Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - Story Explained (Part 3/3)

[@NinjaPopeXue]

Sonia describes Recall as "drawing out the object's memory. You ask the object where it was, how it arrived where it is now, and then you coax it back to that original moment in time." I like to think that Link, having witnessed Zelda's memories and pieced together Hyrule's history, is able to achieve a very similar thing with Zelda herself to restore her original body, of course with the help of Rauru and Sonia's amplified power.

[@a.jthomas6132]

To do that, a magic wielder requires a stronger motive in which Link has been on the search for Zelda since the beginning of the game and their time together before TOTK proves Link loves Zelda.

[@thatoneguycisco5412]

Poetic in a way as Zelda revealed her magic through her love of Link. And both where helped by the King and Queen of the foundation of Hyrule.

[@a.jthomas6132]

@@thatoneguycisco5412 Both have channeled their abilities through Link since he use his magic through his love of Zelda as well.

[@danielmouatt5570]

Oh and it is also a representation of the Tri-Force.

[@SilverIV]

I honestly don’t think that’s what’s happening. The particles that rain down upon the light dragon seem to have more to do with rauru’s light powers if anything. Now, am I saying that the rewind-method shouldn’t have been used? Heck no! This was an enormous missed opportunity for Nintendo to use some recall effects on the light dragon and save Zelda that way.

[@AndrewS-vu4ji]

The health bar going all the way to the edge of the screen in phase 2 is one of the simultaneously most funny and hardcore things ive seen in a game ever.

[@Matthew10950]

Love how they didn't center it. Nope, it just keeps on going...

[@Caffeinated_Firefly]

Even though I was vicariously enjoying the game through a let's play (sadly a Switch is too pricey in this godforsaken country), my heart jumped at that

[@narwhal9852]

yeah i was like STOP...STOP lmao pretty Bada$$ if you ask me

[@Boss-mw1jv]

Ye yeah.. okay ganon we get you-you can stop now N-NO I SAID STOP IT STOP IT ST-STOP (dies of Heart attack)

[@sobblegaming350]

​@Matthew10950 it's so that he can have a centred bar after losing half health

[@pinkcupcake4717]

I love the detail that the Master Sword's blade has the original metal, showing the wounds, but has been filled in and replaced by the crystalline horn of the Light Dragon. Zelda's blood and flesh literally fused into the blade to strengthen it. It's the most hardcore and metal design of the Master Sword to match the most intense Zelda's ultimate sacrifice.

[@davidcuevashere727]

Something I would've really liked was if you could still see those scars when you actually have and use the Master Sword. Granted, it is entirely possible they are there and I'm just blind, but I do not believe they are.

[@GeneralOlde]

Upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that the sword is merely wrapped in Zelda’s hair, not embedded in her head.

[@SlowWinterNuts]

@@davidcuevashere727 Oh no you can definitely see it. It's subtle, but it's most noticeable when you see sunlight bouncing off the blade; You can see where the original Master Sword ends, and the new one begins, having a different texture.

[@horse14t]

@@GeneralOlde Agreed. I think The Light Dragon only fought Link at first as a precaution to prevent anyone that wasn't Link from somehow getting the sword. Though, once Link proved himself to be the real deal the dragon calmed down and allowed him to draw it from it's mane.

[@Row_dog]

@@SlowWinterNutsAs some one with OCD I hate that it is not 100 percent of one metal not the mix that it is now.

[@3EyeStudios]

I think the reason why Ganondorf is bent backwards when defeated in his Demon King form is simply that he is about to fall onto his back defeated by Link, but through sheer ambition and determination, is able to keep himself on his feet, refusing to fall to a mere mortal. Which, in itself is an impressive feat, he must have ridiculously strong core muscles to hold himself up like that.

[@-ak-634]

And dark magic, too. This Ganondorf is indeed a literal reincarnation of Demise himself.

[@skeletorgames8641]

Demon king Nobunaga pulled a similar feat in Onimusha 3, so you are probably right. Fell over but stayed on his feet, stopping just before touching the ground, and forced himself back up.

[@StonedHunter]

I didn't even think about that. I thought it was just a big Jojo reference/call back to his imprisonment

[@ultravegito8351]

It’s kinda like how he didn’t fall to knees in TP

[@Sidus666]

The dude is jacked af, I would've thought his core muscles are ok lol

[@Lyra_dragonal]

My personal theory about link is that he has some spirit power within him. Rather than being able to separate from his body like mineru, he is able to see spirits that others cannot. Hence being able to see the old man and champions in botw, as well as Raru at the beginning of totk

[@davidcuevashere727]

I believe with all the spirit things Link can see, he's some sort of extremely distant decedent of Mineru (or even Rauru) with all the Zonai feature bred out, but the godly abilities of the Zonai still there, like hearing the gods. No other Hylian can hear Hylia when praying at a goddess statue and the Yiga can't see the Poes or Soldier Ghosts. And I'm pretty sure this has something to do with the large ears of the Hylians and Zonai (it's mentioned somewhere in a game or something that the Hylian's large ears are to commune with gods, and the Zonai's are noticeably bigger), the Zonai being able to hear on a much larger scale, and if Link is related to a Zonai, it would make sense that he can hear the gods and other Hylians can't.

[@SlowWinterNuts]

I could've sworn that people have seen or heard Mipha's spirit in the lore of BotW

[@kingdaniel3519]

Uh, Link isn't the only one who could see the Champion's spirits. Yunobo clearly saw Daruk's spirit after freeing Vah Rudania.

[@wolfiemuse]

@@davidcuevashere727 I theorize that the Zonai Aspect armor represents what a previous Link actually looked like - a Zonai / Hylian hybrid. And that eventually, the Zonai blood was so diluted that all aspects of their physical appearance have disappeared by current day, but their latent connection to the gods is still there. Also, does anyone feel like the Zonai might be a race descended from a god like Hylia except for Courage instead? Like, Zelda has Hylia, Ganondorf has Demise, Link has…. the Zonai maybe?

[@The_Twilight_Triforce]

You're right, Yunobo clearly saw Daruk after Rudania was liberated, I believe that was due to him being descended from Daruk like how only the sages could interact with their respective descendants (and maybe the spirits of the ancestors allowed Links presence in those cutscenes)

[@jstar3382]

The tears were likely found by the children of Sonia and Rauru. Explains how they could make that chamber, and why they would have strong enough time powers to use it.

[@capadociaash8003]

It could still be the Sheikah, I think the Sheikah monks in botw were blessed Hylia’s sight which could let them see the past

[@Skeithwannabe]

My opinion on the wounds in the Demon Dragon are either. 1. Ganondorf transformer heavily injured so the wounds weren't healed. 2. The Secret Stone is rejecting Ganondorf. it might have amplified his power, but it was still a sacred relic which wasn't corrupted when he used it to transform so his dragon form would have eventually died from its own paradoxal nature.

[@wolfiemuse]

I question the secret stones being inherently sacred - it seems as though they are uncolored and have no qualities until they’re connected to a user, where they reflect the qualities of the user. It’s probably more likely that he transformed wounded imo

[@jstar3382]

I think it's because he swallowed his stone WHILE using it. He was still in Demon King form, which came from the secret stone. He pushed his luck and his body, dragon or not, couldn't handle it.

[@m.s.5370]

​@@wolfiemuse Seconded. Honestly, regarding the secret stones not as sentient beings or inherently sacred objects or something, but rather as a kind of technology that exists to serve a purpose and doesn't have any opinion on what it's used for seems much more interesting to me. It would also align well with the game's many parallels to Studio Ghibli movies (for comparison, the ancient warriors from Naucicaä or the weapon from Castle in the sky come to mind). It's much more realistic a portrayal of power. A hammer doesn't care whether you use it for construction or destruction, so why would a secret stone?

[@EchosOfWhiterun_5555DocOfStyle]

@@jstar3382 It was like what happened when *Ganondorf* tried to push his luck with the *Triforce of Power* at the end of the *Twilight Princess* sword fight. He thought that the *Sacred Stone* was his, but it showed that it doesn't *BELONG* to anyone. People can only *BORROW* the power and he *misjudged* what would *happen* if he temped fate!!! ~ Jonsey 👲

[@EchosOfWhiterun_5555DocOfStyle]

@@m.s.5370 I think that a *Sacred Stone* has MORE *personality* than just an ordinary hammer. ~ J. 👲

[@matthewmuir8884]

I remember that, in Breath of the Wild, I really wanted a battle above Hyrule Castle against the Calamity Ganon in its flying boar-head form; I imagined something like cleansing Naydra of malice but more challenging. I was overjoyed to finally get a version of that in _Tears of the Kingdom_ with the Demon Dragon fight.

[@Lamboytroy]

This wasent a story recap, This was cinema. You have gone above and beyond with this one, Zeltik.

[@heraldsavior8425]

With regards to Ganondorf falling backwards into his sealed position, I also took that as him about to fall down from the fight, but stopped himself from doing so right in middle of falling, refusing to accept defeat. In nearly every Zelda game that he's in, Ganondorf refuses to fall and stay down, he always gets back up. In both Twilight Princess and Wind Waker, he dies standing up and in Ocarina of Time, while he initially falls down, he gets back up and still attempts to fight before being sealed. Awesome job with this video and series as always. Hands down the best breakdown of Tears of the Kingdom in my opinion.

[@ShycoWar]

My thoughts exactly. "A king must never yield."

[@jacobfoxfires9647]

That is true. For Ganondorf, he would die standing and in the midst of combat than accept defeat.

[@Mendas_Drainova]

Same thing with Demise

[@fathergascoigne1457]

​@@Mendas_Drainovasame person buddy

[@tuseroni6085]

so what you're saying is he get's knocked down, but he gets up again, you're never gonna keep him down.

[@Genchi_Violet]

Love how we all probably found the sixth sage and masters sword before the story wanted you to have them. 😂 9/10 of us got "WELL WHY DIDNT YOU TELL US THIS ALREADY"

[@wolfiemuse]

no sir I watch Austin John plays and I was warned lol

[@crunchysalmons]

fr i found minerus mask without even dispersing the storm cloud obscuring that area

[@darksidebluez5966]

​@@crunchysalmons me as well. I even killed the construct too. Storm clouds are still there on my file.

[@matthewmuir8884]

I found the master sword and saw all the geoglyph memories long before the story wanted me to do so, but not the sixth sage. I tried to explore the cloud-covered islands, realized that the storm clouds are there to keep me from going there too early, and completed the sixth sage quest when the story wanted me to do so.

[@chunkyrager]

i knew something like this may happen, so i was careful to follow the story, like not going to the thunderhead isles or korok forest until i was supposed to, so luckily purah didn't yell at me lol

[@andrewcernosek5845]

Wow. Just wow. This man literally made an entire 3 part documentary in a matter of less than 3 months after this game’s released. Incredible work, Zeltik. The writing, narration, editing, music, etc. were all on point.

[@HyruleGamer]

The Grand Finale is here, just wanna say well done on the insane amount of effort you've put into all three of these. Hats off to you man, these are sensational videos!

[@HeisenbergFam]

The fact Zeltik spent +3 hours in 3 videos explaining Zelda Tears of Kingdom goes to show how massive the lore is

[@_NormalEditor]

how do I keep finding u 💀

[@calamityCanon]

hi bro

[@catalyst539]

@@calamityCanon hello

[@delikatessbruhe9843]

Dude, this barely scratched the surface of lore. This was basically only the main story.

[@modcon-based113]

Heisenberg is like everywhere I go

[@DrewBaker]

That late scene with Link, Sonia and Rauru, plays to me as them using the Triforce of Courage, Power and Wisdom, to make a wish from the sacred realm.

[@a.jthomas6132]

The love between Link and Zelda is very mutual and very special to me than anyone thinks: - King Rhoam assigning “HIM” as her appointed knight in in the first entry of Zelda’s diary - She is the only person that helps her Appointed Knight and Hero to be more opened to her as seen in Zelda’s diary entry in BOTW; explaining why he felt necessary to remain silent because with so much at stake and too many eyes upon him. - After the Calamity emerges beneath Hyrule Castle and nearly 80% of the land’s population is nearby wiped out, Link is gravely wounded defending his princess. She jumps in front of Link which activates her sealing powers. - In the Champion’s Ballad DLC, Kass hints Zelda’s love for Link at the very last song. Read this lyric here: 🎵 “The princess's love for her fallen knight awakens her power / And within the castle the Calamity is forced to cower. But the knight survives! In the Shrine of Resurrection he sleeps, until from his healing dream he leaps! For fierce and deadly trials await. To regain his strength. To fulfill his fate. To become a hero once again! To wrest the princess from evil's den. The hero, the princess-hand in hand-Must bring the light back to this land.” 🎵 - Petals of the Silent Princess flowers represent their endless love as Bolton has mentioned after the Terry Town side quest. - In memory 8 of the Dragon Tears, Zelda tells Rauru her description of Link as well as her fondness of her knight/hero/lover. Her ancestors acted like the kind of parents who would be interested in meeting their daughter’s boyfriend and hoping to put Link’s mind at ease. - Before the pair set out to investigate the glooms beneath Hyrule Castle, Zelda was about to surprise Link with the newly improved Champion’s Tunic. She wanted to surprise him and see his reaction. Sadly we never got to see that moment. - Both become teachers in Zelda’s School to educate a new generation of Hylians in Hateno Village with the assistant of Symin (since they saw themselves through them). - I’m not sure what the Japanese version is like, it claims that it is their home while the western called Link’s formal home “Zelda’s House”. It's heavily implies that they do live and sleep together. - A scene you get of Link surrounded by the silent princess flowers, a flower field where there are princess flowers and blue nightshade side-by-side, an npc implying married couples by dream homes, that dream home having a study and silent princesses nearby. - After completing the side quest in Lurelin Village, NPC tells Link about the couple’s secret visit at the Lover’s Pond (meaning Zelda visits there with Link accompanying her) - While the original Western version of Tears of the Kingdom calls this side quest “Potential Princess Sightings”, Link calls her "my sweet princess" in the Japanese quest log version - in the final boss battle, Light Dragon (Zelda) comes to save and aids Link against Draconified Ganondorf which could mean not all of her is lost. Zelda’s love for Link could be explained by her dragon instinct. -Zelda’s dragonification is reversed when Rauru’s light power and Sonia’s time power channeling through Link. The reason why it happened was because they required Link’s stronger motives. And we have seen that before in BOTW where Zelda’s motives to save Link triggered her Light powers. It was love. - The entire goal of the game from the start isn't even "Kill Ganondorf" it's "Find Princess Zelda" and that is only completed by Link catching the real Zelda. - Link held on to her tightly as they landed on a lake. Upon being woken after being asleep for hundreds of thousands of years, Zelda can describe it as “a warm, loving embrace”. - When Zelda said “ Link ,I’m home”, I believe it is not just she really returned to the Hyrule she belongs to. But Link is her home. - Mineru Theorized that reversing Zelda’s Draconification requires Sonia’s Time power and Rauru’s Light Power to be channeled through Link’s arm; but activating magic is also in need of strong motive. That is when Zelda smiles at her knight knowing how much his princess means to him. - In comparing the two secret endings, Link runs up to Zelda in Breath of the Wild while he walks proudly as he is showing his composure among his friends approaching Zelda. While she has shown a lot of love and care for the people of Hyrule, Princess Zelda’s true love is for Link and only the player can see the two of them in love.

[@pyramidserum]

don’t forget link is animated smiling out of bounds when zelda says she felt something like a “warm loving embrace”

[@wace9174]

They need to canonize them already

[@davidcuevashere727]

I read the whole comment, but I really want to expand on Zelda's relationship with Sonia and Rauru, because the more I think about it, the more I love it. Sonia and Rauru, as you mentioned, are like parental figures to Zelda. They're her second parents really, but her first form of mentorship in a little over 100 years. And something I'm thinking about as I type this out is that in BotW, in King Rhoam's diary, he mentions that Zelda seemed to contain her composure, not even cry after her mother's death, and only breaks down after she blames herself for the Calamity returning. In TotK however, when Sonia dies, Zelda instantly goes to her side, panicked and praying she is alive. Granted, the looming fear of Ganondorf could have something to do with the panic, but the point stands. And when she later tries to tell Rauru about his role in imprisoning Ganondorf, she can't even bring herself to tell him, instead Rauru chooses to stop her and reassure her about the battle and her part of the war. I guess what I'm trying to get at is that Zelda has grown a lot and knows it's okay to show her emotions, I guess. I'm not sure what I'm trying to say, but I'm sure someone does.

[@wace9174]

I really want to see more accurate translations from the Japanese adventure quest logs they have so much character for link

[@wace9174]

@@davidcuevashere727 that's some crazy subtle character development

[@bello666]

This man knows more about Zelda than Nintendo themselves, never ceases to amaze me how detailed and accurate these videos are

[@soulreapermagnum]

if they ever decide to hire a lore master...

[@karrengoodman7165]

I really love the use of the music throughout your overview. The twilight princess pieces are so fitting, and the symphonic movements hit so perfectly. I admit the cutscene where zelda draconifies herself brought me to tears, but your synopsis are so thoughtful

[@yuvanshukla770]

Dude zeltik's editing is SO GOOD and so cinematic. Like is anyone else thinking that he could actualy work on the editing for the zelda movie

[@itskdog]

And the writing too - Zeltik is a brilliant writer really making you *feel* the emotions he's trying to portray.

[@0megasight]

I personally think that the reason Rauru and Sonia get to come back to reverse Zelda’s transformation is that Hylia is still aware of what’s going on and is just like “wait, no, the deal is that I have to keep reincarnating, you two get back here, turn this version of me into something that can have kids. What d’you mean it’s weird? Look, either that happens, or I have to figure out a way to pull myself out of this dragon and found another lineage of cute blonde elf girls, just get in here”

[@ukrainium_92]

This is too funnt

[@fateerah851]

I know this is a joke but it could actually be true. Like maybe since Zelda is a reincarnation of Hylia then in order for the cycle to continue then she has to return to her human form

[@neox4735]

I’d guess Ganondorf buckling back right before eating his secret stone is because he was about to lose consciousness/dying. But his will was too powerful to simply die like that

[@g4ming_raven651]

And stubborn to even wanna die like that

[@TheFawse]

I know they’ve never done it before, but I genuinely hope they make this series a trilogy. No chance that happens, but if it does I’m 100% in

[@wace9174]

They've done it before alttp link has 4 direct games

[@BhargavN10]

Haven't we all had enough Zelda suffering through thousands of years 😭

[@StonedHunter]

​@@BhargavN10we can seal Link up somewhere and let Zelda run around with the Master Sword. It's long past due imo

[@StonetheDestroyer42]

On the one hand, I would love a third game, this one with red box art to be the game of power, ideally with Link and Zelda adventuring outside of Hyrule, or with Hyrule fully rebuilt and completely unrecognizable and an external threat to deal with. On the other, this is a rare case of Link getting an actual happy ending, where he gets to enjoy his victory with his friends and without having to sacrifice almost everyone close to him in some way, and it would be nice to leave it there for him.

[@bullettime8760]

@@StonetheDestroyer42 I feel like the third game should take place after the kingdom have been properly rebuilt, or at least in the time where the kingdom can properly function as a single entity again, it's fitting for the theme of the story Breath of the Wild: exploring and saving a kingdom in decline after an apocalyptic event Tears of the Kingdom: learning and destroying the source of the evil that caused it (Rise of the Kingdom) : rebuilding and maintaining a once fractured kingdom

[@ZorLink21]

47:44 I think what happened is over time, Ganondorf's body bent backwards bit by bit which caused Rauru's hand to end up on top of his chest since it was attached to it

[@Boss-mw1jv]

Yea that’s probably why

[@dirtywhitellama]

Finally, I deeply appreciated that the final moment you take as a player circles back to the intro scene so perfectly: when you grasp Zelda's hand falling through the sky. Perfectly looped back around.

[@delikatessbruhe9843]

I ended watching this by sitting in front of my screen and going "Wow. Just fucking wow." The words you chose to retell this story, the parallels you've drawn in visuals and motifs that aren't all immediately clear when playing - everything, it all just amounts to a masterpiece in its own right. Don't you feel bad for a second for delaying this video, it came out exactly when it was right.

[@Chris-gx1ei]

I rather think Ganondorf is more dissapointed in the fact that the World isnt a Warfield filled of Barbarians slaughtering each other, maybe he is referring to a time before the Arrival of the Zonai and them bringing peace.

[@a.jthomas6132]

Considered that the Gerudo tribe from the distant past is living a harsh militaristic way of life, it would make sense why Ganondorf prefers the strong survives and the weak perishes.

[@Nyxael5845]

​@@a.jthomas6132And even then, despite the hardships of living in the desert, he still ransacked villages in his own country when he transformed into the Demon King. His people were not safe. All that loyalty that his people gave him true to their King only to be cast aside into the ground once he accomplished his goals.

[@Mauricio0973]

​@@Nyxael5845reminder he's also a reincarnation of Demise, so he's not only shaped by his harsh way of life in the Gerudo Desert but also by the omnicidal influence of the first Demon King

[@r2020E]

@@Nyxael5845 I think Ganondorf only attacked the villages that refused to swear loyalty to him. iirc in the cutscene, the line was “the last free Gerudo village has fallen” which implies that there were other Gerudo villages (non-free) that supported Ganondorf and were probably not ransacked

[@lilkorok]

this little series has been absolutely amazing. bravo! thanks for all the hard work.

[@Supasmartguy]

I'm guessing the demon dragon was larger than the other dragons because Ganondorf was a larger person.

[@KagomeYasha023]

Especially in his demon form

[@aceofblades1677]

I prefer to think it's a reflection of his power, as his stone also grows larger than the others when it imprints on him. IDK though.

[@wildbard4112]

I think he was larger because he was more powerful

[@Ceezmemefn08]

Yeah and apparently he was 7’7ft tall in twilight princess

[@jstar3382]

He was larger, and stronger. My guess for the imperfections is because he swallowed his stone WHILE using it. He ripped it directly out of his flesh, leaving a boiling hole in his head

[@JDB62-]

What an incredible series this is, Zeltik always delivering the gold standard for quality content!

[@-ak-634]

The series rarely disappoints me, there's so many classics and masterpieces to be enjoyed again and again and again. Not many series can lay claims to such consistent success.

[@thomas00129]

i like how the master sword is scarred much like link as you can still see a difference between the blade what remained and what the light dragon fixed the fixed metal being a subtle shade lighter then the metal that remained

[@AdmiralPeach]

I cried so much when I finished the game & saw that Zelda was returned as herself again 🥹 It’s been a long time since a game has made me so emotional 💕

[@narwhal9852]

where link catches her at the end. when he couldn't in the beginning got me a little teary lol

[@penguin_master_]

I already know this video is going to be well worth the wait.

[@Musty_Retal]

Yah

[@ReshiramR52]

Was it well worth the wait?

[@davidcuevashere727]

Words cannot express how much I've loved watching this project and playing this game. This game is truly amazing and no matter how many times I've seen it, the ending brings tears to my eyes. Fitting considering the title. And this project is no different. You have truly outdone yourself with this project. The writing was amazing and the amount of effort is clear. And the music you chose for the scenes, whether it be the in-game music from the scene playing or a totally different music was always perfect. This is definitely a series that I will constantly rewatch both to support you and because it is amazing. TL;DR: I love this video so much. Keep up the great work, I am so excited to see where the community goes as the years go on into the next big game.

[@salmorejo_]

boy what gets me with these vids is the brilliant little details, like the hood down throughout the narration or the clever music placement, like the glyphs theme during the dragon tears part, or the genius corrupted Naydra theme when talking about draconification in the first vid. the work is masterful :D

[@Fluffieluke]

damn I love how we got what's pretty much a 4th trailer in the beginning, it made me smile so much, the way the geoglyph scene was perfectly synced made me so fucking happy

[@DatakTarr]

There is a similar spiral stair case that just leads to the underground cavern that connects Hyrule Castle to lookout landing. I believe this is the secret staircase that leads to Ganondorf's prison. Only that it got some how blocked or caved in during the calamity. There is a stone monument in the hyrule castle portion of the passage that has a message about the evil king or some such there.

[@rarkrk2681]

Was about to comment that... i hope that if theres a DLC on the way, it gives us the option to explore more areas down the castle depths. Like the places we see at the first teaser. Would be pretty cool.

[@Nyxael5845]

I find it so strange because at the bottom of Gloom's Approach, the compass marks at least 1,000 meters below sea level. There must have been some additional tunnels that lead to the bottom of Gloom's Approach before it got caved in by the tremors caused by Hyrule Castle being lifted into the sky. The Forgotten Foundation is REALLY far underground compared to the rest of the Depths.

[@BeCause123]

Did anyone else not know you could reflect the gloom projectiles in the final fight with the Master Sword? I certainly didn't know

[@SnehaR1309]

Same lmao I honestly don’t even know how I beat ganon given how much I just brute-forced the entire fight 😂

[@nodnarb3540]

Even though I wasn’t a fan of how they just undid Zelda’s dragonfication after beating into our heads for the entire story that this could never be undone, I still loved the scene with link diving down to catch Zelda, mirroring the beginning of the game. That moment, all the way until he’s holding her as they crash into the pond on the surface, might be my favorite moment from any Zelda game ever. Possibly any moment in gaming. It was just…..chefs kiss

[@haladmirknowsbest]

I love the detail of the demon dragon rising from and circling Hyrule castle the same way Calamity Ganon did. I know it's mostly likely just recycled game models from BoTW but I like it

[@hylian_princess]

The amount of chills I had at 1:30 is insane 😭

[@JenneeB927]

This was epic. I watched it with my grandson(who has been playing). I have to say I got far more wrapped up in your 3 parter, than the actual game. Great job, Zeltic! Thanks for making it interesting for everyone.

[@davidcuevashere727]

My favorite line of the video (so far): "The most dangerous game of Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Robots begins."

[@saagartrivedi4190]

No matter what the delay was, thank you for posting this. I'm going through some stuff, and 1) your soothing voice, and 2) your thorough recap, they both got me in my feelings, in a good way, for once. Thanks again.

[@Maren.2002]

Sorry to hear that. I'll pray for you.

[@WanderingWriter]

I think, considering how naming daughters "Zelda" in Hyrule is a longstanding tradition, I think it is the result of the grandfather paradox, think back to the future how marty mcfly's parents end up naming him after himself. This Zelda is the "original" Zelda and henceforth becomes a naming tradition as a fulfilling prophecy to the present

[@OhNoTheFace]

That "Protect them all!" still gets me, dammit Appreciate all your work

[@Hinaichigo1713]

Yunobo getting bodied in the background of the demon king fight (45:20 or so) is hilarious lmaooo Amazing 3 part series, Zeltik! I’m looking forward to future videos deep diving into individual bits of lore and especially the environmental storytelling from TotK and how that ties into (or doesn’t) the lore established in botw and previous games!

[@bryanslick8704]

Zeltik - your work on this series could serve as a pitch for an epic Tears of the Kingdom major motion picture (live action/CGI). Go for it!

[@ricardobarragan6898]

Man, I can't completely tell you how much I appreciate the work and dedication you've always put into the saga but specially these last videos. Little details become huge when well connected and I just want to thank you for doing so. Greetings from México.

[@Pimpgamer101]

39:23 I love that in this serious retelling of one of the most amazing Zelda stories ever we still have time for a good hydration meme 🤣

[@liamarkenan]

Zeltik you have such a way with words. You’re storytelling and innate sense of how to pace your narrative, or when to let the game say something, or just what clips to use for maximum effect…… It’s moving. These videos can literally move me to tears. Especially when you highlight the strengths and sacrifices that both heroes - Zelda and Link. Their connection and mutual love for each other is powerful. It isn’t even explicitly said in the English versions - it’s SHOWN. And that makes it all the more meaningful. Thank you for these videos. Your knowledge, your experience, your skills, and indeed your own sacrifices of time and health; you often mention how much you love the Zelda franchise but you do more than that. You SHOW it.

[@KittMouri]

This was like watching a movie. Very theatrical. You can see how much effort and time you poured into this. Well done. I look forward to whatever you decide to do next. ❤

[@KingOfMelos]

As someone that grew up with the Zelda series, has played, almost all the games and loved and theorized on the story of the Zelda series for most of my life, but don't have a Switch, I thank you so much for makin this 3 part series, allowing me to experience the story despite not owning the game. It's been a fantastic journey, and I've loved so much of this story!

[@channelknightfadran7901]

Call me basic, but Link has always and will always be my favorite ever Legend of Zelda character. Ghirahim explains it best: "Boy... what *are* you?"

[@paigemalloy4276]

This was beautiful. Thank you, Zeltik! I can't imagine the amount of time, love, and effort that was put into these videos.

[@KatieMacDonald97]

Thank you so much for this! I can't imagine the amount of work put into this that didn't include actually playing this. Your hard work REALLY shows! Thank you!

[@BusinessSkrub]

It's interesting that the three normal dragons have large horns sticking out in the exact forehead spot that Ganondragon's crystal sits, and also exactly where the Master Sword rests on the Light Dragon's head as well. I think the theory that the dragons are also ancient zonai that swallowed secret stones must be correct; my theory is that the stones rest on the forehead under normal circumstances for some period of time, until crystallizing fully and becoming invulnerable and gifting true immortality; it could explain why Ganondorf's stone is randomly exposed and still vulnerable, and the Master Sword being part of Zelda's sacrifice and transformation, could have taken the spot of the stone and is still a "weak point" of sorts for some amount of time, because she seems to be in great pain when Link tries to remove the sword.

[@a.jthomas6132]

When Light Dragon comes to aid Link in the final battle, my thought was “did she come back and maybe draconification hasn’t removed everything that is Zelda?” It ist just a theory… but I believed it is her love for her knight is what drove her dragon instinct/consciousness in saving Link from falling and aiding him in the final battle against Draconified Demon King. We all seen that when her powers were activated when the ones she loves is threaten in Breath of the Wild.

[@daniloberserk]

Although she wouldn't have some form of "conscious" choice, it seems that the Dragons carry the intentions of the former self. Same as the Demon Dragon.

[@naotinn1998]

I think I have another explanation of this. Maybe Zelda, as the Light Dragon, was really conscious, not entirely, or maybe not all the time. I think we fight with a conscious Zelda during the final battle against the Demon Dragon. However, at the end, Zelda says she has no recollection of her as the Light Dragon. But this isn't a proof that she wasn't conscious at that time. As Zeltik exposed, Zelda could have return to her original form thanks to a very powerful version of the Recall ability. In this theory, her body turned back, but her mind too. If she hasn't any memory, it is because she is the Zelda before becoming a Dragon. So, Zelda as the Light Dragon could truly be conscious, even, and probably, partially. And maybe all the cutscenes we see, like the one which is shown just after Link pulled out the Master Sword, or when Link gets the Recall ability, could have been experienced by Zelda, emprisonned by her draconic form. (PS : I'm not sure all I've written is fully understandable, and i'm sorry if I made some English mistakes, because English isn't my native language)

[@wolfiemuse]

Nah, I think the legend about draconification is a lie meant to deter people from doing it. It’s pretty clear that both Ganondorf AND Zelda remember plenty of enough. Ganondorf remembers he wants to kill Link. Zelda remembers to guide link to get the master sword. She also remembers that she needs to fight Ganondragon. 😂 I think it’s a white lie told to keep people from eating secret stones because they knew how dangerous it could be in the wrong hands

[@chrange9714]

​@@wolfiemuseThey're both clearly mindless as dragons lmao. Zelda as the Light Dragon was just naturally good willed, ofc she was going to stand up to evil and help the one with the sword to banish it. Ganondorf wanted to destroy the whole world as the Demon Dragon, not just Link. He was just bent on mindless destruction by that point. It's definitely not a lie lol.

[@jules8273]

@@wolfiemuse zelda says at the end of the game that she doesn't remember being the light dragon, and she's surprised to see link in front of her with the master sword

[@reneeschke]

Thank you for this. Unfortunately the game itself failed to present it's story with the weight and power you portrait here. Now I can remember the game in the way you described it.

[@PikaRobo]

You are always so great at narrating these things. I think it would be really neat if you decide to cover other games or series with lore-heavy backstories like you did with this series. (Maybe not here since “Zeltik” is a “Zelda”-themed channel, and it might or might not have the same amount of passion, but it would still be interesting to see your spin on them.)

[@luckycl0verr]

i’m crying as this series comes to a close for now, it’s so heart warming. thank you for all your hard work to help us fully understand the two amazing games and more to come

[@trevortakesphotos1473]

My day has been made seeing this released today! Sad it’s going to be the last one 😢. You killed this Zeltik!

[@thatonechick1318]

I do think you're right about the recall ability bringing back Zelda to her original form however, I think it's using recall on the stone itself. My theory is recall only works on objects not living things. So the recall is bringing the stone out of Zelda's body and back on her necklace, making her turn back into her human form. These videos were amazing, thank you!

[@dijoi2176]

Beautiful! This part literally really made me cry 45:50

[@Fishylucifer]

I cant be the only one who gets goosebumps in Zelda games when there are Sages and they all awaken and come together with the Hero for some big performance piece.

[@ValTek_Armory]

The duel against Ganondorf is so fun! An evolved version of the one in Twilight Princess!

[@ArtemisWasHere]

I can’t wait for whatever DLC the Zelda team has cooking for tears of the kingdom I have three guesses for what they might be 1. A second quest taking place during the era of King Rauru Played by Zelda perhaps, that could be a fun homage to the scrapped second quest of skyward sword, and interesting to see what the landscape was like during that time 2. The story of Dinraal, Naydra, and Farosh. Who they were before, and why they swallowed their stones. I even had an idea long ago for how each dragon could bless the master sword with further power, as an equivalent to the trial of the sword. Imagine a dungeon inside mount lanayru, or floria falls. 3. What happened to Mineru’s secret stone after her spirit disappears. Who claims it? Or is it hidden somewhere? Or perhaps… Link claims it. What would his stone be, I wonder…

[@Pyronic_]

I think it’ll be about the area that Yona is from. (In her character profile it says she is from another domain). I think it’ll be like a new area we access through a loading zone. Maybe the villain could be Kohga after he escaped the final fight with him team rocket style. He could’ve gone to this new area and became the villain he wanted to be. (They could also bring back Kass bc he isn’t present in TOTK which is odd bc multiple npcs mention him and his ENTIRE FAMILY IS STILL IN RITO VILLAGE). The only problem with this is it would probably have to be post game bc I doubt link link would leave Hyrule without saving Zelda first. Maybe the dlc takes place after TOTK but is only accessed through an option in the title screen.

[@a.jthomas6132]

From I hear from the rumors, there is the Dragon Trials and another. My hope is that Nintendo give us a third DLC where we can have Twinrova as a dlc boss as well as a playable Princess Zelda and exploring the origins of Ganondorf.

[@eddnox]

I think Purah's golden mask resembles that of Mineru. And they are both inventors. I think she would be a good successor.

[@lucasstrople4767]

Somebody in a group had the idea: Kass returns with a newly discovered musical relic with its own unique history: The Ocarina of Time. That would be too good to be true.

[@Pyronic_]

@@lucasstrople4767 that would be sick

[@superturtle6458]

This series is a masterpiece.

[@a.jthomas6132]

It only lacks in a lore establishment and Ganondorf's backstory.

[@Ceezmemefn08]

Yeah but what is he gonna say for his backstory.

[@TheWiseMan1423]

The level of details and storytelling was just S tier, please keep doing this, you have a talent for it. Also your voice is so soothing!

[@mattlang8419]

Man that intro was SO good! Really dialed me in for the final piece of a great set of videos. Really appreciate your expressive storytelling ability.

[@jessedellross3245]

I just beat the game a second time last night. Final fight is still great. Despite knowing what was coming, I still got chills at the end diving in the sky to save her.

[@bilsuart]

Your dedication to our favorite series is nuts! I can’t wait to watch!

[@aratherbritishdinosaur]

Bilsu????

[@nathanapodaca3456]

If you notice, a core theme of this game is self-sacrifice. Ganondorf is a man so committed to his lust for power and hatred that he is willing to sacrifice all that he is to destroy the world if he can't have it. Rauru, the King, realizing he himself isn't powerful enough to protect Hyrule, sacrifices himself in order to (temporarily) stop Ganondorf), having faith that one day Link will be able to finish what he started. Then there's Zelda, a woman so driven by love for her people and her Knight, as well as for the ancient Kingdom she found herself in, that she is willing to lose herself for all time if it means giving the world a fighting chance. Then there's Mineru, who, moved by Zelda's selflessness, decides to sacrifice her own body(we see her spirit shortly before Zelda does...the thing) if it means helping Link, a man she's never even met Lastly, there's Link, a Knight so dedicated to service and to Zelda, he was willing to die if it meant protecting her in the Great Calamity(causing her powers to awaken out her love for Link) and then at the end, diving after his princess even if it means losing his own life to try and save her. The Zelda team took a Masterpiece that was BOTW, and exceeded it beyond all expectations

[@shinymk6562]

The fact that Ganondorf is so powerful that his deteriorated Gloom in the form of Malice/Calamity Ganon was able to bring Hyrule to ruin truly showcases his power. The only reason he didn't destroy everything in TOTK was because he was recovering up until the very end.

[@matthewmuir8884]

Also, he was disappointed with the ruined Hyrule as he wanted a challenge that would feed his ego, unaware that Hryule is in ruins because of his own deteriorated Gloom.

[@a.jthomas6132]

I wanted to give thanks to you Zeltik! Even though part has so many delays but it was worth the wait. And I am starting to get the idea that the game's theme the hand. It is the key that brings everyone together. But I also think building a better community, sacrifices, coming of age, and healing wounds are also themes of Tears of the Kingdom. My hope for the next Zelda game is that we get to see more of this version of Link and Princess Zelda, the return Demise, where is the Triforce, exploring the world outside of Hyrule (since Sidon’s wife Yona is from a different Zora’s domain), and to have Link x Zelda’s relationship blossoms even further as they may become new rulers of Hyrule.

[@dylanrutherford4425]

Thank you Zeltik for bringing us this three piece series and all the content you have put out. I literally watched all 3 of these parts like one long movie lol.

[@zinkheroofyoutube8004]

I love how in this version, Link is kind of a sage, something other games had never done before

[@briannawood2673]

I can't wait when all the parts are out so i can just go back and watch them all over and over again.

[@briannawood2673]

starts watching and get tingles down spine, i know this is gonna be good!

[@catalyst539]

@@briannawood2673 this is the final part though?

[@briannawood2673]

@@catalyst539 yeah i just watched the end lol he did say tho that he would be talking more about tears of the kingdom so this is really not the end

[@lucasstrople4767]

The casual Tolkien quotes are the chef's kiss.

[@kaiharris514]

Phenomenal job! I did some stuff out of order because I'm a very easily distracted person, so seeing the timeline from start to finish like that was great! Love your videos, your voice is so soothing, and I can't wait to see what theories or secrets you might have for us from this amazing game!

[@Mowthelawn3]

Bro, your edit of the last catch is INCREDIBLE 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

[@Vihh_is_Violent]

Quic thing imma point out: At 9:40 you say how the sundelions might be connected to queen Sonia but that's not true, its easy to miss, but Rauru puts down a sundelion unto Sonias grave as a way of respect, that sundelion flourished and grew more,

[@flamerjames898]

Honestly, this game is beautiful. I truly loved and enjoyed the experience. Thanks Zeltik for recapping and explaining every little detail that I definately somehow missed.

[@penguizard01]

Zeltik, you are unbelievably good at telling a story.

[@SiberianNinja-Jin]

The amount of ppl who don't realize you can hit back the projectiles during the final boss is crazy so thank you for showing that in the video! That's the first thing I did when he shot out the projectiles wondering did they add a Ganondorf tennis battle except with no bottles. XD

[@jasonmendonca6061]

It took me about 20 tries before I figured out you could hit them back, accidentally. Once I fugred that out he was easy to beat

[@linksstruepower7443]

Now the only that I need for this game to be perfect for me is a two pieces of artwork. One that shows Link and Zelda along with the living sages having a meal together. And one that shows Link in bloodrage, mercilessly beating Ganondorf with his fists.

[@Grynjolf]

What's weird about the lightning towers is that the doors aren't opened unless you've finished the 4 dungeons and then went to kakariko. So it's not really just that Ganondorf returned.

[@themissionslayer]

I gathered the master sword before I visited the Deku Tree. He was like “well I waiting all this time to tell you about the sword but, you already have it sooooooo uh, I guess we are done here” lol

[@The_Twilight_Triforce]

Brilliant job with this 3+ hour breakdown of the storyline across 3 vids Your content is always concise and detailed, especially apparent with how you detailed all the little, missable things in the 3 minute or so long trailer in a 1 hour video. Keep the legendary content coming and i hope your feeling better. 39:17 Also love the occasional funny references like Ganondorf's rehydration

[@TheNorthHawk]

The swell in the music as Link wakes and dives towards Zelda is such a powerful emotional moment. The fact they make it playable is even better. One final heroic effort, one final chance to undo our failing at the start of this story. One of gaming's finest climaxes, in my view. I like, too, that Zelda was no helpless damsel in this story. In Breath of the Wild she did battle with the Calamity, alone and with little hope, for a hundred long years. In this one, she fought alongside the Sages in Hyrule's distant past against the personification of evil, the king of demons, and helped save her kingdom in another era. And when the Sword that Seals the Darkness came to her, she sacrificed everything... Her body, her mind, her memories - to restore it, to strengthen it, and to deliver it into the hands of her knight. She did this with no hope that she could ever be healed or restored, condemning herself to an eternity roaming the skies, unknowing, enduring solitude for tens of thousands of years, with the understanding that even if her desperate gambit succeeded she'd endure long after everyone she knew and loved even in her own era had long since become dust in the wind. She faced eternity alone, not knowing what part of her mind would remain intact to comprehend the living nightmare of draconification. Not many would have that strength.

[@Cath_Cadaver]

This trilogy was a masterpiece, thank you for making me live my favorite game once more

[@josepablolp4080]

I love how you mix music from other Zelda games into this narrative. Exquisite.

[@bijupraveen8652]

What is the song at 26:16

[@jwlrhdz]

its safety in the sanctuary from link between worlds @@bijupraveen8652

[@MegaZx31]

I am excited to finally be able to watch the final part. Don't worry about delaying it, I've been waiting for this patiently

[@MiniMii550]

Just that intro alone, Zeltik goddammit you've done it again! 100/10 complete perfection

[@ladymayjazz]

This entire series was incredible. Thank you Zeltik! Awesome work!👏🏾👏🏾❤️🙏🏾

[@Spamkromite]

One could argue with Mineru if the power of Time could reverse it. She never brings it up so, she was clueless about it or none ever tried to do it before since the odds of a Time sage reaching one of those old dragons was too slim and would require a predetermined plan for it, which would be a risky enterprise on itself. It Zelda also proved to Mineru that not all dragons lose their minds completely if determination and spirit are strong, much like Ganondorf could steer himself with purpose while draconified. So, Mineru doesn't know all the full details of what draconification entailed, and probably just parroted what she was told and passed down through generations, just like legends. You deserve your views for all the great effort. Thank you for the beautiful content 😊

[@arrerino1857]

I don’t think Ganondorf has the same bullet time ability as Link. If he did then he would have been able to do a flurry rush after doing a perfect dodge. What we see as time slowing when Ganondorf does a perfect dodge is Link’s reaction to it, as he focuses to prepare for a counterattack. Ganondorf can’t slow time to time his dodges. He’s good enough to do perfect dodges anyway

[@sisideblanc2959]

This was definitely worth the wait! Thank you so much for all that you do! All of the entertainment you bring to the channel, all of the theories you hypothesize and discuss, and the explanations of vague lore that you're able to present seamlessly. You truly are one of the best presentation writers on KZbin, and in the Zelda community as a whole. I have so much respect for you, and you've inspired me time and time again. Not just as a player of the Zelda series (giving me reasons to fall in love with the games and their underlying themes, references, and stories all over again) but as a writer myself. I've been writing for nearly 15 years, and just recently I've come up with another writing project (mostly practicing, but I'm sure I'll upload it somewhere for the enjoyment of others) that you helped inspire which has been taking up most of my days between semesters. Thank you again for everything. I appreciate and respect your hard work and dedication. Rest easy, my dude. I look forward to the next one.

[@idarusonio]

i want to thank you so much for thus 3-part series. im always coming back to rewatch them... you really help me understand the lore as well as the characters even more. youre so good at what you do and i really hope you could make more zelda content in the future for more zelda games (or DLC's). thank you so much

[@HobbieJ]

I've been a Zelda fan since before I was born - My mom played Link's Awakening while she was pregnant with me. But I've only recently found your channel and I highly enjoy your soothing voice and storytelling. Thank you for this massive series, and I can't wait to look back at your older content and see what comes up in the future!

[@letourneau2027]

This series was absolutely phenomenal. Thank you for your time and effort in putting everything together. I hope you’re feeling better! 🙂