Hyrule Warriors isn’t everyone’s cup of tea. As a spin-off game far from the regular format of The Legend of Zelda series, it’s understandable that it isn’t widely adored. Even for those who do enjoy bashing thousands of enemies per battle, the number of levels, collectibles, and other content can be endless. With over 300 hours of play time, I’m still nowhere near complete.
Nevertheless, it’s a game that I love. The story and characters brought to the screen are full of personality and capture nostalgia from various games in the series. However, it wasn’t one of the new incarnations of the main three that I was drawn to the most. Nor was it one of the many characters from other installments in the series. The character that inspired me the most was an original character, the White Sorceress Lana.
Link and his party first encounter Lana leading a group of soldiers in Faron Woods. She’s introduced as a healing sorceress from the same clan as the villain, Cia. As the story goes on, it is revealed that Lana and Cia are the same person as Lana was the light driven out of Cia when Ganondorf corrupted her soul.
Everything about Lana, from her personality to her appearance, captures the light of Hyrule. Unlike her counterpart, Lana is kind, bubbly, and selfless. She sacrifices her feelings and desires in order to protect Hyrule and all she loves. That’s not to say she doesn’t have a little bit of charm and sass every now and then.
From the moment Lana lay eyes on Link in person, a little crush started to develop. In many of the cutscenes, she can be seen admiring Link and his courageous heart. When confronted by Cia, Lana only tells Link to run. Even after seeing Link’s eyes always look to Zelda, Lana never lets her emotions get to her as she fights for what is right.
In her final moments, Cia questions Lana’s ability to live knowing she’ll never have him, to which Lana replies, “You don’t always get the person you think you deserve…and I can live with that.” Above all else, Lana cares for her friends and she can live on as long as they are safe and happy. Her optimistic outlook on life is an inspiring one. Lana shows that even if you don’t get everything you want or desire out of life, you can still be happy. The friendships you make are worth more than buried desire.
Cosmetically, Lana’s design is a perfect complement to her personality. White, gold, and various hues of blue come together to dress her in a layered skirt and crop top. Along with detached sleeves, white tights, fantastic boots, a myriad of jewels, and other flaring components, Lana is the vision of a dancer. While fighting across the battlefield or dancing to The Legend of Zelda theme song, her outfit twirls and moves with her. No matter the weapon in her hand, she looks like she is having fun and enjoying herself as she tries hard to never be without a smile.
With hardcore combat and defeating large groups of enemies being the focus of Hyrule Warriors, no playable character would be complete without their weapons. Lana can equip three different weapons throughout the game: the Book of Sorcery, the Spear, and the Summoning Gate.
The Book of Sorcery is Lana’s first weapon. With a lightning element, Lana creates various spells of magical orbs and electrifying walls to throw at her enemies. Pages of the tome scatter around as her movements boost her magic, while she strikes the occasional playful pose. The Book of Sorcery lays the base for who Lana is, the White Sorceress. The same book is found in all of her story cutscenes as her magic aids the heroes throughout their journey.
Lana’s second weapon, the Spear, is unlocked during The Sorceress of the Valley chapter. While the weapon’s element is water, the aesthetic matches the forest where the player first encounters Lana. Deku Nuts and Deku Leaves make Lana’s attacks inspired by nature. Deku Tree Sprouts will pop out of the ground to aid her, and even the Great Deku Tree himself makes an appearance during her Special Attack sequence. I always like to think of this weapon as the forest saying thank you to Lana for protecting it during her first chapter.
Lana is definitely not without a little bit of fun. Her bubbly personality and love for dancing shines through with her last available weapon, the Summoning Gate. Unlocked in Adventure Mode, the Summoning Gate lives up to its name and summons various bosses found in story mode, from the classic Dodongo to the fire-breathing Argorok. The best creature in her arsenal is found in her special move when she summons a Giant Cucco to trample her enemies. As absurd as it may seem, the Summoning Gate is a fun weapon. With the dancing energy Lana holds, the weapon is perfect for the little sorceress.
For some, Hyrule Warriors can become quite ridiculous with all of the various weapons and mechanics available to the player. Yet, they come together to bring out the various aspects of each character’s personality. For Lana, she is a sorceress and protector, making friends with those who are kind and brave. Lana’s love for the world around her and her friends makes her one of the strongest characters in the game. Lana is willing to sacrifice her all for the sake of Hyrule and everything she holds dear.
