The mountain-dwelling Gorons have never been known for their subtlety. Many brave heroes and skilled blacksmiths known to the Zelda universe are Gorons, and it is a tenet of Goron society to respect the great people of the tribe who are recognized not only within the walls of Goron City but all across Hyrule. But something else stands out about these powerful rock people besides their metal-forging prowess and gregarious personalities: Biggoron, who stands as tall as Death Mountain itself!
Biggoron has appeared a number of times throughout the series, showing up in Hyrule, Termina, and Holodrum. For now, though, we’ll focus on the original Biggoron from Ocarina of Time. More precisely, I want to examine about how unexpectedly popular the seemingly solitary giant is with members of other races across Hyrule.
It makes sense that Biggoron would be well-known throughout the land due to his status as a legendary blacksmith, but with his immense size, one has to wonder how often he gets around. For example, could you imagine Biggoron being close friends with a member of the Zora race? After all, it would be practically impossible for someone of his height and girth to even enter a place like Zora’s Domain, let alone hang around long enough to form meaningful connections with the locals.
But Biggoron must travel more than we realize, because if you speak to King Zora while wearing the Goron Mask, he will reveal that he and the Goron giant are childhood friends! And he’s not the only one, as the scientist who dwells in Lake Hylia also makes a comment about his “old friend” Biggoron.
The friendship between these three suggests some interesting possibilities about Hyrule’s political system in Ocarina of Time. The fact that King Zora and Biggoron are friends suggests that the King traveled to Death Mountain at some point in his youth, maybe to establish diplomatic relations or simply to learn more about the world as part of a coming-of-age journey. It’s possible that King Zora met and befriended the large Goron, then referred him to the Lake Scientist for his eye problems. However, the scientist specifically refers to Biggoron as a “friend” rather than a “client” or “customer,” so their relationship may have developed outside of the man’s medical practice.
So now the question is, why were these three individuals in particular grouped together as friends in the game? I think it most likely has to do with the Biggoron’s Sword sidequest. The relationship between these three is meant to serve as a subtle hint to the player, implying that they will all have a role to play in the quest to cure Biggoron’s eye condition. But whatever the true reason is for their strong bond, it’s always been one of my favorite bits of world-building in Ocarina of Time, as it makes the diverse regions and races in Hyrule feel more connected as a result.
