There is a tragedy hidden in plain sight in the ending of The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom, which puts a very different spin on the supposedly happy conclusion. On the surface, the game’s final moments seem to be nothing more than a collection of positive scenes from across Hyrule, showing the final results of Zelda’s efforts to protect her kingdom. However, closer examination reveals a much darker side to one of these moments.

There are plenty of darker details in The Legend of Zelda, many of which only reveal their full depth on close examination or reflection. For example, The ending of Echoes of Wisdom is merely the most recent example of this trend.

Condé’s Brother Returning Isn’t Just A Happy Reunion

The Yeti Will Soon Learn About The Death Of His Father

Zelda engages with the stories of many NPCs in Echoes of Wisdom, many of whom can then be seen depicted living happy lives in the game’s ending credits. One of the scenes shown during this sequence is Condé the Yeti jumping for joy at the sight of his brother’s hot air balloon. On the surface, this is a heartwarming moment, promising that the pair will soon be together again at last. However, this impending happy reunion is overshadowed by the fact that Condé’s brother is also about to learn that their father has died during his absence.

In many ways, this will be one of the worst ways possible for Condé’s brother to end his journey. Condé himself has been left alone for a long time, sadly waiting and hoping for his brother’s return. Furthermore, the trouble brought by the Rifts has only compounded Condé’s circumstances. Condé’s isolation is a prevalent theme for the Yeti; any possible neighboring races have been cut from Echoes of Wisdom entirely, meaning his mountaintop home is devoid of companionship without his family. As such, it is easy to see his brother feeling responsible for Condé’s emotional distress upon learning the truth.

Echoes Of Wisdom Glosses Over Condé’s Tragic News

Reminding Players About It Would Darken The Game’s Happy Ending

Of course, it is not hard to see why Echoes of Wisdom chooses to ignore the logical fallout of this event. The credits are clearly intended to depict Hyrule recovering after the events of the game, but reminding people about Condé’s father would introduce a much more depressing element to this sequence. Although doing so could provide closure, it would also badly affect the otherwise positive mood. Meanwhile, by only depicting Condé’s joy, the game allows people to focus more on the more positive aspects of the reunion.

The death of Condé’s father is a tragedy that gives the normally-upbeat Yeti a deeper history than many other Echoes of Wisdom NPCs, but it will also be the worst possible news for his brother to receive when he returns home. It is likely that Condé’s brother will be fully expecting to be greeted by both of his family , with no way of knowing the truth. It is understandable why The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom does not acknowledge this inevitability, but the looming tragedy does paint this part of its happy ending in a very different light.