The Legend of Zelda: A Hero's Final Project

Introduction

Most people would be very quick to agree that classics like The Odyssey or Jane Eyre are great works of literature. The fact remains that most would define literature as "any written works, esp. those considered of superior or lasting artistic merit." However, such definitions overlook other forms of media that are now as prevalent in our

Original Zelda Game Start Screen

everyday lives as to become commonplace. Taking a look broadly at these emerging technologies such as E-books, interactive fiction, films, blogs, and even video games, it can be argued that our once crystal clear view of literature has become cloudy and muddled. Who is to say that a film does not qualify itself as literature, or that interactive fiction is any less of merit than the "classics" of old. The National Endowment for the Arts claims that a decline in literary reading "correlates with the increased participation in...The Internet, video games, and portable digital devices." Some would argue however, that things like blogs, wiki's and video games could themselves qualify as literature as they invoke a need for audience engagement, analysis and interpretation. Matthew Kirschenbaum of the Electronic Literature Organization brings up this way of looking at the emergence of new media stating he considers "the screen as well as the page as a natural venue for literature and imaginative writing." If this indeed the case, then it opens up the world of literature to dozens of possible mediums.

The emergence of technology has changed the relationship between author, reader and text. Before these new mediums, the relationship was a linear connection of the author, creating text, as a physical object for the reader to individually interpret and respond to. The new mediums allow for a more reciprocal relationship between the author, text, and audience. For some of these new mediums, such as video games, this new reciprocal relationship has caused emergence of internet space dedicated specifically for the purpose of interacting with, and interpreting certain mediums. These online interpretive communities have blurred the traditional boundaries of literature and fueled the creation of these newer fresher forms.

These online communities have changed over time in the internet world. They now remain a place in which individuals can actively engage like-minded fans. The community aspect of the audience engagement shows just how drastically the traditional literature dynamic has shifted. While once regaled to individual interpretation, audience members are now able to collaborate and engage with each other within milliseconds. These online communities have developed surrounding a plethora of media forms, including books, movies, and video games. The act of communal interpretation can change how a given author wishes an audience to interact or react with his or her work. Furthermore, an "individuals’ self-efficacy or promoting their group identity will also influence their willingness to share knowledge in the virtual community.

User Created Fan-Art

However, the effect of these factors may diminish as a result of anonymity." Meaning, that the user's perception of their own identity on these online communities will directly influence their interaction within the communities. It can be said then, that these online communities influence both the medium that they are created around, as well as the members themselves.

For this project I’ve decided to examine the reciprocal influence of the internet fan communities have sprung up around The Legend of Zelda video game series. Since the original debut the series has gained a large and supremely dedicated fan base that could in some cases be described as cultish. Since the dawn of internet blogs, Knowledge communities and fan sites devoted entirely to Zelda have cropped up everywhere. These sites are constantly seeking any bit of news pertaining to The Legend of Zelda that they can get their hands on and share with other members of their knowledge community. Furthermore these sites are always discussing aspects of current games, hints and secrets of the entire storyline, and debate and theories about certain aspects of each game. Interestingly, seen in these Zelda communities as well as in other knowledge communities is the separation of the new and the old. I will examine one blog that is present oriented and forward thinking, and one community that is rooted in the past, and tries to enhance the past rather than anticipate the present. Finally, as there tends to be with any cult following, there fans who have not yet gotten enough out of the video games have written extensive amounts of fan fiction, fan art, filmed videos, and drawn manga, all in the theme of Zelda. Applying the course themes, and my knowledge gained from this class, I will examine and analyze knowledge communities, interpretive disputes, and remediated forms of the Legend of Zelda series.

Triforce Enlightenment: Knowledge Communities

The human desire to gather knowledge is nothing new. As author Stacy Schiff notes, "The encyclopedic impulse dates back more than two thousand years."Since then, this encyclopedic nature has undergone many transformations, from Encyclopedia Britannica, to Wikipedia. However, no matter the medium, the basal instinct to compile all available knowledge on certain topics was always present. The Legend of Zelda Series is of no exception. There exists hundreds of independently run knowledge communities all based solely on The Legend of Zelda. I've chosen to focus on two in particular. Zelda Universe, and Zelda Classic. These two knowledge communities, while based on the same series, have three very different purposes.

Zelda Universe

The Legend of Zelda Universe was started in the year 2000 when Lars-Christian, the founding father of Zelda Universe and avid Zelda fan decided to expand his small personal website, and add sections about two of the Series earlier games: Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask. Upon doing so, Lars's website got "massive support", prompting him to make an entirely separate site devoted solely to the Legend of Zelda. After a year of work, the site Zelda Universe finally went online in February of 2001The site has since undergone at least three different layout changes, and tons of coding and design overhauls.

The Zelda Universe site's main purpose is to simply create a place where fans of the Series can gather, discuss, relate, and debate the video game series they treasure so dearly. The first striking part of the forums on Zelda Universe is Temple Quest. The Temple Quest is "Zelda Universe's month long puzzle solving adventure contest."

The Second Level of Temple Quest

The prizes are not unveiled unless you win them, however the website does mention a $500 prize as one of the possible rewards. Hence, the first category on the Zelda Universe forums is a section devoted to those who need help with their current progress through Temple Quest. However, while interesting, the real bulk of the knowledge community's purpose is exposed in the forum entitled "Future Zelda" . It is in this forum category that the collective intelligence of the group really shines. The Users of this forum, in addition to their own predictions and "wish lists" also spend their time scouring the internet for any sign of hints or clues as to the next Zelda game installment. This activity, which could be classified as "spoiling" is according to Pierre Levy, simply more fun in a group, as he states in Spoiling Survivor, "The ability to expand your individual grasp by pooling knowledge with others intensifies the pleasure any viewer takes in trying to ‘expect the unexpected" For example, a thread entitled "Meyamoto addresses possibility of a new A Link to the Past 3D Successor game" Forum member Kyrie cites quotes from an Interview with the creator of the Zelda series Shigeru Miyamoto, by Edge Magazine.

Creator of Zelda: Shigeru Miyamoto

Miyamoto explains " I think I'd be even more interested in creating something new based on, or starting from, A Link To The Past." In response to this Kyrie posts "I'm very happy to see some ALttP love by Miyamoto, it's one of my favourite Zelda games...and I'd welcome a spiritual successor to this epic!" This thread alone got over six hundred views, and over 20 comments that all expressed their thoughts on the topic.

The fans that frequent the Zelda Universe's forums seem to have grasped the ability to combine knowledge on a particular subject, to reach a common goal. As Pierre Levy, while discussing knowledge communities and information sharing with them puts it, “These communities are held together through the mutual production and reciprocal exchange of knowledge.”. It's obvious that the Zelda community relies on the keen eyes of all of its users to find and share any news that they deem relatable. In this way the members of the Zelda communties find themselves relying on people, that they've never met face to face, such is the essence of the knowledge community.

Interpretive Disputes: What Time is it?

Timeline Theories

The benchmark of the Zelda community is timeline theorizing Zelda fans gather from all corners of the earth to stack their evidence, game knowledge, and experience against other fans of the game. All of these fans try and make some sense of the timeline of the Zelda games. While some of these Ideas are better justified than others, they are all products of personal views from fans.

Split Timeline Disciplines

The Split Timeline Disciplines, are "Rudimentary guidelines followed and supported by splittists, fans who believe in an overall split timeline chronology in the Zelda series, beginning with Skyward Sword and Ocarina of Time." Furthermore, there are multiple schools of thought on the timeline split.

Split Timeline Tree

the timeline "may follow one of two common, equally significant paths: the 2D Child Order or the 2D Adult Order" As such, there is a divide between the two schools of thought on timeline of the Zelda video games. Online communities have become a place for fans to come and share their own personal theories, and debate the merits of each one.

2D Adult Theory

The 2D adult timeline is a "discipline of the Split Timeline that proposes that all of the older (2D) titles are to be placed in the Adult Timeline...and that the Child Timeline serves as a separate story apart from the older games" Within the 2D Adult Theory there essentially 10 respected, fan created schools of thought: Alter , Bitterlime ,Erimgard , Goldenrod111 ,Lexxi , MoonMan ,Ollathir , Pinecove , Sage of Earth , and Viral . For sake of brevity, I'll focus on Pinecove, who is one of a few users to have well regarded Theories in multiple schools of thought

Pinecove's "Dark Essence" Theory

The "Dark Essence" Theory of the 2D Adult Theory is based mainly off of one specific quote,

"On Death Mountain I felt... I felt Ganon’s presence. I know the Evil King Ganon was sealed by Link, the Hero. His body was sealed, but his malicious essence could not be sealed. It was through this evil energy's doing that the youth was pulled into our world."

This theory incorporates and is also based highly off the state of the Dark world, the Seal war, Ganon, and Geographical Information.

Zelda Timeline

The theory says that the main evil character, Ganon, from the original Legend of Zelda, and from "Spirit Tracks" can be explained by an "essence" which is occasionally randomly revived and other times is simply re-formed. Other games prove that there is essentially a loss of land over time and certain aspects of maps like mountains and forests, have disappeared in recent games. The fan responses to this Dark Essence theory were somewhat mixed. Pinecove ended up changing his theory a few times, which sparked even more debate on the subject.

2D Child Order Theories

The "2D Child" Timeline is a discipline of the Split Timeline that proposes that all of the older (2D) titles are to be placed in the Child Timeline, along with Majora's Mask and Twilight Princess; the Adult Timeline serves as a separate story apart from the older games among the 2D timeline theories there are eight distinguished user created timelines: Ganondorfdude11 , GentleArtillery , Planet Hylia's Historical Timeline , Pinecove ,SkullJ ,Sign of Madness , Tyeforce , and Zeldafan1982. I decided to focus on Ganondorfdude11's theory.

Ganondorfdude11's Timeline Theory

Ganondorfdude11 theorizes that:

The Oracles games happen during the reign of the king of Adventures of Link backstory. Hence, the kingdom is at peace and the Royal Family has the triforce, Four Swords Adventure(FSA) covers only the first part of the Imprisoning War. The Triforce is stolen sometime before A Link to the Past. Spirit Tracks takes place in a new kingdom founded by Link and Tetra, but the old kingdom never de-flooded. There are two Ganons, the one from Ocarina of Time/The Wind Waker/Twilight Princess, and another one who is introduced in FSA

Responses to this theory were mostly muted and bland. Many thought that the theory did not really prove anything, or offer evidence to anything new. In fact, one user even went so far as to say that Ganondorfdude11 did not follow the Zelda Theory Rules & Guidelines, as he did not technically construct a premise, or argument, and supporting claim.

Overall, the timeline theories give users a chance to unite over something. The timeline dispute is largely known throughout the video gaming world as one of the biggest disputes of all time. The creator of the story, when once interviewed, said that the Master Timeline is a confidential document, and only 3 people in the world are aware of it. The fact that the game designer himself has said this seems to have ignited the fan base, as many fans took this as a challenge to unearth the truth. While we may never know the full story, there is an abundance of fan theory's out there, just waiting to be discovered.

A Hero's Journey: Remediation of the Legend

Fan Fiction: Craving Romance

The Legend of Zelda Video Game series features 18 independent games all featuring their own intricate storylines. For years now, fans have remediated the Legend of Zelda series in a number of ways. The most quantifiable of which is fan fiction. There are over 17 thousand pieces of fan fiction on the Legend of Zelda. The most "critically acclaimed" and in depth of these stories are written by Miss Maudlin, who is “a lowly undergraduate studying English and Japanese.”Miss Maudlin has currently written 22 stories for Zelda fan fiction, and is responsible for creating the “LinkxZelda Romance Community” category on fan fiction. This category is far larger than any other Legend of Zelda archive with 138 entries. Miss Maudlin's stories are written in the first person, portraying Princess Zelda's lust for Link. The writing style is eerily suggestive in a way that makes me think Miss Maudlin herself wishes she were indeed in a Zelda Romance Story. For example an excerpt from her most popular piece "A Warrior's Fallibility":

I've never seen another human being maneuver his body to the degree that he is able. It's like a dance—a bloody, deadly dance of intricate skill and intuitive motion...Adrenaline courses through me; my palms become damp;

I still feel anxious... with an overwhelming and heady sensation of fascination at who he is.

He is Link...

I step so close that our bodies graze each other. He freezes. I walk my fingers up his chest to his shoulder. He stiffens at my daring. Standing on my tip-toes, I whisper, "Are you invincible?"

He sucks in a breath.

And then I kiss him.

It's light and quick, but a kiss nonetheless. I tangle my fingers in his hair, bring his head down, and kiss him sloppily and quite enthusiastically...

The expression on his face is truly priceless: shock, awe, slight arousal, more shock, discomfiture, bewilderment, vulnerability. All flit across his face and flicker in his eyes in mere seconds.

"Zelda..." he stammers. I see the beginnings of a blush in his cheeks.

In this opening scene, the way Miss Maudlin portrays Princess Zelda, seems almost like a personal fantasy of hers. The amount of detail and vivid figurative language, while engaging for the reader, makes me feel almost like a voyeur. Readers feel like they are almost peeking in on an actual fantasy of Miss Maudlin's.

Perhaps Miss Maudlin and other fans crave the romantic interaction between the two main characters because the games themselves strongly hint at, yet never address head on, the relationship between the two. According to the international gaming nation FAQ's written by Zelda fan nreysan about The Legend of Zelda, Princess Zelda even kisses Link on the cheek in four of the 18 games. However, the game never further delves into the relationship.

Another theory however, is maybe, Miss Maudlin, whose fan fiction always depicts Zelda as a gung-ho lover, and Link her unsuspecting crush, are based out of dissatisfaction with the way the Princess is depicted in the games: a secondary and non-influential character. It would seem Miss Maudlin is not the only one with such a desire. In the user reviews of, "A Warrior's Fallibility" fanfiction member Hayal Karmak reviews the piece favorably, stating, "Heck yes, it warms my heart to see a woman conquer a man." Indeed, perhaps among the few females that play the Zelda series there is a desire for a more feminist and independent Princess Zelda, one who goes for what she wants, when she wants it. This desire for a strong female character could also be the reason that the LinkxZelda category took off the way it did.

While Miss Maudlin's fan fiction represents the desire of the portrayal of the romantic courtship of Zelda and Link, Happy Mask's fan fiction represents the desire for the carnal details of the relationship. Happy Mask was in fact banned from the fanfiction.net website for being too risqué. Only after some digging was I able to unearth Happy Masks self-run website. Atop her website Happy Mask has a warning: "Some of Happy Mask's fanfics' contain mature adult content. We will not be held responsible if you are under 17 and get caught reading them. We are protected under the 1st admendment. You HAVE BEEN WARNED." Happy Mask decides to start her story where "The Ocarina of Time", the 1998 Zelda game for Nintendo 64 left off. After some mild foreplay, the readers discover the reason for Happy Masks banishment, An excerpt from her story The Hall of Infinity :

She could make out the outline of his broad shoulders, his powerful legs, and he’d unbuttoned his tunic down just enough to expose part of his muscular chest.

He was her ultimate fantasy...

No words needed to be spoken. She knew what set him on fire. He knew what made her beg for him...

his hands reached up to his leather belt, and he slowly unbuckled it, wanting her to watch him do it. His eyes traveled down her body, imagining every soft curve against him, imagining the beauty that lay underneath that silk, just waiting for him…

Then he unhooked his belt, His eyes...full of desire.

He reached out, took her face in his hands, and whispered urgently against her lips, "Do you know what you’re doing to me"…. then kissed her with a wild passionate fire that she immediately returned. Her hands grasped the chair behind her tighter.

His arms encircled her tiny waist and pulled her closer to him. Her arms reached up in answer and wound around his neck.

"Link," she sighed against him.

"Oh, my darling"…..

She sighed deeply against him as he undid the one button of her robe that held it together, his hands moving up to her shoulders, slowly gliding it away from her, cradling her gently, feeling the silky smoothness of her arms...

Suddenly she threw her head back and gasped, reaching up to tightly grab the shelf above her, to brace on to something, for she felt fire shooting throughout her entire body. He was touching her through the silk, and her body arched toward him, answering his caresses...

It was so erotic, so exciting...

"You feel so good," he whispered to her slowly...

"Should I stop?" he whispered, his breathing getting heavier. "Tell me"….as his lips fell to her neck.

He didn’t want her to reach that moment too quickly,

"No, please don’t stop, Link,"….she begged sweetly in her whisper, arching her head back, still grasping the bookshelf, her own breathing getting heavier.

This small excerpt represents the most G-Rated of material pulled from Happy Masks story. To me it seems that Happy Mask uses these stories as her own personal erotica. However, not discounting her writing abilities, the stories are not completely engrossed in the sexual aspect of Link's life. Happy Mask also manages to incorporate many subplots in her stories, and regularly writes about Link fighting to keep the evil Ganandorf inside the Evil Realm.

It seems these fan fiction writers like Miss Maudlin and Happy Mask use these stories as a way to flex both their creative and sexual muscles. Much like those women who read a Nicholas Sparks novel for the romance, I believe that these fans have taken it a step farther and created their own. It would also explain that the majority of the fan fiction writers for Zelda are females.

Fan Art

The relationship between Zelda and Link manifests itself in other remediated forms as well. One of which is in fan art. The biggest display of this fan art is on theotaku.com.

Fan-Art by ArtyPants1017

Theotaku offers a place where artists may come and share their illustrations without the pretense of having to accompany it with text or a storyline. The two most popular depictions in the Legend of Zelda fan art are Illustrations that feature love scenes between Zelda and Link, and Illustrations of a "Dark" Link. The biggest contributor of Zelda fan art is artypants1017 who has drawn 28 different Zelda illustrations and 164 total

Fan Illustration of Dark Link

It seems as though much like Miss Maudlin or Happy Mask, the artists who are drawing these pieces of fan art also crave for an expanded romantic story between Zelda and Link. Perhaps because, as mentioned before, the video games, underneath the major plot always seem to constantly hint subtly at a romantic relationship between the two characters. However, maybe due to conservatism on the part of the game designers, or perhaps due to the lack of active gameplay that could surround such a relationship, the games continue to leave this issue unaddressed. The fascination with Dark Link is more obvious. The Zelda Wiki explains:

Dark Link or Shadow Link is an evil version of Link first appearing in The Adventure of Link and is one of the most popular enemy characters in the the Legend of Zelda universe, mostly due to his likeness and ability matching that of the protagonist, Link. It has been speculated that his popularity is so great in part because he imitates almost every move Link makes, as if Link is fighting himself rather than a separate entity; that is, Link and Dark Link are opposite in intentions, but perfectly matched in ability as well as action.

It is easy to see that the fascination with both of these items seems to stem from the unknown. The relationship between Zelda and Link is largely unaddressed, which attracts female fans to try and elaborate on their relationship. Furthermore, it is impossible to ever really fight one's self, and as such has become a fascination for the fan base as a whole.

Live Action Zelda Films

Finally, my favorite form of fan remediation is the live action Zelda videos that have been made and posted online by die hard Zelda fans. The most notable video was made by IGN who used their superior editing and man power to create a preview for a Legend of Zelda movie, which had many fans excited and enthusiastic. IGN contracted a private film producer, who then worked on the film for a total of three months leading up to the release on April 1st, 2008. Then at 12:01 AM April 2nd, 2008 IGN posted a statement on their website, "The Legend of Zelda trailer featured here is part of an elaborate April Fool's Day prank." Upon revealing this information the responses were immediate, full of both reprieve and imagination a few fans reactions to the announcement:

Legend of Zelda (April Fools' Day) Movie Trailer Premiere

IGN's Zelda (April Fool's Day) Trailer

Murdock1114 wrote "Damn you IGN!!!! This would've been awesome if it weren't live action, and it was cgi with awesome voice actors. Still, this hurts. :D"

amanda198989 wrote "I remember when this came out two years ago, I was so freaking excited like a fan girl. Then my bf not so politely pointed out the date, I was so mad D:"

tyler.mick went with the much simpler sentiment, "Epic."

It's easy to see that the fan base of the Zelda series was both annoyed and appreciative of this prank. The video continued to surface across dozens of Zelda fan sites. Leaving a lasting impression on the Zelda Community.

Links and Resources

Zelda Universe

Zelda Dungeon

Wired Magazine: Interview with the Creator of Zelda

Nintendo Working on a New Zelda Game