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brightknightie) wrote2026-02-08 02:58 pm
brightknightie) wrote2026-02-08 02:58 pm
Entry tags:
I did it for Fi
Fi is the spirit of the sword in The Legend of Zelda. The Master Sword looks like a European blade, but TLOZ is a JRPG. A fusion of J.R.R. Tolkien's novels and Shigeru Miyamoto's boyhood in rural Japan, the story gave its fantasy sword a spirit, somewhat as traditional clay-tempered Japanese blades have. Down through all the ages of the story, the sword selects its wielder. (I've deleted my digression on sword spirits in TLOZ. For now. ~grin~)
According to my Switch 2 app, I'm 475 hours into The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. I've completed every side quest, beaten every shrine, collected every memory, maximized every inventory stash, upgraded every armor/outfit, filled all but five slots in the compendium, and hung the "Champions Ballad" reward picture in Link's home.* At this point, the only things between me and the story's final chapter are the "Trial of the Sword" and completionism (finding every Korok, every chest, etc.). I'm a "story-ist," not a completionist.
The "Trial of the Sword" is a three-stage DLC that powers up the Master Sword for each stage you complete. There's microscopic story gain, really just a gantlet** of increasingly difficult monsters in increasingly challenging environments, which you must conquer all in one run per stage, or be sent all the way back to the beginning to do it all over again. No saves. I really enjoy the conceit of stripping Link of all his weapons, armor, and resources, being left to muddle through on cleverness! Eventide Island, ahoy! But I do not enjoy gantlet-style at all. I've been trying to get through just the beginner stage of the "Trial of the Sword" on and off in my hobby time for weeks. I almost gave up. There's no more story, right?
But. Story got into my head. As it does. How would Fi feel about Link skipping this challenge? All of BOTW's present-day has been about Link rebuilding himself as the legendary hero, regaining his memories, his strength, his mission -- his sword. Isn't this Fi's equivalent journey? Perhaps she even influenced the creation of this darn gantlet for him! So I kept trying. And trying. Finally, Saturday night, after dinner, the third time I've ever managed to make it all the way up to the twelfth level -- and only after checking the internet to confirm that the Hinox with greaves is indeed the last of this phase and I should therefore "leave it all on the field" -- my Link beat the beginner stage of the "Trial of the Sword." Yay!
So: that's enough. The real (fictional) Link would bring Fi all the way through the next two stages! But I am calling this for myself. Next up, perhaps next weekend, it's straight to Zelda to beat Ganon and watch the full end credits in my own game (instead of on YouTube).
* Typical playthroughs are 50-100 hours. Most players do not complete all the optional subplots and sidequests. Also, most players are more skilled than I am. ;-D
** As you know, a "gantlet" is a "lane run" ordeal or challenge, while a "gauntlet" was originally only a stout protective glove that comes up high on the arm, but, over time, the words converged, and "gauntlet" now means both "gantlet" and "gauntlet." English is fun!
According to my Switch 2 app, I'm 475 hours into The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. I've completed every side quest, beaten every shrine, collected every memory, maximized every inventory stash, upgraded every armor/outfit, filled all but five slots in the compendium, and hung the "Champions Ballad" reward picture in Link's home.* At this point, the only things between me and the story's final chapter are the "Trial of the Sword" and completionism (finding every Korok, every chest, etc.). I'm a "story-ist," not a completionist.
The "Trial of the Sword" is a three-stage DLC that powers up the Master Sword for each stage you complete. There's microscopic story gain, really just a gantlet** of increasingly difficult monsters in increasingly challenging environments, which you must conquer all in one run per stage, or be sent all the way back to the beginning to do it all over again. No saves. I really enjoy the conceit of stripping Link of all his weapons, armor, and resources, being left to muddle through on cleverness! Eventide Island, ahoy! But I do not enjoy gantlet-style at all. I've been trying to get through just the beginner stage of the "Trial of the Sword" on and off in my hobby time for weeks. I almost gave up. There's no more story, right?
But. Story got into my head. As it does. How would Fi feel about Link skipping this challenge? All of BOTW's present-day has been about Link rebuilding himself as the legendary hero, regaining his memories, his strength, his mission -- his sword. Isn't this Fi's equivalent journey? Perhaps she even influenced the creation of this darn gantlet for him! So I kept trying. And trying. Finally, Saturday night, after dinner, the third time I've ever managed to make it all the way up to the twelfth level -- and only after checking the internet to confirm that the Hinox with greaves is indeed the last of this phase and I should therefore "leave it all on the field" -- my Link beat the beginner stage of the "Trial of the Sword." Yay!
So: that's enough. The real (fictional) Link would bring Fi all the way through the next two stages! But I am calling this for myself. Next up, perhaps next weekend, it's straight to Zelda to beat Ganon and watch the full end credits in my own game (instead of on YouTube).
* Typical playthroughs are 50-100 hours. Most players do not complete all the optional subplots and sidequests. Also, most players are more skilled than I am. ;-D
** As you know, a "gantlet" is a "lane run" ordeal or challenge, while a "gauntlet" was originally only a stout protective glove that comes up high on the arm, but, over time, the words converged, and "gauntlet" now means both "gantlet" and "gauntlet." English is fun!