Summary
No matter how many similarities it bears to the rest of the series,The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdomis one of the most distinctiveZeldatitles ever made, as it takes elements of the franchise’s past and future and combines them to form a hybrid game that is more than worth a try for series newcomers and veterans alike. With the titular Princess Zelda as its protagonist for the first time in a mainlineZeldagame,Echoes of Wisdomstands out among other installments. However, while that might be the biggest change, it’s far from the only one.
One of the most unique elements ofZelda: Echoes of Wisdom’s Hyruleis the way it incorporates the River Zoras into its story. None but longtime fans ofThe Legend of Zeldamay realize just how big of a deal it is for the River Zoras to be featured the way that they are inZelda: Echoes of Wisdom, as it is far unlike anything the series has done in its nearly 40-year lifespan. This all but demands thatZelda: Echoes of Wisdom’s portrayal of the River Zoras become a canon event for the franchise from here on out, with each subsequent installment taking note and following suit.
Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom Finally Redeems the River Zoras
The River Zoras Have Always Been Antagonists in The Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda’s River Zoras have been around since the series' beginnings in 1987 with the release ofThe Legend of Zeldafor the NES. Since then, the River Zoras have returned in numerous installments, despite being excluded from some of the franchise’s more recognizable entries, likeZelda: Ocarina of Time,Majora’s Mask, andThe Wind Waker. What sets them apart fromthe friendly Sea Zoras, who have likely become even more renowned than the River Zoras since the release ofOcarina of Time, is that they have largely been antagonistic throughout theLegend of Zeldaseries.
River Zoras began as one of the mainenemies Link encountered inThe Legend of Zeldain 1987 and have continued to fill that role since then — although their behavior has evolved through the decades.Zelda: A Link to the Pastsaw the River Zoras play their most significant role since the first game when the Zora King assists Link by providing him with a pair of flippers that would allow him to warp using Whirlpools. Even so, the rest of Hyrule’s River Zoras remained antagonistic towards Link.
Other friendly River Zoras have occasionally appeared in other installments, likeLink’s AwakeningandFour Swords Adventures, but their worlds are still filled with River Zora enemies.
Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom’s Redemption of the River Zoras Should Set a Precedent
WhereasTheLegend of Zeldahas previously portrayed River Zoras as villains,Zelda: Echoes of Wisdomredeems the River Zoras by making them a friendly subspecies of Zora in its world. Rather than featuring River Zoras who attack Zelda,Echoes of Wisdom’s story sees River Zoras and Sea Zoras mending a longstanding feud between each other when they realize they must work together if they hope to survive the looming threat of theStill Worldattempting to swallow Hyrule whole. This is a first for the nearly 40-year-old series, but it arguably shouldn’t be the last.
From here on out, it would be interesting to see both theRiver Zoras and Sea Zorasportrayed in the same light, as two subspecies of Zora in Hyrule who are friendly toward the protagonist and will assist them with whatever they need. This might allow for more opportunities to delve a little deeper into River Zora lore than the series has had in the past since they would be filling a different role. Hopefully,Zelda’s future takes note ofEchoes of Wisdom’s approach and honors the redemption of the River Zoras as a canon event.
