The Wind Waker and the Apocalypse

[@Skyehoppers]

Hoy! What did you think of my analysis of the Wind Waker? What did I miss that could affect my interpretation? Are there any aspects of the game you see differently? If you're interested in getting early access to my videos and the ability to vote on future video topics, please consider subscribing to my Patreon if you have the means www.patreon.com/skyehoppers ! I'm aiming long-term to build a unique community through Patreon where people can analyze what media communicates but free from the pressure-filled academic setting that makes some people think it's not fun. Cause it's actually a super fun way to engage with art! Here are some discussion questions to build off what I talked about in the video, and what I left out of the script. 1. Are you satisfied with my analysis of wind as a symbol? I'm not, tbh. I did my best to make as much sense of it as I could, but it still doesn't really feel complete to me, especially considering Ganondorf's final speech. Any other ideas? 2. After rescuing the kidnapped girls from the fortress the obscenely rich family switches places with the destitute family. What does this represent? Is it just fun to watch a rich asshole lose or does it have some stronger connection to the game's themes? 3. After the credits Link and Tetra set off to find new land, which ends up being the setting of Phantom Hourglass. Doesn't this ignore the Deku Tree's efforts to build a more connected right here? Does this maybe betray a latent colonialist sentiment within the game?

[@Afterthoughts]

HOOOY

[@quagtwo]

About the Deku Tree, I'm gonna put on my tinfoil hat and say that the overworld of Breath of the Wild IS the Great Sea, very long after it potentially drying out and the Koroks letting nature take it's course.

[@johanandersson8252]

Oiiii

[@Shin3y]

@@quagtwo but isn't BOTW on the failed hero timeline, completely separated from Windwaker? or am i mistaken?

[@aliastheabnormal]

Its a continuity reboot. Tears of the kingdom debunks all of the previous lore and declares that the Open world Zelda games are their own contained stories.

[@kingofthegrill]

As far as the apocalypse goes, "we survive on islands and boats and the world is still really beautiful albeit dangerous" is better than most alternatives.

[@Kite403]

Would be better with some fish in the water, but that's fine lol

[@God-T]

so let me get this straight ganondorf laughed his ass off, failed then decided to just be salty about it 😅

[@ThatBugBehindYou]

It's interesting because by all means it's actually pretty terrible and I can imagine just how awful it was for these peoples but life moves on, zora probably suffered immensely but they too moved on, eventually it's not the new world it's just the world we live in.

[@NikhillRao27]

@@ThatBugBehindYou yeah i mean since it's obviously a Noah's Ark parallel you could almost assume that the vast majority of people in Hyrule died.

[@brzt4256]

@@Kite403 There is that talking man-fish, right?

[@PalaeoJoe]

Link's face says "What The Fuck is a Desert?"

[@Rolaran]

When you pulled out the line about Tetra's savvy representing a new brand of Wisdom to mirror Link's new brand of Courage, my jaw literally fell open. What an observation!

[@nolandderlugner1351]

Timestamp?

[@o_sindico]

In the third chapter of the vid​@@nolandderlugner1351

[@gaiance]

@@nolandderlugner1351 39:34 - 40:36

[@Ageman20XX]

I LOVED this video! One thing though; when Ganondorf says "The wind... It is blowing." in his dying breath, I do not think he was saying it in a positive or optimistic way. In his own words, "the wind" has only even brought him and his people death, so being killed by the embodiment of wind itself (The Wind Waker) was likely reaffirming of that belief. I think there's a lot of duality in that scene and the ending overall. The good guys see their victory as the dawn of a new era, while Ganondorf sees it as just the status quo continuing as it always has.

[@Skyehoppers]

Love that interpretarion tbh! I got kinda caught up in the difference between him saying theres no wind in the phantom ganon room and then saying the wind is blowing later. But youre right! His perception was still confirmed in the end. Such a cool scene and this would be a good place to start to build off the analysis I did

[@DavidStowers-o7k]

The Day/Night temperatures of the Gerudo Desert alluded to in Windwaker, being a major part of BOTW/TOTK's traversal game mechanics is a great callback in my opinion. Forcing the player to switch their armour sets for each area is one thing, but ideally combining at least two different set pieces (Gerudo Voe and Rito.) in order to stay comfortable at all times for extended periods in the desert (Whilst outside of Gerudo Town.) without constantly going to the armour menu screen.

[@OsnosisBones]

@@DavidStowers-o7k That's an interesting interpretation as a callback through in-game mechanics for consistency, though I can't be sure if that had been intentional or not since desert temperatures flipping between opposite extremes based on the time of day is really just how actual deserts work, in the same vein that the frozen tundra is life-threateningly cold if you're ill prepared. Sand heats up incredibly fast but does not retain that heat for very long, so that mixed with lack of humidity means the desert becomes blisteringly cold without sunlight to heat it. It could be an intentional callback, or simply a result of Nintendo using the harshness of a desert to frame Ganon's savagery and desperation and then using that same real-life ecosystem to create an environmental hazard.

[@JuilanXAnime3188]

And he’s not wrong AT Ganondorf must have known or at least something about the cycle same for his alternate timeline self before he died in TP and my theory is he know this because of the reincarnation of seeing links reappearing again more so for adult timeline Ganondorf And yes Iam Aware that crazy FACT the original end script for TP Ganondorf talking of his last breath in Twilight princess was originally supposed to be Demise talking through him which is a crazy fact that means Nintendo already had an idea of Skyward sword or at least an idea of what is was going to be before finishing up twilight princess!!!! 😮 Which is why TP Ganondorf : history written in blood And SS Demise :Blood sooked sea of darkness for all time are very similar quotes

[@sharondornhoff7563]

I think there's a pretty strong piece of evidence for the interpretation that Ganondorf still associated wind with death, right to the bitter end. Namely, that there's no particular in-game explanation for why he transforms into a statue when he dies ... except, perhaps, that he was using the last trace of Power left to him from his Triforce piece to utterly *defy* the wind/air and everything it symbolizes, transforming his dying flesh into the diametrically-opposing element: earth/stone.

[@yellownick15]

“If it is courage that awakens hope, it is love that awakens courage” What am I supposed to do other than cry before going to bed? Thanks for such a great video

[@corpsenymph4644]

Dude fr making flood the entirety of hyrule 😭

[@AceWolf456]

I love Tetra’s introduction as someone who needs to be rescued, followed up by her being badass. Because in a replay it’s really giving you the thought of “even badass people like Tetra need help occasionally.”

[@nicholasharlan6504]

Him chuckling, and saying the wind is blowing, coupled with how he viewed its interaction with his people. I’ve always felt this is the only incarnation of Ganondorf who views his doomed nature as intrinsic to being of the Gerudo, of those whom it seemed fate chose to suffer in this way. Perhaps even more specifically, that it is his cruel destiny to embody that evil wind. I truly do wish Nintendo would explore the idea of separating Ganondorf the man from the curse of Demise because, at least in this version of the character, there is something human in there.

[@Kite403]

Can you imagine a LoZ game where one of your biggest allies isn't Zelda, but a non-evil Ganondorf? That would be amazing to see!

[@No-Ink]

It makes you wonder just how much of Demise and Ganon himself influenced his choices in this life. The scene before the final fight and the scene before Puppet Ganon feel like retrospective clarity on Ganon's part. In the end, I don't think he regretted his life, just found the irony of his fate and the consequences of his actions due to that fate morbidly hilarious.

[@ThatBugBehindYou]

When Gannon wins he still loses, his demise is eternal.

[@rachaelbratton2972]

​@@No-Inklol true

[@ReikuYin]

I'd love a game where the triforce inheritors worked together. Gannon here shows it could work to see him humanized and/or redeemed. He always seems to want power yes, but also seems to just want good for his people in a lot of games when brought up.

[@MinorCirrus]

You touched on the fact that "maturity is not an artstyle" and I commend you for that. I would go even further: this cartoonish artstyle is what allows the game's final blow to be so graphic. At the end of The Wind Waker, Ganondorf no longer has his Triforce. He's just a Gerudo king, no longer tied to the evil incarnate that is Ganon. Link buries the final sword in his skull in what is, to me, the most violent death in the series. Had the game had a more realistic artstyle, it would have been too disturbing for a Zelda game, I believe.

[@tatltails3923]

I say all the time that Wind Waker's art style is an intentional cover-up for its absolutely brutal theming. It's like the sex appeal in the original Star Trek: if censors are all focused on sideboob in the 60's, they won't notice the blatant progressive political statements also in the 60's.

[@DavidStowers-o7k]

Let's face it, the "Neck Break" scene in Twilight Princess that the spirit of Zant uses to finish of Ganondorf was probably all Nintendo could've gotten away with to keep the rating it got.

[@Dash123456789Brawl]

Isn’t it arguably the same graphic death he had in Ocarina of Time, though? You could say because he was in beast form that it’s not as bad, but I think that’s a tenuous argument. Though I do think it’s fair to say WW gets an edge for having him actually speak, still alive and coherent while his brain is impaled. But a similar edge also goes to Twilight Princess, too. Even though he wasn’t impaled through the brain, the scene of him being impaled through his old wound is really brutal. The way the cutscenes starts with the audio muted, but as it gradually returns all you can hear is Ganondorf screaming in shock and agony. Then he stands up, in spite of his fatal wounds. The camera angles make it hard to tell, but as he stumbles to his feet you can see the tip of the Master Sword behind him, sticking out of his back. In both WW and TP, Ganondorf dies as a man, not as a beast, and in both cases, he dies standing up. But due to WW encasing him in cartoonish stone, it doesn’t feel as impactful to me as TP, when his eyes suddenly become all-white, no life left in them, and he never moves again except for his cape still blowing in the wind.

[@MinorCirrus]

@@Dash123456789Brawl I'll argue that stabbing a monstrous beast versus an old man makes a huge difference.

[@Dash123456789Brawl]

@@MinorCirrus But that monstrous beast is literally the exact same man. I think the difference in stabbing one in the head versus stabbing the other in the head is mostly superficial.

[@jimihendrix23456]

I really love your analysis of Daphnes' mistake with Tetra. She was already well on her way to claiming the sea, a princess all on her own merit, and his interference delivered her to Ganondorf on a sliver platter. At the same time, that move makes the next phase of the game much more cumbersome if the player didn't explore beyond the straight lines between the story islands. Only being a vessel of Daphnes' return to his former glory leaves you reeling. The line "There is no one named Zelda in the Wind Waker." hit really hard. Daphnes' choice to drown Hyrule and Tetra reemerging as her normal self at the end are amazing touches to show the old king's growth through the story.

[@sgi-irix]

I like how you pointed out that Tetra's transformation into Zelda (and lack of involvement in the 2nd half of the game due to KoRL) has actual thematic meaning, which I totally missed. It still bothers me, but it no longer feels like an oversight.

[@dissonanceparadiddle]

It's funny Gannondorf and the King of Hyrule though claiming to be opposites have far too much in common. They both are trying to preserve the past if not outright bring it back and with it discount all the knowledge and growth of the present. Time to cancel the King for white washing tetra

[@Skyehoppers]

Yeah and I mean I still wish they hadn't done that. It would've been supremely cool to have a game where zelda* aids you throughout the whole story (i think spirit tracks is the closest we have?). But it does definitely fit in with what the game communicates. Though maybe tetra sneaking out of the castle and helping link would've been the best of both worlds, or something along those lines

[@Afterthoughts]

I read "KoRL" the way Rick Grimes says "Cooorl." At least, in meme-land.

[@Rolaran]

Same! I've been seeing commentators from right when the game came out, to Anita Sarkeesian herself, to current day series analysis videos, making the same "lol Tetra turns into Zelda and is immediately damseled out of the plot" joke, and while it's a fair criticism, this is the first time I've seen it argued that it's an intentional and diegetic decision to have the King shortsightedly force Tetra to conform to his narrow understanding of what kind of person "Princess Zelda" needs to be. And you make a very cogent case for it! I would say that I think it would have been even more powerful if they'd found a way to have her assistance in the final fight depend not on her bloodline or magic, but on some skill clearly drawn from her piratical know-how that "Princess Zelda" would never have obtained, but that's a pretty small nit to pick.

[@ThatGastrodon]

@@Rolaran >paying attention to Anita Sarkeesian That's your problem right there.

[@rashkavar]

A slight addition to your reading of this as the game's Link not being THE HERO Link: The fact that the Tower of the Gods is a divine trial suggests almost that the gods are saying "You're not the one who's supposed to be doing this, you're just some kid. If you think you can pull this off, prove it!" It also explains, perhaps, why the Master Sword doesn't work for him right off the bat like it usually does, and why he doesn't just have the Triforce of Courage. Interestingly, there is another Link who faces some of these challenges: the Link of the original Legend of Zelda. While there is no dungeon that is explicitly structured as a divine trial (as far as I know), the Link in that game does find 8 triforce pieces and has a similar sword upgrade path. The game predates a lot of the Zelda lore, so it's not clear if the White Sword is just *a* sword and the Magical Sword is the Master Sword, or if the White Sword is an unempowered Master Sword which needs to be charged up, becoming the Magical Sword. Or, indeed, the Master Sword could be intended to be completely separate from both of those swords. But that could scan as the Link of Legend of Zelda *also* not being the prophecied hero, he's just the last person left brave enough to give it a try. (As I recall, aside from a couple of people hiding in caves, there's no civilization, no Kakariko Village or the like.)

[@Skyehoppers]

Yo thats an excellent point, thank you! I wouldnt have thought of that connection to the nes zelda myself.

[@tatltails3923]

There is no divine trial in LoZ, but there IS in Adventure of Link, its direct sequel! The whole game is a divine trial in order for Link to prove himself worthy of the Triforce of Courage, so he can use it and the two pieces he earned in the first game to wake Princess Zelda from eternal slumber. I'm pretty sure none of his swords are supposed to be the Master Sword though, the thing that kills Ganon in that game are the Silver Arrows (which could maybe be retconned into Light Arrows but still leave no significance for the swords.)

[@joshuafrazier3904]

I find it interesting because the prophecized heroes are all meant to be reincarnations of each other but they aren't in at least this timeline(since his soul isn't in the timeline anymore). They are his reincarnations in the downfall timeline though which makes me think that when Link’s previous incarnation failed the Gods no longer saw him as worthy hence having to prove himself once again.

[@mystrenula3911]

​@@joshuafrazier3904but that wouldn't make much sense since in albw Link gets the Triforce of Courage (the only time he has it in the downfall timeline save for Zelda 2) and this happens before the original games.

[@Aviplotbunny]

If Link can survive the post-apocalypse, I can survive going to work. Looking forward to listening to this throughout the day!

[@ballroomscott]

I needed this today. I have a job interview today after being unemployed for months and I’m super anxious about it. But I can have courage like you and Link.

[@angie3609]

I love how that you pointed out that the King of Hyrule, while he and his knowledge proved crucial in Link's quest, was also a man who made critical mistakes. Not because he was ill with his intentions, but because he had been stuck in the past so long that it was all he knew. But by the end, he had learned from those mistakes and let go of the past so the new generation could move forward in their own way. I loved this video

[@hedgehogsonic11]

Recontextualizing what I once thought were flawed portions of my favorite game in service of its themes is going to cause me to look at the whole game differently

[@celestwaker7848]

One of my favorite things about the great sea is how it’s lonely, but not unbearably so. The islands are isolated from each other but when they try to make bonds they make pretty strong and dedicated ones. Change itself can feel very lonely when you’re going through it, but when you reach out and realize other people are changing with you, it’s not so bad after all. Great analysis!

[@PostMesmeric]

I like how you covered the entirety of the story, because there are a lot of small bits of the narrative that serve the post-apocalyptic themes, bits that I think a lot of people (myself included) didn't notice, even after playing the game so many times. What's especially cool is your perspective not just on the themes, but the lessons that post-apocalyptic media can teach us. The ending of the video definitely got that across. I also dug your perspective on Tetra and the line "There Is No One Named Zelda in The Wind Waker" struck a pretty heavy chord, both thematically and emotionally. You did a fantastic job on this video. Keep that momentum going. :)

[@Skyehoppers]

Thank you!! I'm feeling super positive about my channel right now and just wanna keep making videos. Excited for the future, for sure. And I'm glad I could show you something new about this game! It is so satisfying the stuff you can learn when you really focus on close reading media you've experienced a million times. I found so much more depth in this game than I was expecting

[@skyesilverwing8922]

One of the things I think a lot of people fail to realize about Windwaker is the reason why the Hero failed to arise to defeat Ganon when he returned. People assume that the Spirit of the Hero was sent away into the Child timeline, leaving no spirit in the Adult timeline, resulting in there simply being no hero to rise. But that fails to take into account that, eventually, the Hero does, in fact rise. The thing is, when Ganon returned, Hyrule was full of stories of a Time Traveling Hero, the Hero of Time, who came from someplace (or sometime) else to overcome the darkness that had threatened the world all those years earlier. So they assumed that, with evil rising once again, the Hero would return. So they waited, and counted on a hero from elsewhere to show up and save the day. No one stepped up to take the role and become the Hero when the Hero was needed, so the Spirit of the Hero, strength that comes to the one with the courage needed to step up and do what needed to be done, was unable to find a host, and Ganon was able to attack unopposed.

[@jamiehubbard1713]

One thing I have recently been wondering, for a bunch of guardian deities that I’m pretty sure are meant to protect those within its domain, Jabun was very quick to abandon his people on Greatfish Isle to save his own skin. It reminds me of when Ganondorf’s quotes: “Your Gods abandoned you.”

[@jacksonvoet8312]

Maybe he was young when the Great Flood hit. We don’t know when he came into service. But yeah, it certainly doesn’t help the idea.

[@LiamNajor]

His actual words were "your gods destroyed you!"

[@DavidStowers-o7k]

The "Grandma is sad" music that plays when she gives you the shield and again before you heal her with a fairy is so effing depressing.

[@MissyJ]

Whats also nice is, after beating the game, you get to play again in links original island outfit. This is symbolism that while you may not be The Hero of Time, or a hero of old, you are a hero in your own right worthy of your own legend and garb.

[@robertfuentes9677]

I always thought of him as the "hero of wind"

[@Rolaran]

It had never occurred to me that the King of Red Lions spends most of his time in Wind Waker trying to steer the hero into hitting all the beats of the "classic formula". Gain the blessings of the gods, find the Master Sword, assemble the Triforce, and remember, Zelda's valuable because she's royalty and magical, not because she's cunning, resourceful, or captain of a fiercely loyal pirate crew. Whether intentional or not, he's behaving like an in-game manifestation of the worst kind of "series fans" more concerned with whether all the boxes on the "Legend of Zelda" checklist are being ticked than with the new possibilities inherent to a fresh start. Both he and Ganondorf make the same mistake from different angles, of assuming that the story of the Hero of Time is inseparable from the legacy of Hyrule, and imperiling this new world by seeking to dredge up that old one.

[@theghostcreator776]

King of Red Lions would be the kinda dude to go "BotW is a good game but it's not a good ZELDA game" like okay Grandpa take your meds 💀

[@linkeddevices]

Link is literally named the role of the figure which is to link you to the world as the bearer of the tri force of courage, or to the player the try force. Zelda is the personification of hylia and its her story, as if she were dm in a d and d game but also a character. Ganon is the possessor of the triforce of power. The triforce is represent the screen and each power. That's why it's red green and blue, RGB. The tri force together was supposed to be representative of the dram chip in the console which let you upload yourself to the game so you'd merge with the tri force. Ganon represents the threat of power while Zelda represents the story. I order to win you have to be courageous and willing to try and try again to master the power of Ganon and overcome him to fulfill the self fulfilling prophecy of Zelda. It's a really clever motif. Eveb links hat is supposed to be reminiscent of Peter pan and the world is a type of never land for you to explore thus the faeries. Ganon is a boar which is the Asian equivalent of the Wolf. Boars are as fierce as to kill king Robert boratheon in game of thrones. Getting gored by a boar while battling it tested the might of kings. Ganon is being a wizard with a form of the demon King isn't represented as a western demon but an Eastern demon a fierce monstrous boar. The baddies in Zelda are always puzzles that you have tj decipher and once you decipher it the enemy becomes easy. Courage leads to efforts efforts leads to wisdom to overcome all power and eventually Ganon is always a mega boss run of all his emenations to test you against all the monsters in the game which he represents as a culmination even has a phantom projection. Windwaker is the only time line when link (you) literally kill not Ganon the phantom projection but literally kill Ganondorf the sorcerer by stabbing him in the forehead. It's the end of the entire time line where link wins, his friend and paternal figure sacrifices himself and drowns so that he and the next generation can have a chance to start anew. He is designed to look like the antithesis of Ganondorf and they both die together and submerged themselves into the oblivious depths. And just like links awakening the night mare is over but this time it wasn't a dream and Zelda and link can start a new world. This game is the end of the world. I don't get how people don't get that link is supposed to be a dip shit with one quality that redeems him and allows him to "grow up": courage. There is no link but your role.

[@urbiznesnunuv6938]

@@theghostcreator776I hate Botw because it’s too self conscious to truly do it’s own thing because it still drags itself down with having token Zelda references rather than being a whole new game. And the game isn’t written well at all. So it’s actually quite the opposite, it’s fujibayashi saying “hey you still have to have references even if you’re trying to be your own thing”

[@nousername191]

@@theghostcreator776 Man, I've been a Zelda fan since the OoT days, but I really hate that "BotW is a good game but it's not a good ZELDA game" take. For goodness's sake, we've been using the same damn formula for 27 years before BotW. Let them cook something new.

[@Palemagpie]

​@@nousername191yea the line about it not being a good Zelda game is usually said by the same people who get very upset that link can and has to crossdress very briefly in BOTW. Although I'm still annoyed they won't let him be left handed anymore...as a lefty, I loved the representation.

[@phanboy8059]

Bro this video is so underrated it's painful. This is easily among the best Zelda, not just Wind Waker, videos I have ever seen.

[@Skyehoppers]

Thank you 💙

[@phanboy8059]

@@Skyehoppers 👍

[@ArtianSetS]

One of my favorite things is how in Spirit Tracks, Zelda in that game prays to Tetra (NOT Zelda) to give her strength. And even though in that game Zelda isn't exactly Tetra, she has a *lot* of personality and talks with Link the whole game, and helps him with puzzles and even fighting with the use of the spirit armor. She may rule over a place holding onto the Hyrule name, but it's "New" Hyrule. A new land entirely, which Tetra's team did find and settle upon. Even the demon king in the game isn't Ganon, it's someone named Malladus, and the triforce isn't a part of the game whatsoever from what I remember. He needs a sacred vessel to reincarnate with, but it's said to just be from that bloodline, not due to the triforce. I love how different it all is, the gameplay, the story, and especially Zelda's character and bond she forms with Link over the journey.

[@joshuafrazier3904]

I ain't gonna lie 55:41 has probably the most stylish Ganon kill Ive seen in my entire life. That entire sequence was goated.

[@Mattyzatty]

Great video! I really liked the breakdown of how the wind waker’s songs exemplify the themes of community and togetherness. One additional angle to that I’d suggest considering is how the wind waker being a conductor’s baton also shows this theme in full. The way the baton itself does not make any music but affects great change by guiding the musicians is very similar to Link’s plainness and not-being-a-chosen-one being offset by how many people he uplifts and brings together through the journey.

[@jamesprimmer355]

I've watched two dozen Windwaker retro reviews. I never get tired of hearing what people have to say about this game. It really does make me appreciate it infinitely.

[@TetraTerezi]

"tetra is a certified badass" thank you for the validation

[@verafeiyd]

Having Eurothug of all people do the intro's voice over honestly gave me goosebumps. 10/10 choice

[@verafeiyd]

AND he links to Liam Triforce? You've earned my sub my man.

[@arikins_]

i desperately needed a new youtuber to talk about old nintendo masterpieces and add ACTUAL MEANINGFUL COMMENTARY. thank you. i will be following your work !

[@vincentpollmann3191]

Fuck.... "If it is courage thats awakens hope, what awakens courage is love." thats a beautiful qoute. Got teary eyed for a moment there...

[@larsnyman2455]

Wind Waker is the only Zelda game I’ve completed 100%, and I love seeing cool takes on it!

[@miacalibr]

The scene with the Earth Sage and Medli playing together always gives me chills and a feeling of hope for some reason, It's been lodged deeply in my mind since I played the game at 5.

[@ubergamer2010]

It took only an hour, but you completely changed my perspective on this game and wtf was going on with Tetra. For years, I viewed it as "she was always Zelda, and her identity was simply hidden". As it turns out, this was actually her identity being taken away from her! 😭

[@tariqdotpng546]

This is the perfect video to show everything I love about the story of Wind Waker. It's always been so hard to put it into words, I'd always just say "It breaks that Zelda cycle", "Everyone is different from how they usually are in most games", things along those lines but you analyze the Triforce trio and side characters incredibly. Put it all into perfect words.

[@rosaliecarlson3525]

Thanks so much for the Tetra chapter. Ever since I first played this game as a preteen I was so frustrated that they took this amazing and genre-defying character and abruptly shoved her back into the old stereotype and out of the plot, but you've given me a really cool way to read the whole thing.

[@dennigalla]

There's no apocalypse like a Nintendo apocalypse. I wasn't a massive fan of BotW but the world/vibes are perfect.

[@Skyehoppers]

True! Honestly I think botw has more in common with wind waker than any other 3d zelda, at least in terms of the expansiveness and sentiment of its setting

[@JossCade]

Hell, look at Splatoon! The post-apocalyptic lore in those games is crazy.

[@WoobertAIO]

Yeah, Xenoblade Chronicles is great for that too

[@Arcanist_The]

@@WoobertAIO Lets not forget Kirby and the Forgotten Land, The World of Nothing in Super Paper Mario or Fire Emblem Three Houses. Im not joking with the last one btw

[@chrisdaily2077]

I found that Japan tends to have brighter post apocalypse stories (like Nintendo and Ghibli films) than we do in the West which makes sense considering Japan's the only nation that has been nuked. That's not the say all Japanese post apocalypse media is optimistic (Akira comes to mind) but Japan's stories tend to have the theme that - no matter how bad it was - life can and does go on.

[@Kona_AJ]

"Constant reinvention is the only thing that creates a future." Goddamn that hit hard, got goosebumps. Even googled it to see if it was a quote by some renowned author or something. Wonderful video, and I dont think there could be a better endcap to what I imagine was an exceptionally long script.

[@michaelkeith5398]

I like how the bad guy in the plot is the one trying to remake the old world and the act of heroism that saves them all is when they decide to let it wash away

[@CatBxtchNami]

It's interesting because the bad guy in stories tends to be the one trying to make a "new world" most of the time.

[@Lykrast]

When I was a kid I never got past the fortress, so like I mostly goofed around in the starting area and never even got to see the boat (and I liked it a lot). So really nice to see a detailled explaination and analysis of all those things I never found out about in the past and have just seen from bits of speedruns and random videos about it! Really really nice video!

[@borkbork9541]

Criminally underrated video and channel; never appreciated wind waker on this level until now.

[@Skyehoppers]

Thank you!

[@scp2539]

The Zora becoming birds still blows my mind. An entire world to be theirs and they gave it up to be mailmen :P

[@corpsenymph4644]

Paper don’t do so well in water so…

[@scp2539]

@@corpsenymph4644 they have bottles :P

[@ezrat4248]

It's salt water now and there's no edible fish in the great sea​@@scp2539

[@THE_TOAST]

i still say the gods forced their evolution to keep them from discovering and tampering with old hyrule.

[@Kite403]

My guess is that since the Great Sea has no fish in it, the Zora of old would have potentially starved to extinction (assuming they have a fish-based diet, which I'm inclined to believe)

[@VesperOfRoses]

The interesting thing about Ganondorf in the climax is that unlike other iterations, he has no desire to kill Link or Zelda. He straight up tells Link after subduing him that he is not going to kill him, he just wants the Triforces within their bodies, and once he extracts them, he leaves them alone. He doesn't kill unnecessarily and only fights them when his plans go up in smoke.

[@tagtra290]

Your explanation for why Tetra becomes a damsel in distress when she's revealed to be Zelda is satisfying, connected to several of the game's themes, and has great evidence to back it up. I like it a lot more than my theory, which was just mysogyny

[@ThatGastrodon]

Sorry but it was always pretty obvious and seeing it like that kind of just reveals your own biases. Maybe try not looking at any slight against a woman as an example of "the patriarchy" and give creators an ounce of credit.

[@noahcharrua3991]

no its ok it can still be both

[@sajking7269]

@@ThatGastrodon Maybe try not looking at any mention of misogyny as an example of "biases" and give other people an ounce of credit.

[@theghostcreator776]

​@@ThatGastrodonnah man you're just being a dick 💀

[@alventuradelacruz522]

Bias

[@Yesnomu]

This was beautiful! The themes of Wind Waker have only gotten more resonant since its release (which couldn't have been twenty years ago shut up), and I love your interpretation. I always hated Tetra being removed from the story, and having it framed explicitly as a mistake in-universe makes sense (even if it doesn't make me like it). This really makes me wish there was a scene of the King realizing his error sometime--his realization that Hyrule needs to end must have been a powerful and difficult moment for him. His scene at the end still brings a tear to my eye, and is such an encapsulation of the game's whole message, passing on the torch to the new generation.

[@cybrogpotato7425]

Bro says all of that and then goes “it’s not that deep”. I loved this video dude, thank you for putting my deep appreciation and love for this game into words in a way I never could

[@Hamada-uy8uy]

Fantastic video! With how tightly-knit Wind Waker seems to be as is, it’s surprising that major portions of it were blatantly cut. Like, Greatfish Isle’s destruction seems to perfectly establish the threat of Ganondorf, but how would things have gone if it housed a full-on dungeon in place of the endless night?

[@Skyehoppers]

Yeah honestly it's interesting to wonder what the game would have been like if it wasn't rushed. Greatfish was for sure going to be a real dungeon if they had the time. I think the way they framed that choice to remove a dungeon as part of the story was brilliant, tbh. Maintaining a cohesive story and theme through development troubles is a real show of the talent behind the wind waker

[@AnAverageGoblin]

while i'd LOVE to see what dungeon was specifically cut (my current theory is that the Cistern from Skyward Sword is in some parts that dungeon) I think having to force the player to sail all the way home works better.

[@blblbl115]

When Valoo showed up at Forsaken Fortress. My first time playing, I was like "Aw hell yeah! Ya done messed up Ganondorf..." Later, realizing Ganondorf survived, I was like "Welp... the fire was useless... but SPECTACULAR none-the-less..."

[@mywifesboyfriend5558]

I've always had a special spot in my heart for the Wind Waker. The cute artstyle belies the fact that this is the most realistic Zelda of all. It tells the story of the 4 main characters in a very profound way. Link must become a warrior and hero in his own right, and rescue his sister. Living up to the legacy of a great hero before him. Later, becoming friends and allies with Tetra/Zelda who possibly becomes a love interest? Link's story seemingly goes one way, when it was going another all along. Even Ganondorf admits respect for his Courage in the end. Tetra / Zelda discovers who she truly is, and the legacy her deceased mother left her. Zelda learns the legends she had read about all her life were indeed, true. A princess of a forgotten land, frozen in time. Also, Zelda must learn to trust someone, a certain boy in green. Maybe more than trust... Zelda must find the Wisdom to think about others. Ganondorf a former king, and now known as a monster. Who forever seethes over his defeat at the Hero of Time's hands, yet has reflected about his actions over the centuries. Ganondorf has a slight sense of nobility, yet always pursues the Power of the Triforce. In the end, Ganondorf goes mad, and dies for it. He does indeed drown with Hyrule. Finally, the King of Hyrule knows of Tetra's true nature, and aids Link on his quest, seeing the potential in him. Like the Hero of old. The King may be the true hero of the story, waiting for his moment to avenge the great kingdom that Ganondorf's actions destoyed. In the end, the King's wish to the Triforce is what defeats Ganondorf for good. In the end, the world has hope again, fulfilling the King's wish as he perishes with his land. In so many ways, the timeline of the Wind Waker feels more alive than the Twilight Princess timeline. Somewhere, under the ocean, the Hero of Time statue still smiles....

[@heyitsjoshmusic]

The Wind Waker is my favorite Zelda (no doubt in part a classic case of "I played this one first so it's my favorite") and this is a fantastic analysis of its themes. Drawing the connection between Ocarina of Time's reception in the real world and legendary status in the game world, with TWW's story and contrasting existence to OOT declaring "we are going to embrace change and move on", was very well done. On the topic of the Zora becoming the Rito, I once read a theory that they were removed from the water via their evolution to keep them away from the old world-basically, no one on The Great Sea should be able to casually discover Hyrule. They retain their expert traversal through flight, but cannot exist underwater.

[@corpsenymph4644]

I think that’s a really good theory for the Rito in WW. Plus, fins and wings have just about the same purpose: fins propel you through water, wings propel you through the air.

[@joshuafrazier3904]

Despite barely playing Skyward Sword it is my favorite Zelda Game even though I played BoTW first. I just really like the lore from SS, implications in the world, story, boss fights, and just god I love it so much.

[@ReikuYin]

I honestly think it's interesting they mention that being able to call the character whatever you want a wrinkle, as it's an important little nod too one of the themses of the game. Tho it was touched on. This is "NOT" Link. Or rather, not an incarnation of him/the spirit of the hero. You can def call him that and that could be his name but everything this boy does is his own courage shinning through. He took up a sword to save his sister, that was his drive for the start of the game. After he successfully saves her he could have stopped, and yes beating Gannondorf is in extension of that, but who could say how long it would take? He could have stopped and lived out his days before it came to head, but he was a good kid and wanted to protect others as well as his family, despite the dangers and horrors he might face. He peiced together the triforce of corage and was chosen by it because of those actions. Same with the Master Sword where his actions brought light to it. As mentioned, we know he was never destined to do this. He chose to be a hero. Which I think makes the extra of playthrough of the game again in his usual blue an important thing. He was forced, *by tradition*, to wear the green, but had him his way he likely would have just stayed in his favorite (assumedly) blue shirt. I like to think that the reason you can understand the old words in a second playthrough is because now that you have proven he was a hero he is accepted by the game itself to now be fully part of the conversation, not kept out of it while Jabu talks on how if The King of Red Lions is sure this boy, not fated to do anything, can actually rise to the task. After all, even "Zelda" was not named that, that was what she was indeed, but she was her own person first with her own life, not the life expected of her. I realize that this is also counter to the story at the start. Passivity vs action. The old world put fate in the hands of a legendary hero to come save them again rather than actively move to take action. Our hero acted immediately to make worthwhile change. Tetra, tho not knowing all the reasoning why, took action in her own way to make herself hard to find and track being able to be anywhere any time on the great sea, but also education herself on some of the past. They moved into heroism and Gannondorf only started really gaining ground after Tetra was made Zelda and made to be passive like the old world, sitting in a single spot, unmoving and unchanging. Rigidity adhering to the old ways. In a room lined with references to those old ways. Literally trapped in a room with history and expectations looking down upon her.

[@dissonanceparadiddle]

This was wonderful! I've always found this game so cozy and the idea that community saves the world not just the few but the many is very sweet

[@Skyehoppers]

Thank you :)

[@doctorsphoenix4681]

Wow, isn’t that weird that ‘cozy’ describes it so well? Seems strange but it’s so true!

[@darkbeetlebot]

Easily THE best wind waker video essay I've ever seen. It was so good that it suddenly got me out of a fit of writer's block I'd been having for a solid half year on what to do with the latter half of my book. And with this, I realized, "It's the community." I had already injected similar themes to the wind waker, but I had failed to recognize one of its core pillars, and that led me to not knowing where to go with it. Now I do.

[@Cassia2000]

The rematch against the game's bosses in Ganon's tower furthers the theme of the past. Ganondorf attempts to stop Link from reaching the top entirely using the past, but Link defeats the past and moves on

[@awildsylveon9896]

The Dragon Roost theme is still SO GOOD. Gives me shivers

[@ThatBugBehindYou]

Never forget about the GOAT Deku Tree, the only one up in this entire game that had a solid plan of fixing all this, bro literally reforested the land look at phantom hourglass and spirit tracks he won, he did it.

[@idontneedachannelthanksyou7292]

This video seems to be getting more attention recently which is good! I love it. Your analysis was clear and it made a lot of things mesh together more smoothly in my understanding (mostly them locking tetra up. I thought that was stupid and it still is, but it served the theme at least)

[@prime8411]

was sent here from a comment on the newest (as of today) jacob geller video, and it's really made my day. thank you for helping putting into words aspects of this game that I have been dreaming of since my frightened-of-bosses ten year old self picked up a controller.

[@Skyehoppers]

Oh shoot that explains the spike in views today! Thats really cool. Glad you liked it :)

[@youtubeisawebsite7484]

i am heartened and relieved by your thoughtful and passionate evaluation of the symbols and ideas that video games play with. i hope you continue to find this as rewarding to write and edit as we find this to watch

[@TheTrueNehme]

Much as I enjoy the idea of WW Link not being cut-out to be hero, I also find it incredibly hard to argue that *fate* didn't play a heavy part in him fulfilling the legendary hero's destiny. The legendary hero may have been absent when the people needed him most, the goddesses just needed time for everything to fall into place before their next chosen hero to rise to the occasion. All the way down to the "secret technique" (named so as of Zelda 3/ALttP) being taught to Link as part of his initial sword training. Which is said to have been selectively handed down by the knights of hyrule, even implied in Link's Awakening to be passed down from the destined hero's lineage itself. Even more fun to think about, it could have very well originated from Skyward Sword Link as he was the first hero divinely chosen by Hylia.

[@an8strengthkobold360]

I know this is almost entirely head cannon but... I see this Gannondorf as one who has realised the reality of hia curse but knows he can't fight his nature. He's still going to be evil but he's going to oviod killing children and has some understanding of his own motive beyond that of his curse.

[@chrisdaily2077]

It's strangely fitting that Ganondorf does everything because he is the victim to a literal sunken cost fallacy.

[@mywifesboyfriend5558]

He still has a slight air of nobility, but in the end, reverts to his evil nature.

[@reformedorthodoxmunmanquara]

Y'know, I never thought about Tetra's shift in relevance this way. This is an interesting take that I'll now accept as canon

[@vivaldismurder8779]

It astounds me that someone with a following on the smaller Side still Puts out these incredibly detailed, well written and well edited pieces. Not once have I found myself *not* enjoying these. Even with things I know nothing about. I always wanted to play the Windwaker but lacked console and funds. But now that you describe it and its themes, I Kind of want to get back into it.

[@totallynotsam7844]

Im crying right now. This is one of my new favorite video essays on here. Thank you

[@Lunar_Crescentfall]

Excellent analysis, i love the Windwaker so much, im glad i gave it another chance ❤ Only reason was because i thought it didn't look dark enough, but playing through the entire game and 100% it, it has a dark story much as you described. I love the artstyle a lot, even on the gamecube it looks pretty and not aged much. Also the music is fire. I loved the open sea exploration too, and the story is great. Loved Link's progression, he went from getting flung from that bird to kicking it's ass. Easy sure, but it felt satisfying.

[@therevoltingslob2564]

I’ve been deep into the video game analysis area of KZbin for a few years now but this is undoubtedly my favorite channel

[@bullet4459]

I love this game so much. Especially the fact that ganon wasnt all bad. He, in a very weird and strange sense, is just like count bleck/blumier. Both had something they wanted to happen (bleck wanted to be with tipi and ganon wanted to stop the suffering of the gerudo) and grief caused them to almost destroy the world.

[@morrisoneil8425]

Ever since my wii u broke I’ve been praying for this game to come to the switch. I love this game so much that I always get all the figurines

[@Jynx215]

Wind waker is my favorite Zelda game. The colors, the ocean, the music, the adventure. Also the final boss fight, with the ocean crashing down around you, is so epic.

[@chobochobus]

At 49:40 the text on screen says(referring to the rito) "i have no idea why a flooded world meant they should lose their ability to swim but whatever". There are two notable theories, 1 being that the sea is saltwater and the Zora's in ocarina of time are exclusively fresh water Zoras (Although in Majoras Mask I believe the Termina zoras can swim in the sea); And 2 is that it could have been an act of divine intervention. The Gods wanted old Hyrule to be forgotten amongst the flooded world, allowing the Zora's (an intelligent race) to have access to the Hyrule from below and where the master sword slept would have not protected Hyrule. The Master Sword is the seal that stops the time from old Hyrule, so to greater hide the sword and protect the seas they sort of "pushed" the Rito evolution, this could be supported by Valuu being a deity/sacred being basically granting them their wings, they need the help of a greater being to get the ability to fly. Edit: Forgot to mention, the map fish is an intelligent creature but doesn't have the means/appendages to really do anything in Hyrule, whilst the zora would

[@SweetLykACherri]

Are you kidding me with the quality of this content?????? INCREDIBLE

[@911meltdown2]

How are you just now being recommended? You deserve hundreds of thousands of subscribers and viewers. So incredibly well done. Genuinely thought out explanations and the arrangement from start to finish with each section incredibly detailed. The flow of the videos that I've seen so far from you are smooth. Absolutely wonderful.

[@keystonerecords4541]

seriously some of the best analysis videos on youtube, in general not just within the scope of video games

[@connor-g4r]

This analysis makes me appreciate Wind waker even more! I already loved it long before listening to this and you made it even better! Thank you!

[@joshuafrazier3904]

I just realized Skyward Sword is weird mix between OoT and WW. That Link also only went and saved the world for his loved ones and lives in a semi post apocalyptic world but like in OoT he was destined for his adventure, always unique in someway with his vision and more.

[@rs1118931]

God this game still gives me goosebumps. No idea what legend of Zelda was till my parents got me a GC and this game came with it !!

[@pepsiman215]

Yay an actual analysis video that isn’t a plot synopsis this video was so fucking good man

[@Kaida760]

The Triforce pieces themselves become split....embedded in what each desires most. Link desired courage to keep going. Zelda desired Wisdom to understand. Ganon desired Power. So Tetra and Link may not be thee Zelda / Link..........just the two at the time who represented Wisdom and Courage enough to become them. Also a little fun side note. Without Courage and Wisdom you cannot wield true power. Which may ultimately be why Ganondorf could never truly have the true force to govern all 3 pieces. All he wanted was power but never had the courage or the wisdom to get what he wanted.

[@AtoyK]

The way you presented Link’s motives and feelings at the beginning literally got me emotional! I’m becoming a huge fan of your presentation style and am really looking forward to more videos! It’d be cool to hear your thoughts on The Pikmin series!

[@manoloaguilar974]

i liked the message, love awakens courage, and courage awakens hope.

[@urbiznesnunuv6938]

It’s a shame Zelda fans missed the point of daphnes screwing up by sticking to the past over looking to the future. Now it’s too late to repair what’s been broken.

[@curlycreature7693]

ive watched a few of your essays now, and i love your tendency to analyze games from the perspective of its identity as a piece of art rather than the simple sum of its parts.

[@vishuprathikanti9352]

Wow that point about the king being stuck in the past is genius! I can't believe I never really understood that. And the point about the winds representing change is also incredible!!

[@nickbritt1145]

That’s another reason why Wind Waker holds a special place in my heart. Behind its brightly colored world and high seas adventures, there’s a dark and sad story about Hyrule’s destruction.

[@notdamienirl]

my recommended blessed me today, this was such a great analysis of the wind waker! i especially appreciated your commentary on tetra and the way daphnes treated her.

[@pretends2know]

One thing you missed in your analysis but dance around is that it's not just one generation to the next, it's parenting and families. It's not just that the King of Red Lions is stuck in his old ways of the franchise, he's doing what he knows to do. Parents struggle with that all the time, and heck, ours did, and (if we become parents) we will as well. The reading also explains why the penultimate boss is Puppet Ganon. Ganondorf doesn't just want Hyrule for himself. He wants to be in his image. There are parents out there that don't raise children to grow up; they raise them to be exact copies of them that do their bidding and carry out their wishes. I wish I could say that this was all my idea, but I picked this up from Ceave Perspectives here on KZbin.

[@tysondennis1016]

Wind Waker is something I would want to play in the future

[@Sadwav]

What a wonderful video. I just found your channel today and have been marathoning all your videos. Thanks for making these!

[@SpiritShade]

ah, i love your take on the wind waker! i played the game when i was little, so i could've never imagined this game had that much depth (haha, depth, ocean- nevermind.) to it. nonetheless, i really appreciate your deep introspection on all of your video essays, they're always a joy to watch :).

[@Ninjacat25]

Yet again, you have created a beautiful video.

[@kitty_gamer23]

the future is now old man

[@tatltails3923]

how many times do we have to teach you this lesson, old man?!

[@corpsenymph4644]

“Ok boomer”

[@CAP35074GR]

I'm always impressed by your ability to invest me in media that i previously did not care about - I have never played a Zelda game in my life, but this was an incredible analysis of an interesting story

[@Thenewbagman]

This is easily the best of them all. A really dark and adult themed game underneath a gorgeous facade with solid mechanics and a world that i love to explore every single time. Plus the added flavor of being a real and solid OOT sequel.

[@alwayssleepy2476]

Honestly this is one of my new favorite videos on the Wind Waker. I absolutely love your analysis on Wind Waker’s themes of change and how the game recontextualized the classic Zelda formula.

[@NyeGills]

this video genuienly made me cry. you hit on every point exactly, and expressed something i always felt but was never able to contexualize outloud into words. amazing vixeo, amazing analysis.

[@autumnsfall6352]

Beautifully put

[@celowein]

Probably the best Wind Waker analysis out there! Wow!!

[@be6757]

this game has a beloved place in my childhood and this video more than does it justice

[@Gonsoi]

the ganondorf speech at the end of the game gave him the award as the best ganon of the series

[@Skyehoppers]

Agreed. I so wanted totk ganondorf to have a moment like this but nothing came close

[@DekuTheLamp]

I found your channel recently, after watching your Bastion video (which was incredible as well, btw) but this video feels important to me. I'm just another rando who doesn't have any weight of merit, but as someone who's been struggling on a mental health journey, this video feels like a ray of golden hope. I played WW as a kid, but never beat it. It never dawned on me how heavy the themes of the game were, and up until the triforce shards, I just thought it was a cool Zelda game. As stated in your Bastion video: "storytellers can lie to tell better stories," (paraphrasing) your analytic gaze into a game I had otherwise glossed over feels like it's calling out to me, to anyone who watches to stand, to act. So thank you.