Back in late October, just a week shy of Halloween, the West Coast of the United States was alerted to the presence of an ominous meteorological phenomenon gradually approaching from the north. The term “bomb cyclone” splashed all across the news as the swirling storm loomed large on the horizon, and to complicate matters further, a rare Category 5 “atmospheric river” was set to slice right through the parched Northern California region. All the scary labels aside, what this essentially translated to was that we should expect buckets of rain to be dumped on us in the coming days. As a resident of the Golden State, a land severely weakened by drought and ravaged by horrific wildfires, this was music to my ears. I already love rain as it is, but if this storm could nourish the soil and help heal the wounds inflicted by years of punishing dry heat, then I was prepared to whip out the red carpet with a flourish and excitedly usher it into my backyard.
What I wasn’t expecting, however, was a steady torrential downpour of heavy water globules whose raw power would topple several old trees and threaten low-lying neighborhoods with flooding. I watched in sheer disbelief as the creek outside my house filled to capacity, breaching the thick mud barrier that kept the water contained within the channel (not nearly enough to flood us, but still); for the first time in the nearly 10 years I’ve inhabited this area, the wetlands that lay beyond the creek actually lived up to their namesake. Don’t get me wrong, this weather event was definitely tame in comparison to a tropical cyclone, but for me, it was a sobering reminder of nature’s awe-inspiring strength and tenacity.
But at the same time, I couldn’t help but wonder: what if nature wasn’t the puppet master behind such a deluge? Imagine how chilling it would be to gaze through the curtain of droplets that pelt the earth like bullets, only to spot multiple orbs in the distance whose eerie pink glow bleeds into the mist. I think it’s safe to say that you’d need a bigger boat to navigate the floodwaters – or, in the case of a certain Hylian Champion, a bigger Zora.
The Zelda series has always been lauded for its intense and unique boss battles, but I believe that the assault against Divine Beast Vah Ruta belongs in a class all its own. It’s a dizzying whirlwind of adrenaline and euphoria, fueled by an elegant yet turbulent melody that represents the sorrow, fear, and hope of the Zoras as they contend with this horrific blight. Indeed, the Vah Ruta battle theme is a complex, emotionally charged composition that would require incredible skill and ingenuity for a musician to even imitate, let alone improve upon.
Well, the Melody Geeks are here to say, “Challenge accepted.”
The remix begins with a exquisite piano melody accompanied by shimmering chimes and strings, as a glorious flute soon joins in to welcome Breath of the Wild‘s paragon of kindness and bravery, Prince Sidon. Not only is Sidon himself the epitome of everything we have come to value in a Zora, but his theme song embodies the soul of the Zora Tribe as a whole; their quiet dignity and grace have helped them to weather terrible tragedies over the years, strengthening their spirits so they may act as pillars of support to others in need. Like a gentle rain shower smooths away the scars left by the sun’s rays, their presence acts as a soothing salve for our psyche, assuring us that all will remain harmonious within the environment as long as they continue to act as its stewards.
But that soft drizzle won’t last for very long. After only a minute of indulgence in this relaxing tune, the haunting notes of the violin sound the alarm about an incoming tempest. A new, deadly contender has entered the arena, and in the calm before the storm, only the ominously beautiful music and the whistle of icy wind gusts echo through the air. All at once, the pianist cranks the dial up to 11 and unleashes a jaw-dropping torrent of notes, making me envision Vah Ruta raising its trunk skyward and slashing a hole right through the clouds. Cascades of water pour down from the heavens as the flute and string instruments plaintively recount the tale of the corrupted Divine Beast, while the discordant piano music calls to mind that heart-stopping flurry that signals an imminent Guardian attack. All one can do is gaze up in terror and awe, unable to process this catastrophic turn of events.
The piano melody soon stabilizes; however, and a militaristic drumbeat establishes a steady rhythm to reign in the chaos; now Link and Sidon have leapt into battle, ready to tame this wild creature and bring an end to the ceaseless downpour. The music keeps intensifying as electric guitar bursts onto the scene like a jolt of lightning, with the massive mechanical pachyderm hurling ice blocks at our heroes as they attempt to catapult up a waterfall and pacify the beast via electrocution. At the song’s climax, the chaos reasserts its dominance as the pianist once again sets fire to the keys, suggesting that Vah Ruta may be gaining the upper hand in this harrowing fight. Before the tumultuous waters can consume him like a deep-sea leviathan, our Champion fires off one more lightning arrow and paralyzes the calamitous entity, granting him entry inside the machine to eradicate the blight once and for all. Thus Sidon’s theme returns to close out the song, handing the victory over to the Zoras who, despite being battered by countless losses, continue to aid the spirit of the hero in his effort to liberate the land of Hyrule. With their unwavering support, even the most intense storms will eventually be nothing more than a distant memory.
The folks over at Melody Geeks are truly phenomenal musicians, so I suggest you drop whatever you’re doing and go binge as many of their videos as possible. My personal recommendation is this insanely creative remix of “Jump Up, Super Star!” in the style of iconic battle themes from Undertale!
