History Headscratchers / TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker

**** This seems the most likely answer. If Hyrule was intended to be permanently sealed and hidden away beneath a great ocean, then leaving around an aquatic race would be risky. The goddesses obviously meant businesses when they decided it was the EndOfAnEra.

**** Maybe Tetra was just ''really'' dirty and the Triforce cleaned her up? Her hair also looked a bit shinier and cleaner.

* [[TheLegendOfZeldaWindWaker Fodo]]. Where did he come from? Kokiri can't breed (and are too innocent to if they could) apparently, so he isn't a descendant.

* Why do they hide Ganons face the first time in Wind Waker, not only is any series veteran aware of it from what little they show, but literaly less then a minute after that they say he is Ganon.
** To make him appear more ominous.
** Because if the players saw his face at that point, they'd never be able to take him seriously.
** Because its cool-looking.
** Because it makes the scene look more dramatic.

* Okay, more puzzling at the fandom itself, but why, why, ''why'' do we still seem to be stuck on the graphics "issue"? It's absolutely ''heart-wrenching'' to see all of the praise heaped onto, say, TwilightPrincess even years after its release, while WindWaker only ''just'' got past the "New game? Cool, time to hate on it while praising the last one!" phase. You would think that the split timelines are entirely different series, as ignored as WindWaker, PhantomHourglass and SpiritTracks tend to go. Yeah, I know [[CriticalResearchFailure it's cool to hate]] and DarkerAndEdgier is popular for [[DracoInLeatherPants a reason]], but... really...?
** Go to GameFAQs, right now on the SkywardSword board, it's cool to hate TwilightPrincess.

*** [[OrIsIt Or Are They?]] Alternately, perhaps there's a global Deku tree network (as indicated by the seedling sidequest in ''TWW'') among which the Kokiri[=/=]Korok forest spirits circulate.

** If the Deku Sprout and this game's Deku Tree are the same character, it's probably logical to assume that he created both Fado and Makar, making them something like very distant brothers. That is a blood relation and the sagehood could probably be passed through that. Although it's also implied that the sages were killed long before Wind Waker began, maybe even before the kingdom was flooded. If that's the case, it's ''possible'' that the last Deku Tree created Fado, but this would probably still make them close enough to be considered blood relatives of some kind.

** IIRC, Medli is the only female Rito ever shown. Perhaps Rito girls just have a lighter skin tone than the males?

** It could be that they were simply unable to isolate the flooding to just Hyrule alone, given how massive it would had to have been to have any lasting effect against Ganon. The Goddesses were faced with a SadisticChoice, and even they, with all their power, were unable to find a [[TakeAThirdOption find a way around it]]...flood the entire world to stop Ganondorf from conquering Hyrule and sending it into an age of darkness that makes the BadFuture from Ocarina of Time look like an episode of {{Hamtaro}}, or let Ganondorf run free and unopposed, dooming Hyrule and everyone who lived there...and eventually the rest of the world, once he realized there were lands other than Hyrule. With the first choice, there was at least a ''small'' hope of salvation, so they reluctantly went with it.

*** Or maybe the Rito aren't the Zora. Think about it, the Zora worshipped Jabu-Jabu. Jabun was on Great Fish Island. In the ruins of the island, you can see fishing boats and the remnants of a village that looks a lot like the Zoras' seaside area in Majora's Mask. This troper thinks the Zora just hid in Wind Waker when Ganondorf destroyed their home.

* Coximind: Am I the only one who was upset that the [[TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime chicken]] did not make it into Wind Waker?
** Since Fish evolved into Birds and "Elves" evolved into wooden Imps, it's save to assume that the chicken became the pigs. How the evolved back into chicken by the time of SpiritTracks, however, is a mystery.
*** Neither of them evolved. The Zora were put on the fast track to becoming the Rito by the Goddesses so that they wouldn't discover Hyrule. And the Kokiri were turned into the Korok by the Deku Tree.
*** And even if the chickens ''did'' evolve into pigs by the time of Wind Waker, SpiritTracks is in the New Hyrule that Link and Tetra set off to find, so it's possible that the chickens there just didn't change from their old incarnations.
*** In Spirit tracks you can find *Moinks* which seem to be cross between a pig and a cow.

* Why did the smoke ring around dragon roost have to go away? After all, its supposed to be death mountain right? and if it was so we could see valoo then that was pointless because all we can see of him are his feet anf his jaw!

* How the heck could the Helmaroc king confuse Tetra and Aryll? Aryll shares exactly TWO threats with Tetra: The colour of their hair and the gender. THAT'S IT. So, how the heck do you actually manage to confuse two girls as different as this?!?!
** They share another trait- pointy Hylian ears, a comparative rarity in that age of round-eared humans being the majority. I think Helmaroc King was kidnapping all the blond Hylian girls of the right age, just to be safe.
*** But Maggie was a brunette.
**** He probably kidnapped her when it was really dark outside.
**** Quil stated that it was kidnapping girls with long Ears only, why Sue Belle wasn't kiddnapped, I have no Idea....
** Because the Helmaroc King's orders weren't "kidnap Tetra" because ''Ganon had no way of knowing Tetra was Zelda''. Helmaroc King was just grabbing every pointy eared blonde girl on the outside chance that it was Zelda.
*** His orders were probably "Kidnap all girls with pointed ears, but ''especially'' all blonde girls with pointed ears." It's a good idea to cover all your bases when you're searching for one of the two people capable of destroying you.
** And, well, it's a bird.
** Turning the tables, would you be able to tell the difference between any two individual birds of the same species? Would you be certain enough that you wouldn't want to just grab them both and sort them out later just in case?
* When Tetra is revealed as Zelda and changes clothes accordingly, it looks like her personality changes around completely. As Tetra, she is rough in her interactions with people and perhaps a bit bossy and bratty, while having a good natured air underneath it all. As Zelda, she takes on a demureness and reservedness that contrast with her earlier impulsiveness. I don't see her agreeing to stay hidden underneath the ocean while Link went on adventures as Tetra, but she seemed to just accept it as Zelda. I liked the first personality better, but such a drastic change, in either direction, JustBugsMe.
** Your are, by far, not the only one who's bugged by this. Some people even started theorizing that Princess Zelda is an evil spirit, that is possessing every female in the royal family and forces her to be PrincessClassic.
*** ...What?
*** That theory is awesome and it explains everything.
*** To take it down a step, its not an evil spirit with that personality altering effect, but the Triforce of Wisdom. The first Zelda's personality, preferences, and mannerisms imprinted on it, and it alters its hosts to fit that imprinted template upon activation (possibly to ensure that they use it properly, possibly because she wanted to ensure that her descendants fit her standards, possibly as a trap for any evil that may get their hands on it). Thus, we should be very, very, very glad that Ganondorf has never managed to get a hold of the Triforce of Wisdom and use it the same way he does Power.
**** Great. Now we need someone with art skills to draw a demure Ganondorf wearing a princess dress.
**** So why is it Link didn't leave this personality imprint on his Triforce of Courage? Is is because Link [[HeroicMime has no personality at all]]?
***** Its entirely probable that he ''did''. Note how in Twilight Princess, when the Triforce of Courage went active, Link was shifted to wearing the green suit, even though there was no sign he even ''owned'' a green suit. Its the same basic effect as what happened to Tetra physically. We don't know about the mental effects on Link because, as you put it, he's a bit of a FlatCharacter.
***** Also, Note how ''Wind Waker'' Link immediatly stopped being [[YouSuck the victim of the game's slapstick]] once the Triforce of courage went into his body. It also explains why Sheik stopped being awesome once she changed back to Zelda: She activated her Triforce!
**** Link is the classic SilentProtagonist, supposed to be the "link" between the player and the world. His personality is whatever your personality is. He doesn't get any lines because you provide the lines for him (in a metagame sense). The Triforce of Courage just implants the heroic aspect needed for you to say, "All right, let's go save the world," instead of [[SouthPark "Screw you guys I'm going home!"]]
**** It brings up an interesting point; perhaps the personalities of the original Triforce bearers ''is'' imprinted onto their respective Triforces. It would explain the consistency between those characters throughout; Princess Zelda and Link aren't the only ones. There is at the very least two, or maybe three, Ganondorfs, yet they all act so similar there are several people who assume he's immortal. Perhaps it's not literally the spirit of Ganon reviving, but rather his imprint on the Triforce of Power being strong enough to facilitate the new bearer's identity and his merging, similar to Zelda and to a lesser extent Link.
*** Isn't it possible that the triforce of wisdom makes its bearer more, I dunno, wise? Recklessly risk your life ala previous Tetra or stay put where you're supposed to be protected? It's possible the only thing that changed was that tetra became less stupid.
** I always thought that she became so withdrawn because her mind was just utterly blown by the enormity of what she's just learned. As you bring her down into old Hyrule and through the castle, she becomes increasingly awed and incredulous (not to mention pretty annoyed at your boat talking through her mother's heirloom pendant.) By the time she's in the regalia, seeing the triforce glow on her hand, and speaking with her ancient ancestor, her entire outlook on life has been completely shattered. Only by the time of the DuelBoss fight has she regained her composure, rapidly deciding in the finale to exit the pirate business and go rebuild Hyrule.
*** Right. We only see her as Princess Zelda for relatively little time before Link has to head out, and we don't know how long, exactly, it was before Ganondorf kidnapped her. When she wakes up, she's less cold but just as willing to help kick Ganondorf's butt with you.

* It just bugs me that there is no mention of the two additional sages, who are the source of the Master Swords powers in the first place, in any game other than ''TheWindWaker'', no matter how big the role is, that the sword plays. A Link to the past, for example, would have been a a lot more pleasing experience for Ganon(dorf), if he just went of and killed them (again(?)) once the sword was pulled.
** Well...I'd say from how often the Master Sword's powers and abilities and general point changes, maybe the Hero holding it alters it's ability? This is why the "the Legend of Zelda series is just a different legend retold" makes the most since. BUT WE DO NOT SPEAK OF THE TIMELINE.
** Who says that Ganondorf even ''knew'' about the Earth and Wind temples? All he, or anybody else, knew about the Master Sword was that it messed up anything evil. There was no indication that its magic had an outside source, let alone the existence of two more important temples. It wasn't until he had a few years of free time and knowledge of the threat the blade posed that he was able to learn of and attack both of these areas just to make sure no pesky heroes could stop him.
** I prefer to think of it as a circumstantial tie to the Four Sword arc. After all, the Four Sword elements are Wind, Fire, Water, and Earth. You could make the case that the Earth element is the successor to the Shadow element, both dealing with cycles of death and rebirth.
** Perhaps they were the only temples that were rebuilt by the powers that be? I mean, if Hyrule is under water then it stands to reason that all of the other temples (except maybe the forest and fire) are gone too. If this is the case, then adding to an above poster, Ganondorf would not know these 'new' temples. Then after WW then other temples were rebuilt as well. (just to clarify, Forest Temple=Earth Temple. The switch in words could come as a translation mistake as we see that whatever language they speak has evolved enough to make the old language uncompromisable as seen with how the Great Deku tree first greets you)
* One it bugs me that everyone complains about Wind Waker being all light and fluffy when if you actually can get past the graphics it's the most depressing game in the SERIES. Most of what you fought for in previous games is DEAD. Drowned by their own gods. If it had had TP's graphics it would have been really freaking creepy. Two just how very EASY Twilight Princess was. I liked the game, but I didn't even have to try on the last few boss battles (yes without the fishing rod) or any of the boss battles really. Of course Majora was a major pushover as well, but that game was hard in other ways. Three it bugs me how in all the "toon" games...Zelda and Link always have the EXACT same character designs! What's up with THAT?
** First: 100% areed. WindWaker was in no ways a children's game. I wouldn't want to be the one who has to therapy ''those'' children.
*** Eh, Windwaker is definitely a darker and more serious story than it's graphics would lead people to believe (well, at least if those people belive in the AnimationAgeGhetto), but I didn't really see anything that would traumatize children. The only really scary things were the ReDeads (which I consider to be way creepier than those in Occarina of Time). In general, I don't consider it a good idea to assume [[ViewersAreMorons children are morons]].
** Second: I actually found all Zelda Games, aside from PhantomHourglass, to be pretty challenging and had at least 3 GuideDangIt Moments in each of them, but probably that's just me being a lousy player.
*** Definitely, ''Zelda'' games are commonly regarded as very easy (with the exception of the two NES games, dating from the NintendoHard era,) and I'd have to agree with that notion personally. Note, however, that even the easiest AdventureGame[=s=] will have often have a MoonLogicPuzzle.
** Third: Zelda had a different desing in both of the FourSwords Games, but, yeah, MinishCap and SpiritTracks make me scratch the back of my head. MinishCap more than SpiritTracks, since the issue is {{Lampshaded}} and [[HandWave handwaved]] by Anjean, but MinishCap had no excuse for Link and Zelda looking like Clones of their previous (later?) selves in TheWindWaker whatsoever. Than again, it might just be the grafic style, like one of the newer [=WMGs=] suggest: Maybe ''all'' Links and Zeldas are actually supposed to look identical and it's just DependingOnTheArtist.
** Its not very dark in relation to the other games in the series. Wind Waker has a cataclysmic back story but the remains optimistic and the people moved along just fine. The world that actually had living things still in it was much more effected by in game events in Ocarina of Time, The skull kid's/Majora's Mask rampage had a much heavier effect on the setting than Wind Waker, and the spreading Twilight is much more apparent in Twilight Princess. Most of the complaints about were about the art style and sailing than the story anyway. True less people would have called this kiddie if the art style was a little less cartoony, thus Twilight Princess was a little less cartoony.

* Something I've noticed, people always talk about Ganon's demise at the end of Wind Waker as though it is completely and unambiguously a horrific death scene. Yes, it's a sword in the head (generally not healthy), and I'm not necessarily arguing that he's alive after that, but the guy ''did'' get turned to stone (as opposed to just kinda [[strike:standing up]] dying like in TP). Given the Master Sword's whatever-the-plot-requires properties, how is everyone so sure he's not simply resealed?
** Given that Link stabbed the ever loving hell out of him, turned him to stone, and then an OCEAN dropped on him I think it's safe to say that he's dead. Besides if he isn't unsealed/revived in a couple of decades erosion is gonna make sure he is DeaderThanDead.

** You could probably justify Makar's being the sage of the Wind Temple because his race is known to float on the wind with their leaves, and the Forest Haven is where Link receives the Deku Leaf, allowing him to fly on the wind as well. As for Medli, that one's a bit more of a stretch. It might be related to the fact that Dragoon Roost Island, the dungeon/area she's most featured in is home to a volcano, possibly the former Death Mountain, which could be sort of earth related.
* Whenever the Hero of Time is mentioned, it is always followed by a reminder that he disappeared, vanished, never returned, or some other way of implicitly blaming his absence for the spread of evil and resultant flooding. And with the NewGamePlus, where you can read the Old Hylian spoken by ancient demigods such as Jabun, they all seem to ask the King if the boy with him is the guy they've been apparently searching for. Okay, ''seriously''? Does nobody care that that particular hero would have been ''dead of old age '''hundreds of years before''''' Ganon's return?!
** FridgeBrilliance: Since he's the Hero of Time, maybe they think that the reason he vanished is because he traveled into his future, which is their present. That would be a great way to create a KingArthur-like legend, actually... with people always hoping that the hero would show up in their darkest hour, having traveled there to help.
** First of all, they may view the Hero of Time as sort of god-like, being a legend and all. Secondly, they may not mean the same Hero of Time, but they are waiting for another one to appear, which happens multiple times.
** Actually you find out that the original hero of time disappeared because this game takes place 100 years after when zelda sent link back to his childhood in Oot. The original hero of time no longer exists in this timeline so when they ask if Wind waker link is the one they are refering to if he is link's desendant which is not one since link wasn't around any more that is why you spend most of the game prooving yourself worthy to be considered the hero.
* It bugs me that everyone calls Tetra Princess Zelda. Shouldn't she be Princess Tetra. Zelda is simply a name, and not a title.
** It's her ROLE. It's explicitly stated by Ganondorf that Toon-Link and Tetra are the [[OcarinaOfTime OoT]]-character's {{reincarnation}}s.

* Why did the smoke ring around dragon roost have to go away? After all, its supposed to be death mountain right?

*** Or maybe the Rito aren't the Zora. Think about it, the Zora worshipped Jabu-Jabu. Jabu was on Great Fish Island. In the ruins of the island, you can see fishing boats and the remnants of a village that looks a lot like the Zoras' seaside area in Majora's Mask. This troper thinks the Zora just hid in Wind Waker when Ganondorf destroyed their home.