General Zelda What Does the Title "The Legend of Zelda" Mean to You?

[Ventus]

I actually haven't seen this thread at all in my time being here at ZD/DGN. Anywho, let's get on with the premise. Every installment in the Zelda series bar the first two is titled as such:

The Legend Of Zelda
[insert subtitle here]

But, the title "The Legend of Zelda" has all but lost its meaning. At best, it can be seen as Nintendo compiling their best works, and when the series is finally done in, folks will be able to compile them into a book that is actually CALLED "The Legend of Zelda". At worst, it's containing the name of a recurring character whose presence is, more often than not, meaningless.

What about you? What does the title mean to you? Why?

 

[Spirit]

Within the games, calling it Legend of Zelda is pretty meaningless, she isn't in all the games and doesn't do much in most of the ones she is in, and outside of TP i would say she doesn't even really have a presence when you're not sharing a scene with her. In my mind i've always though that the games should have something with Hyrule in the title as opposed to Zelda. Legend of Hyrule, or something to that effect. Yes, we're not in Hyrule in every game but to reiterate my earlier point, neither is Zelda. Soo... Hell why don't they jus call it Hyrule Historia lol it'd work and it'd make Hyrule sound quite enigmatic, or just call the darned thing Hyrule, job done.

to me as a gamer the title 'legend of Zelda' means 16 games and only 6 i like spread few and far between, I've been waiting ten years for a Zelda game to really appeal to me, someone tell me why i'm still here? At the moment the title means disappointment and longer waits which lead to more disappointment, but the title is also unpredictable because no one instalment is the same unlike CoD and Assassin's Creed, modern Resident Evil etc, so the next great game in the franchise could be the next...

 

[Lord Vain]

Well, from what data I have I would suggest it’s in a way a reflection of the story that occurs in Skyward Sword, as said game is the first game in the timeline. But anyways, the events that go on in Skyward Sword are looked back upon by later generations in the games that come into the timeline after said game, the people in these later games look back at that story of the hero clad in green and of the maiden he rescued and it just continues to repeat. The past is said to always repeat itself and this is seen in the Zelda series quite easily, the story from back in the era of Skyward Sword is often repeating itself with a hero in green saving a maiden of sorts and as such eventually these stories all pile upon each other and become the Legend, the Legend of the maiden named Zelda. Well, that's what I think of it all anyways...

 

[ihateghirahim]

O I think this series is not in such a bleak state. Skyward Sword had huge hype, perfect reviews, and great sales, and who can still remember those subway commercial for Spirit Tracks? We may not have the same glories as we did with Ocarina of Time, but Zelda isn't OoT. The series is still strong, and it shall still sell big in the future.

 

[DenMauzer]

I agree with lord vain, the legend of Zelda is a series of chronological events centered around link, ganondorf and Zelda. The game can't be the legend of link cause without Zelda there would be no need for him, nor could it be the legend of gannondorf for this would be silly naming the game after the primary villain. This leaves one logical choice, the only other name I could think of that would fit the series is The legend of the triforce!

 

[.:Brony:.]

A legend revolving around someone/something named Zelda.

 

[HatredHazard]

It means we need a Zelda game that will explain what Zelda (any incarnation) did to be deserving of such legendary fame. I thought SS would do it, I honestly thought Zelda would sacrafice her life to save whatever, and we would all tear up, and we'd be like, "So THATS why it's called the Legend of Zelda! I get it now!" But nothing like that happened, she got her happily ever after (aaaaand someone's going to tell me her crystallizing moment was it). And in every other game, she's clearly standing in Link's shadow. As of yet we have no satisfying explanation of why it's her legend and not Link's. That's why I want her to be the main character...just once D: