The Shields of Zelda

The abandonment of the cross insignia was part of a policy by Nintendo to remove all reference to religion from their games ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Video_game_controversy#Criticism_from_religious_organizations ). It was to avoid any possible controversies. Personally, I think the detachment from real-world religion helped add to the fantasy of Nintendo's games.

Those are nice shields, but you are forgetting a lot of others... You should include them in it like the wooded shield or that reflective light one...

Ken: that's a nice comment, but you are forgetting to read the text of the post.

Twilight Princess shield FTW

Perhaps I'm just imagining things, but doesn't the progression of the shields design seem to show signs of correlation with each respective titles entry in the stories vaster chronology? Could it be that Nintendo is waving a key component to comprehending the eventual cannonical story-line under our nose?

Well, the shield from ocarina of time and the twilight princess are pretty much the same thing... So, Fabian, I don't see any correlation :P I don't see anything about the seasons or ages in the oracle games either. I think I do like the lobster though... not a very common symbol to use, which makes it awesome. The majority of the shields are kind of cliche and can be compared to games all the way back to Dragon Warrior 1, with Erdrick's bird symbol.

With reference to the religious symbols..true Christianity is taken out with the cross, but Egyptian symbols which were a religion are still there, the winged sun is Horus, and the three pyramids represent Orion's belt and the stargate.

@ lightbringer

While the real-world explanation of 3 pyramids representing orions belt may be true... the 3 "pyramids" on the sheild represent the 3 tri-forces in the game. I think that was their original goal and not to subliminally suggest a link to any real-world religions.

@Fabian Bruno

That reminds me of the Shield of Achilles from Homer's Iliad. The shield was crafted by Hephaestus and was so detailed that it took on a life of its own. Check out the last paragraph at the following link:

http://ancienthistory.about.com/od/trojanwarinlit/a/IliadXVIII.htm

Now if someone can find the shield from Soul Caliber II, on the Game Cube...

Wow. Nintendo did a good job with that considering triangles are symbols of other religions including in the symbol for Scientology.

One more of a million examples of where Christianity is singled out... *Sigh... And really, if removing a cross from a shield improved your enjoyment of fantasy adventure games, you're a frickin moron

"One more of a million examples of where Christianity is singled out... *Sigh... And really, if removing a cross from a shield improved your enjoyment of fantasy adventure games, you're a frickin moron"

Can you blame them? I would leave Christianity alone, too, if I had something as popular as Zelda. If they stuck with the cross thing, how much longer would it have been before the Crazy Christian Right went ape-shit over it?

Don't forget, Christianity isn't exactly alone in getting ignored by Zelda.
http://www.zeldawiki.org/Fire_Temple#Trivia

Besides, like some one else said, Nintendo's getting away from established religion helped create a more immersive fantasy world.
As someone who isn't a Christian, seeing a bunch of Christian symbols and references to it's mythology would be something of a turn off for me. Whereas if it isn't there at all in the first place, neither you nor I would even take notice.

My all-time favourite is the Hylian shield from Ocarina of time. And the one Twilight princess, of course, which is very similar but more realistic.

funny, the shield in the wind waker and the shield in the minish cap are identical

funny, the shield in the wind waker and the shield in the minish cap are identical

Yet another reason that Link's Awakening is the best Zelda EVARR.

@Arkloyd, the shield in Soul Calibur II for GCN is the same as Ocarina of Time, but props for remembering that.

See pic: http://news.softpedia.com/images/extra/large/soulcalibur2gc_001-large.jpg

Its clearly not a lobster shape, its the same as the others but in a slightly different style, it has the winged beast, then above it is just the markings at the side not claws.

Jeez, what's with all the religious undertones here? Remember this is a video game. IT'S NOT REAL nor did Nintendo mean to impose Christianity in the game. This is why video games come under fire, much like Christianity. Everyone has a different interpretation of what Christianity is and means. In the Legend of Zelda, the story is centered around the Trifore (the triangles on the shield), Link, Zelda, Gannon or Gannondorf, and Hyrule (with the exception of some games). I've been following the game since it came out when I was 6-7 years old, and in no way did I think it was a "Christian" game because of the cross on links shield or Triforce as a "pyramid". And most of the beastiary in Zelda games are based on mythical creatures. That's it really. It doesn't hold a secret like some people think the Mona Lisa or The Last Supper does. IT IS JUST A GAME AND IT'S ALL ABOUT HAVING FUN PRETENDING TO BE SOMEONE ELSE IN A WORLD THAT DOESN'T EXIST IN REAL LIFE. We need to stop thinking that video games represent real life or else those who oppose video games will find the fuel to over regulate or completely stop them. I don't know how it is in other countries, but in America, people are stupid and don't know fantasy from reality because parents here are too lazy to actually be parents to their children. If parents would just be parents this wouldn't be such a big problem.

Shouldn't the Ocarina of Time and Majora's Mask shields be exactly the same?

the hylian shield in ocarina was used by adult link, whereas the hero's shield in majora's mask is used by young link, which is why they aren't the same.

You get the Hylian shield as a child in OoT though.

@ 9
Hey, KOBOB

Last time I checked, Scientology wasn't one of the world's major religions. I also wouldn't think most people would know the symbols for it either. Christianity being singled out... fyi, certain symbols were removed from remakes of Ocarina of time to prevent controversy from the Muslim religion. Start thinking practically and perhaps doing some research before posting.

I just wanted to point out that almost all commonly held symbols are in one way or another religious to someone, even the most seemingly innocuous. I mean, the lobster corresponds to the zodiac sign of cancer (and the stars were always the friends and allies of sailors). does that mean that LOZPH will be set in ancient greece? will we visit thermopyliae and yell out "this is spartaaaaaaaa!"?

as for the christian symbols the cross probably had less to do with christ and more to do with the knights templar which to most people are exemplary of knighthood.
if N had left the cross there hard core christians would have a fit... a christian hero in a land of dragons, demons, non human creatures and Gods? yeah... sounds a bit like the bible. you'd be missing a unicorn in there.

If you look closely, you'll see the triangle on the bottom of the oot sheild is missing from the one in twilight princess. That was because some fans thought it represented a "fourth triforce". (Which is sort of an oxymoron)

You can hear the original Fire Temple music here.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDcQVzu_kc8

Islam has long been associated with a more devil-ish theme, so it isn't surprising the Japanese might have used one of their chants in the Fire Temple. The Temple of Time and other key 'shrines' have a distinctively Christian cathedral feel to them.

Early Nintendo didn't have to be as cautious of religious reference as Politically Correct Nintendo. Zelda's Triforce has obvious parallels to the Christian Trinity.

The Creation of the World segment in Zelda 64 has strong parallels to the traditional Biblical creation theory.

Kid Icarus took place in Angel Land. I would be surprised if they would have done the same thing in 2007.

Christianity is the traditional religion of the West, and Japan has been a part of that cultural tradition since World War 2 ended, so it is no surprise that they have adopted some of our culture.

Apparently, Islam is also insinuated to be the religion of Ganondorf as well in Zelda 64. The Islamic star and crescent was originally in Zelda 64 in a few places, including on the Mirror Shield. The Mirror Shield is obtained in the level which has the two witches as a boss. Ganondorf was raised by two witches, and he is from a tribe of desert thieves.

Discussion of the differences in Zelda 64:
http://www.gamefaqs.com/console/wii/file/937742/46380

Picture of original Mirror Shield:
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j177/SwordlessLink/oldmirrorshield.jpg

Picture of replacement Mirror Shield:
http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j177/SwordlessLink/newmirrorshield.jpg

Wasn't there a reference in "A Link to the Past" about a goddess or goddesses using the triforce to create Hyrule? If so, I think that's what the "winged creature" is representing. (it's been so long since I touched my poor snes that I barely remember the mythology of the game.) I'd have to agree with John that the "lobster" is just another stylization of the "winged figure", although the thought of a "lobster goddess" is definately amusing.:)

Casltvina had a few crosses last time I checked *L*

Michael
you forget how "self censoring" Nintendo was,they where very keen to keep religion, sex and gore out of games.

Actually, the re-release of ALttP has the shield look exactly like the Oracle ones.

But no, it is a lobster

@ZippyDSMlee
in Portrait of Ruin on the top screen in file select
there is a cross with upside down bat wings. If you flip the DS upside down the wings look more natural rightside up but then the cross is upside down. satanic refrence??? possibly

To the idiot who referenced Scientology and the triforce...

SCIENTOLOGY DOESN'T COUNT AS A RELIGION YOU FUCKING IDIOT.

And those who follow this so-called "religion" are fucked in the head. They're STUPID for believing half the shit that CULT believes.

http://www.zeldauniverse.net/content/view/25/46/

Thats ALTTP's shield. Just like all the other hylian shields.

So ALTTP/OOT/OOS(A)/TP shields are pretty much the same

Did anyone notice that on the Majora's mask shield the bird figure and triforce are reversed in position?

It's interesting that in a game which takes place in a world which apparently mirrored hyrule, that even the shields symbols had been inverted.

With the triforce below the bird instead of above. Just little details like that add and carry to ideas that they introduced in the Zelda series.

Like with Phantom Hourglass, it doesn't surprise me that with a new shield he would have one that has the crawfish instead of a bird, and it makes sense with the world being more ocean then anything. And his shield reflects it in this game now.