Oceans, often referred to interchangeably with the term Seas,[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10] are large bodies of water which often connect to major landmasses or other oceans in The Legend of Zelda series.[3][8][9][11][12][name reference needed] In some instances, oceans have no significant landmasses on them or adjacent to them, only islands,[5][12] with characters in Link's Awakening expressing unfamiliarity with any land beyond the shores of their island.[13][14] Various oceans have appeared in the series, and they often are unique. They appear in The Legend of Zelda, The Adventure of Link, Link's Awakening, Majora's Mask, Oracle of Seasons, Oracle of Ages, The Wind Waker, Phantom Hourglass, Spirit Tracks, Skyward Sword, Breath of the Wild, and Tears of the Kingdom.
Features and Overview[]
The Legend of Zelda[]
The map of The Adventure of Link showing the placement of The Legend of Zelda's location on Western Hyrule retroactively depicts the water body on the eastern border of The Legend of Zelda as the sea between Western and Eastern Hyrule, and shows the water flows into the sea south of Western Hyrule.[15]
The Adventure of Link[]
- See also: Palace on the Sea
The Palace on the Sea is the fifth dungeon in The Adventure of Link.[16]
Link's Awakening[]
At the start of Link's Awakening, Link is sent overboard when lightning strikes his boat on his way back to Hyrule. He awakes on an island called Koholint Island.[17][18] The name of the ocean is not mentioned in the game.
Majora's Mask[]
- See also: Great Bay
In Majora's Mask, the western region in the land of Termina, the Great Bay, is a sandy coast bordering a large ocean to the west of Termina that stretches as far as the eye can see, but a mysterious fog prevents anyone from going too far off of the land. It is here where the Zora live and also the location of the Great Bay Temple, the third dungeon of the game.
Oracle of Seasons[]
An unnamed sea is at the southern border of Holodrum where it meets the Eastern and Western Coast.[10] Once Cap'n regains the Pirate's Bell, the Piratians attempt to cross the sea on the Pirate Ship to leave Holodrum but instead cross from Samasa Desert close to the Eastern Coast to the Graveyard on the Western Coast just west of Horon Village due to being seasick the moment they leave.[19][20][21] This is sufficient enough for Link to reach the Seed of Life, the seventh Essence of Nature, in the Explorer's Crypt.[10][20][22]
Oracle of Ages[]
- See also: Sea of No Return, Sea of Storms, Zora Seas
In Oracle of Ages, there is an ocean in southern Labrynna which borders the South Shore and the Coast of No Return.[23] The Zora inhabit the Zora Seas,[1] while the Tokay live on the shores of Crescent Island from across the coast of Lynna Village or Lynna City.[1][24] Before the intervention of Veran, Queen Ambi began building Ambi's Tower south of Lynna Village to help guide her love back home from the sea.[25] During the game, Tingle gives Link an Island Chart,[26][27] and Rafton builds Link a Raft out of Cheval Rope to help him reach Crescent Island.[28][29] The Rolling Sea is the seventh Essence of Time in Labrynna.[30]
The Wind Waker[]
In the The Wind Waker, the ocean Link traverses across is the Great Sea. It is composed of 49 islands set up in a 7x7 grid. There are three main races of this ocean: the Koroks, the Rito, and Humans.
Phantom Hourglass[]
Link wanders into a parallel world similar to the Great Sea in Phantom Hourglass known as the World of the Ocean King, where time flows differently to Hyrule.[31] It is a vast ocean composed of 16 islands in four quadrants.[32] This ocean is inhabited by Gorons and Anouki.[33]
Spirit Tracks[]
In Spirit Tracks, the Spirit Tracks run over and under the sea of the Ocean Realm. The tracks lead to the Ocean Temple on the Ocean Floor.[9][34]
Skyward Sword[]
The Sand Sea, a large desert sea, is home to the Sandship, the fifth dungeon of the game. The sea, however, has evaporated over time and turned into a large patch of quicksand. To navigate the Sea, Link must activate a Timeshift stone in a boat, which both powers the boat and returns a patch of quicksand around the boat to it's present state.
Breath of the Wild[]
Tears of the Kingdom[]
Gallery[]
The Palace on the Sea from The Adventure of Link
The Sea of Storms from Oracle of Ages
The Zora Seas from Oracle of Ages
The Great Sea from The Wind Waker
The Lanayru Sand Sea in Skyward Sword
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Labrynna is also home to the Zora, who live in the Zora Seas, and the Tokay, who call the shores of Crescent Island home." (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 35 (OoA))
- ↑ "Ultimately, the hero wakes the Wind Fish and escapes the island. Koholint Island vanishes into the sea." (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 38 (LA | LADX))
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Though Zora mainly live in freshwater, some eras have seen them find homes in oceans and seas." (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 48 (Series))
- ↑ "It's interesting to note that each map shares the same desert but, in ancient times, that desert was a vast ocean, illustrating how much the landscape can change over time." (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 58 (SS))
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 "In The Wind Waker, where Hyrule is submerged under the Great Sea, only islands dot the surface, showing no trace of the vast land it once was." (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 59 (TWW | TWWHD))
- ↑ "Another difference is that the water in A Link Between Worlds flows into a lake, but in The Legend of Zelda it flows into a sea" (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 61 (TLoZ))
- ↑ "Octoroks that live in bodies of water tend to have longer tentacles than those found on land. Some may live in deeper waters, like the Ocean Octorok or Octomine." (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 104 (TWW | TWWHD | PH | ST))
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Link must travel between present-day Labrynna and the Labrynna of several hundred years in the past, changing aspects of the present through his actions in the past. For example, the ocean was polluted in the past making King Zora ill." (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 255 (OoA))
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 "Ocean Realm Tracks run over and under the sea in this tropical region bordered by the Sand Realm." (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 290 (ST))
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 "I dreamt of a cemetery west of Horon Village. Could an essence lie there..? To get there find a way across the sea." — Maku Tree (Oracle of Seasons)
- ↑ "Termina Field expands outward from Clock Town, which is located at the field's center. The world itself is broadly divided into four regions―the swamp, the mountain, the ocean, and the canyon." (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 246 (MM | MM3D))
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 "The world of Phantom Hourglass is governed by the great spirit known as the Ocean King. Said to be the next ocean over from where The Wind Waker took place, it also seems to exist far beyond. Its map depicts a vast ocean dotted with islands in four quadrants. [...] Sea travel takes place in the SS Linebeck, but Link can also warp across the map using Cyclone Slates." (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 284 (TWW | TWWHD | PH))
- ↑ "Where are you from, dude? ...Outside the island? What is "outside"? I've never thought about it..." — Joonya (Link's Awakening for Nintendo Switch)
- ↑ "This is where the subtropical Koholint Island resides, in the dream of a giant whale in the sky. The island is a peaceful domain of song-loving people who know nothing of existence beyond its shores." (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 38 (LA | LADX))
- ↑ "The map from The Legend of Zelda is only a small portion of a much greater land to the north, and a second continent to the northeast, where The Adventure of Link takes place. [...] Another difference is that the water in A Link Between Worlds flows into a lake, but in The Legend of Zelda it flows into a sea." (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 61)
- ↑ Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 146
- ↑ "A storm rages in the seas not far from Hyrule. Link awakens to find himself marooned on Koholint Island." (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 38)
- ↑ "Link, having restored peace to the kingdom of Hyrule during his adventure in A Link to the Past, had set out on a journey to distant lands in order to train. On his way back to his beloved Hyrule, his boat was beset by a storm. Lightning struck his vessel, splitting it in two, and sending Link overboard." (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 231)
- ↑ "Pirate's Bell This item is a memento of the Pirate Captain and can be reforged from the Rusty Bell. Once given to the Captain, he will set out to sea." (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 134)
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 "Explorer's Crypt Link descends into this crypt beneath the Graveyard, west of Horon Village, in search of the seventh Essence of Nature." (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 151)
- ↑ "You call yourselves pirates? Shameful fools! Getting sick the moment you set sail? It's... Oooh... Uhnn... It's no use! Put 'er ashore!" — Cap'n (Oracle of Seasons)
- ↑ "Seed of Life (Critical) One of the eight Essences of Nature in Oracle of Seasons. It is found in the Explorer's Crypt." (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 137)
- ↑ Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 255
- ↑ "Link! I sense an Essence of Time on the south sea's Crescent Island! Find a way there from the town's coast!" — Maku Tree (Oracle of Ages)
- ↑ "When Link visits the village, Queen Ambi is in the process of building a giant tower south of the village to guide her love home from the sea. Veran manipulates time to bring perpetual daylight and tricks Ambi into forcing her subjects to work on the tower ceaselessly." (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 111)
- ↑ "Yes! Yes! As a sign of our friendship, Tingle will give you his chart that shows the way to the secret island!" — Tingle (Oracle of Ages)
- ↑ "Island Chart (Quest) A chart in Oracle of Ages required to cross the sea and reach Crescent Island, where the Tokay live. Link receives it from Tingle." (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 128)
- ↑ "With that Cheval Rope, I could finish my raft! Let me have that rope, please!" — Rafton (Oracle of Ages)
- ↑ "Cheval Rope (Quest) This special rope appears in Oracle of Ages. It is water resistant and especially suited to building a raft. Giving it to Rafton allows him to do so." (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 137)
- ↑ "Rolling Sea: The mystical song of the sea roars into a crashing wave that sweeps heroes out into adventure." (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 35)
- ↑ "It is a parallel world that the hero Link wanders into in Phantom Hourglass. The world of the Ocean King, though in another realm, appears very much like the Great Sea of Link's world." (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 39)
- ↑ "Its map depicts a vast ocean dotted with islands in four quadrants. In all, there are sixteen islands Link and Linebeck can visit." (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 284)
- ↑ "There are numerous islands, including some inhabited by Gorons and Anouki, races found in old and new Hyrule." (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 39)
- ↑ "Ocean Temple Off the coast of the Ocean Realm, deep beneath the sea, lies this watery temple. To reach it, Link must first restore Spirit Tracks that run to the ocean floor." (Encyclopedia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 157)