Parallel Legends is a trilogy of The Legend of Zelda fan fics, building to a climactic end of the cycle of reincarnation that Link, Zelda and Ganon seem to be trapped in.
The original, Parallel Symphony
, is a possible tale of how the alternate Ocarina universe — the one that begins at the end of Ocarina of Time — might have played out, eventually leading to Twilight Princess. Even given standard artist's neurotic tendencies, the consensus appears to be that it turned out pretty well. Warning, though: major Shipping alert.
The sequel, Parallel Hearts, is a more straightforward followup to the aforementioned Twilight Princess. More Link/Zelda shipping, and the second half is almost literally overrun by Super Smash Bros., but it has its share of fans.
The last story is Parallel Destiny, which was posted over a few weeks in November of 2015 on a daily schedule (posting didn't begin until the fanfic was complete). Set millenia after an amalgam of Link to the Past and Four Swords Adventures, and the "final" defeat of Big Bad Ganon. Link's wish on the Triforce has created a paradise, but not even the Triforce can suppress the will to power forever. Evil is rising once more, and The Hero will be called to face it one last time. Based on a combinaton of Skyward Sword and Hyrule Warriors, it describes a future in which the wonders of the Skyward Sword era have returned...but that seems to be leading to the return of the true Demon King.
Tropes Specific To Parallel Legends:
- Alternate Universe: Where the "Parallel" in Parallel Legends comes from. Goes from a cameo in Symphony to a three-reality throwdown in Destiny.
- A Nazi by Any Other Name: Parallel Destiny takes the villains' motive from Skyward Sword and runs with it:Shuuen!Ganon: "When this day ends, there will be only one tribe – the Demon Tribe!"
- A Truce While We Gawk: Parallel Destiny's entire final battle comes to a halt when Zelda, Dorgan and Link make their collective wish on the completed Triforce, with every last combatant on both sides stopping to stare.
- Badass Boast: Link embraces his role as The Chosen One during the climax:"'Chosen one,'" Link explained, staring back implacably, "is a position to be cherished solely on the merits of the chooser." He slid into a ready stance, sword pointed in challenge. "I was chosen by Zelda, incarnation of wisdom, living legend of this world." Link's eyes narrowed, and Ghirahim's ironic grin faded to nothing. "Through her brilliance and sacrifices, she ensured that Hyrule always has a chance. With her guidance and insight, I always have a chance. And in Zelda's service," the Hero intoned with finality, "a chance is all I will ever need."
- Badass Creed: The Sheikah get one:"I am the Shadow, the invisible hand of justice, the blade by night for those who hide evil by day. I am Sheikah, the guardian in the dark, the shield of the dark. To those who live honestly, we are salvation. To those who threaten the innocent, we are doom."
- Badass in Distress: Zelda. She gets kidnapped in in all three stories, but proves vital to defeating Ganon after every rescue. She even pulls off a heroic Wounded Gazelle Gambit in Parallel Destiny as part of her Batman Gambit to end the cycle.
- Berserk Button: For Vaati: Do not interfere with his quest for Zelda or say he's her stalker. And if you're Zelda, you better return his affection, especially if he kisses you.
- Beta Couple: Midna and Dark Link. Arguably
Ship Mates. - Big Bad: Ganondorf in Symphony. Vaati in Hearts, though he turns out to be serving Medusa.
- Brainwashed: This is already Twinrova's schtick, but Parallel Symphony implies that this is how Koume and Kotake raised Ganondorf.
- Card-Carrying Villain: Ganondorf, especially in Parallel Symphony. He actually claims this as his philosophy:Ganondorf: "What you call evil is merely how you describe what the wolf does to a sheep. What you mean for a curse, I take as title with pride! Ganondorf, Great King of Evil!"
- The Chosen One: Parallel Destiny explicitly reconstructs it when Link fully accepts being this.
- Crisis Crossover: The second half of Parallel Hearts, taking the Subspace Emissary story from Brawl and running with it.
- Distant Finale: Parallel Destiny takes place four thousand years after Twilight Princess/Parallel Hearts.
- Earn Your Happy Ending: Parallel Destiny. After the heroes get peaceful childhoods, Hyrule is overrun, most of its people live under the yoke of a ruthless tyranny, Hyrule's army is a shattered remnant, and every victory seems to come with a defeat or bitter price. In the end, the cycle of Hero, Princess and Evil is broken forever.
- Even Evil Has Standards: Even Ganondorf doesn't agree with Vaati wanting to "break" Zelda.
- Evil Cannot Comprehend Good: Vital to Zelda's Batman Gambit during the climax of Symphony.
- Played straight with Vaati being unable to understand why Zelda will not return his affections.
- Forceful Kiss: Vaati to Zelda in Hearts. He turns her body to stone but restores her head. He painfully squeezes her face to make her lips pucker to make it feel like an actual kiss. He gets frustrated that she tried to ignore what's happening instead of kissing him back. Cia does this to Link in Destiny, with clear parallels to Zelda's captivity in Hearts.
- Heel–Face Turn: Reincarnation examples in Parallel Destiny — Dorgan, Lana, and Knox were Ganondorf, Veran, and Onox.
- Heroic Resolve: Link, appropriately enough. Do not mess with Zelda, no matter how badass you think you are.
- Heroic RRoD: Link exhausts himself almost to the point of immobility after an epic Boss Rush.
- Heroic Second Wind: Again, Link (and again, do not mess with Zelda). See Heroic Resolve.
- Heroic Self-Deprecation: Link. He doesn't believe that he can take credit for his accomplishments when he's The Chosen One and the gods have dumped all kinds of awesome powers and cool toys on him.
- Hero Killer: Dark Link aka Ghirahim in Parallel Destiny.
- I Have You Now, My Pretty: Vaati to Zelda in the first two stories. It doesn't end well for him either time. Likewise, Cia to Link in Destiny. Since Cia is the reincarnation of Vaati, the implication is that the obsession transferred with the new life.
- Insecure Love Interest: Link and Zelda in Parallel Symphony. Averted in Parallel Hearts. Zelda gets hit with this briefly when she finds out she was Hylia in Parallel Destiny, but she gets over it fairly quickly.
- The Man Behind the Man: Shuuen/Demise is shown to be this to Ganon and all the other demonic villains, as per Skyward Sword, but Destiny posits that the entire cycle is his Evil Plan based on the idea that Evil Only Has to Win Once. Zelda and Link have other ideas.
- Noodle Incident: The entirety of the combined Link to the Past/Four Swords Adventure mashup, but special mention goes to FSA!Link sacrificing the Four Sword to bring back Red, Blue, and Purple. It's barely mentioned, and only appears to be relevant to the chromatic Heroes' current incarnations. Dorgan, Robin, and Kagerin, respectively.
- Rape Is a Special Kind of Evil: Granted the word "Rape" is never said, replaced with "break", but this is apparently how Ganondorf feels about Vaati's obsession with Princess Zelda.
- Reincarnation Romance: Link and Zelda, repeatedly and shamelessly.
- Sacred First Kiss: Ruto gives Link his first kiss as a thank you. Zelda (as Shiek) was less pleased than the shocked Link.
- Shipper on Deck: In Symphony, the King of Hyrule gives Link his blessing for courting Zelda after the two become a couple.
- Stalker with a Crush: Midna calls Vaati one for Zelda. While she's right, he gets pissed when he hears this. Cia gets called out for this by her own allies, to invoke a Face–Heel Turn — and it works.
- Stepford Smiler: In Parallel Destiny, Lana, albeit for different reasons than her Hyrule Warriors self. Later, Dorgan as well after he finds out he really was Ganondorf. Subverted after the war; they really are that happy in the end.
- The Atoner: Dorgan and Lana for their past-life actions. Averted by Knox, who doesn't know and wouldn't care if he did. Played for Laughs with another past life of Dorgan's — Groose. It's a much milder case of I Hate Past Me.
- Those Two Guys: Senza and Zuko in Parallel Symphony.
- Time Skip: Parallel Destiny has one following some Lighter and Softer youthful adventures.
- Took a Level in Badass: Played with, but largely played straight with Symphony!Zelda. While she doesn't become quite as physically badass as her counterpart in Timeline A, she can still open up an economy-sized can of whoop-ass as Sheik. She's also a phenomenally powerful wizard as Adult!Zelda. Befitting the Hyrule Warriors side of the adaptation, the entire cast gets one in Parallel Destiny.
- What Beautiful Eyes!: Zelda. They make Link weak in the knees. "Those eyes."
- When He Smiles: In Parallel Destiny, Link's smile does to Zelda what her eyes do to him.
- Yandere: Vaati to Zelda. Cia to Link.
- You Called Me "X"; It Must Be Serious: Fi calls Link "Master" throughout Parallel Destiny, until the final battle:Fi: #Please don't die, Link.#
