Lost Woods

[Seth]

I'd like to start a discussion on the Lost Woods, a famous area in the Zelda universe yet one that interestingly hasn't appeared as much as you would think.

It's first iteration was of course in the original Legend of Zelda:



It started as a simple puzzle area, the screen repeated itself over and over unless you followed a certain pattern which would allow you into the next area. That was it, nothing much to it then besides being an over-world puzzle/obstacle.

It made it's second appearance in A Link to the Past. It was in this game it first became a real area. In the beginning of the game before you retrieve the Master Sword it is covered in a thick fog, the song for the Woods is my favorite out of all of them, even Saria's Song (though that to is great).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iChFE58NLE


The forest is used briefly as the resting place for the Sword of Evil's Bane. Of course there are, interestingly, several fakes swords scattered about (wonder who put them there?). There are some thieves who will try and steal your items and a hideout of theirs with a heart piece for the taking.
Other than going in to find a mushroom for an old witch...That's about it.
However it laid the foundation of the Lost Woods as a major region in Hyrule and set the stage for one of my favorite locations in the series, if not the favorite.

In Ocarina of Time the Lost Woods become a central point to the story, not the least of which it's Link's childhood home, in the Kokiri Forest, a village situated in the heart of the woods watched over by the guardian spirit the Deku Tree.
The actual woods themselves operates as a grid system where if you take the wrong turn you get warped back to Kokiri Forest. Graphical limitations of the time keep it to being different squares of land and compared to graphics of today it doesn't look like much. Still I think the Lost Woods of OoT are full of 'life', much more so then other iterations of the LW and other forests in my humble opinion.
It actually felt really mysterious and magical wandering through those woods and still does. Besides the Kokiri you can wander through and find Deku Scrubs, Business Scrubs and even Skull Kids. On every corner is something new. You can win some equipment improvements and pieces of hearts by playing games with them. One area you fall into a hole and find the Forest Stage, where a mysterious group of Scrubs rate your masks and award you or shoot at you. There is of course the Sacred Forest Meadow as well.
The entire woods felt full of life to me, I always loved exploring it, it really felt like a magical forest. It remains one of my favorite areas in the entire franchise.
The woods have made a few brief appearances in later games and several different woods like Faron Woods or Woods of Mystery or Forest Haven but none I think were as good as OoT Lost Woods.

 

[MattWalker]

The Lost Woods, I think, are absolutely a staple of what makes certain Zelda games... feel like Zelda games. In every incarnation (like you mentioned Faron and Forest Haven)! There's something about the greenery, the music, and the atmosphere that always make me feel like 'Yup - this is a Zelda game!' Although Ocarina of Time's Lost Woods will forever have a place in my heart, I'm going to have to say that Faron is probably my favorite. I found it gorgeous, and I just love how lush it is, and how quiet and mysterious it can be. :3

Of course, Twilight Princess was the first Zelda game I was actually anticipating - all the others before it had come out before I got into the series, so I guess starting off there always holds a special place in my heart.

 

[Linknerd09]

Lost woods has always been amazing, magical, and adventurous to me. The songs really fit into the place. Lost woods has always been sneaky to confuse you but fun to explore.

 

[Djinn]

The Lost woods are an interesting place, even in the original. They left the player wondering what was happening when you entered, was it cursed? Or some kind of defense against invasion? What was it? There have been a few random hints as to an explanation in some games, as well as various curses for those who enter.

Both Deku Scrubs and Skull Kids claim to have been transformed by the curse of the woods. Navi, Fado, and a gossip stone also state this, all non fairy folk who enter will become monsters. It seems with Stalfos and Skull Kids (which are called Stalkids in the Japanese text) That the curse is to remain lost and wonder forever, and even death does not stop them from wondering. They just become lost skeletons wondering through the forest until a hero stops them. The Skull Kid of TP carries a poe lantern with him, a common element of a wondering spirit in Hyrule.

Is this what happens to kids who wander into the forest? It looks like he doesn't like grownups." — Navi

"The Lost Woods is our birthplace! If you wander lost here for too long, you too can become a Deku Scrub!" — Deku Scrub

"That guy isn't here anymore. Anybody who comes into the forest will be lost. Everybody will become a Stalfos. Everybody, Stalfos." — Fado

They do make a great addition to the mythology of the game, with a very traditional fantasy element. A cursed forest that all who enter are doomed to wonder within it forever lost even after death they continue wondering.

The Great Deku Tree did make a mention of the Kokiri Forest acting as a barrier from outsiders.

"For so long, the Kokiri Forest, the source of life, has stood as a barrier, deterring outsiders and maintaining the order of the world..." — Great Deku Tree

The Kokiri Forest is connected to the Lost Woods and they do have the ability to pas through the woods without fear of being cursed. This makes the woods seem like they were purposely placed there to defend the lands of Hyrule from outsiders. Or possibly defend the Kokiri Forest and Sacred Forest Meadow from trespassers. It does contain the Forest Temple, the deity of the forest, and often the Master Sword. The Deku Tree is an important servant of the gods, and the Forest Temple is the temple of the Sage of the Forest, both are very important to Hyrule. With these hiding deep in the woods there should be some form of defense against intruders and a cursed forest would be just that. While also rumor of a cursed forest haunted by the remains of past intruders would keep many people out.

I did not really like to think of the forest in the north of Hyrule in ALTTP as the lost woods even though it was named that because the enchantment was gone. Then it was just the fog that caused Link to be lost within and not a curse placed on the area. The magic was not there at the time, they were only a forest located in the north of Hyrule. Nothing truly special about them. However I did like the little addition of a thieves hideout deep within the woods. I wish that would make a return as that did add a little more character to the setting. Not everyone was a good Hyrule citizen, there were some bad elements hiding out on the fringes of society. That were actually Hylians as well, not moblins or bulblins.

Anyway I do hope we continue to see more of the Lost Woods in future sequels since it has been an important aspect of the setting since the first game. I did like the Sacred Forest Meadow of TP, as an enchanted area haunted by a mischievous skull kid. I thought that was a great way to represent the area. As a mysterious place where the scenery changes often and for no reason, lingering spirits and strange creatures found in every part. I think it would be great to see this again in SS.

 

[AwesomeLink86]

What connection do y'all think the Sacred Grove is to the Lost Woods. They seem to have a lot in common, a maze-like forest, skullkids, but the sacred grove seems to be just an overgrown Temple of Time.

 

[Djinn]

What connection do y'all think the Sacred Grove is to the Lost Woods. They seem to have a lot in common, a maze-like forest, skullkids, but the sacred grove seems to be just an overgrown Temple of Time.

The Sacred Forest Meadow I believe is one of the special locations the Lost Woods defend, it is said to be an important area connected to the sacred realm, and the area the Forest Temple and Temple of Time reside in.

"One Sage is waiting for the time of awakening in the Forest Temple. The Sage is a girl I am sure you know... Because of the evil power in the temple, she cannot hear the awakening call from the Sacred Realm..." — Sheik

Saria's mention of the spirits of the area I think is interesting too, she mentions them a couple times when talking about the sacred forest meadow or her favorite place.

"If you play the Ocarina here, you can talk with the spirits in the forest." — Saria

So the Meadow could be an important area to the spirits of the forest. As well as the Hylian royal family or the Sages of Hyrule. In TP Link must still howl Zelda's Lullaby near a howling stone (bearing the Shiekah eye) to be allowed to enter. There are also ruins found in the area you fight the Skull Kid in TP, these are often thought to be the remains of the old Forest Temple of OoT, but there is no way to really prove it. Since none of the ruins are recognizable.

The Sacred Meadow by containing the Forest Temple, the Temple of Time, the Master Sword, and the Door of Time, definitely has a high level of importance to the Sacred realm and the Sages. Simply by having the Door of Time it is the main gate to the Sacred Realm known to the royal family of Hyrule. The Forest Temple holds some unique connection to the sacred realm as well since Shiek mentioned that the temples awaken Sages in times of great need hearing a call from the sacred realm. The Forest Temple holds the Forest Medallion and grants the powers of the forest to the awakened sage (whatever abilities that adds is unknown)

"When evil rules all, an awakening voice from the Sacred Realm will call those destined to be Sages, who dwell in the five temples. One in a deep forest... One on a high mountain... One under a vast lake... One within the house of the dead... One inside a goddess of the sand..." — Sheik

 

[unknown_user]

The lost woods is the main icon for me in the legend of zelda series for me it is simple but fun.

 

[DARK MASTER]

Did you guys know, the Lost Woods was in Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland? The story of the Great Deku Tree in Freshly-Picked Tingle's Rosy Rupeeland is somewhat similar to that of the one from Ocarina of Time. Due to pollution, the Deku Tree Sprout is dying; while at the same time, the Great Deku Tree is also nearing his end. When Tingle met them, the Great Deku Tree asked if he would enter him and retrieve forest water, which could cure the Deku Tree Sprout. Tingle accepted and entered the Deku Temple. After defeating Bana Bana, Tingle obtained the water and rushed back to cure the Deku Tree Sprout. After that, the Great Deku Tree died happily, but not before paying Tingle for his service.