Daily Debate: Should Zelda’s Darker Side be Further Explored?
Posted on October 22 2019 by John Piland
The Legend of Zelda is no stranger to dark themes and elements, but the darker side of the Hyrule mythos remains mostly in the dark. Though there are the demons from which the monsters would descend, and entities that have attained a demonic status, like Ganondorf and Vaati, truly disturbing fiends of terror remain few and far between.
The best example of hellish demons in the Zelda franchise would be the Horned Statue from Breath of the Wild‘s Hateno Village. This demon’s needs were so heinous that the Goddess Hylia herself punished it by forever imprisoning it within a statue.
Other cryptid entities include the infamous ReDeads and Dead Hand, sure to terrorize naive children in their first playthroughs of Ocarina of Time. Yet aside from these, and beings like the Horned Statue, things that go ‘bump’ in the night remain mostly foreign to Zelda. So the question is: should Hyrule’s darker, scarier side be further explored in future installments?
What do you think? Should Hyrule’s lore be enriched in such a way? Let us know in the comments below!
John has been a Zelda fan for over 10 years now and is proud to say the series has had a major impact on his life (and wallet). After years of going to Zelda Dungeon for guides or the latest news on the series, John achieved their dream when they joined the writing team in 2019; John can hardly believe how long it’s been. A librarian, he loves meticulously arranging his library of Zelda games and collectibles. After what felt like an eternity of waiting for Tears of the Kingdom, John looks forward to the future of the Zelda franchise with enthusiasm, whether that’s the upcoming movie, a new spin-off/remake, or the next big game.
