I'll never get tired of watching people react to this ending. This game blew me away, and the ending is just (Chef's Kiss). The music, the emotion, all the feels!
Why does the story seem so HEAVY though? That's what I can't figure out. Zelda gets like 30 minutes of screen time and yet her story of tragedy, sacrifice, and hope just shine through the entire game. TotK is the crowning achievement in the franchise. What a masterpiece!
I think what helps is that the world is a lot more alive and dynamic than in BotW. Everywhere NPCs are talking about Zelda being gone, and when they don't, they probably are talking or studying the upheaval or the regional phenomenons. Purah almost feels like an old-school companion with how much she drives the story and tells you where you need to go. Impah leaving her village despite her old age is also really impactful, makes you feel like everyone is stepping up for this catastrophe. And of course, if you let yourself be guided by the game, you should find the ruined temple which shows you the order in which you should pick the tears up. That allows you (if you pay attention), to get a more linear storyline with a final reveal that hits just right. By the way this is one of the elements to me that's at the core of the franchise : a world with lovable and interesting characters that drive you to complete the story. It is great to see TOTK correct the mistakes of BOTW and get that right.
I think what's so heavy is it's a heros journey that comes full circle. Link and Zelda have both sacrificied so much, and in the end they both are redeemed and get to be together 💜
Fun fact: When Link is trying to catch Zelda after she turns human again, the song that plays is called “Not This Time!” (depending on the translation)
@@marydearest The whole catching scene also has the OST Song "Last Catch," and keeps the sound effect of the catch as the final note. In the actual gameplay, the finale gets cut off in most playthroughs but it has a very pretty ending. Edit: i also need a version of Zelda's lullaby that plays during the scene with Rararu and Sonia because that is PEAK music design
@@ajjerio3927 The moment Link catches her hand is also punctuated in the music by the clapping sound that's so present all through this game's music. The devs have said in interviews that hands were a major theme in this game along with connection, thus the emphasis on the sages' blessings being given through clasping hands, catching Zelda at the end, and the clapping in the music.
39 here and same. Add in the fact that I'm SO attached to this particular Link and Zelda and this ending was _devastatingly_ beautiful not only visually but symbolically as well since we weren't able to catch her in the prologue. I still can't believe Nintendo gave that ending to us, especially letting the player catch her at the end instead of it being a cut scene. It's such a satisfying reward.
I'm not sure when it started but I remember it happening in Ocarina of Time, too. Aside from I think just Skyward Sword and Twilight Princess when he gets stabbed in the chest, Link really loves to stab him right in the noggin.
22:25 Connection is actually one of the main themes of TotK vs the isolation of BotW and it's so great that you noticed that. The devs have said in interviews that connection was the big Thing in this game, which is why there's a huge focus on hands which I hadn't realized until I read about it, but it's absolutely true. From the very start, there's a focus on hands. The close-up of Link's hand not reaching Zelda in time in the prologue, Rauru's arm, Zelda and the rest of the sages granting you their blessings by taking your hand, Rauru and Sonia joining their hands with yours to bring Zelda back from the dragon state, Link finally grabbing Zelda's hand during the final fall, and the shots of most of those interactions in the end credits. It's even present in the music with the clapping sounds. And I just _adore_ that!
When Zelda said “ Oh Link.. I’m home”, I believe it is not just she really returned to the Hyrule she belongs to. But Link is her home. In Japanese however, Zelda said this: "ただいま... リンク" (pronounced as I'm home Link). These words depicts that is either someone close to family or a person you shared space with (aka lover). This implicates that Link and Zelda are still lovers since after Breath of the Wild.
58:57 Mineru theorized that reversing Zelda’s Draconification requires Sonia’s Time power and Rauru’s Light Power to be channeled through Link’s arm; but activating magic is also in need of strong motive. That is when Zelda smiles at her knight knowing how much his princess means to him. This part 59:11 and his main mission to find her since the opening confirms that Link loves Zelda in Tears of the Kingdom is canon. On the side note at 59:15 : you can hear familiar piano tone that is a reference to the opening sequence of Breath of the Wild (where Link’s journey began as he step out of the Shrine of Resurrection).
I think Sonia, Raru, and Link also represent the Triforce. Sonia is Wisdom, Raru is Power, and Link is Courage, and together they wish for Zelda to return to her human form!
@@jamesb7924this is correct , it’s a reference to the triforce which has been lost to time/legend. It’s the devs saying “hey the triforce is still here they just don’t know about it anymore because it’s been so long”
the intention with those pits that lead deeper into Ganon's lair is to free fall...with the arms outstretched. It slows the descent and allows you to take it in as the new location comes into view. The lynel can be skipped. You need only go over to the cavern on the left of his arena to access the fallen block area that leads beyond his chamber. When fighting large groups or high level enemies, sages are not necessary...simple paralyzers or elemental items can freeze, shock, burn, stun or disarm the enemies.
I found some new info about Ganondorf’s background in the original Japanese. Basically he has a dissatisfaction to the rulers of Hyrule that lived in a peace and tranquility where as he remained attached to the brutal past were those with a sense of fighting spirit are the supreme. He aims for controlling all creation instead of world domination(unlike his previous incarnations) in order bring the world back where it was rightfully roamed by demons before the Zonai came down from heaven and purified it with Shrines of Light. Ganondorf is willing to go extreme lengths to fulfill his desire. Even if he has to transformed himself into the Demon King. In short, he is a Gerudo Warrior who likes darkness and demons, whom he enjoys the thrill of battle, and he disdains for the weak and cowardly relying on the protection of others (much similar to Demise of Skyward Sword). No wonder why he has grudge against King Rauru and his Kingdom.
When Light Dragon comes to aid Link in the final battle, I’d asked myself a question during the 3rd phase: “Did she come back and maybe Draconification hasn’t removed everything that is Zelda?” I would strongly believed it is her love for her knight is what drove her dragon instinct/consciousness in saving Link from falling and aiding him against the Demon Dragoon. And we all seen that when her powers is activated when the one she loves is threaten in Breath of the Wild’s final memory.
Incredible reaction.. your emotion resonates with so many of us who felt the same. Also thank you SO much for having the courage to tell your chat you're just going to enjoy the moment and stop responding to them-- so many streamers could take a lesson from you here. Subbed-- cheers!
I don't know if you saw this in Breath of the Wild, but there's some obscure dialogue that tells you it was Zelda's love for Link that awakened her power in that game. I'm pretty sure it was something similar to this that allowed Zelda's draconification to be reversed. Note how she says she was sleeping, then woken up by something like a warm, loving embrace. Link's love for Zelda allowed for Rauru and Sonia's similar Light and Time powers to reach her and wake her up.
@@marydearest You get the dialogue from Kass in Rito Village after completing all his quests throughout the world. Yeah they've both gone through so much crazy stuff for the other and have saved each other's lives like 15 times throughout the games.
I also think that since Link found Zelda's memory he could use the Rewind power channeled through Sonia to turn Zelda back because Sonia described that power as asking an object its memories and coaxing it back to that point, and since Zelda lost those memories when she became a dragon, link found them all for her.
Flurry rushes come when you dodge in a direction OPPOSITE or PERPENDICULAR to the attack. Something that's meant to be learned in the tutorial shrines of both this game and BOTW. And the infamous Lynel on Ploymus Mountain in BOTW guarding the shock arrows. If an enemy strikes with a narrow or vertical strike, you sidestep it and if they do a sweeping or horizontal slash, you backflip. In this way, Link's body clears the attack in the most efficient way. If you do this during the right moment, mid-strike, it triggers a flurry rush. Ganon keeps hitting you because you backflip out of his vertical slash, essentially just backing up a bit but never really getting out of the way of it. Also....don't back him up into an awkward corner. I've seen every player do this.
I do always get emotional in the ending of this game. Such a master piece. And I can see by your genuine face that you truly love The Legend of Zelda, much as I do 🥰
Mary: I don’t have much food for this fight. Also Mary: face tank?👉🏼👈🏼 No judgment- I definitely play like that sometimes. I just find the juxtaposition humorous 😂
@@marydearest Just be aware, Age of Calamity isn't 100% accurate to what happened in the past, even before the time travel we see in the beginning (one thing that sticks out is that in the canon timeline, Link obtained the Master Sword years before Calamity Ganon awakened, but in Age of Calamity, he draws it shortly before Calamity Ganon awakens, somewhere from a couple of weeks to a couple of months at most). There's a possible explanation for that, but I don't want to risk spoiling anything.
Sorry for nuking your forest, little Koroks! Eh, they're fine considering all the hell Link put them through getting them to their friends! 😂 I've beaten the game, and seen reactions multiple times and I still get all 😭🥲🥹 So good!
