The World of Gloom - Tears of the Kingdom Mythology

[@MonsterMaze]

A BIG thank you to everyone who purchased some of the Zelda jewelry and Monster Maze pins! My fiancé couldn't be more happy to work on them! ♥ Have a good one!

[@Cliffordlonghead]

First

[@Cliffordlonghead]

Awesome video

[@rinforthewin-ks1vk]

Please let your partner know that I love my triforce bracelet and that I loved the cute little package she put together. ❤

[@MonsterMaze]

@@rinforthewin-ks1vk That is amazing to hear! I shall pass on the message!

[@Cliffordlonghead]

@@MonsterMaze hi

[@globaled1694]

im still so bummed there was no dark link fight down there... how could they miss an opportunity like that

[@GoronMerchant]

Bummed that I waited 7 years for a terrible game…. TOTK is not good game. They missed a lot of opportunities, all to make goat people canon, not only canon, but GODS. they didn’t bring back items. Dungeons felt pointless. They got rid of the Sheika tech, just to create Zonai Tech. Weapon system/ combat is the same as 2017. Do I need to continue? This game frustrates me to no end. How can people give it a 10/10….

[@Flaris]

I am surprised they missed that chance. Game took quite a while to develop but a few things were surprisingly left out.

[@MonsterMaze]

It would've fit the whole "mirror opposite" theme of the Depths for sure!

[@Pyronic_]

@@GoronMerchantI disagree but it’s your opinion, but how’d you wait for this game for 7 years? I only waited 5 and a half

[@supercharged5-39]

@@GoronMerchant how could you have waited 7 years?

[@onewingedmoogle]

My favorite Depths theory is that it is Old Hyrule. The theory builds on the Korok sidequest from WW, where they plant magical trees on small islands in order to grow forests that will eventually lead to new land being created. After many ages the landmass would cover the whole Great Sea and after many more ages, the Great Sea would have largely dried up. Eventually, Tetra's descendants would find their way back from New Hyrule and settle on their old land. This, of course, assumes that BotW and TotK take place in the Adult Timeline. It's probably not intended by the devs, but I've still found the theory very compelling ever since I first heard it.

[@KryyssTV]

The depths don't need any theorycrafting, there's been vast subterrainean realms in Zelda for a very long time with those beyond the Kingdom of Hyrule being called Subrossia. There's also the fact that access to Lorule is found deep within chasms under Hyrule.

[@OtakuUnitedStudio]

The dungeons of the original Legend of Zelda were referred to collectively as "The Underworld" and took up almost as much space as the overworld map when combined. My guess is that you could very well be right and the Lightroots are the roots of those young Deku Trees. But in the Downfall Timeline, the Depths could be the remains of the Underworld where some of the borders have eroded and opened up into each other. That would also explain the bosses on the Depths since that's where they would originally be from. But as said before, while there are some interesting theories to explore, the events of BotW and TotK are said to be inevitable in all three timelines, and that similar but different events to the games in other timelines will occur in the others (a conflict with the Twilight Realm in the Adult Timeline, a flood in the Child Timeline, etc.).

[@ShoppingAttic]

I like this theory, it's fun to theorycraft to fit MORE stuff and spider web it all together.

[@VaguelyRowlet]

@@OtakuUnitedStudio I love the idea of lightroots being the trees the koroks planted

[@michaelw.4286]

omg… and yona’s character profile says she’s from a land that’s not our current hyrule… perhaps she’s from what was new hyrule in spirit tracks 🤯🤯

[@solarwreathe3789]

What stands out to me the most in the Depths are the three dark skeletons that mirror the leviathans on the surface. Judging from their long shape and size I think they're deceased dragons, which begs the question of what out there is able to kill them (demon dragon ganon proves it is possible, despite their immortality.) Even more compelling is that each dark skeleton houses a Gloom Spawn. The Depths only have 7 gloom hands total, so it's significant to me they take up 3 of their spawn locations. I like to imagine that if their presence doesn't imply they had something to do with each dragons' death, they could be scavenging the remains for immortal energy similar to Ganon's energy-sucking roots littered throughout the place.

[@mayacabezas9761]

I NEED more people to talk about this and expand on this theory because it's so damn good. I always wondered why the gloom spawns were there other than for a creepy gameplay experience and I really love your explanation for them. A few other things I noticed about the dark skeletons that I think are worth pointing out are: I think the leviathans are on top of them because maybe they themselves had something to do with their deaths. I'm not sure how else they'd end up on top of one another mirriong each other like this. It would make sense that in order to kill an extremely powerful being, you'd need the aid of another extremely powerful being. (Demon dragon fight shows this) But what would be the reason for killing them anyway? We know that Farosh, Naydra and Dinraal were not the first and only ones to draconify before Zelda and Ganondorf did it. This is because the ancient Zonai, those before the time of Rauru and Mineru, were said to have worshipped a water dragon. Secret stones other than the ones we see in game also existed prior to these events, created by the ancient Zonai, who had given them the ability to transform their users in the first place. The ancient Zonai had the full intention of using them for that purpose eventually. When Mineru first mentions draconification our minds instantly turned to the dragon trio, but I don't think they're who she was referring to anymore, and I don't think they're the reason why draconification became forbidden. Draconification in the Zonai's past may have had far worse consequences than just "losing yourself", consequences that ended up endangering the rest of the kingdom somehow, requiring for the first individuals who chose to draconify to be killed. But we don't know. The Zonai gave their secret stones this ability, potentially with the goal of having most of them go through with the process even. But without realizing how dangerous that really was. On top of being underneath each of the leviathan skeletons, the dark skeletons are all placed in somewhat strange locations in the depths overall. The one in Hebra is located in between two of the lava falls. The one in Eldin is located much closer to the lost Gorondia (ancient Goron city) than the leviathan skeleton is to Goron city on the surface. But the absolute strangest one of all is the Gerudo dark skeleton, located right underneath the lightning temple, which is in an area in the desert known as the dragon's exile. What makes this even weirder is that when you think about it, not only is this the only dungeon on the surface, and only dungeon with something like this underneath it, but it's also the only dungeon that we have no idea what its old purpose was. The backstory of every other dungeon is established way more than this one, and all of them have a title to them alluding to what they once were. (Ex: Lost Gorondia Rediscovered, The Great Wellspring of Hyrule) but for the lightning temple it's almost like it's intentionally vague. All it says is "The mural's myth, risen from the sands". It gives us no explanation for what this place used to be, just an idea that it was an important temple where Gerudos gathered for rituals or something. But the fact that there's so much mystery to this place, there's a giant skeleton right underneath it, it's in an area called dragon's exile and considering the way it was underground before you uncover it, leads me to think this place is a missing piece of the puzzle. I figured this place could've been where it was imprisoned and killed, but given the layout of the dungeon I'm not so sure about that exact scenario. I now wish I would've traversed the Gerudo depths prior to completing the main quest, to see if the temple appears in the depths before you solve the puzzle. I'm not sure if that's the case in the game, I don't think it is. (I realize it says it's buried in the SAND not the depths, so maybe it was just buried in the cave systems) But either way, the placement of everything makes me feel like before that skeleton was well, a skeleton, the last place it visited could have been this location before its ultimate fate. And that there's definitely some lost history behind the name "Dragon's Exile" here. We know that others became immortal dragons before the ones we see in game, but what happened to them? Shouldn't these immortal dragons still be flying around Hyrule ages later? If Farosh, Naydra, Dinraal AND the light dragon have all lasted this long, where are the others? Where is that water dragon the Zonai worshiped? The depths might just offer a harsh answer to that in the end. We don't even know if that was really the case, but it's the closest thing we have to an answer to this question in the entire game. Again, I really do think there were way more consequences to draconification than just forgetting who you are, which may have led to these original dragons' demise. Maybe there were even some of them who were evil individuals, who like Ganondorf, chose to draconify for malevolent reasons instead. There are three of them, just like the trio. Maybe these skeletons are of dragons who were supposed to be the original protectors of the springs, but something went wrong and they were replaced by the current trio. One counter argument to this entire theory someone pointed out: None of the dark skeletons have horns. Each dragon we've seen has had horns and you'd expect them to be featured on the skeleton but they are not, which some people said disproves them being dragons entirely. I don't believe that, however, because the game makes it clear that the shards of horns have magical properties and are not like bones. (you can easily break them off the dragons, which makes them seem less like they're actually made of bone) The shards of horn are also the most powerful item you can acquire from the dragons. So, the game clearly establishes that the horns are the part of dragons that hold the most magical power and that conduct most of the elemental energy throughout the body. All that power surely fizzles out when the dragon dies. So if these horns are mostly composed of magical energy, instead of the traditional bone or cartilage, it would make perfect sense for them to disintegrate or vanish when their owner parishes, instead of staying attached. Anyway, sorry for going off about this in such a long comment. I just love this theory a lot and discussing Zelda theories is always fun.

[@solarwreathe3789]

@@mayacabezas9761 Never apologise for zelda theories on a zelda theory video because this is great stuff. I didn't think about the lightning temple/dragon exile point, establishing there was a site for the purpose of killing dragons makes the final boss's defeat feel a lot less out of nowhere. I definitely agree there was a good reason for draconification becoming forbidden, maybe like the stones themselves they were used as weapons of mass destruction. Maybe some even willingly draconified for a death ritual with a purpose - kill a dragon in a desert, and it's body will provide the ecosystem with enough nutrients to create a whole biome of thriving plants and wildlife (before falling into the depths...somehow). Kind of a reverse Lanayru desert in Skyward Sword situation, unless their subsequent exploitation of the area's resources led it to become dried up again, like it is now. now that I think about it the other two fossils are underneath similarly barren places, Deplian Badlands and Hebra Summit. Maybe it became forbidden because over-mining the land then saying 'whatever we'll just restore it with a dead dragon' was playing god a little too much.

[@mayacabezas9761]

@@solarwreathe3789 I really like that part of the theory because it adds onto one of the ideas explored in the video about how the depths fit into Hyrule's circle of life. Considering how the dragons are also strong elemental beings (and their presence alone can change the entire atmosphere and climate around them) it would further make sense if their bodies were used for such a purpose, in order for their elemental energy to create new climates and replenish life in these huge dead areas. The more I think about it, the more it starts to seem like the reason the Zonai went extinct could've been because of draconification. Maybe too many of their people ended up as dragons that needed to be destroyed. Either to restore a land like this or something else. Honestly, maybe these dragons weren't even supposed to be killed to bring new life to an area. What if they transformed just with the intention of flying around the biome and giving it stable weather for all eternity? But something eventually happened to them? Makes me feel like again, these first dragons were intended to be divine protectors for certain regions like the trio in the game, but something went horribly wrong with the first individuals who chose to do it.

[@dampflokfreund]

There's no lore behind this. It's just recycled assets to save memory and dev time, like a lot of stuff in this game.

[@rheokalyke367]

To add to your theory. Bokoblins later on use "Dragon bone" bows and shields. This implies that they were able to source these bones from somewhere.

[@aaronolson6736]

I think this actually fit better as an after halloween episode, The Depths are mysterious and a bit eerie but not evil

[@dampflokfreund]

Mysterious for the first 10 minutes maybe. Then you realize its just the same old copy pasted mines and old BOTW DLC gear everywhere.

[@legomaster2538]

I really wish TotK had gloom versions of the Hollows from AoC that resemble the four Sages before Mineru. They even could have been alternate second phases to the Gloom Spawn fight sometimes replacing Phantom Ganon.

[@aaronolson6736]

Yeah that's about all they needed, the hands get a bit dull after the first few encounters. It could have been that Gloom Hands create Hollows while Phantom Ganon is saved for Hyrule Castle, Inside the Deku Tree, and in the path to Ganondorf. It would also be cool to see what looks like the Sages wielding more sinister weapons, give them a move from their temple boss too.

[@Pyronic_]

@@aaronolson6736 I wish they kept phantom Ganon in the tree and after some of the hands, and Sage hollows for some of the hands, and then in the castle it was a puppet zelda fight, sorta like tp

[@rheokalyke367]

@@aaronolson6736 Consider this. Phantom Ganon is *not* just a random creation of Ganondorf. It's literally supposed to be Ganondorfs "sage vow", if you will. If he were to hypothetically make a sages vow with Link, then Phantom Ganon would be the summoned sage. Which it's trying to parallel.

[@legomaster2538]

@@rheokalyke367 I have seen an interesting theory form Zeltik explaining that concept. Phantom Ganon is likely Ganondorf’s sage avatar.

[@pancakes8670]

That big bottomless pit into Glooms Cavern is very spooky. When I first got there I actually thought it was the entrance to the "Underworld" that the Demons originally came from all the way back in Skyward Sword. Basically Zelda Hell. Also the idea that the Zonai all jumped down deeper into the earth instead of returning to the sky is an incredibly terrifying idea. I kinda wish that was the case as it fits with Zeldas darker sides to its stories.

[@adonailr9667]

Their curiosity pushed them into the abyss, where they never came back

[@Malowith]

13:26 I'm 90% sure those "fossilized tree roots" are just inverted caves. Just like how solid rock becomes empty space in the depths, the empty spaces in those mountains become solid rock.

[@MonsterMaze]

Also possible. I thought they look a lot like roots (or tree branches). They even have those "plateau mushrooms" growing on them.

[@Saben.C-Spoon]

They could be both at once

[@KryyssTV]

The Depths was just a lazy inversion of the Hyrule heightmap with some minor adjustments so it may be that the inversion of overworld caves formed rootlike structures that inspired the aesthetic of the Depths.

[@KamenracerX]

During my playthrough of ToTK, I made the connection of the Sky Islands being analogous to Takamagahara simply because it was a land hidden in the sky and that the Zonais were basically Hyrule's version of the Amatsukami, the gods of heaven. By extension, the marriage between Rauru and Sonia is a re-telling(?) of the marriage between the Amatsukami and the Kunitsukami, gods of the land, that led to the establishment of the Japanese Imperial family.

[@pingunooty]

Damn that's actually really cool

[@ianweir3608]

Ancient Japanese were Aryan aliens : confirmed

[@cosmonautblues5999]

On the point that there is an equilibrium between the depths and the surface: the Studio Ghibli inspirations for BOTW/TOTK are well-known and as many people have pointed out, the Depths are very reminiscent of Nausica's Sea of Decay. When Nausica descends underground she discovers that the sea's toxic fauna actually exists to purify the earth's/surface's pollution. It's probably more inspiration rather than a 1:1 thing but maybe that speaks toward the idea that there is (perhaps even an ecological) balance between the Depths and the surface

[@jockson7574]

The depths are definitely inspired by stranger things as well

[@Colby-sh4sc]

After seeing some other zelda creators being all depressing and cynnical about Tears of the Kingdom and Zelda overall right now. I really appreciate your continuing work in these videos!

[@KryyssTV]

To be fair, TotK felt like a very poor entry to the series. It lacked narrative complexity of even older titles like OoT and TTP, it didn't expand the Zelda landscape because it was too busy rebooting the franchise and (again) had a very lacklustre finale against a visually impressive but otherwise tedious boss. The core mechanic of Zonai devices also detracted entirely from the core gameplay that defined the series as it rendered everything from the Master Sword and Bow to the typical dungeon progression completely moot causing TotK to feel like the least Zelda-like game in the whole franchise. To be honest, the Zonai mechanics would have suited an open world Metroid game better due to its technical nature. Top notch voice acting and cinematics though.

[@Colby-sh4sc]

@@KryyssTV thats your opinion. I enjoyed it and still am. My favorite in the series in fact. To each their own

[@mikethehunter5212]

@@KryyssTV Your nostalgia is blinding you if you think OoT has more narrative complexity than ToTK. They literally share a particular scene, only this time we see Ganondorf's perspective. It's by no means a perfect game, but the recent grumpiness of fans is a little overdramatic imo.

[@KryyssTV]

@@mikethehunter5212 Not really. The TotK plot summary is literally : Zelda goes back in time to the founding of Hyrule, helps to seal away Ganondorf and turns into a dragon to restore the broken Master Sword so that Ganondorf can be defeated in the future while Link wanders around present day Hyrule trying to find out where Zelda has gone. The OoT plot summary is : Link is sent to recover three sacred stones in order to obtain the Master Sword needed to defeat Ganondorf who kidnaps Zelda as a child and then tricks Link into allowing him to steal the Triforce resulting in Link needing to travel between two timelines to awaken sages needed to save the kingdom with the help of Shiek who is actually Zelda. OoT clearly has a more complex narrative even in summarry. Beyond that, Link is very much a bystander for much of the story as the key events that progress the story all take place in cut scenes with Zelda which is a stark contrast to the rest of the LoZ series where Link personally advances the narrative by his actions. Consequently the player is very detatched from the tale which lessens the engagement causing the travelling around Hyrule to feel like busy-work just to reach the next cut scene about Zelda. This problem is compounded by the fact that if you do the Dragon Tears quest before anything else then you already know the whole story but have to still run around Hyrule acting like you don't.

[@KryyssTV]

@@Colby-sh4sc Being more critical of games is a consequence of being a game developer unfortunately. It's no different to the fact there are people who do film making, as either a profession or hobby, who enjoy movies less than me because their experience allows them to notice shortcomings that I wouldn't because I'm ignorant of what makes a for a truely well-crafted and polished film.

[@Prismark]

I like that you mention the Depths not having to be a place of evil. Seing how it is structured, Gloom is likely not originating from there either, as this manifistation of Gloom seems to 100%ly root from Ganondorf and his abilities gained through the Secret Stones.

[@MonsterMaze]

I concur!

[@javiervasquez625]

They most likely aren't given all the Zonai ruins decorating the many areas suggesting a once peaceful past until Ganondorf was sealed underneath the surface.

[@angelhernandezvega6064]

I just realized the resemblance between the bargainer statues and the Poe collector, or even the Poes, with the hood. Not that it means anything, but it’s a nice callback

[@theraven3554]

Happy to see a video from you! Hope your health is well and thank you for educating us and tying it all together with our favorite franchise!

[@MonsterMaze]

Thank you! My health has been restored to its full glory

[@christopherwalton7736]

Thank you for doing a deep dive in totk lore and relating it to real world mythology. I think that’s what most Zelda content creators are missing right now. We have very little explanation for the world they expanded in game. But we’re also playing this from a Western cultural base. I’m not well versed in Shinto mythology, but I bet as time goes on, more content creators will have to learn about the mythology, like you did, to fully appreciate this game.

[@boredape1986]

Another excellently crafted video

[@rifasclub]

I really appreciate your effort and that you never fanfic. If you are speculating, you say so and never go out of your way with your "ifs" and they're well founded and informed. Even the best Zelda youtubers can't help but to fanfic every now and than but you haven't since a couple of years, but you really have improved. As a sidenote, it looks like Termina is a different country, not a different reality... again. I know it doesn't matter because they change their mind about it all the time, but I tought I would mention it because right now their latest declaration is that is in the same plane as Hyrule.

[@atlev]

agreed!

[@thegreatmajora5089]

Big fan of this video ! The Depths are my favorite part of ToTK : I love how eerie they feel, very calm but still so unsettling. I somewhat feel like they were under-used ? They raise so many questions still, with that unexplained race statue, the exact purpose of the deeper Zonai ruins, the bargainers and the giant skeletons, and I’m excited to find what kind of stories other players find to bridge the gaps between what we don’t know about them. Their purpose in funneling spirits to the afterlife also makes the boss rematches in there make sense, beyond just being a cool gameplay thing. Hearing about their cultural inspiration was very cool, and I definitely agree with the end message ! Learning what went into building these experiences only make them richer

[@xinpingdonohoe3978]

They look like long-legged Mogma, who were meant to have disappeared evolutionarily thousands of years before the Zonai arrived, but I suppose could have hidden underground. They also look like the Ancient Hero, but I'm not sure how well that works chronologically. He was seemingly around when the Zonai were at their end, so would they really have time to erect that many statues of him? It's possible, and would sort of tie in with my idea that the ancient Sages went on to be the ancient Champions, what with the Ancient Hero being a Champion, but it's all a bit mysterious so I can't say anything for certain.

[@cairneoleander8130]

The idea of the cycling of life energy through the Depths back up into the earth itself makes it also a lot like the Celtic Underworld/Summerland/afterlife

[@GoodBloodGames]

Nice job! Love the use of Ori soundtrack at the start :)

[@MonsterMaze]

Thanks mate! Ori music never fails ^^

[@appledingdong3736]

best totk theory/lore video I've seen so far, please keep making more

[@r_i_e_n_a1471]

Extremely intriguing video!!! I love when we can explore concepts from a different point of mythology, it's amazing to understand or know about the views that might've affected the making of your fave game!! I think this kinda knowledge brings sooo much more meaning into the media we consume

[@Matthew-Martinsson]

Fantastische upload weer! Vooral de bewerking in t begin. Geweldig

[@Ricka_seven]

I really appreciate this video, the quality is always on a peak, thanks!

[@Tina93_]

13:23 your point here kinda makes me remember the Ghibli movie Nausicaa of the Valley of the wind - specifically the world under the corrupted world

[@TheZeldaScrolls]

Loved seeing an upload from you, and it's a great one as always! Hope you're feeling much better and recovering well. 💚

[@AngeloChorus]

I love all your content, but this video is my favorite yet! Really amazing work!

[@PorkShark]

Theory: Zonai DID NOT create the Secret Stones. The statue beings mined/crafted the secret stones, but perished in the process. The Zonai erected statues to honor these beings, building lightroots and mining the nearby Zonaite in order to build their structures

[@raptorrixx99-wv2hl]

Something I JUST NOW realized about the more recent mainline games, i.e. Skyward Sword, Botw, and Totk. They all subtlety hint to the themes of the next potential game. Skyward Sword - Botw Explore a largely Post Apocalyptic world, whilst under the constant threat of a world ending force of nature (Imprisoned/Calamity Ganon) Botw - Totk Helping the souls of the dead end what they started. Totk - ??? My theory is, and take this with a HEAVY grain of salt: The next game could heavily involve spirits/ Spirit world of some form. Not entirely sure how, mainly cause I kinda forgot what I was going to say, but hey, that's my brain for ya😅

[@MonsterMaze]

I would love that! I've always been fascinated by the spirit world in Zelda games, and how it works.

[@raptorrixx99-wv2hl]

@@MonsterMaze Honestly, I kinda wanna see more spirit enemies, other than Poes, of course 😅

[@GoronMerchant]

That’s cause it doesn’t connect. That’s cause Nintendo does not care about what the fans think. Or what they created before BOTW. Nintendo put no care into connecting anything, it’s just “Zonai” fault.

[@raptorrixx99-wv2hl]

@@GoronMerchant Well someone's trying to push an agenda :/

[@GoronMerchant]

@@raptorrixx99-wv2hlno. It’s the honest sad truth. You think on release day, 6 hours into TOTK I wanted to have these feeling? Now I’m 160 hours deep still having these feelings. NO. I wanted to love TOTK. It did nothing, it actually did the opposite. It got rid of everything I loved about BOTW, fixed nothing. and added Goat people to explain the rest.

[@lordnaarghul]

As someone who plays D&D, I view the Depths as essentially like the uncivilized parts of the Underdark, specifically aspects of the Upperdark and Middledark. The Lowerdark is way, way more dangerous.

[@MonsterMaze]

D&D lore for the win! I need to get back to playing sometime.

[@riastarthay]

I had the same thought! I even took inspiration from the Frox for an encounter

[@lordnaarghul]

@MonsterMaze You know, I just thought about the insane numbers of undead that Link fights through in literally every Zelda game. Actually, think about that for a sec, as that could make for a video topic, just cataloging the undead seen throughout the series. In any event, it made me think of Orcus, the D&D Prince of Undeath and one of the Demon Lords. And this exchange went through my head: Ganondorf: "I am Ganondorf, the Demon King. Destroy Hyrule and leave no survivors." *summons his gloom army* Orcus: "That's cute." *Waves wand, turns a Hinox into a giant Bodak, instantly takes over every Gibdo and Stal-monster, and summons a Dracolich just as a middle finger to the Zonai* Most of Ganondorf's army would be dead or converted within days. Probably both. Oddly enough, Link still wins in this scenario. Mostly just because of all the mystic powerups he gets + the Master Sword means he'd still win. That being said, a Hinox/Bodak would be a fearsome enemy to fight, not to mention that dracolich would be deadlier than the king Gleeok. Now all I can think about is a fight with a Hinox/Bodak with a party of adventurers. My brain does weird things sometimes.

[@Radien]

I didn't really get to celebrate Halloween, so I'm still in a spooky mood, and I appreciate your late entry into the season just as much as I would if it was during October!

[@KyleGK01]

Its been a while since i watched anything zelda related. I like your videos

[@Cwronaga216]

I was always under the impression that the mysterious race depicted on the statues in the depths were the mole people from Skyward Sword. They look just like them although stylized and a little bit more muscular. Which makes sense as they are a Subterranean people and perhaps during past cataclysms they migrated deep underground and found a new purpose serving the statues and eventually aiding the zonai before either disappearing or moving on. They are one of the few races Shonen Skyward Sword that don't have a modern equivalent since the gorons already existed at that time and we can assume the Zora came from the Aquatic species from Skyward Sword .

[@Luca-ls2xk]

Such wonderful content, thank you❤

[@robertbeisert3315]

7:28 it's like how "Apple" can mean a fruit, a multinational computer company, a valuable thing ("apple of my eye"), or forbidden fruit.

[@BruceBoyde]

This is the ToTK content I was waiting for! Also, on the whole "different meanings" thing, Japanese is "fun" when it comes to Kanji. Most of them have at least two phonetic readings, one based on Japanese and one based on the Chinese from which they are borrowed. Then you've got the usual thing where context makes a difference in what it *means*, which isn't unfamiliar to English. Consider how one could object to an object.

[@GhostKunShinka]

12:44 i wish i was the underworld.

[@dradenyyg4805]

It’s interesting to think about what might lie even deeper below the crust of the world of Hyrule. I wonder if perhaps the final pit outside Gloom’s Lair might be the entrance to the Demon Realm, where Demise is said to have originally come from beneath the Earth.

[@PixelFusionProductions]

I think you hit the nail right on the head MM. The roots of BotW / TotK have been about Shintoism, it is the very clear and obvious inspiration, more so with TotK. I think you are correct about Yomi being the inspiration for The Depths, it matches up well. I'll reach out to talk to you again about some stuff on the side, great video as always.

[@maximedorion9244]

Wow, this was a really great watch! Thank you for this beautifully crafted and detailed video ❤

[@BlueThunder1988]

Wow, that explanation of Izanagi and Izanami helped me understand the Naruto jutsus with those names; the former being one that rejects reality and the latter being one that forces the target to accept reality.

[@4MonsterhunterStory]

Naruto yes? And what about the Uzumaki Barrage?

[@Velvetloss]

My main issue with the depths is that, besides the frox and gloom enemies, there are no unique enemies, something like the botw gardian concept art to really sell that you're in an 'underword' of sorts, a place you're not supposed to be. "DaRKer tHen MaJOrAs maSk"

[@stephcee4319]

Great video as always!

[@gamesmiths]

There's just something special about your work Don, a treat each and every time, honest, genuine, entertaining and thought provoking. Thanks for another great video 💚🌟

[@MonsterMaze]

Thank you so much man! I kinda needed a comment like this. It reminds me why I do what I do. Views and channel growth have tanked ever since TotK's release. And my subsequent health issues didn't exactly help either, haha.

[@gamesmiths]

@@MonsterMaze If it helps at all, you inspired me to break my self imposed fear of social media to talk about a game I love, to talk theories, to believe maybe I could make a video, and above all to maintain my ethics and quality regardless of what stats and others might say. I support Monster Maze as a channel because I believe you create film level quality edits and world class content that is motivating and thought provoking as well as funny and with a sense of good humour. In my own KZbin journey I’ve found myself disappointed in “the machine” - seeming to maybe promote the wrong things but I’m supported by a wonderful community of amazing people who remind me I’m lucky in so many ways. Don’t get me wrong, it’s not my job so I have that space, but their quality means more than views. Sounds like you need a bit more support Don, and you have myself, and my crew at your back. I’ll happily offer my services in any way, free of charge, and willingly for any help you need from editing to coding or systems improvements which is my paid job. Beyond that, I’ll look to support you and your wife in the mercy decision if that’s still an option as again it speaks to your character. You are the best Don. And things will turn around. We got you for whatever we can 💚💫

[@catdownthestreet]

Ori music appreciation 👏 Great video by the way, I'd love to see more Zelda mythology content!

[@ArcadeTheatre]

Great video. I love the feeling and mystery of The Depths.

[@vaishravana1]

This is a masterpiece. Great video analyzing the impact of mythology on modern pop culture

[@Ninten007]

Still thought I wouldn't notice that Ori score? Nice choice haha

[@fjierda4638]

I’m so happy he used it

[@MonsterMaze]

I love me some Ori OST ^^

[@maksiksq]

The whole bottomless hole thing got me remniscent of another game, Rain World. There the intelligent species (catblobs or whatever they're called) were invincible and couldn't die at all, they started seeking for a way to die and found it. Well that's atleast according to a few theories I saw. So maybe it's the exact same thing with Zonai? They were immortal for one reason or another and in the end they all jumped into the hole in search of death. While we see Zonai can die, that would apply if they had infinite age to live too. That would make a lot of sense since Zonai were clearly never decapitated of their technology and power looking at all the ruins. Might also explain some things like pillars in Faroh being covered up and there generally being little Zonai architecture on the ground since they would not want the mortals to find out and go their path or something, although that's a stretch.

[@haifito]

Every, if not most of the Chasm have big roots right next to them as if the latter were pushed aside to create the Chasms. Not sure what the real correlation between them is but its a cool detail i noticed.

[@MonsterMaze]

Ooh, nice catch!

[@claudiafinger7700]

Thank you for this great research you did. This is an incredible video with so much substance in it. I'd never imagined all this in connection with the dephts. ❤ I love it how deep your theories are. I truely appreciate your work. 😊❤

[@darvida719]

Good video ! Love your content as always !

[@hbarudi]

What about Lorule from a link between worlds? I want this to also be called Lorule too.

[@Neurosci3ntist]

Great production as always ;) .

[@QuackQuackQueer]

I love learning about where the developers may have taken inspiration from. Although the depths are super scary to me, I also think they're really beautiful and well thought out

[@victorseba6410]

im very sad by the fact people arent making more theories on totk. There is still so much to theorize and things are so much bigger than before. like, do you realise at the beginning of the game ganondorf FELL from the DEPTHS? there is so much more that should be uncovered in every direction. We know the zonai come from the heavens so theres still more skyland above the sky islands. If you consider where skyloft was relative to the ground on ss its like a whole other plane of existance, and not only that but the fact that the cloud sea is also still a place, levias came from beneath but there was no hint of him from below or above the cloud sea before he surfaced. And besides the fact that glooms lair is such a weird place that was either created by ganondorf (which i doubt) or there was already a big fucking root system down there, and there is another chasm there that could go for god knows how deep. there is so much yet to be theorized on the world shown to us in totk.

[@wert556]

Frl there's still alot going on and definitely the Masterworks

[@TheGeekApprentice]

This is quite fascinating! I love learning how the culture and religion of Japan influences the games developers from there make! Video is fantastic as always! :D A side note - You mentioned purgatory and I'd love to offer my information on the topic! It's really cool actually and I've noticed many don't know what purgatory is! :D Purgatory is a term used by Catholicism (I myself am a devout Catholic Christian) talking about something that happens before entering eternity with God (Heaven). It is not a "place" as much as it is a process, nor is it like limbo. It is a state of cleansing, the "burning off" of any minor sin before a soul can be ready for the presence of God in His fullness. Anyone in the state of purgatory after death will NOT be going to eternal damnation. No one can die perfect, so the Catholic church teaches that those who have accepted Christ and loved him here on earth will go through a cleansing process once they die. This is a grace afforded through the blood of Christ. :) Now that said, I am unaware of any other culture or religion that uses the term "purgatory," but I could be wrong and perhaps there are others who use the term but with a different meaning. :O However, Catholics are the ones who use this term most commonly and I've come to realize most haven't a true understanding of what it is - and I can understand why haha! Perhaps this long explanation was unnecessary, but I've heard countless use the term and I thought it'd be fun to explain what it truly is! :D Hope the info is found more useful than annoying XD (especially since I know the term was only used like once) XD

[@L337M4573RK]

Always figured that Malice from BotW was more akin to Miasma, and that its goopy appearance was more like cooled, coagulated, evil blood. In TotK, the Gloom merely stains everything, and has an appearance of fresh, flowing, evil blood (which makes sense due to seal on Ganondorf finally being broken). For those unfamiliar with Miasma, try watching the anime Inuyasha (which takes much of its lore from the Shinto religion).

[@wert556]

This has been confirmed in the Masterworks. Land of the Dead Yomi. It's wild how Depths is definitely Yomi which we get to explore a deadly area

[@ASolidSnack]

To take this even further, if the surface and underworld represent the physical realm and the realm of Souls, the sky and by extension the Zonai would represent the realm of the kami, or the Spirit Realm. Maybe the purpose of the Light Roots is to draw Souls from the Soul-infused rock that is Zonaite and purify it into light/spirit

[@Lavendelaura]

Wasn't expecting to hear Ori music!! You have good taste :)

[@pineappleking5306]

The Visuals in this Video are amazing :0 Damn

[@danixove2358]

14:15 There's Subrosia below Holodrum... wherever that is (like with other toponyms paying homage to Zelda games, I don't see Brinna and Lodrum in BotW/TotK's map as the actual og places. But will not argue with those who do: Zelda games like to play it ambiguosly and that's part of their charm) In my head, those lizard-like statues in the depths could be in fact the subrosians without their tunics. They are a race that lived in the underground and have a relationship with mining and, also, the presence of Fujibayashi in both games as a director makes me wonder about HIS headcannon

[@xinpingdonohoe3978]

I would have believed it, if the pointy statues were found in heavily lava-full places.

[@danixove2358]

@@xinpingdonohoe3978 yup that's a thing I also considered, but: -The fact they lived in a lava area in Holodrum doesn't mean that's their only habitat -A place without lava today may have had lava in another period -Artistic interpretations of a concept may vary how is presented, and Zelda games are no strangers to this -There's actually a volcano area in the depths. Sure, is the Goron's place, but still: that type of bioma exists in the underground -Since 'fiction theories' are mostly a personal way of connecting dots (that may be related or not) without any actual science behind, I'll say: if is up to interpretation, just interpret it your way Especially when talking about something like the Zelda games, deliberately ambiguous as they are. So if you don't want them to be subrosians then they are not Also, I don't really thing they ARE subrosians, as I don't believe much in this connections we fans tend to do between the lore of games as much more than a way of having fun, that has nothing to do with how and why the games are made. But, since I like subrosians, that's my headcannon until something tells me otherwise ...and that was my TED talk. Thank you for coming and plz excuse the probable writing errors, as english is not my language. Hugs

[@asherthepheonix1463]

I know this doesn't have anything to do with the video but i'm curious about something in regards to what the Zonai women told Zelda about the tears. That by swallowing the tear turns you into an immortal dragon. Based on Zelda's immortal dragon form it resembles the other dragons that fly around. Could it be that the dragons are other Zonai that swallowed their tears and that's why they banned it in the first place. If that is so just who could they be and is there enough evidence of who they once were. This is only a theory I thought up when I noticed the other dragons as well as Zelda and Ganon turning into dragons. It could be something interesting to look into. Not to mention it might have some context into where their names came from.

[@GenMars]

I would argue that travelling to the depths does require super narutal conditions, namely ganon's upheaval, and wouldn't be accessible from just digging down with a shovel

[@Frogboyaidan]

I mean you can acend in some spots

[@GenMars]

@@Frogboyaidan you can ascend OUT, and ascend is a magic ability itself so my point stands

[@cosmo2590]

great video, i wish the devs had gone that deep (heh) into totk, i still cant believe they just flat out refused to make a dlc while theres still so much to uncover and explain

[@geo_dragon6008]

I haven't finished the video as of writing this but you have great taste using Ori music in the beginning lmao

[@michkamimoza3841]

I had a great time listening to your video, thank you

[@blacklynx2526]

Sadly I can’t watch the video right now but I can’t wait to watch it later!!

[@MonsterMaze]

It'll be here when you get to it

[@TheSonicFairy]

9:48 What IS that song?! It sounds so familiar...

[@TheSonicFairy]

ANCIENT ZORA WATERWORKS. No wonder it caught my attention.

[@skullkid7989]

Great video as always

[@kmcsciguy]

I really enjoy how BotW and TotK took Japanese mythology and incorporated it into the games in some way

[@jacintacapelety9600]

Out of all the creatures and races ever shown in the zelda series, the series of statues holding stones always, in my opinion, most closely resembled the mogmas from Skayward Sword. The mole-like face and general body proportions is the main thing that makes me think that, but I also find it thematically interesting that that particular set of statues is, if you follow the quest lines to a T, how the game introduces you to the idea that the statue chains (as I like to call them) lead you to mines, and the mogmas were a race of diggers that seemed to be universally fond of seeking out treasure.

[@TheCongressman1]

I'm not sure if it was intentional, but the image at 2:53 appears to be AI generated. Note the 3 fingers on the man's hand, unless I'm missing details of the legend. Either way, I hope you don't plan on using Ai generated material in your videos.

[@xinpingdonohoe3978]

You know, it does have that look. Why do you fear it though? Images are relatively tame territory of AI.

[@hchatnation]

You can really see the influence Good Blood's video on Ocarina of Time (A Masterclass of Subtext) had on this video. Cheers!

[@Chubby_Bub]

There's no connection as far as I can tell, but I thought it's worth mentioning the Japanese name of the River of the Dead on the Great Plateau is 黄泉の川 ( _Yomi no Gawa_ ) named after this mythological underworld. Internally it's also just called "HyliaRiver" indicating, like many other locations, they changed the name at some point.

[@MonsterMaze]

Oooh that is great find! Thanks for letting me know about this ^^

[@ryandunham1047]

You know, us collecting the Poes and bringing them to the Bargainers makes both of us almost like Charon from Greek Mythology; the Ferryman of Hades who guides lost souls from Limbo across the River Styx to the Underworld proper, where Hades decides if we should go to Elysium or Tartarus.

[@Gyashonav]

7:30 * Remembers zonai script translations* You'll be suprised... Btw, how is it that the forgotten foundation looks more like a fortress than the one beneath Akkala citadel.

[@dragontears]

Fantastic and interesting video!

[@Cliffordlonghead]

Awesome video

[@seerai-42]

the depths was such a cool place! i wish it had more story-wise. it feels like the perfect place for the sheikah tech to have disappeared to, and with the yiga exploration it would have been interesting if there was special yiga/ancient-sheikah parts that could only be found in the depths.

[@xinpingdonohoe3978]

Well, one of Mineru's Constructs does have access to Ancient Blades somehow. It sort of suggests that parts of Sheikah tech did exist when the Spirit Temple was closed off, right at the end of the Zonai era. If so, maybe the ancient Sages are also the ancient Champions.

[@arttukettunen5757]

I do wonder why there are thousands of poes in the depths per blood moon vs a few hundred characters in totk. But it could be that all the deceased animals turn to poes too, which could match the amount of poes canonically. Bigger animals or sentient races might turn to the bigger poe variants, which is why there are less of them.

[@IronianKnight]

Personally, I couldn't help but think about Demise back at the current canon beginning of the world. He and his demon tribe erupted from a fissure in the earth, challenging the realm of the goddesses and their chosen peoples. A whole army of demons had to have come from somewhere, and this dark expanse so far below the world you could dig your whole life and never have a Minecraft Fail Moment feels rather fitting for the homeland of such beings. At the very least, the Depths could be an interim point between the demon realm and the surface, "actual hell" proper being down past Ganondorf's little hydration bunker.

[@Zeldahol]

Good to see ya Monster Maze. You're the man dude.

[@angelhernandezvega6064]

Perfect timing for lunch

[@toubi4316]

One possible theory you could make about this place is the origin of zonaite. We know that although there is some zonaite in parts of the Great Sky Island, zonaite is most commonly found in the Depths, but who or what made zonaite?

[@alanwhite8870]

My head cannon is that the statues mentioned are actually the dogmas from skyward sword. They aren’t seen anywhere else in the series besides skyward sword look similar and well dogmas dig. They were running out of treasure on the surface so what if they dug down so far they found the depths and the bargainers who offered treasure in exchange for poes

[@JesusRmz2022]

What's the name of that game at 8:03? I would like to know pls

[@SaraCincotti]

If is not December, is still Halloween. Thank you for this halloween episode ^^

[@simongoj]

Everytime I see tears of the kingdom videos or play it. I wish they would make an open world Termina game. I would love to see more of that world

[@GreenBlueWalkthrough]

1:59 What like the sprit world of European myths and religions? Atleast that is my word for it and I study IRL magic, the beyond and such. Which the comclustion I've come too is all religuions like scitific theory is just an interpertaion of Magic and the beyond and how it effects the phiscal world which in my study is different depending on geographic locations...

[@DeltaNova47]

Nice to see more Zelda theorists are using more of the fact that Nintendo and the Zelda team are from Japanese and Asian culture respectively seeing it's more intrinsict aspects especially since that's what the entire series is inspired by the most with the Western culture we are more familiar is just seen as a set dressing or just something thought was cool and don't know much Western culture as we do with Easteren culture. Also since alot seem to view in a what I call "paganistic" view especially when looking at fan translations.

[@MonsterMaze]

Agreed. There is so much to learn from other cultures. It really widens your perspective on the world ^^

[@DeltaNova47]

@@MonsterMaze I agree on that sentiment especially since I that's what I went through coming from a Latino Christian household having a more pagan western view until I look a Japanese fan translations and videos about Japanese culture like from Gajin Goombah, Abroad in Japan and Let's Ask Shogo as few examples which changed how I thought a lot cultures especially Japanese on how they view the world and just view from a purely Western perspective and viewpoint is foolhardy not only just in theories but in life as a whole. For people who want learn the more Japanese elements of Zelda I reccomend QuestWithAaron as he not only provides translations but also insight on the cultural background, nuance and context that's lost in the official translations that in 'my opinion' are almost a crime in way.

[@MonsterMaze]

@@DeltaNova47 Aaron is great! I've seen every single one of his videos to date.

[@DeltaNova47]

@@MonsterMaze Oh that's good it's just videos and resources and his made look more deep and question the official translations especially with BOTW infamous reincarnation line actually being resurrection ( which are two different things btw), major parts of SS, TMC and the entirety of ALTTP and even TP showing this isn't just a one time thing but something that you could say plagues the franchise from the very being and still to this day for more than 3 decades. (sorry if I sounded cynical at the end just a bit frustrated this is even a thing) It even got me to learn Japanese ( I'm not super fluent in yet sadly but learning a few things from tutorials, fan translations and Legend of Localization which I also reccomend) Edit: Another I wanted to say it's I think it's also what lead to the confusion and contracting evidence the series as a whole ( also because we ignore game like the 4 swords trilogy, Oracale duology and the DS titles which Fujibayashi did work and probably use as a basis for SS and the era of the wild) which gives more context about the series like force and even how the master swords can break but that's a another topic.

[@DaimonAnimations]

BTW, Hades and Hell are also not the same. I see a lot of people making this comparison. As well as the God Hades is not the same as a Demon or Lucifer. They are totally different entities. Lucifer is wannabe God and Hades is a real God. In this case Yomi is more similar to Hades than Hell is to Hades.

[@MonsterMaze]

True. Hades is the Greek underworld, correct?

[@DaimonAnimations]

@@MonsterMaze Right, its a transition place for the dead, where they are to be judged by the three judges of Hades, where they go to the eternal sleep if they were good, or Hell for the sinners. There's a third one. Elysium which would be "heaven" in Christianism but its only for the Gods and Human Heroes.

[@KryyssTV]

Actually Lucifer was just the Hebrew phrase "Shining One" and appears in a poem written to mock the king of Babylon at the time since it was foretelling the destruction of their empire which would take place when Cyrus the Great stormed the city in 539 bce. The king had become quite arrogant at the time, seeing himself as a god - a shining star - as it were. The parts referring to the Shining One crashing down to earth from the heavens is therefore often confused with what happened to Satan, so the long-standing misinformation is that Lucifer is Satan but in fact we have no idea that Satan's name is since even Satan is just the Hebrew word for Opposer making it a descriptive title and not a name at all.

[@ianbutler24]

Glooms lairs entrance reminds me of the area where avocado demise was sealed in Skyward Sword. Spiralling down, well after 10k years its just decayed.

[@benipfun]

I really like this theory, i have nothing to add its just really cool and i think its neat and stuff

[@lemmetalkaboutthis]

Hades doesn't have brimstone fire and torture either lol - Hell and Hades are VERY different - but it's interesting how closely the downworld seems to be inspired by japanese mythology and its afterlife, very interesting video! Edit: funnily enough, depictions of an afterlife, specifically what it actually LOOKS like are not very common, so I'm not surprised you had a hard time researching it - we only "know" what Hell looks like because of Dante's devine comedy, where he essentially made up the entire structure of heaven, hell, and purgatory and how they work - and because of the wide spread OF christianity, it has become a common misassumption that ANY faith will _obviously_ know _exactly_ what their afterlife looks like - especially now that almost everyone has a sort of pop-culture understanding of hell The greeks didn't talk much about the underworld or how it works because it creeped them out, but that was later. Before that, in hellenistic times (like the ancient greece of ancient greece) underworld gods were more important than sky-gods like Zeus, who only later was "re-written" as king of the gods - lots of what we have on how their afterlife works is from the older records (as far as I know), but even that stuff is shrouded in a lot of mystery, and we mostly get descriptions from myths in which people TRAVEL into the underworld We also don't have a lot to go in in terms of nordic mythology, because even tho a lot of people know of Valhalla, they aren't aware that there is more than one ending for an honorable warrior, or that drowning will be described as being held in the arms of a fish-woman goddess, but there's nothing that tells us what happens to those people or where they end up, nor is there really a lot on Hel either (heck, the sources keep saying "the nine realms" but we have NO IDEA what those 9 are supposed to be)

[@ethacon]

I think those fossilized roots used to be active gloom roots originating from the Gloom tree. It's impossible to ignore the ties between the depths and the fact that Demise and his forces emerged from a fissure in the ground. I think it's possible that Demise actually created his physical form in the very same Gloom's Lair/Origin. He used roots across the depths to draw power and forge his body. Later, Ganondorf would discover this tree and use it to restore his own body. The original roots that gave Demise the energy to create his mortal form are the now fossilized roots found acrossed the depths.

[@BrunoLiraArraisMaia]

amazing video

[@minecrafter3448]

I wish more people would realize what a rich lore this game has, everyone seems to think breath of the wild had a superior one

[@StopLegoLord]

Apparently if the lore isn't shoved in your face it isn't considered "proper" ... LOL! People don't realize the vagueness is intentional. By not giving away every secret, we actually have things to theorize about other than ZoNaI sWiRLs

[@minecrafter3448]

@@StopLegoLord that reply was far too incoherent to even begin to decipher the meaning, if you’re going to try to speak English do it properly, if it’s your second language it would be more coherent to google translate it in that language

[@chunkymonkey7983]

​@@minecrafter3448i thought it was pretty straight forward

[@minecrafter3448]

@@chunkymonkey7983 probably the excess of punctuation where there shouldn’t be.

[@Elite02k]

It's not that it doesn't have lore, it's just that it failed to deliver proper amounts of it with an already interesting story from its prequel, and had a 7 year development time and the last year of which was spent on polishing the game almost entirely. Polishing what? 7 year old combat mechanics? 4 new abilities that really only two of which is interesting? I'm not going to pretend like totk isn't a good game, because at the end of the day it's fantastic. But when you realize the time spent versus the product created doesn't quite align properly, it is a let down in several aspects.

[@TheMaestroMizerous]

13:00 He does love to hijack things.