Lanayru Mining Facility

Having stopped Scaldera, you now have to reach your next temple dungeon destination, which conveniently happens to call itself Lanayru Mining Facility. Think of it similarly to how you viewed the Goron Mines in the last game, Twilight Princess. Now, this is the second major Zelda game to feature mines that you have to play through, and in the form of a challenging dungeon environment --- game on.

If you had the will to play and make it this far, then there is probably some juice in you to keep going. Hopefully, mean old Scaldera didn’t suck it all out of you. This mining facility looks like a true warehouse facility you may see today, in our times, using full conveyor belts and so much more. When you walk in, you wonder what you are in for.

The Armos Statues you find here, quite interestingly, look like faces this time, but they are bright and colorful, even sort of happy - looking faces. But don’t get me wrong --- they can still do their harm. Don’t bump into them, or let them make contact with you. Just as you had to avoid them in Ocarina of Time, Majora’s Mask, The Wind Waker, Twilight Princess and other titles, the same will hold true here….keep your distance, and avoid contact of any kind.

These guys have bright, light blue eyes and are less intimidating, in some way, than Armos Statues truly are ; perhaps the ones you see here and now are the more upbeat cousins of the ones you may have known before. Who knows? To further describe them, you will see, if you look carefully, some sharp spikes at the bottom of them, just under their faces. These are what hurt you the most on impact. They are grey, cement - like spikes, as hard as the stone or cement the rest of their bodies are made of ; do not take this lightly. 

You’ll also see their big noses (with two large, full nose holes, eww) and teeth, grinding. Light gray, light blue and light red are the three main colors that paint these guys, and on the tops of their heads, you will actually see what looks like two different magnets (a light red one and a light blue one, in that order), each pointing out in a different direction. One goes to the right of the statue’s head, and the other points out toward its left. That makes you wonder if this type of statue is magnetized, or magnetically controlled or powered, in some way? 

The answer is, we don’t know. It sure looks like it, but perhaps the look is merely for decorative purposes, to show off these new knight statues in a way they have not been displayed before. We can’t really tell, at least at this point, but we do always know this --- they are ultimately not our friend, and they will always find some new way to hurt you, even if they seem nice and cheerful on the outside. Let’s move on…..

Moving on, we can also find our old buddies, the Beamos, back in their game. Remember how awful these guys made your life, back in Ocarina of Time, especially the very moment they laid eye (not eyes, because they have one eye only) on you as you were entering Ganon’s Castle? Yes, these guys can shoot lasers, once again, straight at you to burn you. Don’t let their eye shoot out straight toward you. Once they spot you, you are toast, in the literal sense of the word ‘toast’ --- get my meaning?

These guys, just like their friends, the new Armos, are also light gray, light blue and light red all over. They have three main pillars underneath them, supporting them, with another main eye block at the top, from which they see. They also (interestingly enough, perhaps to enhance their look, I would imagine) have what look like two Japanese fans on their head, one to the left of their eye and one to the right of it ; perhaps these Beamos are female? It looks cool. I will not lie.

It’s a nice little touch. And guess who else is here to fight for your exit? The Froaks have made their way to the game ; think of them as those Spike Bombs, or Bomb Fish, you once dreaded so much….but merged together into what looks like exploding spike fish. They’re cool! Try and shoot these guys from afar ; getting close and stabbing is not a good option here.

Yellow ChuChus have also come….they must have heard there was popcorn and drinks. Take them out any way you normally take out a ChuChu, with patience and persistence. If they respawn smaller versions of themselves, then slice through the babies quickly, and re - attack at the main ChuChu until it is no more. Yes, it is sad to have to do so, but when it comes to it, it’s your life or theirs. Which will you choose?

Plus, these guys are bad guys anyway. They work for their own mischievous master. And there will be more on him as you come further into the game’s plot...I don’t want to spoil anything now, at this early part of the game, because what lies ahead is truly worth the wait. You will see.

The final boss in these mines goes by the name of Moldarach. Don’t pronounce it wrong, or it will get mad and try to kill you ; actually, it’ll do that anyway, regardless of what you do. So all joking aside, whip out your best fight, and leave the small talk for your best friends, of which this creature is certainly not. Show him you aren’t joking. Use all your moves, strategy, and items, together, as you need to.