Prince Sidon reminds me of an old Hollywood movie star. He has the swagger and charisma often attributed to actors like Clark Gable, and his characteristic smile surely makes all the Zora gals and guys swoon as he channels his inner Errol Flynn and steps into the role of adventurous swashbuckler. Sidon has the glitz and the glamor, but like the iceberg meme, he also has depth. He’s haunted by the loss of his sister and desperately wants to help his people and honor her name. Qumu’s amazing remix of “Prince Sidon’s Theme” masterfully utilizes the piano and the cello (among other instruments) to capture the complexity of Breath of the Wild’s charming, deeply damaged heartthrob.
Qumu’s remix begins with a strong cello rendition of the main melody, accompanied by some light, chill background piano that reminds me of the theme to Zora’s Domain. The initial hit of his theme in the opening seconds bursts into our ears like an auditory spotlight before the piano smoothes things out, preparing us for the rest of the remix. With this powerful opening, Sidon is cast as the story’s leading man, the charming hero who will lead his people to glory.
As the piece continues, the cello plays some long, mournful notes that call to mind Sidon’s loss, though the piano offsets the sadness with its exuberant hammering of the keys. Just like a shark, Sidon must keep swimming. Even when his heart is aching, he refuses to mope or give in. He will do whatever he must to help his people.
Around the 50-second mark, Qumu adds some flair and pizzazz worthy of Sidon’s megawatt smile with a short guitar rendition of the “Overworld Theme.” This iconic melody composed by Koji Kondo is synonymous with adventure for video game fans around the globe. Here, it conjures up images of Sidon helping Link assault Vah Rutah and brandishing the traditional Ceremonial Trident. Of course, he does it all with a tremendous amount of style, emerging from battle with that same dazzling smile.
A fun guitar riff that Qumu works in around the 1:26 mark adds another layer of fun to this song. It feels like we’re just chilling and laughing with the prince. Despite his loss, Sidon doesn’t lose his optimistic spirit. On the contrary, he weaponizes it into a toothy grin that never fails to lift the moods of those around him.
There’s a lot of Mipha in Sidon. While he may not be able to heal physical wounds the way his sister could, his kind heart, encouraging words, and winning smile heal the soul. With their remix of “Sidon’s Theme”, Qumu achieves the same. The mix of mournful cello with calming, upbeat piano calms a fan’s soul, and much like the Zora prince himself, it leaves us smiling.
To celebrate the upcoming launch of Tears of the Kingdom, we are dedicating two weeks of columns articles to its groundbreaking predecessor, Breath of the Wild! Check out our Countdown to TOTK page.
