The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess is
a game that garners quite a bit of unfair scorn, in my opinion. An oft-uttered criticism is that it is a shallow
rehash of Ocarina of Time, and while it is undoubtedly true that Twilight Princess draws
much inspiration from Ocarina, being a spiritual successor of sorts, the rehash criticism is
what I believe to be a pretty shallow one when the facets of this game’s story are
closer examined. To put it plainly, Twilight Princess distinguishes
itself through its approach to theming, character work, presentation, atmosphere and more, and
it uses these elements to prop itself up as what I consider to be the greatest game in
the series, one that uses its strengths in tone and characterization to give it a very
unique sense of identity. This is one of my favourite lines ever, for
reasons that are a bit difficult to articulate. I find it to be totally relatable, because
I’m the sort of edge lord who get a bit melancholic when I see a sunset, feeling the
weight of a day that has come and gone. But I also think that this line, right from
the off, sets a tone that was never betrayed throughout the story. While also being a pretty blunt allusion to
the main themes, and even the title, of the game, this line, and the subsequent explanation,
strike a bit of a chord that provides the story with an innately sentimental and emotional
tone right from the beginning, and it’s also a pretty dark idea too. The concept of a singular point in time where
the regrets of those who have left the world can be felt is.. foreboding. It’s sad. And it’s lonely. But through the progression and music, this
scene also approaches the topic with a positive, intimate spin. It establishes Twilight as this dark concept,
only to show the beauty of it subsequently through a warm colour palette and some nice
shots of Link looking quite happy. Quite clearly, Twilight is dualistic, and
a desolate merger of sorts. It is loneliness, it is regret, it is darkness..
yet it is beauty, serenity, and comfort too. Right here, Twilight Princess lays the tonal
foundation as one that is impressionable, one that can fit most situations due to versatility,
and from a baseline, the game has a tone that is a mix of ominous, and something close to
tranquility. It shouldn’t make sense in most cases, but
this style allows the game’s story to shift from warmth and light to anxiety and darkness
without missing a beat or feeling off. And this dualism is very important in various
aspects, so just keep it in mind. The atmosphere of this game is stunning, and
this is carried on throughout the rest of the game through the music, visuals and story
beats. Minegishi’s score is not the most memorable
in the series, but I consider it to be one of the best in terms of mood and ability to
fit the tone of each situation or location. It’s hard to separate the visuals of Ordon
Village or Kakariko without hearing the music along with it, even if the tracks themselves
are not super memorable. The songs for some of the dungeons or during
Twilight invasions are actually kind of difficult and uncomfortable to listen to, but that’s
why it’s so effective in transmitting the appropriate mood. And in terms of visuals, there’s a very
clear artistic direction. Similar to the point I made with the opening
scene, the colouring and palette has a very clear sense of impressionability. Without breaking stride, the tone of the aesthetics
can be warm and comforting in beautiful locations such as Ordon Village or Zora’s Domain,
unnerving and uncomfortable in the Twilight sequences, or a mix of unsettling and contemplatively
isolating, with a focus on nature - All of this achieved with a focus on a clear visual
spectrum that it never betrays, a spectrum that integrates with the theming and narrative
of the game, as we’ll explore later. Combine this with a plot and story full of
of comforting desolation, suffocating tension, tragedy, and optimistic spirit - and Twilight
Princess demonstrates an expert knack for presenting and executing atmosphere, one that
works well on it’s own and even better in conjunction and integration with the game’s
other elements. There is much more to this Twilight idea than
how it works and merges with presentation, and with a look at how people are portrayed
in the story, it can be applied to the more intimate themes of the piece. Just as Twilight is a simultaneous merger
of dark and light, it demonstrates that people are dualistic, with light and dark within
them. Within Link’s people, the Hylians, is both
the potential for tyranny and powerlust, and the potential for good. Within the Twili is both conquest and peace,
a desire to conquer Hyrule as shown through the Interloper war, and a yearning for peace
of mind and a simple life, as shown through the forced peace and the overall attitude
of the majority of the Twili. And Midna herself is a succinct demonstration
of this - the twilight princess, a denizen of the dark realm, who comes to understand
and grow close to the light. Twilight Princess applies this theme to a
dualistic take on humanity that is demonstrated again and again throughout the game. However, while this story does ponder layered
humanity, it is without doubt primarily focused on how the Twilight concept can be explored
with regards to the nature of the setting, society, and history in Hyrule. Twilight Princess is a lonely game with an
extreme focus on the in between. Of eras, of people, and of time. Twilight itself is the period between day
and night, right before the sun has set, and it has profound thematic implications throughout
this story through how it can apply to the theme of cycles. Cycles of control, of light and dark, of culture,
and of the rising and falling of empires. So appropriately enough, this specific iteration
of Hyrule is very much in between cycles. Much of the world is very desolate and quiet,
looking to an uncertain future while pondering the past, and this contemplativeness is reflection
through how certain world elements are presented. Most of the temples in this game are remnants
of past civilizations, ones that had ulterior uses in ages past - for example, the Arbiter’s
grounds were clearly a prison before the desert was abandoned, the Temple of Time is a relic,
and the Goron Mines were full of workers prior to Fyrus being taken over. Along with this, the animal-like well spirits
of the different regions are a reminder of the cultures of the past, perhaps in times
for which these deities were worshipped and celebrated, rather than the somewhat forgotten
state they find themselves in now. The settlements and landscapes of Twilight
Princess just aren’t that full of.. anything. Kakariko is a shadow of what it once was,
the desert is completely empty, the Faron Woods rarely see any activity save for a few
campfires, the Snowpeak region completely bereft of life apart from a rare few, the
lake and rivers are quiet, the Hidden Village is forgotten by time.. With the exception of Castle Town, the settlements
that do have activity are tucked away in the corners of the world. And these lands are inhabited by a people
who, as a result of this stagnant era, have become completely comfortable, unequipped,
and unaccustomed to dealing with true strife. The Hyrule army have authority only in title,
and are constantly shown to be unprepared cowards. The only revolutionists trying to fight back
in this land apart from Link are The Resistance, the game’s freedom fighters of sorts, along
with Telma, who is the last remnant of the Gerudo race other than Ganondorf. These elements are all echoes of a time gone
by, in a setting that seems to be at a standstill due to an inability to move forward and progress. This is a world in the twilight between notable
eras - As Hyrule Historia puts it, it is the Twilight era between the age where the hero
of Majora’s Mask and Ocarina of Time defeated Ganondorf, and the age of Four Swords. And all of this is presented through the setting
and tone. Now of course, the Zelda series is no stranger
to the concept of time and cycles as a thematic element. But Twilight Princess is as different a take
on it as anything else. Whereas Ocarina fixated on time as well, it
never really pondered this cycles idea much, and instead became a story about a land that
prospers, then falls, and is then saved, with themes firmly focused on courage, horror and
maturity. Majora’s Mask is probably the only game
darker than this one, which focuses on time as well but puts a completely unique, oppressive
and terrifying spin on it to manage to be a complete contrast to Ocarina. Wind Waker is essentially a post-post apocalypse,
where a world has been established after disaster and where the story looks back on the past
before closing the door on it and welcoming a harmonious future. Skyward Sword sprawls outward from humble
beginnings and concludes on the point that history will repeat itself again and again
as Demise’s indomitable will continuously seeks to punish the ancestral and spiritual
hero of time. And Breath of the Wild is a bonafide post
apocalypse, quite literally a world at a standstill, just waiting for someone to change something. But where Twilight Princess finds its identity,
is ironically in between this all. It’s tonally somewhere in between Ocarina
and Majora. It isn’t as vibrant a world as Wind Waker,
but it isn’t as desolate as Breath of the Wild. It isn’t a beginning like Skyward Sword,
but it isn’t end times. Twilight Princess’ identity is that doesn’t
really have a distinct identity. Despite the huge set pieces, cinematic presentation
and epic scale, Twilight Princess is very much a poetic, lyrical game more than anything
else. It’s all hushed - It’s a lull in a world
with no direction. Many criticize this game for being.. bland,
watered down and uninspired, a dull rehash of Ocarina’s elements that lacks spirit. But for me, this is just how all of this manifests. I see it as a very intentional tonal, stylistic
and thematic aim of the story. As I said, in many regards, both micro and
macro, intimate and bombastic, Twilight Princess is very much focused on this period in between
cycles of vibrancy and production in the history of Hyrule. And that’s also the role of this specific
game in the history of the Zelda franchise. It’s a grand and epic, yet simultaneously
contemplative, reflective work that grounds the series organically in between the stylistic
innovation of Wind Waker and the precarious narrative and gameplay boldness of Skyward
Sword. There’s no graphical overload and no timeline-altering
origin story here, but what it is is a darker, more cinematic, more character-focused take
on all of the things that make Zelda memorable from a narrative standpoint. It isn’t revolution - it’s evolution and
refinement, a standstill in time before the series began to experience some more monumental
changes, and it pulls this role off beautifully. This game has no shortage of big moments,
but the ones that are most characteristic of its approach are the more nuanced ones. A lone wolf howling in the twilight, two men
discussing the regrets of lingering spirits in a natural forest well, a lone soul, trying
his utmost to prevent the life of his partner from slipping away as the rain pours down,
a prideful individual who never learnt to grow up screaming into the ether as his existence
fades from the world. The more conceptually profound moments are
the most powerful, and this approach is followed through into the way the game tackles its
major character work, where the true substance is in the subtleties. Twilight Princess’ cast of characters has
the distinction of containing two of the very best that the series has to offer - a couple
of characters that add so much to the story through their characterization and journeys,
ones who integrate seamlessly with everything I’ve described previously. There is, firstly, the character who I consider
to be the best in the series, a masterclass of effective character development. Midna starts off as an annoying imp whose
motives seem selfish and who essentially seems to be using Link for her own ends. She doesn’t really start off as anything
special, but the game expertly molds her into a more and more substantial character through
her little interactions and bits of backstory until it smacks you in the face with who she
is at heart. With what seems to be her final breaths, she
begs Zelda to rescue her kingdom by protecting Link, who she originally planned to use as
a tool. She had grown to care for him, and taking
a snapshot of her characterization at the beginning of the game and at this moment show
a stark contrast, yet.. it was not out of character in any sense. As described in LoreRunner’s rumination
of this game, Midna’s development is done in a way such that the player slowly grows
to like her until this moment, but it’s nigh impossible to pinpoint the moments in
the story up until then where distaste turns into genuine investment. The game gradually, slowly peels back the
layers so we can see who she is and grow to admire her. We learn the she’s been doing all this for
her people, to restore her kingdom. We see how she slowly becomes more comfortable
with Link, and more empathetic in general as her exterior wears away. And in retrospect, and knowing her backstory
and her journey to defeat Zant and save the Light and Twilight realms, everything makes
sense. She grows a real bond with Link, and their
relationship becomes genuine and very heartwarming to witness. She remains to this day as the best execution
of a partner character, emotionally and narratively, that the series has ever had, and her victory
at the end, a victory for kindness and empathy, is extremely telling for the final messages
of the series, especially when examining it in contrast to the journey of the Twilight
Usurper. I said that this was a game focused on cycles,
but here I’m going to add one more element to that through a small bit of musing on the
Twili, Zant, and Midna - cycles of power. Midna essentially won through her good intentions,
kindness, connection, altruism and empathy, and went on to rule and lead the Twilight
Realm into a harmonious future. That, in itself, says a lot about intent,
society, power, and sustainability of success when it comes to leadership. But what reinforces this message through contrast
is how the game muses upon Zant. Simply put, Zant is brilliant. He is completely unconventional, especially
in terms of Zelda characters, and he works so well because of this unorthodox nature. The nuances of why he’s so great are described
very well in that LoreRunner video that I mentioned, but I’ll do my best to sum it
up here as well. Zant is introduced to the game as a stoic,
cold, unemotional villain. He seems to resonate an aura of power through
his early actions and demeanour, but by the time the climax of the story comes around,
it becomes clear that this was all entirely artificial. Zant simply wants power and control. He’s greedy and desperate for it, and he
puts on a falsely calm facade and an illusion to appear like he’s in control and emotionless
like he imagines a dark, powerful lord would be.. but it’s all a lie. He’s a fraud. People show their true nature when they are
exposed to the most difficult situations, and Zant is, at heart, a spoiled, immature,
pathetic child who throws a tantrum and completely loses it because things stop going his way. His final fight is a masterstroke of characterization
integration, as he stumbles around trying to defeat you with sheer power. He has no technique, little skill, and he
just imitates your past boss battles because he has no combat identity of his own. He’s a pretender, and that much is crystal
clear once his mask slips and he loses control. And when this true nature is revealed, it
becomes clear that he can’t be the big bad.. this loser simply can’t be the one pulling
the strings. Zant’s arc says a great deal about both
cycles of power and duality, two primary themes consistent with the Twilight idea that I previously
described. His ego and powerlust, the dark boons of humanity,
allowed him to rise above all and take control of Hyrule for a period. But they were also his downfall - because
when all was said and done, he had no end goal and no substance to his ideals. He wanted power for power’s sake and he
was a selfish child with immature goals. And as such - he was used. Those with personal agency and power have
all the potential to rise in the world, but they also run the risk of letting shallow
ideals consume them and grind them into nothing, they run the risk of being ultimately stepped
on and used by those more intelligent and pragmatic than them. And they will ultimately fall, exposed as
the pathetic children they are. Such is life, and such is the duality of cycles
and ambition. Zant and Midna are both terrific characters
in a vacuum, but their strengths are accentuated in this story because of how the themes associated
with them integrate with the messages of Twilight Princess. However.. the king of the Gerudo’s uses
all of that to his narrative advantage. Ganondorf comes in and destroys all of this
consistency, and that’s why his character and his final battle has so much epic impact. He completely shatters the subtlety, the ominous,
nuanced tone of the game with his forceful fury. He is very clearly a representation of something
not from this era, an unrelenting force of nature of a villain. Ganondorf in Twilight Princess is incredibly
effective for the way in which he stomps on the mythology of the story and adds a tonal,
stylistic contrast for the final boss fight and climax. Both in the shadows and out in the open, he
completely defies the universe mechanics that were seemingly established prior by his destruction
of the Water Sage which caused him to be sealed in the Twilight realm through the mirror of
Twilight in the Arbiter’s Grounds. But obviously, he did not sit quietly, and
instead plotted his comeback. His defiance continues as he manipulates Zant
in order to reach his ends, tempering the flames of his ego to have his puppet’s influence
grow stronger, surpassing and crushing the peaceful dynamics that had been ultimately
established between the Twili and Hyrule for years after the Twili had been banished from
the Light Realm. And that really matters, thematically and
in canon, because he completely altered the way this world functioned, and shattered and
opposed the quiet solitude of the Twilight era. He caused true alterations in the politics
of the setting, elevating him and establishing him as a character who is able to change a
seemingly unchanging world. And then, as I said, this thematic “power”
of the character follows through in the conclusion. Twilight Princess never strays from this nuanced
approach and thematic focus on cycles, duality, and the subtle in betweens of life, visually
and narratively. But Ganondorf’s sheer impact sticks a knife
through it all and gives the final fight a metric ton of power, turning it into what
I believe is one of the best final fights of video game history and concluding on a
note that isn’t just complete and total badassery, that isn’t just a defeat of evil,
but a restoring of life and society’s order. And from here, maybe the world can enter a
new cycle of prosperity and rebuild. Perhaps it can move past this twilight phase
and enter a new era. But what entices me about this game most isn’t
really the promise of a hopeful, great future. It is everything that’s presented beforehand;
a deep and integrative sense of theming and presentation, an atmosphere so enticing and
ethereal, a pair of wonderful and resonant characters, and a narrative that steadily
grows in tension until Ganondorf provides a hammer blow of a final fight, ending the
whole thing with the largest of exclamation points. It’s a work that understands the melancholy
of times gone by and taps into the volatility and dualism of existence, and how people feel
about all of that. Due to all of these reasons and more, Twilight
Princess stands just a little bit above Majora’s Mask as my favourite Zelda game of all time,
and I really hope that this video has given you some insight as to why I feel that way. Please feel free to comment with your feelings
on this video, this game, and your thoughts on the Zelda series as a whole. I’d love to know what some of your favourites
are and why. Anyways, many thanks for watching, and I’ll
catch you guys later.
