Echoes of Wisdom and the Resonance of Power

A dark aura plunges the world into crisis.

Leaders sow uncertainty and shake their people's resolve, instead of representing peace and stability in a time of chaos. Yet their nations still stand against the encroaching malevolent tide.

The realm becomes more dangerous by the day; territories and resources are divided and devoured by an indescribable hunger. Yet large pockets of land remain vibrant and verdant.

Feuds form between people once close; their minds clouded with fear and doubt, they isolate to protect themselves and their kin. Even so, life goes on. Children play, and merchants sell tasty fruit smoothies.

What is this dark dystopia drenched with intrigue, corruption, and juxtaposition? Welcome to the land of Hyrule, in the age of The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom (EoW).

Cover vs. Content

Bright vibes and dark themes; that is how I think of Echoes of Wisdom, a wonderfully cute game steeped in stark contrasts.

EoW boasts the same charming art style as the Link’s Awakening remake, making it a joy to experience visually. You can finally jump without needing a special item which is just delightful. Of course, it must be mentioned that this is the first mainline game in which Princess Zelda is actually the protagonist! Hell yeah, Princess power!!!

With Zelda finally at the helm in her own old-school, top-down, mainline entry and the Nintendo Switch widely considered the most family-and-kids-friendly game console, these pieces click together to make EoW an extremely palatable game that can appeal to any age and identity. This is especially exciting to those who always wanted to save the day and dispel darkness as the Princess, not as some random boy who emerged from the woods.

The Legend of Zelda series is no stranger to introducing dark and complex themes to young audiences. Becoming the young hero that overcomes evil is in the series’ DNA. It’s just that here in EoW I couldn’t help but notice how shiny the candy coating looked in the darkness. Link’s Awakening shares the same cute aesthetic, but I’d argue that the stakes in EoW feel considerably higher since the events are happening to our homeland of Hyrule rather than a dream island that may or may not exist.

Nintendo uses this contrast between cute aesthetics and dark matters to create a family-friendly primer on how the corrupt use of power can influence a realm, and what we can learn from it.

Mass Hysteria

A sinister presence lurks within the realm of Hyrule. It opens otherworldly rifts of darkness, swallowing swaths of land and any unfortunate residents within, trapping them in a realm of absolute stillness until they disintegrate in time. Rift after rift it hungers for more – needs more – it must constantly grow and consume. Unlike some classic examples of all-consuming evil, it is not blinded by its hunger, rather, it’s quite clever in its approach. The darkness spreads its influence not only by taking over land but by psychologically influencing the people. This corruption seeps into every power structure in Hyrule, and in doing so taints the population’s perceptions, health, and spiritual wellness.

Yes, dark rifts are consuming the land and spawning monsters, but did you hear that the King of Hyrule and his top advisors claim that Princess Zelda is the cause of it all, and she has thus been labeled a traitor?! The king’s own daughter!! She was always so kind and helpful… I guess you can never truly know a person. I hope the guards find her soon.

Meanwhile, the Gerudo tribe is locked in a military stalemate against monsters emerging from an immense rift in their desert. They’re unable to make any headway and unable to rest their soldiers well enough between assaults. “It’s only a matter of time before the rift monsters stop coming,” says Gerudo head advisor Facette to Chief Seera. The Chief’s daughter Dohna, Captain of the Guard, rallies for alternative action but her pleas fall on deaf ears. Facette has never given Seera reason to be doubted before, so why start now? Even if there is zero evidence to back Facette’s claims, and the flow of monsters remains relentless.

And now the renowned Lord Jabu-Jabu – the peaceful deity of the aquatic Zora tribes – rampages throughout their domain, unable to be calmed by tried-and-true methods. The heads of the two Zora tribes blame one another for their god’s unprecedented behavior. In doing so they deeply insult one another as only good friends can, forming a metaphorical rift between the once-close River and Sea Zora. Homes are destroyed in tandem with the collective faith of the people. The idea of collaboration seems unfathomable. The only strong bond remaining is resentment as their land sinks further into chaos.

Somewhere within the dark rifts of the “Still World” amongst gargantuan chunks of land and frozen citizens is the heroic forest boy named Link. To prevent Princess Zelda from being swallowed by a rift, he saved her and sacrificed himself. Yet Link is alive in there somewhere. He’s the damsel in distress now.

You are the princess of Hyrule, and you have a responsibility to all its people. The land may benefit from another mute boy emerging from the forest to save the day, but right now it needs a known leader to inspire its people. Someone who has the wisdom to act when needed, in the right way, to provide a virtuous example of power in defiance of the corruption that plagues the land. A positive leader whose altruistic actions resonate with others and heal rifts both physical and metaphorical, not one who would manipulate political threads to force an agenda of division and personal gain.

And so Princess Zelda begins her quest to restore physical, mental, and spiritual balance across her land of Hyrule.

Applied Wisdom

Throughout Zelda’s adventure, there is a heavy emphasis placed on learning. Your otherworldly companion “Tri” grants you the “Tri Rod”, which allows you to learn “echoes” of objects and enemies. You deploy these echoes at your disposal, enabling you to traverse landscapes more efficiently or engage in conflicts where enemies will focus on your creations as you navigate around the battlefield.

You overcome obstacles not through sheer courage or might, but through wise use of what you’ve learned.

And oh goddesses are there obstacles aplenty, since Hyrule Castle’s three main authorities, the King, Minister Lefte, and General Wright, have been corrupted by the dark presence. Your first main quest is to restore these people to their former selves.

Exactly how to heal them is unknown, but it stands to reason that banishing the dark rifts across the realm will help people, at the very least, and may teach you how to complete your objective. Plus, doing so should help dispel the slanderous propaganda tarnishing your reputation; quite the positive ripple effect.

Perhaps through the acts of learning and helping others, we can help ourselves.

“It is important to draw wisdom from many different places. If we take it from only one place, it becomes rigid and stale. Understanding others, the other elements, and the other nations, will help you become whole.”

Uncle Iroh, Avatar: The Last Airbender

A Sandstorm of Fear and Deceit

No longer welcome in her home of Hyrule Castle Town, Zelda sets off to help the Gerudo people and quickly befriends Gerudo guard captain Dohna by demonstrating her ability to close dark rifts.

Dohna introduces Zelda to her mother Chief Seera, to whom Zelda offers assistance. Seera’s top advisor Facette sows doubt via xenophobic rhetoric, questioning why an outsider would risk their life for the well-being of the Gerudo, thereby tainting Zelda’s noble offer.

Even after Zelda establishes her positive intent and magical ability to literally solve all of their problems, Chief Seera listens to Facette’s advice over Dohna’s endorsement of Zelda.

Fear makes action and rational thinking difficult, and Seera is afraid for her people and her land. She no doubt loves her daughter and values her opinion, but Facette may have been an infallible advisor for years, making their advice all the more difficult to disregard – even if the evidence is stacked against them. Whether in a time of chaos or peace, fear is one of the greatest tools used to control others.

Repeating the same action over and over while expecting a different result can be a sign of insanity, but consistency can feel like a comfort in the face of uncertainty. So the Gerudo continue to fight.

Zelda and Dohna don’t argue or battle with Seera and Facette. They simply continue with their plan to help people by dispelling rifts throughout the Gerudo Desert, the Chief’s sanction be damned. In doing so, they eventually reveal that a corrupt duplicate has quite literally replaced Facette. A dastardly doppelganger!

Chief Seera deals with the dark duplicate herself and takes full responsibility for their poor treatment of Zelda. The Chief humbly accepts that she was at fault, admitting that even she harbored doubts about Facette’s advice and intentions.  

Seera does not make excuses for her actions; she owns her mistakes and gives praise for helping her see the error of her ways, especially to her daughter. Dohna’s ability to see the right path and take it, regardless of disagreements from those closest to her, is a great display of courage and wisdom. Seera apologizes to Dohna, and claims she will make a great Chief someday soon.

Making mistakes is a part of life, yet when you lead a group of people it can be more difficult to admit fault. Worry creeps in, the devil on your shoulder saying you will appear weak and unfit if you confirm your mistakes. The worry is a lie, a misguided attempt at salvaging your status, ego, or pride. Being honest, sincere, and accountable for your actions, and committing yourself to do better than before, will prove you to be a competent leader, one that people will want to follow. Seera maintains the title of Chief, with no complaint from her people.

Between Dohna’s resolve to do what is objectively good regardless of what others above her station say, and Seera’s humility and grace in the face of great error, the player and the Princess witness examples of fine leadership.

A Riptide of Faith and Friendship

Not long ago the Zora tribes of the River and Sea were very close, their wildly different cultures meshing together effortlessly. The River Zora and their Chief Dradd are rustic casual folk, happy to lend you the clothes off their fins. The Sea Zora and their Chief Kushara are sophisticated, poised people who enjoy delicate aesthetics and refined conversation. One is green, the other blue. Saltwater and freshwater. These two tribes brought out the best in one another forming a well-rounded and harmonious community.

They share a religion, a faith in a singular aquatic deity – Lord Jabu-Jabu, a peaceful and enormous whale-like being who now rampages through the collective Zora domain. Historically Dradd and Kushara soothed Jabu-Jabu through a musical duet, which no longer has the same calming effect. Rather than working together to troubleshoot a solution, their frustrations burst forth, causing Dradd and Kushara to blame the other's performance for angering their god.

Now their differences, once complementary, are unacceptable and infuriating. Charming quirks of personality became glaring character flaws, their own schools of music now grating to one another’s ears. Harsh words are exchanged, followed by cold distance. Few can cut so deeply as those who know you best.

The two Zora tribes cease interacting, following their leaders’ examples of keeping distance.

And so Zelda arrives in a region rife with tribal tension and religious strife. Off the bat you can see Zelda’s objective; restore harmony between the tribal leaders, therefore creating a cascade effect that restores the relationship between the Zora tribes and their god.

While helping the Zora tribes and eradicating rifts, Zelda inadvertently places the two chiefs in multiple situations where they’re forced to interact with one another. And funnily enough, they must help out the other’s tribe through the very thing that split them apart – music.

Sea Zora music calms the frantic thoughts of frightened River Zora, while the pure oomph of River Zora music helps rev up stunned Sea Zora into fighting shape. All of a sudden the differences become complementary once again. A fractured relationship on the edge of hate readjusts into one of positive partnership and respect.

Dradd and Kushara agree that squabbles will happen between them, but they can put aside any qualms to simply help one another out now and again, as individuals and as tribes. They’re much better together than they are alone.

The Zora chiefs finally play their music together in a beautifully harmonious duet that opens Jabu-Jabu’s sealed lair, and the dark rift hiding within. A simple act of creative collaboration allows Zelda to finish cleansing the darkness from Jabu-Jabu, and their relationship.

Anger can make you blind to the harm that words can afflict. Not only do enemies fight, but friends and allies do too. Heated heads and hurt hearts can make working or even existing together feel impossible. Metaphorical wounds deepen as the pain forces you to ruminate over time. Such negativity can consume a relationship, and its disastrous effects are further magnified when the scale is broadened to a relationship between two tribes – not just two individuals.

Healing a relationship can't be done overnight; it takes time and a progression of small actions. A kind word here, some empathy there, perhaps a reminder of commonality or a shared cause. It’s hard to be the one to initiate any such action when you’re one of the hurt parties, but the world has a way of throwing in unknown variables to spur your own growth and nudge you along a path of healing. Sometimes that variable comes from within – a thought, a feeling, an urge – and sometimes it’s entirely external. Zelda is that variable to the Zora chiefs.

Zelda witnesses two leaders put aside their pride, and help one another even though they were feuding. Anger or emotional turmoil should not prevent positive collaboration. This maxim holds even more true for those who lead, as their people will follow the example they set.

The Flow of Perception

There’s a concept here in the U.S. known as “trickle-down economics” which essentially claims that if people at the top of society have more money and they spend it, the rest of the country will be infused with greater wealth and spur growth for everyone. Think of it like a human pyramid, where at the tip of the pyramid stands a person whose pockets are overflowing with money, and that sweet sweet cash flows down to everybody else over time. In reality, it’s a very poorly kept secret that it doesn’t work – as the rest of the world can easily see. I’d like to borrow this concept and apply it in a way unrelated to economics that does seem to work.

In EoW, the corrupted beings or duplicates aren’t normal civilians. There aren’t malicious shopkeepers charging you a pound of flesh for accessories, nor evil stablemasters leading a stampede of horses to crush the common folk and their farmland. The darkness is intelligent and knows of an easier way to control more with less effort. It corrupts the advisor, general, deity, and king – singular beings that already hold great influence.

Why expend great effort to take over hundreds or thousands of people, when a few can have essentially the same effect? Even evil likes to work smarter, not harder.

With their immense sway, these titled beings can subtly mold their population’s thoughts over time. There’s an element of physicality to making money trickle down since it requires an expenditure of time; you have to work most days to make money. But information, perceptions, beliefs, and ideas are intangible and can spread as fast as wildfire.

All it takes is a moment to emotionally connect to something you see or hear.

Let’s look at the real world for a minute. The United States is in the midst of a renaissance of disrespect. Just a decade ago the highest office in the land was one of the highest integrity, where its holder would be held to the utmost standard and intense scrutiny in all regards: Tactful and respectful communication to all – even to those with differing views; extreme accountability for their actions and policies of their administration; honoring partnerships, friendships, law and tradition; actively working in the best interest of all people in their country. Whether you like the Trump administration or not, you cannot argue that these factors which were definitive of a presidency a decade ago are no longer in consistent practice.

Everyone has the right to say whatever they’d like; it’s an enshrined privilege in the United States. But the president and those in power are role models to their people, not only to children in schools but to everyone in the country. If the president calls a group of people losers or deems a specific demographic to be dangerous, then it gives implied permission for your neighbor to do the same. If the most powerful person in the land makes a claim, many will immediately believe it and act upon it.

Barely a day had passed before the residents of Hyrule Castle Town believed that their beloved Princess Zelda was responsible for the calamity plaguing the land. Citizens were afraid, and castle guards patrolled the streets in search of the royal fugitive. These are fictional folk, but it accurately illustrates the power of information coming from “a trusted source”. People are social creatures by nature, and in the real world, we are always plugged in, always within reach of a new decree proclaimed by a being of influence.  

The Law of Conservation of Energy

From economics to science - are we in school? Kind of; now, welcome class! According to the law of conservation of energy, within a closed system, the total amount of energy can only change through energy entering or leaving this system. Now replace “energy” with “corruption” and you know where I’m going with this.

After eradicating the rifts from the Gerudo Desert and Zora Waters, all is well and Hyrule is saved! Ha, just kidding! A new mega-rift opens over Hyrule Castle, which you – Zelda – swiftly do away with to save your father, the King. He thanks you for rescuing him and his advisors, expressing regret that you’ve had to put yourself at great risk to do so much for the realm. But the land is still not saved, for multiple new rifts have now emerged across the land once more. Gahhhh!

We thought we did away with all this darkness, but now it’s like nothing changed!! The energy has not left the system.

Eldin Volcano, Faron Wetlands, and Holy Mount Lanayru are now under siege and require your assistance. But this time the leaders or gods of each region are not corrupted like before. Remember that the darkness is intelligent, for it tries new tactics.

Within the Faron Wetlands, the innocent and childlike Deku Scrubs live a rambunctiously fun lifestyle, playing and gorging themselves on delicious fruit smoothies. One day a new irresistible treat appears – “cotton candy” made from the webs of spider monsters that are continuously emerging from new rifts.

It sounds gross, but hooooo baby these webs are beyond tasty, and also highly addictive! No Scrub even thinks about fruit smoothies anymore, or anything else for that matter. They clamor to get access to more cotton candy, even growing envious of fellow Scrubs whose homes and lands are consumed by darkness, since they get to be so close to the candy-spouting rifts. Luckyyy!! Even loved ones who are consumed by the rifts are reduced to trivial annoyances.

Eldin Volcano, home of the Goron race, also falls victim to new rifts. And isn’t the timing just awful – the Gorons just appointed a new chief, Darston, who has taken up the mantle after the passing of his father. Darston is still very much finding his footing as a leader and doesn’t yet have the confidence to handle a massive crisis like this. Darston tries to guide himself using a rock slate covered in his late father’s mottos, but he feels severely out of his league in the face of such a calamity and doubts whether he can truly take care of his people.

Holy Mount Lanayru is a peaceful mountain blanketed in snow, mostly uninhabited except for a friendly yeti named Conde. The rifts peppering this place don’t threaten the subtle takeover of society or issue a critical challenge to undermine new leadership; more simply it is the occupation of a place of spiritual power. Any location with “Holy” in the title bears significance to someone. It is a place to be respected, a place of reverence, and perhaps one for pilgrimage. Now, Holy Mount Lanayru is a formerly serene symbol standing vigil above the land that now casts a shadow of fear.

Conde has tended to the mountain for ages, as his brother and father did before him. He tries to heal the mountain by clearing the relentless torrents of snow, but the rifts and snowdrifts only get worse. Nonetheless, he continues to try, unrelenting in his faith that he will fix the mountain. While the task may be futile, Zelda and Tri choose not to dispel Conde’s conviction.

I’m not going to dive into extreme detail on how Zelda overthrows each iteration of darkness, as you already know the answer – she puts herself on the line by taking action and helping others. I will simply state what wisdom I thought could be gleaned from each example’s outcome.

Do not be a slave to the things that bring you pleasure. Recognize the cost it incurs, and conquer the fool inside that tells you to consume more. Find balance within yourself and within your community.  

History and knowledge can only take you so far; action and experience will take you the rest of the way. Think about what you’ve learned from others and then carve your own path. It’s natural to second-guess or doubt your ability when attempting something new, but confidence comes from overcoming your self-doubt. Prove your negative thinking wrong through consistent positive actions and soon you won’t rely on an idea or past example of greatness, but your own ability and discipline.

You may think a particular action is fruitless, yet the same action may bear great significance to another. If you have knowledge that will do great harm to one’s faith or mind without any positive outcome or necessity to share, then perhaps it’s best to keep it to yourself – to do otherwise will only cause harm.

Separation of Powers

The darkness plaguing Hyrule, known as the primordial entity Null, eventually gains access to the land of the gods through duplicitous means and thus obtains the “Prime Energy", more famously known as the Triforce. Supposedly the bearer of the Triforce can do anything; make wishes become reality, reshape the land, or even consume all life. I wonder which option Null – the umbral being that is slowly disintegrating everything – would choose?

But the Hylian gods foresaw how flawed it is to potentially leave all their power in the hands of one individual, so they built a failsafe into the Triforce. When Null tries to use it, it fractures into three pieces that fly into living beings whose values most accurately represent each piece. The piece of Power flies into Null, Courage to Link, and Wisdom to Zelda. Without all three, Null cannot bring their plan to fruition. They intend to obtain the piece given to Link first, who remains trapped somewhere in their Still World.

The separation of powers inherently built into the Triforce prevented ultimate authority from being seized and abused, just as governments in our reality create separate branches of authority to prevent one from overpowering the others. Look at that - a system of checks & balances just saved the world.

Now Zelda comes upon her final test; confront and remove Null entirely from Hyrule to save Link and all of Hyrule.  

Zelda fights her way through the Still World and defeats Null’s avatar, freeing Link and the Triforce of Courage. Weakened by battle, Null retreats further to the core of their body – an enormous building-sized mass composed of Null-tinted labyrinthine passages. The final confrontation of Power vs. Wisdom & Courage is set up. Zelda and Link venture into the void together to remove the root of corruption.

Here within the darkness, EoW does something very very cool. Zelda and Link must split up but still work together to progress further. Via map design the screen is now split in half; you control Zelda on one side while Link is on the other. Link battles an onslaught of enemies, while you influence the battlefield through smart use of your echoes and Tri Rod. Together you overcome each obstacle within Null’s palace of power.

Together Zelda and Link find Null’s true form, and together they fight it. You’re not alone in your quest anymore, no longer the one person who bears the weight of the world on their shoulders; you’re now part of a team.

This team illustrates how wisdom and courage combined will always overcome raw power, and how people working together will overcome the lone ruler.

Null’s power cannot withstand the united front of Zelda and Link, and they are destroyed. Not defeated and thrown into magical prison, or exiled, but utterly removed from the closed system.

In a video game, an ending like this is neatly tied up. The evil is eradicated, hip hip hooray!! But in reality, you can’t just destroy a being of corruption. That would be murder my dude, and that’s always very much off the table.

Instead, some rules and systems can be enforced to ensure people cannot continue within a system they were discovered to have abused. For example, corrupt lawyers can be disbarred so they can no longer practice law. The Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution provides a system as well, known as the “Disqualification Clause”. The problem with such systems? They’re made by people, and therefore must be enforced by people. And as we’ve seen in life and over the course of this game, people's minds and beliefs can be influenced. We do not have a divine system of checks & balances.

Constant Vigilance

Any time I hear this phrase I see a flash of Mad-Eye Moody from the fourth Harry Potter film. An eccentric auror – or dark wizard hunter – Moody uses this catchphrase to remind his students what they must all do if they are to notice and stop the darkness from encroaching further. Remain constantly vigilant, so that you can act right away when needed.

We don’t live in a world of wizards and magic (as far as I know, unfortunately) yet his mantra stands true in reality. There is darkness in our own world, just as there is at Hogwarts or in Hyrule. If left unchallenged, it will take everything it can, and it tries. Constantly. Everywhere.

I truly believe that wisdom can be obtained from every kind of media, and every experience in life. A fantasy book series can inspire and teach me how to combat depression more effectively. Song lyrics can remind and motivate me to embrace both the highs and lows of life. A video game can reinforce lessons on how to help and lead others during a crisis, and also educate how the corrupt use of power can swiftly devastate communities.

It is up to the people to do what they can to make their world, their future children's world, everyone’s world, a little bit better. Those actions will be different each day, hour, or minute. Maybe it takes the form of volunteering your time, or simply not having an attitude towards a stranger when you’re having a bad day. Positive actions have a ripple effect in the world.

Negative actions can also cause ripples. Capitalist media outlets and certain people in power thrive on negativity; transmitting messages of fear or hate that resonate with millions every day, influencing their thoughts, emotions, and actions. You have the power to choose how it will affect you, and what to learn from it.

Will you respond to negativity with further negativity, allowing your ripple effect to complement and fuel the wave of darkness and pain? Or will you learn and respond with your own act of positivity, rebelliously cancelling the wave of darkness with your own well of light? When the crest of a ripple in water meets the trough of another ripple, both are cancelled out through an event of “destructive interference”, resulting in a calm surface.

I don’t know about you, but I like the idea of considering good actions as “destructive interference” against the evils of the world.

Zelda saved the land of Hyrule by helping people, making consistent positive actions, and destructively interfering with the waves of darkness that swept over her land. In doing so, she (and we) slowly lifted the veil that had covered the population’s eyes and learned what it looks like to be a wise and benevolent leader.

Be like Zelda. Destructively interfere with the corrupt resonance of power by applying your wisdom in positive ways. Your actions will echo into the future, making you a sort of “Hero of Time”.

“You have light and peace inside of you. If you let it out, you can change the world around you.”

Uncle Iroh, The Legend of Korra