We have all been there: Faced with a seemingly impossible set of circumstances, the consequences of our next decision surely about to bring about an unpleasant result. We feel scared, frustrated, trapped, and alone. The walls of our own psyche slowly begin to close in around us as the deadline for a decision looms near. Such is the feeling of being trapped between a proverbial rock and a hard place.
While the situation described above is typically more metaphorical than literal, one special character in Oracle of Ages faced a dire strait that was both tangible and figurative. For Allan, the circumstances involve an immovable rock, but his “hard place” was both a physical gravestone and a voyage to the afterlife.
En route to the Yoll Graveyard to retrieve the first Essence of Time, Link stumbles upon a group of children who are discussing rumors of a ghost nearby. As the hero continues onward toward the Spirit’s Grave, we catch our first glimpse of the ghost named Allan; however, a boulder prevents us from making his acquaintance. Link must first gather more strength to remove the obstacle.
Thankfully, the key item in the Spirit’s Grave is also the solution to removing the barrier that blocks us from meeting Allan: the Power Bracelet. Upon successfully retrieving the Eternal Spirit from the first dungeon, Link can finally begin to uncover the truth behind the ghostly rumors.
As we slowly make our way northwest of the dungeon, the backdrop of the entire graveyard yields more questions than answers. As the ghostly image of Allan comes into focus, it is strikingly obvious that the gravestone is secluded from the rest of the cemetery. Why is Allan’s tombstone so isolated? Could this segregation be an allegorical representation of Allan’s real life? Did he not have any close friends or relatives with whom to share a final resting place?
With Power Bracelet in hand, Link removes the first part of the famous idiom. Much to Allan’s delight, we finally begin to unravel the mystery surrounding the ghost that haunts the Yoll Graveyard.
“Someone finally came!” Allan’s first sentence is quite jarring. How long had the restless ghost been waiting for someone to visit? Had no one from the Lynna City stopped by to pay their respects? Perhaps the living residents were too scared of the rumors swirling around about the ghost who haunts the graveyard? Regardless of the reason for Allan’s isolation, it is painfully obvious that the ghost is harmless. In fact, he almost appears cheery as he smiles and holds what appears to be a blue lantern.
Thankful for the assistance with the first barricade, Allan reveals the true reason for his ghostly appearance. The nearby headstone is blocking his passage to the afterlife, and he has been painstakingly waiting for someone to remove the obstacle. Link obliges and enters the spooky underground resting place of the deceased villager.
Just when we thought the story could not get any stranger, we discover that Allan’s true ghost has been inside the grave all along. Speculation abounds as to how Allan can replicate his ghastly existence in more than one place; however, the subterranean version appears to be the true spirit who is trapped from passing on to the afterlife.
Relieved that the physical and metaphorical barrier has been eradicated, Allan is overcome with gratitude and excitement. The ghostlike Poe can finally bid adieu to the material world and pass on to the afterlife. But before he leaves, Allan recognizes the need to repay the hero’s efforts.
As Link exits the grave, he is greeted by Allan who is once again surprised to see the hero. Perhaps Allan believed that Link would take up a permanent residence stay inside the grave? Regardless of his quirky line of reasoning, the delighted spirit reveals that he no longer needs the comfort of the blue lantern-like object. As a reward for granting a voyage to the afterlife, Allan bestows upon Link the special gift of the Poe Clock.
On the surface, the Poe Clock might not seem like a significant item, but the tradable object is the first in a long sequence of quests that culminates with the hero obtaining the strongest weapon in the game: the Noble Sword. Although not required to finish Oracle of Ages, the Noble Sword makes the final boss battle much easier.
His appearance is short and seemingly insignificant, yet Allen’s story sets the tone for the rest of Link’s adventure. Every quest in the Oracle of Ages trading sequence requires Link to gift a tradable object to someone in need. In exchange for his kindness, Link is awarded another tradable item, which is the key to solving another person’s troubles. Ultimately, this sequence helps Link solve his own dire problem: defeating Veran and saving Nayru.
At some point in our lives, we all have been caught between a rock and a hard place. Perhaps our predicaments did not involve ghosts or the afterlife, but we all know that a stranger’s kindness can make all the difference. You might not receive a Poe Clock in return, but removing a barrier in someone else’s life is satisfying and priceless. All we have to do is purposely go out of our way to help another.
