Netflix reportedly making Zelda series.

[Iroscato]

I'd quite like to see Zelda's role being expanded from the archetypical damsel in distress to an actual badass leader of the people who leads a rebellion against Ganon's forces. Twilight Princess had this to some extent - hey, she held a sword for a few minutes - but there could be some potential in Hyrule not just rolling over and taking it immediately.

[Lord Revan]

Hyrule Warriors also had Zelda in an active role as herself.

[Guardsman Bass]

Does Legend of Zelda actually have enough plot or character to carry a TV series? I mean, the plot of 90% of the games is "[Villain] is trying to conquer/destroy [place]. Are you a bad enough dude to rescue the [female lead] and defeat [the villain]?" Nor do I imagine the dungeon crawls will translate well out of a gaming context.

That's a blessing in disguise, since it means they have a lot of room to develop characters and storylines.

I could see how it would be done "Game of Thrones for kids" style. Make the primary overriding conflict a "clash of kings" between Ganon and Zelda, while Link is the hero on the ground who ultimately defeats Ganon and gives us the "common person" view on the situation from his travels while the greater conflict ensues. It's sort of like how Gandalf and Aragorn were helping to lead the fight of Gondor against Sauron's forces, while Frodo & Company were making their way to their goal amidst it all.

[Borgholio]

Also, the Zelda cartoon was terrible, but awesome.

The only things that were awesome were the music and the sound effects taken straight from the game. Link would be better off mute as in the games because he's basically a complete asshole in the cartoon, Zelda is a stereotypical dumb blonde who is only in charge because her people have the IQ of a squid (thanks Ziggy!), and the only reason Ganon hasn't taken over the world already is because he's there for comic relief instead of being a real villain.

Now even though it was only an April Fool's joke, THIS is how The Legend of Zelda should look on screen:

[Zixinus]

I would like to see Link being mute. Perhaps have a chatty friend who understands his sigh-language for him and does the more elaborate dialog. He can emote (do shouts and stuff) but cannot form words.

As for Ganon, make him albino-white, keep the red hair and add some dark eye color. He can have his eye color shift to the situation for graphic effect.

[TheFeniX]

The only things that were awesome were the music and the sound effects taken straight from the game. Link would be better off mute as in the games because he's basically a complete asshole in the cartoon, Zelda is a stereotypical dumb blonde who is only in charge because her people have the IQ of a squid (thanks Ziggy!), and the only reason Ganon hasn't taken over the world already is because he's there for comic relief instead of being a real villain.

Still awesome, while maintaining how terrible it is. Like most kid's cartoons of the era. There's a reason they only play well with kids.

I would like to see Link being mute. Perhaps have a chatty friend who understands his sigh-language for him and does the more elaborate dialog. He can emote (do shouts and stuff) but cannot form words.

So, instead of risking this being awful like most video game adaptations are, you want to cut through the bullshit and just make it terrible? Channel more Legend. Link doesn't need a hook, he's just a good guy who tends to be a little naive and incredibly brave. You can do that without making him a mute or stammering idiot, but I doubt any current crop of writers can handle that since "awkward stammering idiot" tends to be their goto.

Link being mute (no dialog, he's not actually mute) in the games works well because it's a video game, but also because the developers setup numerous situations where the player, not Link, can have an emotional response without the need for dialog. The situation and other NPCs do enough talking for him. This is not going to play at all in a live-action television series when you're not controlling Link.

[Guardsman Bass]

I don't want Link to be mute, because he pretty clearly isn't outside of game mechanics designed to make him a "self-insert" character. He even has conversation options beyond "yes" and "no" in recent Zelda games when you're talking to people.

I don't think he's really naive, though. In fact, he's pretty damn cunning - think of all the times he wheedles information and secrets out of strangers.

EDIT: In fact, I always specifically imagined a particular voice when I think of Link talking. He always sounds like Johnny Yong Bosch when I imagine him talking with other characters.

[TheFeniX]

You're right. Naive isn't the right word. I was going to use awkward, but even that doesn't fit. He has this weird thing with women that I've always found endearing. You can immediately answer yes to Talon's question to marry Malon. But his reactions to forward women are usually hilarious just based off his sounds and facial animations. Like when Ruto says she'll marry him for his heroic deeds or Telma's (joking) advances towards him.

Honestly, the LoZ developers never cease to make me laugh my ass off at Link's expense.

[Lord Revan]

tbh "link" isn't a single person but several people with some shared personality traits.

[Simon_Jester]

I'd quite like to see Zelda's role being expanded from the archetypical damsel in distress to an actual badass leader of the people who leads a rebellion against Ganon's forces. Twilight Princess had this to some extent - hey, she held a sword for a few minutes - but there could be some potential in Hyrule not just rolling over and taking it immediately.

Wind Waker played with this too, although they went very non-archetypal for Zelda by making her a pirate princess/queen.

[Iroscato]

I'd quite like to see Zelda's role being expanded from the archetypical damsel in distress to an actual badass leader of the people who leads a rebellion against Ganon's forces. Twilight Princess had this to some extent - hey, she held a sword for a few minutes - but there could be some potential in Hyrule not just rolling over and taking it immediately.

Wind Waker played with this too, although they went very non-archetypal for Zelda by making her a pirate princess/queen.

WW was one game I never played, though I'd like to at some point. They could perhaps play with elements of that - take cues from several different games and see what works and what doesn't. Kind of like with superhero movies picking bits and pieces from various story arcs to tell a straightforward, 'condensed' version of the tale.

[Borgholio]

they went very non-archetypal for Zelda by making her a pirate princess/queen.

Nothing wrong with the idea of making Zelda a warrior princess or something along those lines. The damsel in distress thing is a pretty big dead horse.

[Simon_Jester]

Well, the catch is that Zelda is really, thematically speaking, closer to the "wise sorceress" archetype.

Having her be an interesting character because of her ability to use armed force would place her in direct conflict with Link's role in the story. Given what usually happens in cases like that, it is doubtful whether said conflict would work out to Zelda's advantage as a compelling character.

I would think that the challenge then is to give her strength of character and agency in the plot, without making her into a generic Amazon "bodacious warrior babe" type. For example, she could play the role of strategist, diplomat, organizer, adviser on the weaknesses of enemies, the one who knows all the lore that even makes it possible for Link to proceed.

Done well, that could be interesting. Done poorly, it makes her a generic NPC quest giver. But it'd be nice if they could do it well, if only because I like having classy characters in fantasy who aren't just warriors.

[Iroscato]

Well, the catch is that Zelda is really, thematically speaking, closer to the "wise sorceress" archetype.

Having her be an interesting character because of her ability to use armed force would place her in direct conflict with Link's role in the story. Given what usually happens in cases like that, it is doubtful whether said conflict would work out to Zelda's advantage as a compelling character.

I would think that the challenge then is to give her strength of character and agency in the plot, without making her into a generic Amazon "bodacious warrior babe" type. For example, she could play the role of strategist, diplomat, organizer, adviser on the weaknesses of enemies, the one who knows all the lore that even makes it possible for Link to proceed.

Done well, that could be interesting. Done poorly, it makes her a generic NPC quest giver. But it'd be nice if they could do it well, if only because I like having classy characters in fantasy who aren't just warriors.

You raise a good point. The best interpretation probably wouldn't be from her Super Smash Bros tenure, for example
Playing up the connection the three major characters have with their respective pieces of the Triforce is the natural thing to do. Perhaps I'm a little too bloody-minded. Good thing I'm not in charge of this shindig, if it does actually gain momentum...

[Borgholio]

I would like to see some history about the Triforce itself. The backstory currently is that it was created by the gods and broke apart when Ganon tried to take it but lacked the personal qualities to use Wisdom and Courage, leaving him only Power. What if the idea of the Triforce was expanded upon? A little more information on why it was created, what effects it has on the world in general when it's combined, if the world is thrown into chaos when it's split apart, things like that. Could tell lots of stories based on that, other than "Evil Ganon has the Triforce of Power and is going to use it to conquer the world".

[TheFeniX]

The damsel in distress thing is a pretty big dead horse.

Have you read or talked to anyone who's read Twilight? Reading your post, I asked my wife "In the books, how much of Bella's time is spent being rescued by oiled up God's among men?"

"About 95%."

But women don't seem to mind Bella as she still has characterization because the books are about her. This is lacking for someone like Zelda because the game doesn't focus on her. As much characterization as she gets in the games, her screen-time is generally minimal and plot points focusing on her revolve around her being captured or evading capture because "Princess Zelda" is a plot-token and LoZ is an action-adventure game, not an old-school RPG.

Just like there's nothing wrong with the shaved head white dude being all the awesome and saving all the peoples from the anti-awesome. There is something wrong with that being the only characterization provided.

[Borgholio]

Have you read or talked to anyone who's read Twilight?

Yes and they basically sum it up as life seen through the eyes of a whiny little bitch.

There is something wrong with that being the only characterization provided.

Exactly, that's my point. Zelda has the potential to be a very influential character. She could be a wizard, or a skilled archer, or a genius tactician. It would add more to her character if she were actually a strong woman who could put up a fight. So Ganon could still capture her, but it would be a hard fight...not simply throwing her over his shoulder and running away cackling.

[Ziggy Stardust]

Zelda is a stereotypical dumb blonde who is only in charge because her people have the IQ of a squid (thanks Ziggy!)

Anyway, I hope this happens. I don't have many hopes that it could actually turn out good, but I think it could at least be a pretty entertaining watch. I am a bit worried how they would go about approaching the various monsters and strange creatures that inhabit Hyrule, like the Peahats and the Like Like and what-have-you. I feel like it would be hard to actually depict some of these things without them looking abysmally stupid.

Also, I hope that the show has some sort of a running joke about Link hating chickens (or "cuckoo", but come on they're fucking chickens).

[Simon_Jester]

Have you read or talked to anyone who's read Twilight?

Yes and they basically sum it up as life seen through the eyes of a whiny little bitch.

There is something wrong with that being the only characterization provided.

Exactly, that's my point. Zelda has the potential to be a very influential character. She could be a wizard, or a skilled archer, or a genius tactician. It would add more to her character if she were actually a strong woman who could put up a fight. So Ganon could still capture her, but it would be a hard fight...not simply throwing her over his shoulder and running away cackling.

True. I've seen iterations where she clocks Ganon with a gigantic paralysis beam, or grabs a bow and starts pincushioning him with light arrows, just from the game alone. So there's already precedent.

[Zixinus]

So, instead of risking this being awful like most video game adaptations are, you want to cut through the bullshit and just make it terrible? Channel more Legend. Link doesn't need a hook, he's just a good guy who tends to be a little naive and incredibly brave. You can do that without making him a mute or stammering idiot, but I doubt any current crop of writers can handle that since "awkward stammering idiot" tends to be their goto.

If the script was written by idiots, the thing will suck regardless whether Link is a mute or not. I didn't say Link would need to be a stammering idiot or naive either.

I don't want Link to be mute, because he pretty clearly isn't outside of game mechanics designed to make him a "self-insert" character. He even has conversation options beyond "yes" and "no" in recent Zelda games when you're talking to people

Yes, although you could make an argument for those options being done trough sign-language that the locals understand well enough.

[TheFeniX]

Yes and they basically sum it up as life seen through the eyes of a whiny little bitch.

Yet even with a plot-line that swims in "save me please Edward-san!," it's printing money. Disney is still doing it and making loads of money. Just because they now tend to help facilitate their own rescues doesn't change that. The only people who seem to mind Damsel themes, as a matter of course, are video game bloggers.

And they seem to get really annoyed at LoZ, ignoring everything else about the series, to focus on that.

Exactly, that's my point. Zelda has the potential to be a very influential character. She could be a wizard, or a skilled archer, or a genius tactician. It would add more to her character if she were actually a strong woman who could put up a fight. So Ganon could still capture her, but it would be a hard fight...not simply throwing her over his shoulder and running away cackling.

Anyone who can fire arrows from horseback and hit someone else on horseback is already a skilled archer, but I get your point. Zelda is about as influential as she can be in most 3D Zelda games without having her just follow Link around, which doesn't make sense for her character and is also dangerous for everyone considering that would put two parts of the Triforce in one specific area.

Characters more influential than Zelda: Navi, Midna, and The King (In boat form). Why? Because they're on screen more and included in the gameplay. Something television writers won't have to work with or use as a crutch since a big part of TV and movies is being able to show different characters without resorting to boring exposition.

The thing is if the writers don't develop Zelda as a character and instead make her get kidnapped all the time, people are going to hate the show either way. They don't care if characters end up damseled (male or female) but they have to give two shits about the character in order to watch your show. So, Zelda being more developed is going to have to happen because a show's popularity isn't tied to fans of the source material.

The games have their own problems. Had Twilight Princess been my first LoZ, I honestly wouldn't have known or cared about Zelda and would have been unmoved by any of her screen-time. Midna is obviously the front-runner in that game, but the developers expected you to remember OoT and WW Zelda and make the connection after that fact, even though they are three different people. That was a bad move mitigated by the Zelda's popularity in Japan and America.