Before I get into the meat and potatoes of this article, I want to make it clear that I’ve unfortunately never completed Oracle of Ages. I would, however, like to in the future. All of the information in this article is researched from various Zelda sites, Akira Himekawa’s manga adaptation, and my own knowledge from being a Zelda fan for over 15 years. I think that the Black Tower in Oracle of Ages is an interesting location, and I hope that you do too.
In the game, Link is transported back in time to the land of Labrynna. Link’s quest is to gather the eight Essences of Time to halt the completion of the Black Tower.
The Black Tower in Oracle of Ages is, in my opinion, a terrifying ordeal. Under the rule of Queen Ambi, the citizens of Labrynna were ordered to construct a massive tower. At first, this tower was to be built so Ambi’s lover, Cap’n, could find his way home safely from the open waters of the ocean. Ambi takes on Nayru, the Oracle of Ages, as her trustee advisor. Sadly, Nayru gets possessed by Veran, the game’s villain. Veran, disguised as Naryu, convinces Ambi that she will be Labrynna’s most exceptional queen if she forces the citizens to build the tower to the heavens. Veran is able to persuade Ambi to use the Oracle of Ages to create a never-ending day, forcing the workers to complete the tower without rest or mercy. This is how Ambi’s Tower became known as the Black Tower.
The tower itself is built straight up and is a dark-grey color. There appear to be more windows on the base than at the top, and toward the top are spikes with a doorway in the middle. It appears to have a balcony area as well. Overall, the Black Tower has a medieval aesthetic to it.
According to gameplay footage, there are tons of monsters inside the tower, including Octoroks, Chuchus, and Ropes. As you progress upward, the enemies become more and more difficult. The inside of the tower also includes strange, dragon-like statues and a room or two with a never-ending maze of staircases.
Akira Himekawa’s adaptation of the Black Tower is especially haunting. When the readers first see the tower, it is only a massive base with a trail of dozens of workers. The base of the tower is gigantic, and I can’t imagine how long it took the citizens to construct it. The never-ending day cycle is also a factor to think about. In the manga, Link teams up with an ancestor of his, and the two do their best to defeat Veran. Once Veran is defeated, it is revealed that Twinrova is the one behind everything and that their master plan to awake Ganon is in full swing.
According to my research, Ganon can be revived once everyone in Labrynna possesses a dark soul. Veran’s way of making that happen is the tower. The forced labor of the citizens of Lybrynna caused such widespread misery that Ganon was able to be reborn. The tower has caused the Lybrynna public such hardship and sorrow, and to top it all off, The King of Evil is a direct consequence.
The Black Tower is an extremely dark and perilous structure in the Zelda series that I rarely hear talked about. The idea of a never-ending day brought on by dark magic from a possessed aide of the queen is a terrifying thought to me. I think that Akira Himekawa’s manga adaptation of the game really brings it to light for a number of reasons. For one, you are able to experience life in Lybrynna in a more personal way. Through the manga, you’re able to witness the tranquility of the citizens along with the abuse that they suffer at the hands of Veran. These are peaceful citizens who unfortunately found themselves at the mercy of a witch. Once Ganon is slain, Queen Ambi goes back to her kind self, and the land of Lybrynna is no longer plagued by the hardships and abuse of the Black Tower.
