Discussion #014: Bongo Bongo, the Mystery

[GreenGyser]

Be advised that the following article contains unconfirmed, fan-made theories or speculation. For me personally, I think this is one of the best theorys in Zelda simply because there's so many theorys around it. Basically, fans wonder who is Bongo Bongo from Ocarina of Time, and there's lots of evidence. Let's dive deep into the 'beat' of the theory...

Bongo Bongo is the boss of the Shadow Temple in Ocarina of Time. It's a huge, white, ghost-like creature with a decapitated head, no legs and two detached hands. Scary. You fight 'it' in a room which seems endless, with a huge drum as the floor you stand on, we'll see why later. It seems a little scary for a Zelda game and the theories of what it is are quite grewsome. Instead of 'what' it is, who it is. The first thing that people think is it's just a demon-monster sent to the Shadow Temple by Ganondorf, but I think there's more to it than that.

First off, an elderly person in the past of Kakariko Village tells of how a man had the ability to see the truth, and his house was where the well is now. You find the Lens of Truth at the very bottom of the well, I'm pretty sure they're related. But you may think how this is related to Bongo Bongo, well. Bongo Bongo stole the Lens of Truth, which that man could've done. That man could possibly be Bongo Bongo. In addition to that, the 'eye' or the cut open neck of Bongo Bongo resembles the Lens of Truth too.

So, if this man did steal the Lens of Truth then how did he turn into this creature. Well, obviously he turned into a ghost but maybe he was excecuted. This would explain why his hands are detached, in old times the punishment for stealing was to cut off the persons hands. Going even deeper, maybe the stump of Bongo Bongo's neck is where he got decapitated, by the villagers of Kakariko Village for his punsihment. Basically, he may have been excecuted. Decapitation is a rather harsh punishment for stealing, but maybe that wasn't the reason why. Maybe it was murder, that would explain all of the dead bodies in the well.

Kakariko Village is also the home of the Sheikah. On the Lens of Truth there's Sheikah symbols, so the lens may belong to the Sheikah people. That would also explain the excecution even more, the villagers of Kakariko Village don't look like the type that would do that. So maybe the Sheikah killed him, and turned him into that huge beast and locked him away. Back to why the drum is there from earlier, maybe the man's life was dedicated to music, maybe a relative to the man in the windmill.

Its looks also show something, it looks similar to a Wallmaster, them things that make you jump out your seat and throw the N64 controller through your back window. It also looks like Gohdan from Wind Waker, but that doesn't mean anything. Also, some fans think its part of the Twili, but it was sealed in the well, not in the Twilight Realm. So that's basically stupid.

There's lots to rant about, but just post your views below. Thanks and have a nice day/evening!

- GreenGyser :chu:

 

[TwilightDeku]

This would explain why his hands are detached, in old times the punishment for stealing was to cut off the persons hands. Going even deeper, maybe the stump of Bongo Bongo's neck is where he got decapitated, by the villagers of Kakariko Village for his punsihment. Basically, he may have been excecuted. Decapitation is a rather harsh punishment for stealing, but maybe that wasn't the reason why. Maybe it was murder, that would explain all of the dead bodies in the well.

O_O! Wow, nice find about the whole "hands cut off" thing. I think you might be right about that, a question is why? Why did a man want a Lens so bad that he stole it and then hid it in a well? Maybe he didn't hide it... the well could have been his grave after he stole the lens of truth. Maybe the well was the graveyard for criminals in Karkariko? This would explain all the rededs and stuff. I can't immagine of what that would do to the drinking water...

So the man would have been buried with his treasure or something. I think he then might have been revived as a beast by Gannondorf.

Very nice thread. I never thought about where that "man" went who had the Lens of Truth... or why it was in the well. As I said before, your analogy of the missing arms was a very nice idea !

 

[TrueChaos]

i've heard those rumours before and it certainly sounds plausible. The Sheikah would want to punish someone who stole from them, especially stealing something so valuable, so it would make sense (if a little barbaric) that they'd severely punish them as a sign to others thinking of stealing from them too. Nintendo is messed up!

 

[Cfrock]

While I'm not convinced Bongo-Bongo is anything more than just an evil monster, you make some good points. The severed hands thing particularly is very interesting. Perhaps the man was executed for stealing what seems to obviously be a Sheikah artifact and Ganondorf gave new power to his restless and possibly angry spirit so he could get his revenge on the Sheikah.

Good thread

 

[Wolf Sage]

Great theory. I guess that would probably explain the many guillotines to be found in the Shadow Temple, huh? (lol) They may have been there as symbolism, or they might have been used to sever the head and hands of Bongo Bongo [the man who stole the Lens of Truth]. Unfortunately, this is a rather old theory. In fact, it's been around since Ocarina of Time first came out, and many fans still believe the old man's tale was hinting at Bongo Bongo's origins.

 

[felipe970421]

Also notice his name (bongo bongo) and the drum he plays (a bongo), this is food for though, lastly, remember that Sheik said it was a spirit Impa selaed it the well, which then escaped into the shadow temple

 

[Jesse]

that part of the game was weird. I mean look at the well. it has like a 5 ft clearance on each side. that would be a SMALL house. Anyways, you know those things they look you in and have people throw food at you in Renaissance fairs and such. it locks around your wrists and neck. I think he was put on one of those by the king of hyrule for maybe "seeing too much truth" or going crazy and thinking he seen the truth and he could have started killing people causing all the dead bodies in the well, but than think about all the dead bodys. people drink from that well. kakoriko village is drinking diseased water... wtf. idk its weird.

 

[Seth]

that part of the game was weird. I mean look at the well. it has like a 5 ft clearance on each side. that would be a SMALL house. Anyways, you know those things they look you in and have people throw food at you in Renaissance fairs and such. it locks around your wrists and neck. I think he was put on one of those by the king of hyrule for maybe "seeing too much truth" or going crazy and thinking he seen the truth and he could have started killing people causing all the dead bodies in the well, but than think about all the dead bodys. people drink from that well. kakoriko village is drinking diseased water... wtf. idk its weird.

He never said the house was the size of the well, just that it sat on top of where it is now.

 

[Strangelove]

Maybe instead of being turned into that by ganondorf, his spirit did escape into the well, but found something else....

The execution sounds good though, I imagine that's what happenned. Think, when this spirit escaped from the well and sheik appeared, it punded link a bit, but utterly beat up sheik. If it was Bongo Bongo t would exaplin his hate for sheik, as a sheikah.

 

[MonkeyFightSquad]

Bongo-Bongo is a very confusing creature.

 

[Wolf Sage]

Also notice his name (bongo bongo) and the drum he plays (a bongo), this is food for though, lastly, remember that Sheik said it was a spirit Impa selaed it the well, which then escaped into the shadow temple

Not trying to be mean, but all those things were made obvious in the game. Most, if not everyone, kind of picked up on those things from the start.

 

[ACE1009]

hmm interesting theories. i never really payed much attention to bongo bongo

 

[Golden Wolf]

I had always thought that the man who the old man talked about was the creepy guy at the bottom of the well. I always thought this because you actually get the lens of truth after beating him. Also Bongo Bongo has no human like traits where as the person you have to defeat looks almost human.

 

[superw967]

BONGO WAS A MERE SHADOW BEAST LIKE ALL ZELDA BOSSES IN OCARINA OF TIME but stealing the lens of truth, being punished, and becoming bongo bongo could have been that he had been gathering power from Ganondorf, but was not strong enough to resist the punishment of the villagers, but gained full strength after seven years and wreaked havoc.

 

[bluedude5487]

I always figured he was just an ordinary monster, but that hands thing is VERY interesting. Hmmmm...