The Legend of Zelda is a host to many fantastic villages and towns that are exciting to explore. Though, no place feels quite as iconic as Kakariko Village. With several iterations to explore, Kakariko Village always has much to offer to the player, acting as both a cool place to adventure in and a nice haven away from the chaos caused by Ganon’s forces.
What truly makes Kakariko Village interesting, however, are the people who inhabit it. From the quiet and observant Sheikah Clan of Breath of the Wild to Ocarina of Time‘s windmill-dwelling, cursed musician experiencing a storm of emotions, you can always find a unique character.
No character in any version of Kakariko Village has, in my opinion, a presence quite as poignant as Renado.
Renado is one of the most compelling NPCs encountered in Twilight Princess‘s Kakariko Village. He is both a strong leader and an effective healer, able to offer assistance to people in need in a multitude of ways. Despite his limited story presence, Renado truly uses his screentime to the fullest. I cannot help but get excited each time I encounter Renado when replaying the game. From the first encounter Link has with Renado, I knew immediately that I would thoroughly enjoy his character.
Trapped as spirits in the Twilight that has overtaken Kakariko Village, Renado sits with the children of Ordon Village and Barnes, the owner of the explosives shop in town. Shadow Beasts prowl around outside, searching for the villagers. The villagers are understandably shaken, unsure of what is to come, and worry for their safety.
Barnes begins to panic about their fate, which causes some of the children to cry. Renado cuts off his ramblings with a stern look and a sharp reply. His authority in this scene is palpable, showing how he is able to quiet a man with only a glare.
This scene also shows how compassionate Renado is as well. The image of the Ordonian children huddled around Renado is incredibly powerful. It emphasizes Renado’s compassion as he extends an almost parental comfort to these children who are so far away from home.
In addition, this scene provides comfort to Link, who has been desperately searching for the children since King Bulblin kidnapped them. Seeing that the children are safe and in great hands must make Link feel like a weight has been lifted off of his chest.
Once the Twilight is removed from Kakariko Village, Renado continues to help Link with his wealth of knowledge. He is educated in the practices of other cultures, understanding that Link needs to gain the favor of the Gorons and directs him to someone that can help. In addition, he is the only human healer able to help Prince Ralis when the Zora is severely weakened.
While Renado is able to maintain his reputation as a competent and caring leader, he shows some flaws that really solidify his well-roundedness as a character. When Telma begins to flirt with Renado, he gets a bit flustered and is off-put by her advances. He admits with a bit of shame that he does not like to be around Telma and asks Link to deliver a letter to her in his stead. His little moment of embarrassment shows the audience that he has flaws too. Even leaders have their moments of weakness and it truly brings Renado to life.
Renado is not a particularly complicated character, but he is effective in his delivery since he wields his authority so well. To put it simply, Renado is just cool. He can lead effectively while also treating everyone around him with unconditional kindness. His personality should truly be an aspiration for everyone.
He breathes life into both Kakariko Village and Twilight Princess as a whole, making life a little better for both his people and the player.
