond #Pokemon BDSP #Cuphead #Cuphead DLC #Cuphead The Delicious Last Course #splatoon 3 #splatoon #kirby and the forgotten land #kirby #kirby series #super mario world #mario #tears of the kingdom #totk #the legend of zelda #The legend of zelda tears of the kingdom #Pokemon #pokemon violet #miitopia #nintendo #nintendo switch

[winkle-pickers]

Thief King Bakura, Ganondorf, and the mythology of Atem

A friend on Discord asked if there was going to be a connection made in Ten Thousand Year Elegy between Ganondorf and Thief King Bakura, namely because I very pointedly used the ‘King of Thieves’ moniker for G-dorf. (I think chapter 18 or 19 (the section just before Rito Village) is the one where he tells Yuugi & co, “In a just world there would be no need for a King of Thieves.”) Anyways, I really enjoyed responding to that question and talking about some of the over-arching thematic elements of Ten Thousand Year Elegy, so I’m gonna copy my response here too if anyone’s interested! (Buckle up for some Zelda/YGO crossover meta......)

There won't be a direct connection, no, but there's absolutely a thematic connection if you look for it (and will become more apparent over the course of the story.) I.E. Yuugi being forced to examine his own beliefs about TKB as they were filtered through the lens of Atem, who was a king and never had to face the sort of poverty that drives that kind of desperation. And that would mirror Zelda's perspective on Ganondorf shifting as well, because her whole understanding of Ganondorf and Gerudo history is based on A - history books written by the victors and B - coming from an imperial family that has had a vested interest in demonizing Gerudo for millennia.

I think it's going to get more apparent over time that Atem's absence is a core thematic element of TTYE - aka breaking down the mythology you construct around someone, the way that love and grief perpetuate those mythologies, and how to learn to love someone while in the process of examining who they actually were, especially when they're no longer around and you're just left with memories you're piecing togethere. I always saw TTYE!Ganondorf as kind of like a "second chance" for both Link&Zelda and the Yuugi-tachi, a way for all of them to move past the 'good vs evil' dichotomy that lacks any nuance, and understand all the people involved in both their stories as eminently human. It's kind of like Justice for TKB!!! brought about through a very long isekai adventure ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

#this is the kind of insufferable meta that brings me great joy #BUT COME ON there's so many great parallels between these series!! #TTYE practically writes itself!!! #well no it doesn't or else i wouldn't be trapped in a month long writer's block hell #as i compulsively edit the transition section between Book 2 and 3 #BUT ANYWAYS. #grief is a huge theme in TTYE #Yuugi & co grieving Atem #Link & Zelda grieving the entire life and country they used to know #and then of course all of them in a sense grieving the childhoods they were never allowed #ten thousand year elegy #my fics #yugioh #ygo #ygo dm #atem #ganondorf #thief kind bakura #crossover #zelda #breath of the wild #art tag

[nexus-nebulae]

desperately wanting to be a proper zelda theorizer but having no access to the games myself

#except for two of the games which do not take place in hyrule and dubiously may not even be the same universe as hyrule #i want to make my own timeline so fucking bad man #i desperately wanna tug at strings and figure out how to connect skyward sword and tears of the kingdom #i mostly just want to look at all the details that are usually undiscussed #but i don't own a switch nor am i shelling out over 400 dollars for both the device AND both totk and botw #and i do not know what skyward sword plays on because i did not know the game existed until two years ago #because the only nintendo console i have ever owned is a DS and that is why i have only majoras mask and phantom hourglass #which are. difficult to connect to the lore of the rest of the games. #especially when you have not played either of their direct prequels nor know their stories very well #we have some extra money now i might get a DS copy of ocarina just to get started #eventually i do want to collect and play all of these games #like. all of them #i want to get a good idea of the entire series as a whole and how these different games connect and relate to each other #and since i've only ever watched theory videos and short playthroughs that cut out most of the details #its hard to form my own theories and opinions #honestly there are a lot of popular zelda theories that just don't click for me and i want to try my own look at the topics #the timeline. of course. being the worst contender

[gamingstar26]

By this point I’m a full zelda totk hater, the more I see interviews that add lore and story info that should’ve been in the game in the first place, the more I hate the new direction the series is going. Holy shit the lack of care for the series/game lore and continuity is so obvious and also pretending the prior games never happened. While also living in the shadow of the previous games mostly botw. Or mentioning previous games in a odd way.

While it’s fine to have botw/totk be separate from the main timeline being farrr into the future, but the fact it clearly mentions other games in its world (mostly botw) and confirmed they did happen and are still remembered in some way. how do they forgot what even happens in their own games like what?! (Coughs the entirety of botw events while also mentioning botw)

One of my fav parts of a recent interview that had me dying cause of how stupid it was one where aonuma says that ganondorf killed no one ever in the series, and in totk is the first time ever he killed someone on screen (that part is true but still and this ganondorf being different incarnation so I’ll give it that), and that only now he’s a full fledged villain. At least in that interview they answered some lore related questions in a reasonable way that’s not just “ahahah idk man it’s a mystery.”

Interview here: you’ll have to translate it tho: https://t.co/oM42ZuiDEO it’s split into multiple parts

While botw has the same story telling issues as totk, with botw it worked in its favor cause of the way it was done and how the memory system made logical sense to be there unlike in totk.

#me becoming a full time totk hater in the course of half a year #im still a huge zelda fan and always will be #but it’s worrying the direction the series is going in #remember when they use to balance gameplay and story #totk salt #just ranting #tears of the lore fans is what I’m feeling

[azenta]

"Everyone speaks of the Great Tragedy. They all speak of how this will change the course of history. But all I can think of is how all that remains of you is a memory.

Today, everyone mourns what was, while I mourn the future we will never have. Facing a world like this alone is a far greater concern than it ever was before. Even death can't promise to reunite us. This land is cursed to the core, a neverending nightmare with a twisted plot.

Time is a ticking reminder that every second that passes is a moment further from you, an unstoppable erosion of your memory. Until I don't remember you and become a clueless bystander of a hopeless story."

-- Lost diary, ???, ??01

---~~○°•.,☆,.•°○~~---

Note: I do not own nor pretend ownership on any of the above pictures. Only the collage was made by me.

#moodboard #mb #collages #lost stories #story #worldbuilding #tragedy #memory #grief #for those who knows: #fate series #jeanne d'arc #totk #zelda #link #fanart #only used as illustration purpose rather than 'story' purpose #*forgot: #arturia pendragon #from fate. of course

[thesadpuffin]

Zelda reacts: pt 1

I woke up in the middle of the night with idea for a series of comics; basically the ending scene of BOTW, but Zelda reacts differently depending on which armour set Link is wearing. of course I had to start with the rubber set which is one of the funniest to me lmao

what armour should I do next??

>>> Part 2: Stealth

#legend of zelda #botw #botwfanart #breath of the wild #link art #link fanart #loz fanart #the legend of zelda #fanart #botw comic #botw fancomic #comics #comedy #princess zelda #zelda fanart #loz #loz botw #zelda #headcanon #thesadpuffin #polarbeararts

[maple-the-awesome]

The Chain Meets You, His Partner || 2/3

Part 1 || Part 3

Pairing: Hyrule, Sky, Wind x GN! Reader

Requested by @temporarilyablog: i see requests are open still so im coming to you with a thought i had recently:how about a Link from the Chain interacting with the reader, another Link's s/o from their original adventures, when *their* Link isn't around. i can see some teasing another Link with the reader that they've only known through little stories here and here, or others grilling the reader relentlessly because another Link was so shy about their relationship and partner, and wants to know how that Link is like around someone he allows himself to relax.its kinda like when the Chain met Malon for the first time and interacted with her for stories about old man Timeand as always stay awesome, i love your writing!

Zelda Masterlist 💙Fandom Masterlist

Concerningly delighted or eerily eager - the Chain can’t quite agree on which descriptor best described their teammate the best once he realized they had all landed in his Hyrule. Bubbling with excitement ever since while maintaining a pace some of the other boys have to jog after, Link doesn’t waste breath saying where he’s leading them, although that giddy smile upon his face - as much as he tries to hide it - is plenty for the wiser heroes to get the hint…

Hyrule's time is 'rough around the edges', to put it easily, not that it can't be expected considering all the stories he's rather casually told the others about regarding both his world and adventures. Even the Kingdom's Castle - usually a centerpiece to the land - is beaten down and, in most aspects, less...impressive compared to what most of the heroes are accustomed to seeing, although for a simple traveler like Hyrule, it still holds quite a bit of significance.

"I just want to speak to the Sovereign before we move on - to let them know why I've been away," He rambles his explanation to the Chain, his outward emotions suddenly undergoing yet another change. His once untroubled smile becomes wary, his hands unstill as he fidgets with his sleeves. That prior excitement he had held when first suggesting they even go to the Castle has now turned into what the other heroes misjudge to be poorly hidden nerves, "I don't want them to be left assuming I'm dead in a ditch somewhere."

"Makes sense," Warrior nods, keeping a careful eye on Hyrule's behavior. Being a captain in charge of so many, he can spot a shift in confidence from a mile away, "You have been gone for a while."

"We're not going to be - I don't know - arrested on the spot or anything, right?" Legend asks, his focus more on the guards who maintain obvious glaring suspicions towards the group despite allowing them inside once confirming their famed hero's identity. 

"Why would we be arrested?"

"You mentioned how much of a hardass your Sovereign can be," The Vet clarifies with a casual shrug, "And a paranoid one, too, if these guards leave anything to the imagination. Leaders like that don't usually need much reason to throw someone in a dungeon. Nine random heroes showing up while claiming to be from different timelines, all chasing some shadow lizard through magic portals? We'll sound insane."

Hyrule frowns and maybe even takes some offense to Legend's observations which is why his rebuttal is so swift, "They -...They aren't like that! The previous King died suddenly. They were forced to take on the throne without much notice and at a young age, too! After everything Ganon put this kingdom through - Of course they're going to be paranoid, but they're reasonable and fair. There's nothing to worry about. Besides, we don't have to mention the exact reasoning for our meeting. I just...I would just like to see them while I can…"

The red on Hyrule's cheeks would've no doubt been noticed if not for the Chain's collective attention being stolen elsewhere, focused upon a pair of large doors that open into the Castle's throne room. Inside, a series of guards line the walls and at the opposite end sits the very subject of their conversation.

Your expression is stern and cold as you sit upon your claim dressed in expensive, colorful garments fitting for a proper monarch of your time. The golden crown upon your head shimmers in torch light, yet its glow is quickly outshined by your eyes which go wide with delight once you recognize your hero amongst this crowd of ragtag travelers. 

"Link…!" In an instant, you rise, your smile as grand as your divine beauty. Whether you gracefully walk or float down the stairs, there would be no visual difference. What is true is that you meet Hyrule at the bottom of those four measly steps, welcoming him with a strong embrace he's eager to return.

"...Your Majesty..." He doesn't realize just how quiet his voice is, whispered beside your ear as he forgets about the world while in your arms again. Oh, how he's missed this feeling!

The Chain is left in awe - No, it would be more accurate to say they're completely dumbfounded. Hyrule has always spoken favorably about the Royal Family of his time, tying especially pleasant compliments to the kingdom’s head. As stern as he admits you can appear, only good things have been attached to your name from your wise leadership to the love you hold towards your people, however not once - not a single murmur or breath - had ever dared mention your very apparent fondness for each other which certainly goes beyond the ordinary relationship of a monarch and their realm’s savior.

Even after your embrace, it's obvious that you hold nothing except the greatest of affections towards your hero. You look at him as if he's the sun that gives your kingdom life; the courage that keeps you going despite such challenging times. Hyrule's, of course, no better when it comes to you. It's not until now that his friend's realize they're previous mistake in assuming he was afraid to see you. No, that wasn't fear before, it was shyness. The thought of you had him feeling both delighted and sheepish. Now that he's here, though, his grin is uncontrollable. 

"Your Majesty, I'd like to meet the friends I've been traveling with -"

"- A Sovereign?! You're dating the freaking Sovereign and you didn't think to mention that small detail earlier?!" Legend suddenly shouts, demolishing the silence that had befallen the Chain.

He can’t help it! He feels utterly scammed! Hyrule had told everyone a great deal about his kingdom’s Sovereign, yet had only confessed to his predecessor during a late night heart-to-heart that he holds deep feelings towards a mysterious someone back home; someone he fears telling of his secret endearment. Not once - Not a single damn time - had he so much as let on that they’re the same person!

Legend isn’t sure what strikes his nerves more: the fact that Hyrule would be dumb enough not to add the important context that it’s royalty he’s in love with or that he’s dense enough to somehow believe you don’t love him back despite it being clear you’re totally whipped for him! Is he blind? Completely and utterly dull in the brain?!

Poor Hyrule's whole face explodes in red after Legend's outburst, and his condition is made no better when the others add in their own comments to this already awkward situation.

"Now it makes sense why you wanted to come here so badly," Wild nods in understanding, having previously been confused as to why Hyrule would care to go out of his way to let the royal family know of his whereabouts if he had no ties to them.

"To think our humble traveler could land a monarch. I mean, good for you and all," Warrior crosses his arms with a smirk, hoping to mask his slight jealousy.

The Traveler is left stammering for a response, finding himself suddenly overwhelmed.

"‘Dating’? Well, this is certainly news to me," You frown with a hand placed delicately above your heart. Turning to your hero, you can only look betrayed, "Link, I would've hoped you'd tell me. I could've cleared more of my schedule to be with you in that case."

"E-EH?!"

"And all those suitors the advisors have been arranging - I’ll have to tell them to abandon their efforts! Excellent, seeing as I didn’t truly care for their match-making attempts,” You huff, not giving Hyrule anytime to explain himself as you get right to business, waving your maid over to make a note, “But that should free up a considerable amount of my time…Will you and your friends be staying long? I can have the kitchen staff whip up a nice feast for later if you do.”

“Um -”

“- Can we?! My feet are aching!” Wind whines, practically deflating on the spot. The only thing holding him up is Warrior who scowls at his poor manners and forces him to stand upright.

Time is quick to step in front of the group and bow, hoping you dismiss their lack of grace, “If you don’t mind, Your Majesty. We wouldn’t want to trouble you.”

“Not at all. It isn't often that we receive guests. I’ll have word sent to the kitchen right away. In the meantime, Lady Impa here can show you to a room where you may rest,” You finish writing on the paper she holds, allowing her to take both the paper and quill before once again giving your full attention to the travelers, “I have a meeting with the Zora Queen in precisely ten minutes, but following that the rest of my afternoon should be clear.”

You then face Hyrule, smirking at his flustered state, “Once that meeting is over, my time is yours, Link, if you wish to fill me in on your recent endeavors. I must say, I’m particularly interested in learning just how long we’ve supposedly been dating for.”

“...R - Right…Of course…” The poor boy squeaks, unable to process many thoughts beyond the feeling of his face overheating when you press a quick kiss to his cheek before leaving the room with your guards. Even the weight of Legend’s arm over his shoulder is barely enough to break him from his trance when the past hero leans in with a smug whisper:

“You’re welcome, buddy.”

From the moment he first stepped through that last portal, Sky has been radiating with pure glee. Anyone could understand why. He’s finally returned to Skyloft, a place he’s been missing so dearly ever since the start of this adventure months ago. Of course, home isn’t the only thing he’s been dying to be apart from.

Most of the other Links have long taken notice to Sky’s heartache which has been poorly hidden behind dreary melodies played on his harp and heaps of carved projects to distract from lonesome silence; somebody’s been on his mind, their absences from his life slowly driving him insane despite his efforts to remain focused.

That said, it’s no wonder that Sky is excited to be home again, moving at a hasty pace some assumed he’d be incapable of. Even the jolly greetings and curious questions from locals don’t slow him down much, his steps swift in bringing him to the doorstep of a brightly colored home no different from the many others that surround it, but it’s still special for what it holds inside.

There’s a short internal debate to be seen on Sky’s face - one where he hesitates to open the door because wouldn’t that be rude to simply invite himself into someone else’s house unannounced? Then again, it’s not like proper manners have ever stopped him before, and they won’t start today. He decides to impatiently let himself in. Forgiveness can be sought after later.

Every ache of his travel-worn body and each gloomy thought surrounding his collective adventures melt away like magic by the mere sight of you. You must’ve just been about to leave - that or you recently arrived home, because you’re still in your knight’s uniform, caught mid-adjusting your belt when you look up at the man standing in your doorway.

Surprised for sure, yet it’s also a welcomed feeling when you rush to meet your lover half-way. There’s no words for the amount of joy you feel in holding him tight, possibly even shedding a few tears as he decorates your face in dozens of butterfly kisses, one for each second he’s thought of you while apart.

It takes some time and a loud clearing of someone’s throat for the Hero of Sky to remember his companions who all wait awkwardly around the doorway. Even when snapped out of his trance, he’s still grinning ear-to-ear like a lovestruck fool, his arm unmoving from where it remains wrapped around your waist as he introduces you.

Needless to say, it’s nice to finally be able to put a face to the name sighed so often. You’re sociable and polite, yet if that sword upon your back is any indication, you must be a strong fighter to have secured yourself a position amongst the knights of Skyloft.

To the Chain’s luck, it turns out you had just arrived home which grants them plenty of time to bend your ear. They have lots of questions, their curiosity only being natural since your place on the timeline is so different from their own. They ask about your life in the clouds, job as a knight, and most importantly, your relationship with Sky who’s thrilled to expand upon such a wonderful topic himself by sharing his own honored memories.

“‘seems our Skylofian here is truly whipped,” Twilight chuckles at the end of Sky’s latest story, although truthfully he’s starting to have trouble hiding his boredom. 

At this point, Sky’s been rambling about his affections towards you for well over an hour, sparing no detail from your first meeting as children to practically each and every date you’ve shared since becoming more than friends. As happy as the boys are for him - truly, they are - they do have their limits for how much lovey-dovey they can take in one day. Legend in particular looks like he’s seconds away from banging his head against the table.

“I am~” Sky exhales lovingly while staring at you with hearts in his eyes. You find his attention endearing and give his hand a squeeze as it sits intertwined with yours on your lap.

“So, when’s the wedding?” Time queries, half-teasing and half-genuine.

“Oh, I don’t know…” You scratch the back of your head bashfully, but when your attention falls back to Sky, you find him still staring at you, this time with a pout no different from a baby remlit’s. Rolling your eyes, you lean into him with a dramatized sigh, “He’d have to ask me first, but I’m hoping being around you eight will give him the courage to do so soon. We’re only getting older, after all.”

“Why drag your feet? You’re clearly in love.”

“You’ve got a willin’ partner right here. No need to hesitate.”

“You know, we’ve passed a few merchants who sell rings during our journey.”

“Yeah, cheaply made ones. If you want something fancy, Castle Town is the place to go.”

“Not too fancy. A simple yet well-thought out gesture can go a long way.”

“A strong protection spell wouldn’t hurt, though.”

“I know a Gerudo who handcrafts the most beautiful jewelry. If we end up in my Hyrule, I could introduce you.”

“Oh, or Tetra’s crew has a TON of jewelry! Maybe you can find a nice ring in their stash?”

Sky laughs awkwardly as the other heroes suddenly bombard him with their ‘helpful’ suggestions, chattering away as they begin putting together the pieces for a proper proposal. When he glances your way, you’re not-so-subtly hiding your amused smile behind your hand, clearly looking forward to whatever plan they end up holding him to later. Hopefully, you won’t have to wait long to find out.

Wind’s destination isn’t too far from the last portal opened which is good because the others have a hard time keeping up with the younger boy who effortlessly dashes across the deep sand-covered beach, heading directly to one of the few huts on this small island they’ve found themselves on.

He doesn’t wait for his companions to catch up. He might not have even noticed they fell behind. His focus is primarily on reaching home, practically overboiling with excitement at the prospect of seeing his family again. It’s always a relief for his dear grandmother to see him safe, shedding many tears as she hugs her grandson with a grip unthought of for a little old woman. 

Wind’s grandmother has a list of questions she asks at the speed of light which must not be unusual seeing as he answers each just as skillfully, telling her where he’s been, who he’s been with, and confirming that yes, he’s well fed. Of course, it’s only natural that the same questions are also asked of each and every hero who steps through her front door, after all, curiosity is second only to her naturally nurturing spirit. Who cares how old some of them are? No matter the age, they’re no different than her grandson in her eyes!

A sudden shrill of jubilation scares the group half to death mere milliseconds before a small girl comes racing through the front door, leaping into her older brother’s arms with similar cries about how much she’s missed him. She’s followed by another adult who’s much calmer in their approach, yet nevertheless gleefully smiling as they eagerly accept their turn in hugging the teen while welcoming him home.

You attend to Wind tenderly, quickly pulling away from the hug to check over his face and account for any new scars. Your hand then lingers on his cheek as you sigh at his smiled reassurances, looking down upon him with an amount of love and care not too far off from how his own grandmother had.

It’s only after ensuring his well-being that you address his traveling companions. You’re barely fazed by the large group when you introduce yourself, having become accustomed to Wind’s strange ability to make friends with almost anyone during his adventures. They seem to be a bunch of respectable young men, anyway, judging on their politeness, and as you tell them, friends of Wind’s are always welcomed.

After introductions - which are short seeing as most in this room share the same name - Wind’s grandmother suggests a tour be given to your visitors. Being such a small community on a more lonesome edge of the map, newcomers are rare, so Wind and Aryall immediately leap at the chance to show their new friends around the island that they love. Who would you be to deny their adorable puppy-dog eyes?

Realistically, there isn’t that much to see aside from a few landmarks, interesting locals, and a population of chubby pigs, however if there’s any benefit to being surrounded by an ocean, it’s that there’s lots of good places to swim and seeing as most of the Links are long overdue for some quality time spent as normal teenagers, they’re happy for the break. 

Most of the boys partake in jumping from the rocks to see who can create the biggest splash, although Legend and Sky favor staying on land to help Aryall build a sandcastle for her seagull friends. You, meanwhile, relax in the sun, keeping a careful eye on all activities which has simply become second nature to you at this point. While Wind may be a fourteen-year-old who has sailed across the entire ocean, you don’t think you’ll ever stop worrying for his safety.

“Those kids seem rather fond of you.”

You glance up to the oldest Link of the group - you believe you heard the other’s refer to him as ‘Time’ - as he invites himself to sit next to you in the sand. Despite several pleas for the other boys, he had turned down their attempts at getting him in the water. Maybe for the best, since they’re now starting to toss each other off the rocks.

“I would hope so. I’ve known them both since before they could walk.”

“I take it you’re their guardian?”

Humming at his observation, you turn back to watch the younger kids and teens, “...People on our island have always kept an eye out for each other, but…Well, when Link and Aryall’s parents passed, I guess you could say I felt extra inclined to help. 

“I don’t have any family of my own here and there’s only so much their poor grandma can do at her age. Unfortunately, keeping up with two lively kids can be a struggle for her, so I’ve done what I can to remove some of that stress from her shoulders. With no kids of my own, I have the time and quite frankly, I enjoy the opportunity to feel…-”

“- To feel like a parent?”

“...Yeah…” You frown, pulling your knees to your chest with a sigh, “Of course, I don’t go around calling myself that. I wouldn’t want to overstep any boundaries, you know? Especially not for Link. Aryall - She was so young when they lost their parents, so I think it’s always been easier for her to see me as fitting the role, but Link…He was five. He still remembers them, so I doubt he’ll ever exactly see me as any kind of replacement.” 

“I wouldn’t say that,” Time objects kindly, following your gaze out to where Wind fights to wiggle himself out of Warrior’s grip. Seconds before he can be pushed off the rock, Wild and Twilight come up behind the two, shoving Warrior overboard just as Wind slips away, “I suppose I can’t speak directly for him, but I can say he refers to you as his parent quite frequently around us.”

“...Does he?” You blink in surprise. Wind’s never said anything in particular that would make you think he sees you in that light, but now that you think about it, when you first met Tetra, she referred to you as Wind’s parent, too. Did she say it out of mistaken observation like you assumed then or because Wind told her?

“From the sounds of it, you’ve made quite the impact on his life, one he admires greatly.”

You once again look back to the group, catching Wind’s eyes. He perks up, immediately waving as he shouts for you ‘Watch this!’ before running and leaping into the water with a giant cannonball and nearly on top of Warrior’s head much to the older boy’s annoyance. Once resurfacing, he searches for your attention and beams when he finds your proud smile reflecting back at him.

You’re thankful that he becomes distracted by the other boys jumping in, because as soon as he looks away, you can feel yourself becoming teary eyed. Perhaps you’ve been overthinking things this entire time. You were so focused on giving him space and not forcing a relationship that you failed to pick up on the little signs that he’s already accepted you. Wind has always been close to you, never shying away from hugs after his adventures while always seeking both your attention and approval; something he only does with his family.

#reader insert #x reader #linked universe x reader #linked universe #link x reader #lu hyrule x reader #lu sky x reader #legend of zelda x reader #lu wind x reader

[izunias-meme-hole]

Ranking Princess Zelda’s Designs

Zelda 1/Adventure of Link

So this was Zelda? Yep, this is early installment weirdness at its finest. 1/10

A Link To The Past/A Link Between Worlds/Smash Ultimate

Okay, now this design would be the base for almost every Zelda design in the series, and I can see why. It looks regal and almost divine looking, like she 100% looks like a princess that’s a reincarnation of god. 10/10

Ocarina of Time (Young)

She looks less like a princess and more like a priestess or nun, but the design for the kid isn’t that bad, especially since the pink on her attire is swapped out for more of a magenta-esque color, which honestly works a lot. 8/10

Ocarina of Time (Adult)

This design is rather fitting for Zelda, especially the colors. The shoulder pads, the blonde hair, and the usuage of different shades of purple and pink are rather nice and keep the design from being distracting. However it is the weaker design in comparison to some of the others on this list. 9/10

Tetra

Tetra IS supposed to be a reincarnation of Zelda, but you wouldn’t see that at first glance. She looks more akin to an adventurous little rascal rather than a proper princess, which honestly fits well with how she’s portrayed in the game. 10/10

Toon Zelda

I like the outfit, and I like how much it perfectly captures the likeness of OOT Zelda (with a few modifications to the design), but what is up with her crown? 9/10

Four Swords

No… just no. 2/10

Twilight Princess/Smash Bros

This design is absolutely iconic, and completely unique. The brown hair, the white and magenta dress, the more reserved yet battle ready appearance, and the fact that it’s an upgraded version of the OOT design make this design for Zelda work stand out amongst the others. Instant 10/10

Skyward Sword (Regular)

God this design is so good in context. Zelda in this game is not a princess, so of course her appearance looks more casual here, giving her personality a chance to show itself. Honestly it’s a breath of fresh air, but at the same time it keeps some elements of her older designs. 10/10

Skyward Sword (White Gown)

It’s just her with a white gown, but the imagery here is as clear as day. She’s meant to resemble Hylia, and in all honesty, I can see it. 9/10

Hyrule Warriors

I like the whole warrior princess design she has in this game, but I do believe it’s not something that would work in the main series. Still perfect for this game. 10/10

Breath of The Wild

Despite her more reserved appearance, this isn’t her royal attire, this is the closest thing she has to a casual appearance. Still it words, primarily because of the blue, and the fact that the outfit itself feels less like something a princess would wear and more like something a researcher would slap on, and considering Zelda usually represents Wisdom and the fact that she’s a complete autistic geek in this part of the timeline, it’s fitting. Instant 10/10

Breath of The Wild (Royal Attire)

Her royal attire is perfect. The royal blue, the tiara, and the fact that it keeps elements of her main design while altering them to fit better with the fact that she IS in her “princess clothes” is great. Another Instant 10/10

Breath of The Wild (Cerimonial Robes)

The pure white dress, combined with the gold are perfect. It’s basically an upgraded version of Skyward Sword Zelda’s alternate attire, and I’m all for it. Yet another instant 10/10

Tears of The Kingdom

Not really much has changed, aside from the fact that she got a haircut and bought a hood. Still a 10/10

Tears of The Kingdom (Zonai Outfit)

I like the green on the dress, but if I’m being honest, Zelda, honey this attire is weaker than your other ones. 9/10

#princess zelda #zelda #the legend of zelda #legend of zelda #a link to the past #a link between worlds #ocarina of time #twilight princess #wind waker #hyrule warriors #breath of the wild #tears of the kingdom #skyward sword #(one behind the mask) mun izunia #ranking

[ganondoodle]

I probably still wouldn’t have been a big fan of the game, but I don’t think I would have been NEARLY as upset about TotK if BotW didn’t seem like it was so obviously setting up plot points for a sequel. Like, you’re very clearly MEANT to wonder what malice is, and how Ganon became the Calamity instead of just the Demon King. Fi is awake again, where are they going either that? What’s the deal with the Triforce-shaped symbol on Zelda’s hand? There were a LOT of other things like that, and many of them had to do with overarching lore for the series.

I get it if they want to reboot the series, but “BotW 2” was the single worst game you could have done that with. It could have been an amazing conclusion to the original continuity.

EXACTLY, you, you get it

botw felt like the introduction to a vast world with secrets and hints to things that were planned to become a bigger thing- a big giant game as a big giant set up, and then ... like totk likes to do alot, it lacks a pay off, and that is something it even does within itself, cosntantly, set up and no pay off, or set up and the most boring and uninspired pay off you can really not even call that, from the bigger things like the whole dragon thing being hammered into your head as irreversible and then it IS reversible.. out of nowhere without you having to do fuck all, the whole thing with the ancient hero beign a big mystery with lots of interesting ideas attached and then its some weird ass dog creature that doesnt resemble any other race with, of course, sonau armor, bc there nothing that isnt sonau in that game, even finding the old treasure maps you can find that then lead to amiibo stuff from botw id call that

botw wasnt that great with rewards either but exploring the world and wondering about those, surely intentionally, placed mysterious and intriguing designs and places did alot for making it so interesting to think about, totk fumbles it all and even the new stuff doesnt even come close to that environmental storytelling botw was so great at, sonau ruins? ha they look entirely different than in botw actually, bc those were built by hylians you see, the actual sonau stuff is in prime condition considering the time thats passed and its all the same blank blocky blocks that serve no purpose but to be a place for you to find a thing or exchange some currency- the most you can think about it is ... that the sonau hollowed out the entire underground of hyrule, every inch of the map, ... which is WEIRD and doesnt exactly make them look that good but ... thats all there is

at least with the shiekah it made somewaht more sense and it felt much less .. invasive? and you didnt have anyone from that time to talk to, other than dead monks whos only purpose is to give you their last piece of their own spirit, but in totk ... raurus ghost and mineru too are both just there to talk to but DONT tell you shit but vague hints that were already clear, the sky islands used to be on the ground? oh you dont say, you see them there in the stupid memories! and dont get to know how they got up there and theres nothing that can clue you in to that, its just sonau magic yet again i guess

dont even get me started on the whole malice/miasma thing, it made so much SENSE that there was a source of it, someone that has keep kept in a horrible place just between life and death for thousands of years trying to break free by their hate and anger manifesting to such a degree its literally spilling out and building creppy eyeballs, mouths and ribcage like structures like they are trying to rebuild themsleves outside of their awful prison no one knows about is so damn compelling, but no, actually, the guy trapped there was the msot evilest evar, was sealed bc him evil and no other motive, and the previously mentioned stuff is pretty much utterly unceonnected, and his magic beign miasma with red instead of pink and no creepy body parts was the true version of it, that pink one was its own thing heehooo SHUT UP argh

it doesnt help that really, i dont feel like the sonau were set up either, they were a tiny part in botw, really only serving to make the world seem more ancient and more full of history, having ruins from a past civilization there you know nothing about and cant find out more is so good, its compelling and sad and makes the world feel more real, just shoving them into everything, being the center of attention all of thes udden and not even the architecure fitting feels so ... forced, i really truly believe the og sonau werent meant to be more than that, but in their fear of the game being too similarly looking like botw they took the sonau to replace the shiekah with them- imo the shiekah were the ones set up to be deeper explored in botw, with their whole misstreatment by the royal family in the past, monk miz kyoshia reacting the same way a yiga commander would was deliberate and brings up even more interesting ideas, the comments about where the mysterious energy the ancient shiekah used to power everything being concentrated in certain regions?? thats a big ass set up, the fact that the center of what is signaling everything to reactivate being below hyrule castle? the fact the whole arena thing was BUILT INTO THE CASTLE or it on top of it is so??? cool??? and sso damn intriguing, we are scratching the surface of their history- but then no, actually, the sonau are the cool new shit those other ones just uh ... disappear, also the sonau did everythign the shiekah did but even better wayy before them haha

its like they didnt want to tackle the more complicated stuff with the shiekah, their relationship to the royal family and how the yiga ... have a point and a good reason- so they replaced them with entirely new purely goodest good guys that did the same stuff before them with none of the history attached :))

this is why im so insistent on it not really being a sequel, thers no follow up on anything that was set up, NOTHING, and no, a couple having a kid now or whatever isnt a follow up on an interesting set up, how hard is it to understand that-

.... listen to me rambling, you probably know all that already nhjdfkbnkd

(i know i always bring up the shiekah but ... they were so central in botw, while also not taking up every single corner- unlike some other ones >_____>, with so much interesting stuff to connect and think about, i cared about them so much i felt kicked down the stairs by their treatment in totk)

#ganondoodles answers #ganondoodles rants #zelda #totk #totk critical #maybe its jsut me that feels so strongly about the unanswered stuff around the shiekah #but im #biting wood and clawing up the walls in my head