In The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time there is a missable, short conversation that Young Link can activate in a back alley of Hyrule Castle Town. Available only between the fraught time between acquiring the Ocarina of Time and the Master Sword, this is another detail that long-time players of Nintendo’s venerable 1998 game may have never seen.
Most players, especially on their first run-through of Ocarina of Time, will likely dash straight-away to the Temple of Time after receiving the ocarina itself. At that juncture, Zelda has just been spirited away by Impa, her Sheik guardian in Ocarina of Time, and Link briefly encounters Ganondorf as he chases after them. There is a palpable sense of urgency to obtain the Triforce and protect Zelda.
The dialogue that takes place in the back alley is easy to miss. Ocarina of Time‘s Castle Town Market has a simple and straightforward layout – players can find the Castle, the Temple of Time, and the exit all directly off of the main market square. So, when Link runs from the encounter with Zelda and Ganondorf at the drawbridge to the Temple of Time, there is no need to turn onto a side street. But that’s exactly where this unusual (and unusually dark) scene takes place.
A Stark Reality For Young Link
In Ocarina of Time, in a back alley of Hyrule Castle Town after acquiring the Ocarina of Time, Young Link can come across a soldier slumped against a wall. The soldier will tell him that Ganondorf betrayed the King, and that Link needs to go to the Temple of Time. The encounter is essentially the game steering the player back into the right direction, but the reason this interaction leaves an impression is that the soldier dies when the conversation ends. The only other non-monster death young Link witnesses is the passing of the Great Deku Tree, who dies after Queen Gohma, the cause of the curse afflicting the Great Deku Tree, is defeated. Seeing a Hylian die in front of him is shocking, and likely scarred the young boy for life. It also conveyed to him the dire reality of Hyrule’s situation.
This is arguably not the worst interaction to miss out on in Ocarina of Time, as its best Epona moment can be missed entirely if players traverse the bridge into Gerudo Valley without her, thus not saving the loyal horse from Lon Lon Ranch at all. Players who have never before seen the scene between Young Link and the dying soldier should watch the encounter, as it’s an interesting and unique encounter in Ocarina of Time that many will miss.
