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Template:Infobox Place The Desert of Mystery is a location in A Link to the Past and A Link Between Worlds.

Features and Overview

A Link to the Past

The Desert of Mystery is a wide open area filled with cactus. It is the location of the second dungeon in the game, the Desert Palace, which contains the Pendant of Wisdom. The only other features are a few cliffs and caves, one which is the home of Aginah.

The area is swarming with Vultures and Geldmans, as well as Bombs that explode at close range.

On a cliff only reachable with the Flute, there is a Portal to the Dark World hidden under a rock. This is the only way to enter the Dark World equivalent of the Desert of Mystery, the Swamp of Evil. On another cliff is a tablet where Link can get the Bombos Medallion.

A Link Between Worlds

In A Link Between Worlds, the desert is sealed off during Link's search for the Pendants of Virtue, making him completely incapable to reach it. It is not until Link has access to Lorule that he can enter the desert via a fissure located in the Misery Mire. Traversing the desert requires the Sand Rod to raise platforms to walk across so that Link can access different fissures between the Misery Mire and the desert. The Desert Palace also appears in the area. However, its boss is fought in Lorule.

Other Appearances

A Link to the Past (Ishinomori)

Desert of Mystery (comic)

Link flying over the Desert of Mystery

In the A Link to the Past comic by Shotaro Ishinomori, before Link can head out to the desert, Sahasrahla's Wife warns him that traveling through it will not be easy since the fierce winds and shifting sand have bested even the most capable adventurers.[1] The young boy who Sahasrahla left in charge of his wife gives Link a hang glider that he can use to traverse the Desert of Mystery with ease.[2]

Using the "miracle wings," Link flies over the Desert of Mystery and locates the ruins of the Desert Palace.[3] Using the Book of Mudora to translate the runes he finds,[4] the ruins begin to sink to reveal a scorpion statue that has the Pendant of Power hanging on it.[5] Before Link can approach it, he sinks into the quicksand and resurfaces on top of a Lanmola. Link tries to attack it with his Sword but to no avail.[6] He however manages to retrieve the Pendant of Power from the statue and uses it to defeat the Lanmola.[7]

Trivia

  • According to The Great Hyrule Encyclopedia on the official Zelda website, the Haunted Wasteland become known as the Desert of Mystery.[8]

Nomenclature

The Desert of Mystery shares its Japanese name, あやしの砂漠 (Ayashi no Sabaku), with the Desert of Doubt in Four Swords Adventures.

TMC Forest Minish Artwork Names in Other Regions TMC Jabber Nut Sprite
Language Name Meaning
Japan Japanese あやしの砂漠 (Ayashi no Sabaku) Same as English.
French Republic FrenchEU Désert du Mystère Same as English.
Italian Republic Italian Deserto Mistero Mystery Desert

Gallery

References

  1. "I should warn you that traveling in the desert is no simple matter! The fierce winds and shifting sands have buried more able adventurers than you!" (A Link to the Past comic, Nintendo Power, pg. 7)
  2. "Hey, buddy! I just remembered! I have something that may help! Sahasrahla showed it to me! It's a bird that you can ride on!" (A Link to the Past comic, Nintendo Power, pg. 8)
  3. "The desert ruins! And this must be ancient Hylian script! The book, the script, the desert... it's just like in the legend!" (A Link to the Past comic, Nintendo Power, pg. 11)
  4. "Maybe I am the legendary hero after all! I suppose if I look it up in the book, the writing should make sense..." (A Link to the Past comic, Nintendo Power, pg. 11)
  5. "Hanging on that strange statue! It's the pendant!" (A Link to the Past comic, Nintendo Power, pg. 12)
  6. "This is hopeless! Its skin is like armor!" (A Link to the Past comic, Nintendo Power, pg. 15)
  7. "Nice move, ugly! But now you're playing with the Pendant of Power!" (A Link to the Past comic, Nintendo Power, pg. 16)
  8. Template:Cite web
Locations in A Link to the Past
Locations in the Light World Locations in the Dark World
Waterfall of WishingEastern PalaceGraveyardLost WoodsKakariko VillageDesert PalaceDesert of MysteryHyrule CastleGreat SwampTower of HeraPond of HappinessLake HyliaLink's HouseZora's WaterfallHaunted GroveSanctuaryWitch's HutDeath MountainHyrule Light World map

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Skull WoodsSkeleton ForestGhostly GardenThieves' TownVillage of OutcastsMisery MireSwamp of EvilSwamp PalaceGanon's TowerPalace of DarknessPyramid of PowerIce PalaceIce LakeLake of Ill OmenBomb ShopTurtle RockDark World Map

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