Breath of the Wild: The Horse God MYSTERY - Finally Solved?

Get 10% off your next Satisfye ZenGrip order by using the code "CRISIS10" by going to the link bit.ly/3iATCMU
In today's Halloween special, we'll talk about the Great Fairy of Malanya Spring and their importance to Breath of the Wild's story.
SFX taken from:
(Calm Seashore - No Copyright Sound Effects - Audio Library)
creativecommons.org/licenses/...
Footage taken from:
ZorZelda
Intro & Outro Made by Espen - www.efolsen.com
Twitter - / nintendoblackc
discord server: / discord
Special thanks to my Patreon supporters!
Patreon - / nintendoblackcrisis
#BreathoftheWild #BotW #ZeldaTheory

[@NintendoBlackCrisis]

Thanks for tuning in to another theory! One last thing I want to mention in regards to the OOT Malon = Malanya. Here's some direct translations of the Japanese version, provided by CuccoLover. この近くにはね不思議な馬の神様住んでいてね死んでしまった馬を生き返らせてくれるんだよ信じられないでしょう？でも本当よ Did you know that there is a mysterious horse god nearby that can resurrect dead horses? It seems unbelievable, but its true. While the localization refers to the horse god as "he", the source material shows no gender for the Great Fairy (just in case people were going to argue about the horse god being the opposite gender of Malon). That's all from me, now to relax for a couple days... ;)

[@iambored6702]

Oof wow

[@myunili]

Thank you for your hard work ! Have a nice day ~

[@leggomyeggo5773]

oh yeah, it's all coming together

[@JacobTheToadMan]

I’m still impressed by how much effort you put into your videos, so I guess I’m trying to say thanks!

[@wombatjedi101]

I love your videos. Just how much effort you put in is... I could never manage that.

[@plate_fox]

The horse god is probably also why epona keeps showing up throughout the ages and different timelines. Being brought back for the next link who needs his horse

[@GrimmShadowsII]

Never thought of that but that's a good idea.

[@basedimperialism]

Epona is the 4th Triforce wielder confirmed?!

[@datoasterz6633]

@@basedimperialism (NOT CLICKBAIT)

[@liljes34]

That actually makes so much more sense.

[@Pablo_Martin_aa]

@@basedimperialism impa is 5th then?

[@Yes-me4pk]

Countless horses were harmed during the making of this video

[@GrimmShadowsII]

But they were all accidents, we swear

[@xenkk0o]

*W H E E Z E*

[@faytbouleouve9811]

Yup. Just happy little accidents

[@JayPlusForerunner]

*PETA will remember this*

[@Goldfish_Brain]

I only killed my horse once, have mercy oh mighty horse god

[@dugishdub8815]

NBC coming at us with amazing names like HORSE or better yet HORSE 2

[@NintendoBlackCrisis]

I was going to name the second one "ALSO A HORSE" but I ran out of characters...

[@tomnadoyeet6225]

@@NintendoBlackCrisis Truly a man of creativity.

[@Agent-Ig]

On my first master mode player though I had Bokobait, Lizalbait, Mobbait and Lynelbait (big horse). Can’t remember what I named the white horse tho.

[@JamesCorker]

WAIT FOR THE THIRD HORSE

[@Kuudere-Kun]

@@NintendoBlackCrisis I was disappointed when Twilight Princess didn't give me enough characters for Bucephalus (or to name Link Alexander) has BOTW fixed that?

[@Ghasteum]

The horse god's design may be creepy, but can all just take a second to realize how good it is

[@Tulip_bip]

Like fr it looks so cool- Especially the floating limbs-

[@BadModder]

It's. A. Freaking. God so it has to look creepy

[@markf4765]

It always sort of reminded me of THEM from majoras mask

[@Tulip_bip]

@@BadModder it counts as the same kinda thing as the great fairies tho-

[@andrewreid7328]

Agreed

[@presenceofthemastermtg5962]

I recently lost my dear horse Stewart in a horseback boko fight for the sidequest horseback hoodums. Soon after, I stumbled upon a fairy fountain that turned out to be a way to revive Stewart. Up until that point, I had basically stopped caring about the divine beasts and was focusing on annihilating every boko I stumbled on in creative ways.

[@benji0054]

I just like killing horses for fun and then watch em revive just to kill them again.

[@tralecs8236]

@@benji0054 You monster >:(

[@kamille286]

For some reason I thought you were talking about a horse in real life so I didn't even question "horseback boko fight" for a second and thought you recently had a duel or something

[@_Fizel_]

I try to creatively kill bokos anyways. I like dropping things on them mostly. I once used a boko to kill a boko.

[@divinebeef8660]

I named my horse Ham strings

[@thegreatmajora5089]

Malanya has a pretty special spot in my heart. When I first started playing the game, I stumbled on the first great fairy fountain and managed to open it up. Then, after a bit of walking around, I found Malanya's. I figured it would just be another great fairy, and was *really* not expecting to find this... beautiful thing. It was one of those completely out of the blue surprises that makes this game so special.

[@Cinnacorn]

I feel the same way about Lurelin Village! Somehow I'd missed all the NPCs that talked about it and I just...stumbled upon this whole village, fairly late into the game, so now it's one of my favourite spots. This game's got so many magical moments.

[@AlvinaYunoa]

@@Cinnacorn It’s a wonderful place

[@eManMayhem]

@@Cinnacorn same took me a year to find it lol

[@andpeggy6048]

This was my first fairy fountain

[@noahhathaway5065]

@@Cinnacorn same! I never saw anyone from it and even being spoiled i still never knew about the village until i stumbled upon it

[@chessycopter9619]

I didn’t know you can temporarily increase horse spurs! Man this game is endless.

[@kaydenchan7093]

And yet people think it’s so empty 🙄

[@EditoroftheT-force]

Well if you have dlc you can get 2 horse pieces one gives your two extra spurs and one teleports it to you when you whistle no matter where you are i have the flc so I should know oh and by the way if you want the locations they are satori mountain where the Lord of the mountain spawns and the horse god fountain you will want to use mangnesis to find both

[@ddgaxelnilsson7855]

I found that out when my horse at an endura carrot on satori mountain.

[@dew7555]

Oh yeah, to max out your spurs you want to put the ancient saddle and bridle on the Royal White Horse and feed it carrots . You basically never run out.

[@weebleflufflycakes7238]

Well you are right, it definitely is endless. 👀

[@cymonin5549]

The first time I found the Horse god area, is also coincidentally the first time I encountered a blood moon (and I didnt know those existed). So as I walked up to the Horse God fountain/pond, I thought it was crazy evil or something, cuz the closer I got the darker and redder the world around me got.

[@AskMia411]

Happened to me when i arrived in kakariko for the first time. I thought something was going after Impa and tried to beat it there. Nope, just ganon being a necromancer

[@SuperRitz44]

Ita been 3 years since the games launch and just today I learned feeding carrots to the horses give them more dashes

[@Ditidos]

I have even completed all the shrines and upgraded the hero of the wild tunic and I didn't know that either.

[@bobkingofham6296]

Now four years and I still didn’t know that

[@xxlemonkiaxx610]

Wait... WUT

[@bluegem8582]

Another possible connection of Malanya and the stables: the pole that actually holds the horse that has malanya's face at each stable also looks fairly similar to what almost appears to be Malanya's spine, which is most easily viewed when he comes out of the fountain, if it were pointed straight up instead it curved

[@luthiamoonlightfrqc2905]

Nintendo sure love their floating head and hand character from bongo bongo bongo to andros to Maverik last phase aha

[@jennyojenny196]

I had a horse named Pippy, my first horse in botw. I cried when I encountered a guardian my first time going to Hyrule Castle. Pippy died a tragic death. After exploring the castle in grief of my horse, I went to Faron region for the first time. I didn't explore a lot because I was unaware of what was in the south as I struck to Rito, Zora, and Hotango (I forget what it's called). I was sooooo happy when I stumbled upon the Horse God. I got my beloved Pippy back and was so overjoyed. Now Pippy is with me everywhere and I can share my adventures again. The Horse God is one of my favorite things about botw because different types of horses besides having Epona was one of my favorite things about the game. I don't know why I said all this as it serves to purpose, but if you read this far I hope you have a wonderful day :)

[@midnights2631]

I didn't realize no one made a theory about Malanya until now. He's really interesting character.

[@NintendoBlackCrisis]

Indeed! I avoided the topic for a long time because I figured there wouldn't be much to discuss. Clearly I was wrong haha

[@jamesn3122]

??? Many people have made videos on the horse guy

[@luthiamoonlightfrqc2905]

Fun fact in the french version his name is Marlon in référence to malon from oot ... Almost all character and region are re named in the french translation and i hate that .... Demise = avatar du néant Zant = xanto Midna = Midona i live in Québec not in france >

[@kaiden6677]

@@jamesn3122 yeah that's what I thought I rember watching a few but like I can't find any anymore

[@croissant-kun4025]

This whole time I've been referring to him as she

[@fishnewt1331]

I’m inclined to believe that Malon is a reincarnated Malanya. Though my first thought really is that Malanya had been watching over Malon during OoT and found to have a tender affection for the young girl’s kindness toward the farm animals. Remember that Epona’s Song holds a sort of magical ability to calm the animals that listen to its music. I’m thinking that if Malanya isn’t Malon herself, then they simply honor Malon in memory for the purpose of not only nostalgia, but for the practical purpose of calming the animal’s. This in turn would serve the goal of protecting the animals, since frightened animals would panic and potentially endanger themselves. This in turn credits and honors Malon for taking care of animals beyond her lifespan through the deity that loves the act of caring for animals, especially horses.

[@Gman24237]

That would make sense if Malanya just respected Malon a whole lot. Im not sure why a fairy would reincarnate into a human, can't see why not either in all fairness, but that also assuming a fairy can even reincarnate in the first place like Hylia did.

[@MidoriOfTheShuinsen]

@@Gman24237 I see no reason why not.

[@Gman24237]

@@MidoriOfTheShuinsen That is true, nothing saying they can't plus fairies seem like the ones to be doing seemingly random stuff so maybe.

[@Bryan4Hillary]

Absolutely one hundred percent. Since I first encountered Malon in all her quirky glory as a kid in OOT, she’s had a special place in my heart. I was bummed that there’s no version of or spiritual descendant of her in BOTW. And then I found the Horse God. Coming online I can’t believe there isn’t more about her connection to Malon. Whether it’s like you said that Malanya has been there for millennia and Malon is a tribute to her, or Malon somehow became/was reincarnated as a horse god (lol)- it’s obvious to me that there’s a huge connection to her. Her name, the theme, her dress even, and the way she talks to link seems very much like Malon does in OOT.

[@DragonEmperorMycen]

Alternate take: Malon became Malanya

[@troloinkto]

Plot twist: the people stories and faith gave birth to an actual Horse God who based his appearance from the stables, which could be like churches for him

[@GrimmShadowsII]

Maybe after Malon died after years of supporting the hero of time she ascended and became a god, as for why she became male who knows. Of course this also goes along with the theory that child Link end up with Malon, personally I go with that theory as TP Link works on a ranch and knows Epona's song and the only other girls OoT Link seems to connect to are zelda and Saria. If he got with Zelda why would his descendent work on a ranch and not atleast be part of a noble family, it's possible but seems unlikely, as for Saria she's not even Hylian so who knows if they even could mate yet alone the fact that she was a Sage which may or may not have any bearing on whether or not she has descendents. The bottom line is we don't really know about godhood in the Zelda universe, it sometimes seems hinted or implied that there are many but we really only know about the 3 that created the universe and triforce; 2 or 3 dragon gods, which considering their names might be the 3 goddesses or aspects of them, and now this horse god.

[@Gman24237]

I guess it could depend on how the fairies come to be in the first place but that would be neat.

[@MidoriOfTheShuinsen]

@@GrimmShadowsII in fairness, Malanya's appearance is more "Shamanic ghost with horse mask" than an actual human form, so for all we know that's Malon, and she's still caring for horses.

[@centurosproductions8827]

Ah yes, I too pronounce "Malanya" as "Millennia"

[@NintendoBlackCrisis]

It's not a true NBC video without terrible pronunciation!

[@ProjectEchoshadow]

@@NintendoBlackCrisis Celtic is not pronounced the same way as a basketball team it’s a hard c

[@bluekinopio9390]

Also isn’t the horse fairy a she? The pronunciation made me dislike the video

[@AlvinaYunoa]

@@bluekinopio9390 No, there has been no gender confirmed, and God’s typically don’t have genders unless they’re named “goddess” so no

[@peruserprecurer1446]

@@bluekinopio9390 "The pronunciation made me dislike the video" should only ever be said about a video showing you how to pronounce something. If you're so stringent about pronunciation, you should really reconsider your opinions.

[@silentprincess6478]

Oh man the first time I discovered Malanya back in 2017 I was so scared because I thought he was legit gonna eat me

[@deinogreenstreet8631]

That would have been a cool optional miniboss

[@silentprincess6478]

@@deinogreenstreet8631 true

[@crxzyspxde6914]

Felt that. Had a mini heart attack when he got up in my face 😅

[@izeaanaya6183]

Funny thing I never had to revive a horse

[@frindelpaw3960]

@@izeaanaya6183 me too but probably cause im too scared to use them cause of dying even tho i have malanya unlocked xD

[@thetwizard9290]

This guy scared me so much that I was afraid to go near his location. Whenever I passed the fork in the road leading to his abode, my horses would buck and refuse to move for a second, before continuing, even though we had a max level bond. I knew that horses in this game do this when they are scared (like when monsters attack), so I took this as a sign that they were scared to go near him, scared of their malevolent god. That thing scared me so much!

[@shiratama2681]

me giving him carrots: :0

[@leohaddad9225]

He spooked me when I killed my own horse by accident he was up in my face

[@shiratama2681]

@@leohaddad9225 spoopy horse man

[@rubynights3]

You were probably running too fast and they would run into something consistently. My horses never react badly around there, to or from.

[@Cathirae]

I felt super guilty when he yelled at me about keeping my horse safe! 😅

[@srg24601]

Another theory: what if instead of Malon herself being a reincarnation of Malanya it was her mother? Her mother composed the song and worked on the ranch as well. What if she was the horse god and named her child after her fairy form? Plus we've seen how the Zeldas are all descended from Hylia/original Zelda so it wouldn't be a huge stretch to say Malon's family could be descended from a horse god. I've also seen the theory that Malanya is Epona's true form and she couldn't revive to help Link while stuck in the flower

[@WarmLillie]

That’s one mystery, Maybe the Horse fairy was maybe horsing around....

[@noordragneel1657]

_badum tsss_

[@Rahian_El_1]

Botw explorers guide spoiler alert

[@themadlad_]

leave now

[@CaptainFishEye]

"back in the the 90s i was in a very famous tv show"~

[@himanuwu3210]

Nice pun! Man you neighed it!! (Kill me)

[@kamille286]

3:19 ok, can we get just a documentary on the various regions in BotW? That part was just so satisfying and made me think of a nature documentary with the clips shown and the calm music and sounds of nature while you talked

[@CoffeeJip153]

One thing I want to mention is that (also I haven’t tested this myself) mobs don’t come into the stables naturally so it might mean that the horse gods power keeps the mobs away

[@pokocrow]

NBC said that

[@noordragneel1657]

NBC: As long as the horse is registered before death, it can be revived Also NBC: only then to be killed by Link again. _I promise it was an accident..._

[@NintendoBlackCrisis]

I PROMISE!!!

[@AlvinaYunoa]

I won’t break your 69 likes

[@squibble311]

@@AlvinaYunoa someone did tho >:(

[@oribagel]

@@squibble311 Then can we get to 4269 likes instead

[@izeaanaya6183]

Sure

[@Chris-gx1ei]

In the German version I the Horse God is Called "Mahlon" Does this sound familiar? Well YES, it sounds like Malon, the Red Haired Girl from Lon-Lon-Rench, so it's truly an Easter Egg😂

[@Techn0magier]

I also believe that Malanya is misspelled. I've played only the german version and so Mahlon is the GODDESS of horses. A reincaranted personification of our beloved, animalloving childhoodmemory.

[@luthiamoonlightfrqc2905]

In the french and canadian french version he his called Marlon again a référence to malon I still refer malaya as male since he refer himself as a God and not a godess

[@Techn0magier]

@@luthiamoonlightfrqc2905 I think we all can agree, that gods are fairly flexible when it comes to gender, so that it is on the perceiver part to make their own interpretation. Fun fact btw french and german have opposite gender articles for sun and moon. ;)

[@luthiamoonlightfrqc2905]

@@Techn0magier well the 3 golden godesse of the triforce are all refer as godess .... And im still not sure to anderstand who hylia is is she another godess who is always the réincarnation of zelda? She is the godess of what? Ave a nice halloween btw

[@Techn0magier]

@@luthiamoonlightfrqc2905 Happy halloween to you too. :)

[@gentlebreezes2473]

I hope that the Malanya’s actually just in the game as a gag for “horsing around”

[@benvoliothefirst]

What IS this, a CROSSOVER episode?!

[@mass976]

Could Malon in OOT have been chosen to become a deity to watch over horses since she cared for them so much. And the horse god is actually her?

[@GrimmShadowsII]

That idea occured to me too. There's a theory, which I believe is true, that she ended up with Link in the child timeline so maybe it had something to do with her being with the chosen hero who never got to be the hero he was destined to be. In someways the child timeline is darker then the hero falls timeline.

[@mass976]

GrimmShadows I think I’ve heard this before, I really like that idea

[@emmaspencer4586]

That's a really interesting theory. What if, rather than Malon being Malanya reborn, the Horse God is who Malon becomes after death? Mortals becoming gods and goddesses isn't unheard of in the Zelda Universe. Take the Hero of Time for example, who via the fierce deity mask can become a powerful, demon destroying god. I can't really imagine Malon obtaining divine power through such dramatic means or purposes like the Hero of Time did, but perhaps the Golden Goddesses admired Malon's tender affection for all animals, especially horses, and after Malon's death granted her wish to watch over all the horses of the world by making her a literal goddess, matron of all horses and those who care for them. She earned divinity not through saving the world like the Hero of Time, but through simple acts of kindness and generosity. Though her connections to the Hero of Time are no doubt important, whether you interpret their relationship as romantic or friendship doesn't really matter, I don't think Malon would become a divine being simply by being around Link. Rather, I'm sure that if this theory is true, she earned that right through her fierce love for animals rather than simple relations to certain characters.

[@GrimmShadowsII]

@@emmaspencer4586 Right but if the theory that Malon and Link ended up as a couple in the child timeline is true she might have more attention from the gods then just some random Hylian.

[@emmaspencer4586]

@@GrimmShadowsII You do have a point, she helped out Link a lot on his journey so it makes sense why she would receive that kind of recognition, though in terms of their relationship, whether they ended up together or not doesn't really matter. Malon simply helping the chosen hero on his journey would likely be enough for the gods, whether the two ended up getting married or not.

[@kell_0741]

Something about the fps and quality of the game clips has improved so much! Great job!

[@GameBee33]

He’s probably using an emulator to play it in 60 FPS.

[@GODOFAWSOMENESS1]

There is a first person shooter joke to be made here.

[@NeoSlyfer]

It's the emulator fam

[@thewanderers97]

Your pfp is based as fuck

[@kell_0741]

@@thewanderers97 hell yeah

[@dayalasingh5853]

And also we see in the demo that there are a few stables around so yeah they definitely existed before the calamity too.

[@Mari_Izu]

They existed, but were destroyed then rebuilt.

[@WideMouth]

Yeah. Which means that while some of the stables already existed, the stable system (Epona Co.) did not exist until after the Great Calamity. And like Bugmen said, some of the stables were probably destroyed during the Calamity and rebuilt afterwards.

[@kamille286]

@@WideMouth I literally did not know that the stable system was called Epona Co. until now, where does it say that in the game? I love that they did that though

[@dayalasingh5853]

@@kamille286 same

[@BoxCoffee09]

nobody: Horse god:ohhhh link lookin like a snacc

[@613-shadow9]

vore :3

[@xxlemonkiaxx610]

He kinna thicc tho...

[@lizzdoestalent6359]

XD

[@heatheroutre]

Interesting thought: Malon's mother is thought to be gerudo, heading along the road from the desert could've brought her by the horse god's shrine

[@rg3467]

ngl when talking about the stables looking like Malanya, I thought it was going to suggest that Malanya was a horse that once used to be housed in the stables (explaining the connection to the stables' horse network, the looking like the stables, and the fondness for carrots). Since Epona isn't technically part of the game (only receivable through amiibos), Malanya could be a deified Epona.

[@Alizudo]

I see amiibos in this game as mini DLCs. You buy an access key to more game content. The NPCs even have extra dialogue about Epona specifically. There's no reason why they shouldn't also be included.

[@TheHeroOfTomorrow]

Huh. NintendoBlackCrisis is Ed Sheeran. I did not expect that.

[@xxlemonkiaxx610]

Wait...WUT

[@bobthemonitor9697]

Wow, those early horse God designs are truly horrifying.

[@izzysauls7737]

The horse god and the horned statue are probably my FAVORITE characters in Breath of the wild. There’s so much we don’t know and so much we can theorize about them. There’s endless potential for characters like this (I also wanna to draw fairy versions of these characters since I think they would fit that sort of thing)

[@purpleheadache6455]

I have a mystery nobody has covered. The 3 secret hot springs that are in the mountains of hebra. Shelfin, goflam, and the other one I can’t remember. Who are those people?

[@Tunic_]

When I first encountered the springs I just thought it was an NPC that I haven't met yet

[@xxslayer255xx]

Wait are you saying that the hot springs are sentient?

[@maxgonzalez8849]

@@xxslayer255xx no that they’re named after someone

[@MKsunmoon500]

I was thinking about the Malon reincarnation when you said they share the name. Thank you for all your fantastic content!

[@carlosusnay2216]

I didn’t realize I was tired until I misheard him call Kass the wandering menstrual, and was like.....gross. I’m taking a nap after that.

[@brycestrife5605]

Not sure you'll read this... But my father recently passed away. All the fun i have watching you, and all the beautiful zelda content, REALLY helps me stay sane and distract me. Genuinely, thank you ♥

[@popsicIes]

My sincere condolences :(

[@emmaspencer4586]

I'm so sorry for your loss. God bless you.

[@ObiAlmighty]

No one likes sadness No one likes pain But you can’t have a rainbow... Without a little rain 😊Don’t cry because his life is over, smile because his life happened

[@brycestrife5605]

@@ObiAlmighty thank you my friend, there will always be tears and a long for him. But life is an AMAZING thing, him and I even talked about this being heaven already. Its a great life, and I hope it treats you well😋

[@CJSai64]

14:02 "Millenia?" Shouldn't it basically be pronounced Malon-ya?

[@Mr_Coolcreeper]

Mah-lan-yah

[@Mr_Coolcreeper]

Wait wait wait, ohhhhh

[@CJSai64]

@@Mr_Coolcreeper Yup

[@BalboaBaggins]

Mr_Coolcreeper has it right, it's Mah-lan-yah.

[@devand8021]

Of course it should be pronounced Malon-ya...but NBC can't even pronounce the word "Celtic" correctly. NBC...bruh...your vids are cool and all, but it's pronounced with a hard C (k sound)...unless you're referring to a sports team from Boston.

[@DjoingDalton]

When Age of Calamity was announced, I thought of several 'characters' that they could conceivably introduce for the game. One of my more far-fetched theories was a playable Malanya. I had two versions of this theory. 1: the slightly more simple one: Malanya would be this game's playable great fairy like in the original Hyrule Warriors. But given Koei Tecmo's "preferences", it's more likely that they use the game's actual great fairies. 2: You play as a human named Malanya. Their playstyle would be horse-related, and later on, they would be slain by the calamity. but then you might infer that the would be reincarnated as a 'great fairy'.

[@Christopher-md7tf]

"that could just be because we're playing a video game" That could be the conclusion to every single video game theory video, ever 😛

[@GrimmShadowsII]

Yes but in the case of background music it's different. The land of Hyrule is so magical and the various gods seem to interact with it so much I wouldn't bat an eye if the ingame characters were revealed to hear the background music same as us playing.

[@kamille286]

@@GrimmShadowsII Isn't it a thing that they have pointy ears so they can hear the Goddess? Cuz if so, they totally should be able to hear it. Music inspires feelings of tranquility, sacredness, or warmth, which I imagine Link would feel as well. On a more literal side, music also informs you if a lynel is about to charge you, which I think is pretty direct communication from the Goddess

[@devonm042690]

@@kamille286 Music also informs you if a boulder you passed close by is actually a Stone Talus you've turned your back on.

[@GrimmShadowsII]

@@kamille286 Yeah I think a game or guide said that. But that doesn't mean the music is actually there. Think of it like shooting a movie, they don't always have the music we hear while watching playing while the actors are shooting the scene. So if the game is like a home movie to ingame characters then the background music could be added later.

[@zachattack1279]

Actually is a video on this well a half video Zeltic covered the possibility of The horse gods relation to the horned statue

[@ColdKitty]

Man, there’s a BIG difference between NBC when he’s on script and when he’s not.

[@zephanimz]

Cool Also when botw2 comes out you should do a updated complete timeline video

[@masterspongebat2387]

I wish the Horse God appeared in more Zelda games. It would’ve made for more great theories like this.

[@Not_Ciel]

I just like it's final appearance in BOTW. It's creepy, but leaves a lot of food for thought.

[@PoiyoLmao]

Well, Botw was when THG was introduced, so it's not neccessarily impossible for him to come back

[@Hikaru-jo4mo]

Searching for the perfect video to watch and this just falls to my recommended 💖

[@kitkatboard]

The idea of a fierce death-defying deity reincarnating as a little horse girl is adorable.

[@yukivanreenen9695]

Horses and carrots actually have some real life connections too. The Dutch story of Sinterklaas has a traditional saying that if you leave a carrot in your shoe on December 5th, the horse of Sinterklaas will eat it and his helpers will leave a gift behind. A pretty foreign story but nonetheless a horse and carrot connection. The endura carrot requirement may be based on a similar story.

[@reginaldcampos5762]

It's funny that everyone is discussing the gender of a frickin' horse god made of rugs because one game made a reference to an older game.

[@snow7224]

Oh yeah, how DID that woodcutters axe get up there? On malanya’s face?

[@kigut7443]

someone threw it REALLY good

[@snow7224]

@@kigut7443 lol they were like ‘YEET’.

[@felixc543]

Loved this exploration of a less talked about topic, I really like Malanya! He's interesting! And appreciate that you put a few ideas out there instead of Reaching really hard for one idea, gave a better idea of the full picture!

[@PrincessOfTheEnd]

My brother was the first one in my household to find and restore Malanya - he spotted the 'lake of the horse god' on the map and beelined for it because he wanted to meet the titular horse god. (basically everyone was watching him play. none of us believed there'd actually be a horse god, but David was convinced and ultimately vindicated)

[@williamturner6192]

Did Malon start the Stable system? Would be nice for her to have survived the Calamity. (LonLon Ranch was there so an iteration of Malon is a reasonable assumption)

[@subjectline_hellofriend]

"If you copy and paste the Horse God onto this, it could pass as a roof." *Hang on, the Horse God is a roof now?*

[@scawydemon]

yeah

[@rwqfsfsfasxc]

Ah yes, the roof here is made out of god

[@Goldfish_Brain]

Imagine Malonya seeing this video and being offended that it is now known as a roof lol

[@sirnicholas4656]

There is one thing I think is worth mentioning. Around all the Fairy Fountains you can find fairys. Around Malanyas Spring you can find butterflys. Butterflys and fairys have a conection in OoT. In OoT you can turn butterflys into fairys with the help of a deku stick.

[@CarlosAlon]

finally someone with "media reach" on KZbin talks about the spirit of the goddess hylia returning to her "divine" form. The legend says for a reason: "the spirit of the hero and the BLOOD of the goddess" in other words only the first Zelda (skyward sword) has the soul of hylia, the descendants of the royal family (other "zeldas") only have her "blood" but not the soul of the goddess herself, and that is why you can "pray" to the statues in breath of the wild (Hylia returned to "the heavens" for putting it somehow)

[@emmaspencer4586]

Yeah, I never understood why people thought that when Zelda aka Hylia reborn dies she doesn't become Hylia again. Like, she has the spirit of the Goddess Hylia, why wouldn't she become a goddess again?

[@marissahemp78]

“Thanks for the info”

[@emmaspencer4586]

@Gaigaborn Understood, though I never really found that Hylia doesn't outright appear to us in the flesh, rather through the goddess statues underwhelming. I think it actually somewhat fits the overall feel of the game.

[@v1de0gamr23]

That raises further questions. Everyone in Skyward Sword acts like the battle that mortally wounded Hylia happened hundreds, if not thousands of years before present day. Isn't Zelda, like, 16 in Skyward Sword?

[@mango-kt8nc]

2:40 me: now that's a bold statement **two seconds later** "that was a joke" me: why am I surprised lmaoo

[@xinpingdonohoe3978]

I thought he was going to follow with "because I already have them all", but no.

[@EvilJawa]

I see a potential string of "Primal God's" when considering Majora, the Xonai, some Moblin motifs in the series, and the Chicken Deity in LTTP.

[@justcallmeoreooo]

I like to think that Malanya 'possesses' the large horse heads that sit atop each stable in botw, seeing as he can't physically leave his fairy fountain. And by 'possessing' these large horse heads, Malanya is able to check up on the nearby horses, or even Link's horses. Side note: the large horse heads on each stable might be a sort of monument for Malanya, which could explain the similarities.

[@Spartsou]

Great video! Never realized the connection between Malan and Malanya, and the stable designs after him.

[@snowmanO07]

“.......👀.........oops...” 😂

[@stardoogalaxie9314]

Malanya's design is so neat! It reminds me of ritual masks from places in Africa and masks from polynesian cultures!

[@TheREALSimagination]

Epona's song and the lon Lon Ranch theme may be my favorite theme in Zelda because it's so peacful and pleasant to listen to.

[@emmaspencer4586]

It is indeed. One of my favorites!

[@maryobrien5261]

I’m so happy! I think I brought up Malanya on one of your videos, I’ve wanted a theory on him for so long. Thanks for covering it!!!

[@aniraseraug2104]

Well... in terms of the rupees, like giving the fairies and even Malanya them to help them think of it from this perspective, they are weak because no one brings them offerings right? perhaps the offerings are sumbols of the peoples belief/faith in their exsistence. so the faith/belief in their exsistence that the people of hyrule have perhaps gives the rupees magical qualities. so by asking for rupees they are asking for a physical representation of the faith/belief. also in terms of the endura carrots.... Malanya is a horse God right? carrots are supposed to be treats. so apart from providing him with the energy/power needed to revive a dead horse maybe it is a thing of "ooooh tasty carrot!" as well.

[@kamille286]

I love this explanation, both because the belief thing makes sense, but also "tasty carrot!" is wonderful and I totally think that is the case

[@emmaspencer4586]

In creating a champion it says that the Great Fairies power comes from people's faith, which they show by bringing them offerings, such as rupees. So yeah, your statement is canonically true.

[@signpostmarv]

Probably the only time I've seen a sponsored spot for something I might've considered buying (had I not already bought a knock-off pro controller).

[@luthiamoonlightfrqc2905]

I want a grip like that but they only sell the switch mini version at all my local store -__-" speaking of switch mini wen my Goddess of Nintendo will ave her Bikini processor !!?? Aha " Neptunia référence " danbooru.donmai.us/data/__blanc_neptune_drawn_by_buran_buta__9392de06a0091e38758ee631fd115331.jpg

[@divined0g]

13:45 that transition is incredible

[@matmacsug]

Link whistles Epona's song to call the house back to him. Nice little detail I've always enjoyed.

[@leonamathilde2693]

Love all your videos! Super great content and theories!!!!

[@supercondeck]

😳I put over 300 hours into this game, and this is the first time I've heard or known anything about the horse God😯

[@sisters8a]

When you use the great fairy(ies) in age of the calamity. Sometimes their attacks will spur Malanya as well. That was such a nice touch 👌

[@istabkiwisforfun7907]

I hope things get less stressful for you nbc we love you and stay safe out there

[@lethargicAilurophile]

I like the idea of hylians coming together after the calamity and listening to the stories of the survivors and hearing about the deities tied to the land that I'm sure most people lost touch with. There are some real horse lovers in this game so it makes sense that they would start to come together as a group and pay homage to the legend of the horse god, who has taken care of them and the horses they travel with. Maybe he's the one who conveniently keeps monsters away from the stables as a way of showing his appreciation, or he just notices all the horses in one place and protects them and doesn't care about the humans Either way ENDURA CARROT MAP! ❤️🥕

[@bonelessfae4041]

when u were talking about the similarity between malanya and malon's names, i also had a thought that malanya in english is like a misspelled mix of malon and ilia, who also has a connection to epona, and epona's song! idk, maybe its something to think about

[@arcanetrueblood9790]

i really like that at the end about malon. I always got a weird feeling something was mystical about her.

[@Amy-yf9zc]

I'm surprised you didn't mention the similarities between the horse god, and the Skull kid. The outfits, the twitching, the playful nature it's all very Skull Kid. Maybe in the child timeline Malon ventured into the lost woods one day, and didn't leave for a long long time.

[@markm0817]

NBC: Breath of the Wild is a game that exists Nintendo: Well duh

[@rutmarotto]

Do you expect everyone else not from Nintendo to be like WHAT REALLY

[@markm0817]

@@rutmarotto I suppose

[@Ganon_sucks]

You make the best theories

[@evanmarr2404]

I love how Malanyas name is similar to Malon and eponas song plays at malanyas spring

[@jessieferguson4054]

Thank you for putting this together 😁👍. Wanted to drop a lil bit of info for you. Malon is the daughter of naburu, the spirit temple sage. Put on the mask for gerudo and talk to malon's father, put on the crying mask and talk to naburu, they will confirm 😌. With her lineage and connection to the garudo, I think it's plausible she later became a sorceress of a sort, perhaps becoming great fairy-like. Her whimsical nature matches malanya, and apart from the VERY garudo-like hands (those of a much older malon?), the rest of the body seems much like a puppet... a puppet much like the queen of the great fairies had in windwaker. Perhaps eponya was part of some mystic ritual as well? The name malanya seems to be a fusion of malon and eponya. Seeing the axe in the horse Stable's head, the bones of a horse as the puppet, stalhorses, and how malanya and bongo bongo share some interesting attributes... I must wonder if the sheika might have ben involved in creating a great fairy...

[@gigaski7170]

NintendoBlackCrisis: do you like nintendo switch? Me: A giveaway?! *realizes its just an advertisement.

[@veritaalii]

NBC: * spends 3 minutes talking about carrots *

[@joshuabauschke168]

Sound effect at 8:50 nearly made me spit my drink out laughing, juxtaposed with the feel of the vid. Was a good time.

[@abstruceaglet2016]

BotW looks amazing in 60fps :0. nice job on the quality of this video really enjoyed this one!

[@TheJunky228]

When I first started playing BoTW, I came across the Horse God fairy first, it asked for money, and I was worried it might be some ripoff scam thing where the character takes the money and disappears or something lol took me a long while to find my way back once I did have the money and take the risk of losing all my hard-earned cash

[@NeoShameMan]

Malon is also a gerudo in oot, gerudo have strong horse skills in oot, when you meet malon's father with the gerudo mask he tells you it remind him of malon's mother, that's why she has red hair.

[@saltycooksgaming7286]

I did not know this. I shall keep this in the memory banks now thank you.

[@joeyharry3043]

All I have left to do in BOTW is collect the korok seeds and complete the side quests. I wasn’t going to do it, but my Zelda hype is on so I’m doing it

[@emilye7369]

Can I just say the protector Great Fairy Cotera bit made me realize how badass it would be to be able to play as the great fairies (incl. Malanya) in Age of Calamity? I imagine they had to have some part in defending their homes/the wilderness/the residents of Hyrule and it would be amazing and very unique to get to play that out!! High hopes since the great fairy was playable in the original HW!

[@sakurakitsunestar]

I haven’t used the horse god because they actually kind of terrify me 😅 also I have the habit of riding random things like deer or stal horses... on the rare occasion I ride a “normal” horse it’s epona

[@Yet_another_placeholder]

Isn't it possible that Malon became Malanya some time after Ocarina of Time? I'm not sure how it would work, but it would explain the similar playful personalities and the same name, not to mention how Malanya is never stated to be male in the original Japanese version

[@SSDARKPIT]

The ending just made me tear up, so well put together. I am a firm believer in the theory that the Hero of Time did indeed get with Malon and that is why the Hero of Twilight is a rancher, I hope the Horse God returns for the sequel.

[@puckbryn3583]

Could’ve sworn I’d seen a video on the horse god before, but I’ll take your word for it especially because you’re covering one of my favourite characters and there’s max one other video on them on all of youtube

[@Scar-jq2co]

why would you kill a pretty, pretty horse? ugh I can’t even kill a bird, not even in a videogame

[@thedoodlingdragonaj7550]

Did your phone crack when it fell? Lol that was hilarious the look you gave when it fell tho 😂

[@NintendoBlackCrisis]

Luckily no 😆

[@thedoodlingdragonaj7550]

@@NintendoBlackCrisis thank Hylia! 😂

[@MasterspartanX2]

Thx for the format of the video!

[@DnoSauce]

I adore that almost 4 years later, I still come across things in the game that I had no idea existed

[@AlottaBoulchit]

Me upon seeing malanya is apparently male: Yeah I'm just going to pretend I didn't see that. 😎

[@ghassanatalla3201]

always has been

[@Binkus_.]

Okay?

[@AlottaBoulchit]

I saw the character as an old crazy (from lack of worship and prolonged isolation) horse goddess. 😎 Boi Malanya is cool (and handsome) but I've had my interpretation a long time and I like it so I'm sticking with my fanon. 😘

[@noahfarthing4212]

All of the stables existed 100 years ago because you can access them in age of calamity

[@Equinerhael]

And also, they had horses. Stables are kind of needed.

[@charmer129]

I love that they are introducing new gods. I hope they do more

[@Ghasteum]

I haven't watched a zelda theory video since quarantine started, and that outro gave me chills lol