The Legend

I can't get that Zelda song out of my head. It fascinates me. It made me further examine the Zelda time line and use my folklorist lenses to dig deep into the modes present therein. It is so simple that it's genius really. See, you have three characters, a princess, a villain, and a hero. The princess represents the Triforce of wisdom, the villain that of power and the hero that of courage. The true and first princess, the one for whom the legend is named, sleeps for all eternity... at least until the hero of legend defeats evil once and for all, saving the land that the princess is from. Along the way the hero must quest for items, while along a road of trials that improves his personal character and ability. The hero is tested by fire, ice, plants, the living and even the dead (normally the test of the dead comes late in the story but not at the end, more along the lines of the 75% mark where all great heroes who travel to the underworld (greek/roman epics) make their journey within the greater narrative). After all of this the hero gains the sword (in some games it is the master sword) which is magical. Other items the hero Link usually acquires are a musical instrument of some sort, a mirrored shield (to reflect the evil of the enemies back at themselves... or show them the light as it bounces off you) and who can forget a trusty boomerang and last but not least bombs... After unlocking the power within, and mastering the skill of the external that is the sword (also bow and horse or raft), the hero learns magic and breaks beyond the barriers of the physical world to reach "The Golden Land" a place beyond that, although once was wondrous, is now corrupt (funny how gold does that, think of leprechauns or people who have it). In the end, evil is defeated, the world is brought back into balance, and a common elven boy wearing green (the traditional color of the fae) ends up saving the land and marrying the princess of legend... Ah... Now that is the world I want to live in... Sigh....