The Wind Waker Why Four?

[Shamison]

In the wind waker we all know the story of how link meets a pirate who is actually Zelda. That pirates name is Tetra. But Tetra means four. Why would she be four? Does anyone know why she is named after the number four?

 

[Ventus]

honestly i think they picked the name tetra because it almost rhymes with zelda. it's just to keep the bloodline in the pants family. like they name Spongebob Squarepants and Stanley Squarepants similarly because of the S. Tetra van Housen and Zelda van Housen sound similar and they almost rhyme too.

 

[Shamison]

honestly i think they picked the name tetra because it almost rhymes with zelda. it's just to keep the bloodline in the pants family. like they name Spongebob Squarepants and Stanley Squarepants similarly because of the S. Tetra van Housen and Zelda van Housen sound similar and they almost rhyme too.

Oh. That makes sense. Also where did van Housen come from? I believe that that is true but never heard it before.

 

[Dragoncat]

Because Tetra sounds more like a name than Tri? There are 3 TRIforce pieces...

 

[Twilight King]

She is the fourth part of the Triforce, of course! Okay, that's a joke, but it could be understood as that. Tetra didn't know it, nor did Link at the time, but she was the fourth, if you count her and Zelda as different people.

Or it's just a cool name?

 

[Shamison]

Because Tetra sounds more like a name than Tri? There are 3 TRIforce pieces...

Unless they were hinting at... Well that's a good reason too.

She is the fourth part of the Triforce, of course! Okay, that's a joke, but it could be understood as that. Tetra didn't know it, nor did Link at the time, but she was the fourth, if you count her and Zelda as different people.

Or it's just a cool name?

That makes sense too.

 

[mαrkαsscoρ]

tetraforce?

 

[Fig]

Because Tetra sounds more like a name than Tri? There are 3 TRIforce pieces...

The Greek pre-fixed Tetra- or Tetr- is the Greek numerical prefix for four. The Latin prefixes for four are Quadri- or Quadr-. It is merely a shortening of the Ancient Greek word τέτταρες (tettares) meaning four. Why did the Ancient Greeks coin this word 'tettares' to mean four? Not a clue.

honestly i think they picked the name tetra because it almost rhymes with zelda. it's just to keep the bloodline in the pants family. like they name Spongebob Squarepants and Stanley Squarepants similarly because of the S. Tetra van Housen and Zelda van Housen sound similar and they almost rhyme too.

I will agree with Ventus in this portion for the reason of giving the character her name Tetra. Tetra does sound very similar to Zelda and probably used the term Tetra to somehow keep the royal bloodline to still be intact by even the smallest of connections.

 

[Cfrock]

It's a reference to fish. Tetra sounds nothing like Zelda and she has no symbolism relating to the number, or theme, of four, which pretty much leaves fish as the only sensible reference point for her name.

 

[Wolf Sage]

It's a reference to fish. Tetra sounds nothing like Zelda and she has no symbolism relating to the number, or theme, of four, which pretty much leaves fish as the only sensible reference point for her name.

Perfect match for The Wind Waker's seafaring setting, no? ;J Reminds me of how Zelda's original incarnation, Hylia, is also the name of a genus of birds, befitting Skyward Sword's skyfaring thematic and naming convention.

 

[Fraxinus]

I honestly always imagined it hinted that she was the fourth generation. Like, at my old school, there was this kid who was the third generation of "Roy" in his family, so he just went by "Trey", meaning "three". Likewise, I figure Tetra is the fourth princess named Zelda. Even though she didn't know about it, she was just called Tetra because it meant "four". I don't really support the Hyrule Historia's timeline or anything, but even it kind of has Skyward Sword, then Minish Cap, Ocarina of Time... so there's three Zeldas. Though I never really fit Minish Cap there. I figured there would have been another generation between Ocarina of Time and The Wind Waker but that's just me. And as Cfro said, it is also a name of a fish. So that kind of makes it fit pretty well with the oceanic themes of The Wind Waker as well.

 

[Dragoncat]

I doubt she was named after a fish species, SS does the bird/flying creature names, WW's only swimming creature name that I can recall is Orca. So if I can name a plethora of creature names for SS and only one for WW...yeah. Mandy's theory sounds more plausable.

As for Hylia being a bird name too, wow! I wonder if they planned it out...Lake Hylia appears in TP and OoT.

 

[Fig]

It's a reference to fish. Tetra sounds nothing like Zelda and she has no symbolism relating to the number, or theme, of four, which pretty much leaves fish as the only sensible reference point for her name.

Perfect match for The Wind Waker's seafaring setting, no? ;J Reminds me of how Zelda's original incarnation, Hylia, is also the name of a genus of birds, befitting Skyward Sword's skyfaring thematic and naming convention.

That's what I forgot to add in my first response, although I was certain I added it! Oh well, I'll give you guys the credit for posting! Nonetheless, that makes the most sense in the naming of Tetra! Good job you guys! :3

 

[Wolf Sage]

I doubt she was named after a fish species, SS does the bird/flying creature names, WW's only swimming creature name that I can recall is Orca. So if I can name a plethora of creature names for SS and only one for WW...yeah. Mandy's theory sounds more plausable.

As for Hylia being a bird name too, wow! I wonder if they planned it out...Lake Hylia appears in TP and OoT.

Remember, things can always be added or changed at a later time; they needn't necessarily be planned in advance, either. It's called retcon, and if nothing else, Zelda fans should familiarize themselves with this concept. Also, no one ever said that all of The Wind Waker's characters had to be named after aquatic sources in order for Tetra to have been named after such.

WW's only swimming creature name that I can recall is Orca.

Oh, and you forgot about Sturgeon... ;J

 

[Dragoncat]

I don't remember a Sturgeon...minor NPC that I didn't talk to perhaps?