Zora to Rito

[MapelSerup]

A fantasy video game need not abide by established scientific evolutionary theory.

 

[Hero-of-Time777]

A fantasy video game need not abide by established scientific evolutionary theory.

If said fantasy video game is going to use scientific evolutionary theory to justify a race's existence, then yes, they should abide by a basic understanding of it. That's what makes fantasy believable; the things we believe in should be able to stand up to scrutiny. Both in the fantasy world's terms and realistic terms. Which the Zora --> Rito thing fails epically at.
Obviously, I do think the Wind Waker Rito are a different branch of Rito from the full-on animal-looking ones from Breath of the Wild, but they're still the same race. What I mean by that is I think that particular group of Rito in WW had many Hylian ancestors, which would explain their less bird-like appearance. But saying they're not the same Rito from BOTW because of it? It's like saying Obama isn't black enough because he's half-white. Funny, I know, but it's the only real-world example I can come up with.
The Zora look extremely different in games such as ALBW compared to the ones from OOT but I don't see anyone asking if they're a different kind of Zora or species from each other. They're not, and neither are the Rito. Most of us understand races will have many variations in them and aren't all one homogenous group.
Medli's cameo in Animal Crossing: New Leaf looks much closer to what she'd look like in BOTW, with the cute, more birdie-like look. However she looks, she's still Medli to me.

 

[Ryuu Kage Desu]

If said fantasy video game is going to use scientific evolutionary theory to justify a race's existence, then yes, they should abide by a basic understanding of it.

In general, I would agree with you. That's where this theory comes in. It's already established that the dragon is involved in the Wind Waker Rito existence, and creating a genuine change. It's really not a stretch to connect that this is the key to the non-natural, dare I say emergency, change. Evolution may be a poor translation, but the idea is the same. Natural evolution and magical evolution are still changes.

 

[MapelSerup]

In general, I would agree with you. That's where this theory comes in. It's already established that the dragon is involved in the Wind Waker Rito existence, and creating a genuine change. It's really not a stretch to connect that this is the key to the non-natural, dare I say emergency, change. Evolution may be a poor translation, but the idea is the same. Natural evolution and magical evolution are still changes.

Exactly. Pokemon evolution is also called "evolution" but is nothing like evolution besides one thing changing into a similar, more beneficial thing.

 

[Ryuu Kage Desu]

Exactly. Pokemon evolution is also called "evolution" but is nothing like evolution besides one thing changing into a similar, more beneficial thing.

True enough. Pokemon has to be the worst use of the term. In that case, it's more of a life cycle, and it's better to be considered metamorphosis. From Zora to Rito, at least the race as a whole (supposedly) changed, so the term evolution still fits, even if mutation might be more accurate, if this theory holds.

 

[Mikey the Moblin]

well, "to evolve" at its simplest can just mean "to become more complex"