Zelda Theory: Slave Link
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- Опубликовано: 3 янв 2025
- The Zonai are commonly cited as almost divine beings, heralded as bringing civilization to Hyrule. However, are their actions truly divine? Or are the dark secrets buried in the depths beneath Hyrule? Does this have anything to do with the ancient hero who saved Hyrule during the events of the first calamity? Who can say, this video attempts to start this discussion.
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The way they dropped that armor as a reward for clearing the shrines and then not adding any dlc to elaborate was diabolical
The big reason for this is because totk was originally dlc itself for botw. Thing is, there was so much content compared to other dlc, that it was decided to just make it into its own game
And really, with the price tag on totk, I'm glad it didn't have any dlc lol
@@thegargoylecumeth7932 still on a storytelling level, it's very amateur of Nintendo. Past Zelda games had interesting lores, less obvious. Here you drop a ancient hero armor, totalling off the track from the story you've been telling and hop game is done
@@kiribati9393 Could be a setup for a prequel game in the future.
@@mikethehunter5212unlikely. Zelda games have never had sequels or prequels, totk was the sole exception. Nintendo was directly asked if they’d be continuing this Link’s story and they flat out said no. This is the end of that story. The next games will go back to formula and be original.
@@bitsbrainsandbeanies2527 Zelda games have had sequels and prequels since the inception of the franchise lol what are you on about, MM is a direct sequel to OoT much like PH is a direct sequel to WW, ALTtP was first meant as a prequel to Zelda 1
I heard of a similar theory which goes a little like this:
The King of Hyrule had a different reason for banishing the sheikah technology 10,000 years ago than the divine beasts or the ease with which they defeated ganon. The sheikah built the shrine of resseruction so they could put Link there and wake him up every time ganon was a few months or years away from coming, meaning existence to Link would just be waking up somewhere without knowing where you are or what your name is, being rushed by weird people through all the shrines, getting the master sword, killing ganon, and being forced back into the shrine for the next however many centuries. The King of Hyrule saw this inhumane thing be designed, and he was scared they might do something similar to his daughter, Zelda, so he banished the sheikah technology.
That’s, honestly a good point.
It's lore that the hero will always be reborn when Ganon will rise. So no need for the shrine.
@@CordeliaWagner1999but that's not common knowledge in-game.
Doing that to Zelda would be stupid as zelda only important trait is the blood of the goddess
Meaning any female member of the royal family can do it
@@chaosenforcerdhm969 and how many more female members of the royal family are there? Oh yeah, that's right, none
It would be interesting to see a Link who turns his back on goddess hylia or the royal family, tired of having to save their asses from constant destruction.
Line straight out of Jak 3: "I'm done saving the world"
This is an interesting theory for sure, however regarding the tapestry from BOTW, the hero doesn’t have green skin. You can clearly see his beige hand holding the sword. The green is simply his tunic, which is link’s usual garb
I mean, yea. It'd be cool if this was the case, but the way all the sheikah tech was wiped off the face of the kingdom tells me they weren't thinking that far ahead lol
in TOTK if youre wearing the full outfit and talk to impa she says that link looks like the hero from the tapestry. also if you compare the BOTW tapestry with the TOTK one you can see that nintendo retconned it a bit to make it so link's head looks more red compared to zelda but in the original their skin looks to be the same tone.
Another problem could be the hero being zonai era in clothing
True although n this case the green comes from zonnai tech not from hylian garb
You know, something i only just realized: The miner's mask kind of looks like a stylized ant's head, with mandibles, and if you stretch it a bit, antennas, not ears.
Bit of a crap-shoot, but maybe the miner's outfit belonged to one of their kind and the unknown statue wasn't of a canine, but some kind of insectoid all along?
I kinda see that now. And the belt buckle.
And the top of the statue's head looks like it's plated or something. That's an interesting idea.
I can't fully convince myself that the Ancient Hero belongs to any race previously hinted at. It's the tail that really throws me off. No race I've seen has a tail like that.
I want more of this. I like dark stuff. I love to hear mysterious tales of the past. I was definitely drawn in to the possibility that the hero had no choice but to serve Hyrule unlike the previous heroes.
I have a couple of notes.
1. The miner mask resembles and ant, not anything related to a canine.
2. The ancient hero has red hair and Gerudo style jewelry. The only race in Zelda to have red hair is the Gerudo. So is it possible that he's the child of a Zonai and a Gerudo?
Okay, here me out
A slave in the depths, whose entire life has been underground and is covered in chains from hesd to toe eventually decides to take up arms with his comrades and fight for their freedom
While the rest of them cast aside their shackles, this one keeps them. As a reminder of where he comes from, and what he fights for. He wears them for so long, he eventually becomes known for them. Known for his chains
"Link", they started to call him
*hear
"Here is gathered Hyrule's bloody history of greed and hatred."
Every time we (the players) look away, Hyrule gets DARK.
I subscribe to Kamabokobun's Dweller headcanon.
Also I believe the Zonai probably did not enslave any single race. If their reaction to helping of the Rito to guide back a fallen Zonai from the sky was to gift them a giant flying ship, and the goron a subterranean city. I can only assume the Zonai were fairly benevolent. And whatever race that did live in the depths aside the Gorons, most likely died out due to the Gloom. One does not commemorate a slave species with such an honorific statue like those found in the depths, after all. So it is most likely the case they met an unfortunate end due to whatever happened down there over time. Since they still existed up until 10k years ago at least. With gloom most likely spreading, it made it uninhabitable and they probably perished due to it instead of doing the smart thing and moving to the surface...sounds like cats on average.
While one can argue the armor could be enslaving of these people but the armor is clearly built with more plantigrade races in mind. And the mask is more closer to the face which would better fit a Zonai's face than a whatever the ancient hero was. I'll just call them Dwellers for the moment until Nintendo gives us an official name some day. Regardless.
Thats a very good point on the enslavement. Though I respectfully disagree with the mask. Zonai are depicted with a third eye and that motif carries with allot of their works, statues, armor, etc. Even the Zonai helm, which doesn't have a third eye slot, still showcases a third eye motif. But still, I could be wrong on that. Hopefully Nintendo expands on this in the future.
@@MProductionsOfficial A counterpoint on the mask. While it doesn't have a slot for the zonai's third eye, honestly i don't think one was needed. As shown with Rauru and Mineru, Zonais didn't have that third eye constantly open, it was kept closed unless needed, as such a helm made for a zonai wouldn't need a third eye slot, unless it was meant to be used in conjunction with the third eye. If anything a helm made for mining would benefit from not having a third eye slot, so as to protect the third eye from hazards one might face down there. On top of that, it also may be the case that not all zonai were born with that third eye. Alternatively, the third eye could be artificial in nature, the zonai were ALL about technology after all, and it would explain why Raurus third eye looks different from the rest.
Okay, some MASSIVE problems with your theory:
-The constructs literally work in the mines.
-the beings depicted in the statues are clearly their own people, especially that incarnation of the Hero.
-the aforementioned constructs literally have shops set up in the major mines, even having vendor constructs for weapons and materials. This is hinting that those who worked the mines valued Zonaite and even crystallized charges as a form of currency, meaning they got paid.
-Ganondorf is exclusively a conqueror, so if anything, he just despised the competition.
Honestly, it appears more like the Zonai literally made a living off of mining in the Depths, particularly the working class.
I do not believe that the stone statues had tails, unlike the hero’s aspect, though my memory may be failing me.
I see your point but I have a counter argument, It's entirely possible they were enslaving their own people “it wouldn't be the first time in history that happened”
I highly doubt the constructs were cheap to make.
It wouldn't be the first time some form of currency was allowed to the slaves for some amount of luxury To keep the morale up so they don't revolt.
And there's nothing suggesting that the slaves were allowed weaponry, presence alone doesn't mean the slaves had it.
Just like every large Workforce that doesn't want to be there there are those that enforce rule whether it's supervisors or slavers.
And since we don't have a biography there's no way of knowing what Gannon was thinking, either way he's clearly an intelligent man, Probably could have been a fairly normal dude for the first half of his life until he started noticing all the problems with a logical mind before his hatred outgrew his logic and was possessed by by demise's hatred.
@yuseifudo... His thory
is plausible if he's talking about the very beginning of their civilization before they discovered how to make the constructs it's entirely possible that they use slaves both of their own species and others to do the mining until they figured out how to make the constructs
@roseannaruthlynnewyman3123 except it's perfectly obvious that the Zonai were a mining society.
crystallized charges acted as a currency to buy a number of things. There are clear signs that the miners got paid.
@AceCambat isn't it kinda part of the whole concept of slavery that they don't get paid?
Also, while Ganondorf has always been a more complicated man, his number one goal was always the domination of Hyrule.
I doubt he cared much for how the Hyrule Kingdom ran things, especially since his incarnation in Ocarina canonically did way worse.
Apparently according to the TotK Masterworks, the statues have different possible explanations, one being that they're a different type of Zonai, like how Rauru resembles a goat whilst Mineru is reminiscent of a hare.
I didn't want to think the Ancient Hero was a Zonai, cause Rauru and Mineru don't have tails, BUT if there are multiple types of Zonai, maybe Aspect(placeholder name) could've been a zonai.
I disagree that this iteration of the Hero may have been a slave, however, I don't think a dark backstory is entirely out of the question.
Imagine this; a game centered around the original Calamity. The Ancient Hero, or Aspect as I like to call him, awakens not unlike how Link does in BotW.
But instead of waking up on surface, Aspect awakens within the Depths, specifically the Spring of Revival. Zelda's voice calls out to the "amnesiac," only ever referring to him as Endling, a word for being the last of one's kind.
From there, who knows. I personally headcanon this incarnation of the Hero was the Eighth Heroine, and Ruto's story from Ocarina of Time repeated itself. Maybe there's an central antagonist that isn't Ganon but regardless is trying to profit from the situation.
The main difference between Aspect and Wild, however? Both start their journies without memories, but only ONE of them has memories to recover to begin with.
Wait, we've seen long snouted folks in Hyrule before, in Skyward Sword.
Long snouts, toothy grins, tails, subterranean lifestyles. The Mogma are not forgotten.
Yeah and they are good at mining.
oh wow it's almost 1 for 1 of the statues
The statues don't have tails, do they? But a mogma's fluffy tanuki-like tail doesn't resemble the hero's either. It's such a conundrum...
There is an old mythological concept of "dog headed men" or cynocephaly that spans several different eras, from Egyptian to Greek to Celtic and even Christian with Saint Christopher.
I wonder if that's the reference. I'm pretty sure the story was about a dog headed warrior Saint, being captured and forced to fight until he was 'saved' and given human form.
This would make somewhat sense why twilight princess transformation is a wolf for the canine blood
@091alonso oh, that's a good point. I was also thinking about a possible connection with the Norse story of Fenrir and Tyr. When Loki brought his son, Fenrir, back to Azgard l, Odin had Tyr trick him into allowing himself to bound by a Dwarven chain. Tyr said he just wanted to see if he could break free, but Fenrir was suspicious, so Tyr agreed to place his hand inside of Fenrirs mouth while he was bound. When Fenrir knew he was deceived, he bit down and severed Tyr's hand...
So we have Link, wrapped in chains and missing an arm, with the dog headed man included.... I don't know. Might be something there.
I was recently watching a video on Darknuts. The Wind Waker ones seem to have canine features under the armor.
Mogma?
They look a lot like Mogmas.
A fancier Mogma, cuz everything is fancy in BotW and TotK 😅
I’ve always liked the idea of maybe following a non hylian link in a future game. My favorite idea would be a male gerudo hero which would also show us the first male gerudo besides ganondorf.
Could be a Tears sequel, since one Gerudo said they'd name their kid Link.
This is a very interesting theory, I haven't been able to find more information on this extinct race, and since many theorists speculate that the ancient heroes aspect is that of a hylian/zonai hybrid I've never seen this connection before. I hope more information about this lore comes out/is discovered someday. Great video!
Ancient Hero has a tale. Rauru and Mineru don't have tails.
Ancient hero has a human / hylian legs to torso ratio. Rauru and Mineru have VERY short legs and a very long torso.
@CordeliaWagner1999 If not for the tail thing, I would have said a Hylian-Zonai hybrid from Mineru's line.
Just going off the fact that Mineru gets a "sage flashback" and conversation despite it just being her.
Link was the only other one there, which gave me vibes that Link's line is connected to Mineru. (I guess he could be a spiritual heir)
I like this theory. It's bold and interesting. I have similar views although yours are a little more extreme regarding the Zonai, which I like a lot. I like the trope of finding out that the good guys aren't so good after all.
For me, the "truth" lies in the middle. In the real world, we know that colonisers didn't enslave people thinking "hooo boy imma do some evil". Empires did what they thought was right, even if we know it wasn't. Culture, power and politics shape how we relate to other nations, and the Zonai couldn't have been an exception. Maybe their culture thought of these people as barbarians *winkBarbarianSetwink*. Maybe there was war between them and these other people ended up losing against the powerful celestial beings with magic technology.
At the same time, the Zonai are depicted as fairly benevolent, so perhaps more than enslavement it was closer to how the Romans operated. People were free to keep their lands and local government, and worship their gods as long as they integrated into the empire, accepted imperial management of their local authorities and paid taxes. Taxes in work and minerals in this case. The Zonai thought they were civilising the barbarians, so the Ancient Hero wears Zonai clothes because he's product of the integration of his culture to another empire.
So when Ganondorf decides to fight back Zonai interventionism, he is justified, unfortunately he was *also* taken over by the curse of Demise. And the Zonai end up looking like absolute angels in comparison to a real, demonic evil. What we see from Zelda is tainted by her own perspective: Ganondorf is the evil her blood has to fight again and again. She can't help but distrust him, and she *is* right to do so, but had someone else stood up against the Zonai, would she have thought the same? How would she react if a foreign power tried to impose their culture on Hyrule? She'd absolutely fight back. And she would probably question everything if someone that wasn't Ganondorf had stood against the Zonai.
So yeah wall of text because your video did really get me going on my own theory lol :p
There he is. Macintyre the OG! It's seriously great to see you taking a step back into the light recently with more Zelda content, I really enjoyed this one! I've made 2 Shorts and did a live theory crafting stream on this topic about there being some sort of enslaved race in the Depths and your video has done that theory an incredible justice. Can't wait to see what else you've got in store for us and welcome back!
Loved the video. Brought back memories of when I used to watch your old content.
If anyone is curious about the music used, it's from John S. Weekley, for the Ashes 2063 series of games, which I highly suggest, as their really fun, and free on moddb lol. No attempt at throwing shade, just noticed it wasn't mentioned in the vid.
Huge fan of Ashes. I wrote the artist name during the title card sequence (the thumbnail art).
While the whole "secret oppression" trope is a fun angle to view the underground race, I personally think it's much more likely that the relationship between them and the Zonai was much more of an equal partnership, where the Zonai would trade various recourses exclusive to the surface in exchange for the zonite.
As for why this underground species was eventually lost to time, that could easily just be because they were naturally a very reclusive people that preferred to keep to themselves, not unlike J.R.R. Tolkien's Dwarves.
And thus, not much record was kept of them because there were very few actual interactions between the two civilisations to begin with, and the few times they did formally meet were purely for transactional purposes.
I mean, just think of how many coworkers from a former workplace or fellow students from your old high school you've probably spent years with and got along with them all just fine, only to not even remember half their faces, and even less of their names.
In fact, again, like the Dwarves, perhaps these underground people *_already_* had a strong culture around mining, and from their perspective, they were effectively being paid for a hobby.
If anything, the mystery race might have thought that the strange goat people from the sky were the ones getting ripped off in this arrangement. 🤣
Ain’t no way…
Bro Zelda and link doing some freaky ass shit
Macintyre productions I haven't heard or seen anything from you for years!!!! Good to see you back!
Glad to see you too!
i've missed your zelda theories! so glad youre back in action!
Glad to be back!
I'm happy I didn't have the only theory regarding a enslaved link
Hylia's a very clingy goddess.
One little act of valor in the wrong place at the wrong time and your spirit is doomed to be a pawn.
I wonder if that could be a good rewrite of the Sands of Time fanmod game dialog.
The ancient heros aspect also has a crown similar to that of ganondorf.
I think it is interesting how a creature that is capable living in the darkness or underground occurs here as a canine. Reminds me of Link in Twilight Princess also turning into a wolf in the twilight realm.
I think this extinct race is the lomei which the labyrinths are named after. They have red hair and the ancient hero may have been one. I think we will see the lomei in a totk sequel
I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR SOMEONE TO COVER THIS ❤️❤️❤️
Same I've always thought Link to do Hylia's work was a bit slave driven
Why can't a goddess with goddess powers not do her task, protecting Hyrule, herself?
I wonder if there's a reason that Link turns into a wolf in Twilight Princess? Perhaps an ancient echo of the first hero's soul?
It's an interesting theory. But I don't think it goes far enough. It leaves a few blanks and has a few jumps in logic. I agree that the Ganondorf is painted as a simplified villain, and his motivations seem to be missing, as a leader. This theory explores an aspect. But I feel like the obvious connections are being skipped over to fit a narrative.
Fair point, will try to do better in the future.
I feel like many words were spoken, but very little was said. And this comes from someone who once enjoyed your videos. The chains are not necessarily an indicator of enslavement. In all likelihood they were for practical use, like holding up the lights, because they were more durable for the rigors of mining. How do I know? Because the Gorons, who are also miners, utilize chains in their "clothing" and ornaments. The mask would also have practical use to help keep out dust as well as general eye protection.
As to the Ancient Hero, who knows? In retrospect he is reminiscent of a certain blue eyed beast that once saved Hyrule from Twilight, which is probably why he has a tail. I imagine the red hair was merely to somewhat match the tapestry. Unless the Masterworks elaborates more on his design or Nintendo on his history, we may never know. The one thing that is certain is that his armor bears the symbols of the three animals associated with power, wisdom, and courage. Power, the boar, is at the bottom of his tabard. Wisdom, the owl, is in the center. Courage, the dragon, is at the top. Dragons also adorn his "sleeves". Perhaps this armor was crafted or blessed by the three rulers who speak to you in the Lomei Labyrinths. The ruler of boars is at the South Lomei Labyrinth, the ruler of owls is at the North Lomei Labyrinth, and the ruler of dragons is at Lomei Labyrinth Island.
In conclusion, when it comes to the outfits, I think the developers had a bunch of fun with designs without much thought into any lore implications. It needs to look cool while also looking practical and functional because how else do you explain the Rubber Helm looking like a catfish? The Climbing Gear is much more straightforward as it has ropes, clips, and other things associated with climbing in real life, all while being nicely adorned with the colors of the Triforce (undyed, of course). We know just as much about the Depths Armor, which somewhat resembles the Bargainer Statues, as we do about the Miner's Set, which is practically nothing.
Sorry to hear, I think you make a fair point. Will try to do better.
I think Ganondorf DID see the Zonai has gods AND conquerors. He probably didn't care about Hyrule in the sense that he wanted to "save it" from the Zonai. He is a warrior and sees himself as a conqueror, so Rauru was competition. Rauru had this fertile and prosperous kingdom, he had the powers of a god, yet he was not using it to what Ganondorf considered to be his full potential. Rauru was a fool in his eyes, unfit to call himself a king. Also, the Gerudo were INVITED to join Rauru's fledgling kingdom, which Ganondorf probably took to be an insult and retaliated with force. Seeing the power of the Secret Stones for himself, he began to covet the power Rauru seemed to be hoarding. Ganondorf was the king of a desert nation, and Rauru had a vast, kingdom, much power, and the Gerudo Kingly surely most have thought that Rauru was squandering it all; unworthy of such a grand possession.
Interesting perspective! I can def see that happening!
fire intro
Thanks!
Woah... That's honestly really interesting cause who knows were the story origanaly started...
It’s nice to see you again you are the og goat of Zelda theory’s my first video that I watched of you was the twilight princess theory of the follen hero keep doing what your doing hope to hear from you soon
That is a voice I have not heard for many years and one I have dearly missed.
This theory is so good.
I dont know if I agree with it. But its a very good theory!
Thank you!
I have an interesting theory: time has corrupted some of the finer details, and the Wilds Era and Skyward Sword are two tellings of the same event.
The Zonai were originally a surface tribe that gained industrial and technological superiority by discovering zonaite. They used this ore to lift themselves into the floating islands of the sky.
* Hylia is actually a zonai. She is described as a goddess in the myths, the same wat zonai are described as gods in the myths.
* Humans, as we've seen in the Zelda series, have round ears and long ears that "hears the voice of the gods".
* Rauru and Sonia establish the royal bloodline, which means they had kids together. (We just don't see them because the kids aren't important to the TotK story.)
Turns out that some zonai interbred with humans. Their "chosen" humans raised into the sky to live with the zonai in their floating civilization. The zonai continues to dig deeper and deeper, establishing an entire mining industry in the depths.
Eventually the industry awakens the sleeping demons of the depths. Skirmishes result between the miners and the monsters. A chosen red-haired half-breed arises to become a hero and is recognized by Hylia. This continues for some time until Demise finally arises.
* The ancient machines in Skyward Sword were created by Hylia. I propose they are actually just zonai constructs and the various ruins are zonai structures to support their golden age when zonaite was everywhere.
* Demise eventually rallies the monsters and wages full war. This wipes out the zonai and most the humans. The other surface tribes like the zora and goron go into hiding to escape.
* As Skyward Sword shows, Hylia and her chosen seal Demise away. Without a leader the monsters are forced back into the depths where, without the population to sustain it, the zonai constructs are left to idle.
* Three zonai consume their spiritual stones and become the dragons to guard over the surface that Link encounters in Skyward Sword.
* Rauru and Mineru are the last two zonai that survive the Imprisoning War. The Hylians on Skyloft are decendants of those half-breed zonai. At this point the bloodline is so diluted the only thing that points to their zonai heritage is their long ears "a gift from the gods".
Skyward Sword plays out as normal. With the additional information from the Wilds Era it puts some things in this game into a new context, but it doesn't change the major story beats. After Skyward Sword, the Hylians led by Link and Zelda return to the surface to settle and thrive.
*The daughter of SS Link and Zelda, Sonia, eventually runs into Rauru and Mineru, the last of the zonai.
* Rauru and Sonia eventually become a couple that go on to officially start the kingdom of Hyrule.
* The memories of TotK play out as normal, seeing as Wilds Zelda time travels to arrive in the fledgling kingdom.
* After the events of the memories we are left with the child(ren) of Rauru and Sonia to pick up the pieces and deal with Demon King Ganondorf's monster horde.
Since Minish Cap is the next game in the timeline, the myths for the backstory of that game come into play. The War of the Bound Chest.
A hero arises in the aftermath of the TotK memories. Without the sacred light of Sonia or the time powers of Rauru's sacred stone to defend them, Hyrule is on the verge of collapse. A hero arises with the Picori Blade in hand and seals the monster horde of Demon King Ganondorf into a chest, leaving the sword as the lock and key.
This chest and sword is what kicks off Minish Cap when Vaati removes the blade in his search for the sacred light of the royal family.
Is it perfect? No. There's a lot of tiny details that you have to squint at just a bit to slot together. But I feel it makes a more cohesive whole than anything Nintendo is trying to claim.
This theory is great! I really like the idea that TOTK and SS are the same stories, but I have a small correction/idea to pitch to you
In TOTK, neither Rauru nor Sonia have heard of the name "Zelda" before. What if, rather than being the child of SS Link and Zelda, Sonia is actually SS Zelda's ancestor?
Perhaps before the events of TOTK, Rauru and Sonia have a daughter that they name "Hylia", perhaps to commemorate the first Zonai-Human child to be born on Hyrule's surface. She possesses both Light and Time powers, and joins the other Zonai in the sky before TOTK Zelda arrives. After Sonia's death and Ganondorf's sealing, word of Zelda's existence reaches Hylia and she chooses to further separate the sky islands from the land of Hyrule to protect the surviving Zonai and small human tribes. Then, she reincarnates herself, naming herself after the mysterious and heroic woman who aided her parents in the fight against evil
This theory also doesn't really work but it's fun to consider Hylia as a Zonai (possible hybrid) rather than an actual goddess - or maybe being a human/Zonai hybrid allowed her to tap into her powers more than either race could independently
Anyway great comment! I hope that my addition will inspire more theories!
@Marigold11037 But does Hylia have time powers herself? Everything that involves time in Skyward Sword leans on ancient machines and the time gates. Hylia has light powers, enchanting the master sword and her bow of light.
We also never see Hylia herself directly. The murals of her have her facial features hidden. The best picture of her has her holding a harp and bow in a dress of light.
My theory is Hylia was a zonai with a spiritual stone unlocking her light powers. It is these light powers that were inherited by Zelda in SS, and get passed down the hyrulian royal line. The time powers of the royal line come from the union with Rauru as we see in TotK. It is Rauru's time power that leave Ganon trapped in stasis and Rauru's spiritual stone of time that pulls Zelda into the past.
I just chalk Rauru and Sonia being surprised at hearing Zelda's name to shock that "Hey, that's your mother's name."
Is it perfect? No. But it does fit well enough if you wiggle the pieces together. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
All your talk of a hero sacrificing for a people who didn't deserve it has really got me thinking about Jesus. He came down to earth for us, knowing we were going to kill Him, but in His death and resurection He saved all of us anyway.
Man! It's been so long! Glad to see you back!
Welcome back! Thanks for sharing your thoughts. Can't wait for more content. This episode had some x-files vibes.
this is definitely something to think about, that's for sure. it'd be awesome to see something like that in a future LoZ game, in which Link stars out as a prisoner the first moment you get into the game before being released for lord knows what, just like in the previous Elder Scrolls games from Morrowind to Skyrim.
2025 starting out strong
I think Chain Link is a better name.
And Ganondorf is always a dark skin desert folk. Who also frequently transforms into a beast.
I was really holding out for a good guy Ganon in totk.
Interesting theory. Though I don't know if Zonai fit the bill since they had robot labor. (Maybe slaves at first?)
Based on other theory videos, I'd say our mystery race is the Lomei, and they're the Maze-builders.
I feel like we're still missing some pieces. I don't remember seeing a similar statue in the Gleeok Den, despite statues of the main races in the corners. Odd that they're not represented with the others.
Also after reading the comments I'm having trouble unseeing the "ant" motif for the gear. On both the helmet and the belt buckle.
Thats a fair counter argument
@MProductionsOfficial I didn't actually notice or think about the chains on the outfit before, so there might be something to that.
I'm guessing our mystery race are the Lomei and that they made the mazes.
I wonder if the barbarians of the Faron region are connected. (They could be "early" Hylians, though. )
Weather the ancient canine species was enslaved or a free people matters little when a people are facing extinction. To add to this theory I believe that the ancient hero could have been one of the last of his kind, his kind could have been wiped out by the calamity before it rose to the surface. This would give him more reason to pick up the master sword and fight back against the calamity at that time 10,000 years before the games. And we don't even know what time frame King Rauru founded Hyrule or when the zonai ruled. It could have been many thousands of years before the calamity Ganon rose up. So they very well could have been living peacefully underground while the surface dwellers had no memory of their existence until the calamity rose up and this ancient hero picked up the sword an assisted all others in bringing down the calamity.
That is def a possibility. Great insight!
Cool Theory!
Nice monologue there, Rusl.
I am a huge fan of Rusl
Maybe the race was like the Doozers in Fraggle Rock … a race that enjoyed, and even thrived in, the depths and found purpose in mining. Then the calamity came, and wiped them out.
Hm, I wonder if the Champions were originally supposed to be Sages as well?
I think they were, it just wasn't their promised time yet.
Secret Stones just amplify the powers the holder already has.
I also think that the Divine Beasts were built to be artificial Temples, taking advantage of the Sage it was connected to.
Great to see you back with another video. 2025 is going to be a good year!
Just my thought he was like the link from wind waker. Where he doesn't hold the spirit of a hero or was chosen and he have to go through many trail to proves his worth
He wasn't blood-related, at least.
10:41 You guys remember the dodongo from the fist game of the timeline, they look similar to the statues and it would explain the chains as those are the most flexible things that grant at least some defense
Now this is how you do a Zelda theory video! Great job!
I mean, the miners set does have a tail hole...
This is a cool premise for future lore, but I didn't think it quite fits the current timeline. The Zhonai-led Hyrule send to have used constructs to mine for ore, and the hero of the Calamity of 10,000 years ago would have been from long after their time, during the era of ubiquitous Sheikah-tech.
If anything, it may have been the Sheikah and the Hylians that enslaved him (assuming that the chains on the miner's gear were chains of enslavement and not just there to make it more durable and flexible, or something), which seems to not be something that Hyrule and the Sheikah are completely above, and they could have been mining something like Luminous Stones rather than Zonite, assuming that Sheikah tech uses a different resource than Zhonai tech.
It could even explain why the Yiga split from the Sheikah, but didn't grow their tech advantage over the next 10,000 years: Hyrule outlawed slavery, which drastically reduces their ability to get the needed resources and the Yiga teamed up with Ganon because he could have his monsters work as slaves and mine for them instead, but once Calamity Ganon was sealed away by the Hero and Princess back then, they somehow lost access to the depths and anyone who could tell the monsters to mine for them as well, so they were left on the back foot and unable to sustain and advance their tech.
I don’t believe the tapestry necessarily depicts the “first” calamity. Just the calamity from 10,000 years ago. In fact, I would argue that lore from the game implies that it is known that calamities occur every 10,000 years, meaning there must be a pattern that was established to know this (meaning there had to have been at least two previously, if not more).
Really good Video
Well, this was one of the coolest theories I've seen in a while. Good job man👍
Bro returned
SLAVE???
I liked this until you got to Ganondorf. He literally goes and strives to wreck Hyrule, so how would this stuff lead to him feeling like his hand was forced? He just said "nuh uh I'm gonna wreck it not you!"
ASHES 2063 MUSIC!
Huge fan of Ashes!
7:13 See that green part is clearly clothing, the shoes are green too.
11:16 The only two Zonai left at this point of time are Rauru and his sister, Mineru. I’d barely call them a foreign power. If anything the foreign power is Hylian because they’re greater in number and the only Zonai of their kingdom is the King and his sister.
12:55 the Gerudo were never in danger. The Hylians have always been allies. It’s also utterly clear in every action that Ganondorf takes, that he is power hungry. His motivation was to conquer all of Hyrule with his demonic army. As much as I enjoy this narrative since it gives him more depth as a character, it just doesn’t fit at all.
Basically this theory holds ground until you started mentioning Ganondorf, who… really had no place here.
Nice Video
God this game had so much potential. If only we got to play in this world...
I don’t believe the tapestry necessarily depicts the “first” calamity. Just the calamity from 10,000 years ago. In fact, I would argue that lore from the game
Implies that it is known that calamities occur every 10,000 years, meaning there must be a pattern that was established to know this (meaning there had to have been at least two previously, if not more).
The first minute of this video is so masterful man
Bro u cooked with this one. TOTK’s lore is so boring but this makes it potentially more interesting.
I’m seeing a bit of a coincidence between the ancient hero (armor) and Ganandorf that I’m uncertain if I’ve heard mentioned. Both have a similar forehead trinket? (I’m uncertain on what to call it.) and they both have red hair. Considering that the ancient hero looks part hylian and Zonai but sports red hair with a similar head piece, I’m wondering why they (the developers) went with that look.
Also, On the ancient tapestry showing the 1000 year ago battle (correct me if I’m wrong on the time frame there) that hero (to me) looks very similar (albeit stylized) like the same hero as the ancient armor. Which is odd as all “heroes” have had golden/blonde hair.
Not a bad Theory
Some NEED to make a fanfic Out Of this
the hylians think the zonai gods but the gerudo see them as conquers, what do you think the other races of hyrule think. thats a cool concept
What's the music playing in the background? 4:57
What if the Ancient Heros Aspect was supposed to be who Midnas Divine Beasts true form or what if Twilight Princess Link at the end of his journey turned into the Ancient Heros Aspect since the Heros Shade teaches that Link the song of healing.
Nope. The dog headed statues are Mogmas. Problem solved.
Aww yiss
Thank you very much
Now I haven't seen anyone ever bring this up so I need to lol is it just me or do the statues look like mogma from skyward sword? With the clawed hands and long snouts I always think of mogma which honestly with it being a area underground would make sense
Is the Ancient Hero a Zonai?
Ancient Hero has a tale. Rauru and Mineru don't have tails.
Ancient hero has a human / hylian legs to torso ratio. Rauru and Mineru have VERY short legs and a very long torso.
wait... K9 Miners?.... The Mogma would fit that to a T!
Ayyy nice use of the ashes 2063 ost
I'm new to this channel, that intro to the video, and your voice as you opened the theory sent chills down my spin, this is amazing and I'm afraid it hasn't gotten as much exposure as it deserves
What did instead of being the hero of Hercules he was the freak of hurtle and was a slave
Awwwww Snap MacIntyre where ya been? I been following u since before Breath of the wild. Didn't think you was coming back? Chamber of Sages member
Ive missed these videos.....
Slave knight link getting the dark soul for lady zelda
What
An interesting idea, but this theory has many holes that need to be addressed.
First of all, you're making it seem as though Ganondorf's attack and rise as the Demon king occurred during the height of the Zonai civilization, or very nearly. This is blatantly incorrect. As the game iself shows, the whole ordeal with the demon king occurred well after the Zonai's hayday. In fact, by the time Ganondorf attacked, there were only TWO zonai left in existence, Rauru and his elder sister Mineru. While the existence of a subterranian race could be possible, i doubt they'd be slaves given the gracious nature of the Zonai, and even then, they would already be gone by the time Rauru founded hyrule, as the countless underground mines of the Zonai Civilisation that came before had likely already gone quiet long before Raurus time.
On top of that, there is also the issue of the first calamity and the original hero who fought it. Your theory also causes a major conflict with this too. See, its commonly accepted that "Calamity Ganon" is basically Ganondorfs shadow, created by the evil energies escaping his sealed form as said seal began to weaken. However, if this ancient hero who fought the first calamity lived during the time when Zonai civilization was at its height, or during its decline, that would place the calamity well before Ganondorf was even born, which then creates a new issue of having to explain who, or what exactly "Calamity Ganon" is, and why a Gerudo king born many years later shares his name. I would imagine this timeline conflict is why you tried placing the first calamity AFTER Ganondorf's attack, but that creates even more problems, as after Ganondorf does his thing, both Rauru and Mineru (for different reasons) ceased to be a part of the world, what remains of the Zonai civilisation ending with them. Which means the ancient hero origin you propose could not be possible.
Kinda reminds me of the seven deadly sins series link and Zelda were cursed right? Or was it the trifle that did that? Seems like those two will be fighting off ganon and the evil he uses till it’s gone from the world…I wonder how it’ll all end? End the cycle of reincarnation and we have a link and Zelda that remembers all their past lives and abilities that came with them lol that’ll be a huge game with lots of items to use and fighting moves to use too
or the simple answer is the ancient Link was a Zoni.
The miners set mask looks far more like a horse than a dog.
Interesting knowledge for any cultures around the world that didnt have horses and were conquered, they didn't have words for horse so they would literal translate the horse to mean "big dog or great dog" in their own native languages.
Music at 1:12 ?
Track is "Edge of Insanity" by John S Weekley, as stated beneath on the title card
Wait he's back?
TotK had so much potential for Lore. Indtead we get a Zyrule littered with sky trash, NPCs even more ____comic relief than before and no explanation of the Zonai culture beyond "Technology".
And a strory as thin as butter spread in a weight loss clinic.
And the Sky Islands just look like dried up and burned, like african Savannah at drought.
TotK has great mechanics and SOOOOO MUCH lovely details, but it's missing the big picture.
A slave Link seems like it isn't possible. Being the physical embodiment of courage. Pretty much makes it impossible. A man chooses. A slave obeys. Someone who has courage cannot be enslaved. Fear is what strips someone of their will to choose.
We need a game with an underwater Zora city.
Where the artist will not fear the censor, where the scientist will not be bound by petty morality. Where the great will not be constrained by the small!
And with the sweat of your brow.. it can be *your* city too.
Where's the theory? I just heard assertions.
No one show this to darkwing from transformers one
The model looks like a cross between a zonai and a gerudo. Zonai cause of the canine like traits and gerudo cause of the red hair.
The earrings are gerudo too