The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time

A narrative’s Midpoint can typically be classified into one of two types: the false victory or the false defeat. In Blake Snyder’s Save The Cat, Snyder defines this divide by saying: “…a movie’s midpoint is either an “up” where the hero seemingly peaks (though it is a false peak) or a “down” when the world collapses all around the hero (though it is a false collapse), and it can only get better from here on out.”¹  The Midpoint in Ocarina of Time is a classic example of a false defeat, as it centers around the failure of young Link and Zelda’s plans to keep Ganondorf from reaching the Triforce. 

The Midpoint in Ocarina of Time is comprised almost entirely of cutscenes, rather than gameplay. This string of cutscenes begins when Link arrives at Hyrule Castle after collecting the last Spiritual Stone. As he approaches the drawbridge, the sky grows dark, and soon the scene from his dream plays out in real life. The difference this time is in Zelda’s flight, as she notices Link while riding past and hurls something into the moat for him to retrieve. Before Link has a chance to see what it is, Ganondorf rides out of the castle behind her and demands to know which way she went. When Link refuses to tell, Ganondorf knocks him aside with a powerful blast of magic, then rides after his prey. 

As soon as Link wakes up, he dives into the moat and surfaces with Zelda’s parting gift: the Ocarina of Time, final key to the Sacred Realm. There’s also a memory sealed inside the instrument, implanted by Zelda via the royal family’s magic. She instructs Link to use the ocarina and the other keys to open the Sacred Realm and reach the Triforce before Ganondorf returns. Link follows her guidance and heads to the Temple of Time, where he uses all of his keys to open the door in the back of the temple. Inside, he finds a sacred sword and draws it from the pedestal. Blue light surrounds him and the screen fades to white, at which point Ganondorf reveals that this was his plot all along: to trick the children into opening the door to the Triforce, so that he could waltz in behind them and take it for himself. As Link is overwhelmed by the power of the sacred sword, Ganondorf declares his plan a success, and Ocarina of Time marks its false defeat. This moment is also noteworthy for its emphasis on the game’s theme of unintended consequences. Although Zelda and Link had the best of intentions when they opened the Sacred Realm, their actions directly led to Ganondorf’s success. 

The remainder of the Midpoint explores the direct aftermath of Ganondorf’s ascension and introduces the glimmer of hope that proves Ganondorf’s victory to be a false one. After Ganondorf takes the Triforce, Link is left in the empty void of space. A new voice calls out: “Link…Wake up…Link, the chosen one…” The endless white fades away to form a blue platform in a vast chamber. An old, heavy-set man in a robe stands on a yellow circle. He identifies himself as Rauru, one of the ancient Sages who built the Temple of Time to protect the Triforce. He then tells Link not to be alarmed, and says: “Look at yourself.” 

The camera flips around to reveal a very different, very grown-up Link. He’s taller and more muscular, fitting the image of the hero that many have asked him to be. This is no coincidence. The Master Sword, key to defeating Ganondorf, can only be wielded by someone with the strength of a hero. Since Link was only nine years old when he picked it up, the sword sealed him away inside the Sacred Realm for seven years, only bringing him back when he was ready to control its power. 

As Link digests this information, Rauru reveals what’s happened to the world in Link’s absence. Ganondorf did indeed take the Triforce, naming himself the king of evil. His dark power radiated throughout Hyrule’s holy sites and filled the land with monsters. Only the heart of the Sacred Realm, the chamber where Link resides, is protected from his evil influence. Luckily, the power of the other Sages is still alive in the world, and that power can be used to stop Ganondorf. This is the point where Rauru gives Link the task that will become his next obstacle: find the Sages and reawaken their power.