What The Legend of Zelda Has Taught Me About Failure and Second Chances

If you ever lie awake at night, pondering about moments from your distant or even recent past that you wish you could change or do over, then you are in good company, because I often do the same. And usually the do-overs I focus on aren’t even about significant events in my life, but more about the small ones, like wishing I could take back words I said in an argument with someone I love, wishing I would have put more effort into studying for a college math class, or wishing I wouldn’t have given up on a goal I was absolutely certain I would achieve.

Perhaps you can relate to the instances of failure that have been sprinkled across your life story.

But as I’ve pondered about the embarrassing, painful, or even unfair failures of life, I’ve come to know that two things are certain:

1. Failure is the absolute worst.

2. There’s always a second chance.

And honestly, The Legend of Zelda has played a huge role in me recognizing the significance of trying again. From the miraculous defeat of Calamity Ganon in Breath of the Wild after a century-old failure, to reversing seven years of turmoil under Ganondorf’s reign in Ocarina of Time, there are so many examples of second chances in this series, and they have helped me find gratitude for my moments of failure. Here are three such moments that stand out to me the most.

 

The Infuriating Unfairness in The Wind Waker

The Wind Waker might provide a colorful and whimsical adventure, but the depths of the Great Sea also reflect a story that is anything but shallow. I remember during my first playthrough of this game as a teenager, I was absolutely heartbroken when Link’s little sister, Aryll, was suddenly snatched by the Helmaroc King within the first few minutes of the game. I was absolutely hell-bent on taking that nasty bird down. But I don’t think I had ever been more disappointed or shocked in a video game until I witnessed the moment after Link stealthily makes his way to the top of the Forsaken Fortress. Without his sword or any helpful items, he barely gets a glimpse of Aryll in her prison before Ganondorf and his beastly bird toss our hero out into the sea like a rag doll.

Despite his utter determination and courage to chase Aryll down, Link fails and is almost killed. And not only that; he is forced to leave her in captivity because he simply isn’t strong enough to save her.

I was infuriated the first time I played this sequence because I could honestly feel Link’s frustration in that moment. I thought of the many times in my life I had worked toward a goal with good intentions and determination only to fall short as well.

But as Link’s story progressed, I began to realize why his first initial failure to save her was necessary. I witnessed how this sweet-natured, cat-eyed, lazy version of Link slowly transformed from a naïve islander into a full-fledged warrior because of his hardship and his unwillingness to give up. Eventually during the second visit to the Forsaken Fortress, this time with the Master Sword in hand and a whole lot more experience under his belt, watching Link go from a scared little boy to a hero worthy of smacking the Helmaroc King in the face with the gigantic Skull Hammer was beyond satisfying.

That moment feels like a personal vengeance story that finally gets resolved — that is until Link fails to kill Ganondorf and has to undergo even more challenges to get stronger… again.

And isn’t that how life usually unfolds for us as well? Even when we do finally overcome a challenge, there will always be another obstacle and another learning experience ahead.

In the end, one thing I love about Link in this game is that he faces countless personal failures. He even has to make up for others’ failures from the past, when a hero was nowhere to be found to overpower Ganondorf and the entire land had to be flooded as a consequence. But still, he never gives up, even when so many odds are against him. And his journey reminds me that I can do the same. I might fail over and over again as I move toward a goal or try to overcome a personal weakness, but instead of completely shutting down and giving up, I can choose to learn from these experiences and use that knowledge to find success in the future. The Wind Waker continues to teach me how my greatest failures can turn into my greatest opportunities for growth and change, especially when I willingly pick myself up and try again, no matter how many chances it takes.

 

The Hero Without Courage in A Link Between Worlds

When I played through A Link Between Worlds for the first time, I never anticipated that it would become one of my top five Zelda games. It’s one of the best stories in the series thus far, particularly because of one specific character.

Ravio.

I couldn’t quite contain my absolute shock when Ravio’s identity was revealed at the end of the adventure, but I think what really struck me the most was that, despite his status as the so-called “Hero of Lorule,” his character traits initially oppose what a hero is supposed to be. When you look at Link, who is naturally courageous, willing to do the right thing, and ready to jump to the defense of others without hesitation, Ravio definitely doesn’t measure up — at first glance, that is. Throughout the game, he’s on the run; he hides in Link’s house, never removing his hood or showing his face, and he gives limited details about where he came from. He was actually a bit of a nuisance at first in my opinion, but everything changes the moment you are about to face off with Princess Hilda in the end, when you discover the face under the hood.

Ravio was a failure of a hero and was unable to protect his princess and his entire homeland, both because of his cowardice and because Hilda joined forces with evil. But in the end, he takes a chance and changes everything. In one perspective, he actually was brave and humble enough to recruit a different hero who he knew wouldn’t back down from the forces threatening Hyrule and Lorule. But Ravio’s courage ultimately shines when he rushes to Lorule after the final battle between Link and Ganon. He removes his hood and makes most likely the boldest move he has ever made in his life. He finally steps in and makes up for his failures as he bluntly and wisely tells Princess Hilda that she is in the wrong. He stands up to the person he most likely loves and trusts more than anyone else in the world, which is hard for all of us to do at times. That act of vulnerability probably took just as much courage as it did for Link to defeat Ganon. In the end, Ravio overcomes his failures and finally fulfills his heroic duty to Princess Hilda and to Lorule.

Ravio, to me, is a bit more relatable than Link in some ways, because, honestly, who wouldn’t hesitate or feel absolute terror when being forced to take on the weight of the world alone? Don’t we all initially believe there is someone out there who is better fit to do a job than we are at times? Don’t we all struggle to share how we truly feel with those we love? Sometimes it’s the small acts of courage in life that are the hardest. But like Ravio, even if we fail or make a mistake, there’s always a second, third, or even fourth chance to pick ourselves up and try again to do what’s right.

 

The Limited Time in Majora’s Mask

If we want to talk about wanting do-overs, then Majora’s Mask is the perfect example. With its unnerving, tedious, and dark nature, this Zelda game deals with the reality and consequences of the passage of time through the world of Termina. Unlike any other game in the series, you are literally running out of time and there’s no room for mistakes; and if you do make a mistake, you will most likely have to begin again. If you don’t obtain the Sun Mask by rescuing Kafei after the three-day-long quest, you will again have to start from scratch on day one. If you allow an alien to enter Romani’s barn on the first night and fail to protect her, she will never be the same again. And ultimately, if you fail to rescue the trapped spirits of the Four Giants, the whole world is going to go up in flames.

But no pressure.

The one thing that really hits me when I play through this game is that, no matter how many times I get a do-over throughout Link’s adventure, I can’t save everyone. I can’t get everything right and make a difference in every single character’s life in one sequence of the three-day cycle. It’s impossible to do. Link can rescue the Deku Princess and the swamp from evil, or save the Gorons from freezing to death, or recover the lost Zora eggs, or free the undead souls of Ikana, or, yes, even aid Romani or the bomb shop lady; but whomever he chooses to save, countless others will suffer when he isn’t there to protect them as well. It’s a harsh reality to comprehend.

But the countless do-overs gifted by the “Song of Time” in Majora’s Mask have ultimately taught me one thing: I’m not always going to get everything right the first time, and that’s okay. No matter what I choose to do every day, no matter how many mistakes I make or how many triumphs I have, I’m not perfect, and I’m still learning. I can’t do it all. But instead of  stewing on what I’ve done wrong, what failures I’ve faced, and what I can’t do, I can instead choose to act — I can continue to learn and to become more than I was yesterday. I can consider how much good I can give to the world and to those I love in the time I have today. I can speak kinder words next time an argument unfolds, just as I can choose to do better in so many other instances every day. Like Link in Termina, I won’t be able to get everything right all at once, but through all my efforts put together, I can make a big difference in my own life and in the lives of those around me as I treat each day as a new chance.

 

Conclusion

I could talk for days about how much The Legend of Zelda has taught me and affected my life, but I think what impacts me the most from these brilliant stories of a seemingly insignificant boy taking on a horrific evil is that they don’t leave out the messy parts of life. Not everything goes smoothly, no matter how much Link and Zelda plan and prepare. But ultimately, no matter what struggles and challenges they face, they always find success in the end, even if it’s not in the way they originally expected.

Their stories are filled to the brim with second chances, and they remind me that we always have a chance to make another choice in the right direction, no matter our circumstances. And that’s something I’ll always find hope in as I face the ups and downs of life.

What about you? What are your favorite second-chance moments in the Zelda series? Let us know in the comments!

Chakell Wardleigh Herbert is a writer for Zelda Dungeon. She lives with her husband and sweet little cavalier King Charles spaniel. Outside of Zelda Dungeon, she is a full-time magazine editor, and a full-time nerd. She’s also a sucker for good books, podcasts, s’mores, cute dogs, and loves the little things that make life great.

Artwork Sources:

  1. “The End” by AlzzziMi
  2. “Forsaken Voyage” by magicwaffles123
  3. A Link Between Worlds art by ジュプ
  4. “You’ve Met With a Terrible Fate, Haven’t You?” by Zita52
  5. “Tower” by AlzzziMi
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Sorted Under: A Link Between Worlds, Breath of the Wild, Editorials, Games, Majora's Mask, Ocarina of Time, Original Content, Slider, The Legend of Zelda, The Wind Waker
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