Being the father of a daughter who is fascinated by science and the intricate patterns of nature makes me love the Princess Zelda of Breath of the Wild even more. Her intense interest and the joy she finds in studying the Sheikah relics of the ancient past reminds me of my own daughter and warms my heart. Despite the bad rap the act of studying can get, it’s not as much of a chore when you’re pouring over texts about something you love. In their piece of art titled “Zelda,” BabanIllustration manages to depict both the dedication the young, royal scientist has to her studies as well as the burden she feels on her shoulders.
Upon looking at the piece of art, there are three components that my eye is immediately drawn to: Zelda herself, the window in front of her, and the debris of her research.
When examining the studious princess, I notice her posture at the desk. It’s a position students are intimately familiar with. The hunched-over form of someone with their elbows and forearms propping them up as they continue to try to cram knowledge into their mind despite their body’s need for rest. Her eyes reinforce the need for sleep as they look to already be partially closed with weariness.
Initially, I thought that this fatigue was due entirely to too many hours in study, but the chair Zelda is sitting on made me consider another option. The chair is emblazoned with the symbol of the Triforce, a reminder of the elusive sealing power that has evaded Zelda’s grasp. The fact that it’s at her back makes me think that it could represent the duty to her country that hounds her every waking moment. She has been told that she must unlock the mystery of her hereditary power or Hyrule is doomed. Talk about pressure! No wonder the budding monarch looks exhausted.
The primary source of light in the art piece comes through the window and recalls an almost divine blessing. Frequently in art as well as film and television. The symbolism of rays of light shining down on something is used to convey a sense of rightness or approval of a path. It’s interesting, then, that BabanIllustration has this divine illumination falling on Zelda as she studies. It makes me wonder what would have happened if her father had supported Zelda’s interest in the Sheikah tech. Would she have been able to unearth even more of its secrets alongside Purah and Robbie? Perhaps. In fact, maybe they would have identified the Guardians and Divine Beasts’ susceptibility to Calamity Ganon’s Malice hack and could have prevented their turn, which would have stalled the porcine perpetrator’s evil plan. Beyond that, who’s to say that following this path of science couldn’t have led to an alternate awakening of Zelda’s sealing power tied into an epiphany gained from her studies?
Less symbolic but no less fun to analyze are the remnants of Zelda’s studies and experiments. I love that we see not just a red book next to the princess but also a blue one propped up against a nearby crate. I wonder if these are texts Zelda has read or journals full of her own notes and observations. It could be either because we see plenty of evidence of both posted on the walls and even the window in her room. Sketches of Van Naboris, Sheikah Shrines, and even the constellation designs supplant the place of whatever Hyrulean heartthrob the other teenage girls of the kingdom might be obsessing over. Zelda has no time for that. She has a duty to fulfill.
Another detail I love is the various small Guardian pieces in the foreground. Zelda has been tinkering. She even has her own tool belt with various screwdrivers and a paintbrush. I love the implied image of Zelda up to her elbows in Guardian parts with her trusty tool-belt buckled around her waist as she works to repair the broken down sentries or to perhaps construct her own robotic helper like Terrako from Age of Calamity.
There’s a humanness to Zelda in Breath of the Wild. Her nerdy nature when it comes to experiments and the study of Sheikah relics has inspired many fans and artists who see their own triumphs and struggles reflected in her. Just as she marvels at the tiniest detail of a Divine Beast schematic, we smile at the intricacies of our chosen field of study. As we struggle with the expectations to graduate, get a job, and make something of ourselves, Zelda bears her own burdens. Through this art piece, BabanIllustrations captures the struggle of every scholar.
