[NES] Why do guys spawn in white clouds

[Reiquel]

What are your theories on why both allies and enemies in Zelda 1 spawn in white clouds (of various roundness)?

When you defeat an enemy in Wind Waker, it explodes in a purple/black cloud. Around 2003 my friend watching me play exclaimed "it's the energy going back to Ganon!" I'm not sure if the white clouds in Zelda 1 are an inversion of that, because that would mean your allies are working for Ganon.

 

[Malon]

Most enemies in Zelda games explode into purple black clouds, unless it's a white cloud. I think it really just depends on how much control Ganon has over these enemies. (purple/black for the most.) As for the allies, I think it's just default no matter what.

 

[Reiquel]

Yeah they could have had the guy who gives Link the sword for example already be in the cave, but some artist spent time making the white cloud animation - that's why I think there is some significance. It's almost like he's a spirit who only shows up when someone's watching.

 

[GZ Zelda]

What are your theories on why both allies and enemies in Zelda 1 spawn in white clouds (of various roundness)?

Perhaps some type of Sheikah revelatory power that Impa provided? That these enemies and allies would otherwise be hidden, if not for Link's ability of sight?

 

[Ashley the Witch]

Yeah they could have had the guy who gives Link the sword for example already be in the cave, but some artist spent time making the white cloud animation - that's why I think there is some significance. It's almost like he's a spirit who only shows up when someone's watching.

I always like to believe that Breath of the Wild is a loose remake of the first Zelda game. Both are open world, you can complete any dungeon you want, in any order. Ridiculously easy puzzles that are child's play. Seriously, you rarely ever have to think about the solutions of puzzles in both games. Both put you in a world without telling you anything about it for the most part. Both don't have a companion following you around. And lastly, before the placement of the game in the timeline, neither of them really made sense in terms of where they were placed in the timeline. In fact both of them are really close to the end of the Downfall timeline, if memory serves me right, technically Breath of the Wild is at the end of all three timelines, but still. That being said, both of them have an old man at the beginning, Breath of the Wild's is revealed to be a spirit, which further leans towards this hypothesis.

 

[Chris the Overlord]

Perhaps some type of Sheikah revelatory power that Impa provided? That these enemies and allies would otherwise be hidden, if not for Link's ability of sight?

Impa is the only Shiekah present at the time of the original Legend of Zelda. It is unlikely that another Shiekah is alive, however there are no other Shiekah mentioned in the game. If Impa were to teach a non Shiekah these skills, it would be for an important reason. The only time this is seen is Ocarina of Time where Impa teaches Zelda to disguise herself as Shiek. Impa takes care of Zelda for seven years while Link is asleep. We see no sign of any training given to Zelda as a child, so it may be assumed that Impa gave her this training during the seven years. Impa used this time to train Zelda in order to protect her and Hyrule from Ganon. In The Legend of Zelda, Impa focuses on the royal family. This will have taken up most of her time. With the lack of time and no major need for training this many Hylians, it is highly unlikely that Impa would teach them the skills used by Shiekah.

 

[Ashley the Witch]

Impa is the only Shiekah present at the time of the original Legend of Zelda. It is unlikely that another Shiekah is alive, however there are no other Shiekah mentioned in the game. If Impa were to teach a non Shiekah these skills, it would be for an important reason. The only time this is seen is Ocarina of Time where Impa teaches Zelda to disguise herself as Shiek. Impa takes care of Zelda for seven years while Link is asleep. We see no sign of any training given to Zelda as a child, so it may be assumed that Impa gave her this training during the seven years. Impa used this time to train Zelda in order to protect her and Hyrule from Ganon. In The Legend of Zelda, Impa focuses on the royal family. This will have taken up most of her time. With the lack of time and no major need for training this many Hylians, it is highly unlikely that Impa would teach them the skills used by Shiekah.

Though it is true that in Ocarina of Time says that The Shiekah is nearly extinct, that obviously can't be exactly true, due to the fact that they appear in games after that, unless they reproduce asexually or breeding with other species, their entire race would have died out before any other games in the timeline after that. My theory is that Impa is the last Shiekah that is working for the royal family, however others would be alive, just not working for them. Due to that they wouldn't be seen or mentioned in any game. Just because they're not mentioned, doesn't mean they don't exist. They could easily just be living their own lives outside of Hyrule. Storytelling in most literature usually gives everything in the story to have a purpose. A random group of a certain race probably wouldn't be mentioned if they don't serve a purpose in the story. Another theory is the fact that they just weren't discovered until the country expanded. Which is what I'm heavily leaning towards. I know it has probably no basis for the point you're giving, I just wanted to say that saying it's unlikely any other Shiekah are alive is foolhardy. Anyway, rant over.