Now that Team Plasma's out of the way, the routes leading to the entire east end of Unova are now unblocked, and you're free to explore any area in the game.
First, there's some more hidden stuff to find in the previous areas by using Surf and Strength. There's some nameless old guy looking for a legendary pokemon in a cave near Mistralton City. When you find him you get a bunch of unexpected backstory involving the origin of pokemon.
I see you're quite skillful for your age... Perhaps you could... hrm... It's a possibility, I suppose... Well? Will you lend your ears to this old man's ancient story?
It was long ago, when people and Pokémon lived in their own separate worlds... Through a war humans started, a forest in which Pokémon lived was engulfed in flames.
The Pokémon could not escape through the fire and smoke... There then appeared the legendary Cobalion, Terrakion, and Virizion! Terrakion used its characteristic strength to destroy the boulders blocking escape. Virizion made use of its swiftness to protect Pokémon from the sparks. And Cobalion guided the frightened Pokémon out of the forest.
Cobalion, Terrakion, and Virizion fought away the warring parties with overwhelming strength. The parties, frightful of the power the three showed, at last put an end to their war...
If people do not cease fighting, Pokémon can have no peace. The trio knew that people's deeds could cause the loss of many lives... To avoid contact with people, they went away to places unknown... Since then, the three have almost never been seen, and they thus turned to legend...
I have been searching for them for countless years on end... And at last, I have ascertained there to be one deep in this cave. But the legendary trio has no trust in humans. If a person draws near, they will bare their fangs and attack. They only know the world as it was so long ago, so it cannot be helped... They remain ignorant of the fact that our world has become one of people and Pokémon understanding and helping each other.
Perhaps if you could make them realize that people and Pokémon can live together in trust... Even they could choose to live with people if given a reason to reconsider them...
Who knew pokemon could be this deep? I feel like I'm reading Princess Mononoke... stuff about humans and intelligent forest creatures at war with each other... The end of this cave has Cobalion.
Through you, Cobalion seems to have realized that the world has changed into one where people and Pokémon live helping each other... Cobalion seems to desire to live together with you.
If Cobalion's heart was softened through fighting you, Terrakion and Virizion, whom he shares a strong bond with, should also know soon. I think they, too, will want to evaluate your heart.
The obstacles keeping people away from Terrakion and Virizion should be gone now. Finding them, however, is up to you... But they are undoubtedly awaiting you...
After going to route 11 right of Opelucid City, you get to Village Bridge. A very strange construction where the bridge goes up above the ground, and rows of houses are built ontop of it. Underneath the bridge, the river is mostly gone up and there's tall grass and trainers everywhere, and there's this dude under the bridge that starts singing some folk song when you talk to him.
Koontz: Singing gives life to my spirit. Will you listen to the voice of my spirit?
Sounds like something out of Animal Crossing.
This bridge leads to Lacunosa Town, a place where everyone's obsessed with following scrict rules and schedules. This snoozing old lady rambles on about something...
W-what? What do you want, now? Did you pick now to listen to my stories? Mmm... OK, I'll tell you...
Behind our Lacunosa Town, there's a big hole in the ground. That hole, way in the past... Aaaahhh, I'm so tired... That hole, there was a... a big... crashed down... inside was... big, scary... really scary...
Zzz...
Uh... all I got was something big and scary, in a hole, way in the past... reminds me of Earthbound... yet I can't find anything like that anywhere around this town... could be just an NPC saying random stuff for no reason?
Past Lacunosa is route 13, which just has more grass, more trainers, and a ton of items to find. Almost all the pokemon around this side of Unova are from previous generations. The whole game up until the elite four has been nothing but gen 5 pokemon.
Ahh, the classic "6 magikarps" fisherman trainer is on this route. How fitting.
There's this one trainer with a Wingull who says the Wingull is looking for 3 grams... what could these "grams" be referring to, hmm? In any case the grams are just random pickups you find along the route.
Okay I gave the wingull its 3 grams in exchange for TM89 U-turn.
Got the splash plate and draco plate from a guy in a house very far off the main path... these plates were treasures resting in a sunken temple near Undella Town... which is the next area after route 13.
Undella Town - A Town of Rippling Waves
This girl sings to me about the sea, the source of life... and gives me HM06 Dive. I can see where this is going... but wait...
Oh wow the first house I go into has Cynthia, the champion from Diamond/Pearl in it.
She's a far more likable character than Alder (oh boohoo you lost your favorite pokemon and can't fight to your full potential anymore, this guy's supposed to be a champion?). She introduces herself and explains what she's doing in Unova.
What's this? What an uncanny resemblance... It's surprising to meet another trainer who has eyes like that pokemon trainer. What's your name?
...
OK. I'll remember that! Warpio, nice to meet you. I'm Cynthia. I'm a pokemon trainer, too, like you.
I have an insatiable curiosity for researching pokemon myths. I'm sure you know about Undella Town's Abyssal Ruins, right?
I'm staying here at my friends villa so I can investigate them. In order to get to know each other better as pokemon trainers, I would like our pokemon to have a match.
Before I send out my pokemon, my heart always begins to race... Interesting... my pokemon in their poke balls are radiating a happy feeling. Are you the reason? What are you?
Holllllly shit her pokemon are level 75 and up, and Spiritomb double-team'd on me, I couldn't even get a single hit in.
... welp, Cynthia crushed me. I'll just be ignoring that for now. So it looks like the ruins under the sea are my next destination...
Back in 2006 I worked as a Concept Artist on "The Simpsons Game" for Electronic Arts. I've recently been backing up some files when I came across a few images that I had created for the game. I'm not sure if these even made it into the game. I know for sure that "The Shims" was cut because, as I learned when I moved to The Sims team at EA, they weren't very pleased with the image and didn't give it the go-ahead.
One of my producers on the project had tasked me with creating some images that would appear either at the Game Stop store in Springfield or somewhere in the game later. So I decided to take some of my favorite games as well as some beloved EA Franchises, and "simpsonize" them. Here are a few!
I believe this one was a dual effort of mine and another artist. I basically took his rough sketch and cleaned it up.
I'm a huge Half-Life fan, so I would take any chance to squeeze in a reference to that series. Flavin!
Little did I know when I would create this image as a bit of a joke at The Sims expense, that the next year I would be working on "The Sims 3" designing clothes for all of the characters... I don't know why they didn't approve this image.
This was my attempt to remind the fine folks at EA that they used to have an awesome football series that didn't include the word "Madden" followed by a number. I'm not a sports guy at all... I avoid sports like the plague, but I LOVED "Mutant League Football" on the Genesis. I would happily take an XBLA reboot of Mutant League Football.
This was an interesting one. I had moved onto Dead Space after wrapping up work on the Simpsons, but the game was still in development for about another year. I had some downtime on Dead Space, and I was lent out to The Simpsons team for about a week. I drew this up for the studio as an homage to what I knew was going to be a great classic game. The problem was that the Simpsons Game was going to be released before Dead Space was even announced. I'm not sure if it made it into the game or not, but they did turn this into a poster that was hung up around the studio for a while.
So... looking to talk to/with any fans who happen to be electronic musicians, specifically (but not exclusively) people with experience in retrogaming "chiptune"-style stuff, about a possible opportunity. Interested parties can send me a message via Facebook, or post whatever contact-info you're comfortable with (or other questions) in the comments section of this post.
So, there's about 3 cities left on the map that can't be accessed until beating the Elite 4... As I expected, there aren't many options for leveling up before this. The Pokemon League has always been the one part of the pokemon games that forces you to grind a lot. I'm not too big a fan of grinding, so I'm just gonna load up on potions and revives and take on the Elite 4 in one go!
Also there seems to be a lot of unfinished business still left at this stage in the game. Usually the bad guy team is beaten by around the 8th gym or so, but unlike the other games, the final climactic battle with Team Plasma's leader seems to take place after the Elite Four.
I have a feeling Reshiram will show himself at that time as well. I've already used my Master Ball on that Tornadus, because he takes after those cheapass dogs in gold/silver and runs away the second you see him. I've replaced Unfezant on my team with Tornadus.
Finally that egg that was found on the hidden island hatched into Larvesta, a fire/bug type.
... not very interesting, but check out its evolution, Volcarona.
When volcanic ash darkened the atmosphere, it is said that Volcarona's fire provided a replacement for the sun.
You mean this thing is hot enough to replace the freaking sun?! Sheesh talk about overpowered... If pokedex descriptions were really accurate this pokemon could melt the entire earth! Onto the Pokemon League... here's my team so far:
There are four rooms in four different directions, and a statue in the middle telling you which pokemon type is in each direction. I decided to go for the Ghost type elite, Shauntal, first. Shauntal's room is a big dark library, with bats and spider webs... it looks very haunted.
I get carried away by spirits up to the platform where Shauntal is. Her first pokemon, Cofagrigus, is a real pain in the ass, and this trainer definitely knows how to use strategy. She'll burn my pokemon and lower my attack, then switch to another pokemon before I can land a good hit... her other ghost types have such a wide range of moves almost all of my team was being hit by a weakness... That was a pretty good fight.
Next I went up against the fighting type elite, Marshal. His room has a mechanical lift taking you up to a fighting arena.
He's mostly a piece of cake for Gothitelle, except for that Sawk pokemon with its sturdy ability... it managed to stay alive the longest because I kept getting it down to 1 HP and then he would use a full restore on it, again and again...
After that I took on the psychic type elite, Caitlin, who uses the force to levitate you over to her bedroom... uh... to battle pokemon of course.
She uses this weird purple pig called Musharna, smoking a bunch of pink-colored pot... it looks like something out of an acid induced hallucination.
Next I went to the dark type elite, Grimsley... his dark types are a pushover for Excadrill. The room you battle him in is literally lifted out of Castlevania.
"What is a pokemon? A miserable pile of secrets!"
Finally I'm passed the Elite Four and I can go on up to the champion... but when I get there, the place is destroyed, and N has already defeated him.
N: ...It's over! You won't wound and bind pokemon any longer. All thanks to my friend Zekrom!
Champion... you're too soft. You lost a pokemon to illness years ago, a partner. You wandered Unova searching for something to fill that hole... It's been quite some time since you last earnestly fought, hasn't it? That part of you may despise it, but... As one far, far stronger than the Champion, I shall give Unova an order. An order to all Trainers, to release their pokemon!
Alder: Please! Separating pokemon and people... Anything but that!!
N: ...You and I fought, with all our strength, for our own beliefs. And I won. So I'd prefer you don't say another word...
Warpio: ...
N: I've been waiting. Just as I foresaw, you have also obtained one of the stones. That Light Stone... It reacts to Zekrom. However! This is not the appropriate place for the dragons of legend! Rise from the earth, Team Plasma's castle! Encompass the Pokemon League!
N's Castle actually rises up out of the ground, and surrounds the entire pokemon league... This is some insane turn of events! How did N manage to build such a huge castle, and right near the elite four's headquarters?
N: Team Plasma's castle has manifested itself! The king's word... It shall roar down on the commoners from such great height!
You must come to the castle as well. There, all shall be decided. Shall pokemon be made perfect by their separation from mankind?! Or will Pokémon and humans live together as if it were meant to be...? You and I shall see... whose thoughts are more powerful!
Cheren: Alder, you look beat! ...It's not very Champion-like of you.
Alder: ...You made it here too, kiddo?
Cheren: ...I managed to win my way through the Pokemon League somehow. It was pretty tough. I guess.
Alder: ...You didn't really, did you?
Cheren: ...I've become stronger from learning exactly what I need to do. Warpio! You need to talk to N! Tell him that people can become stronger by being with pokemon... And in helping me along, my pokemon have become stronger, too.
Alder: ...I lost. He speaks of a preposterous dream... I should've shown him the bonds we have with pokemon... I sorta wonder if his beliefs might not even be genuine? Put your soul into it! The guy's desperate about realizing his dreams of changing the world. So I'm begging you, Warpio!! No good will come from the separation of pokemon and people... Teach it to him good!
Cheren is like the sidekick that nobody ever wants to see, but he always manages to show up during the most important story sequences and manages to make himself seem relevant. This guy's obsessed with battling and becoming stronger, so I guess it was predictable that he would get to the pokemon league. Bianca on the other hand is probably off adventuring somewhere with the professor and catching tons of pokemon.
As soon as you go into the castle you get ambushed by 6 of the sages.
That which obeys the heavens lives. That which defies the heavens perishes. There is honor in the obsolete. Know one without knowing two. To err and not change one's ways: this is what it is to err. Wise men discern for goodwill. Ignorants discern for benefit. The heavens have not two suns. A nation has not two kings. Now... We have a serious affair with our king. A collapsing of Lord Ghetsis's perfect plan, you could say. Lord N is dejected, but we six shall defeat you here!
They try to defeat me with their philosophical ramblings, but then suddenly all the gym leaders all bust in, ready to kick some sage ass!
Well, almost all the gym leaders anyway... They probably decided those restaurant gym leader guys aren't important enough.
N's Castle is just a big corridor with side rooms, and a bunch of Team Plasma members and other people who all seem to be urging you on to go battle N.
I am Anthea, goddess of love... Rest now, Trainer arranged with N... You are now healthy. You and your Pokémon both... Trainers never fight to wound pokemon. N knows this deep in his heart, yet... Admitting it would bring much sadness to this castle...
I am Concordia, goddess of peace... You who will grant N peace... N has been apart from humans since a very young age, raised instead with pokemon. Pokemon betrayed, oppressed, wounded by evil people...
Those are the only pokemon Ghetsis would allow to approach N. N saw those wounds and came to seek an ideal that considered only pokemon. N's excessively pure and innocent heart... It's too beautifully pristine to be truly frightening, and yet...
Is Lord N the hero of the ideal? In your fight with him, you will know. Does he want to protect this world where you now walk with pokemon...? That too you shall know.
Ghetsis: Welcome, possessor of the Light Stone. This castle, once concealed under the Pokemon League, is a sign that Unova will change. The lord of the castle has tamed the legendary pokemon and surpassed the Champion... the ultimate Trainer! And furthermore, his heart burns with ideas of what he wishes to do with the world! If you wouldn't call him a hero, then just who would you?
Once the stage has been put in order, we will capture people's hearts! A remarkably simple desire of mine... rather, of Team Plasma's! With only us in control of pokemon, we will rule the powerless.
It's been so long! I've lived in hiding so my plan would not be exposed... But those days of suffering are over!! Now, continue! And will you too become a hero...? Well, it couldn't hurt to try!
N waits for me in the last room of the castle, and gives me a chance to unleash Reshiram from the Light Stone...
N: What I want is a world of only pokemon... By separating pokemon from people, they will regain their natural power... Now. This will be our final battle. I am prepared! Even if my pokemon friends are wounded, my beliefs will prevail! Since you have come this far, certainly you must feel something similar? If you do, I ask you to come forth and show it to me! Prepare yourself!!
There's a cutscene where N sends out Zekrom, then Reshiram appears out of the Light Stone.
N: Zekrom and Reshiram... Originally one life... one pokemon. Distinctly opposite, yet exactly the same entity. Zekrom and Reshiram both appeared before ones they recognize as heroes...
...I see. And yes, as is the same with you. Do you hear the pokemon speaking? Let me tell you what he says.
"I want to fight you... Make me your ally!"
He wants to test if you have come this far seeking truth... I want to know your power as well... Now! Catch Reshiram... befriend him!!
Catching Reshiram was surprisingly easy, just got its health down and caught it on the 2nd try with an ultra ball. Usually the legendaries have such a ridiculous catch rate it takes forever to catch them with ultra balls. Maybe they made this easier since it's part of the story.
N: ...I see. It is said that power was lent to the hero who pursued truth. Reshiram has recognized your power and chosen to walk with you, then...
I have seen the future! I WILL win!!
Now for the battle of black vs. white Zekrom's ideals vs. Reshiram's truths. The contrast of the two different opposing viewpoints held by N and the main character, both of them seen as heroes, are parallel to the contrast between black and white. Without black there is no white, without white there is no black. The main theme behind this game is the fundamental relationship of opposites... the same theme represented by the Yin-yang symbol.
Pokemon Black and White also contrast each other in these sorts of ways, like one game taking place in the future while the other takes place in the past. (as evidenced by Opelucid City and Black City/White Forest)... and using the Entralink feature you can travel between the two worlds, where one world's reality is the other world's dream...
Speaking of dreams, N's dream of changing the world contrasts with the reality of me beating the crap out of him.
N: ... ... ... ... ... ... ...Zekrom and I have been beaten. Your thoughts... your truth... Is that what has bested me...?
Reshiram and Zekrom... Those two chose heroes upon varying qualities... Is that the case?
Two heroes in the same era, one seeking the ideal, one seeking the truth, coexisting... is that correct?
...I don't understand. I would not deny differing ideas. In fact, in accepting differing ideas, the world will experience a chemical reaction. This... is the formula that can change the world...
I beat N quite easily, but... it doesn't seem like I've won just yet. It was too easy. In fact N seems to be content with me defeating him. I wonder what's going to happen.
It turns out Ghetsis, the leader of the seven sages, actually has his own agenda different from N's, and he wants me out of the way no matter what.
Ghetsis: Even still, are you not of the Harmonia name, the same as I? What a worthless son...
From the very beginning... N's revival of the legendary ideal-seeking Pokémon in our time... It was all for the glory of MY Team Plasma! To manipulate the fearful populace!
You did well to come that far. But you wanted to fight a fellow, belief-driven trainer who could also subdue a legendary pokemon, to see if you were a true hero... And in the end, you were beaten by a petty commoner for it, you utter fool! It seems being raised with pokemon only made you a wretched and imperfect human in the end...
Warpio! I had not the slightest conception of the legendary pokemon choosing a trainer like you... Yet nothing will impede me toward my goal! I will not falter! So that I shall rule the world with an iron fist! So that I can manipulate the hearts of those humans who know but nothing!
N has served as the king of Team Plasma. But you know the truth of why that is... And for getting in my way, I will have to eliminate you!
(Alder and Cheren come in.)
Cheren: ...Rule the world? Wasn't Team Plasma's goal to liberate pokemon?
Ghetsis: That was but a lie told to help in the construction of Team Plasma. What good would come of letting useful things like pokemon free? But by manipulating pokemon, the potential of humans grows tremendously. You must acknowledge that! And so! It would be most pleasing for I to be the only one using pokemon!
Alder: ...You dirty, deceiving...!
Ghetsis: Regardless. Now then... that which is called a god, but is ultimately only a pokemon... And Warpio, the one it has recognized! You have much to fear... Now, have at you! I wish to see that glorious flash of despair upon your face!
Wow, so it turns out N wasn't the evil mastermind after all... he was just a dumb kid who was tricked into becoming a false hero in the hope of helping pokemon. N befriended the pokemon who were betrayed by humans (Team Plasma), and because of that he wanted to separate pokemon from humans. Ontop of all that, he was able to construct a huge castle and gather up legions of followers believing in N. Ghetsis is really the true badass of the game.
After defeating Ghetsis, Alder and Cheren take him away, then N tells us about his true intentions, how he was never really a bad guy, and doubted which side he was on the whole time.
N: ...There's something I want to talk to you about. When I first met you back in Accumula Town... I heard the voices of your pokemon, and they shocked me...
Why do these pokemon... Why do they claim to be... fond of you...? They said they wanted to be with you... I couldn't comprehend. That there were pokemon in this world who liked people... I had no knowledge of such pokemon until that moment... And from then on, as my journey continued, my feelings swayed...
Pokemon and people were all selflessly joining their hearts to help each other... So I wanted to fight you, to ascertain my belief... I wanted to face you as a fellow hero. That I desired...
I considered only pokemon... no, only those poor pokemon I had known, even... I should never have opposed you when you were surrounded by pokemon who love you...
...Well, the Champion has forgiven me, but... My life is now in my own hands...
Warpio!! You said you had a dream... That dream... must be realized! Your wonderful dreams, your ideals... have the power to change the world! Warpio! You can do it!!
UPDATE: As of 9/13/11 this video is now at THIS LINK
The AntiThinker Sagacomes to an end. I hope people enjoyed this as much as we enjoyed making it.
More stuff after the jump...
So... there it is, have at it. In addition to further episodes of the regular series, I'm planning to have some making-of, retrospective stuff up in the near future to elaborate on certain points; but just a few things real quick while we're all here:
If some of the post-transformation looks oddly-sped-up, there is nothing wrong with your computer or ScrewAttack's player (at least not in regards to this.) What you're seeing is mostly an attempt to artficially replicate a high shutter-speed with video, coupled with some "OMG a whole fucking day of shooting captured all wiggy for some reason!!!"
My favorite joke in the whole bloody enterprise is at 10:21.
Credit where credit is due: My best friend Tim Luz and my brother Chris did not only 99% of the cinematography on this, but they've done 99% of the "when you see me" shooting on the entire series up to this point - the unsung heroes of The Game OverThinker. In addition, that's Chris in the AntiThinker "true form" costume, and doubling me in the over-the-shoulder "Fake Shemp" shots.
The fake blood you see in the "splatter" shots is store-brand vegetable juice, and the "chest-punch" torrent is a mix of tomato soup, water and cherry gelatin-mix - every single drop of "prop gore" spilled was not only nontoxic and biodegradable, but edible. The "chopped" tree limb was an unrelated (to the tree) piece of debris being held up offscreen. NO portion of all that beautiful forest land that provided such a nice backdrop for this whole production was polluted, despoiled or otherwise harmed by our filmming; a commitment we all made and stuck to.
Looking back now, I kinda want to go back and stick the "Rise From Your Grave!!!" sound from Altered Beast over the "ressurection;" but nah - I'm DONE editing this bloody thing ;)
The "origin story" alluded to be The OverThinker is more-or-less "true," and will probably be elaborated upon in the future. (I'm only making MOST of this up as we go along.)
"Cloaked Figure" aka "Monster-Voice Guy" DOES already have an identity, I already know who/what he is, what his "deal" is, etc; and you'll hopefully find out exactly what that is in the near(ish) future.
Yes, that last bit is referencing Rev Rants' video. NO, I'm not "calling him out," looking to start shit, or even outright wholesale disagreeing with him; my position is more on the lines of "except when it is." I see the "Fun is Not Enough" thing quoted around a lot, often used (incorrectly, unless I misunderstood Rev's initial point) as a "takedown" of smaller titles and casual/retro stuff... and yeah, I'm on the other side of that. But otherwise? Rev is alright with me ;)
Okay. By now, everyone is reasonably-certain that "Wii2" gets revealed at E3. And slightly-less-than-everyone is reasonably-certain that it's mystery-controller A.) isn't a Wii-Remote successor but rather can interface with one or something like one (knowing Nintendo this means peripheral backwards-compatibility, which they'd be INSANE not to do after selling everyone's mom a fortune in Wii Sports toolkits) and B.) incorporates a camera and mini-LCD touch screen into it's design - with most rumors suggesting the screen is roughly the size of an iPhone's, which would be HUGE for something that most are assuming is going to be "built-in" to a conventional dual-stick/buttons controller.
I've got a different theory...
I'll say upfront that I'm almost-certainly 100% off-base about this; largely because I have no talent or skillset for engineering. But on the off chance I'm right (or that it's not Nintendo's idea but not a bad one either...) here we go:
What if the touch-screen is an "everycontroller?"
Here's the idea: The screen will "fit" because it isn't there in-addition to action-buttons, but INSTEAD of action buttons. Basically, instead of dedicated action-buttons that every game has to be engineered for, the controller is just one or two analog sticks with NO dedicated action-buttons - instead, the touch-screen generates a set of "buttons" the arrangement and "form" of which are SPECIFIC to each individual game. Arcade-style buttons for a fighter, NES/SNES setup for a platformer, a PC-style stylus-oriented inventory menu for a sim (or an MMO?), something else for whole other genres I'm not thinking of or haven't been invented yet?
So, yeah. Crazy, probably not even close. But I don't think anyone could deny that this sounds EXACTLY like something Nintendo would do, right? Attention-getting, table-upturning, callous disregard for how 3rd party developers will feel about having to be controller-builders as well as game-designers and - this is the important part - it would LOOK ultra-revolutionary and cutting edge but can actually be built entirely out of decades-old technology their tech-teams are already well-versed in from the DS line. (Hmm... slightly-less insane theory: The controler will look like the bottom half of a 3DS, and a 3DS could be used in-place of one.)
So... uh-huh, that's kind of it: A controller that can turn into "any" controller - at least, that's how they'd sell it.
The 2nd half of Wind Waker involves just clearing two dungeons to restore power to the Master Sword, and finding all the pieces of the Triforce of Courage. Unlike Ocarina of Time, however, Wind Waker doesn't hold your hand so much during the 2nd half. The game actually requires you to explore on your own and figure stuff out. And unless you've been grinding for rupees, your not gonna have nearly enough to decipher all the triforce charts. It gives you an excuse to explore even more and complete sidequests for rupees which would otherwise be useless.
Talking to the King of Red Lions, only gives you a vague hint like "Perhaps the island inhabitants would know something about restoring the Master Sword's power." If this were Navi she'd tell you exactly which island to go to and which person would be able to help you. I suppose in this case the person who can help you restore the Master Sword is Medli, on Dragon Roost Island. The hint is whenever you're on the outside of the island you can hear Medli playing her harp up at the top.
Like in many other Zelda games, music has a very important role to play in the story. Medli says that playing music is important for an attendant of royalty, and this matches up with Impa's role as Zelda's attendant in OoT.
She isn't saying much about the Master Sword, but she sure does like to talk about Prince Komali a lot.
Medli: Oh, Link! You?re OK! You know, Prince Komali's been asking me all about your adventures, Link. I can rest easy now that I've seen you safe and sound with my own eyes. Prince Komali's turned into a fine, young adult, hasn't he? Recently, he's even begun doing things on his own, without my guidance. ...Every conversation still ends up centered on you, though, Link.
Watching Prince Komali grow up fills me with pride... but it makes me a little sad, as well... I wonder if this is how a mother feels... Oh, but just listen to me go on! How weird I must sound!
Hmm, well, to restore power to the Master Sword, Link must awaken the sages of the Earth Temple and Wind Temple, and although the locations of the next two dungeons are marked on the Sea Chart, getting to these dungeons isn't quite so simple. One of the dungeons, on Headstone Island, is blocked by... well a headstone, and you can't pick it up without a strength upgrade.
See, this is the kind of thing Zelda games are made for. You should be scratching your head trying to figure out just how to get to the next level. Using a walkthrough for these games completely changes how you experience them. You might come to figure something out a lot differently than if you had just followed a walkthrough. Like right here I totally wasn't expecting to find this suspicious little lava island.
A nearby fish gives you a hint that you might be able to freeze the lava coming out of the island and enter its cave. The ice arrows must be really powerful in this game if they can freeze an erupting volcano!
Inside the cave, there are a bunch of fire keese and worm enemies... beating them all before the island unfreezes, makes a chest appear which gives you the Power Bracelet. Notice that there were no story sequences or anything leading you do this place, and it's a required item for finishing the game. It really rewards you for exploring.
Now Link enters Headstone Island. There's a stone relic that contains the notes of the Earth God's Lyric.
The notes of this song echo far into the Earth Temple's walls, and the spirit of Laruto, sage of Earth, appears in response to the song.
My name is Laruto. I am a Zora sage. For an age, I offered my prayers here in the Earth Temple, praying that the power to repel evil would ever remain within the Master Sword. And yet... unfortunately, due to Ganondorf's evil designs, the Master Sword you hold has lost this power.
After his defeat at the hands of the Hero of Time, Ganondorf was sealed away... but not for all time. He was revived, and he returned to Hyrule in a red wrath. He attacked this temple and stole my soul, knowing that he had to remove the power contained in that enchanted blade. In order to return the power to repel evil to your sword, you must find another to take my stead in this temple and ask the gods for their assistance.
It seems Laruto was one of the last of the Hyrulean people to continue praying to the gods for the return of a hero. She had so much faith in the hero's return she stayed in the Earth Temple to pray even while Ganondorf's forces came after her... I wonder if it's any coincidence, that a new hero has been born in an age when the people have long since stopped praying for the hero's return.
Nothing can stop the flow of time or the passing of generations... but the fate carried within my bloodline endures the ravages of all the years. It survives. The song you just conducted is one which will open the eyes of the new sage and awaken within that sage the melody that will carry our prayers to the gods. The door that blocks your way will only open when the sage plays that song. May the winds of fortune blow with you.
She keeps referring to her "bloodline... obviously Medli who she's referring to... this is proof that the Rito people must have evolved from Zoras.
Next is the scene where the Link conducts Medli with the Earth God's Lyric, and she awakens as the sage of the Earth Temple. Here's the awesome music to go along with it.
Medli: Hmm... What a mysterious song... It sounds so familiar. It's almost as if something I've forgotten is trying to be remembered... Oh... I feel...
Just now, a sage spoke to me. She spoke so gently... There is something... something I must do. Link... Thanks to you, I've been awakened to the knowledge that I'm a sage of the Earth Temple. There's actually something that I can do to help this world. It's incredible... I bet my teacher knew all about this... Link, please... You must take me to the Earth Temple. We must hurry and wake the power to repel evil that sleeps within the Master Sword.
And again she's thinking about Komali... wow she's really dedicated to her attendant duties.
Together Link and Medli head into the dark evil-filled dungeon.
The two of them play the Earth God's Lyric, and the god of earth responds to the prayer and opens up the entrance to the temple...
This dungeon has a very old, musty feel to it. The Earth Temple is part of the Ancient Ruins of Hyrule under the ocean, and unlike Hyrule Castle, this place wasn't protected from Ganon's dark forces. It hasn't seen light in ages. Link and Medli must restore light to the Earth Temple so the Earth god can once again hear their prayers.
Finally, the Wind Waker dungeons have gotten serious. No more wimpy enemies like plants and birds... this Temple is filled with bigger enemies like moblins...
It also has ghosts that can only be killed with light...
I wonder what all these coffins are doing here... go near one and then SURPRISE REDEAD YOU CANT MOVE OH CRAP HE'S BITING ME AHHHH
These redeads are tougher to sneak up on than the OoT redeads, and there's no sun's song to stun them with. They don't even flinch to any of your weapons. The only strategy to beating them is going in and getting paralyzed, then slashing them up before you can get paralyzed again.
Then there's these mace-wielding Stalfos...
They're kind of like the first miniboss in LttP, the way they swing their mace around in circles...
Another very creepy enemy that lurks this dungeon... the floormasters. Black holes crawling along the floor, a hand comes it of them and if it and if it grabs you it warps you back to the beginning of the dungeon.
They're pretty easy if you see them coming, but don't let them catch you off guard!
Medli's flight ability lets both of you glide across the air (without losing altitude like you would with the magic leaf). You can also control Medli separately and use her to fly up to unreachable areas. Her harp acts as a mirror reflecting light which is vital for solving most of the dungeons puzzles.
Although most of these gimmicks have been done to death in earlier dungeons and earlier Zelda games, this temple puts a new twist on it by having you use teamwork with another playable character to solve puzzles.
Like this room right here, you would normally think to leave Medli on the switch and go through the door with Link, but the solution as actually to leave Link on the switch and go through with Medli, so she can solve the light puzzle in the next room.
This would've made an awesome co-op multiplayer mechanic. With one person controlling Link, the other controlling Medli... similar to the Four Swords games... But instead, it's still just one-player, you have to keep using the Wind Waker to control Medli which gets kind of annoying.
What I like most about the Earth Temple is the darkness clouds...
Shining light on these clouds clears away the darkness.
Honestly it doesn't look that dark from the outside, but once you go in the clouds you can't see more than a few feet in front of you. It's the first time a 3D Zelda game has done the "darkness" effect the right way. Like the pitch black caves from A Link to the Past, you only have a small field of vision around you and everything else is darkness.
As Link and Medli explore further into the Temple, they also go further and further into the darkness. This place is buried beneath the earth, but when Link and Medli opened the way into it, light was able to start making its way through.
With each room they clear, more small patches of light from the sun above make their way down into the dungeon. Medli's instrument can bounce that light around to reveal invisible chests, destroy weak walls, and clear away the clouds of darkness.
But Medli's instrument alone isn't enough. In some cases, Medli needs to stay behind to open the way for Link. Luckily this temple holds a mirror shield. Now with double the reflective capabilities, Link and Medli can light up the eyes of the sun statues, which brighten up the Temple with the power of the sun.
With their combined reflective abilities, even the smallest patches of light can open the way to a great fortune!
But, the darkness hasn't been conquered yet!
Still they must venture further into the darkness.
Even deeper still... the clouds of darkness cover up many secrets, but they could also just as easily cover up bottomless pits and other hazards.
This room is a really fun little puzzle. You can keep one of the redeads stunned by pointing light at them, then killing them with your sword.
Another feature of these darkness clouds is they curse you, and prevent you from using any weapons or items. Being surrounded by darkness, being weaponless, floormasters and poes combine together to make a very frightening combination.
Finally, they reach the boss door, but to find the boss key... yep you guessed it.
Further down into the darkness they go.
There's one last light reflecting puzzle, and it's a huge one. Once you've lit up the final sun statue at the bottom of the dungeon, the entire Earth Temple is now free of darkness.
Cursed Bubbles and Darknuts guard the boss key to this dungeon. After all the Redeads and Floormasters Link has gone through, these guys are nothing. Now that the darkness in the Earth Temple has been conquered, all that's left is to defeat the boss of this temple, the one who killed the previous sage Laruto.
Whoa, as soon as I come in, a bunch of ghosts who are running around, partying or something, all immediately stop and stare at me.
Then they combine together to form...
Jalhalla, the boss of the Earth Temple!
His only weakness is light and giant spike pillars, and fortunately the Earth Temple has plenty of light now thanks to Medli's help, and this room happens to have spike pillars. Link destroys Jalhalla with ease.
With all of Jalhalla's fatness out of the way, the new Earth Sage performs the Master Sword revival ritual...
Medli: Link, the power to repel evil is not yet fully awakened. To complete the awakening of the Master Sword, you must go to the Wind Temple for one more prayer. Now, Link... Step into the light behind you and return to the surface. Your next duty is to find the sage of the Wind Temple. I will remain here to continue to pray. You must hurry! ...And Link! Um... About Prince Komali... Please watch over him for me.
I've always wondered what significance these two temples have with the Master Sword... Hopefully Skyward Sword will shed some light on the Master Sword's creation, and how it can just lose its power...
I mean, we know there's Adelle, who is spirit of the Master Sword and came from the sky... Maybe the elements of Wind and Earth came together to turn the Skyward Sword into the Master Sword... maybe Skyward Sword is the story of the Sky world (wind) and Hyrule (earth) coming together as one world...? With the Zelda series, who knows where the story could go really.
