Link has wielded some amazing powers throughout the course of the Zelda series. From his frequent favorite blade the Master Sword to the armory of weapons he reclaims from enemy hands in Breath of the Wild to bending the very fabric of time, the hero of Hyrule often finds himself with might that far exceeds that of many heroes.
One instance of Link commanding great power that is often overlooked is in the game Oracle of Seasons. Using the Rod of Seasons, the young Hylian can change the weather with a snap, causing the spring foliage to wilt and fade one moment and be covered by snow the next. In real life, this would be a devastating power that could wreck the world. It would be too much power for any person, yet this art by Ranefea seems to imply that Link understands the burden of this power and strives to use it fairly in his quest to rescue the Din, the Oracle of Seasons.
The number four and the four seasons are represented in the art in many interesting ways. The most obvious of these lies at Link’s feet where the hero stands atop vertical strips of ground representing spring, summer, fall, and winter respectively. These same seasons are shown in the colors of the leaves of the tree at Link’s back. The pattern is present as well, tying into not only the real pattern of our seasons but also the pattern the player must go through in the game. Even with the Rod of Seasons, the order of the time must be obeyed.
Less obvious references to the seasonal quartet also abound. The frame that surrounds Link features the colors of all four times of the year. The orange of autumn, the icy blues of winter, the green foliage of spring, and the scarlet heat of summer are all present.
A recurring element in Ranefea’s series of Zelda stained glass art is the lotus flower. Lotus flowers often symbolize the concept of rebirth which makes them a perfect representation of the cycle of nature. Just as the flora must die in the winter, it is reborn in the spring. The fact that there are four lotuses, two at the top of the frame and two sprouting out of the circle at Link’s feet, also ties these blooms to the cycle of the seasons.
The last element of this art that I want to call attention to is Link’s expression. As I mentioned in the beginning, the awesome power of nature is Link’s to command in this game. A normal young man with that strength resting in the palm of his hand could be a cause for great concern. You can imagine many men holding the Rod of Seasons triumphantly overhead with a smirk on their face, ready to bend the world to his power. Link’s expression is downright serious in contrast. He doesn’t smile or smirk. He looks straight ahead intently with a gaze that expresses an understanding. Link is courageous enough to not fear the power that the Rod of Seasons bestows on him, but he’s wise enough to understand its danger as well.
One reason why so many of us love Link is that he represents the best of us. Where our tempers can rage like coldest winters and our passions like the most blazing of summer days, Link understands that we must be in control of all the seasons of our emotions in order to be at our best.
