History Awesome / TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker

* The showdown with [[TheDragon The Helmaroc King]] was one long moment of awesome. First, you start out running up the tower as the room floods with water below you and the King breaks the platforms behind you. Then you get to the top where he stands in your way and stares you straight in the face, only for you to [[DropTheHammer smack him in the face with your newly acquired Skull Hammer]] and send him falling straight down into the water. ButWaitTheresMore He flies straight up as the silo at the top of the tower closes, and the two of you finally have a battle to the finish, involving you baiting him into [[AmusingInjuries flying straight into the tower]] and hammering away his mask even more. At the end of it all, it culminates in the King struggling and flying straight up, flailing as the spotlights of the Forsaken Fortress shine on him one by one until he gives one last giant screech before he explodes in a glorious blast of darkness from a completely zoomed-out camera view and drops you a delicious HeartContainer from 100 feet in the air. After all he put you through by [[ItsPersonal kidnapping your sister]] and [[PlayerPunch screwing you out of saving her the first time by tossing you 50 miles out into the ocean]], words cannot do this encounter justice.

* A meta example: After over a decade and [[http://www.zeldaspeedruns.com/tww/general-knowledge/the-hyrule-barrier many failed attempts,]] [[SpeedRun speedrunners]] finally found a consistent way to [[https://youtu.be/-hUIp3eUyKI get past the barrier around Hyrule Castle.]]

** From a meta standpoint, this sequence is likely in place as a replacement for one of the two infamous "missing" dungeons, so the dev team deserves some props for making some lemonade out of that particular lemon and using it to give Ganon a new example of PragmaticVillainy.

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujEZQbBi2Yc The famed intro]], which is the single most respectful and perfect homage to the series as a whole. Ganondorf's reign of terror is at its peak, and the mournful violin music fades with the hopes of Hyrule... then it kicks in with the Zelda theme we all know and love, as a young boy vanquishes the evil.

* This era's Link actually deserves special mention as it becomes clear pretty quickly that unlike previous incarnations of Link, this one is no hero by pre-determined destiny. In fact, on repeated playthroughs which allow the player to understand the Ancient Hylian language and thus understand characters like Valoo and Jabun, they even discuss how he wasn't chosen and was, unfortunately, like his sister, just some kid caught up in Gannondorf's plot when his sister was captured. However, the kid bravely leaves his island behind, sails around the world to do what he can to save his sister, and even '''KILLS''' this incarnation of Ganondorf and ends his reign for good. Not bad for some "nobody kid" from a small island. His title, the Hero of Winds, becomes a fitting one indeed.

* [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ujEZQbBi2Yc The famed intro]], which is the single most respectful and perfect homage to the series as a whole. Ganondorf's reign of terror is at its peak, and the mournful violin music fades with the hopes of Hyrule...then it kicks in with the Zelda theme we all know and love, as a young boy vanquishes the evil.

** And the cherry on top? The following games in the Adult Timeline where this takes place, ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaPhantomHourglass Phantom Hourglass]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSpiritTracks Spirit Tracks]]'', don't have Ganondorf as the main villain. This means that, for all intents and purposes, this incarnation of Link, TheUnchosenOne out of all the other versions of Hylia's chosen hero, managed to finally put an end to [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword the curse that Demise placed on the first reincarnations]]. In short, Link straight-up '''[[KilledOffForReal KILLED]]''' Ganondorf.

* The beginning of the game, when Aryll is kidnapped and Link actually tries to ''jump after the bird who did it from over a cliffside''. And, right afterwards, Tetra grabbing his hand at the last second before falling down, telling him "She's gone, you idiot!! There's nothing you can do!"

* Link's first face-to-face encounter with Ganondorf: the Gerudo King has Tetra forcibly caught, and is about to take her Triforce from her -- when all of a sudden Quill and Komali swoop in, fly her and Link out of harm's way, and then Ganon sees Valoo out his window... before Valoo torches the place down in one blast.
** Valoo may have stole the show but special props need to be given to Komali in that scene, having gone from sulking in his room earlier in the game to grabbing Tetra out of Ganondorf's hands.

** But it swings back around to awesome when you consider that yes, he treated Link like a child, but he was forced to do so PERSONALLY. Link disabled Ganon's two dragons -- Helmaroc King permanently, and Phantom Ganon temporarily. This child took out his base of operations, and forced him to deal with him himself, and that is definitely worthy of praise.

** Not to mention he jumps ten feet into the air before sinking the sword into Ganondorf's skull and all this happens in a flooding arena. From the unarmed child beating, the unstoppable badassery of Ganondorf's health destroying sword slashes and unbeatable defense, to the insane laughter as he kneels on the floor, his head now being used as a swordholder... the battle is The crowning moment for Link and Ganondorf.

* ''Ganon's Tower'' in this game gets major awesome points for being similar to, yet also different from the one in ''Ocarina of Time''. It is built and placed not too far away from Hyrule Castle; as if Ganondorf is trying to make a point: his evil dream is still alive and the same. Probably the most awesome of all however, is when you first enter the tower to be greeted by that familiar music that was once played so menacingly on the organ years and years ago. Then the music fades as Link climbs the last set of stairs and stops completely when he reaches Ganon's door. It makes the heart sink into the stomach.
** The cutscene that occurs when you enter said door is also pretty awesome. Ganondorf's speech about how pathetic and hopeless the world above the sea has become really affirms his wrath, and sets the mood for the upcoming battle. Then we have his transformation to Puppet Ganon which is just INTENSE.

* A meta example: After over a decade and [[http://www.zeldaspeedruns.com/tww/general-knowledge/the-hyrule-barrier many failed attempts,]] [[SpeedRun speedrunners]] finally found a consistant way to [[https://youtu.be/-hUIp3eUyKI get past the barrier around Hyrule Castle.]]

* This era's Link actually deserves special mention as it becomes clear pretty quickly that unlike previous incarnations of Link, this one is no hero by pre-determined destiny. In fact, on repeated playthroughs which allow the player to understand the Ancient Hylian language and thus understand characters like Valoo and Jabun, they even discuss how he wasn't chosen and was unfortunately, like his sister, just some kid caught up in Gannondorf's plot when his sister was captured. However, the kid bravely leaves his island behind, sails around the world to do what he can to save his sister, and even '''KILLS''' this incarnation of Gannondorf and ends his reign for good. Not bad for some "nobody kid" from a small island. His title, the Hero of Winds, becomes a fitting one indeed.

** And the cherry on top? The following games in the Adult Timeline where this takes place, ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaPhantomHourglass Phantom Hourglass]]'' and ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSpiritTracks Spirit Tracks]]'', don't have Ganondorf as the main villain. This means that, for all intents and purposes, this incarnation of Link, TheUnchosenOne out of all the other versions of Hylia's chosen hero, managed to finally put an end to [[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaSkywardSword the curse that Demise placed on the first reincarnations]].

* Link's first face-to-face encounter with Ganondorf: [[spoiler:Ganondorf has Tetra forcibly caught, and is about to take her Triforce from her -- when all of a sudden Quill and Komali swoop in, fly her and Link out of harm's way, and then Ganon sees Valoo out his window... before Valoo torches the place down in one blast.]]
** Valoo may have stole the show but special props need to be given to Komali in that scene, having gone from sulking in his room earlier in the game to [[spoiler:grabbing Tetra out of Ganondorf's hands.]]

* The scene where Ganondorf ''pummels poor young Link with his bare hands'' is just so unexpectedly brutal, given the art style, that it cements Ganondorf's badassery. Still, though Link is just a little kid, he is a little kid with a '''sword''' who has just [[spoiler:bombed down Ganondorf's front door, smashed his way through an army of guards, and killed his pet.]] The humiliating part here is that Ganondorf ''still'' treats him like a child.

* Just before the final battle, Ganondorf has an unconscious Tetra in his grip, and then zooms forward and beats down Link with his ''bare fists'', knocking the Master Sword away, grabbing an utterly helpless Link, and forcing the pieces of the Triforce to unite so he can make his wish. That's not the awesome part. No, the person to get a crowning moment in this scene is [[spoiler:[[RoyalsWhoActuallyDoSomething King Daphnes]], who shows up ''out of freaking nowhere'' and places his hand on the Triforce before Ganondorf can]]. And his wish? [[spoiler:For the old kingdom of Hyrule to be washed away forever, along with Ganondorf. The King is willing to sacrifice his chance to revive his lost Kingdom ''just to deny Ganondorf his prize''.]]

** The cutscene that occurs when you enter said door is also pretty awesome. [[spoiler:Ganondorf's speech about how pathetic and hopeless the world above the sea has become really affirms his wrath, and sets the mood for the upcoming battle. Then we have his transformation to Puppet Ganon which is just INTENSE.]]

* Even with its controversial art style, ''Wind Waker'' probably scored a lot of points with the end of the final boss battle [[spoiler:where Link plunges his Master Sword [[MemeticMutation RIGHT IN THE HEAD!]]]]
** Not to mention he jumps ten feet into the air before [[spoiler:sinking the sword into Ganondorf's skull]] and all this happens in a flooding arena. From the unarmed child beating, the unstoppable badassery of Ganondorf's health destroying sword slashes and unbeatable defense, to the insane laughter as he [[spoiler:kneels on the floor, his head now being used as a swordholder]]... the battle is The crowning moment for Link and Ganondorf.
** Even more awesome is the second version of this, which is rather hidden. Link does the behind-the-back parry, [[spoiler:stunning Ganondorf, doing a 180, and ''then'' going for the "sword in the head" of Wind Waker fame. ALL IN ONE JUMP.]]

** The final battle in general is improbably awesome. It's Link and Zelda working together in a final desperate duel of survival against Ganondorf [[spoiler: ''as the ocean itself is falling on top of them''.]]

--> '''Ganondorf:''' "[[WhamLine You cannot defeat me with a blade that does not sparkle with the power to repel evil! What you hold is useless.]] Go back to the world below, and tell that to the pathetic fools who made this blade! Its power is gone, and its edges are dull!"
** But it swings back around to awesome when you consider that yes, he treated Link like a child, but he was forced to do so PERSONALLY. Link disabled Ganon's two dragons (Helmaroc King permanently, and Phantom Ganon temporarily.) This child took out his base of operations, and forced him to deal with him himself, and that is definitely worthy of praise.

** Zelda gets one in this fight too, [[ActionGirl she commandeers Link's bow and starts shooting Light Arrows]].

** The heartbreak that accompanies this scene simply makes the later [[CrowningMomentOfAwesome CMoA]] where you destroy that damned bird, complete with a kickass explosive death scene, all the greater.

** Tetra gets a CrowningMomentOfAwesome just a few seconds prior to this when she freakin' ''kicks'' [[EvilOverlord Ganondorf, lord of all evil]] ''in the face''!

** Zelda gets one in this fight too when she decides that her other incarnations' method of stepping aside and maybe throwing out a spell at a key moment is for chumps. [[ActionGirl So she commandeers Link's bow and starts shooting Light Arrows]].
*** What's particularly awesome about this is that, intentional or not, it's a [[SubvertedTrope subversion]] of the BadassDecay and {{Chickification}} that Zelda goes through in ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaOcarinaOfTime The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time]]''. In that game, after ninja-esque warrior and Link's mysterious ally Sheik is revealed to Zelda, she is kidnapped by Ganondorf and needs rescue from Link. In ''[[VideoGame/TheLegendOfZeldaTheWindWaker The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker]]'', it appears the same thing happens when then [[spoiler: the tomboyish pirate Tetra]] is revealed to be Princess Zelda. She almost immediately adopts a more docile and polite demeanor, and is kidnapped by Ganon. Then the above happens, in which she becomes not only the first Zelda to play an active combat role in fighting the BigBad alongside the hero, but an equal role as well. SilkHidingSteel indeed...

* A more subtle MomentOfAwesome (and probably more along the lines of FunnyMoment) is the first meeting between Link and the King of Red Lions.

** But it swings back around to awesome when you consider that yes, he treated Link like a child, but he was forced to do so PERSONALLY. Link disabled Ganon's two dragons (Helmaroc King permanently, and Phantom Ganon temporarily.) This nine year old child took out his base of operations, and forced him to deal with him himself, and that is definitely worthy of praise.

-->'''King Daphnes:''' And let our destinies finally be fulfilled... Ganondorf! May you '''''drown''''' with Hyrule!!!

-->'''King of the Red Lions:''' ...You are surprisingly dim-witted.

* A meta example: After over a decade and [[http://www.zeldaspeedruns.com/tww/general-knowledge/the-hyrule-barrier many failed attempts,]] [[SpeedRun speedrunners]] finally found a way to [[https://youtu.be/fT6nk1NSIhw get past the barrier around Hyrule Castle.]]