Daily Debate: Is Condé an Anouki?
Posted on October 29 2024 by Nick Miller
Spoiler Warning: This article and its comments may contain spoilers for The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom.
Near the peak of Hebra Mountain lives a creature, happy but alone. His name is Condé. He spends his days cleaning the mountain and awaiting the return of his brother, who left the mountain some time prior. During her travels, Zelda meets Condé, who gives her shelter from the storm as she ascends the mountain to mend the rift at its peak. The question remains, however, what exactly is Condé?
The Zelda Dungeon Wiki lists Condé’s race as Yeti, but I’m not entirely sure that’s correct. Yes, he’s large in stature, and he has white fur, but the similarities don’t extend too far beyond that. The best defense of Condé being a Yeti is the existence of Yetis in Hyrule in other Zelda games. They’ve been shown to dwell alone in the snowy mountaintops of Hyrule and that’s exactly what Condé does.
So, what evidence is there that he isn’t a Yeti? He looks like a Yeti and talks like a Yeti. He should be a Yeti, right? Well, Condé has one characteristic that we haven’t seen in Zelda‘s Yetis thus far, antlers. Yetis don’t have antlers, but there is a Zelda race that does, the Anouki.
The Anouki are a race of snow-dwellers that first appeared in Phantom Hourglass. They appeared again in the new Hyrule of Spirit Tracks and have been absent ever since. They have a human-like form, white tufts of fur around their faces, and antlers atop their head, just like Condé. The similarities aren’t perfect though. The Anouki have traditionally had blue or purple coats. They’re hands and feet are like flippers. In that regard, Condé does has more in common with the Yeti.
The Anouki’s have also had limited appearances in Zelda games, and for good reason. Phantom Hourglass takes place in the distant World of the Ocean King and Spirit Tracks‘ Hyrule is on a completely different continent than traditional Hyrule. This means that if Condé is an Anouki, his presence in old Hyrule raises more questions than it answers. But that shouldn’t rule out the possibility.
Another possibility — and maybe a more practical explanation — is that Echoes of Wisdom‘s art designers just like the aesthetics of the Anouki tribe. Since bringing actual Anouki to Hyrule could tamper with lore, developers decided to have the Yetis adopt some Anouki qualities. This could likewise be the reason why the Lanayru Temple boss shares some similarities with the Anouki’s rivals, the Yook.
Now tell us what you think. Is Condé an Anouki? What would be the implications on series lore if he were? Could Condé be a Yeti-Anouki hybrid? Let’s hear your thoughts in the comments below.
Nick is a writer for Zelda Dungeon and a longtime fan of the Zelda franchise. In his free time, he enjoys fishing, archery, skateboarding, and some good ol’ fashioned family time. He’s an advocate for physical media and an avid video game collector. His favorite Zelda game is Ocarina of Time, though Breath of the Wild and the Link’s Awakening remake are close contenders. His other favorite video games series include Kingdom Hearts, Fallout, and Ratchet & Clank.
