i love that "Find Princess Zelda" was the final quest and not "Destroy Ganondorf" because that means Link's number one priority the entire time is finding her, not killing Ganondorf. Killing Ganondorf was just a part of reaching his true goal. Really heartwarming when you think about it.
My thoughts exactly. As soon as Ganondorf ripped the stone off his head, I had my hands on my head when I knew what he was going to do on my first playthrough. I didn't see that coming. 😂
Thats when i realised. The foreshadowing in the past wasnt meant for zelda. That was made SO obvious.. the foreshadowing was for GANONDORF. And they GOT ME GOOD
It's crazy how many of the intended details he understood almost immediately that _none_ of the streamers I've seen thus far have picked up on. He treated the Ganondorf fights like the past ones with the 'energy ball ping-pong', and he even trusted that Dragon Zelda would catch him without needing to take out his paraglider. And of course, let's not forget the emotional reaction to the entire sequence. I LOVE how into the game he is too, this was an absolute joy to watch.
@@DracosektIt's basically a "Ganondorf boss battle" trope now that, if he throws glowing orbs at you, you hit them back at him. (This goes for both him and Phantom Ganon in various games.)
No matter who you watch, everyone has three very satisfying reactions: - Brief shock the first time he dodges one of your attacks - Slowly dawning horror when he rips the stone off of his head - Joyous screams when they realize that Zelda is coming to help This is such a great game.
I love the moment when people notice gannondorf's health bar go into infinity. The creators of the game did such a good job of playing with the criticisms of BOTW and flipped them upside down. Fantastic game
Anyone who played through this game and completed the master sword quest with all the tears understand what it meant. We were all told that when you go through Dragonification that you lose yourself and your memories. For Zelda to come to our aid knowing what she is doing and knowing who we are means to us that she is still in there. Then the scene after is what really got us all.
This ending is so friggin' perfect. Sonia and Rauru help Link turn Zelda back to normal as a final act of love to Zelda and as a means of fulfilling their promise to send her back home all those centuries ago. It's so beautiful and heartfelt. And the way Link reawakens Zelda with a "warm, loving embrace." Also, I have to say BOTW/TOTK’s incarnation of Princess Zelda is the first one that I’ve really loved. You get a great sense for her internal struggle, her love not only for Link but also for Hyrule and its people, how she puts everything on the line to stop Ganon/Ganondorf, and how she ultimately overcomes everything in the end. BOTW and TOTK are really her story.
People call it a cop-out of an ending, but considering Zelda has the Triforce (as seen in the final memory on her hand) and the qualities Sonia, Rauru, and Link exhibit, it's this game's wish upon the Triforce and it was beautiful.
@@GlobalTrance I agree! Plus, it's an amplified version of Recall, which Sonia states recalls an object's memory and returns it to its original state; add on top of that Rauru's light powers which can restore the same way Zelda did to the Master Sword. This scene actually mirrors the gerudo invasion memory in which Sonia and Zelda amplify Rauru's light beam. In both scenes, Sonia is even the first person to extend her hand to help. Link's amplified recall also explains why Zelda didn't come back with dragon features; she couldn't because she was never a dragon to begin with. The buffed recall restored her to her pre-dragon state. This also explains why she doesn't remember being a dragon (aside from the established fact that becoming a dragon destroy's one's identity). Also, this ending serves as a nice resolution for Rauru and Sonia's role in the story. They were the loving parents Zelda needed her whole life. From the moment they met Zelda, they promised to return her home to Link, and they made good on that after thousands of years.
@@GeneralOlde eh While I understand why they choose to bring Zelda back...I mean did they really have a choice not to? I also think it does lessen the value of her sacrifice by doing it. Especially because she doesn't remember much, to her she swallowed her stone and then woke up in the field with Link. Overall I like the story and what Nintendo did with it. I'd argue the deal with Zelda not staying a dragon isn't all that important and doesn't really bring the story down at the end. As much as I personally may not agree with that narrative decision.
@@andrinenano4681so you are saying a sacrifice only has value if the person can't be saved? nah I don't agree, the impactful thing is not whenever she can be saved or not, is the fact that she chose to do it thinking there was no way back. I think a happy ending is as if not even more impactful than a sad ending
Spoilers for the ending: So fun fact, the song that plays as Zelda speaks to Link after beating Dark Beast Ganon in Breath of the Wild is called "Do you Remember?" The name of the song that plays after she wakes up in this game is called "I Remember".
Twice if you think about it. She was sealing Calamity Ganon for 100 years during Breath of the Wild, and she turned into the Light Dragon so the Master Sword can be fixed for the battle against evil once again. Zelda is really the MVP here for Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.
That was why when she said to Link 'You did it, you beat the Demon King!' I said aloud, no...we, WE beat the demon king!!! It was not just her but also Link. Neither one of them could have done it without the other.@@julesop3866
The fact that Zelda's supposed to have lost her mind becoming a dragon, but still goes out of her way to catch Link when he's falling is tear inducing.
I have a personal theory that a part of Zelda still existed in the Light dragon. That scene after she transforms when she's holding the master sword infusing it with light and talking to Link about the next time he faces Ganondorf, she's just floating in some glow-y place. The Master sword is starting to reform but not complete. To me that implies it's some part of Zelda's consciousness in the dragon (maybe "sleeping" like she said) that knows what she's doing. When Link tries to retrieve the Master sword, there's that moment where the dragon's eyes widen and it stops fighting Link, like it realized who he was.
Her thoughts, memories, and form all encompass who she is, but not what. Absent all that Zelda was as a person she is still the incarnation of the Goddess Hylia, Ganondorf is still her enemy, and Link is still her Hero. Those are innate truths older than her life, older than her kingdom, as it was when the first Zelda and Link overcame Demise as it will be for so long as the Demon King's grudge haunts the history of Hyrule.
@@dustinbragg1921and for the same reason Ganondorf when he became the Demon Dragon still retained the demon tribe's hatred, and so he was still bent on destroying Hyrule, even if his ego has dissolved
I went into the final battle underprepared with 12 defense armor and no gloom healing food. It was a heart pounding struggle and I was down to my final heart but I managed to pull out a victory and have a thrilling finale to a game that will stay with me for years to come. Glad Eric had an equally thrilling time with the finale.
Curious I also consider myself underprepared for my first clear run I had a save with couple of gloom recovery meals however I somehow never upgraded my armor and completely forgot about the parry mechanic (which honestly I was never the best at but maybe with practice Yknow) for my entire playthrough of Tears I was actually just planning to scope out the final fight but went too deep and couldn't teleport out so decided to give it a try eventually beat him but even with 120+hrs I still have a ton I want to do
Unfortunately for me, despite going in with literally every upgrade (hearts, stamina, max inventory, all armor 4 stars, full meal roster for whatever i could need) available in the game, Ganondorf still dragged me down to 4 remaining hearts and 2 shields by the time I managed to beat him, because the devs are evil bastards and designed this fight to hurt people who main flurry rushing. And I’m not even mad about it, that truly felt like fighting the goddamn demon king, it was terrifying and challenging.
Saaame ! I had to use some portable pots right before entering Ganondorf's boss room which looked a little bit silly but worked XDD I love imagining Link taking a lil' cooking break while his friend are still fighting and him himself is about ri fight the demon king ahah
Good fucking gods, dude. This is the most satisfying reaction to the ending I have ever seen From you geeking out about the Ganondorf fight CORRECTLY GUESSING YOU CAN REFLECT HIS PROJECTILES BASED ON YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH GANONDORF To your reaction to Zelda getting turned back It was all W’s Like I could tell you’re a Zelda fan And all the ways their fan service hit home with me I could tell it did with you too. Good shit, dude Best Totk finale on UA-cam, and it’s really not close.
I've seen many gameplays of TOTK's ending, but maaaan... You really resonated with me in terms of how you were feeling the battle and cutscenes, and all the emotions I felt that brought me to tears, just like it did with you. Yours is the BEST reaction by lightyears. Thanks for making me practically re-live those moments.
I believe that the final phase, Demon Dragon with his attacks, size and all the evil represents POWER, Light Dragon Zelda knows the strategy of getting Link free from Ganon's mouth and getting him above to dive into battle, that's WISDOM and at last, Link doesn't hesitate to just jump, dive, attack and falls agains trusting Zelda in mid air showing his COURAGE, that the Tri-force very well portrayed in the game's finale.
This game is so freaking good. The music made it hit even harder. I love all of the references hidden in the tracks, safe to say that I listen to this games track everyday. That main theme at the end killed me lol. I literally can’t stop talking about this game, don’t even get me started on the story lol.
I just realized: when the cutscene where Zelda turns back to a human starts, the choir is quietly singing Zelda's Lullaby. It's difficult to hear over the other instruments and sound effects, but it's there.
I would've given it to Paya, if she had more importance with the story, but she's busy leading Kakariko. I agree that Purah is the most obvious to take up the title of Sage of Spirits.
Also, you don't need to wait for the Master sword to regain energy, when you get to the final stages it can't break anymore. And if it's not "ready" when you get there, it just becomes ready, it skips the timer.
Eric picked up on every minute detail in the ending i love the appreciation of the music the reveals and delivery and the experience as a whole ..watching this was amazing
Ganon dodging my flurry rush actually left me speechless. I just sat there in shock think ''well I lost'' until I figured out you can reflect his red distance attacks back at him. Also the final phase with the sky battle was absolutely perfect. Just having dragon Zelda catch you everytime and then ending with you catching her was beautiful
Emotional ride. So nice watching someone who geeked out as much as I did. 😊 My favourite thing about the ending is how he channels her power through Sonia and Rauru after spending all his time with her in BotW flashbacks while she attempted to access her power and the struggles she had with it. That moment of focus he gives once he realises what's happening. 💚
Commenting again (engagement yay) because I forgot to say _that spin attack against that circle of gloom was the coolest thing I have EVER SEEN in a Zelda game._ Now I gotta do that fight again just to try it!!
Update: I tried it and it is _insanely_ fun and satisfying to do. I've played the end of this game five times now just to try different starts and get better at it, it's so fun.
@@lancerall1411 Oh yeah, Ganon Tennis has been a classic for decades. I can't believe I didn't think to try it the first time I played through that fight!
Really refreshing and heartening to see this game affect someone else so powerfully. Our play experiences during the ending were remarkably similar. Wonderful video!
This game is such a masterpiece, I’ve never cried that much for a game. God it is so GOOD it is like Lord of the Rings in level of epic story. They delivered.
He plays very well. I have seen a lot of people playing this part of the game and he is probably the best of two dozens or so that I have seen. By a lot. He doesn't have the reflexes but he has the intuition and knowledge that experience brings. It's very satisfying to not be frustrated because someone keeps trying to do absurd stuff.
at this point it's not a proper battle with Ganondorf if at some point, you can't use the Master Sword to deflect projectiles back at him and/or his Phantom/s
I finished the game last night (23.09.23)... I delayed it the most I could and it was so so much worth it, I was so emotional I loved this video, I saw myself again, the excitement, the giddiness and the feels... Than you for sharing
I played the game start to finish and its the best ive ever played, then i cam to see these videos and watch people's reaction bc that ending was AMAZING and sir let me tell u, your stream is/ was the best by far
Can you believe there are people who say Zelda should have remained a dragon? As if her return to her original form somehow invalidates the meaning of her sacrifice, when the point of her sacrifice is that she EXPECTED to remain a dragon forever. Not to mention how many hundreds, no _thousands_ of times longer she lived as a dragon than she did as a human.
Some didn't want the ending to be "Disney-like" which i understand but ultimately disagree on the grounds that i can't imagine Nintendo wasting yet ANOTHER 5 years to release a sequel and solve that hanging plot thread of how to solve Zelda's predicament. In the end this was the _only_ way the game could have concluded.
I have come back to rewatch the end of this video so many times now because _my god_ does your reaction ever give me a serotonin blast, Eric. It's how we all felt. I've found that one of my new pet peeves is people dicking around during that catch Zelda sequence for shits and giggles. NO. It's so gorgeous and epic and cinematic, just NO.
I have absolutely loved watching this full play-through! A proper Zelda fan, you shared so much previous knowledge and lore. Your reactions and emotions mirrored mine in so many areas of this game, it has been a joy reliving it by watching you. Now let’s go for that 100% 😂❤
The final battles, under the castle and in the sky are the BEST boss fight I’ve ever experienced! So very epic! Under the castle was so satisfying to win and in the sky was so emotional 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼 I know what you about shaking after it was over! I was shaking so bad I could hardly keep my thumbs on the sticks and buttons!
Your streams are absolutely phenomenal, dude! Amazing skills for using Link’s spin attack to send back Ganondorf’s gloom attacks. You certainly remember all your fights with Phantom Ganon from The Wind Waker and Ocarina of Time.
This journey was such a pleasure to have watched it live. I finished the game a day before Eric. I teared up when the champions showed up, I full on wept when Zelda showed up in the final battle. I couldn't see the tv with all the tears in my eyes.This game hit me so much harder than I ever anticipated, lots of tears were definitely shed. The Zelda series will always have a special place in my heart.
the finale is make me cry every-time. that's why the name call tears of the kingdom. when the Ganon eat the stone, the dragon zelda come to save me and Rauru and Sonia help me to bring back zelda. the story is really really good........
I love this let's play cause of the raw emotion you show and feel. Its what I felt and I was satisfied but in the end sad? Not because of some of the things that happened but sad that its over but also glad that it happened. You know a game truly is great when you don't want to finish the game cause you know the adventure will be over.
Some would disagree in regard to the story and dungeons almost as if most of the work went on Rauru's hand and the expanded open world rather than the narrative and level design. Either way it was still a fun game.
This is such an amazing game, definitely game of the year for me. When I first played it, I was bawling my eyes out at the end. I especially love how the quest to find Zelda only gets completed once Zelda is turned back, because the quest-log is basically Links personal to-do-list and to me that shows Links determination to turn her back, since it isn't completed once he finds out that Zelda has become a dragon.
Glad to see another person who adores this story. Being on twitter long enough made me feel like loving this story is a hot take lol. I have never felt so much emotion from a Zelda game before. I think they did a very good job with this story and its characters. Here comes my real personal hot take: I felt more emotions from Tears of the Kingdom than from Final Fantasy XVI. Please don't hurt me lol.
Yeah apparently it’s a callback to OG Zelda games where it was pretty much the basis that you would fight Ganon/Ganondorf bosses by batting their attacks back at them, or as they call it, Ganon Tennis matches.
This is a really small and kinda random detail, but I love how at the end of the Demon Dragon fight they give us a shot of Link casually putting his sword away. The man just broke a 20 000+ year long curse and went "job well done" like it was nothing. It fits Link's character perfectly as no matter how big and dangerous the enemy is, if it's putting Hyrule in danger, he's taking it down.
"All I see is some gloom and a dead man." What a line haha. Seeing how happy playing this makes you made this stream so awesome to watch. You've got a new subscriber here!
I"ll be interested to see how much harder the final boss stages get in whatever hard mode comes out- I'm about 95% certain that Ganondorf will actually hit back when he flurry rushes you, and I'll be interested to see what extra abilities/attacks/movements that Dragon-dorf might get.
This is my first time reacting to you ever, I'm 20 seconds in to this video and I just want to say: I love you already and I'm so looking forward to the next 4 and a halve hours!
Thank you Eric! finally someone who knows to try swinging at his attacks to hit them back at him. I've watched so many people do this fight and almost all of them never even think about it when it's so basic with any ganondorf fight.
Cut them some slack, a LOT of people, myself included, playing these games are not OG Zelda players, these games were built first and foremost to reach the Zelda series to new audiences and they accomplished it incredibly well, so a lot of people don’t know about Ganon Tennis matches from the older titles.
I found some new info about Ganondorf’s true motivation in the original Japanese. Basically he has a dissatisfaction to the rulers of Hyrule that lived in a peace and tranquility where as he remained attached to the brutal past were those with a sense of fighting spirit are the supreme. He aims for controlling all creation instead of world domination(unlike his previous incarnations) in order bring the world back where it was rightfully roamed by demons before the Zonai came down from heaven and purified it with Shrines of Light. Ganondorf is willing to go extreme lengths to fulfill his desire. Even if he has to transformed himself into the Demon King. In short, he is a Gerudo Warrior who likes darkness and demons, whom he enjoys the thrill of battle, and he disdains for the weak and cowardly relying on the protection of others (much similar to Demise of Skyward Sword). No wonder why he has grudge against King Rauru and his Kingdom.
i loved this so much. i have no idea what nintendo has planned for the future obviously, but i hope they make this some sort of trilogy because i am not ready to say goodbye to this version of link and zelda i love them so much 😭
You ready to wait *10 YEARS* of your _life_ slip by just to see a ressolution of this Link and Zelda's storyline. Tell yes to all those fans who're tired of the "Era of the Wild" and wish to see a new Hyrule for them to play in.
There definitely won’t be a trilogy. With THE Ganondorf dead, there is no evil to face, and there’s no replacement for Ganon, never has been and never will. These two games have a perfect story, adding a third would be like Game of Thrones season 8.
@@Syntex366 I agree _mostly_ with the conclusion that the "Wild duology" has already told it's full story and there's no reason for another game in this Era to be made but if Majora's Mask is anything to go by i feel there's always the chance that Nintendo might be willing to give us a third game to continue the story of this Link and Zelda as a "final farewell" that may fully wrap up this storyline as we move into a new incarnation of Hyrule. This hypothetical "third game" could have Zelda sending Link to a far off region of the world in search of some "Zonai artifact" said to have been left there long ago. As Link travels to said location a new villain arises and so we get into a new conflict involving said villain while exploring this new realm. Lots of potential for such a game not happening.
@@javiervasquez625 there’s a lot of things they COULD do, but that’s not what it’s about. It’s about it what they can do that’s GOOD. And I have to firmly state this, no hate on you, but that is not a recipe for success in any form imaginable. Some random place? All your favorite characters no longer around? Not to mention that this is the Legend of ZELDA. These “Wild” games in particular are about Zelda’s story and her development, it’s beyond fundamental that you can’t have a Legend of Zelda game without Zelda. All sending link off to the middle of buttfuck nowhere would accomplish is ruining the series. It’s important to know when a story is told, you can’t always ask for more or it’ll start to suck.
@@Syntex366 Regarding the idea that Zelda _must_ be a part of the story for the central theme of the "Wild Era" to make sense i wholeheartedly agree which is why i believe it would make sense if Zelda, Link _and_ the New Sages were to travel to another land as whole in order for a final story to be told and so conclude this Zelda's storyline with a trilogy to give players a heartfelt farewell after investing so many hours of their *life* travelling through Hyrule to save Zelda and see her come out of her shell as she grows and matures into the rightful ruler of her kingdom. To have a third game tell a final Tale surrounding this Link and Zelda does make too much sense not to happen and so as long as Nintendo is willing to do something engaging and innovative with a new setting for players to explore i could easily see it happen weather fans are either more hyped or more tired of seeing the same Link and Zelda one more time.
i come back and watch eric beat totk from time to time because i enjoy it so much. I think one of my favorite moments of anyone streaming this game is when Eric said "he's jafar-ing this!" cracks me up every time 😂
First time watching your channel. You seem like such a cool and humble dude. I also cried at the end and I'm 37 years old, haha. Perfect game imo. Keep up the great content! You're a great creator!
i love that "Find Princess Zelda" was the final quest and not "Destroy Ganondorf" because that means Link's number one priority the entire time is finding her, not killing Ganondorf. Killing Ganondorf was just a part of reaching his true goal. Really heartwarming when you think about it.
And it was "Dive TO ZELDA", not just "Dive"
or, viewed a different way, "Find Princess Zelda" was an afterthought 😂
Even though he already knows where she is
My favourite part of this is you can see the exact second when Eric realises what Ganondorf is about to do 😂😂
My thoughts exactly.
As soon as Ganondorf ripped the stone off his head, I had my hands on my head when I knew what he was going to do on my first playthrough.
I didn't see that coming. 😂
@@awesomeausman0422 i also like how he did the same as probably most of us when Ganon flurry rushed him which was UM EXCUSE ME?! 😂😂😂
3:24:30 the dawn of realization lol
His reaction was SO SATISFYING.
Thats when i realised. The foreshadowing in the past wasnt meant for zelda. That was made SO obvious.. the foreshadowing was for GANONDORF. And they GOT ME GOOD
It's crazy how many of the intended details he understood almost immediately that _none_ of the streamers I've seen thus far have picked up on. He treated the Ganondorf fights like the past ones with the 'energy ball ping-pong', and he even trusted that Dragon Zelda would catch him without needing to take out his paraglider. And of course, let's not forget the emotional reaction to the entire sequence. I LOVE how into the game he is too, this was an absolute joy to watch.
Facts !!! Ive watched many reactions to the ending of this game and this one was by far my favorite
@@Mossberggdefinitely
Probably the ONLY lets play i've watched where the player figured out you can hit back the red projectiles. Well done Eric!!
I was thinking the same thing. Had no idea you could do that (newbie player here)
I’ve replayed this boss battle 7 times and had no idea you can do that
I love that being a Zelda fan and knowing about Ganon tennis gives a bit of insight and edge in this fight!
@@DracosektIt's basically a "Ganondorf boss battle" trope now that, if he throws glowing orbs at you, you hit them back at him. (This goes for both him and Phantom Ganon in various games.)
The first time I fought Ganondorf, I also discovered that you can hit back his projectiles.
When Ganondorf flurry rushed, I took that so personally. How very dare you.
UNO reverse sucka!
same
legit i was likee you son of a bitch thats my move
My monocle popped off at the sheer audacity of it all. I mean, the nerve.
The flurry exchange was so awesome though.
Nintendo employee.
As one of the creators, I am more than happy to see your tears.
𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤 𝐲𝐨𝐮
and Thank YOU!!!
もしあなたが任天堂で働いているのが本当なら、私たちはあなたに感謝しなければならない。あなたがSwitchでこれほど美しく複雑なゲームを作り上げたという事実だけでも、私には魔術のように感じられる。あなたは自分の仕事に誇りを持っていい。
本当にありがとう。🙏🏻👏🏻
どうもありがとうございます！私のこれまでのお気に入りのゲームの 1 つです。
Nintendo heard people were talking shit about the Switch, and decided to make a masterpiece with it.
No matter who you watch, everyone has three very satisfying reactions:
- Brief shock the first time he dodges one of your attacks
- Slowly dawning horror when he rips the stone off of his head
- Joyous screams when they realize that Zelda is coming to help
This is such a great game.
I was cheering for dragon-Zelda as Link, yelling things like "Come on, baby, let's fuck him up!!!" 😂
@@ketchup016YESSSS. I was calling her my dragon wife the entire fight lmao 😅 like "Zelda, honey, please catch me!"
I love the moment when people notice gannondorf's health bar go into infinity. The creators of the game did such a good job of playing with the criticisms of BOTW and flipped them upside down. Fantastic game
@@virtualet thats where calamity ganon's health went to after all
I always watch to see how people expected Ganon to eat the stone,,, it was such a great moment i didn’t expect
I love how much Eric is invested to the point he starts crying just with Zelda's arrival.
Timestamp please ?
3:28:00@@breineminecraft
I mean, me too
we all did :')
Anyone who played through this game and completed the master sword quest with all the tears understand what it meant. We were all told that when you go through Dragonification that you lose yourself and your memories. For Zelda to come to our aid knowing what she is doing and knowing who we are means to us that she is still in there. Then the scene after is what really got us all.
Eric is such a gamer. He immediately understood both the deflection and landing on the dragon. I've seen so many other players struggle with this.
This ending is so friggin' perfect. Sonia and Rauru help Link turn Zelda back to normal as a final act of love to Zelda and as a means of fulfilling their promise to send her back home all those centuries ago. It's so beautiful and heartfelt. And the way Link reawakens Zelda with a "warm, loving embrace." Also, I have to say BOTW/TOTK’s incarnation of Princess Zelda is the first one that I’ve really loved. You get a great sense for her internal struggle, her love not only for Link but also for Hyrule and its people, how she puts everything on the line to stop Ganon/Ganondorf, and how she ultimately overcomes everything in the end. BOTW and TOTK are really her story.
especially in TOTK, where all the memories are hers (instead of link's)
People call it a cop-out of an ending, but considering Zelda has the Triforce (as seen in the final memory on her hand) and the qualities Sonia, Rauru, and Link exhibit, it's this game's wish upon the Triforce and it was beautiful.
@@GlobalTrance I agree! Plus, it's an amplified version of Recall, which Sonia states recalls an object's memory and returns it to its original state; add on top of that Rauru's light powers which can restore the same way Zelda did to the Master Sword. This scene actually mirrors the gerudo invasion memory in which Sonia and Zelda amplify Rauru's light beam. In both scenes, Sonia is even the first person to extend her hand to help.
Link's amplified recall also explains why Zelda didn't come back with dragon features; she couldn't because she was never a dragon to begin with. The buffed recall restored her to her pre-dragon state. This also explains why she doesn't remember being a dragon (aside from the established fact that becoming a dragon destroy's one's identity).
Also, this ending serves as a nice resolution for Rauru and Sonia's role in the story. They were the loving parents Zelda needed her whole life. From the moment they met Zelda, they promised to return her home to Link, and they made good on that after thousands of years.
@@GeneralOlde eh While I understand why they choose to bring Zelda back...I mean did they really have a choice not to? I also think it does lessen the value of her sacrifice by doing it. Especially because she doesn't remember much, to her she swallowed her stone and then woke up in the field with Link. Overall I like the story and what Nintendo did with it. I'd argue the deal with Zelda not staying a dragon isn't all that important and doesn't really bring the story down at the end. As much as I personally may not agree with that narrative decision.
@@andrinenano4681so you are saying a sacrifice only has value if the person can't be saved? nah I don't agree, the impactful thing is not whenever she can be saved or not, is the fact that she chose to do it thinking there was no way back. I think a happy ending is as if not even more impactful than a sad ending
Spoilers for the ending:
So fun fact, the song that plays as Zelda speaks to Link after beating Dark Beast Ganon in Breath of the Wild is called "Do you Remember?"
The name of the song that plays after she wakes up in this game is called "I Remember".
I didnt know that. That's beautiful.
oh my gosh my heart
Wow, that's an impressive fun fact, thanks for sharing it
OH MY FUCKING GOD
Dont mind me, just crying in the corner
it really is "The Legend of Zelda". It's really all about her story and how she sacrificed her life to save the world.
Twice if you think about it. She was sealing Calamity Ganon for 100 years during Breath of the Wild, and she turned into the Light Dragon so the Master Sword can be fixed for the battle against evil once again. Zelda is really the MVP here for Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.
@@julesop3866 people beat ganondorf (atleast his 1st and 2nd phase, the 3rd phase forces you to get master sword) without the master sword
That was why when she said to Link 'You did it, you beat the Demon King!' I said aloud, no...we, WE beat the demon king!!! It was not just her but also Link. Neither one of them could have done it without the other.@@julesop3866
The mural on the wall under the castle is just that: The Legend of Zelda
The fact that Zelda's supposed to have lost her mind becoming a dragon, but still goes out of her way to catch Link when he's falling is tear inducing.
I have a personal theory that a part of Zelda still existed in the Light dragon. That scene after she transforms when she's holding the master sword infusing it with light and talking to Link about the next time he faces Ganondorf, she's just floating in some glow-y place. The Master sword is starting to reform but not complete. To me that implies it's some part of Zelda's consciousness in the dragon (maybe "sleeping" like she said) that knows what she's doing. When Link tries to retrieve the Master sword, there's that moment where the dragon's eyes widen and it stops fighting Link, like it realized who he was.
Her thoughts, memories, and form all encompass who she is, but not what. Absent all that Zelda was as a person she is still the incarnation of the Goddess Hylia, Ganondorf is still her enemy, and Link is still her Hero. Those are innate truths older than her life, older than her kingdom, as it was when the first Zelda and Link overcame Demise as it will be for so long as the Demon King's grudge haunts the history of Hyrule.
@@dustinbragg1921and for the same reason Ganondorf when he became the Demon Dragon still retained the demon tribe's hatred, and so he was still bent on destroying Hyrule, even if his ego has dissolved
"All I see is some gloom and a dead man" - Eric 2023
Gotta love a good Vader referrence
My eldest was just as brutal. “You’re talking a lot of smack there for someone with a health bar.”
@@danielmouatt5570lololol!!!!
I went into the final battle underprepared with 12 defense armor and no gloom healing food. It was a heart pounding struggle and I was down to my final heart but I managed to pull out a victory and have a thrilling finale to a game that will stay with me for years to come. Glad Eric had an equally thrilling time with the finale.
Curious I also consider myself underprepared for my first clear run I had a save with couple of gloom recovery meals however I somehow never upgraded my armor and completely forgot about the parry mechanic (which honestly I was never the best at but maybe with practice Yknow) for my entire playthrough of Tears I was actually just planning to scope out the final fight but went too deep and couldn't teleport out so decided to give it a try eventually beat him but even with 120+hrs I still have a ton I want to do
Unfortunately for me, despite going in with literally every upgrade (hearts, stamina, max inventory, all armor 4 stars, full meal roster for whatever i could need) available in the game, Ganondorf still dragged me down to 4 remaining hearts and 2 shields by the time I managed to beat him, because the devs are evil bastards and designed this fight to hurt people who main flurry rushing. And I’m not even mad about it, that truly felt like fighting the goddamn demon king, it was terrifying and challenging.
Saaame ! I had to use some portable pots right before entering Ganondorf's boss room which looked a little bit silly but worked XDD
I love imagining Link taking a lil' cooking break while his friend are still fighting and him himself is about ri fight the demon king ahah
Good fucking gods, dude.
This is the most satisfying reaction to the ending I have ever seen
From you geeking out about the Ganondorf fight
CORRECTLY GUESSING YOU CAN REFLECT HIS PROJECTILES BASED ON YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH GANONDORF
To your reaction to Zelda getting turned back
It was all W’s
Like
I could tell you’re a Zelda fan
And all the ways their fan service hit home with me
I could tell it did with you too.
Good shit, dude
Best Totk finale on UA-cam, and it’s really not close.
I've seen many gameplays of TOTK's ending, but maaaan... You really resonated with me in terms of how you were feeling the battle and cutscenes, and all the emotions I felt that brought me to tears, just like it did with you. Yours is the BEST reaction by lightyears. Thanks for making me practically re-live those moments.
Im happy to see I was not the only grown adult shedding tears out of emotion
We all did, trust me, haha
Every single youtuber who has played this game has cried at the ending. Such a beautiful game
I believe that the final phase, Demon Dragon with his attacks, size and all the evil represents POWER, Light Dragon Zelda knows the strategy of getting Link free from Ganon's mouth and getting him above to dive into battle, that's WISDOM and at last, Link doesn't hesitate to just jump, dive, attack and falls agains trusting Zelda in mid air showing his COURAGE, that the Tri-force very well portrayed in the game's finale.
This game is so freaking good. The music made it hit even harder. I love all of the references hidden in the tracks, safe to say that I listen to this games track everyday. That main theme at the end killed me lol. I literally can’t stop talking about this game, don’t even get me started on the story lol.
Loads of fantastic use of leitmotif throughout the whole game; it's wonderful.
Those murals make Sonia look just like Zelda, especially in that pose where she's laying on her back. That is a direct throwback to skyward sword
Also Sonia is Zelda's ancestor so, yeah, it would be accurate they look similar. xD
"All I see is some gloom and a dead man." is such an awesome quote!
I just realized: when the cutscene where Zelda turns back to a human starts, the choir is quietly singing Zelda's Lullaby. It's difficult to hear over the other instruments and sound effects, but it's there.
To me Purah is the obvious person to take up Mineru's mantle as sage. She was up there with the other sages for a reason.
I would've given it to Paya, if she had more importance with the story, but she's busy leading Kakariko. I agree that Purah is the most obvious to take up the title of Sage of Spirits.
I figured it'd be Link, considering he's the spirit of the hero
@@Skyewardboundhe’s taking the place of Rauru
kind of ironic that the sage of spirit is the most tech savy person of the land.
DLC or sequel is probably what is gonna happen to make Purah take Mineru's place.
Dragondorf has gotta be the best transformation Ganondorf's made in any game without doubt
in the end is not the hardware in the consoles, but the story and these days that is forgotten in many many games
this game is above a 10, best finale ever
Also, you don't need to wait for the Master sword to regain energy, when you get to the final stages it can't break anymore. And if it's not "ready" when you get there, it just becomes ready, it skips the timer.
My god, your reaction and even the thought process when the dragon showed up was exactly like mine. What a game!
“Everyone in Hyrule just watched our victory!”
And are now blind and deaf…
I was actually thinking about the fact that most people in Hyrule can't see dragons. I wonder what the battle looked like to them.
Eric picked up on every minute detail in the ending i love the appreciation of the music the reveals and delivery and the experience as a whole ..watching this was amazing
Ganon dodging my flurry rush actually left me speechless. I just sat there in shock think ''well I lost'' until I figured out you can reflect his red distance attacks back at him. Also the final phase with the sky battle was absolutely perfect. Just having dragon Zelda catch you everytime and then ending with you catching her was beautiful
I feel games can struggle to stick the landing, but boy this one did. Probably my favorite game ending.
Thank you for letting me relive my first playthrough. I loved this
Emotional ride. So nice watching someone who geeked out as much as I did. 😊 My favourite thing about the ending is how he channels her power through Sonia and Rauru after spending all his time with her in BotW flashbacks while she attempted to access her power and the struggles she had with it. That moment of focus he gives once he realises what's happening. 💚
I have been refreshing the page all day waiting for this to upload. This has been my favorite thing to watch lately! Thank you so much Eric!!!
Finally got around to beating Tears of the Kingdom on New Year's. Glad I could finally watch this!
Nice to see someone getting emotional at the end... i'm not the only one! 😫😄
Commenting again (engagement yay) because I forgot to say _that spin attack against that circle of gloom was the coolest thing I have EVER SEEN in a Zelda game._
Now I gotta do that fight again just to try it!!
Update: I tried it and it is _insanely_ fun and satisfying to do. I've played the end of this game five times now just to try different starts and get better at it, it's so fun.
That’s a 30 year old trick! So damn happy to see that again. LTTP forever.
@@lancerall1411 Oh yeah, Ganon Tennis has been a classic for decades. I can't believe I didn't think to try it the first time I played through that fight!
I really respect the fact that you took your time playing this game.
Really refreshing and heartening to see this game affect someone else so powerfully. Our play experiences during the ending were remarkably similar. Wonderful video!
Man! I share the joy and love not only for this game,but for entire saga, thank you so much for this video!
This game is such a masterpiece, I’ve never cried that much for a game. God it is so GOOD it is like Lord of the Rings in level of epic story. They delivered.
One of the best videogames I´ve ever played in my whole life! What a Game!
End game was one of the best I ever played. Perfect video man!
Your gameplay is so satisfying, you made me feel like it was my first beating the game, again!
It makes me so happy to see people enjoying a game as it deserve
That ending, that final catch is peak gaming!
This game was awesome. I beat it and dedicated it to my brother since he couldn't play. We grew up playing OoT. This was amazing
He plays very well. I have seen a lot of people playing this part of the game and he is probably the best of two dozens or so that I have seen. By a lot. He doesn't have the reflexes but he has the intuition and knowledge that experience brings. It's very satisfying to not be frustrated because someone keeps trying to do absurd stuff.
Could you imagine if Zelda didn't get saved by Rauru's stone her body would've been down there with the torch on the ground.
or at least her skeleton ☠
@@tex9419 or puppet ganon posessed her corpse...
And then there would be no powered up Master Sword and Hyrule would be screwed.
FINALLY!!! A streamer that knew how to properly handle Ganon's energy blasts!! I was beginning to lose hope! Congrats on finishing!
at this point it's not a proper battle with Ganondorf if at some point, you can't use the Master Sword to deflect projectiles back at him and/or his Phantom/s
I finished the game last night (23.09.23)... I delayed it the most I could and it was so so much worth it, I was so emotional
I loved this video, I saw myself again, the excitement, the giddiness and the feels... Than you for sharing
SAME i finished it sunday night after postponing it for so long because i didn't want it to end :')
I played the game start to finish and its the best ive ever played, then i cam to see these videos and watch people's reaction bc that ending was AMAZING and sir let me tell u, your stream is/ was the best by far
loved ur playthrough for this series it was such a blast and ur commentary amazing😂😂
Can you believe there are people who say Zelda should have remained a dragon? As if her return to her original form somehow invalidates the meaning of her sacrifice, when the point of her sacrifice is that she EXPECTED to remain a dragon forever. Not to mention how many hundreds, no _thousands_ of times longer she lived as a dragon than she did as a human.
Some didn't want the ending to be "Disney-like" which i understand but ultimately disagree on the grounds that i can't imagine Nintendo wasting yet ANOTHER 5 years to release a sequel and solve that hanging plot thread of how to solve Zelda's predicament. In the end this was the _only_ way the game could have concluded.
Im fine with her transforming back. Still think link shouldve lost the arm though.
… I have been search since the day I beat Ganondorf, and you are the FIRST streamer I found who thought “can I smack the fireballs back at him?”
I have come back to rewatch the end of this video so many times now because _my god_ does your reaction ever give me a serotonin blast, Eric. It's how we all felt.
I've found that one of my new pet peeves is people dicking around during that catch Zelda sequence for shits and giggles. NO. It's so gorgeous and epic and cinematic, just NO.
I have absolutely loved watching this full play-through! A proper Zelda fan, you shared so much previous knowledge and lore. Your reactions and emotions mirrored mine in so many areas of this game, it has been a joy reliving it by watching you. Now let’s go for that 100% 😂❤
For me this is the most satisfying boss battle/ending to a zelda game since ocarina of time. I loved every second of this game.
We need DLC to see Zelda and Link at the school in Hateno!! 4:06:50 - I have played over 1600 hours in BotW and over 380 hours on TotK!
When you catch her this time, amazing.
The final battles, under the castle and in the sky are the BEST boss fight I’ve ever experienced! So very epic!
Under the castle was so satisfying to win and in the sky was so emotional 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
I know what you about shaking after it was over! I was shaking so bad I could hardly keep my thumbs on the sticks and buttons!
No words describe how much I was moved by this game. Such a work of art ❤️.
Your streams are absolutely phenomenal, dude! Amazing skills for using Link’s spin attack to send back Ganondorf’s gloom attacks. You certainly remember all your fights with Phantom Ganon from The Wind Waker and Ocarina of Time.
3:16:54
"Stop growing."
Easily the coolest part of the entire video
that opening frame with the castle in the distance is great
I am so glad that UA-cam recommended me your stream. :D I enjoyed watching your reaction to this marvelous ending. :)
Glad you enjoyed it!
This journey was such a pleasure to have watched it live. I finished the game a day before Eric. I teared up when the champions showed up, I full on wept when Zelda showed up in the final battle. I couldn't see the tv with all the tears in my eyes.This game hit me so much harder than I ever anticipated, lots of tears were definitely shed. The Zelda series will always have a special place in my heart.
the finale is make me cry every-time. that's why the name call tears of the kingdom.
when the Ganon eat the stone, the dragon zelda come to save me and Rauru and Sonia help me to bring back zelda.
the story is really really good........
I love this let's play cause of the raw emotion you show and feel. Its what I felt and I was satisfied but in the end sad? Not because of some of the things that happened but sad that its over but also glad that it happened. You know a game truly is great when you don't want to finish the game cause you know the adventure will be over.
demon king army at 3:00:00
Ganondorf battle at 3:10:50
You can really tell how much love and adoration Nintendo has for this franchise. They put so much care into this game, it’s hard to believe.
Some would disagree in regard to the story and dungeons almost as if most of the work went on Rauru's hand and the expanded open world rather than the narrative and level design. Either way it was still a fun game.
@@javiervasquez625 watch the last hour of this game and tell me the story wasn't given justice.
BRO, you battled ganondorf the way it's supposed to be battled! you're the first one that does that and I'm so damn happy lmao
This is such an amazing game, definitely game of the year for me.
When I first played it, I was bawling my eyes out at the end.
I especially love how the quest to find Zelda only gets completed once Zelda is turned back, because the quest-log is basically Links personal to-do-list and to me that shows Links determination to turn her back, since it isn't completed once he finds out that Zelda has become a dragon.
Damn i'm so happy to see someone relate this freaking emotional ending and musics
Glad to see another person who adores this story. Being on twitter long enough made me feel like loving this story is a hot take lol. I have never felt so much emotion from a Zelda game before. I think they did a very good job with this story and its characters.
Here comes my real personal hot take: I felt more emotions from Tears of the Kingdom than from Final Fantasy XVI. Please don't hurt me lol.
i also got very emotional when zelda was reverted back to human form. Is very touching..
*sees Eric deflect Ganondorf’s projectiles*
Me: Wait, YOU CAN DEFLECT THOSE!?!?!?!? I just always avoided them
Yeah apparently it’s a callback to OG Zelda games where it was pretty much the basis that you would fight Ganon/Ganondorf bosses by batting their attacks back at them, or as they call it, Ganon Tennis matches.
@@Syntex366It was the only way to beat Ganondorf's first phase and Phantom Ganon in OOT, as well.
The BEST play thru I’ve seen…
Eric, it has been such a blast watching your play through! I just knew you would love this ending. Your reaction was priceless 😸
This was absolute cinema
This is a really small and kinda random detail, but I love how at the end of the Demon Dragon fight they give us a shot of Link casually putting his sword away. The man just broke a 20 000+ year long curse and went "job well done" like it was nothing. It fits Link's character perfectly as no matter how big and dangerous the enemy is, if it's putting Hyrule in danger, he's taking it down.
"All I see is some gloom and a dead man." What a line haha. Seeing how happy playing this makes you made this stream so awesome to watch. You've got a new subscriber here!
This game was a roller coaster of emotions
I"ll be interested to see how much harder the final boss stages get in whatever hard mode comes out- I'm about 95% certain that Ganondorf will actually hit back when he flurry rushes you, and I'll be interested to see what extra abilities/attacks/movements that Dragon-dorf might get.
This is my first time reacting to you ever, I'm 20 seconds in to this video and I just want to say: I love you already and I'm so looking forward to the next 4 and a halve hours!
Thank you Eric! finally someone who knows to try swinging at his attacks to hit them back at him. I've watched so many people do this fight and almost all of them never even think about it when it's so basic with any ganondorf fight.
Cut them some slack, a LOT of people, myself included, playing these games are not OG Zelda players, these games were built first and foremost to reach the Zelda series to new audiences and they accomplished it incredibly well, so a lot of people don’t know about Ganon Tennis matches from the older titles.
I found some new info about Ganondorf’s true motivation in the original Japanese. Basically he has a dissatisfaction to the rulers of Hyrule that lived in a peace and tranquility where as he remained attached to the brutal past were those with a sense of fighting spirit are the supreme. He aims for controlling all creation instead of world domination(unlike his previous incarnations) in order bring the world back where it was rightfully roamed by demons before the Zonai came down from heaven and purified it with Shrines of Light. Ganondorf is willing to go extreme lengths to fulfill his desire. Even if he has to transformed himself into the Demon King. In short, he is a Gerudo Warrior who likes darkness and demons, whom he enjoys the thrill of battle, and he disdains for the weak and cowardly relying on the protection of others (much similar to Demise of Skyward Sword). No wonder why he has grudge against King Rauru and his Kingdom.
I come back this reaction all the time, its damn near exactly what i went through hahaah thanks dude
i loved this so much. i have no idea what nintendo has planned for the future obviously, but i hope they make this some sort of trilogy because i am not ready to say goodbye to this version of link and zelda i love them so much 😭
You ready to wait *10 YEARS* of your _life_ slip by just to see a ressolution of this Link and Zelda's storyline. Tell yes to all those fans who're tired of the "Era of the Wild" and wish to see a new Hyrule for them to play in.
There definitely won’t be a trilogy. With THE Ganondorf dead, there is no evil to face, and there’s no replacement for Ganon, never has been and never will. These two games have a perfect story, adding a third would be like Game of Thrones season 8.
@@Syntex366 I agree _mostly_ with the conclusion that the "Wild duology" has already told it's full story and there's no reason for another game in this Era to be made but if Majora's Mask is anything to go by i feel there's always the chance that Nintendo might be willing to give us a third game to continue the story of this Link and Zelda as a "final farewell" that may fully wrap up this storyline as we move into a new incarnation of Hyrule. This hypothetical "third game" could have Zelda sending Link to a far off region of the world in search of some "Zonai artifact" said to have been left there long ago. As Link travels to said location a new villain arises and so we get into a new conflict involving said villain while exploring this new realm.
Lots of potential for such a game not happening.
@@javiervasquez625 there’s a lot of things they COULD do, but that’s not what it’s about. It’s about it what they can do that’s GOOD. And I have to firmly state this, no hate on you, but that is not a recipe for success in any form imaginable. Some random place? All your favorite characters no longer around? Not to mention that this is the Legend of ZELDA. These “Wild” games in particular are about Zelda’s story and her development, it’s beyond fundamental that you can’t have a Legend of Zelda game without Zelda. All sending link off to the middle of buttfuck nowhere would accomplish is ruining the series. It’s important to know when a story is told, you can’t always ask for more or it’ll start to suck.
@@Syntex366 Regarding the idea that Zelda _must_ be a part of the story for the central theme of the "Wild Era" to make sense i wholeheartedly agree which is why i believe it would make sense if Zelda, Link _and_ the New Sages were to travel to another land as whole in order for a final story to be told and so conclude this Zelda's storyline with a trilogy to give players a heartfelt farewell after investing so many hours of their *life* travelling through Hyrule to save Zelda and see her come out of her shell as she grows and matures into the rightful ruler of her kingdom. To have a third game tell a final Tale surrounding this Link and Zelda does make too much sense not to happen and so as long as Nintendo is willing to do something engaging and innovative with a new setting for players to explore i could easily see it happen weather fans are either more hyped or more tired of seeing the same Link and Zelda one more time.
You are becoming my favourite let's player (at least for the Zelda franchise). Well done, emotionally you're on the same track as me. Thanks so much!
You beautiful man! I want to give you a BIG hug! This was amazing, truly game of the year..
Honestly, Zelda put in some WORK these last two games. She deserves to retire as a happy archeology and history nerd.
Is he gonna do Jedi Survivor next? Now would be the perfect timing with Ahsoka coming out. But I understand if he wants to take a break.
This is such a lovely reaction Eric!!
i come back and watch eric beat totk from time to time because i enjoy it so much. I think one of my favorite moments of anyone streaming this game is when Eric said "he's jafar-ing this!" cracks me up every time 😂
(not counting eric's reaction to the light dragon coming in because that is actually the best moment of the stream 💕)
First time watching your channel. You seem like such a cool and humble dude. I also cried at the end and I'm 37 years old, haha. Perfect game imo. Keep up the great content! You're a great creator!