We have all been there before. We have all had a story about something that is so interesting and amazing, but no one believes us. We are mocked for what we saw or heard and we have no real way of proving it to be true. Something like this can cloud up our minds and make us feel like outcasts. When what we know to be true in our hearts is dismissed by society, it can bring us to our most lonely and low places.
This wasn’t the case for Gondo.
When everyone mocked him for what he believed, he worked harder on trying to prove it.
Gondo is a gentleman smithy in Skyward Sword who sets up shop in the Skyloft Bazaar. He is located right next to the item check girl, Peatrice. Gondo’s bombastic charm and excitement to improve Link’s gear immediately sets him apart from the other shopkeepers you come across. He can repair Link’s shield and raise some of the items you find to their next level. All he asks for is the materials to do so and a little bit of cheddar.
When you think about it, Gondo could have just been the game’s way of upgrading gear and nothing more, but he holds a much more interesting story beneath his oil-slicked fingers. Day by day, he tinkers away at Link’s tools trying to learn more and hone his craft because he has an ultimate goal in mind. It isn’t until midway through Skyward Sword that you finally get to understand why he works so diligently.
Gondo has been telling the citizens of Skyloft a family legend: his grandfather supposedly had a talking robot, which would venture to the surface to retrieve materials. To someone living on an island in the sky with an impossibly thick layer of clouds beneath them, this story probably sounded crazy. This is why Gondo was mocked.
It was not until the hero’s boots touched the surface once again that we realized, okay, maybe the story wasn’t all wrong. After all, there is a surface below the clouds. As the story progresses, we start to come across quirky little robots in the Lanayru Desert and even more in the mining facility. The robots are real! So now, the story of Gondo’s grandfather doesn’t sound so far out.
It’s at this point that the player may think to themselves: “We must let him know! He will be so happy to find out that someone believes his crazy family tale!”
When we go to ask him about it, he immediately throws up walls. He is scared that we are going to mock him again. It is a hurtful exchange because this is the first time you see Gondo react without the wind in his sails. With a little convincing that you actually believe him, he is overjoyed that someone finally believes his story. At the end of the day, that is all Gondo needed.
He knew what the missing ingredient to his project was all along — he needed a certain type of oil. He needs oil from a flower that Link (most likely) has. Now all he needs is a hammer and a clink and Bob’s your uncle. He gets the ancient robot to chirp and beep once again!
This new robot is an immense help to Link during his journey. Not that the robot is in it to make Link happy, but it lifts the heavy items that Link cannot bring to the sky anyway. Thanks to Gondo’s unending drive, the day is saved and the hero can continue his journey.
Moral of the story?
Just because someone is a “Crazy Junk Man” doesn’t mean they aren’t big hearted and willing to help you, as well.
