Daily Debate: Would You Enjoy More Mythology-Inspired Enemies in Future Zelda Games?

As Link steps ashore on Eventide Island in Breath of the Wild, pushes through the brush and dense overgrowth, one of the largest monsters in all of Hyrule appears, its great body rising and falling in a fitful slumber: the mighty Hinox. The moment is thrilling, the setting iconic; a loving reference to the most celebrated handheld game in the Zelda series, Link’s Awakening. But for many, the scene calls to mind another courageous hero from literature’s most famous epic — Odysseus — leading his band of men against the dangerous Cyclops deep inside a similarly mysterious island. It is in fact one of numerous references to mythology artfully placed within The Legend of Zelda series.

While there are many locations, items, and characters that nod to mythology, let’s narrow our focus to enemies for this debate. If you’re curious about the use of mythology in the series on the whole, check out these detailed accounts of Greek mythology and Celtic references.

Certainly another of the most celebrated mythological enemies in the Zelda series is the Lynel, inspired by the Centaur of Greek mythology and which appears in six mainline titles, dating back to the original classic. Its appearance in Breath of the Wild certainly raised the stakes, with many asserting its status as the most challenging enemy in the game, even beyond the various Blights and Calamity Ganon.

While the franchise draws much inspiration from mythologies around the world, Nintendo has successfully created many foes uniquely their own or that are so distant from cultural stories that the connection is lost. Personally, I enjoy the mixture of Nintendo’s creativity and its allusion to the celebrated tales of old. Enemies such as the Skulltula add a distinctly Zelda mythos to the game, and the variation in use between titles brings delight; I particularly enjoy the Twilight Princess version of the creature, massive arachnids giving primal battle to Link’s canine form. Yet in those moments when I do come across enemies inspired from old, such as that moment on Eventide Island, I feel myself drawn into a timeless struggle, as Link takes his place alongside of Odysseus.

Tell us what you think! Would you enjoy more mythology inspired enemies in future Zelda games? Let us know in the comments below.

 

Image Credit: Comadreja

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