Does a TRUE VILLAIN Exist in Link's Awakening? (Zelda Theory)

[@NintendoBlackCrisis]

Originally was going to get this done for Tuesday, but got lazy xP Happy that I waited to put this up for today though, as it is actually the 33rd Anniversary of Zelda! Last year we celebrated it with a Master Sword theory, so today let's talk about the "villains" in Link's Awakening! I hope you guys enjoy and have a great day

[@gavinbrown216]

NintendoBlackCrisis the owl is the villain

[@gavinbrown216]

You could maybe escape without removing the island, but the owl pushes you to destroy it

[@caros.6072]

I definitely enjoyed this! Have a great day too!

[@itszeldayt801]

NintendoBlackCrisis Thanks For Posting This Today!!! I Thought I Was The Only One Who Remembered Zelda's 33rd Anniversary! I'm New Too Your Channel And I Really Enjoy It, Bye!!!

[@parkerklinck263]

You should look into and maybe talk about the secret ending, which you get if you beat the game without dying. I may be wrong but I think it is only on the original, not the DX version.

[@xdecatron2985]

I remember reading somewhere (it was so long ago, otherwise I'd cite) that the meta-narrative of this game is that just like Link exists from outside the dream, you the player exist outside the video game. And whether it's this game or any other, your life will continue after you save the day and get the "Congratulations" screen, but the characters in the game don't exist beyond The End. Interesting to think about. Good job!

[@TheAbsol7448]

Woah. That's extremely deep.

[@Gnidel]

That's pretty Doki Doki Literature Club.

[@mitchelreasoner4329]

That’s actually really good

[@wompus_king]

Link's Awakening: Meta before it was cool.

[@ProjectEchoshadow]

The game is a metaphor, symbolic of accepting change and grinding up. You can't stay in your dream world forever. Eventually you need to face reality. Part of you may resist but the dream can't stay perfect and will eventually turn into nightmares

[@NintendoBlackCrisis]

That was deep

[@LucienYT]

@@NintendoBlackCrisis That's what HE said 😅

[@PBody54M]

11:09 "If instead the game was told from one of the islanders' points of view who knew that the waking of the Wind Fish would result in their disappearance, then Link may have been seen as the villain." There's one scene in Link's Awakening that I thought was very interesting. On the way to Turtle Rock, Link meets Marin in the Tal Tal Mountain Range. Afterward, it is revealed that she had gone there to sing the "Ballad of the Wind Fish" to the egg and attempt to wake the Wind Fish herself. She also tells Link that she knows that he is destined the leave the island someday and makes him promise never to forget her. It's open to interpretation, but I thought this indicated that she was aware that she and Koholint Island would disappear after waking the Wind Fish, but she decided that Link's journey was more important than her own survival and was willing to sacrifice herself to help him.

[@Croton]

This game definitely has one of the more interesting stories in the franchise, as I like how it constantly questions the players moral actions throughout. Great job on your first non BOTW theory!! It turned out great!! :D

[@DanteBrian]

I swear....has anyone “questioning the morality of waking the Wind Fish” not played Phantom Hourglass!?

[@lpfan4491]

@@DanteBrian what does that even mean?

[@salmanhannan9052]

I think it's implied that the people in Koholint are animals that were caught in the Wind Fish's dream. Maron talks about how she wishes she could fly away from the island, later on in the true ending of the game you can see a seagull fly away and Link smiles. So at least they didn't die.

[@Gnidel]

Anything that couldn't fly just drowned instead.

[@wtcvidman]

The true ending of the original Link's Awakening (which is the canon version) if you beat it without dying has Marin flying with wings & singing. She's a winged human, kind of like a fairy, but at her normal size. I have a completely different interpretation of the ending that fits something the Wind Fish says in the ending & also fits the timeline (which obviously didn't exist at the time LA was made).

[@LordRetro-zh7er]

But what about link?

[@idixal419]

I wouldn't say that's implied, but that's a super interesting interpretation.

[@anonymousfellow8879]

wtcvidman It’s much better than her being transformed into a seagull, tbh... *SQUAAAAACK!!!* Hey! Why’s everyone running??? Lemme siiiiiing for you!!!

[@kameha64]

Yes there are villains in this game. Instead of looking at the nightmare you could say the salesman who sells Link the Bow is pure evil, he can take your life away with a single strike.

[@thatnerdygaywerewolf9559]

But he only does it if you steal from his shop. Because murder is _totally_ an appropriate retaliation for theft.

[@samprizeman4509]

In a dream

[@Gaster601]

Don't forget the frog Mamu, that guy takes 300 rupees from you for a song and it's as BAD AS IT CAN GET! Seriously, it's the worst sound I EVER heard coming out of my speakers... you can listen to it on the Zelda wiki: zelda.gamepedia.com/Frog%27s_Song_of_Soul

[@anonymousfellow8879]

Gaster_ Yeah, Mamu’s a self-absorbed cheapskate. Link’s interpretation of the song is leagues better than...the actual thing. In either version. (Then again he’s big enough to just eat Link if he wanted...)

[@angelmendez-rivera351]

Kameha Even if he doesn't kill you, he's still a villain. Who the hell sells a bow for 900 rupees?! What a scammer.

[@thebeetz]

I've always thought Link's Awakening as that after A Link to the Past Link's dreams were plagued by the memories of the experiences and battles, so he left Hyrule in order to clear his head or seek new adventures. Then during the storm we see at the beginning of Link's Awakening he was knocked out, and while he was knocked out it was sort of an epiphany, or a spirit quest, where his subconscious was battling the nightmares and memories of his experiences in A Link to the Past. So by waking up the Wind Fish and clearing out the nightmares you're clearing out Link's subconscious. Sort of like Link overcoming PTSD.

[@shahzadm5]

Koholint not Kolohint...sorry but I had to point this out. Love the video though, the ambiguity of morality and who is the true villain is one of the best parts of Link’s Awakening.

[@eugenelatouche7634]

Omg i was thinking the same thing i even looked it up to make sure i was hearing it right. It definitely is koholint.

[@NintendoBlackCrisis]

Man, I can't believe I was saying it wrong the whole time xD something about it did seem awkward

[@davemarx7856]

@@NintendoBlackCrisis I only heard the mistake once. I ignored that. Looking back I see you did say it that way the whole time. This meams I unconsciously heard Koholint anyway and that's kinda weird...

[@ValentinesMindBand]

Omg I thought I had been saying the name wrong for years!!!! I literally searched the comments just to see if anyone actually corrected him to make sure I was saying it right lmao.

[@Boko]

Nice theory, I always wondered on the morality and all of waking the wind fish, so seeing a video go in depth about it is pretty interesting.

[@DanteBrian]

Ok. What about the morality of waking the Ocean King in Phantom Hourglass? By that logic, and the logic in this video, that would mean Bellum wasn’t a villain.

[@labrynianrebel]

I'd argue that Marin developed self-awareness. She's the only one that questions the world around her. This is probably why (in the perfect ending) she survives in some form.

[@jj48]

My personal theory is that Marin was a seagull who got caught in the dream like Link did.

[@jonunciate7018]

Link's awakening made me question the nature of reality and dreams as a kid. It was the very first zelda I played on the original gameboy. Only recently did I appreciate the more complex nature of the villains, or rather, antagonists, giving me another reason to love this game. Can't wait for the remake.

[@beterbomen]

Soooo... Wait. The wind fish actually exists? This isn't all in Links head? ...Oh dear...

[@SigmaElement]

You can find his bones in BOTW

[@BlueMageDaisen]

It's all in the Wind Fish's head instead

[@jdc9258]

And he is likely Lavius (sp?) in skyword sword.

[@anonymousfellow8879]

J D Nah, Lavius has a different set of bones in BotW

[@jamalstephon]

😂

[@lukedavies3654]

The CDI is the true villain of the Zelda franchise!!!

[@anonymousfellow8879]

Luke Davies “I’m soooo hungry I could eat an octorock!”

[@SheikBadger92]

Facts.

[@Profile_Profile_Underscore]

agreed

[@mx.pixiedowner4593]

Why? The third one was the only CDi Zelda that was really bad. There was hard work put into the other two, they were just rushed to finish and had an inexperienced team.

[@hylianpotato5683]

The owl is the bad guy

[@linkzelda9346]

I agree 😬

[@manheikwok7273]

But the owl just wants to protect the fish from nightmare...?

[@iboneofsword864]

@@manheikwok7273 No the owl is a part of the Windfish

[@enforcerridley158]

@@moonlightreplay4113 The Owl is the Wind Fish.

[@anonymousfellow8879]

And where’s this “havoc” the Owl drones about? It doesn’t exist. The monsters (and nightmares) only ever attack Link, and their motivations for doing so are pretty blatant and I can’t say I blame them. Oh noo...not wanting to die. How...eeebiiiiillll. Even as they’re dying, they try pleading with Link to STOP and actually think about what he’s actually doing (from lvl 5 onward). But the first one you fight? That giant bug’s kinda articulate with calling you “Outsider”

[@epica6soona56]

This was very interesting my friend, this was the Zelda game that made me a fan. I always viewed the game like this, if indeed a land was created within a dream, for so song that the inhabitants knew nothing beyond the island. The dreamer himself is the wind fish. Although the game doesn't tell you how he went to sleep nor why. It being his dream alot of his personality traits would go into the dream itself subconsciously because he can't wake up. So in truth the so called nightmares were perhaps his anger or created because he cannot wake up. The nightmares were the ones that became self aware, existing in a world they have figured out isn't real. Taking it over, they are the supreme rulers, the ones who keep the wind fish asleep who wants to wake up. Again, the game doesn't say this, but still, at the same time when link arrived, everyone changed, Marin began to question things never before. I look at the nightmares as not wanting to loose the power they have here, being self aware they don't want to die either, so with a villian or not it is sad, but the wind fish is the one who thanks link in the end, so for whatever reason the tears dry up on the sea some how.

[@NintendoBlackCrisis]

Glad you enjoyed!

[@ErinTheFennec]

Yeah, this game only has villains from the perspective of individuals, from an outside perspective however the nightmares are just as valid in their desires as Link. Link needs to escape the dream to live, while the Nightmares need to stay in the dream to live, neither side is particularly evil, yet neither side is good either, they just do what they need to do to survive.

[@buggoth]

Okay but does he need to escape the dream to live? Hypothetically couldn’t the monsters and the fake people and Link coexist?

[@ErinTheFennec]

@@buggoth I've always been under the impression that if Link stayed in the dream permanently he would eventually die, as his body in the world outside of the dream was floating on the remains of his destroyed ship, we can take the dream to have happened over a shorter period of time out of the dream than he experienced inside the dream, but eventually he'd starve or drown.

[@Gnidel]

No. Link could just settle on the island. He wasn't fighting for survival, but for his freedom. His own freedom at expense of everyone elses.

[@ErinTheFennec]

@@Gnidel We don't entirely know that, again, my point is the impression I've always got from the game and if you have a different opinion, that's fine, it's how life works. I personally feel that over time link quite probably would have drowned, but that is just my interpretation.

[@wtcvidman]

@@ErinTheFennec I used to think that he was unconscious in the real world while being stuck in the dream, but later on the idea came to me that his physical body got entirely absorbed into the dream so that Link no longer existed in the real world when he ended up on the island and the game never really explains how it is. When he wakes up he's floating in the water, but was he like that the entire time while in the dream? We don't know.

[@astralpowers]

I always thought I was the evil one when playing this game. I always talk to all the NPCs before waking the wind fish, so I can hear their final words before I destroy their world.

[@eljaminlatour6633]

3:30 all shadow nightmares of Koholint island are: Zol's shadow, Agahnim's shadow, Moldorm's shadow, Ganon's shadow, Lanmola's shadow and Dethl.

[@notjack6373]

Finally expanding your borders nice Majora’s mask hint hint cough theory cough

[@orangedude5610]

Who else saw the thumbnail and thought Mickey Mouse with the eye as his snout

[@davemarx7856]

Probably *everyone*

[@darkmonger6244]

What?

[@SigmaElement]

Wow The bosses dialoges are very surpising to me. I played this game years ago... and back then i didnt know english... so i never understood them this well. I always got confised by the little i did understand.... great video. Loved it. Very nostslgic. Thanks.

[@HyruleGamer]

Awesome theory, I've never really thought much on this topic as I haven't played the game in a while but a good video and it's got me in the mood to play DX again. Good job!

[@soreneriksson3210]

Oh yes! I remember the first time standing infront of the opening of the great egg. I was so hesitant. I felt bad for the inhabitants of the island. I really wanted there to be another way. I wanted to save them from the monsters. It was so emotional to finaly enter the egg and end the world, even if it was just a dreamworld

[@darkmonger6244]

Also, the owl also says that the monsters on the island only began acting up when Link appeared. So, that would imply that before Link's arrival, they may have been peaceful, and possibly even coexisted with the residents of the island. Or at the very least, they didn't bother the residents, at least as long as the residents didn't bother them.

[@ironrex6979]

Boss rooms have skeletons and there’s Martha’s ghosts. Link did nothing wrong. He did the right thing.

[@metaljacket8128]

The antagonist is the owl. You think I'm joking, but he lied about the Nightmares "wreaking havoc." He clearly wants nothing more than to end Koholint and happily uses you to that end, only "revealing" the truth once you've already discovered it and are well on your way to the finish. Everything you can say about Link being the "baddie" goes double for the owl, who told you how to do it and gave you the quest in the first place.

[@cody3504]

I know NBC pulled back at the end but I like the idea of Link being the Villain and he did a great job setting it up in the beginning. What makes a villain a villain? What if Gannon sees the world as a dream or he does have a good mission that we all see as evil. However, the psychotic laughter gives away that he must be evil including the various threats from game to game. Link's Awakening shows us what it might look like if Link was evil or might appear to be evil. Who is actually on an innocent mission: Waking up the Windfish so he can go home but in doing so he would destroy a world that does not belong to him. The game forces you to make a decision: What would you do? This game could be just a dream. Link does crash in a boat in the begining after all. So what if the game was just a dream and Link fears being the villain and has some form of PTSD that forces him to answer the question: what makes him different from the enemy? Link has to slaughter through thousand of enemies and protect ungrateful villagers. Over reasons that are possibly vague to him. I know I didnt understand the purpose of the Triforce when I was kid. So Link might just want to stop fighting and killing and just have a normal life. It would make sense to a degree that this is a game about Link questioning his morality.

[@valkyrjapride]

I really enjoyed your analysis a lot! Thank you for your work!! :) If you don't mind, I would like to add that nightmares have an immense role in evolution since they are the brain's way of focusing a person's attention on issues they need to address. They make us anxious about potential dangers, which was pretty useful in ancient times e.g.: when a wild animal attacked you or other tribes might be likely to come back. It is a way of calling to your attention that there is something you might do well to worry about.

[@ShepherdessAnne]

In the perfect ending, Marin/Maron lives. The wind fish grants her a body which allows her to explore the world ;) the ending cutscene is different depending on how you did. Ever so slightly.

[@megarotom1590]

Nightmares wake me up, so how did they keep the wind fish asleep

[@14akamaru]

Maybe they are also sleep paralysis demons?

[@jadethenidoran]

0:16 Oh, I'm a villain because I feel this way? Screw you too! I jest, I jest.

[@felixthescholarlytitan4437]

If I remember that game correctly, can’t Marron survive as a seagull by doing something in game?

[@labrynianrebel]

During the game she says she dreams of being a seagull and exploring the world, latter she prays to the Wind Fish and asks for a gift, and if you beat the game without dying it's implied she got her wish and became a seagull and survived.

[@wtcvidman]

@@labrynianrebel That ending is only in the non-canon DX ending. In the canon original, if you don't die, she flies away with wings: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qJPRg3uHq86KnMU

[@anonymousfellow8879]

wtcvidman ...which...Winged Marin could actually give Link a chance at surviving...vs the Windfish dooming him to a loooong death of either dehydration or heat exhaustion or...you know...drowning. There’s no shore to try and kick his driftwood towards

[@ShadowSkyX]

@@anonymousfellow8879 seagulls are a sign that land is not far off

[@anonymousfellow8879]

ShadowSkyX Which is still meaningless if you cannot see WHERE the land is, and have to fight against tides and currents?! Good *god* I’ve already SAID this. And gulls can fly MILES off shore and still be “nearby” That is literally only of use if you have a chart, or at least a sail or oar or motor?! None of which CastawayLink has?!?

[@tagginondawal3961]

God damn that thumbnail. When I was a child, and got game over while playing Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, I'd run out of the room because of Ganon's look. I got PTSD seeing that lol

[@kakarikokage2514]

Happy 33rd anniversary of Zelda everyone!

[@eljaminlatour6633]

7:45 there was a 4th wall break, that the kid knows about how to save your game.

[@ImNotAWitchImYourWIFI]

This one has always kind of reminded me of Shadow of the Colossus, which made me cry on my first play through. You come to the land to save someone you loved. Someone destined to die. And in order to save her, you have to destroy the colosuss. its quite clear playing through that they are trapped in their arenas and that you are the monster destroying them. It really asks the question of whether wander is the monster, and really, as he goes through, you find out that he kind of is. Not to give any spoilers away, the monsters only become truly aggressive as you go on defeating them.

[@luigi7781]

Links awakening has the best story in zelda imo. It's so unique.

[@Buzz_Light_Beer]

Great job! Definitely keep playing the old Zelda games and there's no telling what material you will unearth.

[@Zombie_Zed]

What was the Owl’s motive though? I feel like the owl came across as rather pushy, encouraging link to wake the wind fish every chance he got.

[@jeffc1335]

I've thought that everything on the island is kind of like part of the windfish's spirit or a representation of the different parts of his character and that the owl is the part of him that wants to wake up and perhaps the nightmares represent the more malevolent side of the windfish.

[@nonoctoro4933]

Shadow Nightmare acted as a Cancer within the Dream. He became aware of his state of being and refused it. But he also became Tyranical and wanted to be the Master of the Dream himself, condamning the Wind Fish to Eternal Sleep. He started "awaking" the other Dream Entities, turning them into nightmares. Spreading the "nightmare". He eventually became Malice itself, as well as selfishness and delusion. It would be like opposing Death to us. Before Link, he was the Master of the Island but when Link arrived, his dominion was questionned. We never knew if the Storm was natural or if it was the effect of the Wind Fish being cursed. But Link almost died here ... And was rescued by the Wind Fish itself, asking him for help. The Wind Fish was the one cursed who was cursed all along. But, Koholint vanishing does not mean the Death of all that reside within it. They still exist within the hearts of both Link and the Wind Fish. "I AM THE WIND FISH... LONG HAS BEEN MY SLUMBER... IN MY DREAMS... AN EGG APPEARED AND WAS SURROUNDED BY AN ISLAND, WITH PEOPLE, ANIMALS, AN ENTIRE WORLD! ... ... ... ... BUT, VERILY, IT BE THE NATURE OF DREAMS TO END! WHEN I DOST AWAKEN, KOHOLINT WILL BE GONE... ONLY THE MEMORY OF THIS DREAM LAND WILL EXIST IN THE WAKING WORLD... SOMEDAY, THOU MAY RECALL THIS ISLAND... THAT MEMORY MUST BE THE REAL DREAM WORLD... ... ... ... ... COME, Link ... LET US AWAKEN... TOGETHER!!" - Wind Fish

[@ironrex6979]

Excellent analysis!

[@anonymousfellow8879]

I’ve looooong had the theory that Link’s the true villain (anti-villain?) of the game. The monsters only ever attack *after* Link arrives...and then Link specifically. They completely ignore Link’s companions (which is Nice for what are essentially escort segments...) Also nice touch about Bowwow’s kidnapping. I hadn’t noticed that. (Although...how *did* they take Bowwow when he can 1hit all the Overworld Enemies?) And we even have two Monster NPCs that just want to be left alone that can be found. And I’m pretty sure there’s ingame text about Marin actually being friends with several monsters, and she’s also quite capable of crossing the island unaccompanied and without being attacked. (She just wanted that date and to prank NPCs with an audience tbh...) Really, the only NPCs that fear attack are the Rabbits...you know, prey animals. They would be naturally nervous. But the humans? Not one of them. The only time Marin actually winds up in trouble is when she tries waking the Windfish herself. Before that she’s completely ignored despite regularly singing the Song (and apparently powerful enough to be stronger than all the Siren Instruments combined, by implication.) But even then, she’s not actually harmed, just startled after getting placed someplace she’d be “out of the way”. And after you rescue Marin...she doesn’t ever sing again (unless you waited until the very end of the game to learn the Ballad of the Windfish). Sorta like she had a revelation? Her dialogue about insisting Link never forget her and refusing to reveal what her wish was kinda implies that she had that Revelation and became SelfAware as a result. And, really. The shop keeper isn’t a bad guy. He’s initially more trusting and dare I say innocent and naive than any other merchant in the series to date. He’s the only one that lets you actually handle his merchandise before payment...other than the Bird from TP. It’s only *after* Link wrongs him that he turns violent...kiiinda like *Link* is the one who corrupted him? And you see the same thing happen to Marin if you whack a cucco enough times. TL;DR: Link’s the source of the Nightmares&Corruption, in addition to the Nightmares and Monsters feeling threatened by him. There just isn’t any evidence of them truly wrecking “havoc” like the Owl claimed. At All. And everything was *fine* with everyone getting along...until Link showed up, and them it’s exclusively directed at Link, no one else. (Also, that’s extremely irresponsible to Create&Destroy at a whim, Mr. Windfish! Buuuut you’re a kami. What can we expect, really. And ya left your “rescuer” do DIE miles from shore without clean water or food or even a passing rescuer for the guy who allegedly rescued *you* . Kiiiinda like anyone who became self-aware and wanted to *LIVE* got deemed a “Nightmare”, maybe?)

[@rayquaza_is_da_boi8661]

The owl may be the villains considering he’s the only one that actually tries to help link reach his goal and even when link starts to uncover the truth he reassured him that no one knows if it’s true and even with the treat of the island disappearing forever he still urges link to wake the wind fish

[@CloudyDaze]

I mean, the wind fish brought Link into the dream in the first place. Link was dragged into a conflict he had no part in. The wind fish itself was clearly suffering in its never ending sleep. I’d say the Wind Fish would be the closest thing to a villain there is.

[@peachesrambo4037]

And the windfish didn't even help link afterwards. Link got eaten by sharks tearing into his body.

[@gabriellockwood2780]

How did the Windfish pull Link into its Dream//Nightmare?...

[@blddemn6645]

I'd say the owl is the villain, he's the one who motivates you to do everything

[@Linkskyfyre]

My interpretation as a kid was that Link was dreaming. That it was Link's dream and the wind fish was just representing that. This is why enemies and such resemble a link to the past, haunting Link from his previous battles.

[@sayuriuzumaki]

YAS CODE GEASS MENTION. I officially love you lol

[@NintendoBlackCrisis]

You didn't love me before?

[@HyruleGamer]

Major oof...

[@soupahmario5869]

Any Explorers of Sky love gives me life It is both my favorite game of all time and what I believe to be the best game of all time.

[@Foxes01]

Holy shit those mystery dungeon snippets and tracks hit me with way too much nostalgia.

[@CatMuto]

Light Yagami is a villain protagonist, and he's still the one you route for. Well, once you get to the Near/Mello saga. Before that, you kinda wanted Light and L to win, despite being on opposite sides. Because both were fun.

[@gabriellockwood2780]

BEST WELL-KNOWN 'Anti-Hero' turned 'Hero' is goddamned *FIRE NATION'S PRINCE ZUKO*

[@thegreatherox]

I am so glad you're doing theories on other games, I'd be thrilled if you tackle other entries of the series as well

[@MamaWolf920]

Isn’t there a part of the story where it says that all the residents would be subjugated under shadow or some such if the nightmares are allowed to stay? I mean they seem pretty sentient enough to live their lives and have their own troubles.. which would be worse? Vanishing peacefully or being forced to live in a way that causes you and others suffering?

[@arcticdino1650]

I believe it is implied that Maron is still alive (but as a seagull now). She says throughout the game that she wishes she could fly away. In the ending you see a seagull fly off and link looks at it and smiles.

[@arcticdino1650]

Actually I think it is in the secret ending, not the main ending.

[@octokid]

Personally, I think the owl is the true villain of Link's Awakening. The owl is seen as a good guy in Link's eyes because he is helping Link leave the dream and live his life. He manipulates Link into getting rid of the nightmares. I have no evidence to suggest this but I think it's possible that the Wind Fish knows what Link has done in the past, since this is the same Link from alttp and albw, and it caused the storm to get Link to Koholint Island and change parts of the dream to give them a dungeon feeling so Link can help to wake it. There's probably some evidence to suggest how this is wrong but it's what I'm gonna think for now

[@NintendoBlackCrisis]

The Owl is revealed to be a part of the Wind Fish's spirit, being the guardian of the dream world. So I doubt he had any evil intentions

[@octokid]

@@NintendoBlackCrisis when I saw the end of the game, I also thought that the owl was good and it probably could've been. It could've had good intentions when it told Link to get the 8 melodies. If, like you said, the wind fish constantly has dreams that have a new world in each one, neither it or the owl would care about the people on Koholint Island as they're "Just another dream."

[@labrynianrebel]

He is manipulative though. The owl knows the whole time that Koholint is a dream world and will be destroyed when the WInd Fish wakes up, but after Link reads the mural that tells him this the owl *lies* to Link and says that it's a mystery and no one knows for sure to try and keep Link's hopes up so he continues.

[@seanlambier7719]

Just gonna point out that the Link from ALTTP/Awakening/Oracle is not the same as the Link from ALBW.

[@lpfan4491]

albw happens after this

[@Hscaper]

In the game dungeon keeper, you ARE the antagonist!

[@caros.6072]

What a great idea, honestly! I love it! This video is yet another piece of evidence that you really put a lot of thought into your theories. Keep going!

[@MJN_SEIFER]

0:36 to 0:39 Wait... there's a character named Hilda in the Legend of Zelda franchise? Hilda and Zelda? (I'm gonna look super-slow, if that was intentional...) Also, I assumed that it would be Link who'd be the villain for most of the video, until relatively just before it was stated. I thought for a moment that you were going to say that the Nightmare of the fifth dungeon was the villain, due to that boss being shown, and how their last words mock you for not knowing what will happen to the island (no idea what else would have been said to make them seem any more villainous than the other Nightmares.) Then I thought it was going to be The Owl, but it still ended up being Link... and then in a sense subverted.

[@Thorn42]

Great video!!! You could honestly do this for whatever game series you want and I would watch it.

[@jj48]

I think it's important to remember that Koholint Island was part of the Wind Fish' dream. This is why the villagers don't have any interest in or even concept of life outside the island, and we can get oddities like Old Man Ulrira knowing where Link needs to go next and whatnot. When Link and the Wind Fish wake up, I think Link's connection to the island in some way translates to a connection to the Wind Fish, who Link hadn't met before the end of the game, but reacts to as if he's seeing an old friend. (At least, the sort of old friend who flies away with his magical powers, leaving you stranded on some wreckage in the middle of the ocean.) The one exception to the villagers' attitudes, and probably the most emotional loss, is Marin. However, my personal theory is that she's NOT a part of the dream, but rather another being caught in it like Link was. She's interested in the outside world, tries to wake the Wind Fish, and "dreams" of being a seagull. Combined with the bonus "winged Marin" scene if you beat the game without dying, I think a pretty good argument could be made that Marin was actually a seagull who ended up in the dream.

[@eljaminlatour6633]

0:35 is that princess Hilda from "A Link between worlds"?

[@theleftfootedsultan]

Indeed it is

[@Bad616]

This makes even more excited for the remake of Link's Awakening

[@gallifreyfallsnomore2959]

There's this philosopher called Berkeley, that said "the nature of being is being perceived", though I'm paraphrasing. The point was that things exist inasmuch as there is someone that has knowledge, or experience, of them. Our world exists because God knows it. But the same can be said of our dreams and imaginations. They exist, because we know them, we think about them. This happens with the books we read, the movies we see, the games we play. AND, this happens to Link here. The people and the island are real, because he knows them, he experiences them, he interacts, and even grows fond of, them. But, in all three levels, (God, us, Link) the things vanish when the dreamer wakes up, when the "imaginator" takes his mind from the imagined world, without the latter having a say.

[@Hamada-uy8uy]

*GROVYLE!!!* *EXPLORERS MUSIC!!!* *INSTANT LIKE!!!*

[@slashinswingin4369]

The real villain is Nintendo for making us destroy this world ;-;

[@LetustheDragon]

Windfish: _wakes_ Koholint Island: I don't feel so good Mr. Thief...

[@gabriellockwood2780]

A Pokémon example: *Giovanni* the Leader of Team Rocket, he's kind of evil~ a Villain. *Jessie, James, and Meowth* Antagonists sure, but not necessarily "Villainous".

[@pinealdreams1064]

The director was inspire by Twin Peaks. A quote oft-stated in Twin Peaks? 'The Owls are not what they seem'

[@isaac3000]

Link's Awakening was my first Zelda game. I loved it (albeit I was stuck at the golden leaf side quest, so I couldn't progress to dungeon 3), I never liked how there was no main villain. When I got Oracle of Seasons/Ages, I was in love with the villains! The lack of a main villain dropped the value of Link's Awakening in my eyes, but as I got older and managed to appreciate the game more, since it's theme and meaning is way better and deeper than any: "Bwahaha I am evil" villain could have ever been!

[@BlueMageDaisen]

It's like when you wake from a dream wherein you have a romantic relationship, but when you awake you feel sad for them having never existed The only real individuals are Link and the Wind Fish... The only thing really suffering is the Wind Fish, everything else is a fiction being played out in the mind of a tormented comatose Some people have woken from comas and revealed they had long dreams about continuing their lives and felt sadness that it was just a dream, but should we have left them in that coma to preserve the characters in their dream? Also the Nightmares say they would have been the rulers of the world, not just the island, so I was always under the impression that as they festered away in the dream, siphoning the Wind Fish's power, they would eventually be able to break free into the world at large I feel Marin also may be unique in this world, because of the emotions that Link put into her, giving her more reality, since unlike everyone else, she starts to have dreams and motivations and aspirations, instead of just having a purpose or a trait like everyone else on the island The Wind Fish gave her form, Link gave her heart

[@more_ment]

Hey NBC, this idea for something else than BOTW was good in my opinion, though it may be different, I thought it was a good to branch of from BOTW as it shows you are able to expand to other games.

[@RobotGuy405]

Something i think is that when the Wind Fish goes back to sleep the island comes right back, like an ongoing dream

[@skyebluesilly]

My theory is when the island disappears, it doesn’t just disintegrate, it moves to another world/dimension

[@real_liamonade]

“Ko *_lohint_* “??? 😭😭😭

[@megarotom1590]

the villain is the owl, he knows that the wind fish is sleeping, but wants to wake him anyway

[@labrynianrebel]

And when Link finds out the truth from the mural the Owl lies and tries to discredit the legend to try and keep Link going and it works.

[@cyberlinkx5290]

Good theory, as always! Also, PMD2 Music! I LOVE those games!

[@cyberlinkx5290]

The puns are pretty good too

[@Yhur4x]

it's that pmd music I'm weeping right now and I stand to it as a deku.

[@Hanyoumaru]

Admittedly, the thing that is notable about the game is that EVERYBODY is trapped on the island, denied a "true" life, and confined to a simple life as "just a dream". I wonder sometimes, we know that Maron specifically was aware of her entrapment on the island, but could it be that others would have been as well? And in the "best" ending, we saw her escape the Dreamworld (because a dream to some, is a nightmare to others) I wonder if anybody else managed to escape the island as well in some other shape or form, because after all, it may be the nature for dreams to end, but as long as they remain in the mind of the dreamer, they are never truly gone.

[@darkmonger6244]

Considering how Koholint was just the Wind Fish's dream, does that mean that when the Wind Fish next goes back to sleep, Koholint would reappear, and disappear again when it wakes up? Also, while it does disappear, that doesn't necessarily mean it was destroyed. I'd imagine that it just doesn't exist on the plane of existence that Link, Hyrule, etc. exist on. After all, if the Wind Fish is such a powerful deity that it's dreams become real places, then there's no way that it'd simply cease to exist upon the Wind Fish's awakening. I think what's more likely is that it's a case similar to Minish Cap, where the thing that changes isn't whether Koholint exists or not, but rather, whether it's accessible to outsiders. In Minish Cap, the Picori only appear every 100 years or so. Maybe Koholint is similar, but rather, instead of simply being accessible every 100 years, it's whenever the Wind Fish sleeps. I just can't believe that such an insane amount of power would simply vanish immediately upon the Wind Fish awakening. It'd be much more feasible for it to simply be a matter of the portal disappearing. Another similar example is Phantom Hourglass, with the Ocean King and the Great Sea (not the one in Wind Waker, the one in Phantom Hourglass). While the requirements to enter are different, there are still many similarities between the two. 1: Both seem to operate with a different sense of time than the 'actual' reality. 2. Both are realms 'governed' by a deity that takes the form of a whale. 3. Both are accessed when Link falls into the water; Koholint when Link's boat is destroyed by a storm, and the Ocean King's world when Link loses his grip on the Ghost Ship and falls into the ocean. 4. Link is sent back to his world when the deity is freed, either by waking it up, or by returning it's power to it, but in both cases, it's after defeating the 'parasite' that infests the worlds that each rule over.

[@ChrisiMeow]

You don't understand how much I love you for using a piece of the grossly underrated Pokemon Mystery Dungeon soundtrack omg

[@darkhobo]

Of course there is. Something trapped the Wind Fish in an eternal nightmare. That's downright evil. The nightmares don't just show up out of the blue, or who trapped the Wind fish? Did he trap himself? Then why is Link there? no. something is keeping him asleep. furthermore, you must not have finished the game without dieing. If you had, you would have learned that Marin survives the game and gains wings. My theory is that Marin isn't a dream-inhabitant like the other islanders, but is actually an avatar of Farore. Farore being the Goddess of Wind (and courage, making Link her Champion), the Wind Fish is likely one of her servants. Think about it, a storm (wind) knocks Link out, then he is awoken by Marin on the island. Farore brought link there to free the Wind Fish from the captivity and torment of the Nightmares. Anyway, that's my two cents. Great channel, keep up the good work. (even if I wish you'd put some bass in your voice for youtube) Take it easy

[@JulianCaesaro]

Brian Lawfield That’s a cool theory, but it kinda falls apart if you don’t get the “Marin survived and is a seagull” ending 🤔😅

[@clockworkthoughts7830]

I personally like to think that the beings in this game were actually self-aware, sentient beings existing in an incorporeal state, like in a bubble dimension created by the Wind Fish's sleeping mind. After all, he is a kind of deity, and its possible that he has the ability to create conscious beings. This gives much greater weight to the islands destruction because it means that the inhabitants were "real" in some sense. The game certainly seems to imply that they nightmares and monsters are a threat to the island. Just because they are concerned with self-preservation doesn't mean that they aren't also evil. My sense is the island was doomed to one of two fates: being conquered by the nightmares or being destroyed, and Link was forced to make the difficult, but more merciful choice of destroying the island before it was corrupted. This might seem to lessen the impact of Link's choice, since it feels like he was forced into it. But if the monsters weren't a threat, there was the possibility that Link might have made the choice to simply settle down on the island with Marin, and then we wouldn't have much of a video game. But the nightmares would have corrupted the island anyway, so Link was forced to destroy the island in order to save it (and free himself from it).

[@HiroZeroVirus]

take this one layer deeper though. what if the nightmare was causing the sleeping wind fish's powers to go out of control? (this happens a lot as a trope in media when a "slumbering god" is present) what if those powers are what caused the storm that beached Link? at that point it becomes a cycle of reactions. Link fights monsters because they are aggressive, monsters are aggressive because link is there, link is there because of of storm, storm was there because of haywire wind fish powers, wind fish powers were haywire because of nightmares. Following this chain back, it is just a matter of the nightmare parasite choosing a host that had unexpected consequences leading to its own eradication.

[@ElizabethMeza-q3z]

In the manga Link decided to stay in the island, but the enemies became more and more violent and the amount increased so much that he had to come back to the plan and awake the wind fish.

[@JohnVillegas2011]

The Owl, who is also part of the dream, is telling you to wake up the Wind Fish. The owl wants everyone gone. The O W L is the V I L L A I N

[@pinealdreams1064]

The director was also inspired by Twin Peaks, and a famous quote from the show is 'the owls are not what they seem'

[@cameronw1ll1ams86]

It is Link’s dream so nothing is real He probably has traumatic stress from his other adventure. In his dream he can’t think properly So he just does things against his own willl. I think the owl is the true antagonist

[@slateoffate9812]

7:17 Here's a theory, what if it didn't vanish? The Island definitely disappeared, but the ocean it was in remained. If the island is part of the Wind Fish's dream, shouldn't the ocean have also faded? I think in those last moments, Link wished for the Wind Fish to save them, and the Windfish granted it.

[@sike6816]

it’s like a gigantic trolly problem. kill one to save many or kill many to save one

[@Stehvee]

Lovly outro

[@anon123214]

NBC: "There's no self awareness-" Maru: "Link, will you think of me?" :|

[@chuganoga1908]

After playing the remake I drew the same conclusion. I’m surprised not much people talk about this

[@volbound1700]

You missed some of the game, the nightmares in Link's Awakening would have eventually destroyed what was good in Kohilit Island. The world was created because the Nightmares had leached onto the Wind Fish and put him asleep. The Wind Fish had to be wakened and saved.

[@mx.pixiedowner4593]

Honestly, everyone was working for their own interests and I don't believe anyone was truly evil. The Wind Fish wanted to wake up, Link wanted to leave and "help" the island and the Nightmares just didn't want to die.

[@michaelthem3]

Koholint** Man, loved this video. I can't see it as a moral ambiguity, since I don't perceive it as white or black. If we remove the duality, there's a guy who needs to be back in his world, since he's a hero over there, but he's trapped in a dream world, so the only way out is awakening the Wind Fish, so he can awake as well. Link's dilemma might be what would happen to that people if he awakes the dreamer, but as they're product of its dream, they'll stay in its memories. At the end, Link was right, and that's confirmed when he sees the Wind Fish flying over the dissapeared island, and then, we see Marin as a seagull, so her dream became reality. If we look it optimistically, maybe everyone's dreams were fulfilled, and, as Marin dreamed to fly all over the outside world, her dream was granted when the Fish woke.

[@meimei8718]

I’ve noticed that villains often are taking their selfishness too far and stand in opposition of the belief system held by the protagonist or the protagonist’s culture/nation/group etc. unless it’s lazy writing and the protagonist is “crazy.” I really dislike the bad for bad sake. I read a story where a curse placed on a royal family. The first born of each generation was “cursed.” Over time the family started sacrificing their first born before they could hurt anyone. Over many generations the “curse” began to want to “live” so despite its power it didn’t kill anyone. In fact the human possessed began to misuse the power contained inside the body and it resulted in a division of self. One identity was the rage filled human trying to get revenge for the wrong done to him and the “curse” who utilized the power to heal himself and stay alive. It was really interesting to think about a curse as a consciousness which can learn and grow imperceptible to humans and our limited life spans.

[@rover232]

I think that kolohint island is a real place that link was sent to by some deity while unconscious in order to save it, meaning that the island fades away because link’s dream is ending and he is going back to the shipwreck.

[@CephlaSR]

You only try to leave Koholint because the Owl tells you who seems to want to help the Wind Fish wake up so the real 'villain' is actually... Rauru

[@alexjurek5763]

Links Awakening seems to be a metaphor or a love song depending on your experience with LoZ series.

[@Kahadi]

The problem with this topic is that there's a few unclear things. Namely the difference between the Nightmare and everything else deemed an enemy in the game. Based on what is stated, the Nightmare would be considered a villain. At the end, the owl states that when the Nightmare arrived, they began to wreak havoc. They were against Link waking the Wind Fish for their own survival, but that's not what makes them the villain. Its that statement of them wreaking havoc that does. But then there's the monsters. The owl said that Link's appearance made them hostile. That's different than the Nightmare appearing and wreaking havoc. So I don't think the monsters you fight and the Nightmare are the same. The monsters, like the Chus and Moblins, are just ordinary inhabitants of Koholint, not normally harmful. They became hostile when Link, one that could wake the Wind Fish, appeared, and their hostility was likely more them trying to save their lives and protect their world. Not villains, just antagonists. They are the ones that took Bow-Wow, not the Nightmare Finally though, we reach the question of what is the Nightmare. Obviously the boss at the end, in the egg. But what about the other bosses? I always considered them more like the monsters, not the Nightmare. Until Link arrived, they were peaceful, at least relatively speaking, and only want to stop Link, not harm everyone. This is again different from the Nightmare, whom wants to wreak havoc. So no, I don't see Link as the villain. More of a misunderstood hero. The villain is the Nightmare, the boss at the very end. Unlike the other enemies, they aren't there just to defend their world and wanting to live, they are there to cause harm. Unless you doubt the claims of the owl and the Wind Fish, whom state that as what the Nightmare wanted.