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Pieces of Heart

Joined
Oct 26, 2012
Why do random people throughout Zelda games possess spare pieces of heart? They seem like not such a delicacy because people will just give them to you for stupid little errands and they're hidden in, sometimes the most inconspicuous, locations--as if others have come upon them but not seen the need for them. And wouldn't it essentially be giving a part of your life away? Thoughts? <3
 

Ventus

Mad haters lmao
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Hylian Champion
They were called peaches in OoS, so it's actually kinda hard to figure out. ;p

And I mean, giving you a piece of heart could literally mean they're creating a bond with you...not really ripping away part their heart!
 

Beauts

Rock and roll will never die
Joined
Jun 15, 2012
Location
London, United Kingdom
And I mean, giving you a piece of heart could literally mean they're creating a bond with you...not really ripping away part their heart!

It seemed this way in Majora's Mask and all latterly released games, but I rarely bother getting all 20 hearts in any game filled. Look at OoT. The lady who lost her dog (the dog that in the daytime is running RIGHT NEXT TO HER, GOD IS SHE BLIND OR WHAT?!) gives you one. It's kind of like um.... thanks.
 
Joined
Nov 13, 2012
It's more a game mechanic than it is anything lore related. As far as I am aware Heart Pieces are never talked about in the series besides finding them scattered about in games. If you must ascribe some in-universe explanation, it's likely just a magical artifact that increases power to whoever has it.
 

Terminus

If I was a wizard this wouldn't be happening to me
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Well there are a few comments in some games that the pieces are "shiny" so it's entirely possible they just use them as alternate payment - a sort of barter system.
 

Mercedes

つ ◕_◕ ༽つ
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Because Shigeru Miyamoto, that's why.

I don't think there's any reason why, really. Just a game reward, for passing a quest. If we had to blag a reason why, then I like Ventus' idea, since I don't think there's anyway to justify it being some physical item people walk around in.
 

BoxTar

i got bored and posted something
Joined
Apr 13, 2009
Location
Pacific Northwest
Look at OoT. The lady who lost her dog (the dog that in the daytime is running RIGHT NEXT TO HER, GOD IS SHE BLIND OR WHAT?!) gives you one. It's kind of like um.... thanks.

But, in the same game, there's a guy on the roof who'll just give you one for getting on the roof. As a "memento", kinda like a souvenir. Makes you wonder how these people value these Heart Pieces, and how they might be just a big ol' glass heart, rather than a piece of their life force.
 

Dragoncat

Twilit wildcat: Aerofelis
Theyre magic heart shaped gems, similar to rupees only more valuable. I say magic because you get more health points when you have enough of them. How that would translate into real world logic, I have no idea...

So I think people find them and use them as bartering tools.
 

Curmudgeon

default setting: sarcastic prick
Joined
Dec 17, 2012
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grumpy
Theyre magic heart shaped gems, similar to rupees only more valuable. I say magic because you get more health points when you have enough of them. How that would translate into real world logic, I have no idea...

So I think people find them and use them as bartering tools.

Fragmented essence of the hero? It doesn't appear anyone else besides Link collects them for their intrinsic purpose. Little is made over their presence, so they must be commonplace enough to not be completely exotic, but valuable enough to keep as treasure.

Where did they come from? Who made them? They obviously have some value, as they're stashed in some pretty dangerous places.
 

Dragoncat

Twilit wildcat: Aerofelis
Fragmented essence of the hero? It doesn't appear anyone else besides Link collects them for their intrinsic purpose.
How do you know that for sure? Maybe other people who consider themselves warriors or whatever can use them...

But I do like your essence of the hero idea. In SS lore, Hylia picked a hero during the first war with Demise, and he was slain. So since we know Hylia left behind a bunch of stuff for the chosen ones(goddess cubes, etc)perhaps that hero decided he better leave something too. Voila.
 
L

lozprentice

Guest
Goddess heart

So from a theory stand point it can be believed that the Godesses themselves looked and said "well Link is gonna need a little more health and maybe even a little cheating" so they themsevles could have dispersed them throughout time OR it could be Hylia. I think this is a plausible thought, but it does ask then why did he not just get them? Are these things just jewelry? Or is it jewelry to all but a tri-force wielder!?
 

Justac00lguy

BooBoo
Joined
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Gender
Shewhale
Maybe it's like a symbolism of helping someone out however that wouldn't explain why there are random Pieces of Heart throughout the overworld. Going off this, the fact that the are located in the depths of dungeons or hidden way makes it feel like they are indeed rare, so as to why random NPC's and characters seem to have them and give them away for errands doesn't really make sense. Another thing is that the odd time in a Zelda game you can actually buy one for a pretty large price, so they are obviously worth something.

However maybe these characters recognise that Link is indeed a hero and he needs the HP more than they ever and the price of saving lives is much more than a couple hundred of rupees. I know I'm thinking too much into it :/
 

Shadsie

Sage of Tales
I think they are random, crystalized pieces of LOVE.

I think the same thing for the little hearts you get out of bushes and stuff. (Ever since I read someone on TV Tropes conveying the idea).

I have some theories about Hyrule in regards to the magical essenses in the land: I think that the general magic inherent in that universe causes things to become manifest in our world that remain invisible in ours - such as emotions and "spiritual" types of things. I remember the Poe Salesman of Ocarina of Time talking about how the Poes are "pure hatred" that's manifested itself into Poe-form, indicating, (with a few exceptions) that the Poes aren't really ghosts of the dead so much as just manifested despair and anger. Link also has to fight Dark Link in that game, which I think is a manifestation of his "sins" and "inner darkness" - his potential to be evil. Unlike all of us, who must battle our demons from within, in Hyrule, they get, at least in part, the magic of the land turning those inner demons into outer ones - which can be taken on with a sword.

And I think that good emotions, love is the same way... much like Skyward Sword's Gratituded Crystals were people's thankfulness given form, I think random feelings of love and caring find their way into the ether and crystalize in random places as heart pieces.

And sometimes, boss monsters hide this love and try to devour/ destroy it, which is why there is a bit of "crystalized love" within each of them after Link destroys them.


Or it could be just a handy game mechanic... the first game, Shigsy decided that hearts made a cute life-meter and just rolled with it when it became popular (or maybe after players got annoyed at the boring "life bar" of Zelda II ).
 

Dragoncat

Twilit wildcat: Aerofelis
I think they are random, crystalized pieces of LOVE.

I think the same thing for the little hearts you get out of bushes and stuff. (Ever since I read someone on TV Tropes conveying the idea).

I have some theories about Hyrule in regards to the magical essenses in the land: I think that the general magic inherent in that universe causes things to become manifest in our world that remain invisible in ours - such as emotions and "spiritual" types of things. I remember the Poe Salesman of Ocarina of Time talking about how the Poes are "pure hatred" that's manifested itself into Poe-form, indicating, (with a few exceptions) that the Poes aren't really ghosts of the dead so much as just manifested despair and anger. Link also has to fight Dark Link in that game, which I think is a manifestation of his "sins" and "inner darkness" - his potential to be evil. Unlike all of us, who must battle our demons from within, in Hyrule, they get, at least in part, the magic of the land turning those inner demons into outer ones - which can be taken on with a sword.

And I think that good emotions, love is the same way... much like Skyward Sword's Gratituded Crystals were people's thankfulness given form, I think random feelings of love and caring find their way into the ether and crystalize in random places as heart pieces.

And sometimes, boss monsters hide this love and try to devour/ destroy it, which is why there is a bit of "crystalized love" within each of them after Link destroys them.
Nice theory, but how do you explain the healing/life properties?
 

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