The New End

   The end sequence of Zelda V... What can I say? As beautiful as the rest of the game, and boasting a lot of things never seen before. In my opinion, many of the cut scenes looks as if the programmers were given 100% free hands. However, it also lacked a few points:

• What happened with the Sages? Weren't they locked away in the Chamber of Sages? Then why are they seen standing atop Death Mountain?
• And Ganon's horse? Where did he go off to?
• Link puts the Master Sword back in place, seven years back in time. Then why is it missing later in time, but earlier in the game? (I know, it's confusing, but I won't explain until the end of the story.)
• Which girl would Link favor? Zelda, Ruto, Saria, Malon, or Nabooru?

   Sadly, Nintendo seems to have forgotten a couple of plot threads. Therefore, I take the liberty to slightly re-write the end sequence, hoping to fill in the gaps.

   Disclaimer: Everything you read here was at first created by Nintendo of Japan, so they have courtesy, trademark, registers... you name it, they've got it.

   Everything you are going to read is fiction. Whenever possible, the actual polygons involved have helped me reconstruct the events, as they could have happened.

   "Link! I'll hold him with my powers! You deliver the final blow with the Master Sword!" A yellow light shot out from Zelda's body, nailing Ganon to the ground.

   'How much more can she take?' Link saw the drops of sweat on her forehead, created by the amount of stress she was put under. He turned to face Ganon, and pulled the Master Sword from it's sheath. With all his might he thrust it into the Evil King, going straight to the place where his heart had once been. A blinding light filled the air, and all went quiet. When he opened his eyes, he saw Zelda preparing another spell.

   'How much power does that girl have!?'

   "Six Sages! Now!!!"

   The body of Ganon was shrouded in light, and slowly began to fade, as he was warped to the once Golden Land. A place now filled with pure Evil. When Ganon's body was fully gone, Zelda spoke to Link.

   "It's over. It's finally over. Peace shall return to Hyrule... for a time. Ganon can never be defeated in full. He holds part of the Triforce. And it's my fault. I believed to be strong enough to control the Sacred Realm. Instead, I pulled you into something you didn't deserve. Give me the Ocarina. As a Sage, it is possible for me to send you to the time, your heart sees as it's own."

   Link nodded, and took out the Ocarina. He looked at it one final time... and was interrupted by a sound behind him. Slowly, a black stallion trotted towards them, limbing on the right foreleg.

   "Oh no!"

   "It looks injured. But isn't it... Ganon's horse?"

   "It doesn't seem as evil as it's master. Here, boy." Zelda reached for the horse, and it went towards her. She gently patted it on the side, and looked at it's leg.

   "I'll have that leg patched up in no time." She closed her eyes, and a gentle, yellow light surrounded the wounded leg. While they watched, the wound closed, and disappeared.

   "Wait a minute, Zelda. If you could do that all the time... Why didn't you help me with Ganon?"

   "Err... I actually thought you did quite well on your own, and focused on contacting the Sages."

   "Quite well? QUITE WELL!? Damn it, Zelda, Ganon had me pinned several times!"

   "But you survived, right? Isn't that what counts?"

   Link didn't answer with anything but a groan, and something that sounded like a sarcastic "Royalty!"

   "But as I was saying, we should say goodbye now."

   "Zelda, promise me something. That horse..." Link gestured towards the black stallion. "Give it to a girl called Malon on Lon Lon Ranch. Have her call it..." Link went silent, thinking for a moment. "Have her call it Apon. And while you're at it, get Epona to Lon Lon Ranch as well." He whistled the tune, he held so close to him; the tune that called Epona to him, whenever he needed her help. "Play that tune on the Ocarina. Epona should come running to you." He sighed. "Well. That's it, I suppose. OK, I'm ready. What should I do?"

   "We shall go to the Temple of Time. There, you must return the Master Sword. The place in your heart will be your final destination. When you are gone, I'll close the Door of Time."

   "And then it's over?"

   "For now. Come, Link. The more we prolong this, the more difficult the final goodbye will be."

   Slowly, they started walking towards the Temple of Time, moving through the rubble, that was once Hyrule Castle Town.

   They left Apon outside, and entered the Temple. Link went ahead, leaving Zelda at the the Door of Time. Without looking back at her, he took the Master Sword, and thrust it into the piedestal. The blue light surrounded him, and he disappeared from Zelda's view. She played the Song of Time backwards, sealing the Door. She then left the Temple, a tear leaving her eye.

   "It was for the best. Come on, Apon." She got on the horse, and left the town, now crying for all the innocent lives that had been lost.

   Leaving Hyrule Castle Town, she took out the Ocarina, and played Epona's Song. Almost immediately, Epona came running from the side of the town, where she had been grazing.

   "Come on, girl."

   Epona looked around, puzzled by Link's absence, and by the fact, that a young woman, riding a black stallion she had never seen before, had called for her. She finally decided to go with Zelda, and they left for Lon Lon Ranch.

   Entering the ranch, Zelda suddenly realised that she had no idea what this girl Malon looked like. However, Epona broke off from her, and headed for a large, open area. A girl was standing at the other end, by a stone wall. She was singing a song, based on the melody from Epona's Song. Zelda had Apon catch up with Epona, and called at the girl.

   "Hello there!"

   The girl turned. "Can I help you with someth... Epona!? What are you doing here?" She looked at Zelda. "Nice horse you have there. A Gerudo?" Malon played curious about the stallion, while she kept herself from screaming the words at the girl in front of her.

   "Probably..." Malon's look turned quickly from curious to accusing.

   "Where's Link?"

   "Pardon me?"

   "Epona belongs to Link. Where is he? Is he all right?"

   "I suppose you are Malon, if you know Epona that well. Link is... No, first things first. I am princess Zelda."

   "And I'm the Queen of Hyrule. Honestly, a princess coming here?"

   "I AM princess Zelda. Link has just defeated The Evil King, back at the former Hyrule Castle. After that, I sent him back to his own time."

   "What are you talking about?"

   "Link turned out to be the legendary Hero of Time. He claimed the fabled Master Sword seven years ago, but was sealed away, until just recently."

   "Seven years... that explains a lot."

   "Anyway, he told me to return Epona here, together with that black stallion. It belonged to Ganon, but..."

   "Epona seems to like him! Look at them!"

   Zelda turned, and saw the two horses playing some way back.

   "Ganon's horse, you say? Hmm. I've always wanted to get my hands on a genuine Gerudo stallion. Ever since my mom... Well, no matter."

   "But at least now peace is at hand once again. Let's throw a party, right here on the Ranch. Which reminds me... Would you happen to have a room in excess?"

   "Sure thing, princess Zelda."

   "Drop the formalities, Malon. There's no way the true royal blood line can continue. So I'm skipping it all."

   "Zelda it is, then. Come on in."

   A week later, a blue light starts filling the Temple of Time, and the figure of Link emerges.

   "Are we back now, Link?"

   "I think so... What the..?" Link looked at himself, and didn't see a child's body, as he had expected, but his adult form.

   "Link? What..."

   "I don't know, Navi. Guess I just don't belong in Kokiri anymore."

   "But where are we then?"

   "How would I know?"

   "I just thought..."

   "Navi, that would be the first time!"

   "What's that supposed to mean? You ungrateful... with all I've done for you, you could at least..."

   "Navi?"

   "Yes, Link?"

   "SHUT UP!"

   Navi decided that the conversation was over, and entered Link's backpack again.

   "Better get out of here. I've still got Saria's Ocarina, so... Saria... It was for the best. I'm not a Kokiri. It could never have been us." He took the Ocarina, and played the Serenade of Water. Lake Hylia would be the place to determine if it was past or future.

   The light picked him up, and carried him to the Lake. It was full of water.

   "At least we have landed after that. I'll just swim to shore." He dove into the water, and headed for shore. As he approached the shore, he caught a glimpse of the opening to Zora. It was open.

   "Open? How much time has gone by, then? Better check." He swam into the hole, and found himself surfacing in Zora.

   "Hello?" His voice echoed through the caves, but it was the only sound except from the waterfall. Disappointed, Link went to the ladder, and crawled up. He looked at the sign, normally welcoming visitors. This time it didn't.

   "Liberty Party at Lon Lon Ranch. We shall celebrate Link's victory over Ganon. Today, when the twilight begins. Party ends when the last visitor leaves."

   "Twilight? But..." Link looked out through the waterfall. "It's around noon. I'd better hurry." He put the Ocarina to his mouth, only to realise, that no tune he played would bring him to Lon Lon Ranch. Instead, he took a fast pace, diving into the river. He swam as fast as he could, until he reached the Field. Then he started running, heading directly for the Ranch. It was night when he got there, and he caught himself listening for the sound of a Skulltula, he had missed earlier. Only thing he heard was music, though.

   He entered the Ranch, and headed directly towards the party. Everybody danced, and Link decided to play them a little trick. He snuck around the back, and crawled up on the stage. He hushed the surprised musicians, and had them stop playing. After a little while, people realised the lack of music, and looked at the stage. Zelda was the first to see him.

   "Link!" She ran towards him, closely followed by Malon.

   "Link! So good you're still here!" Zelda gave him a quick kiss on the cheek, resulting in Malon yanking her backwards.

   "What are you doing?"

   "I ask the same question!" Ruto appeared. "I turn my back on my fiancˇe for two seconds, and immediately someone tries to steal him!"

   "Fiancˇe?!" Saria walked unto the stage. "He's MY childhood sweetheart."

   "And so what? He's bound by his promise to me!" This time Nabooru appeared.

   "Link?" Zelda spoke again. "What's going on here?"

   "Well... First, how come you Sages are here? Saria said you would be sealed away in the Sacred Realm."

   "You must have misunderstood me. What I meant was, the way I saw it, to keep Ganondorf sealed away, the Sages would have to stay in the Sacred Realm. I had been a Sage for two minutes by then! Give me a break, will you? And now tell me, Link, who of us do you TRULY love?"

   "Well... OK, I'll try and sort this out. Nabooru... Sorry, but your entire lifestyle is too far from my own. Ruto... We are from two different worlds, so... the same goes for you, Saria. I'm not a Kokiri. And Zelda... I'm sorry, but... Malon is more my type. Sorry."

   "I see. I'll be returning to Kakariko in the morning, then."

   "Why didn't you tell me before we were engaged, Link? I'm very disappointed in you!"

   "Hmm. Maybe that's the best. After Ganon, men probably aren't too popular in Gerudo."

   "Not a Kokiri? Did the Deku Tree say this?" Link nodded. "Then so be it."

   One by one, all the girls, except Malon, turned and left Link.

   "Ouch."

   "Sorry it had to end that way. I know they were your friends."

   "Yeah." Link looked down, sad at the way things had suddenly evolved. "Where's Epona and Apon?"

   "You ain't gonna believe it, Link."

   "What?"

   "You won't be riding Epona for a while..."

   Link was filled with terror. "Something wrong with her?"

   Malon just smiled, teasing him. "No, no. Everything is just the way it's supposed to be."

   "Then what?"

   "I'll give you a clue. Apon is a stallion, and Epona..."

   Link finally realised what she meant. "You are telling me, that they..."

   "Exactly. Epona's pregnant."

   "Hope it's okay with you. After all, Epona IS your horse."

   "And if it wasn't okay, I would never have let them be together. Actually, I've always wanted to start a bit of amateur breeding, based on a Gerudo stallion. Apon was perfect for the job."

   "That reminds me of something..." Link cleared his throat before continuing.

   "You... you wouldn't happen to have a vacant job for me, here on the Ranch, would you?"

   "Of course we do. Didn't my father promise you?"

   "Great. At least there's a somewhat happy ending."

   Link lowered his head towards Malon's, until their lips met. At that instant, he knew he had made the right choice.

   There. Hopefully, I didn't leave anything un-resolved myself. However, one thing I couldn't quite get to fit: People familiar with Zelda III on the SNES will remember the story of the Seven Wise Men. They sealed Ganon in the Golden Land, just like the Sages do now. So if the Wise Men and the Sages are the same, why are the Sages girls in a 2:1 ratio?

Explanation of the Time Problem: If Link truly went back in time, what he did during those seven years would influence the future. This is proven by the Water Mill working hi-speed, before playing the Song of Storms.
Link was never seen during those seven years. Was he killed by Ganon shortly after returning? If so, why doesn't anybody wonder about him rising from the dead?
If the Master Sword is returned, and the Door of Time sealed in the past, HOW can Link possibly exit the Temple in the future?
Long story short, he could in no way what so ever return to the past. Not without breaking every single law of physics.

Should anyone out there have a computer-version of those (very) old Nintendo cartoons, that were published in various magazines. The magazine printing a story on Zelda III cut it off after finding the second of seven crystals. I'd really like the end of that. Names to look for: Shotaro Ishinomori, Mark McClellan, Bill Vallely, George Wildman, P. Zorito, Ken Lopez, Carol Smith and Ken Shooter. Yes, I'm looking in the magazine right now. What gave you that idea?

   Kenneth Vendelboe, Denmark
   E-Mail: computer.nerd@12move.dk

End.

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