Wind Temple

The Wind Temple is a special dungeon because it’s the very place in The Legend of Zelda : The Wind Waker where you encounter a boss and dungeon….last, just before reaching Ganon’s Tower, where the full story will end. Excited for the conclusion, if you’ve never played the full thing through to the end? We sure are, for you, if that’s the case --- we hope you’ll finish with flying colors; you can make it!

While inside the Wind Temple, there’s a few things you will come to realize : The first is like, “Holy heck! I made it this far? How did I manage that?” And the second is perhaps, “Ah crud. The cartoony game is almost over, and pretty soon, I’ll have to come back to reality….I wish it were longer.” At least, that’s how it was for me, at some point.

Beneath Gale Isle is where you’ll find this Wind Temple strategically planted, and getting there is the easiest part. What you really need to start panicking about is what you’ll face when you're on the inside. I’m joking...relax. You’ve got everything you need to send evil running, and that’s what we’re going to do here. 

Here, that glorious hookshot is what you’ll get….yes, the actual hookshot. I know you’ve been waiting for it, or perhaps you didn’t think this game would have it. But surprise….here it is, in the Wind Temple! And you’ve waited so long….good wait though. Good surprise.

Here, you’ll also fend off some Wizzrobes, some Molgera, and anything else brave enough to try and get in your path ; and here, at this turning point of the game, cruel, wicked Ganon will throw everything he’s got your way, to see if you’ll keep coming after him ….. which, like the persistent hero - player that you are, you will. It’s interesting to note that these last two main temples in The Legend of Zelda : The Wind Waker, the Earth Temple and this one, were specifically built around the Master Sword itself...and as you play this far out in the game, you’ll learn some more history behind all that.

Among other things, you learn that the purpose of the last two temples was to protect the Master Sword.

Why? Well, to help it stay strong and repel all evil. Good reasons, right? 

But also, in these two temples, two sages were able to say their prayers and ask for a covering of protection, not only on the special sword itself, but also on the place where it would reside. And you also find out, through exploring this temple, that Ganon rose to power after the former Link had left Hyrule, having stopped him, and never came back. Ganon took advantage of the fact that no one was there to challenge him, and his evil apparently rose to such a great height, that he used it to try to destroy Hyrule for good…..but before he could finish doing so, the entire land was flooded underwater…..and all life there died.

Life started over again. And since then, it appears that centuries have passed, and the evil behind Ganon was growing strong once again….rising from the shadows and trying to once more ruin Hyrule. But the spirit of the former King of Hyrule, otherwise revealed now as the King of Red Lions, did (and continues to try to do) everything to stop him, but now Link must put in the last piece of effort and finish Ganon before he is successful. And, as part of the greater story, the Wind Temple does play a very central role in revealing more plot details as well as in ‘wrapping things up’ for the very end of the game……

And in this final temple, before Ganon’s, which awaits him next, Link must find himself relying on three items he possesses (among others)....having to pull these out and use them the most. They are as would follow but not in that order : the Deku Leaf, the Hookshot, and the Iron Boots. He must also destroy numerous sage stones found in the Wind Temple, if he wants to have any success at all. Plus, he’ll brush up against some very persist foes on the way up…..

Blade traps are some of the more annoying encounters he must watch out for ; if he steps out of place, or in the wrong spot, once, they could cut him with their quick slice.

Remember these from many other Zelda games? Yes, they’ve returned. And what’s funny is that they actually don’t look ‘overdone’, cartoon - wise. They bear a simple look and are not exaggeratedly animated or goofy - looking. They are just plain, simple ---- and very deadly ---- blade traps.

At this point, can you start to feel the Zelda elements coming back into this game? I know I sure did, when I played it for my first time, and I loved it. By this stage, I was hooked onto this new Zelda game, and to me, it did really earn the right to call itself a Zelda game….even regardless of what some ‘cartoon haters’ still had to say about it. I found Zelda introduced in a whole new way, and then I realized that’s what Nintendo was really going after, all along, with this title….it was one of their neatly - kept little secrets, I guess, and they’d prefered to keep “best for last”.....

This Wind Temple, of course, is still as amazing as it could be. It rewards the player for getting so far in the game, and for not giving up on the Wind Waker title….which did have many surprises in mind. Many other Nintendo fans had the same final reactions I did, and that’s why many still love The Legend of Zelda : The Wind Waker. 

Now, once you’ve managed to defeat your Molgera and Wizzrobe final bosses, you can get on to Ganon’s Tower. And the plot gets even juicier. Keep playing, and keep reading….as I’ll talk about that next.