The TERRIFYING Reality of Ganondorf's Malice in Breath of the Wild 2

[@darksansgaming4016]

An example of distinctive smells that may hold relevance, Kilton is able to distinguish the smells of any overworld boss you have defeated and how many of each boss you have defeated.

[@QuestWithAaron]

Hey, that's a fantastic observation! It may very well be related to the strong Jyaki within the powerful enemies, which could explain why Kilton is able to do what he does without actually being there.

[@natehensler2085]

The fact that you actually go into the Japanese versions of the text in these games really brings to light a whole new level of depth that I, or many other KZbinrs I have seen, have not been privy to. It's exciting! Keep it up!

[@rangedweevil6150]

Reminds me of something... In Twilight Princess when you first come to Kakariko and listen to Barnes, he mentions how a shadow beast attacked the old shopkeeper, and by the time that people came to help, the shopkeeper was gone and instead there was a second shadow beast

[@QuestWithAaron]

Wow! You're right! I hadn't noticed that before! I find things like that super interesting, nice catch! Seems very possible that Jyaki may have had an influence there, considering how the shadow beasts are full of the contagious energy. Quite a dark trail of events actually

[@houseofskulltulips]

@@QuestWithAaron RIP innocent Twili...

[@leaniasl6010]

Just a thought, but if you've ever just watched some of the idle animations of Moblins, Bokoblins, and the like...they sniff the air. Most creatures/animals and the like, use smell to detect friend, foe, danger, and so on. Maybe the smell of jyaki is what they're sniffing for; and if it lacks the correct "pungent" then it is an enemy. Just a though.

[@QuestWithAaron]

That's a really interesting thought! It could very well be the case, as Demons are attracted to it. Maybe it could also explain the instances when they're unable to find Link despite sniffing right at his location, assuming he is clean of jyaki

[@ThomasCapella]

11:03 "My country lay within a vast desert. When the sun rose into the sky, a burning wind punished my lands, searing the world. And when the moon climbed into the dark of night, a frigid gale pierced our homes. No matter when it came, the wind carried the same thing... Death. But the winds that blew across the green fields of Hyrule brought something other than suffering and ruin. I coveted that wind, I suppose." This makes so much more sense with that in mind. His motivations in Ocarina of Time were pure, although imbalanced. He was corrupted and turned into a demon as a result.

[@FedEx867]

This is easily one of the best researched Zelda lore videos out there. The extra information from direct Japanese translations is massive, too. Keep up this fantastic work. ✌🏾💚

[@annalovescrafts3959]

I always get excited when a new video of yours pops up. I've put a stupid amount of time into researching zelda lore, but youtubers like you go above and beyond. Eagerly awaiting the next one!

[@gamerman6127]

After seeing how dangerous this malice (onnen and jyaki), one thing is obviously clear: The true power of malice is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural. (I know I just quoted Palpatine/Darth Sidious from Star Wars but it’s true though.)

[@blizzi8428]

Love the concept of the demon tribe. Kinda pissed at translators, that hints toward the existence of a tribe like this were removed.

[@becodeku]

Zelda and Link being affected of Jyaki makes so much sense in terms Zelda's power, it actually explains WHY she didnt get to it until the end and it gives a better look into what BOTW2's story might be, which could be Link purifying his own jyaki and weaponizing it against Ganon with the help of that ghost hand thingie

[@camlin4147]

I suspect that they originally removed all references to demons to avoid automatic villainization of the game by many English-speaking communities, such as what happened to D&D. Now English-speaking cultures are generally much more open to demons in their fiction. But the witch hunters are still out there...plus the translators at Nintendo probably felt it was a little late in the established game lore to start using the more accurate term. Too many longtime players would have been all 'wtf?' Wonder if the phrase 'Demon King' was their way of trying to slowly introduce the concept to us. Or their way of testing the waters.

[@charlestrudel8308]

Yup, pretty much.

[@tastesgamey8518]

Brilliant video providing a new perspective to malice. There are many bits of information that imply/mention monsters smell. In Breath of the Wild many of the monster dishes made from Monster Extract are described as having a pungent smell. For example, Monari describes Monster Cake as "a little gross and smell a little nauseating". Kilton is also able to recognize the scent of specific monsters In Twilight Princess wolf Link can learn the scent of a Poe which is visualized as a purple orb that sounds like a beating heart. In Wind Waker, Maggie exchanges love letters with a Moblin named Moe. The in-game description describes the letter, "has sort of a stink to it".

[@QuestWithAaron]

Wow! Those are fantastic observations, nice catch on those! The Poe stuff you pointed out is particularly interesting to me. Thanks for sharing!

[@UltraInstinctLink]

A pungent smell, you say... wait... when you receive Hetsu's gift the item description mentions that it smells pretty bad. So is Hetsu full of Jyaki?

[@QuestWithAaron]

Could mean that the Koroks are the same, as their seeds seem to have quite a distinct smell too

[@UltraInstinctLink]

@@QuestWithAaron 901 traitors to the Hylian throne!

[@QuestWithAaron]

@@UltraInstinctLink That is a huge army, but wait, are there actually 900 individual koroks (not including the ones in the lost woods) that Link collects the "seed" of each from, or are they the same ones that Link receives multiple from... Because that is a hell of a lot of Koroks, and like you said 901 traitors to the Hyrule throne!!

[@UltraInstinctLink]

@@QuestWithAaron You know, I hadn't considered that the same handful of Koroks could just be moving to another hiding spot after you find them, that would definitely put a dent in their ranks if so. On the other hand, if there IS over 900 of them including the forest dwellers, we could be in trouble in BotW 2 ;)

[@zoroastorium2835]

The symbolism of smoke may carry with it doubt and the possible fear of the unknown. From an observational standpoint, at the end of Skyward Sword the Master Sword has absorbed the substance of Jyaki furthering this notion of Demise and the demon tribe's continual curse as it pervades in the series. I believe that this was done intentionally as Fi needed to acquire the energy of Demise to search and destroy his future incarnations. Somewhat like an arbitrary form of intelligence to know thy enemy, I suppose. Hence, this is why the Sword needs to undergo constant purification under the purview of the Gods and their holy places. In Ocarina of Time the birth of the hero (as explained by the new Deku Sprout) was surrounded by the elements of smoke and flames as his mother traversed through the war over the Triforce and into the Kokiri Forest. Hence, it can be deduced as to why the hero was disturbed of initiating his journey to slaying Ganondorf in the initial dream sequence seen earlier in the game. On another note, To get of rid of Jyaki and its foggy ambitions of misdirecting one's soul, the hero in Phantom Hourglass needed the aid of three spirits as a guide to track the Ghost Ship. In the direct continuation to this game in Spirit Tracks the hero blows the Whirlwind to remove the dark purplish clouds that obstruct his path. In these highlighted examples an obvious detail can be discerned. It is that Light or one's Life Force (instilled with elements of Gratitude) removes Dark Force (or Jyaki for that matter) and this can be extended to our own reality as well. If we feel that a room is darkened by the twilight hour, then we may automatically make the decision to illuminate it with the flip of a switch. Similarly, if we are unsure about something we must manage to make sure of it ourselves so that we can be enlightened. To summarize this it would be best to fit this dialogue in the theme of Light versus Dark which is a common duality.

[@ordonlink259]

This is truly an underrated channel! Keep up the good work!

[@LeviathaninWaves]

Nicely done. I think the Master Sword could reach it's limits against Malice in the sequel. I've wondered often if Ghirahim was always a Malice corrupted Fi.

[@QuestWithAaron]

I've always thought the same thing! The fact that both Demise's sword and Link's sword house an entity is really interesting. It's definitely no coincidence!

[@CiudadanoDin]

Your videos are incredibly important to the fandom, more people need to see them!

[@LuigiBones]

The visual effects in this so far are exquisite. Love the halo zoom in on demise's hatred

[@QuestWithAaron]

Thank you, I'm delighted you appreciated the effects!

[@houseofskulltulips]

@@QuestWithAaron I did too, they were spooky and fit really well.

[@Blockvard]

I've seen countless videos that touch this subject but no one has gone into this depth. A really nice point of view that puts more parts of the Zelda puzzle in place. Thank you for a nice view!

[@QuestWithAaron]

Thank you! I'm very happy you enjoyed it!

[@nicholaszacharewicz693]

Man, I love how this concept of jyaki helps a lot about how the Bringer of Demise's curse make so much more sense! Also, could there be an ancient technology connection in the games' lore if Zelda was receiving the Goddess' memories from the Goddess statues? Maybe it's another lost technology like the Lanayru robots...🤔

[@houseofskulltulips]

Awesome video, I love how the evil energy has connections throughout the whole Zelda timeline in one way or another.

[@spacejay2677]

this video and most of these comments are just amazing, wow. also i had a thought: the magic that enshrouds thyphlo ruins in permanent darkness might've been cast by the zonai. plus, the dark markings on silver/gold enemies & the same markings on the barbarian set are said to raise the bearers attack power- perhaps because they are made with malice or jyaki...? we saw the zonai were clearly originally meant to have a connection to ganondorf in botw2, and with all this (+ the fact that the first trailer took place underground which imo draws connections to the demon tribe) considered, i believe the zonai wielded the power/magic of malice and/or jyaki. [idk if this totally makes sense but yeah.]

[@lpfan4491]

Twilight Princess is suddenly a lot more interessting to retrospect at. The Master Sword is directly showcased to grant protection from dark energies by allowing Link to stay in human form in the twilight realm(Which otherwise only Zelda is shown to be able to). However, this fails against the dark mist in the twilight palace that forces Link to transform into a wolf. From all of this context, said mist is most likely concentrated jyaki that Zant planted everywhere with the help of the power he received from Ganondorf. The reasoning for why Link can't transform back(That his body couldn't handle it) while standing in it is also reminiscient of what happens in Age of Calamity. It implies that the concentration is so big that if Link was in his true form, he would pretty much die instantly upon touching the substance. Though what probably doesn't help either is that it is implied that he also has a particularly low resistance to dark energies to begin with. A link to the past-link can enter the jyaki-boosted dark realm with only his combat potential being stripped off him, but TP link would have been as much of a victim as everyone else if the triforce of courage didn't transforming him to a form of only vague resemblance.

[@Savariable]

Yesss new video! I absolutely love this channel.

[@CaptBurgerson]

Another incredible video!! Blowing my mind on the regular lately!

[@kingsway731]

This was great! This story is obviously inspired by princess mononoke there's a lot to think about there

[@DinsFlame-br4pr]

As always, a brilliant and fascinating video Aaron! In BotW, Link is able to hear the voice of the Goddess statue when he is at the spring of courage, wisdom and power and when he traits spirit orbs for heart or stamina vessels! :) So perhaps Zelda is in fact more influences by Jyaki, in comparison too Link? By the way, where can I find more information on the concept of Jyaki? I can’t seem to find anything about it through google at the moment. I’m really interested in the epistemology of Jyaki and would like to read more! :)

[@QuestWithAaron]

Thank you! I think you may be right, it's definitely possible that Zelda was suffering from the evil energy even more so than we thought. As far as I'm aware, there aren't many English sources that explore the concept of "jyaki". All of the research I've done for this video was conducted entirely in Japanese. Thus all of the sources I can provide you with will only be in Japanese I'm afraid. If you're interested, I recommend this source as a nice general introduction to the concept: takigamiaju.com/2019/01/06/jyaki/ If you would like to know about further more in-depth sources I've used, feel free to ask away!

[@LuigiBones]

Fantastic video as always! Thanks for putting so much effort, work, and time into making these.

[@zman837]

Speaks Japanese, understands the culture, and makes Zelds videos? Yeah, I'm in

[@felixc543]

Oh, I really like this I feel like it adds a lot to the story/stories I understand why a lot of the background here was lost in localization but I really like this perspective

[@jorgeoquendo7514]

I think that the english version has "demons" as "monsters" and that the bestiary entries are written with that they are "monsters" in mind. "Species" as in "species of monster", similar to how a deer is a species of animal and that isn't written down in every written text about it. "Monsters" in the English version fill the same role as "demons" as well as "the demon tribe" in the Japanese as they are always the group serving under powerful titled demons and, as we see, they are revived eternally. There are actual animals within the world, monsters are a defined thing already. I think that when the Japanese is looked at, the English version tends to be brought down as "different" when the differences aren't really that noticeable, it's just a difference in the naming of what we see onscreen, "monsters" vs "the demon tribe". The idea of "Malice" is a named thing in the English version, "onnen" is a very real concept in the English version as well, just named differently since "onnen" isn't an english word, noticeable in several instances of possession, one being the same one you showed in the video, the cursed skulls. There's also Puppet Zelda, Phantom Ganon, Majora's Mask to Skullkid, Malladus to Cole and Zelda, Puppet Ganon, Calamity Ganon/the Blights, Aghanim, etc. There's also nothing in the English version implying that malice is a natural thing, it's tied to evil and monsters, like in the case with the evil crystals in SS or CG in BotW, Demise also says "an incarnation of my hatred" in the English version as well, so that bit is the same. The added part is that Demise says he will come back, which doesn't conflict with that his hatred will revive. His power can revive independently of his soul, as in cases where the "evil" isn't an incarnation of Demise himself, but still uses evil power. It's just that he also comes back and when he does, of course he has his malice as well.

[@ink4852]

While I do agree that he's being a bit too... semantic? (Monster and Demon could very well be essentially the same thing. And the games do make a very clear distinction between animals and monsters)The translated Japanese text still makes it sound so much more interesting to me.

[@jorgeoquendo7514]

@@ink4852 It's difficult to word what I want to say in reply, but I think it is this: For me it's interesting in the sense that it's a foreign culture with words and concepts that dont exist in the english language, but I don't see how it would be possible to say that the argument is semantics but then also say you like one version over the other when "semantics" means it's the same thing worded differently. Do the words themselves just sound... cooler(?) to you? I think at the end of the day, if we throw out the words onnen, jyaki and demon tribe, leaving those in-game concepts completely unnamed, we are still left with the context clues seen in the games that make it clear these concepts exist in the Zelda universe. Not even necessarily *as* those concepts, but maybe as just a Zelda variant taking inspiration from them. I think that the english version gets these concepts across just fine with it's own terms and that the japanese version can name the inspirations in the game so that Japanese readers can better understand what is being said based on their own experience. For clarity, not "better" in relation to english readers, just better as a personal understanding since the meanings are close.

[@ink4852]

@@jorgeoquendo7514 Yes, actually. "Demon" sounds cooler than "monster" to me. It sounds like the English version is censored, for lack of a better word. Also I had no idea of the concept at all of any "demon tribe", until I'd started watching these videos. It's completely possible I simply missed an instance in the English text where the "monster tribe", is referenced though. So to me at least, the concepts are actually communicated far more clearly in the translated Japanese version. At the end of the day most of it is essentially the same thing, but the translated Japanese text paints a clearer picture for me. And it sounds more mature, again for lack of a better word. There are parts to the English text I prefer too, however, but overall I prefer the translated Japanese text. Especially in the case of Link's journal. Edit: Just trying to clarify some more. "Monster" just sounds like any old generic evil creature thing. "Demon" because the concept of Goddesses already exist in Zelda makes it sound like the "Demons" are like the opposite of the Goddesses. Like "Evil Gods" or something. It puts them at a higher tier in my mind so to speak. Sort of like how he keeps referring to Demise as "The Bringer of Demise". The latter sounds more like a title than a "name". Like his "role" or "designation". Like maybe he doesn't even have an actual name. Some people think this already, but for me it didn't really click until I heard him referred to as the latter.

[@jorgeoquendo7514]

@@ink4852 Ah, then that makes sense. It's the wording itself. I think that the distinction is made on purpose, personally. They are called "monsters" because the "demons" are higher tier individuals throughout the series that control the monsters. And funily enough, monsters actually *are* referred to as demons in a few instances throughout the series, it's just not in your face because the spotlight on "who's a demon" goes to the big bads narratively. As far as the concept of a "demon tribe" being within the english version, besides that monsters always serve the bad guy, there's also that in SS they are called "the demonic forces" by Zelda and that at the end Ghirahim calls the army of bokoblins "my hordes". This shows hierarchy and that they are a group in opposition to you as well as that they are labelled "the demonic forces". There's also that when you get Din's flame in SS, it imbues the MS with "a power demons revile", further hinting that monsters are demons. Unless "demons" was in reference to only Demise and Ghirahim. But putting ALL terminology aside, what are we supposed to make of what we see in the series? I had mentioned the context clues earlier. I don't think it's a stretch to say that 'evil demons commanding hordes of monsters' can be interpreted as a "tribe". A tribe is just a congregation of individuals. Ignore the term "tribe", surely you realised there was a group of some sort there. Did you not realise monsters are evil and serve evil? That's something, that something is just labelled the demon tribe in the japanese.

[@ink4852]

@@jorgeoquendo7514 Yes, and that very well could be the intention. The lowly bokoblin could simply be a "generic creature thing" created by the demon, Demise or Girahim. Like not every monster "deserves" the classification of "demon". Like you literally see Girahim either create them out of thin air, or summon them from... somewhere... And I think this is ultimately the intent of it. Referring to even the lowly bokoblin as a demon though, in my mind, makes it sound as if it's not just a mindless dumb monster; but that it actually has a since of tribalism such as depicted in Breath of the Wild. They have different colors, different tiers, they make their own weapons out of wood and bone, they even hunt animals on horseback for food (which just blew me away the first time I saw it lol). But that's more so for Breath depicting them as such whereas in the old games except for some lore here and there about certain monsters. They really were just there for you to have something to kill. And I do believe there are instances where Demise is referred to as "Demon King Demise". And I believe Vaati is referred to as a demon, but I never played that game. The "demon tribe" thing though still didn't really click for me until these videos though. I never saw it as a "tribe", but rather just 1 demon controlling a bunch of monsters. "Tribe" seems to refer to more hierarchy than just "The Master" and "all of his varyingly different minions". It was like that time that Dremora spoke to you in TES4 Oblivion and I was like, "Holy shit, they can TALK!?" And I know other Dremora spoke, but this one talked about his "clan" and his "honor". I know they spoke in previous TES games too, I believe even scamps spoke in Battlespire, but at the time I'd only played Oblivion. But yeah, certain words and phrases come with certain connotations. Like how the word "feels" to your mind, rather than what it actually means in context. Edit: Again for clarification. To touch on some more about what I said about TES. It gives you the sense that there's more out there than just what you've seen on Mundus. That these monsters or demons or daedra or whatever you will call them aren't just dumb creatures for you to fight. That they have their own sense of family and loyalty. And that they even possess higher cognitive thought. The idea of "The Demon Tribe", in Zelda did this for me too. Whereas before I just thought of all of them as generic enemies. Except for the ones specifically depicted as more than that. Like correct me if I'm wrong It's been awhile since I watched it. It was an earlier video of his. But in the Japanese text Girahim refers to himself as "the 'current' leader of the Demon Tribe". So somewhere out there, there's a "Demon Tribe", and it has seemingly had many other leaders. Or he could've just been referring to Demises as the previous leader.

[@MrLukeStump]

I would like to see Ganendorf's malice on half the enemies in the second breath of the wild game. It just make it that much smarter and more important to repair, restore, and fully power the master sword. When defeating mini bosses, and bosses corrupted with malice, link can get humor and what is needed for the final part of the game to take on the final boss or bosses. Enemies with strong malice was a good concept, and the problem with breath of the wild there were not more enemies corrupted with malice. So you were stuck using the level 30 master sword instead of the level 60 true master sword in most of the areas.

[@The_Story_Of_Us]

The depth of your research is absolutely crazy. Incredible stuff!

[@HylianDan]

That was some fantastic insight into Zelda's storyline in Breath of the Wild. Thank you, I really appreciate that!

[@BlackStarSymphony]

I wish there would be beter translations in English for Yaki and Onnen and that a direct translation was possible. This brings so much more depth to the entire series.

[@QuestWithAaron]

I think that's the biggest issue with these words. It's so challenging to translate them while retaining the unique implications and nuances they have with Japanese culture, without providing an explanation.

[@dingus_maximus]

The description of Jyaki as an ever-expanding black fog or smoke reminds me a lot of Shadow of the Colossus, when you kill a colossus and a black smoke starts shooting out of it and eventually encompassing the entire creature. Wonder if they took inspiration from the same concept for that. Excellent channel by the way, really looking forward to more from you, especially after TotK if you end up covering that game as well!

[@novaspacewitch9963]

Not directly related, but that bit about jyaki having a powerful odor just explained why Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories has Riku constantly talking about the stench of Darkness

[@ShepherdsCreek]

I really like how you cover these games and the lore in your videos. Correct translation is so important since it changes the meaning a surprising amount when the words are changed even slightly. Your channel is going places! Can't wait to see more :D

[@parttimesaint3165]

Wolf Link learns the smell of the Poe in Twilight Princess. Could a Poe be a manifestation of Jyaki or Onnen? I'd like to know what the Golden man has to say about them in the Japanese version.

[@mxim_lol]

Great video! The editing was awesome and it is so cool seeing how everything makes sense!

[@QuestWithAaron]

Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed it!

[@achris2403]

Actually hate how the story isn't told properly in the English localisation

[@tordlindgren2123]

.... The champion of power... Power corrupts... Divine power means being able to withstand tough things, in this case death itself. Makes perfect sense.

[@LuigiBones]

I've been awaiting a new video from you with bated breath. watching now! ^w^

[@QuestWithAaron]

I hope you enjoyed it! :D

[@justinkomora4518]

There's an alternate origin for the master sword in the manual! When he's going over the part about Gannon's origin in the manual for a link to the past, it explains the master sword was created after he was sealed. Maybe the downfall timeline happens because in one of the timelines there wasn't a master sword created during the events of ocarina of time. And that's why he's defeated and how Ganondorf gets all three pieces of the trifoce. Causing the sages to close the door to the sacred realm....after that fateful day they craft the legendary sword to counter the power of ganon.

[@jorgeoquendo7514]

The same thing happens in TP, which we know follows OoT, featuring the MS. In TP Zelda states that the MS was "crafted by the wisdom of the ancient sages". In the case of TP, people speculate that the Goddess Sword was crafted for Hylia by the sages since their symbols can be seen in the temple of the goddess/sealed temple, that way the dialogue and the origin seen in SS don't clash. As far as aLttP, it's likely it was just retconned, unless that sword is a separate sword, but it being the "master" sword implies otherwise.

[@justinkomora4518]

@@jorgeoquendo7514 It was clearly retconned, but the whole downfall timeline is a retcon, so it can be easily spun into something interesting. There is a separate timeline where demise is destroyed FAAAR before the events of skyward sword causing there to be no reason for the sword to be forged, but there would be a goddesses sword remaining....tons of possibilities open up that make a lot of sense. Only issue i see with that is I believe we leave the master sword in the past after defeating demise. Which creates a plothole in general since we than go back to the present timeline and we find the master sword is still there being guarded by impa....even though it was never there originally. Sooo i have no idea.

[@jorgeoquendo7514]

@@justinkomora4518 What's nuts to me, in hindsight of course, about the MS origin in the aLttP manual is that the sword was said to have been made by *hylians*... to combat the powers of the *Triforce*... as if Link didn't need to undergo everything he did in SS to create the MS, literally imbuing it with the power of the gods and having it blessed by Hylia. Some random hylians were just like, "that ultimate power is unfair, let's make a sword that counters it!"... like, why even go after the Triforce if they have that ability?

[@SuperZalina95]

I love your videos! They are so informative and accurate, thank you for that! What you didnt mention is the fierce deity armour from majoras mask. I think it ia also possible that the armour is affected jyaki and makes Link so powerful.

[@smcb9979]

Aaron, I'm really excited to watch this!! I'm at work atm and can't yet, but I'm gonna copy-paste a BOTW2 theory here about what I think Ganon's gonna do that I've wanted to run by you, I wrote it the other day. It's a long read To start, I think the trailer is deliberately tweaked to obscure story details, like how AoC ads edited shots to delete Terrako and other spoilers. Specifically, I think Link gets the Ashitaka treatment at a turning point in the story and it isn't until then that his arm gets wack - but the trailer used a model with the cursed arm for every shot, to make this unclear. I'm willing to bet ponytail/blue tunic is pre-curse and loosehair/green robe is after. Prior to the curse will be a segment that feels more like BOTW dlc. You'll be given a direct story mission right out of the gate, like the objective to destroy Ganon, except it's something fairly mundane that'll kick off a questchain. (Checking on Vah Ruta in Zora's Domain might be it if they don't start with a timeskip.) You'll be completely free to ignore the quests and explore the newly Ganonless world at will with your tweaked runes, but there'll be short (skippable) animations and dialogue sequences as in SS or TP, attempting to nudge you to the story goal by endearing you to the characters. Pursuing the story quests will lead you to scripted sequences with unique gameplay, like boarding the Beasts or infiltrating the Yiga Hideout in BOTW, that might take place in unique interior areas using linear design inspired by SS. And like the descendant Champions, Zelda and other characters could be used to assist Link in these sequences to create the illusion of going on "missions". Phase 1 of the story concludes with Link and Zelda traveling to the Typhlo Ruins to find the source of a dangerous signal, perhaps one remotely disabling the ancient Sheikah tech. Turns out Typhlo was once the entrance to a vast underground city, sealed off and abandoned to ruin when a malignant evil was bound within it. That's why the darkness doesn't lift when the Sheikah trial is done, because it was cast to hide the entrance to the city in a lightless maze. Lunk and Zeldy will make their way through the subterranean city (a slightly smaller-sized zone than the overworld with unlockable surface access points that's part open world, part Blackreach from Skyrim, part Hyrule Castle from BOTW, and part classic 3D Zelda dungeon design) until they discover the sealed Ganoncorpse, which is emanating the signal they've come seeking. I'm not going to attempt to be detailed about how this happens, because we don't have enough to work with, but the major takeaways we know happen in this scene are 1) Link's arm getting attacked by Malice in a way that causes longterm damage, 2) Ganoncorpse reawakening and raising Hyrule Castle, and 3) Zelda falling off a cliff into darkness. I'm only going to speculate on what I think are the broad strokes of the scene: my guess is that Ganon abandons his old body to STEAL LINK'S in order to break the sealing curse trapping him from proper rebirth. Did y'all notice that Link's new design and Ganoncorpse's outfit are the same? Long loose hair, a one-shoulder wrap tunic, a belt, sandals, longer fingernails? Almost like... Ganon was dressing and caring for Link's body? And that we still haven't seen the front or face of this new Link design, as if there's a part of it (a Malice eye, perhaps, or an old Ganon symbol) being hidden? There's more about why I think this, too - Aonuma has talked before about how one of the reasons that they've never done playable Zelda is because they don't wanna take anything from Link in order to give it to her, so they get stuck figuring out how to do them both justice. Why not cut that knot with a metatextual narrative about Link's control of himself being taken from him? It would give the player a narratively and emotionally motivated reason to "ally" with Zelda by playing as her for a little while in order to get Link back, perhaps metaphorically represented with a scene where Zelda resolves to work with Fi's spirit in the hilt of the shattered Master Sword to save him together. As long as I'm on the metatext angle, having Link be possessed and puppeted by Ganon would also be a great excuse to experiment with "Link" voice acting. If people hate the voice, you've got the easy out that it was just Ganon and not Link's "real" voice, but if they like it than the ice is broken and Link can be a quiet character who says things occasionally when it's narratively appropriate or meaningful. Ganondorf's personality speaking and moving with Link's body would also create an acute sense of wrongness that would be deeply effective. Even if they don't do the voice thing, tho, simply having the driven and independent Hero of the Wilds losing his free will and struggling with the consequences of that would be a great way to push the character out of his comfort zone, and give him a better arc with more showing and less telling than his BOTW arc. With his memories shattered, his "self" and Zelda are all he's got left of his old life - what happens to his heart when his control is stolen and Ganon makes him drop Zelda off a cliff into the deepest part of the underground city, "long live the Queen" style? And there's more! We know BOTW was heavily inspired by NES Legend of Zelda, all the way down to direct art and imagery as well as thematically. In Adventure of Link, LoZ's sequel... the monsters are attacking Link, specifically, because they want to kill Ganon's killer in a ritual sacrifice to use his blood to bring about RETURN OF GANON. What if the sequel to BOTW is taking some story inspo from that beat? So that's my big theory - partway into the game Link has his body stolen by Ganon, and we play for a time as Zelda trapped in the underground city. She'll study the old ruins to try and find out what the history of the place is and what happened there, which will lead her to the mysterious magic brace she eventually gets on Link's arm that appears to be a spirit, or infused with spirit magic. In studying the old city, the player will also be able to find clues about BOTW's timeline placement and connections to the rest of the games. The big question here is that the game can't END with Zelda saving Link by getting the magic brace on his cursed arm, because there appears to be a Part 3 to the game where we play as post-curse Link in the sky. So either we can play as both characters in this third segment and swap, or Zelda sacrifices herself to save Link somehow TP-style and now he's gotta get HER back again. Either way - if phase one of the game is an extension of BOTW, and phase two is about the game's connections to the broader Hyrule history, then I think a phase three in the sky would be about the divine element of Zelda, the Triforce, and the creation myth. Link (and maybe Zelda) will explore the timeshift stone influenced ruins of the future-seeing civilization from Hylia's day that built the Guardians and the Lanayru tech (and the Tower of the Gods and the Temple of Time), uncovering more explicit lore about who the Hero and Princess are and how they're tied to the Golden Goddess creation story and the Triforce, which Skyward Sword leaves vague despite clearly defining a lot of other origin-story elements. It'll culminate in a challenging, dramatic, multi-phase final boss battle with Zelda and Link working together to kill an enraged and bestial eldritch Ganon that's been driven from both their bodies thanks to divine protection. They'll kill Ganon proper, breaking the unnatural sealing curse he was trapped in his body with, and set him on the natural cycle of karmic rebirth again - setting the stage for new Zelda games, and tying a bow on this particular game's themes of choice and control, and its deep ties to the entire Zelda history. Ambitious? High-concept? Complicated? Unlikely? Yes and maybe. But I've really thought hard about this, and I think a lot of these ideas feel like a natural evolution of BOTW, and ways to connect it to the greater series history and respond to crit of the preceding game. I also think a lot of this is in keeping with how the Zelda team likes to write story! And let's not forget - BOTW shattered all Zelda sale records and brought in +10 million new players to the series. I give it good odds the Zelda team is getting a better budget and more creative freedom than ever, as a result, because BOTW proved that there's good payoff from that.

[@smcb9979]

I tried to stick to vague themes and a few specific narrative ideas I'm really confident in, so I'll finish with some gameplay speculation: - There will be seven classic dungeons attached to the world. Two for the Surface phase, two for the Underground phase, two for the Sky phase, and a final revisit to a transformed Hyrule Castle with new areas accessible because the levitation shifted rubble loose from doorways. - The weapons system will be replaced by an items system, with items that have different functions in battle and puzzles alike and a condensing of mechanics from BOTW's weapons. Items will break but can be repaired, and "broken" items aren't lost but sit unusable in your inventory until they get fixed. Link and Zelda will share this system, and also fight with unbreakable (in gameplay) magic weapons that are powered by the stamina/magic meter (the Master Sword, the Bow of Light, perhaps the Spirit Brace/Guantlet). - Climbing and gliding everywhere will be nerfed a bit, with items becoming more important for accessing new parts of the map again. Gliding in particular will be far more subject to the wind, and have more realistic physics, meaning players will be more easily pushed off-course if they rely on it overmuch - that's why the new glider has tails on it, to track wind direction. - Runes will still be a seperate system, but with upgrades and customization options offered by the recently-formed New Hyrule Ancient Tech Lab, overseen by a united Purah-Robbie dream team and spearheading the R&D of new tech - provided the operating costs are met, of course. Runes may possibly become temporarily inaccessible for story reasons and special missions. - Zelda will be a glass-cannon fighter, moving faster than Link and dealing more powerful magic-infused blows but taking hits MUCH harder. She'll have access to the same items as Link, but will use them in different ways, inspired by AoC's approach to runes. - Phase 1 final boss is Ganoncorpse, phase 2 final boss is Puppet Link, phase 3 final FINAL boss is Ganon. - I've discarded any time-travel or altworld theories after consideration, beyond timeshift stone use, because I think the three-layer gameworld and the story's historical elements will fill those thematic roles instead. I'm not discounting the Sacred Realm making an appearance, though. I think that's all I've got for now, but hit me with questions!

[@QuestWithAaron]

I hope you enjoy it! I'm excited to know what you think! What you posted here sounds like an incredible read, I'll give it a good proper read over and share my thoughts after!

[@QuestWithAaron]

@S McB Okay, I've finally gotten round to writing down my thoughts about your incredible ideas! This was a really fun read, thank you for sharing! Firstly, I really like the ideas you have about the reasons why Ganon and Link' clothing are similar, as well as other features like their fingernails. I think the fact that their clothing is similar definitely hints towards some kind of connection between them, and I feel like Ganon being able to possess a part of Link's body would not be an impossible scenario at all. It would make it even more interesting if he could completely steal it. Perhaps there will be parts in the game where we have to fight off the infection (inside Link's head or something like that, where he attempts to fight off the invading Ganon). The point you make about how Ganon's possessing of Link could be a way to experiment with some potential voice acting is super interesting. I feel like it could be a possibility. A concept I was thinking of the other day is how Ganon's Malice infection could be so severe that it could interfere with Link's future (& past incarnations), i.e. threaten the possibility of disabling the future reincarnations of the hero's soul. That would be very exciting in my opinion, and really raise the stakes if the hero's soul could quite literally cease to exist. It's not completely out of the picture either, as Malice is capable of corrupting souls and possessing them as I explored in the video. I love the connection you make between The Adventure of Link and BotW's sequel. It makes sense that some inspiration may be drawn from them. Incorporating some elements like how the enemies in The Adventure of Link attack him to salvage and use his blood to revive Ganon is certainly dark, a fitting theme for BotW's Sequel too! Personally, I am hoping we'll see more of Zelda this time around. But I fear it's likely that it'll be the same as before where Link adventures around everywhere only to be reunited with Zelda in a brief cutscene at the end of the story. I'd love to see her character present more throughout Link's adventure, or even play as her as you suggested. With AoC we're able to get an idea of how an awakened Zelda could potentially do in battle, she will certainly be a threat to Ganon in the sequel. I do hope they take a similar approach and let us see more of her power, rather than making her mostly absent from the majority of the story. The idea you had about the phases was interesting. So you believe that the Link wearing the blue tunic we see in the trailer (assuming you mean the second trailer) is basically Link in the pre-infection state? I hadn't thought of it that way before, but now that I think about it, I think that would make it interesting. If this is true, why do you think the Master Sword wasn't in his possession during the shots we see in the second trailer? What did he do with it? I've actually composed an entire script for a video about why I think the sacred realm will be making an appearance, backed up with explanations of parts of Japanese culture. However, I ultimately decided not to release it. Perhaps in the future, after we get another peek into the sequel.

[@Kate-pik]

Awesome video! Your work shows. Keep it up.

[@Victor-dm4qv]

... I feel like I have learned so much about my favorite games.

[@madelcyfuentes6709]

Simply breathtaking video! Instantly subbed. With this content I'm sure you’ll make it big!

[@amirhosseinmaghsoodi388]

The low ranking demons appearing as bats reminds me of the mad batter.

[@seb-3]

You're videos are far higher quality than bigger zeltubers.

[@UnrebornMortuus]

23:52 Mentions an odious aroma

[@seansolar9067]

When I see just how much the English versions across the series have butchered the original translations, it seems damn near systematic. There are just too many differences for it to be an occasional and unintentional mistranslation.

[@QuestWithAaron]

I think it's gotten to the point that because the localisation team has continued to put out these translations for so long now, they're committed. In my opinion, suddenly changing many parts of the story to match the Japanese version more closely would make the story a little confusing for people with so many new concepts introduced. With that said, I do truly think there are plenty of instances where they've both made the conscious decision to alter the original meaning of text for some reason, and instances where it's impossible to ensure an accurate translation due to nuances of certain words such as jyaki. These kind of words are so difficult to translate while retaining the true meaning. I really do wish they were a little more faithful to the original text though...

[@fatumwolf]

Interesting you'd say they can't return to a normal size. As Ganon went from his large beast form to his smaller mortal form. And how you talked about Ganon's and the Bringer's malice as two separate things. Which if memory serves. Several games have done as well. As Zelda is the incarnation of the goddess. It's highly possible that Ganon is the incarnation of the demon god(not the bringer). Link changed because of the strength of his heart (As explained by Minda) instead of losing his mind or life. His rabbit for was for entertaining the dark world(not shadow world) and was explained in game. The marks on his arm looked more like burns(or aged like Ganon's corpse) than corruption from Ganon.(only time will tell on the truth of that)

[@chrispork1443]

Does the Japanese Hyrule Compendium still refer to Lynels as Guardian Deities of Death Mountain? Or did later games (like Breath of the Wild) retcon the original Legend of Zelda and state that Lynels are among the most powerful demons?

[@QuestWithAaron]

I know that in Botw's compendium they're said to be an extremely powerful half man half beast Demon, I'll have a look at the Hyrule Historia too

[@chrispork1443]

@@QuestWithAaron Is the Japanese version of The Legend of Zelda: Encyclopedia less contridictory than the English localization? Because I noticed there were quite noticable errors in the book.

[@RepTechEP]

Then by logic this is also the origin of Shadow Link.

[@QuestWithAaron]

I think so! I'd love to see an actual appearance of Shadow Link in the sequel. It would certainly be fitting considering what we've seen of the sequel so far.

[@Link27804]

I think Ganondorf learned from his previous mistakes after being defeated by different links and zeldas and this time he was able to prove smarter using his vengeful Spirit sabotage the prophecy so he would have more time to regenerate and had his vegetable Spirit to use golf racing the Divine is and the Champions spirit on his spirit

[@thehighschooldropout8218]

Iv seen ppl talk abt cut text before and they use it as a reference point but I count cut text as non canon because it was cut out of the game Nintendo didn’t want it there

[@UnrebornMortuus]

This means we will wield green powers AND malice powers. COOL

[@chasethemaster3440]

2:13 what is this scene from is it a mod or something it’s looks so good please someone tell me?

[@QuestWithAaron]

It's from Age of Calamity!

[@chasethemaster3440]

@@QuestWithAaron yeah I found that out today from a zeltik video

[@frostera3169]

Dunno if this is an issue, but I have to rewind to before the video starts to actually make it play. Otherwise, it just loops the first 13 seconds because the transcription highlights a certain area and just repeats that over and over.

[@kms5511]

I never read KZbin comments but these were awesome!

[@Scarecrow_graveman]

Damn ganondorf stomps the dragon ball verse

[@josiahtheobald689]

It's so sad just how much is lost in the translation, isn't it?

[@LiljaMothingway]

I'm curious if the japanese text says anything about poes possessing Jyaki. If that were the case, then wolf link was able to sniff out the poes in the Arbiter's Grounds and could prove something. Wish I saw this video a year ago haha.

[@QuestWithAaron]

Interesting thought! I'll definitely take a look. The poes are a very interesting type of monster imo!

[@verdantmistral442]

In a Link to the Past, the boy who gives you the bug net is said to have gotten sick from a dark wind coming from Death Mountain... was this jyaki in Japanese?

[@QuestWithAaron]

I had a look at the text! He describes it as "the demon energy that flows from the mountain and forest" that has made him ill. Interestingly, both words share one of the same kanji (Japanese character), this being 気 (ki) meaning "energy". Whereas the word in English refers to what's described as "energy" in Japanese as "air". With this in mind, and considering everything discussed in the video, I believe it's very possible that the strong influence of jyaki is having a severe impact on this character's health. That was a super interesting observation! Thank you for sharing!

[@ThomasCapella]

So if Ganondorf's Onnen (Malice) is fueled by Jyaki, then does that mean they are essentially one in the same?

[@fatile23]

Yo I love yo shit keep on keeping on.

[@Chris-gx1ei]

Turns out that Ganondorfs Power doesnt corrupt Link, it is meant to decompose hid flesh

[@andresrivera9834]

Korok poop... korok poop has a bad smell.. and Hestu gives you a big poop when you collect all the "seeds"

[@Darnold4Prez2024]

Watching your videos makes me feel like I’ve been robbed of the actual story by Nintendo.

[@WhyNot-yy5wz]

This says alot about kilton

[@pokemasta6019]

The monster guts in both BOTW, and TOTK have a potent odor or are very bitter.

[@QuestWithAaron]

Ah! Nice catch!

[@Chris-gx1ei]

I hope someone will create Mods that give the texts in the Games the translated context fron the Japanese correctly, The English Translation in the westerm World is pretty Fucked Up in any way

[@jupamoers]

怨念 onnen literally translates to grudge 😉

[@justiceiria869]

Jyaki sounds a lot like sin.

[@kingfirestorm4047]

Naboru say that ganondorf wasn't alwas so cruel and evil its was after he enter at the sacred realm and grab the triforce of power he change and become a hartless man that even atack women's and children's somthing that gerudos despite,demise hate was seal on the master sword so its possible that wen link pull the sword Frome the pedestal the remanents of demise posess ganondorf make him the king of evil

[@micaiahflores1592]

Holy shit the American language has no descriptors for basically anything but the Japanese literally have Descriptors for literally everything

[@SeanFoxxx]

You said malice came from demise? Where’s the source for that I’m interested

[@AarturoSc]

ONNEN!! 😡

[@QuestWithAaron]

Jyaki!! 😡

[@VSMOKE1]

I wouldn't call the devil godly that's what Gannon is hes the equivalent of the devil

[@dizzygnome6698]

That lynel bit was a reach gotta say

[@level1dodo896]

Reminds me of JJK

[@nidonemo]

Seriously, the damage to original content by the haphazard practice, oblivious overlooking of details, or outright censorship in localization is terrible and astounding. We have lost out on so much information, simply, and this is me just throwing a dart in the dark at a guess, because the use of gods, demons, and other such subjects in American culture is so rife with the selfish backlash of people who can’t bring themselves to enjoy a story for what it is in the first place. It frightens and unnerves those who would tell a full tale into fracturing it into “inoffensively digestible” pieces of it’s original form. To bow to your audience is to thank them for coming to listen and to modestly accept their praise, not to bend to their demands. This is how ideas break and die. (Pardon if I’m a tad boisterous, it’s a peeled nerve of a subject for me.)

[@alwaysshit]

Can someone recap the video to me? I’m really interested but don’t have time to :/.

[@GerudoKing1990]

I hate how the English changes the texts

[@bodbyss]

Why do you keep saying "onnen" like a robot?

[@houseofskulltulips]

Japanese pronunciation..? It's a Japanese word, so that's what I thought.

[@AarturoSc]

ONNEN!! 😡

[@QuestWithAaron]

I mean yeah, it is a Japanese word. I tried to ensure that I pronounce it closer to the natural Japanese pronunciation, sorry if that sounds a little too robotic

[@AarturoSc]

@@QuestWithAaron It sounds like a soundboard, but it was funny, yet not enough to distract from the video.

[@houseofskulltulips]

@@QuestWithAaron For what it's worth, it didn't sound weird to me.

[@mailliw94]

stop saying onnen like that, it's really racist