Phoenix of Hyrule Part 2 and The Skyward Sword!

[Austin]

This is a sequel thread to The Phoenix of Hyrule. That was a thread talking about the famous bird like symbol that you see in on the shields and various place in Legend of Zelda games.

This bird like symbol has existed before Skyward Sword, but why is it in the logo? I believe strongly that there will be some sort of bird figure in this game. It can either be a form of a transportation or something more figurative.

The transportation of flight, has been a rumored, so it makes perfect sense for link to ride a bird around. We know that Link lives in the sky and needs a way to get to the ground. He could do the simple suicidal jump/drop, but flying a big bird down makes more sense.

Personally, I'm looking more towards the figurative meaning. When I say figurative, I mean that the bird figure exists as part of the story, rather then an item/NPC. For example, the light guardians from Twilight Princes. Their existence is only to add more to the story line.

I'm more or less picturing that Skyward Sword will give us more information on why Hyrule use the symbol. It may deal with a bird like figure that was a great importance to Hyrule, and the reason why Hyrule chose the symbol they did. Maybe that bird could have been the transportation of Link. It could also be some flying spirit!

What do you guys think!?

 

[Locke]

I had the same thoughts you did, just in a different combination. I think the bird is figurative, and represents the 'saviors from the sky' who helped fight the evil forces. Either the royal family had known about and admired the superior race above for some time and had adopted the symbol as a tribute to their predecessors, or in the act of saving Hyrule from the evil forces Link gained their praise and they wanted to honor him and his race. But I guess the former is the better possibility, since the emblem appears on Link's shield. Either way, I don't think it directly represents a bird, just 'beings from the sky.'

 

[Austin]

I had the same thoughts you did, just in a different combination. I think the bird is figurative, and represents the 'saviors from the sky' who helped fight the evil forces. Either the royal family had known about and admired the superior race above for some time and had adopted the symbol as a tribute to their predecessors, or in the act of saving Hyrule from the evil forces Link gained their praise and they wanted to honor him and his race. But I guess the former is the better possibility, since the emblem appears on Link's shield. Either way, I don't think it directly represents a bird, just 'beings from the sky.'

This gave me an odd idea. I'm starting to think that Skyward Sword is the first in the time line. What if the bird figure on the shield represents Link from Skyward Sword. He could be symbolized by a bird since he comes from the sky. Also, Aonuma, said that we will know more about the origins of the master sword. He also talked about the girl being the spirit of the master sword. In Ocarina of Time (the supposedly first Zelda game in the time line, currently), we already have the Master Sword & Hylian Shield. I would like to write more, but I would have to play the game and/or see more footage to get more information. However, I'm curious what others think of Skyward Sword being the first LoZ in the time line.

 

[Xinnamin]

Hmm, I hadn't even really noticed or thought about that, but now that you point that out it does seem very interesting. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't this also the first time the Triforce is used in the logo too? We already know that the sky plays a major part in SS, so the bird isn't all that surprising, but the fact that the bird/Triforce combination is a symbol of Hyrule is.

Now, this is entirely speculation, but it does seem likely that we'll see why Hyrule uses the bird/Triforce symbol. Perhaps the game will deal with the Sacred Realm, maybe even explaining how the myth of the Goddesses and the Sacred Realm became known in Hyrule in the first place. Perhaps the people of the Skyloft are closer to the Goddesses than the people of Hyrule, so when Link is sent down to Hyrule and does all that stuff with turning the Skyward Sword into the Master Sword or whatever ends up happening with the plot, those sequence of events may be the catalyst for bringing the knowledge of the Sacred Realm to Hyrule. Then the bird would be symbolic of the sky people of Skyloft carrying the myth down to the people.

Well, that's sort of farfetched speculation, and my knowledge of Hyrulean lore isn't as good as it can be so I'm probably just imagining too much, but I think there is definitely some mythical/figurative symbolism there, if only because at this point I seriously doubt that there's going to be a literal bird carrying Link around (didn't they say the sword would be what carried Link between Skyloft and Hyrule, or was that just a rumor, I can't seem to keep track anymore).

 

[Locke]

Perhaps I wasn't clear enough. In the trailer, demo, art, etc. Link's shield features this symbol, so it was obviously created before he saved Hyrule. Either it (and the shield, which I think is unlikely) was made in Sky Loft and the Hylians adopted it as their own afterward, the Hylians created it when Link first arrived (also unlikely), or the Hylians had been using it for some time.

The Triforce is on the shield featured in the LttP and LA logos, and the Hylian Royal Crest (including the Triforce) is on the shield in OoT's. But this is the first time it has been used by itself without a shield, which makes me think that the crest will be very important to the story.

They did say that the sword would be his "driving force." whether that means it 'carried' him or just served as motivation remains unknown.

 

[Austin]

Hmm, I hadn't even really noticed or thought about that, but now that you point that out it does seem very interesting. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't this also the first time the Triforce is used in the logo too? We already know that the sky plays a major part in SS, so the bird isn't all that surprising, but the fact that the bird/Triforce combination is a symbol of Hyrule is.

Now, this is entirely speculation, but it does seem likely that we'll see why Hyrule uses the bird/Triforce symbol. Perhaps the game will deal with the Sacred Realm, maybe even explaining how the myth of the Goddesses and the Sacred Realm became known in Hyrule in the first place. Perhaps the people of the Skyloft are closer to the Goddesses than the people of Hyrule, so when Link is sent down to Hyrule and does all that stuff with turning the Skyward Sword into the Master Sword or whatever ends up happening with the plot, those sequence of events may be the catalyst for bringing the knowledge of the Sacred Realm to Hyrule. Then the bird would be symbolic of the sky people of Skyloft carrying the myth down to the people.

Well, that's sort of farfetched speculation, and my knowledge of Hyrulean lore isn't as good as it can be so I'm probably just imagining too much, but I think there is definitely some mythical/figurative symbolism there, if only because at this point I seriously doubt that there's going to be a literal bird carrying Link around (didn't they say the sword would be what carried Link between Skyloft and Hyrule, or was that just a rumor, I can't seem to keep track anymore).

The of idea of more information on the sacred realm seem interesting and I hope we see more information on it. You're probably right about the bird carrying Link around. Maybe it'll be a canon, similar to Twilight Princess. Who wouldn't want to be shot from miles above the ground, with the force of gravity and the canon pushing you closer to your doom?! I would pay good money to have that done!

I also hope they give information about the Ooco or the Minish people! Nintendo sort of threw those two species into the game series with little to no back story. If I'm right about it being the first LoZ game in the time line, we may see more information of the origins of Majora's Mask! In MM, it said that the goddesses had to intervene with its power. What better way to intervene then to send a hero from the sky to earth to defeat! If the Twili has relation with Majora's Mask, hopefully this game reveals more information (assuming that the previous statement is correct).

Perhaps I wasn't clear enough. In the trailer, demo, art, etc. Link's shield features this symbol, so it was obviously created before he saved Hyrule. Either it was made in Sky Loft and the Hylians adopted it as their own afterward, the Hylians created it when Link first arrived, or the Hylians had been using it for some time.

The Triforce is on the shield featured in the LttP and LA logos, and the Hylian Royal Crest (including the Triforce) is on the shield in OoT's. But this is the first time it has been used by itself without a shield, which makes me think that the crest will be very important to the story.

They did say that the sword would be his "driving force." whether that means it 'carried' him or just served as motivation remains unknown.

The trailer seems to lie a little bit or hide stuff. They use the standard Master Sword and Shield from Twilight Princess because they don't want to reveal what the real Skyward Sword would look like, and the same can be said with the shield. They've said that the sword plays a big role in the game! Thus, its not too difficult to see they would keep what it looks like as a secret. I believe strongly what we saw was strictly a demo, and the sword and shield won't be the same as the real one.

 

[Jupiter]

Lots of people have speculated about this! My friend Migokalle over at PureZC is even making a game that explains it's origins: LoZ Hylian Phoenix. He seriously better hurry though because Nintendo might beat him to it.

Clearly, this game will explain the phoenix symbol on the shield. I actually think that Nintendo (Aonuma or Miyamoto) had this back story in mind for a long time. Seeing how prominently that symbol is displayed in the official logo for the game, I think it is a given that this will be of major importance in SS.