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[Neiteio]

Beautiful thread Neiteio, just beautiful. I played on the Wii U which makes it pretty annoying to take screenshots so I appreciate all the beautiful pics. You commented on two things I love about BotW, and that is having children of all races, and the Gerudo in general and Riju particularly. It was the first of the four main zones / divine beasts I did, so my impression was even stronger for that. Just a 11/10 all around, the beautiful town, the insanely varied NPC models, everything. Besides Riju and Urbosa, I also loved Buliara, Riju's bodyguard.

Also your collection of pics made me realize something I hadn't before: all of BotW's Gerudo have green eyes. This is interesting as Gerudo in OOT had golden eyes, including Nabooru and Ganondorf, but also because all seem to have the exact same shade of green, even when there is so much variety in everything else, so one wonders if there's something significant about that.

Speaking of variety, your pics also show that many (but not all) of the Gerudo have lips in a shade of green (and in this case there is quite a lot of variety). Perhaps the non-green ones use lipstick (wouldn't be surprising that they adopted it from other cultures). In particular, it seems that Riju and Urbosa seem to have the exact same shade of lip color, a dark turquoise green/blue, and nobody else that I can see in your pics seems to have that color. As far as I can remember it's never hinted that Riju and Urbosa are relatives, right?

Hey, thanks for the kind words, Welltall. I hope people enjoy this stuff. I have quite a few screens left, so I'll keep posting them so long as the thread is active.

About the lips of the Gerudo, some of them do use lipstick. There's a Gerudo in the front row of the relationship class who asks you what you think of her lipstick color. I have a screenshot of it but I'm having trouble locating it. I want to remember the color of her lips.

 

[Neiteio]

Fantastic OP, great shots and well-written too!

I loved the Gerudo Desert best too, I went there after the Zora region and took the winding road through the canyons. Coming across the stable, then out into the open vastness of the desert, the Bazaar and finally Gerudo Town itself. Magnificent. It definitely felt the most realised of all the towns. And the quests felt better too.

I love Link's seal puns:

Or when he's caught by surprise:

 

[foxuzamaki]

There's no sign of interspecies reproduction anywhere in the game, eg. cross-breed races.

It's also implied in various interactions that the women-only rule in Gerudo is stupid, inconsistent, inconvenient and hypocritical. The Gorons think it makes no sense. There's a store selling men's clothing in secret (indicating demand and other men roaming in secret). Some women seem bothered that they have to travel afar to find a male lover. They're awkward as hell and take courses to learn how to interact normally with the estranged sex (messed up in my opinion). A number of the residents don't care you're a man wandering around town, even going all the way to the top of the leadership... but they insist you remain concealed because of the supposed public outrage it would cause.

So why the rule? Dumb tradition and avoidance of perceived controversy. In two cases of Gerudo women meeting foreign Hylian lovers, the women seem to settle almost unhappily with less than ideal lovers... as if they're fed up from searching abroad for so long. Imagine if they had more prospects closer to home. And if they're worried about intrusiveness, they seem entirely unbothered by a nosy gossip reporter all in their personal business around town.

I think it's made abundantly clear that they would be better off not having this rule and instead welcoming men into their region and city.

That seemingly doesnt mater to the gerudo race, all gerudo children look as they should, like other gerudos. physical features seems to be very minimal on the male's side

 

[MrSaturn99]

I started exploring the Gerudo Desert today. I'd already done the story quests and picked up on certain details like the Voe class (lol), but there's many stuff here pointed out that I missed. (As to be expected from your posts, Neiteio!)

Spoiler

What's up with the clothing store password?!? Agh, I gotta know!!

Hey man, nice to see you too! I see you're no longer rocking the Little Mac avatar. Maybe when Smash Switch rolls around?

Check out the community thread; everyone got deflated over the port theory after the recent amiibo reveal.

 

[Angry Grimace]

My biggest problem with the Gerudo was that the Gerudo Town "No Voe" policy seemed to have a 0% approval rating amongst the actual Gerudo people.

 

[Vena]

There's no sign of interspecies reproduction anywhere in the game, eg. cross-breed races.

It's also implied in various interactions that the women-only rule in Gerudo is stupid, inconsistent, inconvenient and hypocritical. The Gorons think it makes no sense. There's a store selling men's clothing in secret (indicating demand and other men roaming in secret). Some women seem bothered that they have to travel afar to find a male lover. They're awkward as hell and take courses to learn how to interact normally with the estranged sex (messed up in my opinion). A number of the residents don't care you're a man wandering around town, even going all the way to the top of the leadership... but they insist you remain concealed because of the supposed public outrage it would cause.

Pretty sure Gerudo women mate with Hylian men, I don't think they're actually interspecies there. They do not mate with Goron (who are genderless) or Zora/Rito who are fish/birds.

Also there are... at least two men inside of Gerudo town. Talk to the some of the Hylians you see, you'd be surprised that some of them are also men!

 

[Neiteio]

I started exploring the Gerudo Desert today. I'd already done the story quests and picked up on certain details like the Voe class (lol), but there's many stuff here pointed out that I missed. (As to be expected from your posts, Neiteio!)

Spoiler

What's up with the clothing store password?!? Agh, I gotta know!!

Visit the tavern! Then check next door. Maybe there's a way to eavesdrop on certain conversations... :-O

 

[hatchx]

Yeesh Neiteio, you got some amazing pictures. If I didn't own the game, I'd probably have to run out and buy it based on seeing those. Also, kudos for turning on Pro HUD for picture-taking! I always forget.

 

[Neiteio]

I love the ancient ruins in this game... They feel like Terada's NES Zelda art come to life. I also like sailing over deep ravines while exploring the frontier.

The colosseum ruins, just north of the Great Plateau, are perhaps my favorite.

The interior of the Forgotten Temple is another good one:

But the best part are the baddies you tend to encounter in ancient places:

 

[archreaper93]

Best music

Rito Village has a remix of the Dragon Roost Island theme, so that's automatically wrong.

 

[Yoshimitsu126]

Man I spent over 100 hours and I still haven't explored the Colosseum or the one of south west region. Can't wait to get back to this game after my semester ends!

 

[Neiteio]

Yeesh Neiteio, you got some amazing pictures. If I didn't own the game, I'd probably have to run out and buy it based on seeing those. Also, kudos for turning on Pro HUD for picture-taking! I always forget.

Thanks. I've been playing exclusively in Pro HUD mode. The game gives you nearly all of the visual information you need, so it's quite manageable. Only downside is having to check the map more often, but it's no big deal.

 

[Rafavert]

Speaking of Koroks, I'm aware this is due to gameplay reasons...

But them ilttle critters are the only living creatures(aside from enemies) in Hyrule Castle.

Either they're quite powerful, they're foolish or too weak to even bother.

 

[Deleted member 465307]

This is a great thread with wonderful photos. Nicely done, OP. I think the Gerudo are the best realized race in the game.

Speaking of Koroks, I'm aware this is due to gameplay reasons...

But them ilttle critters are the only living creatures(aside from enemies) in Hyrule Castle.

Either they're quite powerful, they're foolish or too weak to even bother.

I think it's all of the above.

1) They appear to be somewhat powerful since they can teleport, shapeshift, and seemingly transform between different mass/energy states. If they were ever threatened, I'm sure they could escape.
2) They're quite playful and childlike, so I suspect they don't really think about the danger of Hyrule Castle. It's just another place to hide and play.
3) They don't show any offensive powers and don't seem to have any aggression, so I suspect they're not a threat to Ganon in any way. As a result, he probably doesn't care. (Or maybe he does, but he also can't find them. )

 

[Rafavert]

This is a great thread with wonderful photos. Nicely done, OP. I think the Gerudo are the best realized race in the game.



I think it's all of the above.

1) They appear to be somewhat powerful since they can teleport, shapeshift, and seemingly transform between different mass/energy states. If they were ever threatened, I'm sure they could escape.
2) They're quite playful and childlike, so I suspect they don't really think about the danger of Hyrule Castle. It's just another place to hide and play.
3) They don't show any offensive powers and don't seem to have any aggression, so I suspect they're not a threat to Ganon in any way. As a result, he probably doesn't care. (Or maybe he does, but he also can't find them. )

....Definitely the 3rd, namely the being unable to find them part xD

100+ Hours, only found ~250 Koroks. Damn lil critters know how to hide!

They're adorable, though. I forgive them. Really happy to see them back in the game (along with the Rito!)

 

[Duggie_Brown]

I couldn't agree more. Nintendo really evolved the cultures of all the races in this game, but the Gerudo stood out for more than the others.
What I loved the most was the different skin tones, ages, sizes and voices of the Geurdo. They felt very cultured and well though out.
A great achievement I feel, not many (if any) other videogames have represented a black culture so well I feel.

 

[GiantBreadbug]

Rito Village has a remix of the Dragon Roost Island theme, so that's automatically wrong.

Haven't been here yet, holy shiiiiiiiit this is amazing news

 

[Wiseblade]

Speaking of Koroks, I'm aware this is due to gameplay reasons...

But them ilttle critters are the only living creatures(aside from enemies) in Hyrule Castle.

Either they're quite powerful, they're foolish or too weak to even bother.

Or they're simply that good at hiding.

 

[Finale Fireworker]

I adore the Gerudo section of Breath of the Wild. It is the highlight of the game for me.

I remember when I first lit the Gerudo Tower and saw the town and the trading post off in the distance. When I first began Breath of the Wild, I was constantly scaling cliffs to their highest peaks, seeing something new, and jumping off towards them. When I landed, I would be somewhere I'd never seen before with no idea I would encounter beyond that singular point of interest. But as I filled in the map and completed more of the adventure, this feeling started to go away. Seeing the towns and outposts in the desert from the top of the Gerudo Tower gave me back the intrigue I hadn't felt in a while. I sort of knew right then that this part of the game was going to deliver.

I could write on and on and on about this quest. I love all of it so much. I think Gerudo is the most developed and actualized village. It depicts so much culture. To properly gush about what I love about the Gerudo without writing a book on it, I will have to use bullet points.

1. I love that Gerudo body standards are based on the development of musculature and height.

2. I love that their culture is protective and militant, but not warlike and vicious. The best of Spartan and Athenian cultures combined.

3. I love that they have a thriving fashion and jewelry industry. It is such a core business that there is even a black market just for men's clothes. This is so creative to me.

4. I love that the people in the city aren't all painted as gullible oafs who accept Link as a Hylian vai without a shred of skepticism. Link is in disguise, but these women aren't dumb. Some of them at least suspect, others know as soon as they see him that he's not a woman, and it adds a sense of tension and makes you wonder which people know and which people don't. Does everyone know? Are they just looking the other way? The implication that any Gerudo might be giving Link the benefit of the doubt as long as he follows the rules adds some depth to the society.

5. I love that they have their own form of travel and sand seals are domesticated for sand surfing. But you don't have to wonder where they come from, they're out in the desert! You can go catch your own! It really helps develop how even people living in the desert "live off the land" like other Hyrulian people do. The desert isn't one of those "dead lands" where nothing lives or grows, it's a really healthy and beautiful ecosystem.

6. I love that they are arguably the most advanced society in all of Hyrule. Their aqueducts alone are much more sophisticated then any post-apocalyptic technology utilized in Hateno or Kakariko. They have an ice house, they have a marketplace, they have a school, they have a military, etc. I also get the sense they are on the verge of mastering electricity given their manipulation over lightning and its prevalence around them. This camp of thieves became a mecca for commerce, technology, and culture. Gerudos in Breath of the Wild aren't a camp of bandits. In fact, they're plagued by bandits. It's amazing to see how far this society has come since we first met them in OoT.

7. Riju... Riju is my favorite character. Usually the child-leader trope is played as a joke or as a cheap attempt at exoticism. They are one-note characters that are symbolic of "otherness" in most stories that feature them. But Riju's character and story actually studies how her leadership actually affects her. She is a character I would really love to see more of. I would love to see Riju ten years later, and ten years after that, and how she goes from needing a booster seat to being a proper queen. In the meantime, I love that you can follow her around and get the full picture of what she's thinking about and what matters to her. I love that the game is never cruel to her (nothing bad happens to Patricia, for example, which I feared would happen). I love that this child leader is one of the best-developed characters we encounter in all of Hyrule.



In the past, desert environments have not been my favorite. Usually because movement is hindered and there's nothing but waste and ruin. But Breath of the Wild makes the desert feel alive. It gives it so much color and adds so much culture to its people. I would play an entire RPG in just Gerudo territory. They are everything I want from Nintendo stories and characters. This part of BotW is a bar I will judge all their future endeavors by.

I wish I had more time. I am finally posting in this thread instead of working right now. But as much as I want to sit here and write 10,000 words on why Riju is Nintendo's greatest gift to us all, I have to get back to work... But yeah, I'm glad this thread exists and that it's so big, because the Gerudo city and people deserve a lot of recognition.

Ritos look really cool, but they barely have a quest and most of them never even move. They don't even walk around! You never see them flying around! Their day to day exists of standing there waiting to talk to Link.

But the Gerudo are in full-on Clock Town mode. There are so many people on schedules with stories and personalities and routines. There's really nothing else like it in the game and I love it for that.

 

[Pinky]

awesome pics

Great shots, man! You've got a good eye!

 

[ionitron]

I haven't made it to the Gerudo town just yet in the game but I really want to ahgghghg. I actually was just outside of it, but I don't know how to get the clothes for it just yet so I just went away.

Admittedly I want to do death mountain first because I have absolutely no interest in that area or the characters in it.

 

[Weltall Zero]

I love Link's seal puns:

The Spanish version has quite possibly one of the best I've seen in my life when dismissing that dialogue, "que te den morsilla", which is of course entirely untranslatable. I laughed my ass off for minutes after reading it and I still can't read it without chuckling out loud.

Hey, thanks for the kind words, Welltall. I hope people enjoy this stuff. I have quite a few screens left, so I'll keep posting them so long as the thread is active.

Please do! Your lynel shots are very impressive!

About the lips of the Gerudo, some of them do use lipstick. There's a Gerudo in the front row of the relationship class who asks you what you think of her lipstick color. I have a screenshot of it but I'm having trouble locating it. I want to remember the color of her lips.

Oh, true! This would prove the issue once and for all so I'm booting the game and heading there as I write this post. Will post or update this post with the results.

Edit: For some reason none of the Gerudo in the class would tell me anything about lipstick. Perhaps it's somewhere else?

[.]

Amazing post (as always) and it resonates so strongly with my own thoughs, I agree with almost everything, so for the sake of avoiding repetition and "so true" x 10, I'll only comment on what I would add:

About many of the Gerudo being able to tell Link is not a woman, even then it's not nearly as obvious as it might seem. At least one GAFer was chewed by his wife for playing so much "that game with the chick"! Link is quite androginous looking and positively tiny even for a Hylian, and let's not forget many people thought he was a female in the game's reveal trailer. The only things giving him away is his flat chest and voice, but some Gerudo are also flat chested and have similarly tenor voices.

And I said I wouldn't post "me too"s, but I agree so much that Riju might be the best implementation of the child leader without the cheap tropes usually associated with it. Particularly reading her diary, and her room in general with the awesome stuffed sand seals, give her even more depth and makes you feel so fond of her.

If anything, the worst part by far about Gerudo town is that it makes the other cultures seem so squalid by comparison. Beautiful as it is, I was disappointed in Zora's domain (the second race I found), which made me dial back my expectations for Goron and Rito's. Particularly I'm glad I had read impressions about the Rito being the weakest of the bunch, as it was one of the races I most wanted to see and their city is so lackluster. :/

 

[Unicorn]

This is a great thread with wonderful photos. Nicely done, OP. I think the Gerudo are the best realized race in the game.



I think it's all of the above.

1) They appear to be somewhat powerful since they can teleport, shapeshift, and seemingly transform between different mass/energy states. If they were ever threatened, I'm sure they could escape.
2) They're quite playful and childlike, so I suspect they don't really think about the danger of Hyrule Castle. It's just another place to hide and play.
3) They don't show any offensive powers and don't seem to have any aggression, so I suspect they're not a threat to Ganon in any way. As a result, he probably doesn't care. (Or maybe he does, but he also can't find them. )

They are invisible. Link is the only one to see them per Hestu

 

[Rafavert]

They are invisible. Link is the only one to see them per Hestu

They can hide from the most primitive, powerful and pure of evils.
Move aside, Hylia! You got some serious competition.

 

[Mista Koo]

I like what they did with them in this game. As an Arab I like how they took more Arab inspirations, like the thobe wearing Hylians you find in the region and literally calling their pants Sirwal. However I still hate the Gerudo in general. They are a race of exoticized brown women harem, and they are grouped with the bird and fish people rather than the two human groups.

Spoiler

I'd still probably play as a Gerudo in a Zelda game with a character creator.

On a side note: Neiteio I'm disappointed that you're not dying your clothes before taking pictures!

 

[Japanmanx3]

Yeah the Gerudo are so well designed. And the town feels alive.

 

[Mega]

I like what they did with them in this game. As an Arab I like how they took more Arab inspirations, like the thobe wearing Hylians you find in the region and literally calling their pants Sirwal. However I still hate the Gerudo in general. They are a race of exoticized brown women harem, and they are grouped with the bird and fish people rather than the two human groups.

The Gerudo are not an ethnic group under Hylians. They're a distinct humanoid race. This also applies to the Kokiri and Koroks. Think of it like how Humans and Neanderthals are different... or the separate races of Men, Dwarves and Elves in Lord of the Rings.

And Humans in the Zelda lore are apparently a separate humanoid race from Hylians and Gerudo.

 

[Manny Calavera]

Some nice screenshots in the first post. But I agree and I'd say I love pretty much everything about the game as well. After finishing it's safe to say it's in my top 3 games of all time.

 

[DylanEno]

God, the world building in this game is so good. Each race feels so well fleshed-out and interesting - but man, you took it to the next level with this post. I feel way more appreciative of how they handle the gerudo in this game.

The only major disappoint imo was the Goron. Their settlement was pretty uninteresting, as were the characters that inhabited it.

 

[Shaanyboi]

Still haven't gone to see the Gerudo yet. I got to the Hebra region the other day and spent about 10 hours just wandering the mountains.

God I fucking love this game.

 

[victreeb3l]

Rito Village has a remix of the Dragon Roost Island theme, so that's automatically wrong.

That is admittedly awesome, but is it as awesome as the Molduga theme? Hmmmmm

 

[archreaper93]

That is admittedly awesome, but is it as awesome as the Molduga theme? Hmmmmm

Molduga's theme is great, yes.

 

[Jupiter_Shrooms]

Concerning Koroks, there's actually a Korok pinwheel that is all tattered and broken inside Hyrule Castle. I thought it was a neat nod that this Korok met an unfortunate end and that they can choose bad hiding spots.

 

[Deleted member 465307]

They are invisible. Link is the only one to see them per Hestu

Did Hestu say that? I totally forgot.

 

[rhandino]

Did Hestu say that? I totally forgot.

He says it the firdt time you meet him

I think there is other NPC that talks abput kids and people of pure hearts being the only ones that can see things like the Fairies or the Dragons.

 

[Rafavert]

Concerning Koroks, there's actually a Korok pinwheel that is all tattered and broken inside Hyrule Castle. I thought it was a neat nod that this Korok met an unfortunate end and that they can choose bad hiding spots.

Where is that?

While I like your theory, it's also possible it was simply abandoned.

 

[LucidMomentum]

Just popping in to say that the Gerudo village is the best one in the game and Urbosa is perfection.

Also Silver Lynels are my favorite enemies so far. They're just so badass.

 

[Rafavert]

Speaking or Urbosa (though Revali is the best!), the champions definitely deserve slots in a Hyrule Warriors 2.

 

[Ushay]

I've only played a little over 5 hours worth of Zelda since my Switch arrives last week and I have to say I am utterly in love with this game, and by extension the hardware it runs on. Its amazing how Nintendo have managed to make this game look so charming with such limitations. It makes me wonder what they could achieve on better hardware.

All I can say Nintendo have made me a fan yet again, my last outing being Twilight Princess on Wii.

 

[aBarreras]

Okay so for the eighth guardian quest for the sand boots I'm told someone in town can give me hints.

WHERE CAN I FIND THIS SOMEONE.

i dont know how late i am, but you can give fruits to riju's seal, and it will say things to you haha, well, she will make animal noises and a gerudo guard will translate,

also i have a crush on the jewel store lady

 

[LucidMomentum]

Speaking or Urbosa (though Revali is the best!), the champions definitely deserve slots in a Hyrule Warriors 2.

FIGHT ME

But yeah, the Champions seem like a shoe in for HW2 if that ever happens.

 

[LaserHawk]

Most intriguing of all is the gendered nature of their community: No men are allowed in Gerudo Town. During the events of BotW, this seems to be purely tradition, since several townspeople are indifferent to Link’s true identity and don’t mind him there in disguise. But I find the implications interesting.

I think the suggestion is they’re trying to preserve their cultural identity, which might otherwise be lost since they’re constantly courting men of other races — an absolute necessity when a Gerudo male is born only once every 100 years. However, there are women from other races in town, so there’s still some cross-cultural mingling taking place. Maybe the “girls only” rule is more about providing a safe haven where women can learn about men and the real world before venturing out themselves. The relationship classes and cooking classes come to mind. Their gendered culture might be predicated on the sisterly notion that women simply understand each other in a way that men don’t.

The idea of Gerudo town being a "safe haven" from men in ridiculous.

1. First of all, It's just a carry over from Ocarina of Time where the gender segregation was merely a justification for allowing them to have a stealth segment of the game. In BoTW it manifests itself as forcing you to do one additional quest before entering the town (and also putting on a silly outfit every time after when you want to enter).

2. Second of all, it reflects poorly on the Gerudo themselves. The idea that they could be in any way threatened by men that are half their size is crazy. And it really shows their prejudice when, even after calming Vah Naboris, they still can't allow the man who brought peace to their region. Throughout Hyurle, I can't recall a single Gerudo that was "afraid" of men, just bewildered and confused by them, which is point number three.

3. Gender segregation is counter-productive and harmful to the Gerudo. Everywhere you go you find Gerudo that are desperately trying to find a man, and many of them are hopeless and lonely because of it. Yet, there are men just outside of Gerudo Town wishing they could hook up with the Gerudo women. Why separate them? It only takes a little bit of talking to see how ineptly prepared many of the Gerudo are for dealing with men. It's because they're being trained by women who are also unmarried, and away from men... Blind leading the blind. It's like a man learning to court women entirely on 4chan.


So what do I read from the Gerudo civilization? Segregate yourselves at your own peril. It comes off more as a cautionary tale on safe spaces. Don't get me wrong, their culture is interesting and fun, but I view their women-only rule as a fault, not something to admire.

 

[Chaos17]

OP did a great job to make me want to burn again 100h of my life in this game XD
I must hold on... Hnnnng

 

[Neiteio]

The idea of Gerudo town being a "safe haven" from men in ridiculous.

1. First of all, It's just a carry over from Ocarina of Time where the gender segregation was merely a justification for allowing them to have a stealth segment of the game. In BoTW it manifests itself as forcing you to do one additional quest before entering the town (and also putting on a silly outfit every time after when you want to enter).

2. Second of all, it reflects poorly on the Gerudo themselves. The idea that they could be in any way threatened by men that are half their size is crazy. And it really shows their prejudice when, even after calming Vah Naboris, they still can't allow the man who brought peace to their region. Throughout Hyurle, I can't recall a single Gerudo that was "afraid" of men, just bewildered and confused by them, which is point number three.

3. Gender segregation is counter-productive and harmful to the Gerudo. Everywhere you go you find Gerudo that are desperately trying to find a man, and many of them are hopeless and lonely because of it. Yet, there are men just outside of Gerudo Town wishing they could hook up with the Gerudo women. Why separate them? It only takes a little bit of talking to see how ineptly prepared many of the Gerudo are for dealing with men. It's because they're being trained by women who are also unmarried, and away from men... Blind leading the blind. It's like a man learning to court women entirely on 4chan.


So what do I read from the Gerudo civilization? Segregate yourselves at your own peril. It comes off more as a cautionary tale on safe spaces. Don't get me wrong, their culture is interesting and fun, but I view their women-only rule as a fault, not something to admire.

I never said whether it was something to admire. I was just speculating as to the root of it as a tradition.

And that's what it is — a tradition. Many traditions in different cultures don't make much sense when you examine them from a practicality or efficiency standpoint — like keeping the bride and groom separate on their wedding day until they're at the altar, or saying the pledge of allegiance at public meetings. But they're part of the culture all the same.

Putting this aside, the question becomes what may have led to certain traditions in the first place.

Obviously, the gameplay reasons (an excuse for stealth or clever infiltration) are not the story-based reasons. And story-wise, I don't think it was a fear of men, but rather a preference among their ancestors to rear their children a certain way.

I like how you have a mix of people in Gerudo Town — those who are slavish to tradition for tradition's sake, and those who think tradition is silly but tolerate it anyways. It makes it feel like a real place. One elderly Gerudo next to a Goddess Statue in a back alley even comments on the spirituality of her people (or lack thereof) and how it's changing with the times.

It's neat to ponder this stuff.

 

[LaserHawk]

It's neat to ponder this stuff.

Yeah, I can't fault you for finding it interesting. They've created some very fascinating cultures for the Zelda universe. My personal favorite is Kakariko Village.

 

[Mega]

The idea of Gerudo town being a "safe haven" from men in ridiculous.

1. First of all, It's just a carry over from Ocarina of Time where the gender segregation was merely a justification for allowing them to have a stealth segment of the game. In BoTW it manifests itself as forcing you to do one additional quest before entering the town (and also putting on a silly outfit every time after when you want to enter).

2. Second of all, it reflects poorly on the Gerudo themselves. The idea that they could be in any way threatened by men that are half their size is crazy. And it really shows their prejudice when, even after calming Vah Naboris, they still can't allow the man who brought peace to their region. Throughout Hyurle, I can't recall a single Gerudo that was "afraid" of men, just bewildered and confused by them, which is point number three.

3. Gender segregation is counter-productive and harmful to the Gerudo. Everywhere you go you find Gerudo that are desperately trying to find a man, and many of them are hopeless and lonely because of it. Yet, there are men just outside of Gerudo Town wishing they could hook up with the Gerudo women. Why separate them? It only takes a little bit of talking to see how ineptly prepared many of the Gerudo are for dealing with men. It's because they're being trained by women who are also unmarried, and away from men... Blind leading the blind. It's like a man learning to court women entirely on 4chan.


So what do I read from the Gerudo civilization? Segregate yourselves at your own peril. It comes off more as a cautionary tale on safe spaces. Don't get me wrong, their culture is interesting and fun, but I view their women-only rule as a fault, not something to admire.

Agreed. I touched on much of this in my earlier post. http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=234261121&postcount=257

I think Nintendo was very conscious and deliberate of presenting this society that less observant players would pick up as "wow so progressive" because of surface level observations like its population of women with different dark skin tones and various body shapes. But add nuance and dig a little deeper and it's actually very conservative, repressed, restrictive and frankly a little miserable.

 

[Takat]

Speaking of Koroks, I'm aware this is due to gameplay reasons...

But them ilttle critters are the only living creatures(aside from enemies) in Hyrule Castle.

Either they're quite powerful, they're foolish or too weak to even bother.

At the start of the game the first one is surprised you can see him, and the main Korok guy is also surprised. So basically, I would assume only Link can see them.

 

[Deleted member 465307]

He says it the firdt time you meet him

I think there is other NPC that talks abput kids and people of pure hearts being the only ones that can see things like the Fairies or the Dragons.

I see. That sounds familiar because I remember thinking at some point that Link is special, but I still don't remember it. This game is so big that I've forgotten those little details. Thanks for reminding me.

At the start of the game the first one is surprised you can see him, and the main Korok guy is also surprised. So basically, I would assume only Link can see them.

Oh right, I'd forgotten this, but now I remember. It also explains how Hestu could be parked on the side of the road without anyone flipping out at the large sentient plant.

 

[Mega]

Oh right, I'd forgotten this, but now I remember. It also explains how Hestu could be parked on the side of the road without anyone flipping out at the large sentient plant.

That's not so crazy in a world with walking fish, bird and rock people, goblins, large trolls, lizard men, spider robots, big rock monsters, lion centaurs and animated skeletons.

 

[LaserHawk]

Agreed. I touched on much of this in my earlier post. http://www.neogaf.com/forum/showpost.php?p=234261121&postcount=257

I think Nintendo was very conscious and deliberate of presenting this society that less observant players would pick up as "wow so progressive" because of surface level observations like its population of women with different dark skin tones and various body shapes. But add nuance and dig a little deeper and it's actually very conservative, repressed, restrictive and frankly a little miserable.

You make some very good points in that post you linked me to... You also reminded me of one of the weirdest things about the Gerudo...

I guess the idea is that the Gerudo civilization persists, despite its lack of men, because the women go out into the world to marry. But like you mentioned, you don't see married Gerudo or half Gerudo children anywhere in Hyrule (other than Rhondson, the only one I can think of). What it looks like is that the Gerudo are largely unsuccessful. And if they were successful? Well, they would only be able to take their daughters back to Gerudo Town, abandoning their husbands.

So the only way to look at it is that either the Gerudo are sexist assholes that use men to get a few children and then dump them, or their civilization should have been wiped out millenia ago.