This Vibrant Fan Animation Showcases Post-Dodongo Confrontation Between Link and Darunia
Posted on January 30 2019 by Sean Gadus
“Don’t forget… Now you and I are true brothers!” — Darunia
Darunia is one of the most memorable characters from Ocarina of Time. While the character is introduced as an irritated and stern leader, the mighty Goron chief is revealed to be a fiercely passionate friend. Darunia may be a serious leader, but he always seems to have a twinkle of mischief in his large eyes once Link gets to know him.
This mischievous twinkle is evident in this vibrant fan animation by MajorLink. Recreating the scene following the defeat of King Dodongo, the animator captures the look of both Link and Darunia well. Link, our beloved hero, is a wide eyed, young hero, still a little out of his element among the rambunctious Gorons. The animator allows Link to show a variety of emotions, evident from the expressions of the character, which include surprise, joy, and a little terror.
Darunia is painted as a larger than life figure, one that towers over our young hero. Despite his massive bulk, the warmth of Darunia’s personality shines through like an eruption from Death Mountain. His eyes shine brightly, and his smile is as large as he is. There is some excellent additional dialogue not present in the game, which help develop the fierce leader, including the incredible line: “Growing up can be scary… but as long as you can smile, things can’t be all that bad”. If that isn’t a great pep talk, then I don’t know what is.
I had a laugh watching Darunia “hug” his sworn brother, and it gives a new meaning to the term “back-breaking hug.” The sound effects, specifically the crunch of Link’s back and the heart beat sound, add a layer of humor to the situation.
What do you think of this fan animation? Let us know in the comments below!
Sean Gadus is a Senior Editor at Zelda Dungeon. His first Zelda game was Ocarina of Time, and he loves all of the 3D Zelda games from 1998-2011. The final battle of Tears of the Kingdom is one of his favorite final battles in the entire series. He wants to help build a kinder, more compassionate world. You can check out his other written work at The-Artifice.com.
