The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker

Donald Maass, author of the seminal text ‘Writing the Breakout Novel,’ once said of theme: “If authentic, [it] is not something apart from story but something intrinsic to it. It is not embedded, but rather emerges.“¹ The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker‘s theme of generational change is a central component of its story, emerging again and again. It’s about the old world giving way to the new, both literally and metaphorically. This idea is reinforced in every aspect of its design, from its setting to its art style, and its narrative goes out of its way to make the message clear. Starting with the young Link’s birthday, continuing with the growing Sages, and ending with the old King of Hyrule’s departure, the theme is so essential to the narrative that it becomes intrinsic. To strip out the theme would be impossible, as doing so would mean removing the story itself.

At the beginning of The Wind Waker, the player is introduced to the world through a long-forgotten legend told through a series of black and white images. This legend focuses on a hero who once slew an ancient evil, then disappeared when the evil returned. Although the broad strokes of the story have survived with time, no one knows what happened to the kingdom or the hero, and all that’s left is the tradition of giving young boys green clothes on their ninth birthdays. The fact that the story then cuts to the nine-year-old Link is no accident. By juxtaposing the ancient legend in the prologue and the modern reimagining on Link’s birthday, the game demonstrates how the world changes with each generation. Tying the green garments to a birthday celebration only further reinforces this theme, as birthdays are celebrations of growth and change. The birthday celebration acts as the baseline for the story, giving Link a starting point for his growth.

As the narrative continues to the second act, the theme of generational change further reveals itself through the Sages Medli and Makar. Medli, the fledgling attendant to the Great Valoo, is desperate to take on greater responsibility; Makar, seedling Korok, has a special role in a ceremony for Koroks heading out into the world. They both grow into their roles throughout the narrative, taking on the duties of the next generation. Their ultimate duty, awakening as a Sage, occurs when the last generation passes on their knowledge to them. The old gives way to the new, and the young are given the future.

The King of Hyrule emphasizes this theme in his farewell to Link and Zelda after Ganon’s defeat. As the castle floors around them, he says:

“My children… Listen to me. I have lived regretting the past. And I have faced those regrets. If only I could do things over again… Not a day of my life has gone by without my thoughts turning to my kingdom of old. I have lived bound to Hyrule. In that sense, I was the same as Ganondorf. But you… I want you to live for the future.”

The King, a symbol of the old world, wants the next generation to live without the burden of regret. Like Ganondorf, who demanded control of a drowned kingdom, the King spent his life chasing after the past. Ceding the world to the next generation not only frees them to live without regret but also allows the last generation to part with theirs. The King’s final act of refusing Link and Zelda’s help shows his dedication to their growth. With his parting words, he says: “I have scattered the seeds of the future…” As the last member of the last generation, he has given the future to the next.

The Wind Waker contains countless other scenes and subplots that reinforce the concept of generational change. Link’s relationship with his younger sister is an example of the old helping the new; Tetra’s relationship with her late mother is an example of the same. In a vacuum, these stories are simple things, but they add to each other and compound each other to create a pervasive theme that permeates the narrative. Coupled with the cartoonish character designs, the whimsical music, and the earnest animations, the game itself represents a new generation of Zelda. Both as a story and as a game, The Wind Waker could not exist without generational change.