Another Theory Pertaining to Rusl

Tavoriel · Jan 10, 2011

I didn't want to get too off-topic on the other Rusl thread XD

Here's my (crazy, off-the-wall, highly speculative) theory about Rusl:

What if Rusl is the Hero's Shade? It would mean that Rusl continues to mentor Link throughout the whole game, which would be very fitting. The known facts about Rusl suggest that he used to be some sort of warrior or even hero in his younger days. Now he is older and has a family. If he put on a bunch of armor and went around mentoring younger heroes, he would be only a shade of his former self... see what I mean? I'll explain in a minute here why he would be ghostly.

Looking at the Hero's Shade in general: why does he need the golden wolf? Why does he need the alternate dimension? Couldn't Link just find the Hero's Shade itself and learn new techniques right there in Hyrule? If the Hero's Shade is Rusl: maybe Rusl doesn't like being away from Orodon and finds it more convenient to send his puppy friend to summon Link to an alternate dimension that Rusl can slip into from anywhere.

If that's the case, Rusl wouldn't want to appear as himself--Link would be like "Wait, WHAT?" and Rusl would have to spend fifty cutscenes explaining his past and how he can summon magical wolves and slip into magical alternate dimensions (It is a little far-fetched to think that little ol' Rusl would be able to do all that, but then again it's just as far-fetched when the Hero's Shade does it, so why not?).

If all of this about Rusl is true (and all of this is highly speculative), maybe that's why the game started with Rusl talking to Link even though Rusl appears to be a very minor character.

You never see Rusl and the Hero's Shade standing next to each other, so there's no proof that they're not the same person (though I realize you could say that about literally any character besides Link or Midna XD).

And hey, if we return to my "Could Zelda games be Link's dreams--he starts out asleep or gets KO'd before anything weird happens" theory that I posted earlier, then the Hero's Shade could be Link's dream version of Rusl (remember Wizard of Oz, where the Oz characters matched up with the real life characters in places?).

I know, the theory is kinda out there. But it works for me a lot better than the "Hero of Time is the Hero's Shade" theory. The spiky helmet and armor just don't seem very Link-ish. And the Hero's Shade is all "Wow, Link, you're pathetic at your current state" when you first meet him... which doesn't seem very Link-ish either. Plus, the Hero's Shade TALKS (lol). I know armor and sharp comments aren't necessarily Rusl-ish either, but we don't know all that much about Rusl, and the Orodon setting we saw him in was too tame to bring out any of those aspects if they existed anyway.

What do you think (aside from "she's crazy" XD)?

T Edoc · Jan 11, 2011

Even if you'd say "I think every character is Link in disguise", it wouldn't be a reason to call you crazy. ;-)

I don't think Rusl can be the Hero's Shade though. It all seems too different and it'd be too complicated. That Stalfo-guy always says he regrets that he couldn't teach his skills when he was alive (well, in the french version of the game he says that) and this confirms he doesn't look like a skeleton for no reason.

But, you pointed out an interresting fact that I hadn't thought of : The way he speaks doesn't seem Link-ish.
Indeed, since Link DOESN'T talk! They worked so hard to avoid putting a talking Link in their games, so why would they add one in TP to violate this rule? Which means he certainly isn't the Hero of Time either. I thought he couldn't be the Hero of Time because he calls Link "My son", that along with TP seems to occur centuries after OoT. But there's one more evidence, thanks! :-D

Locke · Jan 11, 2011

T Edoc said:
I don't think Rusl can be the Hero's Shade though. It all seems too different and it'd be too complicated. That Stalfo-guy always says he regrets that he couldn't teach his skills when he was alive (well, in the french version of the game he says that) and this confirms he doesn't look like a skeleton for no reason.

He says that in Japanese and English as well. (though he doesn't specifically say that he's no longer alive.)

勇者として生をうけながら後世にそれを伝えることの出来なかった我が無念も、ようやく晴らすことが出来た
I accepted the life of the hero, but was unable to pass these along to those who came after. Finally, my regrets have been dispelled.
Although I accepted life as the hero, I could not convey the lessons of that life to those who came after. At last, I have eased my regrets.

I don't think Rusl would have any reason to 'regret' not passing along his knowledge, as he still has plenty of opportunity to (and he is training Link at the beginning, iirc). In order to regret something you have not done, you must not be able to do it anymore, hence the implication that the hero's shade is dead; a shade of someone who lived long ago.
Also,

だがそれは、気高き獣の精神を備える勇者の血族だけに受け継がれるもの
However, those are inherited only by blood relatives of the hero who possesses the spirit of the sublime beast.
Those are only for one who carries the blood of the hero...the one whose spirit is that of the sublime beast.

Since both the hero's shade and TP Link possess the spirit of the sublime beast, it is implied that they are blood relatives of the hero, and therefore of each other.
[aside]ah, crap...forgot to mention this quote in my article[/aside]

That's a great theory, but I don't think it's the case.

merricontrari · Jan 11, 2011

I don't really think this could be "true," but I am VERY intrigued now. Because you're right - the Hero's Shade DOES talk! And he's kindof a smartass!

I think, though, that this could just be a symptom of the messed-up timeline. My assumption about the Hero's Shade was that he was the "Link" that immediately preceded TP's Link. Perhaps the story that comes before TP just hasn't been made yet, and maybe that Link will be a sassy talker.

Moonlight · Jan 18, 2011

I once heard a theory go around, that the hero's shade was a past king of hyrule... but I do not know if that could be true or not.
But it is good advice to help you out...