|caption= A stained glass window depicting the Great Flood that sealed away Ganon and Hyrule
|name = Great Flood
|game= TWW
|image = [[File:Ganon and the Great Flood.png|230px]]
|location= {{List|[[Hyrule]], [[Great Sea]]}}
|caption = A stained glass window depicting the Great Flood that sealed away Ganon and Hyrule.
|occurrence= Ganondorf escapes the Sacred Realm and returns to attack Hyrule. The Golden Goddesses flood Hyrule to stop him.
|game = ''[[The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker|The Wind Waker]]''
|resolution= Hyrule is sealed underneath the Great Sea. The people build a new society on the mountaintops.
|country = [[Hyrule]]<br>[[Great Sea]]
|theme=
|occurrence = Ganondorf escapes the Sacred Realm and returns to attack Hyrule. The Golden Goddesses flood Hyrule to stop him.
|resolution = Hyrule is sealed underneath the Great Sea. The people build a new society on the mountaintops.
}}
}}
The {{name|Great Flood}} is the name often associated with a deluge that befell the land of [[Hyrule]] many years after the end of ''[[The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time|Ocarina of Time]]'' in the "Adult Timeline". Described in the introduction of ''[[The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker|The Wind Waker]]'', it occurred when [[Ganon]]dorf escaped from his imprisonment in the [[Sacred Realm]] and returned to Hyrule, after the departure of the Hero of Time.<ref>{{cite|The great evil that all thought had been forever sealed away by the hero...once again crept forth from the depths of the earth, eager to resume its dark designs.|Introduction|The Wind Waker}}</ref>
The {{Name|Fan|Great Flood}} is the name often associated with a deluge that befell the land of [[Hyrule]] many generations after the end of {{OoT}} in the [[Adult Timeline]]. Described in the introduction of {{TWW}}, it occurred when [[Ganondorf]] escaped from his imprisonment in the [[Sacred Realm]] and returned to Hyrule, after the departure of the Hero of Time.<ref>{{Cite|The great evil that all thought had been forever sealed away by the hero...once again crept forth from the depths of the earth, eager to resume its dark designs.|N/A|TWW}}</ref>
==Return of Ganondorf==
==Overview==
[[File:Normal opening 4.png|thumb|350px|left|The Hero of Time journeys through the currents of time to return to his own age.]]
===Return of Ganondorf===
Many years after the departure of the Hero of Time, the seal of the Seven Sages began to weaken for an unknown reason, and [[Ganon|Ganondorf]] managed to escape his imprisonment. Ganondorf intended to make good on his threat to the Hero of Time and the Seven Sages that he would escape one day to make their descendants pay for his imprisonment.<ref name=quote2>{{cite|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.|[[Laruto]]|The Wind Waker}}</ref><ref>{{cite|Once, long ago, this land of Hyrule was turned into a world of shadows by Ganon, who sought to obtain the power of the gods for his own evil ends.|[[Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule]]|The Wind Waker}}</ref><ref name=quote3>{{cite|Someday...When this seal is broken....That is when I will exterminate your descendants!!|[[Ganon]]dorf|Ocarina of Time}}</ref> Ganondorf attacked Hyrule with his army. The [[King of Hyrule]], [[Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule]], attempted to use his magic to stop him, but failed, and left Hyrule's fate to the Goddesses.<ref name=quote4/> The people of Hyrule prayed that the Hero of Time would once again come to save them.<ref name=quote5>{{cite|The people believed that the Hero of Time would again come to save them. ...But the hero did not appear.|Introduction|The Wind Waker}}</ref><ref name=quote4>{{cite|My power alone could not stop the fiend, and our only choice was to leave the fate of the kingdom in the hands of the gods...|[[Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule]]|The Wind Waker}}</ref>
Many generations after the departure of the [[Hero of Time]], the seal of the Seven Sages began to weaken for an unknown reason, and [[Ganondorf]] managed to escape his imprisonment. Ganondorf intended to make good on his threat to the Hero of Time and the Seven Sages that he would escape one day to make their descendants pay for his imprisonment.<ref>{{Cite|Once, long ago, this land of Hyrule was turned into a world of shadows by Ganon, who sought to obtain the power of the gods for his own evil ends.|Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule|TWW}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|Someday...When this seal is broken....That is when I will exterminate your descendants!!|Ganondorf|OoT}}</ref> As the darkness was covering the land, the people of Hyrule prayed that the Hero of Time would once again come to save them, but the hero did not appear.<ref>{{Cite|The people believed that the Hero of Time would again come to save them. ...But the hero did not appear.|N/A|TWW}}</ref>
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==The Divine Deluge==
===The Divine Deluge===
[[File:Normal opening 5.png|250px|thumb|left|The people of Hyrule pray to the Goddesses for deliverance, resulting in the Great Flood.]]
[[File:TWW Scroll of the Hero of Time 5.png|250px|thumb|left|The people of Hyrule pray to the Goddesses for deliverance, resulting in the Great Flood.]]
The Hero of Time did not appear to save Hyrule, having been sent back across the flows of time to his own age. Left with no other choice, the people of Hyrule pleaded to the three Golden Goddesses.<ref name=quote6>{{cite|Faced by an onslaught of evil, the people could do nothing but appeal to the gods. In their last hour, as doom drew nigh, they left their future in the hands of fate.|Introduction|The Wind Waker}}</ref><ref name=quote7>{{cite|When the gods heard our pleas, they chose to seal away not only Ganon, but Hyrule itself...and so, with a torrential downpour of rains from the heavens... Our fair kingdom was soon buried beneath the waves, forgotten at the bottom of the ocean. Yet all was not lost.[...] So, before the sealing of the kingdom, the gods chose those who would build a new country and commanded them to take refuge on the mountaintops.|[[Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule]]|The Wind Waker}}</ref> Ganondorf was on the verge of completely conquering the land of Hyrule, his troops having even penetrated [[Hyrule Castle]] itself. It was then however that the Goddesses answered the peoples' prayers, instructing them to flee to Hyrule's mountaintops in order to escape the coming flood.<ref name=quote7/> King Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule remained behind with his doomed kingdom, though evidenced by [[Tetra]]'s survival, it is implied that he had [[Princess Zelda]] be among her people at the time of the flood. Once the people were safely away, the Goddesses caused a torrential downpour, covering the land and turning the mountaintops into islands.
The [[King of Hyrule]], [[Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule]], attempted to use his magic to stop Ganondorf, but failed. Left with no other choice, the people pleaded to the three Golden Goddesses.<ref>{{Cite|My power alone could not stop the fiend, and our only choice was to leave the fate of the kingdom in the hands of the gods...|Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule|TWW}}</ref><ref>{{Cite|Faced by an onslaught of evil, the people could do nothing but appeal to the gods. In their last hour, as doom drew nigh, they left their future in the hands of fate.|N/A|TWW}}</ref> The Goddesses eventually answered the peoples' prayers, instructing those chosen to flee to Hyrule's mountaintops in order to escape the coming flood and to prevent Ganon's wish of the destruction of the land. Once the people were safely away, the Goddesses caused a torrential downpour, covering the land and turning the mountaintops into islands.<ref>{{Cite|When the gods heard our pleas, they chose to seal away not only Ganon, but Hyrule itself...and so, with a torrential downpour of rains from the heavens... Our fair kingdom was soon buried beneath the waves, forgotten at the bottom of the ocean. Yet all was not lost. For the gods knew that to seal the people away with the kingdom would be to grant Ganon's wish for the destruction of the land. So, before the sealing of the kingdom, the gods chose those who would build a new country and commanded them to take refuge on the mountaintops.|Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule|TWW}}</ref> The king chose to remain behind with his doomed kingdom. He split the [[Triforce of Wisdom]] into two parts and instructed the [[Princess Zelda#Antediluvian Princess|princess]] of that era to keep one piece and flee to the mountaintops with her servants.<ref>{{Cite Book|quote= The gods chose which of the kingdom's subjects would ascend to the new land, telling them to escape to the tallest mountains. They then flooded the world, sinking Ganondorf and Hyrule to the bottom of the ocean and sealing them away. Though the king was sealed along with his kingdom, the princess took a piece of the Triforce that had been broken in two by the king and managed to escape to the ocean's surface with several of her retainers.|book= HH |publisher= |page= 123}}</ref>
The goddesses sealed the kingdom within an enchanted air chamber that prevented the water from destroying it. A magical seal was also cast over the Master Sword and the Pedestal of Time that froze the entire land of Hyrule and Ganon's army, freezing them in time and draining the entire castle of color.<ref name=quote8>{{cite|By the way, boy... When you drew that sword of yours out of its resting place... Did you by chance notice how all of the monsters frozen in time down there suddenly began stirring again?[...] While that sword is indeed the blade of evil's bane, at the same time, it has long played another role... You see, it is also a sort of key... a most wretched little key that has kept the seal on me and my magic intact! By withdrawing the blade, you have broken that seal...|[[Ganon]]dorf|The Wind Waker}}</ref> The Golden Goddesses then crafted a great [[Tower of the Gods|tower]] that would serve to test the worthiness of any aspiring heroes, in an effort to find one capable of defeating Ganon.<ref>{{cite|This tower, which the pearls of the gods have caused to appear, is a place that the gods of the ancient world prepared so that they might test the courage of men. Only one who is able to overcome the trials that await here will be acknowledged by the gods to be a true hero.|[[King of Red Lions]]|The Wind Waker}}</ref> Only one who passed tower's trials would be sent beneath the waves to Hyrule Castle deep to take the up the Master Sword. This tower could only be raised from the bottom of the sea by one possessing the three special [[Goddess Pearls|Pearls of the Goddesses]], one for each Goddess.<ref>{{cite|Once you have placed each of the pearls in its proper location, the proving grounds for your courage will become apparent.|[[King of Red Lions]]|The Wind Waker}}</ref>
Ganon's army had already infiltrated [[Hyrule Castle]] when the goddesses sealed the kingdom within an enchanted air chamber that prevented the water from destroying it. A magical seal was also cast over the Master Sword and the Pedestal of Time that froze the entire land of Hyrule and Ganon's army, freezing them in time and draining the entire kingdom of color.<ref>{{Cite|By the way, boy... When you drew that sword of yours out of its resting place... Did you by chance notice how all of the monsters frozen in time down there suddenly began stirring again?[...] While that sword is indeed the blade of evil's bane, at the same time, it has long played another role... You see, it is also a sort of key... a most wretched little key that has kept the seal on me and my magic intact! By withdrawing the blade, you have broken that seal...|Ganondorf|TWW}}</ref>
The people of Hyrule would then go on to build a new civilization on the surface of the [[Great Sea]] and, with the passing of time, largely forget the memory of the old Hyrule that still existed deep beneath the waves.<ref>{{cite|The memory of the kingdom vanished, but its legend survived on the wind's breath.|Introduction|The Wind Waker}}</ref>
The people of Hyrule would then go on to build a new civilization on the surface of the [[Great Sea]] and, with the passing of time, largely forget the memory of the old Hyrule that still existed deep beneath the waves.<ref>{{Cite|The memory of the kingdom vanished, but its legend survived on the wind's breath.|N/A|TWW}}</ref>
===Aftermath===
{{Main|The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker}}
[[File:TWW Final Battle in Hyrule Artwork.jpg|200px|thumb|right|The final duel between Ganondorf, Link and Zelda in Hyrule's final moments.]]
Many centuries after the initial flood, Ganondorf broke free of the seal binding Hyrule and returned, intending to reunite the Triforce pieces to reconquer the sunken Hyrule.<ref>{{Cite|Do not fear. I will not kill you... I merely have need of the power that dwells within you.|Ganondorf|TWW}}</ref> This caused a new incarnation of Link and Princess Zelda to appear to challenge Ganondorf again, as had their predecessors. After uniting the Triforce, and at the will of the old King, the sacred pieces rise into the air and vanish as the air chamber above them begins to collapse, allowing the Great Sea to pour into Hyrule. After Ganondorf is defeated, Hyrule is completely swallowed by water, leaving Link and Princess Zelda to create a new Hyrule above the waves.
==Trivia==
*The Goddesses flooding Hyrule to cleanse evil from the land, at the sacrifice of most life while allowing a select few to survive, is similar to many {{Wp|flood myth}}s from real life.
==Aftermath==
{{Main|The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker|The Wind Waker}}
[[File:Final Battle in Hyrule.jpg|200px|thumb|right|The final duel between Ganondorf, Link and Zelda in Hyrule's final moments.]]
Many centuries after the initial flood, Ganondorf broke free of the seal binding Hyrule and returned, intending to reunite the Triforce pieces to reconquer the sunken Hyrule.<ref>{{cite|Do not fear. I will not kill you... I merely have need of the power that dwells within you.|[[Ganon]]dorf|The Wind Waker}}</ref> This caused a new incarnation of Link and Princess Zelda to appear to challenge Ganondorf again, as had their predecessors. After uniting the Triforce, and at the will of the old King, the sacred pieces rise into the air and vanish as the air chamber above them begins to collapse, allowing the Great Sea to pour into Hyrule. After Ganondorf is defeated, Hyrule is completely swallowed by water, leaving Link and Princess Zelda to create a new Hyrule above the waves.
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{{Categories
|Wars
[[Category:Events]]
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[[Category:Wars]]
Latest revision as of 17:01, 16 August 2023
The Great Flood is the name often associated with a deluge that befell the land of Hyrule many generations after the end of Ocarina of Time in the Adult Timeline. Described in the introduction of The Wind Waker, it occurred when Ganondorf escaped from his imprisonment in the Sacred Realm and returned to Hyrule, after the departure of the Hero of Time.[1]
Many generations after the departure of the Hero of Time, the seal of the Seven Sages began to weaken for an unknown reason, and Ganondorf managed to escape his imprisonment. Ganondorf intended to make good on his threat to the Hero of Time and the Seven Sages that he would escape one day to make their descendants pay for his imprisonment.[2][3] As the darkness was covering the land, the people of Hyrule prayed that the Hero of Time would once again come to save them, but the hero did not appear.[4]
The Divine Deluge
The people of Hyrule pray to the Goddesses for deliverance, resulting in the Great Flood.
The King of Hyrule, Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule, attempted to use his magic to stop Ganondorf, but failed. Left with no other choice, the people pleaded to the three Golden Goddesses.[5][6] The Goddesses eventually answered the peoples' prayers, instructing those chosen to flee to Hyrule's mountaintops in order to escape the coming flood and to prevent Ganon's wish of the destruction of the land. Once the people were safely away, the Goddesses caused a torrential downpour, covering the land and turning the mountaintops into islands.[7] The king chose to remain behind with his doomed kingdom. He split the Triforce of Wisdom into two parts and instructed the princess of that era to keep one piece and flee to the mountaintops with her servants.[8]
Ganon's army had already infiltrated Hyrule Castle when the goddesses sealed the kingdom within an enchanted air chamber that prevented the water from destroying it. A magical seal was also cast over the Master Sword and the Pedestal of Time that froze the entire land of Hyrule and Ganon's army, freezing them in time and draining the entire kingdom of color.[9]
The people of Hyrule would then go on to build a new civilization on the surface of the Great Sea and, with the passing of time, largely forget the memory of the old Hyrule that still existed deep beneath the waves.[10]
The final duel between Ganondorf, Link and Zelda in Hyrule's final moments.
Many centuries after the initial flood, Ganondorf broke free of the seal binding Hyrule and returned, intending to reunite the Triforce pieces to reconquer the sunken Hyrule.[11] This caused a new incarnation of Link and Princess Zelda to appear to challenge Ganondorf again, as had their predecessors. After uniting the Triforce, and at the will of the old King, the sacred pieces rise into the air and vanish as the air chamber above them begins to collapse, allowing the Great Sea to pour into Hyrule. After Ganondorf is defeated, Hyrule is completely swallowed by water, leaving Link and Princess Zelda to create a new Hyrule above the waves.
Trivia
The Goddesses flooding Hyrule to cleanse evil from the land, at the sacrifice of most life while allowing a select few to survive, is similar to many flood myths from real life.
References
↑"The great evil that all thought had been forever sealed away by the hero...once again crept forth from the depths of the earth, eager to resume its dark designs." — N/A (The Wind Waker)
↑"Once, long ago, this land of Hyrule was turned into a world of shadows by Ganon, who sought to obtain the power of the gods for his own evil ends." — Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule (The Wind Waker)
↑"Someday...When this seal is broken....That is when I will exterminate your descendants!!" — Ganondorf (Ocarina of Time)
↑"The people believed that the Hero of Time would again come to save them. ...But the hero did not appear." — N/A (The Wind Waker)
↑"My power alone could not stop the fiend, and our only choice was to leave the fate of the kingdom in the hands of the gods..." — Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule (The Wind Waker)
↑"Faced by an onslaught of evil, the people could do nothing but appeal to the gods. In their last hour, as doom drew nigh, they left their future in the hands of fate." — N/A (The Wind Waker)
↑"When the gods heard our pleas, they chose to seal away not only Ganon, but Hyrule itself...and so, with a torrential downpour of rains from the heavens... Our fair kingdom was soon buried beneath the waves, forgotten at the bottom of the ocean. Yet all was not lost. For the gods knew that to seal the people away with the kingdom would be to grant Ganon's wish for the destruction of the land. So, before the sealing of the kingdom, the gods chose those who would build a new country and commanded them to take refuge on the mountaintops." — Daphnes Nohansen Hyrule (The Wind Waker)
↑"The gods chose which of the kingdom's subjects would ascend to the new land, telling them to escape to the tallest mountains. They then flooded the world, sinking Ganondorf and Hyrule to the bottom of the ocean and sealing them away. Though the king was sealed along with his kingdom, the princess took a piece of the Triforce that had been broken in two by the king and managed to escape to the ocean's surface with several of her retainers." (Hyrule Historia, Dark Horse Books, pg. 123)
↑"By the way, boy... When you drew that sword of yours out of its resting place... Did you by chance notice how all of the monsters frozen in time down there suddenly began stirring again?[...] While that sword is indeed the blade of evil's bane, at the same time, it has long played another role... You see, it is also a sort of key... a most wretched little key that has kept the seal on me and my magic intact! By withdrawing the blade, you have broken that seal..." — Ganondorf (The Wind Waker)
↑"The memory of the kingdom vanished, but its legend survived on the wind's breath." — N/A (The Wind Waker)
↑"Do not fear. I will not kill you... I merely have need of the power that dwells within you." — Ganondorf (The Wind Waker)
