Discussion #006: Nabooru's Promise

[GreenGyser]

Be advised that the following article contains unconfirmed, fan-made theories or speculation. In Ocarina of Time when Nabooru says she'll do something great for Link, what does she mean? Let's investigate...

Nabooru is the Sage of spirit, who is sent to spy on Sheik's movements. She is also the one who gives you the Mirror Shield. After meeting her in the Spirit Temple in Ocarina of Time as a child, Link promises her that he'll get the Silver Gauntlets for her. She then says she'll "do something great" for Link. What does she mean by that?

As she awakens as the Spirit Sage seven years later, she remarks that if she had known that Link "would become such a handsome man", she would've kept her promise. There is a lot of speculation of what she would've given Link, so let's look through all the things.

Firstly, she states that she's attracted to Link, so maybe the "something great" is something romantic. Maybe she wanted an arranged marriage with Link, that's what most people thing. But on the more mature side, some fans even think that "something great" was, well, s*xual intercourse. This is a Zelda game, but a lot of Zelda stories have mature backgrounds like that.

Others think that she was going to put Link second-in-command of the Gerudos, this is quite likely when she states that she needed help. But her being a Gerudo, there could be a twist to this. Maybe she had no real reward in mind, but then she was shocked that Link actually succeeded in the assignment.

There's some reasons. So what do you think? Post that below! Thanks!

- GreenGyser :chu:

 

[Cfrock]

Nabooru is the Sage of spirit, who is sent to spy on Sheik's movements. She is also the one who gives you the Mirror Shield. After meeting her in the Spirit Temple in Ocarina of Time as a child, Link promises her that he'll get the Silver Gauntlets for her. She then says she'll "do something great" for Link. What does she mean by that?

She was spying on Sheik? As far as I was aware, Nabooru was just trying to get into the Spirit Temple to disrupt Ganondorf's followers who were using it as a headquaers. She also didn't give Link the Mirror Shield, he found it in the Temple moments before Nabooru was attacked by Koume and Kotake.


Anyway, I don't think any of Nabooru's dialogue about her promise is really important. TheBlueReptile said it all. The promise was most likely not sexual since she made it when Link was a young boy. It's most likely that it was just maybe some Rupees or something else inconsequential. As for what she says in the Chamber of the Sages, I agree with TheBlueReptile again. It's most likely just something flirtatious that doesn't have any real meaning beyond conveying Nabooru's attraction to Link as an adult.

 

[CosmicCucco]

That "Something Great" Was The Spirit Token Thing. Remember, She IS A Gerudo. She Could've Just Bribed Link To Get It For No Reason And Then Thieve It Away. OR, Again, It Was Just The Token.

 

[GreenGyser]

That "Something Great" Was The Spirit Token Thing. Remember, She IS A Gerudo. She Could've Just Bribed Link To Get It For No Reason And Then Thieve It Away. OR, Again, It Was Just The Token.

No, the Spirit Medallion is nothing to do with it. Link gets that himself, the "something special" is something unknown because Link misses out 7 years of his life after taking the Master Sword.

 

[TwilightDeku]

You mean the medallion? No it wasn't that. Nabooru didn't even know she was a sage at that point. Hence why Link had to 'awaken' her.

I will very reluctantly agree with you. In my opinion, I think it was something that had to do with... well... things that only adults over the age of about 16 or 18 are allowed to legally do. She might have also given link an item or reward tho.

 

[felipe970421]

I agree with the "hylian lollipop" theory, just a little thing or some rupees, actually, the whole thing could might as well be a sidequest with a piece of heart reward or something

 

[TheRationalDove]

I don't really think she meant anything romantic or sexuall when she talked with Link as a child in the Spirit Temple. In fact, I don't think she meant to give Link anything in return at all. but since it was a vague comment, she may have referred to it in a changed meaning seven years later now that she is attracted to Link .

 

[Seth]

I took it as sexual. I always thought Nintendo liked to throw in a few of those innuendos. Then again I'm a pervert so I could be wrong.

 

[bkelly458]

It was probably just some rupees, a bottle, or just something like that. Like someone said, the whole thing could have just been a side-quest.

However, after that hug Link got in MM, nothing would surprise me o_0

 

[fused_shadows]

Of all the theories I have seen to this point the only one that really makes sense if that Nabooru was simply lieing to Link and didn't plan on giving him anything in return. This makes sense because she is a Gerudo Theif. However, after seeing him as an adult, I believe she did have some sexual feeling for Link.

 

[felipe970421]

Anybody has noticed how Nabooru didn't age in 7 years? My take on this is that the Gerudo have very long lifespans (take Koume and Kotake, and Ganondorf himself), so maybe Nabooru saw Link as a good boyfriend for the future

 

[Cfrock]

Anybody has noticed how Nabooru didn't age in 7 years? My take on this is that the Gerudo have very long lifespans (take Koume and Kotake, and Ganondorf himself), so maybe Nabooru saw Link as a good boyfriend for the future

By this logic Impa didn't age in the 7 years. Or the Zora King. Or any of the survivors from Hyrule Castle Town. Or Talon or Ingo. Or the Carpenters. Or Grog. Or the Lake Scientist.

Instead of making two character models for every single character in the game, it seems that the developers just trusted people would know that adults don't change very drastically in the space of 7 years. As for Ganondorf's long lifespan, what exactly suggests he has been alive for an unnatural amount of time? Koume and Kotake have lived for hundreds of years, presumably something to do with their mastery of dark magic but there's nothing to suggest Ganondorf had lived for a very long time.

 

[ShadowBlades]

I thought maybe she was going to give him a kiss or something like that, nothing too serious, just something for the young lad. I don't think it would have been seriously sexual or anything like giving him a position in the Gerudos.

 

[Robert James]

You know what I think the promise is? Make Link King of the Gurudos. She didn't wanna kneel before Ganondorf, so to me, it makes perfect sense. Then later, sure, now that he's an adult, she could be his queen.

 

[YIGAhim]

Well, now that this thread is revived, I'll share my input:

It was definitely sexual.

"I'll give you something great" from a woman who has most likely not seen a man in several years means she's desperate. After 7 years, she gave a comment on how she should've kept her promise, which would have meant absolutely nothing if she didn't say anything about him becoming a handsome man. She did though, and that was clearly on purpose by the developers of the game