Another Kokiri to Korok Evolution Theory. With Dekus.

[JamesBond007]

Hello. There are many theories about "Kokiri to Korok" and "Zora to Rito" evolution. The latter one is still far more complicated than the first one, and I won't discuss it. I have a brand new "Kokiri to Korok" theory, never seen on any Zelda website (at least by me).

The Koroks are Kokiri and Deku Scrubs merged together into one race.

Everyone knows, that the Kokiri are the "Children of the Forest", and the Koroks are wooden/plant-based creatures with leaves. The Dekus also have leaves and also are wooden/plant-based creatures. When the Great Flood came, the Great Deku Tree decided to change the Kokiri into the Koroks, but what happened to the Deku Scrubs? Did they become extinct, or merged with the Kokiri?

On my 4th Majora's Mask playthrough, during the race with the Deku Butler, I've noticed something. The Butler can fly by using a flower-like propeller. This looks quite similar to a Korok flying with his own leaf. The Business Scrubs from the same game also can fly, this time with propellers attached to his own heads.

Also, there are no Dekus in Wind Waker. Phantom Hourgass and Spirit Tracks also doesn't have them, but I can't confirm this, because I haven't played these games.

 

[Zelda64]

Interesting theory....It makes sense too...

 

[Nayrinarore]

hm.. i must say i never thought about this.. maybe only the terminian dekus could though..... and there were no Kokiris in termina.

 

[Djinn]

I have wondered if the Koroks were Nintendo's answer to the Deku Scrubs appearing to be so much closer to being children of the Deku Tree than the Kokiri. The Scrubs had Deku in the name, and looked as if they were wooden children that very well could have been created by the Deku Tree. The fact that both Koroks and Kokiri fly in a very similar way using deku leaves and flowers cannot be ignored.

The Deku Scrubs in Four Swords Adventures revealed a little bit of their nature.

The Lost Woods is our birthplace! If you wander lost here for too long, you too can become a Deku Scrub!" — Deku Scrub
Soon, Lord Ganon's power will change all of Hyrule's forests into Lost Woods! Once that happens, we'll be able to travel freely!" — Deku Scrub

According to the scrubs, they are also people transformed by the power of the lost woods. Transformed into scrubs, and need to forest to spread so they can travel more freely. This sounds similar to the Kokiri warning that they should remain in the forest of they would die. This also sounds like the threat in OoT that anyone who enters the lost woods will become a stalfos or skull kid. The Deku Tree as the guardian of the forest could be the source of this magic that curses the lost woods and sacred forest meadow. So it would not be too far to believe that he used this same transformation ability to alter the forms of the Kokiri into something similar to the scrubs as they appear to have a greater ability to survive in the harsher condisions of the great sea.

The Deku Tree does talk about the Koroks taking different shapes.

Once upon a time, long ago, the Koroks took on human forms, but when they came to live on the sea, they took these shapes." — Great Deku Tree

This could lead you to believe that the human form is not the original shape either. But as spirits take on shapes that suit their needs when necessary.

"We created the Rito as the evolved form of the Zora that appeared in "Ocarina of Time" and the Korogs as what the Kokiri became once they left the forest. They appear different, but they have inherited their blood." -Eiji Aonuma

This could also be taken that when the Kokiri left the forest during the time of the great sea they took the shape of the Korok. It is possible that when leaving the forest at that time they are outside the Deku Tree's influence that causes them to appear human. And appear as wooden children.

The Koroks in WW do mention that they are connected to the Deku Tree, and if the power of the tree withers then they will wither with him.

If we are unable to hold our ceremony, we will not be able to raise any new forests. If that comes to pass, then evil days will follow. The Great Deku Tree's power will wane, and our power will wane with it... We might even wither altogether..." — Korok

For the Scrubs being absent in WW, I have assumed that they drowned with the Lost woods during the flooding if Hyrule, or they are still in the world below frozen in time. But they could have very well transformed into Koroks in the same way that scrubs are transformed into their current forms. By the power of the lost woods. They would be better at adapting to the outside world than the Kokiri at first.